An Unlikely Debutante

by Laura Martin

  ‘Do you think they’ll work out the truth?’

  ‘Never. Most will speculate you’re some distant relative or friend of the family.’

  Just as they completed a full lap of the ballroom Lina felt Alex stiffen beside her. She glanced up to see Victoria and a tall, slender man walking towards them. As the couple spotted Alex and Lina, they also paused, but after a moment’s hesitation Alex gently pulled Lina towards them.

  ‘Lady Winchester... Lord Winchester...’ Alex said, inclining his head in greeting.

  Lina scrutinised the man standing before her. This was Alex’s closest friend—or at least once had been. The man who had eloped with Victoria. He looked nervous, as if worried what might be the result of their meeting, but Lina felt Alex relax beside her and knew nothing scandalous was about to occur.

  ‘It’s been too long, Winchester,’ Alex said, addressing his old friend as he would have years ago. ‘May I introduce Miss Lock, a friend.’

  ‘A pleasure, Miss Lock. You’re looking well, Whitemore.’

  ‘The country air agrees with me. I’ve barely been in town these last couple of years.’

  ‘Whitemore...’ Winchester began to say.

  Alex shook his head and clapped the other man on the shoulder. ‘Life is too short, Winchester. No point in bringing up the past.’

  ‘You always were a good man.’

  Whilst the two men talked in half sentences and unspoken understandings, Lina had been watching Victoria out of the corner of her eye. The other woman had pouted as Alex approached, the pout turning to a frown as he cheerfully acknowledged her and then moved on. Now she was biting her lip as if confused about the direction of the conversation.

  ‘We should go hunting together one day soon,’ Alex said. ‘Remember that time you almost shot a villager?’

  Winchester grinned. ‘Bloody well thought I’d killed him for a minute.’

  Alex turned to Lina. ‘He had to pay the man compensation for the shock. The old gent did pop up out of nowhere, though.’

  ‘Whitemore was laughing all the way home, didn’t let me forget it the whole week of the hunt.’

  ‘I see Lady Porter,’ Victoria said, her voice tight and clipped. ‘Come, dear, we must go and enquire as to her health.’

  For a moment Lina thought Winchester might protest, but a piercing look from his wife had him saying a reluctant farewell before being dragged away across the ballroom.

  ‘You handled that rather well,’ Lina murmured as they continued their stroll, passing by the row of floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out on to a candlelit terrace.

  ‘I did, didn’t I?’

  ‘That’s the first time you’ve seen him since he and Victoria eloped, isn’t it?’

  ‘It is.’

  ‘Yet you managed to laugh and joke with him. Magnanimously forgive him.’

  ‘I must be over Victoria and what they did to me,’ Alex said simply.

  ‘That’s amazing, Alex,’ Lina said, unsure why he wasn’t more excited by this newfound freedom.

  ‘I think I have you to thank.’

  ‘I haven’t done anything.’

  ‘You’ve made me step out into the world again and in doing so I’ve found the damage Victoria and Winchester did to me wasn’t as permanent as I’d thought.’

  Although Lina didn’t feel as though she’d done anything to help Alex heal, she supposed he had been forced to interact with more people than horses these last few weeks. Soon perhaps he would be able to start thinking of love again. Lina knew it wouldn’t be her he declared his love for; over time she would grow to accept her feelings for him were deeper than his for her. Despite that, she wanted him to be happy, wanted him to find love and to settle with a woman who would give him the life he deserved.

  Sensing the tears prickling in her eyes, Lina quickly excused herself, keeping her head down and dashing towards the entrance hall. There she followed a flutter of young ladies into the set of rooms that had been made available for the ladies to tend to their intimate needs during the ball. She was grateful to find a small room with a lock on the door and shut herself in before the tears properly began to fall. Tonight she might be on Alex’s arm, but before too long it would be another woman in his heart. Somehow she had to accept it, but even here in the privacy of the retiring room, Lina felt her heart squeezing painfully in her chest.

  Ten minutes later and Lina knew she would have to return to the ball. Quietly she unlocked the door and poked her head out into the antechamber. When she’d entered, a few young ladies had been positioned in front of the mirrors adjusting various aspects of their appearance as they chattered away. Now the room was thankfully empty and Lina had time to splash a little cold water on her cheeks before the door opened again.

  ‘You need to leave,’ a low voice came from behind her.

  Lina spun around to see Victoria standing holding the door open, her eyes narrowed and angry.

  ‘I’ve finished, the room is all yours.’

  ‘No, you need to leave this ball. You’re an embarrassment.’

  ‘Pardon me?’

  ‘Don’t think I don’t know what you are, Miss Lina Lock,’ Victoria spat. ‘Stay and you will make a fool of Alex as well as yourself.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Lina said, forcing herself to hold her head up high as she tried to walk out past Victoria. The other woman held out an arm, blocking Lina’s way.

  ‘I’ve checked who you are,’ Victoria said, a flash of triumph in her eyes. ‘You’re nobody. No title, no family, no money.’

  ‘And that is all that matters to you, isn’t it?’

  ‘It does matter. It matters to everyone. And having you here is an absolute disgrace. For Alex to bring his mistress to a society event—it’s an embarrassment.’

  Lina was about to duck under Victoria’s outstretched arm, but then she froze.

  ‘Why do you care what he does?’ she asked.

  ‘Because it is an affront. I don’t wish Alex to be made a fool of.’

  ‘Surely you gave up the right to have an opinion on what he does or does not do when you ran off with his friend.’

  Victoria’s pale cheeks became even paler and her lips grew thin and pinched.

  ‘Don’t you dare speak to me like that.’

  ‘It is exactly how you are speaking to me.’

  ‘You’re a whore, a harlot! I am Lady Winchester, wife of the Duke of Winchester.’

  ‘Actually, I’m not a whore or a harlot,’ Lina said, beginning to enjoy herself a little. The other woman was so out of control she was easy to upset. ‘I’m a gypsy.’

  Victoria’s eyes widened at this newest piece of information, but still she refused to back away.

  ‘What I don’t understand,’ Lina mused, ‘is why you are so concerned about what Alex does. You left him, broke his heart and waltzed off with his closest friend without a single thought of how it would affect the man you were supposed to love. And now you’re jealous that he’s moved on? It doesn’t make sense.’

  ‘I’m not jealous of you,’ was all Victoria could manage.

  ‘You didn’t want him, but you don’t want anyone else to have him either, is that it?’ Lina asked, leaning in closer and watching as the truth of her words was reflected in Victoria’s eyes.

  ‘I certainly don’t want him consorting with the likes of you.’

  ‘I suppose there is a power in having a man in love with you. Perhaps you hoped you would hold that power over Alex for ever, despite you moving on.’ Lina took a step back. She was thoroughly enjoying herself now. Reading Victoria’s reactions was far too easy and she had nothing to fear from the cold woman in front of her. ‘I don’t understand what Alex ever saw in you.’

  On the few occasions Alex had talked about his ex-fiancée, he had mentioned how she was his intellectual equal, how they had enjoyed discussing all manner of topics whilst being able to laugh and relax with one another at the same time. Although Lina had only s
pent a limited amount of time in Victoria’s company, she couldn’t reconcile that picture with the woman in front of her, but people could change. Perhaps the old Victoria had been nicer, or perhaps Alex had been blinded by the love he felt for her.

  ‘I take it your marriage is not a happy one,’ Lina said as she confidently strode forward and ducked under Victoria’s arm, stepping out into the hallway. Before the other woman could answer, Lina had glided away, her head held high, but her heart hammering in her chest. She might have enjoyed getting the better of a woman who’d sought her out to belittle and degrade her, but Lina wasn’t so naive to think she could speak to a woman of such a high rank in that manner without their being consequences. She might well have just ruined Alex’s chances of winning his wager.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Alex looked at the door for what seemed like the fiftieth time. Lina had been gone far too long. Something untoward must have happened. Despite his initial flash of worry, deep down Alex knew Lina couldn’t be in too much trouble; they were in a house full of people and she was perfectly capable of looking after herself. If any gentleman a little the worse for drink cornered her in a secluded spot, he knew it would be the gentleman who came out of the encounter with a sore groin and a bloody nose. Nevertheless, when another five minutes passed without Lina reappearing, he made his excuses to the group of old friends he’d been talking to and stepped into the hallway.

  There were fewer people out here compared to the ballroom and the air felt cooler and fresher. Still, he had to weave through the groups to make any progress and before he’d taken more than ten steps he saw a flash of emerald green descending the stairs towards him. Lina’s face was flushed as she rushed towards him, her steps measured but hurried, and as she gripped hold of his arm he sensed something had just gone monumentally wrong.

  ‘What’s happened?’ he asked.

  ‘Can we leave?’

  ‘Of course.’

  There would be time to question Lina later, but right now he could see the urgency written all over her face. For whatever reason, they had to leave the Wilcox ball now.

  They nearly made it to the door before Alex felt a sharp tug on his arm. Quickly he spun, anticipating danger, but instead came face to face with Victoria.

  ‘We will have to talk some other time, Victoria,’ Alex said, conscious of how Lina stiffened beside him as she spotted the other woman.

  ‘You’re leaving with her?’ The question was spat rather than said, her words dripping with disapproval and disdain.

  ‘Let’s go,’ Lina said quietly. ‘I don’t want to embarrass you.’

  Even though their entire exchange had been conducted in low voices, already people were beginning to stare and a space was clearing around the three of them.

  ‘What’s happened?’ Alex asked, realising Victoria must be the reason Lina had looked so flustered as she met him in the hallway and requested to leave.

  ‘You can’t bring someone like her to a society ball, Alex,’ Victoria said, shaking her head as if he were a foolish child.

  ‘Miss Lock is a friend of the family. She is being sponsored by both Georgina and myself.’ Alex tried to keep the emotion from his voice whilst he figured out what was going on here. The black looks passing between the two women hinted at some harsh words being exchanged before Alex had arrived on the scene, but he couldn’t imagine what.

  ‘I should have guessed your sister was in on this,’ Victoria said. ‘Although I did think she had more morals.’

  ‘What have morals got to do with anything?’

  ‘You don’t bring your mistress to a ball with respectable people. Especially one as crude and uncultured as her.’

  Alex glanced at Lina, expecting to see some sort of reaction on her face, either hurt or anger, but she remained quite majestically neutral, merely raising an eyebrow as Victoria jabbed a finger in her direction.

  ‘Please do not speak about Miss Lock in that manner,’ Alex said calmly, despite the explosion of anger he could feel building inside him. Struggling to keep himself under control, he turned again, meaning to make a hasty exit with Lina on his arm before Victoria could cause any more of a scene.

  ‘You used to be better than this, Alex,’ Victoria called. ‘You used to socialise only with a certain standard of people.’

  Unable to stop himself, Alex spun around and took two steps back towards Victoria.

  ‘Lina is ten times the woman you’ll ever be,’ he said, loud enough for the assembled crowd to hear. ‘She’s considerate and intelligent and fun to be around, and what’s more she’s loyal and honest.’

  He saw Victoria recoil as if she’d been slapped, saw the tears blossom in her eyes before spilling over on to her cheeks. Anyone else he might feel sorry for, but the remorse for his words just wasn’t there. She’d injured Lina, embarrassed her in front of all these people. He couldn’t bring himself to regret defending the beautiful woman on his arm.

  ‘Come, my dear,’ Winchester said softly, stepping forward and putting an arm around his wife’s shoulders. ‘Let’s get you home.’ He flashed a puzzled look at Alex, one infused with a silent apology, and forcibly escorted Victoria through the front door.

  ‘We should leave, too,’ Alex said, aware of all the guests trying to pretend they weren’t listening intently to every word.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Lina said quietly.

  ‘What for?’ As far as he could tell, Lina had been blameless in this situation.

  ‘You’ve lost your wager.’

  ‘Nothing could be further from my mind.’

  ‘And I’ve embarrassed you in front of your friends.’

  ‘I think that was entirely Victoria’s doing.’

  ‘I’ve ruined the ball.’

  ‘Far from it.’ Alex chuckled. ‘Every ball needs a good scandal. The gossips will be talking about this little interlude for years to come.’

  They stepped out into the warm evening air and suddenly Alex felt a little reckless. He wasn’t sure what had made Victoria act so strangely, why she was so concerned with his life after so long apart, but he found he didn’t care. She was part of his past, part of events that had shaped him into the man he was today, and now he was sure he would not see her again for a very long time.

  ‘She still cares for you,’ Lina said, as if reading his thoughts.

  ‘Bizarre, when she was the one who decided to leave.’

  ‘I suppose there is a sort of intoxicating power when someone wants you, when they’re in love with you. She doesn’t like the idea that you might not be under her spell any more.’

  ‘But she’s married.’

  Lina shrugged. ‘She probably always thought you would be there waiting, ready to pick up the pieces if anything did go wrong. When she saw you moving on with your life, it unsettled her.’

  Alex nodded, then leaned in closer. ‘Or she’s just a little crazy.’

  ‘Or that.’

  They’d nearly reached the line of carriages when Alex pulled Lina to a stop. He knew he should just carry on walking, take Lina somewhere private where they could work out exactly how they were going to go forward with their lives, but for one mad moment he just wanted to be reckless, foolish even.

  With one arm looped around Lina’s waist, he pulled her in towards him, seeing the shock and anticipation in her eyes before he covered her lips with his own. For an instant Lina was completely still, but then she moaned softly into his lips and began kissing him back. They were in full view of the house, in full view of the hundreds of guests, but right in that moment Alex did not care at all.

  She tasted sweet, of lemonade and champagne, and Alex felt all sense of time slipping away from him. He could happily have stayed kissing Lina on that very spot for hours had she not pulled away, regarded him with heavy eyes and then turned and walked towards their carriage.

  ‘Even I know you don’t kiss a young woman with that much passion in front of a ballroom full of people,’ Lina said as he caught up wit
h her. She was up in the carriage before he even had a chance to offer her his hand, and as he vaulted up, banging on the roof at the same time to signal to the driver to start moving, Lina grasped him by the lapels on his jacket and pulled him on to the bench beside her.

  ‘I couldn’t help myself,’ Alex said, as Lina stroked his cheek with the tips of her fingers. ‘You’ve bewitched me, I don’t behave as I should when you’re around.’

  ‘You think it’s a gypsy enchantment?’

  ‘I’m not sure I care what it is,’ Alex said, dropping his head to trail kisses from the corner of her mouth to the line of her jaw. ‘All I care is that we’re here together, right here, right now.’

  Lina allowed her head to fall backwards and Alex took the opportunity to move his lips farther down, kissing her collarbone, the exposed skin of her chest and the swell of her breasts as they peeked above the material of her dress. For a moment he paused, but already Lina was urging him to go lower, so he pushed down the emerald green bodice, pushed down the white cotton chemise and exposed Lina’s breasts to the air. He felt her shudder as he captured one of her nipples in his mouth, teasing and biting until he felt her hips start to writhe underneath him.

  ‘Alex,’ she whispered, ‘please.’

  ‘Please stop?’ he asked, pulling away a little, grinning as she gripped his shoulders to stop him withdrawing any further.

  ‘Please don’t stop.’

  The carriage was moving faster now, speeding through the empty streets towards home, but still Alex grasped the hem of Lina’s skirts and lifted the layers one by one until he could touch the skin of her legs.

  Before she had a chance to protest, Alex had dipped on to his knees, his lips trailing kisses up her thighs, his fingers caressing and stroking the skin. At first Lina tensed, but as the seconds passed he felt her relax, overcome by the pleasurable sensations.

  As his lips reached the top of one thigh, he paused, but only long enough to appreciate the thrum of anticipation emanating from Lina, then his mouth was covering her most private place and Lina’s hips were bucking beneath him.