Pleasures of the Night by Heather Boyd
Chapter 12
Teddy peered at the distant building, Wharton House, keen to attend a dinner he’d only just found he’d been invited to while he’d been away on the duke’s business. He smiled, looking forward to seeing Eugenia again—and having her in his arms tomorrow.
He’d thought of her so often while he’d been away. Indulged in fantasies of what they might do together in the future.
His eagerness to be alone with a spinster was quite an unexpected yearning on his part. Time away from London hadn’t curbed his appetites, and he couldn’t seem to help the way his mind worked and his body behaved when he thought of her writhing beneath him in the throes of ecstasy. She was everything a man might hope for in a lover. Smart, wanton as hell, and content not to hear a proposal of marriage.
He tapped his knee, impatient to reach his destination.
To see her again.
To touch her hand.
He didn’t know if she’d be even at this dinner, but he desperately hoped so.
The carriage finally stopped to deposit him at Lord Wharton’s door. He bounded out without waiting for the grooms to put down the step, tugged down his waistcoat, and smoothed his hair before he looked up at the building.
He had to admit he’d dressed with more care tonight than usual in the hope of seeing Eugenia’s smile of approval. She did like to watch him, and he liked to watch her, too. She had a lovely figure.
Wharton’s door opened slowly, light spilling out down the stairs, and he started for it.
“Excuse me, my lord!” a man cried out behind him.
Teddy, who was not addressed as lord, continued on his way, but only made it as far as the bottom step when the man hailed him again—only much nearer.
“Sir, please, if you could wait a moment.”
Teddy turned at the plea. A fellow, shorter than himself in a dark coat and rather dated hat, tugged on his sleeve.
Teddy brushed off that grasping touch immediately. “Can I help you?”
“Yes, I do hope that you can,” the fellow said, puffing heavily. “I am looking for someone.”
“I’m sorry, but I do not live in this square.”
“I know. I’ve asked all around, and no one in the grand houses will help me.”
Teddy frowned. He likely couldn’t help the fellow, either. “And the name of the person you are looking for.”
“Mrs. Robert Bagshaw.”
Teddy shook his head. “There is no one known to me by that name.”
The fellow chewed his lip. “She must be here somewhere.”
“I’m sorry. I am acquainted with a great many women, and London is a large city, but no Mrs. Bagshaw that I recall. Can you describe her?”
“Dark hair, though it might be gray now, bookish tendencies. I suspect she might be using another name.” The fellow smiled quickly. “She was expected in Dover and never arrived.”
Something about this fellow’s query did not sit right with Teddy. If the woman was using another name, no doubt there was a reason for it. She might be trying to hide from this man. “Why are you looking for her?”
“She’s owed some money, and I must find her in order to give it to her. I need to find her as quickly as possible.”
“Ah, well, I’ve not the faintest idea who she might be, but I wish you well in your endeavors. Do excuse me. I am late for dinner.”
The fellow bowed deeply. “Thank you for your time, good sir,” the fellow called as he turned away. “May fortune guide your steps.”
Teddy hurried into Lord Wharton’s home without further delay. The butler let him in, and from the entrance hall, he heard the murmur of men’s voices raised in disagreement coming from the library. He passed off his hat to the butler and made his way to join his friends to see what was amiss.
At the doorway, he scanned the crowd for Eugenia but only saw gentlemen gathered about. He called out a greeting to anyone who might hear him over the din.
Lord Hurlston hurried over. “Were you accosted on the street, too?”
Teddy blinked. “I would not say accosted, but yes, I was approached by some fellow.”
“Wharton, there’s been another imposition,” Hurlston called out.
“I wouldn’t say it was an imposition,” he hastened to assure his friends.
Wharton cursed under his breath anyway. “I’ll have him arrested if he bothers one more of my visitors tonight.”
Teddy drew close to Wharton, where a butler held a tray, and claimed a glass of red wine. “What’s going on?”
“The same fellow that spoke to you is bothering everyone who comes to the square, it seems,” Wharton explained, sounding none too happy about it. “Running up and down the pavement, accosting gentlemen, and ladies, too, no matter their station.
Teddy glanced toward the front windows. “He’s looking for a woman, but he can hardly describe her appearance.”
Wharton shook his head. “And is it any wonder she’s gone to ground with such a fellow nipping at her heels,” he complained.
“I assumed he was in a solicitor’s employ trying to settle an inheritance on her.”
“Or trying to rob her of it. Hurlston got the impression the fellow might be her husband, and he was first to be questioned. His story keeps changing. He told Scarsdale he was a friend of her brothers.”
“Perhaps he’s trying to garner cooperation by glossing over certain facts of their relationship.” They walked to the window together to peer out. The man was nowhere to be seen now. “People are more inclined to be helpful when there is money involved.”
“All too true, I’m afraid,” Wharton grumbled. “He seems to be certain she is to be found in this square, though. Someone must know her.”
“I do hope for her sake it’s an inheritance and not a husband trying to drag her back home unwillingly.” Teddy scratched his jaw, thinking over their conversation. “Did he mention to you the lady’s first name, by chance?”
“I don’t believe he did to me,” Hurlston answered.
“Nor to anyone, I think,” Wharton added. “Does that strike anyone else as odd?”
“Most definitely suspicious,” Teddy agreed. “I wonder if he does not know it. He did say to me she might be living under an assumed name.”
“Well, he’ll never find her if she is.”
Teddy peeked out the front window again. If the fellow was still out there, the night had swallowed him up. “If he was her husband, he certainly should know her first name. I wonder what he really wants from her.”
“Haven’t the slightest, but he should stop bothering my friends before I have him arrested for public nuisance,” Wharton complained, then shrugged before he addressed the room. “Gentlemen, I’m afraid to inform you that the ladies of the house will not be joining us this evening for dinner.”
“Oh, damn shame about that,” Hurlston said. “We’ll have to amuse ourselves somehow. We’ll each need a tasty beverage to soften our disappointment.”
“Make it an even dozen,” Lord Sullivan suggested. “And brandy.”
Although he laughed, Teddy was incredibly disappointed to hear the news that Eugenia wouldn’t be seen tonight. His friends were all well and good, but he’d really hoped to speak with her instead.
“Mama is feverish, and the women will not leave her bedside,” Wharton explained and then sighed. “I’m afraid we will have to amuse ourselves tonight with drink and conversation.”
Scarsdale clapped an arm around the marquess’ shoulders. “Just like old times. Who needs women anyway, eh?”
Teddy did. He’d thought of nothing but seeing Eugenia again for days. “I’m sure we’ll manage.”
The call to dinner was sounded, and they moved toward the dining room in pairs.
Scarsdale grinned at him. “At least it will stop Wharton from trying to make a match with one of us to the remaining Hillcrest cousins tonight.”
Several laughed and held up their crossed fingers to ward off any such attempt.
Teddy moved toward Lord Hurlston and walked beside him to whisper, “I hadn’t realized Wharton was doing that. Trying to marry them off, I mean.”
Hurlston shrugged. “Only subtly. Wharton’s never been one to show his cards all at once. They’re unmarried, and so, of course, he’d encourage any good match that secured their futures.”
He glanced around their friends discretely, trying and failing to picture any of them as Aurora’s or Eugenia’s husbands. “Has anyone seemed keen?”
“Not to me. I like them,” Hurlston confessed, “but not enough to encourage any one of my friends to choose them over an heiress they might desperately need more.”
Brandestock came upon Teddy’s other side and leaned close. “The younger is jolly good fun, but the older sees right through a man,” Brandestock complained. “Reminds me of my old nurse. Frightening stare.”
The elder was perfect, in Teddy’s opinion.
For everything but marrying one of his friends, that was. He was glad no one knew he’d taken a keen interest in Eugenia and had no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Without the lady’s expected to join them, the dining table had been reset to a smaller proportion. They would not have to shout at each other to be heard tonight but likely would do just that anyway, as usually happened when the drink was in plentiful supply.
Teddy took a seat near Hurlston when Wharton suggested they sit where they pleased. He and Hurlston got along best out of all of them.
“Did anyone take note of the Duke of Montrose’s return to Town?” Hurlston asked the gathering.
“My God, he’s back?”
“Indeed. And he’s married,” Wharton informed them, directing the footmen to begin serving the first course.
“Dear God, who is the poor woman who took him on?” Brandestock joked and then dug into his first course with gusto.
Many laughed either at the question or how Brandestock always seemed to be starving for the first course of any dinner.
Hurlston grinned. “From what I understand, Montrose married his cousin’s widow, so it’s a family affair through and through.”
There was silence at that, and Teddy did not know what to think. There was nothing illegal about marrying a cousin’s widow. It had the benefit of returning any fortune, large or small, back to the family. But more than one widow had been persuaded against their own interests by well-meaning family members to agree to wed a cousin, even if they’d prefer to marry someone else instead.
Scarsdale sat forward. “Does anyone know her or the late cousin of Montrose?”
The whole table, including Teddy, murmured a negative.
“Montrose usually keeps his family far from London,” Hurlston added. “The cousin I remember from school. Quite different to Montrose. Open-minded, friendly chap he was back then. I wonder if she was given any choice about the match.”
Brandestock seemed aghast. “Surely, he wouldn’t have forced her to marry him. I mean, that’s low, even for him.”
Wharton held up his hand. “By all accounts, she is lovely but is known to walk with a cane. Montrose is said to be very protective of her.”
Brandestock drained his glass just as the servants filed in, their hands full of platters and dishes. “Has she any acquaintances in London who can confirm she was a willing party to the match?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Wharton murmured and then glanced toward Teddy. “Do you know if Montrose has been in contact with Exeter at all? I can think of no one else he’d call upon first with his new duchess.”
“No, but I have been away for a few days, so I do not know if he’s tried. I’ll make inquiries.”
“Please do. For the sake of harmony, it would be well for all of us to welcome the Duchess of Montrose to society. It is not her fault her husband is a humorless ass.”
There was a murmur of agreement around the table. “Montrose has always been so damn prickly. We shouldn’t hold that against his bride unless she’s cut from the same cloth as him.”
“The wife is an unknown indeed,” Hurlston murmured. “Perhaps she’ll have some luck at settling his temper.”
“Only if she doesn’t lock him out of her bedchamber,” Scarsdale joked.
Hurlston threw a napkin at him. “You’d best hope your wife doesn’t do that to you when you finally tie the knot.”
The remarks from that point on became rather bawdy and political, too.
Teddy was well versed with the ways of society gossip. Before becoming known as the Duke of Exeter’s heir, he’d followed his cousin around, pretending to be a footman. He had been privy to many such dinners between influential lords and wealthy gentlemen who had the power and conviction to bend society to their will, and see others lose favor. As far as architects of change went, Wharton’s warnings to not be too quick to rush to judgment on the new duchess were at best only slightly self-serving. A happy Duke of Montrose meant that he was more likely to support proposals in the House of Lords. If he was in a bad mood, and that had been often, he always made things more difficult.
The dinner was lengthy, and Teddy found it utterly boring by the end. The same crude jokes, the same gossip, the same men voicing dissent to popular opinion sprung up time and again. He stood up as soon as the dinner ended, and cigars and port were brought out, intending to leave early. He peered down the long table as half the room lit cigars and puffed putrid smoke into the air. “Gentlemen, it has been a pleasure as usual.”
“Oh, are you leaving so soon?” Brandestock complained, three sheets to the wind already.
“I’m afraid so,” he apologized.
No one else voiced an intention to go, so he waved his goodbyes and let himself out of the dining room. But before he could call out for a servant to bring him his hat, a shape moved into the hall.
Eugenia.
He grinned and strode directly to her.
She grasped his hand and pulled him behind the drawing room door and wrapped her arms about his shoulders. She kissed him thoroughly, again and again, appearing ravenous for the taste of him.
Aware they could be discovered at any moment, he lowered his lips to her ear when they finally parted and spoke to her only in a whisper. “I feared I wouldn’t see you tonight.”
“You almost didn’t. It is very late. Welcome back to Town.”
“Thank you. It’s good to come back to so warm a reception. How is the marchioness now? Wharton said none of you would leave her.”
“She became restless, moved too much, and started to bleed again. I stayed, not really for her, but for Sylvia. She’d started to cry.”
Teddy squeezed Eugenia’s head a little more firmly against his. “I’m sorry. It’s such a difficult recovery, isn’t it?”
Eugenia nodded. “How was your evening?”
“Dull without seeing you there at the table to distract me.”
“That is so sweet.” She kissed his cheek. “When can I see you?”
“You invited me to Albemarle Street. Is that still what you want?”
She looked into his eyes and kissed him softly. “Yes. Very much so. I will be there by two o’clock in the afternoon tomorrow.”
He nodded. Tomorrow was his usual day to call upon Sophie, but with her color so much improved last week, he felt certain he could skip a visit. “What if you’re not there? Should I wait? Where?”
“Inside.” Eugenia pressed something warm and hard into his hand. A key, by the feel of it. “I’m trusting you not to steal my furnishings for your home to spare you the pain of making decisions on your own.”
“I would never take something that didn’t belong to me,” he assured her, adding the key to his pocket. He slid his hand down to her rear and squeezed. “How is it I’m so lucky I get to touch you?”
“It’s my choice to let you, not luck,” she whispered, reminding him she was with him of her own free will with no expectations whatsoever.
Eugenia was as soft as he remembered. The scent of her skin, heavenly. He really didn’t want to let her go tonight, but there was a roomful of lords nearby. One of them, possibly Wharton, might come out and find them alone together. Wharton would insist he had compromised Eugenia and owed her a marriage proposal.
He drew back from her, caught her fingers in his, and kissed the back of her bare hand. He wasn’t ready for a marriage, but he would look forward to more secret trysts with Eugenia any day. “Until tomorrow.”
“I cannot wait.” Eugenia slipped away through the drawing room, escaping via a distant door so no one might see her ascend the main staircase.
He let himself out into the hall, woke the oblivious butler to ask for his hat, and then strode out into the night with a heart a great deal lighter than when he’d left the dining room, fearing he might not see Eugenia at all.