A Matter of Sin

Home > Romance > A Matter of Sin > Page 4
A Matter of Sin Page 4

by Jess Michaels


  When she had wiped the tears of amusement from her eyes, she said, “Oh, my dear, is that the sin you came to confess? That you stole Seth’s copy of The Ladies Book of Pleasures?”

  Isabel didn’t respond. Instead, she just stared at Grace.

  Seth.

  She had forgotten that was Lyndham’s given name. Dear Lord, it was dangerous to know that. His title represented generations of men; thinking of him by that designation distanced her from him. But thinking of him by his real name… It made every thought so much more focused on him and his strong arms and mischievous smile and—

  “Isabel?”

  She shook her head. “I stole it while he was in the room!” she continued. “Right in front of him in the middle of the night.”

  “You were with the marquis in the middle of the night?” Grace repeated slowly after a long pause.

  “I couldn’t sleep. I have no idea why he was up at that hour.” Isabel waved off the comment. “But that isn’t the worst of it, Grace. When I returned to my room and began to read the book, I…oh, that is I…you see, I started to…”

  She trailed off, blood flooding her cheeks until she feared she would burn her fingers if she touched them.

  Grace looked at her for a long moment and then understanding seemed to dawn in her pale blue eyes. “Oh. Oh! I see. So you were…uh…reading the book.”

  Isabel swallowed, humiliated that her friend seemed to understand that she had pleasured herself. But at least now she had a euphemism for the act to cling to.

  “Yes. And while I was…er…reading the book, I started thinking about Lord Lyndham himself!”

  She dared to look at Grace, but found that her friend was staring back, both eyebrows lifted, her face tilted as if she were waiting.

  “And…?” Grace asked.

  “And? What do you mean and?” Isabel threw her arms up in utter frustration. “You mean there must be more to my humiliation?”

  “Did someone catch you in the act of…reading?” Grace asked.

  Isabel swallowed hard. “No, of course not. I would never show my face again if that were the case.”

  Grace sat down in the chair closest to Isabel’s. “Let me be sure that I understand your upset. You are worked into a froth firstly because you borrowed a book from a gentleman’s library without permission…?”

  Isabel swallowed as she recalled the prior night. “Well, he did say that any of his books were at my disposal.”

  Grace smiled. “Then you are upset because you borrowed a book with permission. And that, in a heated moment, you pictured the owner of that book in a personal fantasy that no one ever need know about. Is that correct?”

  Isabel sighed. “When you say it that way, you make it sound silly.”

  Grace gave Isabel a look. “It is silly.”

  “No, it isn’t!” Isabel burst out. “It is wholly inappropriate on so many levels that—”

  Grace shook her head. “Dear Lord, Isabel, you didn’t damage the book. I doubt Lyndham would even care that you have it. And as for your moment of fantasy…it doesn’t hurt anyone. You can think of anyone you like in your private moments, from a footman to the most important man in Parliament.”

  “Now you sound like the book,” Isabel said as she covered her face. “But how can I look at him?”

  Grace covered Isabel’s hand with her own. “With a countenance and a body like the marquis possesses, you are likely not the first person in the world to think of Lord Lyndham in the throes of passion. You shall not be the last, I’m certain.”

  Isabel supposed that should be a comfort to her, but instead she was annoyed by the statement. It felt as if those other women Grace spoke of had stolen Isabel’s fantasy and she didn’t particularly care to share it.

  “You are right,” she sighed, pushing the dark reaction away. “Of course I’m being silly. Seth—Lord Lyndham will never know I took the book or thought of him. I shall simply return the volume as soon as I have the opportunity and will not act a mite differently around the man.”

  “Nor should you,” Grace said with a smile. “You’ve done nothing wrong. If anyone were to be so rude as to pretend you did, you should flog them quite mercilessly. Or better yet, I shall. What a lady desires, thinks and feels is her business and no one else’s. That book you took is right on that point, at least.”

  “I thought you hadn’t read it.”

  Pushing to her feet, Grace motioned Isabel to follow her from the room. “I’ve heard enough about it. Now I’m dying for tea and a biscuit, and Lady Lyndham told me when I arrived that both were forthcoming. Let us go together and face the gauntlet of your fantasy with a united front.”

  Isabel linked arms with her friend and laughed, but inside she was still nervous and overwhelmed at the idea of coming face to face with Seth. She wasn’t as strong or certain as Grace was. It was going to take a miracle for her not to suffer humiliation the next time she looked at him.

  Grace was right. Being in the same room as Seth wasn’t as bad as Isabel had imagined.

  It was worse.

  As the footmen moved about the room, refreshing the guests’ tea and offering cakes on little trays, Isabel fought with all her might not to look across the room to where Seth stood with a small group of ladies.

  Every time she caught a glimpse of him, she couldn’t help but picture him as he had been in her wicked imaginings the night before. Leaning over her naked flesh, touching her in such sensual ways, whispering her name as she shattered in pleasure.

  “Isabel?”

  Isabel flinched at the same sound of her name, only this time spoken by her sister. She turned toward Serena with a faint smile.

  “Yes, dearest?”

  “Your face is all pinched and you look pained,” her sister said softly. “Is anything wrong?”

  Isabel sighed. Dear God, she was not built for these fantasies and imaginings, no matter what Grace and that dratted book said.

  “Your sister is quite well,” Grace interrupted as she reached out to pat Isabel’s hand. “She only had a poor night’s rest.”

  Isabel glared at her friend.

  Serena didn’t seem to be aware of the tension between them, though. “You did? Oh, I’m so sorry. It is perhaps best that I spent the night in Sarah’s chamber. I would have only made it worse.”

  Isabel shut her eyes. There was no subtlety to Serena. “Are you telling me you would like to spend the rest of your time here sharing Sarah’s chamber?”

  Serena nodded with a sweet laugh. “I would, if you don’t mind.”

  “And her mother approves?” she pressed.

  Her sister nodded. “Oh yes!”

  Isabel sighed. Given her current state of mind, it was probably best to have some privacy at night. Especially if her thoughts were going to be so wild and wayward.

  “Very well, but you must promise not to keep each other too late with gossip and foolishness. You are a lady, remember, not a little girl.”

  Serena nodded obediently. “May I tell her?”

  Isabel waved her sister away with a smile, one that instantly fell when Serena was gone. She peeked over her shoulder. Seth was still standing across the room. Looking handsome as ever. But this time, he was staring back at her.

  Instantly, Isabel sucked in a breath and darted her gaze away.

  “Oh no,” Grace whispered with a smile. “That wasn’t obvious at all.”

  Isabel glared at her friend. “This isn’t an easy position for me, you know. I’ve never…thought about a specific man while I was, er…reading. I can’t look at him without thinking of it over and over. The best thing I can do now is just avoid him.”

  “At a party where he is host and you are chaperone to one of the most celebrated girls of the Season?” Grace asked, incredulous.

  Isabel shut her eyes. Why did Grace have to be so logical? “Perhaps it will be impossible, but I must try.”

  Grace chuckled as she sipped her tea. “It is truly unfortunate that Jacinda c
ouldn’t be persuaded to join us here this week.”

  Isabel shook her head. “Why?”

  “Because I think this is bound to be a great entertainment.” Grace laughed as she began to walk away. “And I cannot fully enjoy it alone.”

  Isabel glared after her friend. Enjoy this? She couldn’t imagine anyone could ever enjoy the way she was feeling at present. And she could only hope the strange tingling in her stomach would come to an end soon. One way or another.

  Chapter Four

  “Never underestimate the power of a kiss.”—The Ladies Book of Pleasures

  “How tedious this all is,” Jason said as he took a drink from the tray of the closest servant.

  Seth did the same and surveyed the crowded parlor with a sigh. “I must admit, it wasn’t exactly a successful day, at least in terms of a bride hunt. I couldn’t truly focus on any of the ladies enough to make their better acquaintance.”

  Jason laughed. “Perhaps you aren’t doing it right.”

  Seth shot his friend a look and shook his head. “I only meant that today’s tea was an exercise in being overwhelmed. It seemed everyone wanted my ear so I had no time for anyone in particular.”

  “You did look a bit ragged afterward,” Jason admitted, though his roguish smile gave no indication that he felt pity for Seth.

  “Croquet was little better,” Seth continued with a shudder. “Those young women were brutal. I thought they were supposed to be delicate.”

  Jason shrugged. “They were all trying to impress you or force you to save them. But at least you sat next to the lovely Lady Evelyn at supper. Did that not lift your spirits even a bit?”

  Seth thought of supper, which had just ended a half hour before.

  “She is a very pretty girl,” he admitted.

  “But?”

  “But her mother must think her stupid. The woman harangued me nonstop for three courses without letting the girl…or me…get a word in! I have never been so relieved to see a meal end.” He slugged his drink back in one swig.

  Jason shook his head. “My, this is dire, for it is only the first full day of the gathering and so far the one interesting experience you’ve had was with Lady Avenbury.”

  Seth blinked as he found her across the room alongside her sister and a few other ladies. Just as she had done all day, the moment his gaze lit upon her, she pointedly looked the opposite direction.

  “And what is that look for?” Jason asked with a chuckle as he followed Seth’s gaze to the lady in question. “Ah, ‘she walks in beauty’—”

  “Please don’t quote Byron to me,” Seth snapped.

  Jason laughed. “Why do I have the feeling that something more has happened to draw your interest to Isabel?”

  Seth gave his friend a side-glance. “No, nothing has happened. In fact, the lady seems to be avoiding me.”

  “Avoiding you?” Jason repeated, his face twisting like he didn’t understand the concept. Seth supposed he didn’t. No woman had ever avoided Jason. On the contrary, they flocked to him, and he took full advantage of that fact.

  Seth nodded. “I first took note of it earlier but dismissed it as distraction on her part. After all, the Duchess of Jameswood arrived today, and everyone knows they are thick as thieves.”

  “But?” Jason prompted again with what had to be the most annoying chuckle in three counties.

  Seth scowled. “But as the day progressed I noticed any time I moved in her direction, she moved an equal distance away from me. When I look at her, she looks at anything else. It is…odd, for I cannot think of anything I could have done to offend the lady in the span of less than twenty-four hours.”

  “Hmmm,” Jason murmured as he looked at her again. “It would not be so very odd if Isabel did as we suspect and took your book.”

  Seth rolled his eyes. “We suspect nothing. You are the one overly focused on that idea.”

  Jason ignored him. “She does look guilty.”

  Seth looked at Isabel again. Jason was correct, damn him. It was guilt that lined her face, even when it was turned partially away from him.

  Jason leaned closer. “Doesn’t it make you wonder what naughty thing she has done?”

  Seth pursed his lips. As much as he hated to give into his shockingly base drive to test Isabel, he did want to know what had changed her behavior.

  “Perhaps I should investigate further.” Seth shrugged. “After all, I am the host of this party. I must attend to my guests, mustn’t I? Even if they apparently do not desire it.”

  Jason leaned back with raised brows. “You, bait a lady? How marvelous! You haven’t played any games purely for fun in so long I can scarce recall the last time.”

  Seth shook his head with a chuckle. He had never been so wicked as his friend, but not so long ago, before his life had been irrevocably changed by his brother’s death, he had been no stranger to pleasure.

  But it had been a long time since he stalked any prey. He wasn’t certain he could do it properly anymore.

  “I think it best to start simply,” he said, almost more to himself than to Jason.

  Lifting his gaze to Isabel a second time, he held it there, observing the way her mouth moved as she spoke first to her sister and then to the chaperone of one of the other ladies in attendance.

  There was no difficulty in holding the stare. He found there were so many details to admire in Isabel’s face, in the way she involved her hands when she talked, in the brightness of her smile when she flashed it. Looking at her was a pleasure.

  He recognized the moment she noticed his attention not because she turned toward him, but because her shoulders stiffened slightly. Slowly, but noticeably, a marvelous pink blush crept up from the bodice of her scooped-neck gown, up the elegant slope of her neck and finally colored her cheeks.

  He grinned, feeling utterly wicked but unsatisfied. He wanted her to look at him. He wanted her to know that he was examining her with focus and judge her reaction.

  “Fascinating,” Jason said beside him.

  Seth nearly jumped. He had almost forgotten his friend’s presence.

  “She refuses to acknowledge you even though you are burning a hole in that pretty orange gown of hers,” Jason observed.

  “Until she does acknowledge it, I refuse to alter my attention,” Seth murmured, continuing to stare at Isabel and enjoying the way she had begun to squirm ever so slightly.

  “Do we dare place blunt on how long that will take?”

  A grin was Seth’s only response. But before any bargains could be struck, Isabel looked directly at Seth. For the briefest fraction of a moment, their eyes met and in the rich depths of her stare Seth lost himself completely. But then she darted those eyes away, stealing the pleasure they provided.

  She looked past him toward the French doors that led to the terrace, almost as if she was plotting an escape over the low garden wall that led to the countryside.

  She spoke to her friend and her sister for a moment, then moved away toward the refreshment table. She poured herself a cup of punch, her back firmly and quite deliberately to him as she did so.

  “Excellent,” Jason crowed softly. “A most guilt-stricken reaction if I ever saw one. I do believe Lady Avenbury may have taken your book.”

  Seth blinked. In truth, when he looked at Isabel, everything else became secondary, including his “investigation” into who might have absconded with The Ladies Book of Pleasures. And yet that was the justification he had given for making Isabel the focus of his attention.

  “Either that or tupped one of your servants, eh?” Jason teased, elbowing him in the ribs.

  Seth turned on him with a scowl. “That is a lady, sir, and do not forget it. You go too far.”

  Jason blinked, staring at Seth with a wide-eyed and utterly amused expression. “I see a mooning look in your eyes.”

  “Oh, do shut up, Northfield,” Seth snapped.

  “You were intrigued by her yesterday. Today you cannot take your eyes from her, and I think
that has little to do with a stolen item,” Jason continued, but now his friend’s smile was gone and his tone was uncharacteristically serious. “Seth, you are here to find a bride.”

  “I know that. Do you think I could ever forget it?” Seth hissed as he broke his stare from Isabel.

  He looked at all the young women in the room around him. So young and appropriate and so utterly, mind-bogglingly boring that it took everything in him not to scream.

  “Lady Avenbury probably isn’t that bride,” his friend continued, but his tone was gentler. “She is not of an age, but even if you could overlook that, she did not provide her late husband with heirs even in all their years together. I realize that is of great import to you and to your family.”

  Seth shut his eyes and drew a noisy breath. “You are the last one who should be lecturing me on familial responsibility!” he snapped, though he kept his voice low. “Now, if you will excuse me, I must return to my guests, I have wasted enough time as it is.”

  He stepped away from Jason without allowing his best friend to respond or argue and paced into the crowd.

  Jason spoke as if Seth didn’t know his duty. As if it didn’t slap him in the face every time he passed by a portrait of his brother or his father in the long hallways of this home.

  But his friend was correct, Seth had let this strange interest in a woman who was utterly inappropriate distract him from the matter at hand. And the added mystery of who had taken the naughty book didn’t help.

  So he intended to end that, at least, forthwith. He moved into the middle of the crowd with a smile for those around him. Of course all attention turned toward him.

  “Thank you all for coming here,” he said, loudly enough that it was clear he was speaking to the group as a whole. “I hope we will share in friendship, good wine and conversation during your stay.”

  “Hear, hear!” someone called from the crowd, and Seth smiled at the already tipsy enthusiasm.

  “Please, enjoy your stay and do not hesitate to ask for anything you require,” he finished as he raised his glass.

  The others followed suit and then the crowd ostensibly returned to their business, though Seth felt their eyes stay on him, always observing.

 

‹ Prev