Page 13 of Because You're Mine
“Ihaveshocked you,” Madeline said.
“‘Surprised’ is a better word, my dear. I wouldn’t have expected such a question from you. Are you certain you know what you’re doing? I shouldn’t want you to make a mistake that you’ll be ashamed of later on.”
“Mrs. Florence,” Madeline replied wryly, “in my entire life, I’ve never managed to do anything that I’ve truly been ashamed of.”
The elderly woman’s eyes suddenly sparkled with amusement. “And you wish to remedy that?”
“Yes! Otherwise I’ll have no character or spirit at all.”
“I disagree, my dear. You appear to have a good deal more character and spirit than the average person. However, if you’re determined to carry out your intentions, I’ll be happy to advise you. I know a great deal about men—or at least, I used to. I daresay they can’t have changed very much in the last decade or two. Tell me, is there a particular man you want to seduce?”
“It’s Mr. Scott, actually.”
“Ah.” Mrs. Florence stared at her for a long moment, her gaze penetrating and at the same time distant. It was as if some past memory had been recalled to her, one that she savored. “I don’t blame you in the least,” she finally said. “I would seduce him if I were a pretty young girl like you.”
“Would you?” Madeline asked, surprised by the statement.
“Oh, indeed. It seems to me that Mr. Scott is one of the few men in England worth seducing. I wouldn’t bother with the effeminate, self-absorbed creatures that pass for great lovers nowadays. I’ve never had the opportunity to meet Mr. Scott, unfortunately, but I have seen him on stage. The first time was five years ago. He played Iago inOthello…the most adept performance I’ve ever seen. Pure, seductive, silken evil. As an actor, he’s worth any amount of admiration. As a man, he strikes me as rather dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” Madeline repeated uneasily.
“Yes, to a woman’s heart. Safe men are for marrying. Dangerous men are for pleasure. Just make certain you require nothing more of them than that.”
Madeline leaned forward. “Mrs. Florence, you won’t tell anyone about what I’m planning?”
“Of course not. It’s a highly private matter. Besides, there is no guarantee that you will succeed. From what I know of Logan Scott—and that is mostly hearsay from Julia—he doesn’t prefer your kind. There are men with certain appetites that can be fulfilled only by very skilled women, and you…” She paused and viewed Madeline critically. “Something tells me that your repertoire is extremely limited.”
“I don’t even have a repertoire,” Madeline said gloomily.
Mrs. Florence leaned her chin on a wrinkled hand. “That makes things a little more difficult. On the other hand, you have youth and beauty, and those shouldn’t be underestimated.”
“The problem is, I’ve already made a mistake. I should have been mysterious and aloof…and instead I’ve made my intentions all too clear.”
“He knows that you desire him?” Mrs. Florence asked, seeming amused.
“Yes, and he’s made it clear that he wants nothing to do with me.”
“Well, your straightforward approach wasn’t necessarily a mistake,” Mrs. Florence commented. “One can assume that a man like Scott is entirely familiar with women who make subtle and sophisticated overtures. Perhaps you were right to throw him off balance.”
“Not only did I throw him off balance,” Madeline said sheepishly, “I ensured that he got stabbed in the process.”
“You did what?” Mrs. Florence asked, startled, and Madeline told her about the fencing accident. The elderly woman regarded her with a mixture of laughter and disbelief. “I’ll say this, child…you’ve presented me with a challenge. Let me think for a moment.”
Madeline waited while the old woman contemplated the problem.
“It’s a pity you have no acting skills,” Mrs. Florence said. “The place to approach a man like Scott is on the stage, where he’s most at ease. I would suspect that he never lets down his guard except while he’s acting. It is only during those moments of vulnerability that you would be able to slip past his defenses.”
“Perhaps I could offer to prompt some of the actors and actresses when they are learning their lines,” Madeline said hesitantly.
“Yes, that’s an excellent idea.”
“But Mrs. Florence…what if I do manage to catch Mr. Scott in one of those ‘vulnerable moments’? What should I say to him?”
“Let your instincts guide you. Just bear in mind that you mustn’t act lovestruck. Simply make it clear that you’re available and willing…that you’re offering pleasure with no responsibility. No man in the world could resist.”
Madeline nodded obediently.
“There’s one more thing,” Mrs. Florence added, regarding her speculatively. “You’ll need to dress for the part. Although you appear to have an attractive figure, one can hardly tell in those missish gowns.”
