The Wedding Wager (9 page)

“You don’t believe that I love you?” he cried. “I’ll prove it to you!”

Before she could say anything, he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. Then he bent his head down and kissed her. At first he merely pressed his lips fervently against hers. She sat rigidly within the circle of his arms, still not quite believing what was happening, and without any notion of how she should respond. Then the reality of the situation struck her. She looked tired and hideous, but Julian was kissing her anyway!

The unexpected joy of it all set her pulses leaping anew, and she twined her arms around him and hugged him back with all her might. He tightened his hold, and she gave a little moan. His tongue teased her lips apart, and began to warmly explore her mouth. She stiffened again at the shock of it. She’d never imagined a kiss could be like this.

Then a warmth spread through her like nothing she’d ever felt before. Instinctively, she began to follow his lead, and their tongues curled about each other in a strange, wonderful embrace that hinted at even greater pleasures yet to come.

As he kissed Harry, Julian couldn’t stop marveling at his good fortune. She must love him, or she would not be responding to his kiss with such innocent fervor. It was clear she’d never been kissed before, but she was definitely doing her best to make up for lost time. He felt nearly insane with the yearning to touch and caress every part of her, but he forced himself to be careful, not to shock her too much.

He finally withdrew from her lips, and heard a little gasp of disappointment as he kissed her cheek. He wanted to kiss her ear, but her blasted cap was in the way, so he moved down her neck, and found places there just as sweet. He followed the lovely line of her neck down to where the little hollow at the base of her throat was just barely revealed by her modest décolletage. He kissed her there, hungrily, thrilling to feel the quick beat of her heart, reveling in her scent, mysterious and innocently sweet at the same time. Her scent . . .

Lilies of the valley.

Abruptly he pulled back, assailed by a fantastic, unbelievable suspicion. He gazed into her eyes. They were dazed and darkened with passion, and he realized that looking into them was destroying his ability to think rationally. Instead, he focused on her cap. Her cap . . .

He released her and jumped up from the sofa. “What are you hiding underneath that cap, Harry?” he asked, swallowing a painful tightness in his throat.

She was still staring at him, but now fear and remorse were written all over her face. He could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes, and tried to ignore them. If only he were not so affected by the sight of feminine tears!

She managed to hold her tears back, except for one which rolled down one cheek. He found himself longing to kiss it dry, and realized he was a complete fool.

“Where were you last night?” he growled. “The truth now, please.”

“I see you have guessed,” she said in a still, quiet voice. “I attended your cousin’s masquerade, dressed as the goddess Diana. I’m so sorry. I never wanted to deceive you so.”

“It was all a trick, wasn’t it? To make me lose the bet. I never dreamed you thought marriage with me would be so terrible that you would go to such lengths to avoid it!”

“I did it for your sake, too,” she retorted. “I didn’t want you to commit yourself to a marriage before you found someone you could truly love.”

“Thank you!” he said sarcastically.

She winced, and another tear rolled down her cheek. His anger faded to a tired sort of bitterness.

“Couldn’t you have just asked me to let you out of the bargain, instead of making such a fool of me?” he asked, more gently. “You know I wouldn’t have forced you into marrying me.”

“I knew how disappointed you would be. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing your friendship over this. I thought it would be better to prove to you that you should wait until you met the right lady. I never meant to make a fool of you. Please forgive me!”

Julian felt a dull ache settle in his chest. It was clear that even if she’d enjoyed their kiss, Harry didn’t love him and probably never would. Part of him longed to heal the breach between them, but his disappointment was still too raw.

“I had better go,” he said, turning to leave the room.

“No, wait!” said Harry, a pleading tone in her voice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her get up from the sofa.

He stopped, wanting to refuse but unable to do so.

“Julian, when you didn’t kiss me last night, I was miserable.”

“Of course. Because your precious scheme failed,” he said, still looking the other way.

“No, because I truly wanted you to kiss me.”

At that, he turned back around. She looked so nervous, and in deadly earnest.

“Oh, Julian, until last night I didn’t know that I loved you. I think I always have. Please forgive me.”

He forced himself to stay calm as she came to him and put her arms awkwardly around him.

“I
do
love you,” she said in a husky voice that reminded him of last night’s encounter.

He looked down into her eyes, and saw that they were bright with tears. A smile trembled about her lips, and he finally realized that she spoke the truth. By some miracle, her feelings had undergone the same transformation as his!

He realized he’d been holding his breath, and released it suddenly. He put his arms around her and pulled her closer.

“Very well, then,” he said gruffly. “I’ll forgive you.”

“You will?” she asked, looking adorably flustered.

“On three conditions, that is,” he said, unable to resist a mischievous impulse.

“No!” she exclaimed. “No more bargains. No more conditions.”

“Don’t worry, you goose! I think you won’t find my conditions at all unreasonable,” he said, with a reassuring smile.

“Very well, then. What are they?”

“First, you must marry me.”

“Yes, Julian,” she said meekly. “And?”

He kissed her briefly. “Second, you must promise never to wear that ugly cap again.”

She giggled, and nodded. “What is your third condition?”

“You will have to indulge me on this one,” he warned.

“Tell me. What is it?”

“You must promise that once we are married, you’ll wear that goddess costume now and again.”

She laughed, blushing, then tilted her head up to kiss him.

* * *

Harry’s father and aunt received the news of their engagement with placid satisfaction, making Harry wonder if they had realized she and Julian had been fated to be together all along. Not long after, Lady Dearing arrived, and professed herself overjoyed at the news.

The day being so fine, they all convened for a nuncheon on the terrace. At a convenient moment, Lady Dearing took a seat beside Harry and begged to know all the details of what had transpired at the ball and afterwards. By the time Harry finished her recital, Lady Dearing’s eyes were sparkling with mingled joy and amusement.

“This is so much better even than what I had intended!” she exclaimed.

“So you planned it all just to bring us together?” asked Harry.

“Of course, dear. One would have to have been a fool not to have seen how much in love you were, and I am
not
a fool. You both merely needed to be made aware of your affection for each other. Mind you, I did expect Debenham to kiss you at the masquerade, but this is even better, for now he has proven how much he loves you.”

Harry smiled, and thanked Lady Dearing for all her help. “Perhaps you will think me impertinent, but can I ask you something?” she added.

“Of course,” said Lady Dearing with a smile.

“That story you told me to tell Julian - about being a widow, I mean. That is
your
story, is it not?”

After a moment, Lady Dearing nodded, her smile fading a little. But she didn’t seem offended, so Harry persisted.

“I am so fortunate, I hate to think of anyone else giving up hope of finding such happiness. I hope you are not truly set against marriage?”

“I find meddling in other people’s lives much more amusing,” said Lady Dearing. She spoke lightly, but Harry thought she detected a fleeting look of regret in Lady Dearing’s eyes. The next instant, however, they were dancing again. Harry sensed she could pry no further.

“I am so glad you meddled in ours,” she said.

“Oh, pish! I only sped things up a trifle. You were well on your way ever since you and Debenham devised your little wager. Remember, it was his idea to marry you in the first place. He may not have realized that he loved you, but somehow he must have known you were meant for each other.”

Harry saw Julian coming towards them. Feeling that new, wonderful quickening of her heart again at the sight of him, she realized that Lady Dearing had spoken nothing but the truth.

* * *

Julian had to force himself to keep from pacing as he awaited Harry’s arrival at their small parish church. He had barely seen her in the last two weeks. After acquiring the special license allowing them to marry quickly, he had busied himself with making sure Ardleigh Court was ready for his new bride. Meanwhile Lady Dearing had spirited Harry off to London to revel in shopping for bride-clothes. The one time he and Harry had managed a few moments alone for a kiss had left him only hungrier than ever to make her his own.

Finally he heard footsteps, and looked toward the doorway. For an instant, Harry and her father were silhouetted against the bright sunshine outside. Then they moved forward, and Julian could have sworn his heart stop beating for an instant at the sight of his bride.

A little lace veil left the front of her hair free, revealing feathery little curls all about her face. Bemused, Julian realized her hair had been cut quite short, and the
gamin
style was a perfect frame for her delicate features.

She held a posy of summer flowers in rose and blue, and her ivory dress was trimmed with pale blue satin ribbon that brought out the blue in her eyes. The tiny, tantalizing bodice clung to her bosom, and the skirt flowed gracefully over a figure that seemed even more willowy and enticing than what he remembered from the masquerade. But this was no masquerade. She was still Harry, and she would soon be
his
Harry.

She came beside him, and he sighed, realizing he’d been holding his breath at the sight of her. She smiled shyly up at him, as if uncertain of the affect she had on him. He smiled back, feeling a joy and expectation like none he’d ever felt before.

Warmed by Julian’s smile, knowing she was surrounded by a small, loving group of family and friends, Harry composed herself and listened to the vicar speaking the words of the service. Soon, he prompted Julian to make his vow.

“Wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, as long as ye both shall live?”

“I will,” said Julian, and Harry thrilled to hear his voice ringing out boldly through the small church.

When it was her turn, she found her own voice was quite steady, her earlier nervousness having vanished at the sight of Julian’s ardent smile.

Before long, the church bell was ringing, and Julian led her out into the breezy sunshine outside, holding her close to his side. She leaned joyfully against him as he tossed coins to the children waiting in the churchyard.

Just a short time ago, she would never have imagined she would marry Julian. Now it felt utterly, perfectly right. No other couple could possibly know each other as well as they did, and yet recent events had proven they still had much to learn about each other. It was going to be delightful.

She would even wager on it!

Book 1 of the “Three Disgraces” Series

Chapter 1

A generous fire blazed in the drawing-room of Maldon Park. In Cumberland, spring came later than in the gentler southern counties.

By the fire’s strong but flickering light Philip Woodmere could see his friend Charlotte was embarrassed. Her mortification was easily accounted for; her family had thrust them together in the most disgustingly obvious manner. He glanced back at the group seated at the other end of the room. Though pretending to be absorbed in their cards, the Maldons were stealing curious glances their way, no doubt hoping for him to propose. They would probably be astonished if they knew that Charlotte had just rejected him.

Against his own expectations, she had refused his offer of marriage. A wave of intense, irrational relief surged through him, but he did his best to ignore it. He’d made an eminently sensible plan, in everyone’s best interests. He had to persevere.

“Please tell me why you won’t marry me,” he said gently.

“Philip, we have always been good friends,” she replied. “It is best that we remain so. What if you were to meet someone you truly loved? It could happen, you know.”