Page 32 of Tempting Harriet
“I wonder,” he said softly, “if there will be any clumsy oxen to protect you from this evening.” She looked up athim fleetingly and smiled. It seemed a long time ago, thatwaltz with her at Lady Avingleigh’s ball. And yet none ofthe wonder of finding her again had worn off. Alarminglynone of it had, although she had been his mistress for twoweeks now and he had uncovered all her mysteries. Exceptthe mystery of what it was that drew him to her, that madehim want more of her the more he had. The mystery ofwhat it was that made him love her when she used none ofthe lures that other women used and when he had neverloved before—or since.
He smiled and looked about him, remembering that he was a host at his own party. There were six couples on thefloor. Bruce was dancing with Lady Leila and enduring hergiggles with a polite smile. Bruce was going to have to becareful or he would be snared himself. Crail, his father, wasnot likely to remain indulgent about his single state formuch longer.
“You are making the evening a pleasant one for my aunt,” he said. “She does not bear her deafness with patience.”
“It must be a distressing, affliction,” Harriet said. “Partly because it makes other people impatient. I always remindmyself that I may be old and somewhat infirm myself oneday. I would hope that someone will show me a kindness ifthat time comes.”
How could anyone not be kind to Harriet? “Somehow,” he said, “one cannot think of Aunt Sophie as being infirm.She is the very devil.”
She looked up at him, startled, and smiled. “I am sorry,” she said. “You did not want to dance with me. Or to inviteme here. Lady Sophia has a gift for having her own way.”
“On the contrary,” he said for the sheer pleasure of drawing the blush he knew would flood her cheeks. “I wanted too much to dance with you, Harriet. And to invite youhere. Sometimes—most of the time—I feel a great fondness for the old devil.”
She blushed and he smiled. And totally forgot his surroundings and his audience of twenty-two. And the particular audience of his grandmother, who knew of his attraction to Harriet. He danced and his eyes and his senses feasted onhis partner and he felt himself perfectly happy. She hadmade love that afternoon in silence with closed eyes. Andwith a compliant passionate body. He had discovered the best way to give her pleasure. She liked slow, almost languorous lovemaking more than an energetic “performance,” as she had described their earlier encounters. Sheliked to sleep and to cuddle afterward. And she had taughthim to enjoy those times too—the tenderness of sharedphysical passion and its aftermath rather than the frenzy ofit.
Inexperienced as she was, she had taught him that one extra dimension of love that was both entrancing him andbreaking his heart. The meeting and joining of bodies in theact of union could also be the fullest, most complete expression of love, the most total giving of self. He wonderedsometimes—he wondered now—-if she loved him. Sometimes he thought she must. Surely Harriet would not havegiven herself just for the sake of physical pleasure. And yetit was of no moment. He could not reveal his own love. Hehad nothing more to offer her than he was already giving—his body for her delight.
He dreaded the coming of summer more than he had dreaded anything else in his life.
“Harriet.” He did not realize he had spoken her name until she raised her eyes to him. But he had nothing more tosay unless he poured out a confession of his love for her.He gazed into her eyes and she gazed back for what mighthave been an eternity but was probably no longer than afew seconds or a minute at the longest before she lookeddown to his diamond pin again.
He wanted to take her somewhere where he could kiss her, but there was nowhere. The realization brought himback to an awareness of his surroundings. He felt rather asif he had been gone for a long time. And perhaps he hadbeen. The music was drawing to an end. He set Harriet’shand on his sleeve and returned her to the empty chair beside his aunt. He bowed over her hand and thanked her.What was it about Harriet, he wondered, that made herseem sweet and pure even now after she had shared hislove nest with him on several occasions?
“You were the handsomest couple I have seen tread a measure together for many a long day,” his aunt said withembarrassing loudness. “You dance as prettily as Archibald,my pet. But then I remember that from Bath, when Wingham used to bring you to the assemblies and all the gentlemen would crowd about to lead you out. None of them ashandsome as Archibald, though, eh?”
Harriet was saying something quietly as the duke bowed and walked away, noting with an inward wince of discomfort that his grandmother—and several other of hisguests—had been well within earshot of his aunt’s remarks.The next dance, he quickly discovered, was also to be awaltz—his grandmother’s doing, doubtless. He crossed theroom to solicit the hand of Lady Phyllis.
After waltzing with the Marquess of Yarborough, Harriet retreated to the ladies’ withdrawing room. She still felt flustered about the forced dance with the Duke of Tenby. Shehad been so achingly aware of him as they waltzed andthere had been such an intensity about his silence that shehad had the uncomfortable—and doubtless mistaken—impression that they had been the center of attention just asthey had been at Lady Avingleigh’s ball.
She was about to leave the room five minutes later when the door opened and Lady Phyllis Reeder came inside. Harriet smiled at her as she passed. But the younger girlstopped her.
“There is no maid here?” she said. “Oh, dear. My hem is down at the back. Would you be so good as to pin it for me, Lady Wingham? Thank heaven there is a dish of pins onthe washstand.”
Harriet went down on her knees, the dish of pins beside her, and began the repair job after assuring Lady Phyllisthat the damage was not great.
“Oh,” the girl said with a sigh after a few moments of silence, “I do so envy you, Lady Wingham. How wonderful it must be to be a widow and to be free to enjoy the Season.Unless you were fond of your husband, of course,” sheadded hastily.
“I was,” Harriet said. But she smiled to show that she had not taken offense. “Are you not enjoying the Season?”
The girl pulled a face. “Is it done? Oh, thank you. I thought it was quite ruined and I must sit in a corner for therest of the evening. I enjoyed the last two Seasons enormously. But this year Papa made it quite clear that I was tobe serious. And as luck would have it, Tenby chose just thisyear to select a bride.”
Harriet wished she could have escaped in time. “You do not like the Duke of Tenby?” she asked unwillingly.
The girl shrugged. “He is handsome enough,” she said, “except for those cold, pale eyes. They make me want toshiver, I must confess. It is just that I hate being seen assomeone to be bred, no more. Does my outspokenness outrage you? It is the truth, what I say. Do you think he cares a fig for me?”
“I am not privy to his grace’s feelings,” Harriet said. “Can you not just discourage him?”
“Pooh!” the girl said. “Papa would disown me and Mama would scold from now until Christmas. I dreamed of marrying for love, that is all—for two full years. Foolish whenone is the daughter of an earl, is it not?”
“No,” Harriet said quietly. “Not foolish.”
“Did you marry for love?” Lady Phyllis sighed. “But I have heard that Lord Wingham was ancient. No matter. Iwish you were an earl’s daughter, Lady Wingham. I wishyou could marry Tenby.”
“I?” Harriet looked at her, startled.
“He greatly admires you,” Lady Phyllis said. “All the world knows that. It is hardly surprising. All the gentlemenadmire you. You are so despicably lovely. I would be jealous if I did not have admirers of my own. But they are allfalling away now they know I am to be Tenby’s bride. Onedoes not trifle with Tenby. I will not even be able to takelovers after my marriage. Have I shocked you again? Iwould wager a year’s pin money that Tenby would notcountenance it, though doubtless he will have three or fourmistresses in his keeping at any one time.”
“You are repaired,” Harriet said cheerfully, “and will not have to sit in a corner. I must return to Lady Sophia.”
