“Lord Berenger is an old friend,” she explained, biting her lip before continuing. “He’s gone through a terrible trial, losing his wife, and I want to comfort him. Perhaps
Ellison took in a shallow breath as he stepped closer, invading her personal space and making her uncomfortably warm. “Why is that?”
She swallowed hard, then looked up into his eyes with what she hoped was an adoring stare. “Douglas, you must know there is only one man who has captured my heart this Season.”
Well, at least it was the truth. If Ellison believed she was talking about him, so be it. Only she had to know Griffin Berenger was the one she loved, and would always love.
“If that’s true, prove it to me,” he whispered, putting his arm around her waist with the slowness of a snake encompassing around its victim. “Kiss me as I kissed you in the carriage.”
“I…” she stammered, unsure if she could press her mouth against his one more time. “I have my reputation to think of.”
“Nonsense.” He inched her ever closer to him with tiny tugs on her waist. “You and I have been courting publicly. And this is a private area where no one is watching. Besides, Audrey, it isn’t as if you haven’t been caught in such a situation before.”
She froze at those words. He couldn’t be referring to what had happened to her on a similar veranda all those years ago. There had been general rumors about her thanks to Luci, but no one had ever known about the man on the veranda except for her mother and Griffin’s wife. Luci had, at least, kept that promise.
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t think I know about your past?” he asked, his lips moving closer to her ear. “I must be careful who I associate with as I move my way up in Society. I had you investigated by certain people in my employ. But don’t worry, Audrey.”
Her skin felt like a thousand spiders were crawling on it, their tiny tentacles tickling her and raising the hairs on the back of her neck.
“Kiss me,” he whispered. “And I’ll believe that you care for only me.”
“And if I refuse?”
Her lip trembled even as she tried to remain playful and teasing like a lover would be.
“Then I’ll have to take it that Griffin Berenger is a threat to me.” His lips brushed her ear. “I don’t like threats.”
Everything around Audrey suddenly slowed down to a snail’s pace. Douglas’s lips moved, but she didn’t hear anything more than that he would consider Griffin a threat. Griffin was in danger. Real danger. And all because of her and the feelings she couldn’t seem to hide. Without thinking, without breathing, she turned her mouth to Ellison’s and kissed him.
His lips were cold, cooler than she’d remembered them when he’d forced them on her in the carriage weeks before. But his hands were like steel as they wrapped around her shoulders and drew her closer. His fingers bit into her skin, burning her through the thin silk of her gown. How she kept herself from gagging, she couldn’t say, but when she drew back, dipping her head in a show of modesty, she barely resisted the urge to spit.
“Is that proof enough for you that you’re the one I care for?” She hoped he took her breathless voice as desire and not fear and loathing.
“Very much so.” He raised her gloved hand to his lips and placed a wet kiss there. His mouth made a mark on the silk, and she knew she’d been branded.
“Audrey? Audrey?” Noah’s voice came from the veranda doorway.
“I’m here!” she called out, trying to keep the break from her voice as she willed her brother to hurry.
He whipped around the corner of the veranda, then skidded to a slower speed as he gave the couple a suspicious look. “What’s going on here?”
She met her brother’s eyes with desperation. “Nothing Noah. We were just looking at the moon.”
“Yes.” Ellison released her hand at long last to bow his head at her brother. “I’ve enjoyed it immensely. But perhaps I should go back inside. It’s getting late and I have many people to speak with before I depart.”
“Goodnight Douglas,” she whispered with a shaky smile.
“Good evening Audrey,” he whispered back. He locked eyes with her before nodding again to her brother. “Lord Lockhart.”
Once he had gone, the veranda door safely shut behind him, Audrey drooped against the wall. Noah hurried to her side to take her arm as he whispered, “What happened?”
“I did it,” she said, hoping she wouldn’t break down into tears as she stared at the circular ring of spit that marred her glove. The outline of Ellison’s lips.
“Did what?” he asked, his tone cautionary. “What did you do?”
“I convinced him I belong to him.”
She buried her face in her brother’s shoulder. With every ounce of strength and training, she held back the tears that threatened to break her down. There would be time later to sob. For now, she still had a role to play. A blasted duty.
Chapter Sixteen
Griffin hated when he didn’t know what was happening around him. It reminded him of the long nights he’d waited for Luci to return from her parties, guessing what she’d been doing, but never certain. The same was now true with Audrey.
She had come back into the ballroom pale and shaky, holding her brother’s arm as if he were all that kept her upright. Griffin had wanted to run to her, to take her in his arms and kiss her until the look of terror left her face. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t because that would harm her beloved cover, and it would shame her in front of the
Now though, as they raced back to his home in his carriage, he expected some kind of explanation. But Noah and Audrey were silent except for the worried glances they traded. Looks that locked him out of their world with no chance of entry.
“Will your mother and father come to visit tomorrow?” Audrey’s dull voice broke the silence in the carriage.
“Probably,” he said with a shrug. He hadn’t given much thought to his parents since Audrey had been trapped alone with Ellison. “They don’t intend to stay in the city long. Mother says London is stifling after the Season is over. Much too hot for her in the summer.”
She sighed. “I often feel the same way. Cities all over the world are like that. Too hot and too crowded.”
Griffin winced as the laughing young lady he cared for so much turned to a woman jaded by too many missions and too many cities.
“But you like many of those places, too, Audrey,” her brother reminded her gently. “You always tell me they each have their own unique charm.”
Audrey was silent as she looked at the lights of the city. Her only movement was a slight correction of balance as they turned onto Griffin’s street. The carriage stopped and the footman opened the door, offering her his hand as she stepped out.
“You had a long evening.” Noah stepped out and patted her hand before he slipped it into the crook of his elbow. “You need to rest.”
“Noah, you don’t have to tuck me in,” she said. “You have someplace to go, don’t you?”
Motioning with her head back toward the carriage, she smiled, but the expression was almost emotionless.
Her brother’s eyes crinkled with concern. “I can take a moment to escort you into the house.”
“I’ll escort her.” Griffin held out his hand to Audrey. “You go and take care of whatever it is you need to do to end this madness.”
