Page 2 of Ravished by the Beastly Duke (Regency Beasts #1)

CHAPTER 2

“ I still do not know how you managed to convince me to attend, Emerton,” William groaned as he and Theo descended the stairs to the Yardleys’ ballroom. “I do not feel comfortable with this many eyes on me. You promised it would be a small event.”

It had taken nearly three days of convincing to get him to attend—and that was primarily because Theo had told him it would be a small event—but the large ballroom was packed tight, and the doors to the balcony were open wide to let in cool air. Yet, the moment they stepped in, heat enveloped them as well as the scent of many different perfumes. It was rather unpleasant, but William had smelled worse, so he swallowed down his distaste.

Eyes followed them as well as whispers, which wasn’t entirely unexpected. His appearance was entirely unexpected, as Lord and Lady Yardley had mentioned after greeting them at the front door, but the couple felt honored that theirs was the first event he graced since his return to London.

“Did I?” Theo asked mockingly, with a playful finger under his chin. “It was an assumption on my part, but I suppose I was grossly uninformed about the guest list.”

William scoffed, keeping one hand behind his back in a dignified stance, politely bowing in greeting as they passed guests who gaped at them but made no move to present themselves.

“You would think they would know that staring is improper.” Theo smiled, shaking his head.

“We make for interesting conversation,” William joked.

“Indeed, we do.”

William snorted as he watched the party, grateful it was masquerade-themed so they were spared the sight of the scar crossing his face. It had been hard for his servants to look upon his visage without bursting into tears, but after half a year, they had become accustomed to his new appearance.

“That doesn’t still make me comfortable,” he complained. “Would it be terribly rude if I left early?”

“It would,” Theo answered exasperatedly. “This is another reason you need to be reacquainted with Society. Your manners have become so brash.”

“Nothing a bit of private tutoring couldn’t fix.”

“Yes, but who would you burden with that task?” Theo asked with a raised eyebrow. “You do realize that although your scars aren’t horrific, it would take a tutor some time to get used to them, and I do not think you are the patient sort. The task would then fall to one of us, and we are much too occupied with different tasks to tutor you.”

“You have really given thought to this idea, haven’t you?” William asked shaking his head in disappointment.

“You are not the only one struggling, Mayfield,” Theo said, sounding serious. “We all had to face our fears, and we still are. You have escaped it long enough. You cannot let the past dominate you thus. You deserve a chance at happiness.”

“I know that,” William answered with a sigh. “I will try.”

That was the only reason he had not declined the invitation when it had been extended to him by Theo. He would have much preferred if Magnus and Edwin were in attendance, but they had prior engagements related to Magnus’s business, and as such, the burden fell to him and Theo.

It was easier to accept when he had seen it was a masked ball. He would allow them glimpses of his scars only in small doses. It would not be good for his ego if anyone swooned at the sight of him. He much rather preferred uncomfortable winces to the sight of a female moved to hilarity. Perhaps, with luck, they would ask him to be confined to his estate.

“Let us mingle now, Mayfield,” Theo suggested suddenly. “It is as good a time as any to begin. I spy some old friends of mine.”

William followed his friend’s gaze to a line of ladies staring at him with unabashed interest. His scalp prickled, and he felt uncomfortable.

“Surely you jest,” he said incredulously.

“I do not.” Theo smiled. “You need to find a wife sometime. Why not start now?”

“But they’re…”

“Amenable? Willing? Noblewomen of good standing?”

“I was going to say na?ve.”

“All the better,” Theo replied. “You do not want a headstrong wife.”

“And what would you know of having a wife?” William asked with a sneer.

“Enough to know that you want someone who would be willing to marry you no matter what.”

“That surely cannot be all, Emerton.”

“Why don’t we enjoy ourselves tonight? We can consider all other options later.”

“I do not like this plan,” William said with a frown, still eyeing the ladies now waving at his friend.

“You do not have to.”

Theo, not in the least bit uncomfortable, gave a polite nod in greeting, which had the ladies scurrying over to him.

“Good evening, Your Grace.” They curtsied to him, their eyes wide. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”

Considering how closely the two of them had been standing, William almost found it rude how they blatantly ignored his existence.

Not that he could blame them. Theo was handsome and had chosen to forgo the mask.

“How can I deprive the world of my beauty?” Theo had responded when William had asked him about it.

“Indeed, it is a delight to see you this fine evening, Lady Beatrice.” Theo bowed over the blushing girl’s gloved hand and placed a kiss that was entirely inappropriate. “Your beauty has brightened what might have otherwise been a dull evening for me.”

Apparently, it was now a custom to forgo the dress code, because rather than don their masks, the ladies had soft fabrics dangling from their wrists.

“You flatter me, Your Grace.” Lady Beatrice smiled politely, fanning her face in practiced bashfulness.

“Hardly. I only speak the truth,” Theo said, his tone dripping with honey.

William frowned, wondering how he would ever adjust to the honeyed dance of ballroom conversation when he had become accustomed to the honest conversation of the battlefield.

He eyed the lady again, knowing he would have struggled to hide the untruth of his words. He doubted Lady Beatrice would have appreciated being told that she looked a bit mousy even if it was an honest assessment of her persona.

She might be considered mildly handsome, but nothing about her or her companions stood out to him, and he wondered for a brief moment if this would be the lot he would have to select a wife from.

He wasn’t vain, but he needed someone who could at least spark a hint of desire within him.

“Do you remember me, Your Grace?” another one of the ladies spoke up. “I am Miss Grace Merriwether. We paired up for cards at the Clartons’ dinner party.”

This one was at least pretty, but she looked much too young to be considered a potential duchess. At the first sight of the scars beneath Theo’s shirt, every one of these ladies would no doubt shrink away from him.

“I am Lady Diana Keith,” another one piped up. “My brother is the Earl of Kentworth.”

“I am Lady Victoria,” another supplied. “I play the pianoforte. I hear that you love the opera.”

William watched as the women spoke over themselves while trying to charm his friend, who only seemed amused by their attempts. He did not envy his friend the burden of dealing with as much attention as he was getting, but as he saw the wicked amusement his friend was deriving from their futile efforts, he quickly withdrew his pity.

“May I introduce you to my bosom friend, the Duke of Mayfield,” he heard Theo say suddenly.

William narrowed his eyes at him in warning, but the damned man draped an arm over his shoulder.

“We were brother in arms, and now we are both dukes,” Theo went on, undeterred by William’s glare.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace,” the ladies greeted, curtseying.

William nodded once but said nothing.

Their eyes widened, and he watched several emotions flitter across their face as they considered how best to steer the conversation in their favor.

“Do you enjoy picnics, Your Grace?” Lady Diana asked boldly. “My father is organizing a picnic at our estate in a week’s time.”

Her eyes were wide with fear, even though her posture was stiff with her brave attempt to make conversation.

“I do not have time for such frivolities,” William answered gruffly, wanting to shoot down any further attempts.

“Why ever not?” she pressed. “They are an intimate way of getting acquainted.”

He frowned at the emphasis. “I am very particular about the company I keep.”

“Why is that, Your Grace?” she asked, visibly confused. “Surely you do not think my family that far beneath you.”

He did not answer.

“You are indeed very rude, Sir, and I will not stand for it” she cried, turning up her nose. “I shall take my leave. Good day to you.”

He watched her go. She was red in the face and neck with anger, her friends hurrying after her to comfort her. He wondered how the conversation could have taken such a horrible turn.

“We will need to improve your?—”

“I know,” William interrupted, not needing to hear he was lacking again.

“I’m not sure you do,” Theo retorted with a frown. “That should have been an easy conversation. I would not have introduced you if I did not think you could handle it.”

“Leave me be, Emerton.”

“I am only trying to show concern for you, Mayfield,” Theo argued. “You can only play the wounded veteran for so long. You are a duke, and it’s high time you remember that.”

William wanted to argue but kept his thoughts to himself as another group of ladies approached them. This time, he was in no mood to attempt another conversation that would no doubt go as horribly as the previous one. He made an excuse, then stepped out of the ballroom and into the hallway leading to the rest of the house. Hearing voices ahead, he opened the first door he saw and slipped inside, sighing in relief when he found himself in an empty chamber.

He waited until the footsteps retreated before stepping away from the door, allowing himself to take in his surroundings.

The room was large and sparsely furnished, but considering the part of the house it was in, it must be a guest chamber, even though he did not see any personal effects.

He spotted a large balcony ahead and stepped outside, breathing in the cool night air deeply and allowing it to rid him of the negative feelings that had been amassing in him all evening.

He had attended the party in the hope of finding a distraction from the melancholy of his everyday life, but with the weight of being back in Society with people who were mostly like his younger self and his father, he realized he wasn’t at all ready.

How do the others do it?

They had said that with time, he would find it easier, but it had been six months, and he still was unable to get rid of his anxiety about how the joyous frivolities could turn chaotic with one mishap.

He held on to the balustrade, gripping it tightly enough to quell his unease. He had promised Theo he would stay until it was polite to leave, but he was seriously contemplating the idea of begging off the party as he felt the beginnings of a headache.

The door to the chamber opened suddenly and closed so quickly that he wondered if he had overstepped by being in the chamber. He turned to go back into the room to announce his presence, but upon hearing a feminine sigh, he stopped, frowning.

Why would a lady be in a chamber alone?

He shrank back into the shadows, not wanting to be seen. He needed to be careful in the event she was meeting a lover. But after a few minutes, he heard no steps approaching and wondered if she had perhaps followed him in the hope of trapping him.

Following that train of thought, he decided to confront her and then leave the chamber as promptly as he could.

He cleared his throat to warn her that she wasn’t alone and stepped into the doorway, startling her.

She stumbled back. Her eyes were wide, and her full lips popped open, showing that she had not been expecting to see anyone in the chamber. Still, he couldn’t be too careful with the ladies. After all, their education involved feigning emotions to entice and ensnare gentlemen.

He frowned as he subconsciously noted that the girl was pretty, with an innocent-looking, round face. However, the rest of her seemed anything but innocent, with the curves her stylishly cut dress accentuated. The word voluptuous was sufficient to describe her, as she did not have the conventionally accepted slim build of a noblewoman.

If she weren’t a noblewoman, she would have made for a highly sought-after courtesan, as her curves tempted a man to touch and caress.

William frowned as he realized his hands itched to do just that.

“What are you doing here?” he asked sharply, casting a glance at the door.

He listened for voices but heard none, so he returned his gaze to the lady, who was still staring up at him. He clenched his hands into fists, fighting the urge to turn away.

What could she possibly have been staring at?

She did not look the least bit terrified by his appearance, even though the dim lighting should have lent him a sinister air. Rather, her eyes showed intrigue, which confused him.

“Why are you here?” he repeated, drawing her attention away from his face.

It made him uncomfortable how he had miscalculated her next move.

She blinked and dipped her head bashfully.

“I apologize, My Lord,” she said with a curtsy. “I did not know this room was occupied.”

“You should not be walking around unchaperoned,” William chided with a frown. “If you have come here to meet a lover, you might as well pick another chamber. Or have you followed me in the hope of trapping me in scandal? If you have, you should reconsider, because I will not marry you even if the ton demand it.”

Her eyes flew to his, flashing with indignation. “I assure you I have not,” she sputtered.

“Your assurance means little to me, considering I do not know you or your character,” William told her. “After all, it would be in your interest to secure a match by any means necessary, is it not?”

“I only came seeking a respite from the rigors of socialization. I did not think this chamber would be occupied,” she insisted with a frown.

“You take such liberties in someone else’s home?” he asked with a sneer.

“The Yardleys are close friends of my family,” she answered. “This is like a second home to me. Besides, it would be foolish of me to consider trapping a man I do not even know. You could be a nobleman on the verge of bankruptcy, after all, or a well-dressed valet.”

William snorted a laugh despite himself, but then he cleared his throat to disguise it.

“I still do not trust your purpose in coming to this chamber,” he told her. “Leave at once.”

“I do not recognize you as master of this estate or member of this household, so I will not,” she answered, stubbornly folding her hands across her chest.

It annoyed him how his eyes noted the way her breasts were pushed up and how he liked seeing the angry pout on her lips. Worse, he wanted to see if the pout would remain if he kissed her.

Damn it!

Why was he thinking such thoughts about an innocent?

“It matters not,” he declared. “Leave, at once.”

“I will not,” she reiterated. “In fact, I think I shall make myself comfortable. There is no reason for me to worry.”

“You’re alone with a strange man, in a bedchamber, and you think you have no reason to worry?” he asked incredulously.

“If you are a gentleman as you claim, then you would do the honorable thing and leave the chamber.”

He scoffed at her gall. “I pity the man who marries you.”

He did, in fact, but he also envied the man who would get to see her curves without the trappings of so many layers of fabric. He permitted himself one last look at her, his eyes lingering on all the places it should not.

His eyes drifted back to her face, and he realized that she noticed his perusal. He looked away, curling his hands into fists.

“I shall take my leave first, then,” he announced, turning to the door.

“Wait,” she called suddenly, stopping him with a hand on his arm.

Heat licked up from where she touched him, causing him to pull his hand back in shock.

“I apologize. I should not have touched you,” she said, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.

The action made his need to kiss her burn hotter, and he moved for the door again.

“Please, may I ask you for a favor?” she asked, unable to meet his eyes.

He raised an eyebrow, knowing that whatever she may ask would be entirely improper. Yet, he was sorely tempted to hear it.

“Go on.”

“I…” she stuttered. “Would you kiss me?”