Rachelle Edwards

Rachelle Edwards Page 15

by Sweet Hoyden (lit)

  Before she could reply, he kissed her again-her neck her cheeks, and, finally, her lips. Pandora ached with longing, and so persuasive was his kiss she was only vaguely aware that she had achieved what she had set out to do. That hardly mattered anymore. Of much more importance was the feel of his arms about her as he rained kisses on her face Pandora felt she was drowning in the pleasure of

  'What do you say?" he asked as he drew away a small smile playing about the corners of his lips' "Let us be away to a place where we can be alone to delight in one another for as long as we wish "

  'What of your wife?" she asked in a frightened whisper.

  'To the devil with her," he answered, drawing her close to him again. "It is Madame de Chambray who delights my heart tonight."

  It was his calling her Madame de Chambray that finally broke the spell. It was, of course, Louise de Chambray he wished to seduce. His words of love were for a Frenchwoman, so, far from triumphing over him, Pandora was forced to concede he had bested her without even being aware of it.

  With a cry of anguish she tore away from his em­brace. "No!" she cried. "No!" and turning on her heel, she fled from him with tears flowing down her cheeks.

  Her speedy change of mood startled the earl, who stared after her for some moments, and then, cast­ing off his domino, he made to follow her, only to find that Francois de Fontenac was blocking his path.

  'Out of my way, monsieur," the earl demanded, making to push past him.

  'You have gone too far now, my lord. Madame de Chambray's anguish is also mine, and you will meet me over this."

  'You are scarce breeched," the earl replied, not troubling to hide his contempt.

  'I am old enough to draw your cork, as indeed I will."

  'Step aside."

  Any other man, even if he were not of such tender years, would have done the earl's bidding, for his manner had become decidedly icy, but Francois asked, "Do you refuse to accept my challenge?"

  The earl drew a sigh. "Call on me on the morrow, de Fontenac. If you are still of that mind, I will name my seconds. Now, be pleased to step aside for if you do not, I will be obliged to knock you down."

  Frangois did step aside, and the earl rushed past him. He suspected Pandora might attempt to leave the pleasure gardens, rather than rejoin her friends in their box, and accordingly he made for the en­trance. He caught sight of her near the gate and called out her name. She glanced back before hur­rying on to where numerous carriages awaited their aristocratic owners.

  Frantically she looked for the St. James carriage in which she had arrived, but in her state of an­guish she could not distinguish it from the others, and because the earl was fast catching up with her, she dashed out to hail a sedan chair. So great was her pain and so desperate was she to escape him, she did not see the curricle bearing down upon her until it was too late.

  The earl did see it in time, and he shouted a warning that arrested her immediately, but the carriage still caught her a glancing blow and she was knocked backward, losing her senses almost immediately. Just as the intense pain erupted in­side her head and darkness began to claim her, she realized that the earl had been calling her Pandora.

  THIRTEEN

  Lady St. James arrived at Asheville House in a great state of anxiety as her facial expression showed quite plainly. The few minutes before she was ushered into the library where Lord Asheville was ensconced seemed a lifetime to her, and she paced the hall continuously.

  'Lord Asheville," she said breathlessly as he rose from his seat behind the large mahogany desk. "How is Pandora? The news of her misfortune had only just reached me, and I beg you tell me without delay."

  The earl looked grim and unusually pale. "I can tell you nothing at present, my lady."

  'But you must…"

  'The physician is with her now. I am hoping his opinion will be a favorable one."

  'Has she perchance regained her senses?"

  'I fear not, and there is no knowing when she is like to do so."

  Rosamond St. James had discarded her muff and was wringing her hands in anguish. "The fault for all this is mine."

  'I am fully aware where the blame lies," he said severely. "I am the most to blame, and I must carry that burden always, but it is also true that Pandora would never have embarked upon this folly had it not been for your encouragement and aid."

  Tears began to run down Rosamond's cheeks. "You cannot castigate me any more severely than I have myself since learning of this catastrophe."

  The earl turned away from her. "Then I have nothing more to say to you, ma'am."

  'She is not in any danger," the viscountess per­sisted, ignoring his pointed dismissal of her. "Pray tell me she is not in danger of her life."

  'I regret I cannot give you that reassurance, ma'am."

  Lady St. James had never seen him look so im­placable. "If Pandora has been given notice to quit…"

  At this suggestion the earl turned round again and thumped his fist on the desk top. "Do not even suggest that, my lady!"

  Startled, she begged, "What may I do to help? Only say it and it will be done."

  'Nothing. There is nothing either of us can do. I have called in the finest physician in London. Pan­dora's life is beyond the ministrations of any of us."

  'I cannot conceive how this can have happened." wailed the viscountess.

  'Can you not?" the earl went on mercilessly. "When foolish females gather together, 'tis evident to me tragedy is bound to ensue."

  'Twas only meant as a jest."

  'You will observe that is no longer diverting."

  'I wonder if it ever was," she mused.

  'Lady St. James, if… when my wife recovers her senses, I would be obliged if you'd kindly re­frain from soliciting her company."

  'If it means her well-being, I most certainly will," the lady vowed, "but I am bound to tell you I am inordinately fond of her. I feel I must also tell you that if you had not been so intransigent, Pandora would not have been driven to subterfuge."

  The earl was astonished by her attack. "My lady, whatever Banbury Tales she might have related to you, be assured I have always treated my wife with the utmost indulgence."

  'Indifference, more like," the viscountess scoffed, well into her stride now. " 'Tis easy for you to blame others for the faults that lie at your door, my lord. Have you ever told Pandora that you love her? I'll warrant you have not."

  'Lady St. James, you go too far."

  'Mayhap I do, my lord, but before I leave this house, I will go even further, when I say Pandora only became embroiled in this tomfoolery because she was madly in love with you!" She snatched up her muff and saying, "Good day to you, my lord," she marched out of the room, leaving the earl look­ing stunned.

  As the door slammed shut behind her, he sank down in his chair once again, to stare blankly into space until a lackey arrived some time later to in­form him that the physician had completed his ex­amination.

  'I tell you, I do not want beef tea, Nan," Pandora insisted. "I do not want anything to eat. Now, be pleased to take it away and do not dare to bring it back."

  Nan fluffed up the pillows, and Pandora sank back against them closing her eyes. "This peevish­ness is to be expected," the abigail said soothingly. "Doctor Challis warned me that you would suffer the megrims, but you are still exceeding pale, ma'am. You really should take a morsel; otherwise you'll not get back your strength."

  'Do you really think I care?" Pandora responded, her voice faint.

  'Oh, my lady," Nan chided, casting her a re­proachful look. "After the nasty fright you've given us. Despaired of your life, we did."

  'I beg your pardon for that, Nan," Pandora re­plied, displaying some of her old spark, "but I have ever been a trial to those about me, and I dare say I always will."

  'If you do not eat something soon, ma'am, I shall feel obliged to fetch her ladyship, and you would not dare gainsay her."

  'If you do so, Nan, I shall dismiss you immedi­ately."r />
  There came a knock at the door, and a moment later the earl peered in. Pandora had dreaded the moment she would have to face him, although she had a hazy recollection of his being at her bedside from time to time. Then she had hovered between consciousness and oblivion, so he could not take her to task. Now there was no escape from his wrath.

  'You look much improved this morning, Pan­dora," he said, with a heartiness that didn't ring true, as he came further into the room.

  'Do you think so?" she responded ungraciously. "I do feel much improved."

  'You are evidently bedeviled by the megrims, which is only to be expected, for you have been ex­ceeding ill, I fear. At one time I despaired of seeing you sitting up and recovered of your senses."

  He advanced across the room, both hands clasped behind his back. At the same time Nan passed him on her way out with the rejected beef tea.

  'Her ladyship still refuses to eat, my lord," the abigail complained.

  'No doubt she will do so in due course," he replied.

  Pandora could not look at him as he stood at the bedside. "Well, how do you feel today, my dear?" he asked, and there was nothing but concern in his manner.

  'My head aches."

  'That is not so surprising. You cracked it exceed­ing hard when you fell. The miracle is that you were not more badly hurt." After a moment's silence be­tween them he went on, "You will be glad to hear I have sent word of your recovery to Lady St. James."

  'I am much obliged to you, Asheville."

  'I am bound to confess, when she called upon me, I was less than gracious to her, but I was concerned for you at the time."

  Tears pricked in her eyes, which remained down­cast. "Dare I ask your forgiveness, Gareth."

  He sank down onto the counterpane and his proximity to her could only add to the weakness she felt just then. "Forgive you? I cannot conceive of a rea­son why I have the need."

  "You must know why."

  "In truth, Pandora, I had come to make amends to you. You might have been killed the other night."

  She looked up at him then. "I did not mean the accident, which was a consequence of my own folly. I meant"—again she looked away—"my foolish masquerade as Madame de Chambray."

  'Oh, that," he answered with a sigh.

  'You have known about it all along, haven't you?" she asked in a very small voice.

  'No, I did not."

  More hopefully then, she asked, "When exactly did you rumble me? Mayhap I deceived you for a little while."

  'Oh, you did," he assured her in a rallying tone that gave her more heart. "When I saw you at Roddy St. James's house, I had no notion you were not Madame de Chambray."

  'Then, when did you realize?" she asked pite-ously.

  'On the following day when St. James's carriage passed me in Bond Street

  . I caught sight of you looking out. There was no doubt in my mind who you were then. Pandora, in a most startling gray wig."

  'You recognized me so soon," she wailed.

  Tears spilled onto her cheeks as he asked wryly, "Did you think I would not know my own wife? It is like I would have seen through your disguise a day earlier if I hadn't been in such a hurry to get to that mill."

  'Why did you not denounce me and put an end to the wretched business?"

  'At first I was in a fidge to know what you were about, and then"—he paused—"I acknowledged I wanted you near to me and not at Brocklesby Hall, after all. For much of the time you were exceeding infuriating to me, but truth to tell, Pandora, I did miss you when you were gone."

  Again Pandora lifted her eyes to meet his. "You let me continue that absurd playacting! Oh, Gareth, how could you be so heartless?"

  'You appeared to be enjoying yourself hugely," he answered in some dismay, "and joining in the pretense most certainly amused me."

  'I am relieved to hear you say so, but what if I had been rumbled by someone other than you?"

  He shrugged. "That would have been a trifle em­barrassing, but I dare say I would have admitted to knowing all along. In fact, I could have declared it a wager, something everyone understands."

  'What a chucklehead I have been," she wailed.

  'Such a delightful one, I must own. I have en­joyed the masquerade, and I am persuaded so have you, so we can dispense now with all this penitence. It does not become you, Pandora."

  He brought out his lace-trimmed handkerchief and dabbed at the tears that were once again be­ginning to spill onto her cheeks. "There, Pandora, we will have no more tears over this matter. I insist upon it."

  'I was persuaded you would be furious with me"

  'My anger was great the evening I caught you with Buckley. I cannot deny that, but just now I am so pleased to have you back here with me and restored to good health." He fumbled behind his back and brought out the box he had been hiding since he came into the room. "Perchance this will banish your megrims for good and all."

  Pandora just stared at the box and the earl was obliged to open it for her. There, nestling in the velvet, was a necklace of the finest emeralds.

  'Oh, this is magnificent. Why… ?"

  'A gift, a small gewgaw, to make amends for the anguish I have caused you of late. You may argue that you were deserving of it, but I could have called a halt at the outset if it had pleased me to do so."

  'But even so, this is overly generous of you."

  'Nonsense. Have I not always said you must wear emeralds? They match your eyes, although even the most flawless gem could not rival their brightness. That is something you could never disguise."

  He fastened the necklace at her throat, and she looked at him in awe. "You knew all the while; I can scarce credit that you contrived to hide it from me.

  'You are not the only one with an inclination for playacting, my love."

  'I am bound to concede that you played the part with good grace, Gareth. I was quite persuaded you had a definite fancy for Madame de Chambray."

  'And so I had. She was a delightful lady, but I must confess, Pandora is more to my liking. I am so glad you have disposed of those patches you were by, my love, I trust that young man who champi­oned you so well will be satisfied to retire now. If he has hopes to become your gallant, I fear I will allow you time only for me from now onward."

  'For my part I am resolved to be the most dutiful wife," she assured him. "Francois will recover from his infatuation, as will his sister, who, I fear, is now wearing the willow for you. I do love you, Gareth," she added plaintively. "That was the only reason I accepted your offer above all others. Buck Buckley means nothing to me and never did."

  'I know," he answered gently. "It seems," he added, affecting a sigh, "I forgot to tell you how much I love you, Pandora, so I am telling you now, and vow to continue doing so in the future. For the rest of our lives together, in fact."

  She gasped softly before he kissed her again. This time she wound her arms around his neck and re­turned his kiss with equal passion, as she had longed to do for such a long time.

  However, when a knock on the door heralded Nan's return, the earl cursed softly before turning to ask, "What do you want now, woman?"

  'Beggin' your pardon, my lord, but Doctor Challis has arrived to see her ladyship."

  He cast Pandora a regretful look and would have moved away, but she said quickly, "Doctor? Oh, do send him away, Nan. I need no physician, There is absolutely nothing wrong with me."

  The maid looked about to protest, when the earl added, "You heard what her ladyship has said. You may dismiss Doctor Challis. The payment of his ac­count will be solace enough."

  'Yes, my lord," the abigail replied, looking mu­tinous. "There is also the dowager Lady Asheville. She is insisting upon seeing her ladyship, and I fear I can no longer gainsay her. What am I to say to her?"

  The earl smiled. "Tell her the doctor is with your mistress; that should be sufficient to delay her a little longer."

  A look of bewilderment came over the maid's face, and as soon as she had gone, th
e earl turned back to his wife, who slipped her arms around his neck once again.

  'You are the only physic I need, Gareth. Now that we are reconciled, I feel the strength flowing into my bones."

  'One thing I am quite determined upon, nothing will ever set us apart again," he vowed as he went to turn the key in the lock.

  'I have also made up my mind on that," she told him wryly, and when he came back to her, at long last Pandora was able to give herself up to his em­brace, now she was in her rightful place.

 

 

 

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