Page 29 of The Model Debutante
‘You wouldn’t do that. Look, Nick old chap, it’s all a misunderstanding, silly chit thought I was trying to…’
The blow landed with a satisfying thump right on the point of Lynley’s chin. Nick stepped forward rubbing his balled fist in the other palm. ‘Get up. I want to do that again.’ He sounded as though he was asking the man to deal another hand of cards.
Tallie swirled round and stared at the wall. She didn’t want to see what Nick was doing, didn’t want to see the look on his face as he methodically set about punishing Jack Lynley. And she did not want to see the disillusion on William’s face as he realised what the man he thought was his friend was capable of with a young lady.
‘Now get out. William, make sure he gets away from this room without anyone seeing him. And Lynley, don’t even think of speaking of this, will you? Because if you do, I’ll break your neck.’
Thank God, he hadn’t killed him.Tallie wondered vaguely ifshe was going to be sick. Probably not, she concluded after a fierce struggle with her stomach. Was she alone? William had gone and Lynley. The room was quiet except for the sounds of music and talk and laughter penetrating the heavy door.
She put out a hand to the wall in front of her and just stood, head bowed, her hair shielding her face. Then she knew she was not alone. Someone moved behind her, so close she could feel his heat through her flimsy gown and hands turned her into the safety of soft linen, encircling arms, a strong comforting heartbeat.
‘Nick.’
‘What?’ His breath stirred her hair. She felt a weight on the top of her head as though he had laid his cheek there.
‘Just…Nick. I am sorry to have been so foolish, I really thought he was going to get me a glass of lemonade. He won’t say anything, will he?’
‘Not and expect to live, no. He is a coward and I am both a better shot and a better swordsman than he is.’ There was a pause. ‘Are you crying?’
‘No,’ lied Tallie, trying not to sniff. She felt so safe, so warm, socherished.
‘In that case why is the front of my shirt becoming soggy?’ Nick enquired.
Tallie felt his hand under her chin and her face was ruthlessly tipped up despite her efforts to resist. ‘I have to tell you, Cousin Talitha, your nose is pink, but your eyes look absolutely enchanting swimming in tears. It is quite obvious that you did not pay the slightest attention to the warning I gave you the other day. I will just have to repeat it.’
This time the kiss was very gentle, very careful. But Tallie found her lips parting and her body was telling her to react in ways that were new and shamingly wanton in order to incite him.
She felt her own tongue darting to meet his. To caress, challenge his, flicker daringly into the heat of his mouth. Her body arched against him, soft against the answering hardness. Her breasts ached, her loins ached, she ached…
There was a knock on the door.
When William peered in Tallie found herself lying back against the sofa cushions and Nick was on one knee on the carpet gathering up hairpins.
‘Has he gone?’
William nodded. ‘I followed him. He went out through the back and no-one saw him. I brought you a glass of lemonade, Tallie.’
She forced a smile for him, her heart aching at the look of distress on his face. ‘Thank you, William, I am quite all right, truly.’
‘What can I do? Shall I fetch Mama and send for the carriage to come round to the back?’
‘No.’ Nick’s voice was sharp. ‘The ball has hardly started, Tallie cannot simply vanish like that. It will cause talk. Help me find all these pins and then go to the kitchens and ask for some rice powder.’
‘Rice powder? I can’t just…’
‘You are Lord Parry and a guest. If you ask them for a bucket of earthworms, they’ll give it to you. Tallie, how many pins were there?’
Tallie racked her brains. ‘Fourteen, I think.’
‘I can find twelve, that will have to do. William, have you got a comb?’
Tallie found herself perched on the edge of the sofa while Nick combed, cursed and muttered through a mouthful of hairpins. Eventually she felt the weight of her hair lift and put up a tentative hand. ‘Nick, it’s wonderful. How did you learn how to do that?’
‘I don’t think I want to say,’ he said. ‘It would shock you. Aunt Kate will be able to tell something has happened, but I don’t think anyone else will suspect more than over-enthusiastic participation in a country dance. Now where’s William?’
He appeared on the question, flushed and more than a little put out. ‘They looked at me as though I was mad,’ he muttered, handing over a large jar.
Nick grinned at the size of the container. ‘I want to powder Tallie’s nose, not bake a batch of whatever one cooks with the stuff, you idiot. Oh well, it will give the housemaids something to speculate about in the morning when they find it.’ He drew a handkerchief out of his pocket, dipped it in the jar and turned to Tallie. ‘Sit still. There, that’s better, now you look less like a white rabbit and more like an overheated young lady.’
