Page 70 of The Marriage Debt
‘Just nicely,’ Jenny pronounced, head on one side. ‘Bite your lips a little. There now, off you go.’
A quadrille was in progress and Katherine stayed where she was rather than make her way round to where Lady Fanny was deep in gossip with a bosom friend.
‘Another glass of champagne?’ It was Theo standing right beside her, a glass in each hand.
‘I have had two,’ she said realising how gauche it sounded.
‘Another will not hurt.’
‘Very well.’ Katherine took the glass, startled to find Theo’s fingertips touched hers. She looked up and found herself gazing deep into black eyes which seemed to burn hot.
The quadrille came to a close, the dancers applauded and walked off the floor. Theo retrieved her half-empty glass and set it down. ‘Now, Kat.’ And took her in his arms.
She was reminded of how he had held her the morning she had left him in Newgate with that fierce intensity. She looked up, but only his eyes betrayed any emotion beyond a pleasant social smile.
The music started and she was swept into the dance. This was nothing like Mr Graham’s carefully executed steps or the cautious and proper approach of the other gentleman she had waltzed with that evening. This was a very different experienceindeed. She tried to tell herself that decorum must be preserved at all costs, that she must do nothing to draw attention to herself.
Her head whirling, she was conscious that she was improperly close to Theo’s body. When he spun her round their thighs brushed, his hand tightened on her waist. She was so close that when she tried to look up she had to tip her head. It would be much more comfortable just to move closer and rest it against his waistcoat.
It was very strange, the music seemed to be getting softer, the floor harder, the air cooler. Hazily Katherine realised her eyes were closed and her head was, after all, resting on Theo’s chest as he swept her round and round and round. And there was no more music, only Theo humming softly in her ear.
‘Theo?’ It was far too difficult to open her eyes.
‘Yes?’
‘Where are we?’
‘Outside.’
He came to a halt and reluctantly Katherine opened her eyes and gasped. They were standing on the edge of the terrace looking out towards the lake that was illuminated with lanterns all around the edge and on what she realised must be boats on the surface.
‘Theo, it is magical.’ It came out as a whisper. Had anyone seen them come out here? It was a very fast thing to be doing, yet here in his arms she ceased to care.
‘Look at the house.’ He turned her within the shelter of his arm to look at the fairy tale palace the duke had conjured up with light. Flambeaux blazed along the frontage, lanterns flicked and danced on every balcony and more lights glowed silver amidst the urns and containers of white flowers that seemed to be everywhere.
‘Come this way, let me show you a secret.’ She was almost unaware of his arm around her waist, drawing her to him. Allshe was conscious of was enchantment, a feeling of safety and warmth, and a stirring deep in her veins as though her blood was turning to liquid silver, flashing and running through her. He could not know how she felt, yet he was making this a memorable, magical experience for her.
In a dream she let Theo guide her slowly along the broad terrace and around the corner of the great house. On this façade too, the flambeaux blazed and the lanterns glowed. Theo stopped at the foot of one of the turrets. One flaming torch was thrust in a holder by a small door. In the breeze the flame snapped and flared, colouring Theo’s face with red light. He looked unfamiliar, but not frightening.
‘Kat, look at me.’
‘I am.’
‘Kat…’ His mouth took hers in a hot, fierce claiming that swept her away instantly.
There was nothing to do but yield to it, arch her body into his, open her lips to the pressure of his, ignore the voice of common sense that was battering away at her mind like a moth at a lighted window.Stop this now, before it is too late…
It’s a kiss, only a kiss,her yearning, loving, heart argued back.I can stop any time I want to…I love him, he will never hold me like this again…It is only for a moment, then we can go back and no-one will know.
His mouth was kissing, nibbling a path down her throat, up again to the lobe of her ear. One hand held her hard against him, the other strayed down caressingly to circle her breast.
Katherine gasped, stunned that the touch could send fire deep into her belly, set up an ache that could find no relief in either his touch or his mouth returning to hers. The earth moved, the stars and the looming bulk of the tower above her shifted. Dazed, she thought she was fainting, then she found she was in Theo’s arms and he was shouldering open the tower door.
No.Her voice was not working, she mustered all her strength of will now, while his caressing hands were stilled and his mouth had left hers, and tried again. ‘No. Theo, stop, this is madness, we will be missed. What are you doing?’
‘Carrying you upstairs to my bed where I intend making love to you.’ His voice was calm, not even breathless with the climb. If she had not been pressed against his chest, able to feel the thud of his heart, she would have thought him unmoved.
‘No.’ she said again. ‘Youpromisedme that I could have the marriage annulled. How can I if we make love?’
