Page 7 of Every Wallflower Has Her Thorns (Revenge of the Wallflowers)

Chapter Seven

C ould Alice get any hotter? Ladies didn’t perspire. Well, she was proving that statement wrong. She could feel liquid running down her back. Her fan was waving continuously. Tonight’s ball at Lady Summerton’s had drawn a large crowd. The night was unusually warm for late April. Spring had arrived early this year. Why did the French doors to the terrace remain closed? With the number of unwashed bodies and the dancing—well—a lady really did need her fan. And perhaps a peg for her nose.

For Alice, it was doubly uncomfortable because George had once again let Calum escort her and tongues were wagging. She hated the hypocrisy of it all. Calum was playing a role but too many people believed his intentions were serious. She’d end up looking an even bigger fool and she didn’t need more of the ton’s scorn.

The cream of society was here tonight, jostling and pushing her, and her leg was already aching. One more shove and she’d end up on the floor. Calum had tried to protect her as much as he could, but she’d had so many invites to dance that she needed to rest her leg. Calum was also expected to dance. He’d danced with Lady Penelope and what a sight that was. They did make a stunning couple, yet Alice understood the hideousness under Penelope’s skin. Surprisingly, tonight Penelope had been nice to Alice. Very nice. Too nice. It made the hairs on her arms stick up!

But watching Calum being surrounded by a giggling group of beauties was too disheartening. Using the retiring room as an excuse, Alice slipped away. She decided she’d hide for the rest of the ball. She had to stop this nonsense because she was the only one who would get hurt. You’re already hurt. Calum is not interested in you.

As she reached adulthood, she thought she’d developed a thick skin. She didn’t consider herself inadequate or inferior because of her damaged leg. Yet, it still hurt when others took pleasure in pointing out her deformity. Plus, only she and her lady’s maid knew how ugly her leg looked. The puckered skin and red jagged scar were not a pretty sight. Even she hated looking at it. The idea of showing it to a man, let alone Calum, made her stomach cramp.

There was no reason for her to stay. She should simply plead a headache and go home, but then Calum would make a fuss and draw more attention to them both. So she did her usual trick.

After years of being tormented at balls, Alice knew there was one place no one would find her. She headed upstairs to the nursery. Lady Summerton’s children were long gone from the home and it would be empty.

She loved sitting in the rocking chair, imagining what it might be like to hold her babe in her arms. Before this silly intervention by Calum, she’d thought getting married and having a child of her own was a mere dream. Any man who might offer for her would do so for connections and her dowry and that was not a good enough reason to marry—not for her. Not even to have a child. She’d realized that when Lord Fenchurch tried to seduce her and George had quickly ascertained it was because he needed money. George had asked her if she wanted such a match, and it was a definite no.

The damaged muscle in her leg was beginning to uncramp and relax when, to her surprise, a footman arrived.

“Lady Alice, pardon for the intrusion, but Lord Calum has taken a turn and is asking for you.”

The painful leg forgotten, Alice jumped to her feet. “Where is he?”

“Lady Summerton’s put him in the green room. I’ll take you.”

Alice limped after him as fast as she could.

Calum ran his hand through his hair for the tenth time. He could not find Alice anywhere in the ballroom. He was responsible for her and if anything had happened… His pulse galloped at the idea. She was in trouble.

“I say, old chap, what’s put that look on your face?” Lord Rossmore asked.

“Have you seen Lady Alice? She’s been missing for over an hour.”

“Can’t say I have.”

“Perhaps she’s having a sit down,” Calum muttered to himself. Her leg would be sore from all the dancing. Not waiting for a reply, he summoned a passing footman. “Is there a room set aside for the ladies to rest in? I can’t seem to find Lady Alice.”

The man answered, “Oh, I have a note here from Lady Alice?—”

“That will be for me.” Calum the note, read the words, and took off at a sprint.

Calum knew the way to the green room because he’d used it once before. It was known as the ‘discreet’ liaison place at the Summerton’s. It was, in fact, Lord Summerton’s billiard room.

The footman caught him up at the door. “The note’s for Lord Fenchurch, my lord.”

Calum’s blood ran cold. Alice disliked Fenchurch. Was someone setting Alice up for ruin? If she is caught in here with Fenchurch… He opened the door, but the room was empty. He breathed a huge sigh of relief.

He turned to the footman. “Thank you. If you’ll excuse me, I shall wait for the lady here.”

“As you wish, my lord. Shall I let Lord Fenchurch know?”

“No. I’ll talk with him later.” There wouldn’t be much talking, more like punching, and he’d call him out if he didn’t like the man’s answers. He took a seat near the window and it wasn’t longer than a few minutes before the door flew open and a very distressed Alice limped in. She took one look at him and slumped to the floor, panting. “He said you’d had a turn.”

“Did he indeed. And who is he?”

She looked behind her, and a puzzled frown crossed her face. “But he was right behind me…” She turned to look at Calum. “A footman told me you were asking for me as you were unwell.” Calum didn’t seem pleased to see her. In fact, he looked livid. “What is going on? You are not unwell?”

Calum shook his head. “We’ll discuss it on the way home. It’s time to leave.”

She remained seated on the floor, obviously in pain and her breath ragged. The thought he was unwell had frightened her and he tucked that thought away to ponder later. “May I rest for a moment, please?”

“No.” Calum strode across the floor and scooped her into his arms. “We can’t be caught in this room together.”

A frown settled on her pretty face. “Caught? What on earth is going on?”

“I was just going to ask the same question…,” but Lady Penelope’s words almost ended in a scream. Lady Penelope, Lady Summerton, and their friends stood in the doorway. A collective twittering and several gasps filled the air.

It took Alice mere moments to realize the scandalous situation that was developing. She was well and truly ruined. She was in Calum’s arms, in a billiard room, unescorted and looking flushed and out of breath. What would they all be thinking?

“Oh, thank goodness you are here, Lady Summerton. My betrothed had a turn, and we were resting here while awaiting the doctor I’ve summoned. He’s taken far too long, so I believe I shall take Lady Alice home and wait for him there. Can you organize for my carriage to be brought around?”

Alice stilled in his arms, and her eyes flew to his handsome face. Had he said betrothed?

“You’re betrothed?” Lady Penelope hissed.

“Yes, we are making the announcement tomorrow. I’m thrilled Lady Alice has agreed to become my marchioness.”

Alice’s head really did begin to swim. What was Calum saying? How would he take all of this back tomorrow?

Lady Summerton stepped forward. “Congratulations, my lord. I’ve sent a footman to organize your carriage. Perhaps you could wait in the drawing room until it’s ready. Let me clear everyone away and then it will be safer to carry Lady Alice down the stairs.” And she turned and remarkably managed to send their audience back to the ballroom. Most of them couldn’t wait to spread the gossip.

Alice turned her head away from Penelope’s murderous stare and hid it against Calum’s hard chest as they made their way downstairs. The carriage arrived and he carried her even though she insisted on trying to walk. Soon they settled in Calum’s carriage. Alone. He sat across from her, deep in thought.

“What just happened?”

Calum didn’t look at her when he replied. “It appears someone set you up to be compromised.”

“Me? But it’s also affected you.”

Then he swung to look at her. “I was not supposed to be there. I intercepted a note, purportedly from you to Lord Fenchurch.”

She gasped. “I never sent a note to that man.”

“I know. I think Lady Penelope did. How did she know to appear in the green room at that moment with Lady Summerton and friends? She expected to find you with Fenchurch.”

Alice growled. “That witch. I’ll scratch her eyes out. She wanted to see me ruined and married to that awful man, so she could marry you.” She laughed. “As if you’d ever consider marriage to me.”

“Well, it’s a moot point. We will have to marry now.”

He honestly wasn’t jesting, she realized, dumbfounded with astonishment. He could not have shocked her more than if he’d caught a star for her. She parted her lips to speak, but nothing came out. She was, for the first time, speechless.

“Pray contain your enthusiasm,” Calum uttered. “It’s not every day you become engaged.”

Her world tilted and shook. She couldn’t marry Calum knowing he had no feelings other than sisterly affection towards her. She swallowed hard, striving to regain her wits. “Can’t we simply wait for the gossip to dissipate and then we could…cry off?”

“How can you ask that of me? I cannot honorably call off the engagement. For a start you would be utterly ruined. And if you debunk, you’ll still be utterly ruined. They caught us alone together with you in my arms, looking as if I’d just spent the last hour ravishing you. No other man would ever consider marriage to you, or at least no man you would want for a husband. Certainly no gentleman.”

She bit her lip and dwelled on all he was stating, trying to find a way out. There was none, except one. “You and I both know I couldn’t possibly be a duchess—let alone your duchess.”

Calum gave Alice a penetrating look. “I know nothing of the sort. You are beautiful. You have a large dowry. Your family’s breeding is impeccable. Our families are already close. You are intelligent, kind and have a sense of humor. All attributes I find remarkably appealing in a wife.”

He thinks I’m beautiful. She heard that and then barely anything else. She shook herself out of the daydream as those words flashed into her head. “But you were not thinking of marriage.”

He angled his head to look at her from head to toe. “I admit, this puts a big knife through my plans, but I was always going to have to marry. Heirs, you see, are a requirement of my role as the duke.”

Picturing how those heirs would be made sent heat to each extremity. While the thought of sharing a bed with Calum sent equal parts fear and excitement coursing through her, the idea of being married to a man who didn’t love her as she loved him, was like someone had dumped a bucket of ice over her head. She had to make him see this marriage would not work. He shouldn’t have to fall on his sword because a witch like Lady Penelope wanted to destroy her. She was unlikely to marry anyway. Calum walking away wouldn’t really change her future at all. She was already on the outside of society.

She would appeal to his common sense. “George mentioned you were going on your continental tour. Twelve months of freedom before settling into your future. Can’t we have a long engagement and then I call it off?”

Calum felt a decided twinge of exasperation. Why was she fighting him on this? If his father heard about this scandal and thought he was not behaving honorably, his chance of a tour would disappear up the nearest chimney.

What really irked him was the idea that Alice wasn’t enamored of a marriage to him. But then, why should he be surprised? One of the reasons he found her interesting was she was probably the only lady within the beau monde who didn’t want to be his duchess.

“I can still go on my tour, but after we marry. You could come for some of it—a honeymoon, of sorts.” What the hell? He’d just invited her on his once in a lifetime trip. Well, you did just say they would marry. She would be your wife.

Tears welled in her eyes. He hated when women cried and especially one as strong as Alice. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He moved to sit on the squab next to her. He tipped her chin up so he could look into those sparkling green eyes. “This is not your fault.”

“Yes. It is. If you hadn’t decided to help me find a husband, Penelope wouldn’t have tried to ruin me and inadvertently ruin you.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, and it made her start. Good. She sat back and sighed. He quietly asked, “How on earth am I ruined?”

“You could marry any woman you wanted. That choice has been taken from you.”

“True. However, I’m quite content.”

Still being a youngish man, he’d never wanted to be tied down to one woman. He wanted his freedom and adventure. In a few years, after bedding many beautiful women, he’d settle down with a ton diamond and do his duty.

But it was only now dawning on him that he didn’t want to be locked into a tedious, insipid, passionless union to continue his illustrious line. It might just be that he’d found his ton diamond, sitting next to him.

“We have a head start on most. We’re friends and there is desire between us.”

She shook her head and pushed at his chest half-heartedly with her delicate, small hand.

Determined to prove his words were not false, he lifted her from the squab and hauled her into his lap, holding her tight against his chest. He ran his finger down her cheek, stopping at her neck. He let his finger rest. “I can feel your pulse beating so hard. That my sweetness is desire. I affect you.” He took her hand and pressed it to his groin. “Just like you affect me. That’s desire and passion. Our bodies can’t deny the truth.”

Then he lowered his lips to hers and showed her how beautiful passion could be. She hesitated for a mere moment before her sweet mouth opened under his. His tongue swept in like a conquering hero. She melted in his embrace. The kiss grew and grew and he wanted her more than he’d wanted anything in his life. And he was rarely denied.

Besides, she would be his wife.

He eased Alice round to straddle his knees. She didn’t say a word, merely raised an eyebrow. “Undo my cravat,” he instructed. She fumbled quite a bit so in the end he helped her. He threw the cravat onto the seat opposite. Then he opened his shirt. “Place your hands on my chest.” Her hands rose so fast he barely blinked. He didn’t have to instruct her further. The feel of her tiny gloveless hands on his skin made him suppress a groan. While she was distracted, Calum slipped his hand to the neckline of her gown. It took a tiny tug to send her breasts tumbling free, held pert and upright by her corset.

Her gaze flew to his. “Fair is fair.” And he shivered at the sensual smile she sent him.

He trailed his fingers over the lovely mounds and gently grazed her nipples. The rose-hued buds drew taut, begging for his attentions. She copied his movements with his nipples. She was a fast learner.

She drew a shuddering breath as he cupped her fullness, cradling the weight in his palms. He wanted to hear her cry out his name. He gently kneaded and molded the soft flesh. Her breathing was shallow by the time he circled the peaks with his thumbs. So responsive. He lingered on the engorged crests, teaching her about the power of anticipation. Finally, he gave her what she needed and plucked at the straining buds.

He knew she was aroused, not only from her whimpers, but from the way she was undulating as she sat astride him. Her hands had slid lower, and she was caressing him through his breeches.

He couldn’t hold back. He bent and took a nipple into his mouth, and suckled. He ran his tongue around in slow erotic circles, laving with tender care. Her moans made him harden further.

“I’ve dreamed of doing this since our kiss,” he murmured, finally moving his mouth to her other nipple. “Tasting you is like tasting heaven.” She whimpered and clutched at his shoulders.

“I want more,” she whispered in his ear as she gripped him harder. He almost spilled in his pants. Her lithe, supple body was ripe for his touch, eager even. She felt as if she belonged in his arms. Her heated skin under his hands and mouth drove him mad. His erection throbbed, rigid and swollen with need.

“Sometimes the anticipation is as good as the event.”

She didn’t quite understand what he meant. “Can I feel you?” Without waiting for an answer, she fumbled at the opening of his breeches. When she finally worked him free and held him in her hand, he closed his eyes and kissed her hard. The contact sent a surge of desire rocketing through Calum, masculine, primal, and urgent.

His hands gathered up her skirts and swept up her leg. She stiffened as his hand moved across the puckered skin. One day, he’d show her he didn’t care, but not tonight. They had little time before they reached her house, and he wanted to show her how compatible they were.

His hands slid higher along her thigh and Alice inhaled sharply. He broke the kiss and looked into her heated gaze as his fingers slid through her wet folds. This time it was she who closed her eyes and moaned. She moved her hips closer to his questing fingers.

He found her lips again, thrusting into her mouth in time to his fingers within her body. Her hand caught the rhythm and she stroked her hand on him. Her response was urgent and needy. She opened her mouth to him, letting him ravish and claim as pleasure soared.

She writhed against his hand, arching into his arms. Desire ran through him like wildfire as her ragged breaths filled his ears. He wanted to lay her down on this squab and drive himself inside her, plunging in hard and deep. She was so slick and swollen and so incredibly tight and hot. His chest tightened while his cock throbbed painfully at the image of making her his forever.

Alice felt as if her world was on fire. His fingers were like wands of magic, making her hips seek some nameless relief. His manhood was silken and hard as rock in her hand and she felt powerful seeing the desire she created.

Panting and flush, feverish with a storm of heat rising to consume her, she let her instincts take over. She flew free and arched convulsively as the world careened around her, eliciting a wild cry of abandon that matched one from Calum. She felt rather than saw he’d found his release too, as warm liquid spilled over her fingers.

She collapsed against his bare chest, reveling in the rapid heartbeat beneath her ear. Her breasts rose and fell against his naked chest as she tried to relive the sensual explosion her body had experienced.

He drew out his handkerchief to clean them both. “That, my darling, is passion. We are well matched, I think. You should marry me. We will have a wonderful life together.”

She hid her face against his chest. He was right, but desire didn’t mean love. This sensual experience was so out of this world for her, she was sure, was because she loved him. She could never imagine letting any other man do that to her, yet men like Calum slept with many women.

Men did not confuse love with desire and passion. Nor would she.

“Do you have a mistress?” The words were out before she’d had a chance to think.

He tipped her face so she had to look into his eyes. “No. I don’t have a mistress.”

“Have you ever had one?”

This time it was Calum who looked away. “Sometimes, but if I marry, there will be no mistresses.” He hesitated. “Is that your objection to this marriage?”

Without love, how was she to keep him from looking for other women? But it wasn’t her only objection. He didn’t love her.

He took her silence as acceptance. He hugged her tightly. “Sweetness, we will have an excellent marriage. Trust me.” It would probably suit him, that’s true. But she wasn’t sure. Maybe love would come. But what if it didn’t? Or worse, he found someone he could love.

Alice pushed out of his hold and sighed. “Trust is not easily earned and frequently lost.”

“I’d never deliberately hurt you.”

“I know,” and she did. He would never knowingly hurt her but unknowingly… If he didn’t understand the depth of her feelings… Her heart was a fragile organ where Calum was concerned. The pain of watching women flirt with him and the attention he gave to the ton beauties…

“Let me help you right your clothes. We are almost home. You should go up to bed while I talk with George.”

She moved off him, quickly covering her scarred leg that he’d uncovered in his passion. “George might not be home for hours. Why not come back in the morning?”

She wanted to talk to George first. To see if her brother had another solution.

“No, I’ll wait. I want to speak to him immediately. We need to look at how best to handle this delicate situation.