* * *
After a light luncheon, they set off to call on Delphine’s parents. Lowenna was full of excitement at the prospect of seeing Aunt Rose’s baby, her cousin Thomas, and playing with the toys in her mama’s old nursery. The same could not be said of her papa, as he irritably contemplated the impending confrontation with Delphine’s father, but it had to be faced, there was no help for it.
Sensitive to how he was feeling, Delphine tried to lighten the occasion. ‘Try not to worry, Stephen. I’m sure everything will be all right.’
Despite his cold detachment, Stephen felt an odd sensation of gratitude to his young wife. ‘Thank you, Delphine, but I do not expect to be treated as a long-awaited and much-loved member of the family. I intend to get this ordeal over with as quickly as possible. I have no doubt your father had plenty to say about me when you called on him with Lowenna.’
‘Nothing in particular, although both he and Mama did voice their concern.’
‘What about?’
‘Me. They—want to be assured that I am being well looked after.’
‘And what did you say?’
‘That it is difficult for a man to look after his wife when he is in another country.’
‘I see. Then I shall have to convince them otherwise.’
When Lowenna had been whisked off to the nursery by one of the servants, Stephen and Delphine were shown into the drawing room where the family was about to have tea. The group who awaited them reacted with diverse emotions. Lady Cameron, Delphine’s mother, looked relieved that her daughter’s husband had deigned to favour them with a visit, the twins—identical in looks but one in pink and the other in blue, seated together on a striped green-and-yellow silk sofa—looked fascinated, openly admiring their breathtakingly handsome brother-in-law with small, self-conscious smiles, while her father looked apprehensive as he considered Stephen’s superior frame.
Delphine was delighted to find that Aunt Celia was paying a rare visit to see her niece and to become reacquainted with her handsome husband.
‘Lord Cameron,’ Stephen greeted in deep, melodious tones, offering a smile to each in turn. ‘Lady Cameron.’ He inclined his head to Celia before turning on that devilish Fitzwaring charm to the twins and kissing each of their hands.
‘We are pleased to meet you again, Lord Fitzwaring,’ Lady Cameron said as she looked at her son-in-law, with his lean, noble features and tall, broad-shouldered frame, wondering how in the world she could possibly have forgotten how handsome this dynamic and forceful man was. ‘Much has changed since last we met—and we are so happy to have the chance of meeting our lovely granddaughter at last.’
‘Lowenna is certainly that, Lady Cameron. She has everyone in her thrall—including her besotted father.’
Smiling with relief that Lord Fitzwaring did not appear to hold a grudge for the way he had been forced into marriage with Delphine, Lady Cameron swept a hand towards the sofa, where Delphine was already ensconced. ‘Please do sit down and tell us about Spain and the places you’ve visited since last we saw you.’
‘Mama,’ Delphine was quick to say as Stephen sat beside her, very close so that they sat snugly together—no doubt putting on a show of togetherness for the benefit of her parents, she thought. ‘You make it sound as though Stephen was taking the Grand Tour, not fighting a war. He was much too busy to look at the scenery.’
Stephen smiled at his mother-in-law. ‘Nevertheless, Spain is a very beautiful country—although the summer heat can be extremely wearing. It is certainly not what we’re used to in England.’
While her mother busied herself with pouring tea and asking the twins to hand it out, Delphine eyed her husband obliquely, speaking quietly. ‘I can move over if you need more room, Stephen.’
Her gentle barb was not lost on Stephen. The roguish grin he gave her as he took her hand in his made her heart somersault with incredulous joy. ‘There is no need for such measures, I assure you. I am quite comfortable, my love,’ he murmured, leaning close to breathe in the scent of her hair and lowering his head further still until his warm breath brushed her cheek. Delphine nearly closed her eyes at the unexpected pleasure his nearness elicited. Indeed, it seemed as if her efforts to remain detached from her husband were being seriously undermined by the yearning she felt within the depths of her body—a yearning that grew stronger by the day. Looking up, she found her father watching them keenly.
‘Sir, the last time we met was at your wedding to my daughter. I trust she is being well looked after. I am sure you will understand our concern about her living so far away while you were fighting with your regiment in Spain. It was unfortunate, that—’ he cleared his throat ‘—that business—not the kind of behaviour I can excuse or condone. My wife and I always gave our daughters the best advice. Obviously Delphine never took it in. Still, she was old enough to know better.’
‘She probably never realised she had a father who cared enough to protect her,’ Stephen remarked. Recalling the dressing down he’d received from Lord Cameron two years ago, in retrospect he had to admit that the dressing down had been well deserved, even though he would not have admitted it at the time. It was madness, but at that moment he felt a stirring of admiration for his father-in-law—a deeply concerned parent, the sort of father his own had been, that he himself wished to be, with strong principles about what was acceptable and what was not, a man who expected the same behaviour from those around him—yet Stephen wished the gentleman had shown Delphine the love and consideration she had lacked growing up.
‘Allow me to put your mind at rest, Lord Cameron,’ he went on, ‘and to assure you that as my wife Delphine is protected and cherished—is that not so, my darling?’ He kissed her hand and smiled again at his father-in-law. ‘Delphine wants for nothing. Now I am home I shall make sure of her happiness. I will always keep her safe.’
‘No one can promise that,’ Delphine said.
‘I am quite determined,’ he said quietly with a tender smile.
‘I am sure Delphine is relieved to have you back home, Lord Fitzwaring,’ Lady Cameron remarked. ‘It is plain to me that she holds you in high regard. Are you enjoying London?’
Stephen smiled graciously. ‘We recently endured a most exhausting shopping expedition, from which I am unlikely to recover without intensive convalescence.’
‘You’ve been shopping?’ Fern trilled, sitting on the edge of her seat, suddenly interested, since the beginning and end of her world revolved around every fashionable street in London where she could shop to her heart’s content.
‘A whole new wardrobe—would you believe it?’ Stephen smiled.
‘You were the one who said I needed it,’ Delphine declared with mock indignation. ‘I was quite content with the clothes already in my possession. Why, anyone listening to you would think you the victim of an attack!’
Stephen’s gaze narrowed on her smiling lips, then he leaned back his head and laughed a rich throaty sound that warmed Delphine’s heart. ‘And I would tell them that when a man acquires a treasure, he does not argue over a few pounds.’
Her eyes shone with humour. ‘You really are wicked, you know.’
‘But not beyond redemption, my love,’ he murmured with a definite gleam in his eye.
As she met his gaze, Delphine’s lips curved in a smile. ‘I never said it was a failing.’
‘Well, Delphine,’ her mother said, more than a little surprised by this open display of affection. After two years of worrying about her wayward daughter, she was delighted to see how well matched they were—and so obviously in love. ‘I am pleased your husband managed to get you to the shops. It is more than I could achieve. And I hear you are to attend Lord and Lady Chevington’s ball—which is another achievement.’ She smiled at Stephen. ‘Delphine never enjoyed socialising.’ She glanced back at her dau
ghter. ‘I’m happy to see you making an effort at last. You must make a pretence of enjoying yourself, even if you are not.’
‘Aye, Delphine could never see further than that blessed orphanage,’ her father grumbled. ‘Night and day, that was all she could talk about. Everything she had of value she would pawn for the orphanage. She was stubborn as a child, so she will not change now, try as you may.’
‘I would not wish to change her,’ Stephen said softly. ‘She is an angel; so I have always considered her and I love her just the way she is. I am happy to have married a woman who thinks not just of herself, but would give all she has to those less fortunate. Her bravery and compassion compels my admiration and respect.’
Delphine stared at him and thrilled to that small endearment—that he loved her. Then she looked down at her lap with furrowed brow. He had said she was an angel. Angel? The word set her mind racing. Angelet: the comparison was close—too close for her comfort. She struggled to remember the exact wording of the utterance, so many weeks ago, that had first driven them apart following his return from Spain.
‘Something vexes you, my dear?’ A soft, gentle voice roused her from her thoughts.
She recollected herself and glanced fondly at her Aunt Celia. ‘I’m glad you are here today, Aunt Celia. We have something to tell you that will relieve you of some of your worries.’
The older woman smiled. ‘That would indeed be welcome, but first tell me how Maisie is settling in. The other children miss her, but, considering the circumstances, it was for the best that she left.’
‘It was, and she is doing well. Her happiness was a delight to see when she first put on her new clothes. She is so very good with Lowenna that I’m considering having her work in the nursery. But what we want to tell you is that Stephen has offered to donate the money you need to buy the new orphanage. You told me you have seen the ideal place in Islington—is it still on the market, do you suppose?’
Celia’s eyes widened in amazement. ‘But—Lord Fitzwaring—that’s extremely generous of you. Oh—really,’ she said, so overwhelmed her pale complexion turned a delicate shade of pink, ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘You are not required to say anything,’ Stephen countered. ‘Delphine has told me how hard you work seeking contributions for your charity and how desperately the children, whose welfare is most dear to your heart, need a more suitable location. I shall be happy to invest in such a noble cause. I shall also approach some of my friends to contribute.’
Celia stared at him in stunned disbelief. ‘That—that would be wonderful.’
‘Naturally I shall personally inspect the property you have chosen to make sure it is structurally sound before you move your orphanage. We can undertake the trip together and you can tell me what you will need to make it habitable. I shall make an appointment to see the property agent directly and let you know when we can inspect it.’
Overcome with emotion, Celia dabbed at her eyes. ‘Thank you so much. This means a great deal to me—and I know it will mean a good deal more to the children.’
‘Think nothing of it. I am glad to do it.’
After that, conversation was easy and relaxed; by the time Stephen had smiled and charmed his way through the next hour, when it was time for them to leave, both Lord and Lady Cameron were of the opinion that despite the sordid circumstances that had brought Delphine and this man together, as things had turned out, perhaps it wasn’t such a bad match after all. Considering Lord Fitzwaring’s large estate in Cornwall and his vast wealth, she really had done rather well for herself.
* * *
On the night of the Chevingtons’ ball, trying to calm her fears, Delphine pulled the deep-red gown up over her shoulders. Without her maid she was unable to do up the fastenings at the back.
Stephen entered, immediately standing stock still. A strange expression crossed his face. The Delphine he saw walking towards him in her lovely high-waisted gown was not the charming young woman he’d become accustomed to seeing. In a transformation that both unnerved and enthralled him, the breathtaking young woman was a princess fit to take her place in the most glittering courts in the world. Her hair fell like a shimmering deep-red waterfall, waving over her shoulders and halfway down her spine, where it ended in thick curls. The scooped neck of her gown accented the fullness of her breasts, falling gently over graceful hips to her slippered feet. The deep rich colour of the gown had darkened her brown eyes until they appeared almost black; her flawless skin shone startlingly white against the deep red.
Stephen again experienced the odd sensation that his wife had become someone else, but when she drew near, there was no mistaking that entrancing face. She stopped in front of him, and his decision to have her, no matter how she might argue, now became an unshakeable resolution. A slow, admiring smile drifted across his face.
‘Do you like the gown?’ he asked, unable to keep his eyes off the alluring display of smooth flesh exposed by the neckline.
‘I confess that it is not a shade I would have chosen for myself—and not with the décolletage so low, but I like it well enough.’
‘Good—although I’m beginning to regret choosing this particular gown for you to wear for the ball.’
‘Indeed? Was that not its intended purpose from the start?’
‘I’m beginning to wish I’d bought it solely for my own private admiration,’ he said softly, ‘not for the pleasure it will give other men when they look at you. You will cause quite a stir.’
Delphine’s cheeks flamed. ‘Oh—I—I truly hope not.’
‘Perhaps you should wear the other gown Madame Lasalles made for you—which, as I recall, is a little less revealing.’
‘No—I think I shall wear this one,’ she said with a mischievous laugh, ‘for no other purpose than to keep your attention on me and not to wander to anyone else.’
‘My attention will remain on you, no matter what you wear. You may keep it on—but make sure you wear a cloak when we go out.’
‘I always do. Please would you fasten me up?’ she asked softly, her stomach fluttering wildly in anticipation of his touch. ‘My maid must be busy elsewhere.’
Unsure how he would react to doing this small task for her, she turned her back to him. He obeyed and she felt his fingers on the back of the gown, on her bare flesh, his breath on the back of her neck sending fire down her spine. When the last button was secure she turned back to him, flushed with relief.
‘Well—will I do?’
Stephen tilted his head to one side, studying her with narrowed eyes. ‘Perfect,’ he said, ‘almost. There’s something missing.’ He studied her for a moment longer, the frown still creasing his brow, and then, light dawning, he darted from the room. He returned a few moments later, a merry grin on his lips and a long black leather box in his hand, which he opened to reveal a lustrous pearl necklace and matching earrings.
‘Oh,’ she gasped. ‘I fear I shall cry.’
‘You don’t like them?’
‘They’re beautiful—but I do not deserve them.’
Stephen smiled, pleased with her reaction. ‘I shall be the judge of that.’
Taking the pearls from the box, gently drawing her hair to one side, he fastened the necklace around her throat, leaving her to secure the earrings. Delphine was not unaware of the possessive gleam in his dark-blue gaze as it appraised her, but she was momentarily distracted by how elegant he looked.
It finally dawned on her that he was looking at her hair and Delphine belatedly realised that her maid had yet to attend to it.
‘My maid should be here any moment to arrange my hair in a more formal style,’ she explained quickly.
‘Leave it. It’s lovely as it is,’ Stephen said, watching her. ‘I prefer to see your hair unbound.’
She half-smiled at him
, admiring the way his expensively tailored dark-black jacket clung to his splendid shoulders. His face was so tanned, his hair so dark—apart from the flecks of silver at his temples, which gave him a more distinguished look—and his white shirt and neckcloth stood out in dazzling contrast. ‘You are bent on charming me this evening, Stephen. I’m beginning to think there must be something behind it.’
‘Should a man be rebuked for complimenting his wife?’
‘No, but you must be aware that it is not usual for married ladies to attend balls with their hair hanging halfway down their backs.’
The grin he gave her was positively wicked as his appreciative gaze slid over her hair and breasts. ‘Then maybe you should set a precedent and display your charms.’
She looked at him askance. ‘What? All of them?’ She laughed lightly, her small teeth gleaming white between her parted lips. ‘Do you forget that it was Eve who tempted Adam by displaying her charms, Stephen?’
‘It always seemed to me, my love,’ he murmured huskily, bending his head and placing a light kiss in the curve of her neck where a pulse was beating erratically, ‘that it was the apple that tempted Adam, and therefore his downfall was not brought about by his lust for Eve, but gluttony.’
She looked at him with mock reproach. ‘I might have known you would twist it to your own way of thinking.’
‘So is it decided? Will you shock society and leave your hair free of adornment? I want you to enjoy yourself tonight, Delphine. I intend for us to come to London often in the future and it is important that we socialise. Are you nervous about the ball?’
‘No, not nervous,’ she said, pulling on long gloves that reached well above the elbows. ‘As you know, I have never been partial to the kind of events that always excited my sisters and two years in Cornwall have done nothing to change that. Still, as the wife of such a high-profile figure, I realise I must conform. I am not complaining. I have yielded to the temptation to allow myself to enjoy the evening, which already holds the promise of enchantment.’
Miss Cameron's Fall from Grace Page 20