‘Well, of course, my cousin needs to marry. He has reached the right age for a man to start his own family. I hoped that he would choose a well-bred young lady, but…’
Dinah turned and looked into Lady Hornby’s cold blue eyes. Then she caught sight of Aunt Grahams shocked face.
I cannot bear it, she thought and she moved swiftly towards the French windows leading to the garden. Before she reached it, Amelia blocked her way.
‘Do not pay attention to what my cousin says. Lady Hornby does not approve of anyone who does not share their lineage with the Royal Family. I hope she did not say anything to upset you.’
Dinah smiled weakly at her:
‘Thank you, my lady, for your kindness. I am not upset… I think… I would like to be alone for a moment!’
‘Please, do call me Amelia. Why don’t you sneak out to the garden for a quarter of an hour? I shall tell that you have a headache.’
‘That would be most kind of you, Amelia. And could you, please, make sure that no one follows me? I cannot bear to be in a company at the moment, but I shall be quite recovered after my solitary walk.’
CHAPTER 6
I will be punished for telling such awful lies, thought Dinah, turning away from the garden path and walking fast towards the old shed hidden behind the trees. She lifted the skirt of her pale green muslin dress, praying that it would not get dirty. She knew that what she was doing was mad, but she was past caring.
The crooked wooden door opened before she reached it. In a second Alex’s strong arms pulled her inside. Although he had lit a candle and put it on the floor in the corner, so it would not be seen from the outside, it was still very dark. When he kissed her, he smelled of cigar smoke and horse. Despite her earlier distress, Dinah melted in his arms.
‘Alex, I need to tell you something’ she whispered.
‘Later’ was his impatient answer. ‘God, I missed you!’
His hands moved searchingly over her body.
‘Be careful! I cannot go back all ruffled!’
‘Sorry, you’re right. I just want you so much that I fear I might explode if I have to wait any longer.’
He looked around and his eyes fell on a little wooden table. It looked a bit unstable and was covered in dust, but he spread his riding coat over it. Than he lifted Dinah, sat her on the top of it and kissed her, letting his tongue run across her lower lip. When his fingers started to lightly caress her breasts through the thin material of her bodice, she gave a loud moan.
‘Shush…’ he whispered. ‘Someone may hear you.’
Then he kneeled down and gently lifted her skirts and petticoat. Placing his hands on her ankles, he trailed the length of her slim legs, parting them as he reached the thighs. The way he was touching her, delicately and firmly at the same time, made Dinah quiver with desire.
What they were doing was so shocking, so scandalous! But she did not feel remotely ashamed, only hopelessly excited as she watched Alex unbuttoning his breeches. The need to feel him inside her was almost painful. But she did not have to wait long.
As he entered her, standing, grabbing the edge of the table for support, she felt an almost instant pleasure, intensifying with his every thrust. Gasping, she could not keep her voice down and, when Alex placed his hand on her mouth, she bit into his fingers. She coiled one leg around his hips, urging him, bringing him closer, forgetting everyone and everything that was not him.
Then the night seemed to explode in a white hot light behind her closed eyelids. She heard Alex’s throaty groan and at the same time she tasted blood on his hand where she bit it.
‘It’s the sweetest injury I have ever got. I do hope there will be a new scar to add to my collection. Something to remember you by.’
‘I’m sorry’ she whispered, still breathless against his chest. ‘I could not control myself.’
‘Miss Benson, what would the vicar say if he saw you now?’
‘Oh, stop it!’ she laughed, jumping down from the rickety table and smoothing her dress. ‘Tell me better if I look presentable.’
‘A little flushed, but otherwise perfect’ he grinned at her. ‘That dress suits you. Are you going to wear green tomorrow as well?’
‘Yes, but a slightly darker shade. I do love it so! I have got a lovely silk dress made for me in London. But Alex, I would like to talk to you and I haven’t got much time.’
‘What is it?’ he took her hand, seeing her distress.
She repeated him what Lady Hornby revealed about Lord Timsbury’s wealth.
‘He does not need to marry me for money. And he seemed to be determined to do it against his family’s wishes. I mean, the man does not even know me! It frightens me, Alex. I cannot marry him. I will not!’
Gently, he drew her towards him. The warmth of his arms had a calming effect on Dinah. She wished she could stay there forever, never go back to the guest in the drawing room, never have to face the ball and Lord Timsbury.
‘I cannot marry Lord Timsbury if he really has got any deeper feelings for me. That changes everything.’
‘Why?’ Alex asked in a hoarse whisper.
‘Because I would never make him happy. It would not be fair. Oh, Alex, why cannot we just escape together?’
‘And live happily ever after? Already chasing for a new adventure, are you?’
‘I am in no mood for jokes. What shall I do? I want to be with you, not become Lady Timsbury!’
Dinah knew that she was pushing too far. There was never any mention of a future together between them. She had been open about her prospect marriage and he never tried to change her mind. But what began as an adventure, her own secret experience, turned into something much more serious, deeper and almost frightening. For at this very moment she realised that she would not be able to face the future without Alex. And now, what was he going to say?
His tone was cautious and steady when he replied:
‘Listen, Dinah, listen carefully. You must go back home and carry on as if nothing happened.’
So that was it. For him she was just a diversion and now he wanted her to carry on with her life, so he could go back to his. And what was his life? She did not even have time to ask him.
‘Dinah, look at me’ he took her face in his hands and turned it towards him.
She looked into his burning eyes, but in the darkness could not read their expression.
‘Go inside now and act normal. Tomorrow get ready for you ball. And, please, promise me to look more beautiful than ever.’
‘Oh, Alex! Will you come and see me tomorrow?’
‘I will. I will see you tomorrow. Trust me. And now go!’
He kissed her lingeringly and, reluctantly, she made her way back to the drawing room. Each time they parted, she reflected, he asked her to trust him. And so far he had not let her down. She clung to this thought and somehow struggled through the rest of the evening.
Alex looked at her departing silhouette and absentmindedly sucked at the little mark where her teeth bit through his skin. Their passionate and rapturous lovemaking was enough to leave him dazed. But Dinah’s readiness to throw everything and elope with him stunned him. Could it be that she really cared for him? A stranger with a face that made people look away?
She preferred a life with him to the comfort and privilege of becoming Lady Timsbury.
‘Until tomorrow, Dinah!’ he whispered and hoped that all was going to turn out well.
Next afternoon Dinah was dressing for the ball. She remembered that Alex wanted her to look especially beautiful, but she could not guess why. If he intended to meet her somewhere in secret again, it hardly mattered what she wore. Still, even she herself was pleased with her looks for once, despite a rather disturbed night’s sleep.
Last night she managed to escape to her room early, pleading a headache. Everybody was very understanding. The girl was to meet up with her prospect husband, no wonder she suffered from nerves.
There was a knock on the door and her maid came i
n. She carried a little package in her hands.
‘What is it, Betsy?’ Dinah turned away from the mirror.
‘There’s a packet for you, Miss Benson.’
The girl moved forward and passed Dinah the parcel. It was addressed in Captain Legrant’s hand.
‘When did it arrive?’ Dinah asked.
‘Must have come with the letters but got left behind. Everything is in an uproar with the guests, ball and all. ’
Betsy’s fingers closed on a coin that she was given in exchange for delivering the packet and not betraying who asked her to do it.
Dinah’s heart was beating very fast. She was dying to tear the package open but could not do it in front of the maid.
‘Thank you, Betsy. Will you come in half an hour to do my hair?’
‘Yes, ma’am.’ The girl curtsied. ‘Oh, and by the way, Lord Timsbury’s carriage arrived and some of his servants. He’ll be coming later on a horseback’
What condescension! thought Dinah coldly. She wondered if he would arrive early enough to change before he met her. Perhaps he would not even make the opening dance! Her father told her to keep this free for his lordship. Or maybe he would not bother to come at all?
When Betsy closed the door behind her, Dinah inspected her package. Inside, there was a small box and a letter. She opened the box and gasped. It contained two magnificent emerald encrusted hair combs. They would go beautifully with her new green dress! Dinah knew that it was not proper to accept them, not to mention wear them at the ball, but she did not care.
Her hand shook slightly when she reached for the letter, addressed in the already familiar handwriting.
Dearest Dinah,
Please, accept this little gift, a token of my affection. I cannot express how much meeting you means to me. I know that you are going to look so beautiful tonight that even Lady Hornby will not be able to find any fault in you.
I am looking forward to seeing you,
Alex.
Dinah did not know what to make out of the letter. She expected Alex to give her some directions to where and when they should meet. Instead, he sent her an expensive gift and wrote that he was looking forward to seeing her. What could that mean?
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. The maid came in to dress her hair and give finishing touches to her toilette. Soon the ball would commence.
‘Dearest Dinah, you do look beautiful’ Amelia took Dinah’s arm and dragged her away from approaching Lady Hornby, resplendent in deep burgundy.
‘So do you! This must be the most beautiful dress I have ever seen!’
‘Why, thank you. I got it especially for the occasion. I could not decide…’ suddenly she interrupted, catching a glimpse of emerald in Dinah’s hair.
‘Your hair combs…’ she said slowly. ‘I did not know that…’
But she was interrupted again, as Aunt Grahams descended on them:
‘Here you are, Dinah. Go, stand next to your father and greet your guests! I think that Lord Timsbury has arrived.’
Dinah felt her stomach clench. Slowly, she walked and took place next to her father. She could hear footsteps in the corridor, getting closer and closer. Taking a deep breath she turned to look at the approaching man and froze, letting her fan drop from her hand.
For there, dressed exquisitely in black tailcoat, light coloured breeches and black, polished hessians, was Alex. His dark hair was combed back and his face was clean shaven, exposing the cruel scarring as if he dared the world to stare at him.
‘Alexander Legrant, the Earl of Timsbury’ announced the butler.
For a second, before Alex turned to talk to her father, he caught Dinah’s eye. She hoped, in vain, that no one would notice her blush. She was aware of her father’s booming voice and next moment Alex stood in front of her, her dropped fan in his stretched hand. She noticed small marks that her teeth left on it last night and as the circumstances of their last encounter stood in front of her eyes she blushed even deeper.
‘My daughter, Dinah, my lord’, she heard her father saying.
Alex bowed in front of her and she dropped a curtsy, her eyes cast down. She knew that everybody was looking at them. Then, he took her hand and lifted it to his lips.
‘We have met before, I believe, Miss Benson’ he said softly. ‘You look remarkably beautiful tonight.’
His eyes, black and hot, burned into hers, communicating more that she could take in. There was approval in his eyes, as well as laughter, as if, again, they shared a private joke, and also a challenge. But there was something more, something that Dinah recalled seeing once before. Could that be… affection?
With a deep breath she steadied her nerves and stepped into the role:
‘Thank you, my lord. I do hope you do not disapprove of young ladies wearing emeralds?’
The last sentence was whispered, so only he could hear it.
‘Quite the contrary, Miss Benson. I think it sometimes might prove beneficial to allow young ladies some freedom. Will you do me an honour of dancing the first two dances with me?’
‘It will be my pleasure, my lord. Thank you.’
When he moved away and Dinah turned to greet Mr Ford, she was in turmoil. With great effort she played a polite hostess, while inside she could feel a storm of emotions with one building over and blocking all others. Cold, blinding fury.
As Alex moved into the candlelit ballroom, he was aware of people looking at him and then quickly averting their eyes. It usually irritated him, but tonight he did not pay any notice to it. All he could think of was how to explain to Dinah that he did not mean to deceive her. He realised that he had put her in a very difficult position, confronting her in front of all these people. Apart from the initial shock, she played her part really well.
And she looked stunning! She wore a simple, but perfectly fitting, green dress. The colour matched her sparkling eyes and the low neckline showed off her lovely white breasts. Every time she turned her head, he could catch a flicker of emerald in her glorious red hair. Alex wished he could take her somewhere where they could be alone and make love to her all night.
Instead he talked to Lady Hornby and to his sister, Amelia. He longed to ask Amelia how she liked Dinah, but did not wish to start any intimate conversation in front of his ever disapproving cousin. His nerves were strung as if he was going to the battle. Perhaps he was. His life’s happiness depended on the outcome.
He was almost relieved when it was finally time to start dancing and he bowed in front of Dinah, who dropped him a graceful curtsy. Although she smiled demurely at him, her eyes shone with suppressed anger. As Alex took her hand to lead her to a dance floor his heart sank. He was in for a tough fight.
For a moment they danced in silence and Alex realised that he would have to be the first to break the tension.
‘I know you are angry with me. I quite understand’ he started lamely.
‘Oh, do you?’ Dinah’s voice was icy. ‘And, for God’s sake, lower your voice!’ she hissed.
‘I should have told you who I was when we met on Monday night’ he whispered.
‘Yes, you should have. But, on the other hand, what difference would it have made? All was settled between you and my father anyway. No wonder you wanted a taste of the goods before the bargain was completed.’
As the other dancers separated them for a moment, Alex had enough time for her words to sink in. He was so sure that she would be angry with him for not revealing his true identity, that he completely forgot the real reason of her anger with Lord Timsbury. The alleged bargain, in which she was the most attractive piece of goods. But in truth no bargain took place. He must make her believe him.
‘Dinah’ he whispered when they were dancing together again. ‘I have not asked your father for your hand, not yet.’
She looked at him, her green eyes confused.
‘What are you saying, Alex?’
‘That there has been no bargain.’
The music stopped and they st
ood facing each other, oblivious to the curious glances of the other guests. The tension between them was unbearable when Alex waited for her to say something. When the next dance started, she finally said:
‘We cannot talk about it now. Let us walk in the garden after this dance is over. I am not engaged for the next ones. And, for goodness sake, now talk to me about the weather!’
‘There has been a really violent storm lately…’ he said loudly in an indifferent tone.
For Dinah the dance was a torture. She was dying to be alone with Alex and get the answers to all of her questions. Her earlier fury turned into total confusion when he said that he had never come to any understanding with her father regarding her. So why did her father claimed otherwise? Why did he throw this great ball and lead everybody to believe that it was to celebrate her engagement to Lord Timsbury?
When the music finally ended and Alex took her arm and slowly walked with her to the garden, Dinah was aware of people looking at them. She caught her father’s satisfied smile. No doubt, he was congratulating himself that all his scheming was working out so well.
Once hidden away from others, Alex took hold of her shoulders and turned her to face him. Dinah, looking into his scared, now clearly tortured face, felt her heart ache with love for him, but she was not willing to let her emotions rule her now. She needed clear head to make sense of all what was happening to her.
‘Well, my lord’ she emphasised the last two words ‘how can you explain to me the fact that my father is informing me about your proposal if you did not ask for my hand in marriage?’
‘That I cannot explain for sure. You would need to ask your father. All I can say is that I did not strike this kind of deal with him. A title marrying money! Lord, Dinah, who do you think I am?’
‘I don’t know who you really are! Are you trying to tell me that my father lied to me? Why am I supposed to believe you and not him?’
Seduced Bride-To-Be Page 4