Cocky Baron: Regency Cocky Gents (Book 2) Page 18

  “Where is he?” But of course, her maid wouldn’t know.

  “His morning errands.” Polly drew back the curtains and bright sunlight flooded the chamber.

  His chamber.

  “He certainly rises early.” Bethany grimaced.

  “Without fail. Every morning for as long as I’ve worked here. Oh, my goodness.” The woman’s eyes widened considerably.

  Bethany winced to see the maid holding the stays she’d worn to the ball the night before. Or at least what was left of them. Several pieces of the lace and fabric were scattered around the floor.

  “Are you all right, My Lady?”

  “It… was stuck. His Lordship… er… assisted me out of it.”

  Nothing in the world could prevent the heat from flooding Bethany’s cheeks as Polly turned the piecemeal fabric over in her hands.

  “I might be able to set this piece together here.” She held it up and another piece broke off and fell to the floor.

  The startled look in her maid’s eyes was too much, and Bethany raised her hands to cover her mouth, sending them both into a fit of giggles.

  “You had a… pleasant evening then?” Polly grinned. “At the ball?”

  The comment threw Bethany into another fit of giggles, this time joined by Polly. She dabbed at her eyes where tears of laughter escaped. She couldn’t remember ever laughing so hard at anything. Or at something so inappropriate. With her lady’s maid!

  Almost weak from the fit of hilarity, Bethany wrapped the sheet around her, toga style, and climbed off the bed. The clock on the mantel showed one in the afternoon. “I’ve slept half the day and my sister is probably dying to know how everything went.” She shot a sideways glance at the other girl and added with emphasis. “At the ball.”

  Polly stared down at the floor, the corner of her lip twitching. “Of course, My Lady. She and Lady Felicity did stop in earlier, actually. Pardon me. I meant to tell you. She left a message…” Polly dug a slip of paper out of her apron.

  Her Ladyship,

  Bethany almost snorted. Tabetha was too much sometimes.

  If her ladyship would be so kind as to rouse herself at some point so that she could take tea with her mother and sister this afternoon, I would be ever so honored.

  Most admiringly,

  Tabetha.

  P.S. Mother says we can proceed with my come-out

  P.P.S. Enjoy your present social status over me, dearest sister. No less than a duke for me!

  “I suppose I’m ready for that bath.” Holding the sheet tightly around her, Bethany shuffled across the floor toward her own chamber. Before exiting into the antechamber, however, she glanced back at the bed.

  Would they do that every night? It was different than she’d ever imagined. It had been exciting, pleasurable, and… fun.

  But could it ever be love?

  “Mother said your dance card was full.” Tabetha nibbled at a pastry, her yellow curls bouncing.

  Bethany’s card had been full. And her mother had noticed. Bethany sipped at her tea, feeling unusually pleased at the compliment. In the grand scheme of things, the fact that she’d danced every set last night didn’t really matter. What mattered more than that was that she and Chase hadn’t been hurled from Heart Place for their indiscretion in the Willoughby Garden. They had been forgiven.

  All of which was secondary, to Bethany anyway, to the night she’d spent with Chase in his chamber—in his bed.

  Tabetha selected a second pastry. “Lady Ravensdale arranged all of it with the Duke of Blackheart. Mother said that all those gentlemen were asked to claim at least one set. She also insisted Chaswick take both the first and the supper dance. Were you terrified? I would have been.”

  Of course, that had been what happened. Why else would all of those gentlemen have gone out of their way to partner her?

  Bethany had suspected as much. She had known that.

  But if she’d known that, then why was she disappointed all of a sudden? She ought to feel satisfied, relieved. Because the ruse had been so effective, she’d nearly fooled herself.

  It was a very good thing.

  Her mother and sister weren’t going to be chased out of London over Bethany’s particularly embarrassing scandal and Bethany wasn’t going to have to hide her face in shame.

  “I was terrified,” Bethany answered automatically. Because she had been.

  Until Chase had kissed her, that was. He’d kissed the fear right out of her.

  “Lady Ravensdale told Mother it was important you two appear as a love match.”

  “Where is Mother? I thought she was joining us.”

  “She went visiting with Lady Sheffield. Now that she doesn’t have to worry about being snubbed.”

  It was good news. It was. But for some reason, all the air escaped Bethany’s euphoric bubble from the night before.

  “Where is your husband today? I thought he might be escorting you around town.” Tabetha grinned. “What’s it like? Did you finally…?”

  “That’s private.” And she had no idea where her husband had gone off to. He hadn’t returned before she left. Likely he’d been visiting his clubs. That’s what gentlemen did while in London, wasn’t it?

  But what did gentlemen do at the break of dawn?

  “No matter. At least I get to have my come-out party. If only Westerley hadn’t ordered Mr. Spencer to become my shadow. He promises to be a considerable nuisance.”

  “It’s for your own protection,” Bethany reminded her.

  “From whom? Any gentleman who wants to court me?”

  Bethany sipped her tea while Tabetha entertained her with other gossip. How many times had the two of them sat in this very room and discussed all the on-dits?

  “Felicity was feeling poorly this morning. I do hope she isn’t coming down with something. I’ll be devastated if she can’t attend next week.”

  “She said she was tired last night.”

  Before Bethany could ask Tabetha her opinion on Felicity’s lethargy, rustling in the foyer outside the door heralded an interruption to their tete-a-tete.

  “Tabetha? Mr. Bradley said you wouldn’t mind if I—oh. Lady Bethany. I mean… Lady Chaswick.” Delia winced, clutching her reticule in front of her. The younger Somerset sister obviously hadn’t expected to find Bethany here today.

  “Won’t you join us for tea? We’ve plenty of pastries.” Dear Tabetha was somehow oblivious to Delia’s embarrassment.

  Bethany wasn’t unaware of the trials Delia must endure having a sister like Rachel. And after last night, she was feeling rather forgiving.

  “Milk and sugar?” Bethany gathered the extra saucer and cup and poured a generous cup for their guest, not giving the younger girl an opportunity to decline.

  “Yes, please. I mean… both. Thank you.” As she took the cup from Bethany, she smiled apologetically. “Did you have a nice time last night?”

  The memory of Chase’s naked flesh in the flickering candlelight came quickly to mind but Delia was asking about the ball. “I did.” Her night with Chase was beginning to feel like a dream. Like she had been an entirely different person. A person who didn’t exist in the daylight.

  She’d felt daring, beautiful, passionate.

  Where was her husband off to today?

  “I’m sorry about everything.” The apology burst out of Delia in a rush. “And it’s all my fault! If I’d kept mum about Rachel’s plan, none of this would have happened to you. I’m only glad you haven’t been banished from society. Shame on Chaswick though—already squiring his mistresses around Bond Street. And on your wedding day too! But the two of you looked so beautiful dancing last night. If a person didn’t know better, they’d think you were in love. All isn’t lost though. Now you can wear colors that aren’t pastels. Perhaps you can travel. Married women have considerable freedom under such circumstances.”

  B-a-n-i-s-h-e-d. Eight letters. S-o-c-i-e-t-y. Seven.

  What had Delia said? Squiring who, around wher
e?

  His mistress? Mistresses? As in more than one of them???

  Voices carried on around her but she’d ceased to comprehend what was being said. She’d known this was a possibility. In fact, she’d expected it. Before…

  She shook her head.

  Likely they were beautiful and sophisticated. He’d never told her he was going to be faithful, had he? She hadn’t asked him to be faithful. She’d only told him that she wanted him to bed her.

  And he had.

  She’d thought he’d enjoyed it the same as she. Was she wrong? Did gentlemen really require a buffet of women?

  “Beth?” Tabetha’s hand dropped onto her knee. “Delia didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Bethany lifted the corners of her mouth and only hoped it resembled what ought to be a dignified smile. “Why would I be upset?”

  “He really should be more discreet in his affairs.” Tabetha’s words dripped with pity. “I’m so sorry, Beth.”

  Bethany didn’t want to be pitied. She would rather be made into a scandal than be considered pitiful.

  Was that what his “errands” were all about?

  F-a-i-t-h-f-u-l. Eight. P-i-t-i-f-u-l. Seven. Of course.

  She straightened her spine and summoned what poise she could find. “Why would you be sorry? Neither of us expects the other to change their ways simply because we are married.” But the words might as well have curdled in her mouth. “Oh, look at the time. I best return to Byrde House. Chase’s mother is dining with us this evening and I don’t want to be late as we’re just becoming acquainted.”

  “Are the rumors about her true?” Delia seemed happy for any change of subject.

  “What rumors?”

  “That she ought to be committed?”

  “She’s a little eccentric but an otherwise lovely woman.” Bethany placed her cup and saucer onto the tray and rose. She refused to discuss Chase’s mother in any sort of unflattering light. “Good to see you, Delia. Do tell Mother I came by, won’t you, Tabby?”

  Bethany smoothed her skirts and walked calmly out of the drawing room and then out the front door and onto the walkway. After that, she didn’t pay much heed to where she was going. Because where did a person go when home was no longer home? When dreams turned to ashes?

  Last night had been special. It had been! Hadn’t it?

  Or had she simply convinced herself that he experienced the same emotions she did? But he had not.

  Of course, he had not. Because she loved him. Even more now than she had before.

  Bethany counted her steps as she passed one house after another.

  If she felt betrayed after spending a single night with him, how would she feel after a month, or a year? How would she feel to hear of his affairs after she’d carried his child?

  All these thoughts tormented her as she strode along the walkways taking a rather roundabout route from Adam’s Row back to Byrde House. Along Brooks Street, around Grosvenor Square back toward the park…

  The familiar sights ought to be comforting, reassuring. But home wasn’t home anymore.

  When she finally tired herself out, she wasn’t all that far from Byrde House. She needed to go there—go home. She needed to dress for dinner and dine with her mother-in-law and her husband.

  “It’s a good thing you’ve extra stays with you. Still, it wouldn’t be remiss to make an appointment with a modiste. You can wear almost anything you want.” Polly had been waiting almost anxiously for her, announcing that the dinner bell had rung ten minutes before. She’d pressed a gown and had it laid out on the bed along with underthings and slippers.

  Sounds from the chamber adjacent to hers assured Bethany that her husband had returned as well.

  She’d thought she was coming to know him, but was she? Was he, in actuality, only an illusion of the ideal person she’d made up in her mind? And if that was the case, how could she think that she loved him?

  Clutching the bedpost while Polly tightened her stays summoned recollections of the night before, recollections that she couldn’t make sense of anymore. It had felt like intimacy, and yet… Something had been missing.

  Love. Love had been missing.

  Did he care for her at all, or was she simply one of many? Or worse than that? Was she a nuisance?

  I don’t pity fuck.

  His words couldn’t possibly have been anything other than honest.

  Bethany slid on new stockings for the evening and tied the top with white silk bows, unable to shake the image of his teeth biting into her ribbon the night before. He hadn’t acted as though he’d pitied her. But then, what did she know?

  Polly pinned her hair up in a pretty chignon and when she was finished, Bethany slipped her feet into delicate slippers.

  Confusion and doubt had her twisted into knots by the time Chase presented himself to escort her to dinner. As usual, his rakish smile and casual confidence made her heart skip a beat. And when he met her eyes, she could almost imagine she saw yearning. For what? An unwavering look of devotion?

  Bethany wanted to give it to him—she’d done so often enough in the past. Likely a look he’d gotten used to without even knowing what it meant.

  But her devotion, ironically enough… wavered.

  “You look beautiful, Beth. What have you been up to all afternoon? You were out again when I returned.” His brilliant blue eyes peered at her curiously.

  “I was visiting with my sister.” Averting her gaze from his, she slipped her hand in the crook of his arm, accepting his escort. Wives weren’t supposed to ask after their husband’s whereabouts. Even when they were essentially dying to know if he had a very good explanation for squiring two bits of muslin about town. Was that why he’d been late?

  Did she want to know the truth? Would he tell her if she did?

  His masculine scent taunted her. The sensation of his body pulsing into hers from behind—all the places he’d touched her—the pleasure they’d shared… Bethany pinched her mouth into a firm line.

  Damnit, they had shared in the pleasure!

  How much pleasure did one man require?

  “I’m not sure I can do those things with you again if you…” Her rational mind looked on in horror as the words poured out her disobedient mouth. “How many mistresses do you have? I heard…” And then the dam broke. “I thought it was special. What we did. And hearing that you have so many others… It hurts me, Chase. Knowing you would go to another woman—other women, plural!—within hours of what we did…”

  They’d stopped walking, and he faced her with wide eyes in the otherwise quiet corridor.

  “Bethany, I didn’t. I would never.” He swiped a hand down his face and then glanced up and down as though concerned they’d be overheard.

  “But then… who were you with on Bond Street today? Are they the reason you were almost late to our wedding? And where do you go early in the mornings?” She cringed that she sounded so harpish and suspicious but couldn’t seem to stop herself.

  The truth was going to rip her heart into shreds, she had no doubt. But perhaps that was what she needed. Something to remove the blinders she wore where he was concerned. Something that could protect her from a life of heartache.

  “My sisters.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I was with my sisters.”

  Bethany stepped backward and frowned. His what?

  “But you don’t have any sisters.”

  Chapter 23

  Responsibilities

  Chase had figured he’d have to tell Bethany eventually, but everything had happened so quickly between them. He hadn’t had a chance. He hated that she’d heard the rumors and logically assumed the worst before he could explain this complication in his life.

  But damn his eyes, he should have known. With nothing else for entertainment, gossip spread like the plague amongst the ton.

  He’d fully intended to spend the day with Bethany after his morning visit to the house on Farm Street. But before he had even climbed the front steps, Col
lette had whipped the door open frantically.

  “Diana dropped Mother’s tonic last night and it spilled everywhere. I was going to go to the apothecary myself, but it was dark and after last time…”

  “No, it’s good you waited for me. How is she?”

  The oldest of his half-sisters closed had her eyes slowly, as though to regain her composure. “It’s been a difficult night. I’m only glad you are here now.”

  “Chase!” Sarah, the youngest, came up behind Collette and then threw her arms around his waist. “Burt had babies! Collette says I can’t touch them yet. But once they’re bigger, I can keep one.”

  “So Burt is not Burt, but Betty then?” Chase had laughed, dropping a kiss on her toffee-colored hair as they all entered the house.

  “I’ll run over to Bond Street right away then.” He met Collette’s concerned eyes. He often saw glimpses of his father in all of them, but he also saw traces of himself.

  “I’ll come along with you. Let me grab my bonnet and wrap. I have a few other items to purchase as well.” And then Collette bit her lip. “One other thing. I know you’ve just married and probably want to be with your bride. But Mrs. Marstairs quit yesterday. She apologized for not giving notice, but her mother took ill and she said she was removing to the country permanently.”

  And so instead of returning to Byrde House with a trinket or some chocolates as planned, and then taking his wife for a drive through the park, Chase had spent the remainder of the day ensuring that his father’s former mistress had her necessary medications and then quickly locating a new governess so that Sarah, the youngest of his sisters, didn’t fall behind in her lessons. In between interviewing three hastily scheduled applicants sent over by the agency, he’d made a few minor repairs to the house and had a stern talk with Diana about not going out alone. At ten and nine, she reminded him of Bethany’s sister, Tabetha, difficult to contain and far too spontaneous for her own good.

  And in between all of these minor emergencies, memories of a most erotic night of bedsport jumped in and out of his mind, creating an urgency to be done with his responsibilities so that he could return home to his wife.