Page 77 of Scandalous Heiress
She put a hand flat to the satin of his waistcoat and prayed for control.“You try me.”
“As you do me.”He was chuckling and covered her hand with his own.His heartbeat was as strong a drumbeat as hers.“I thought to invite you and your sister to luncheon with me.At my home here in town.Next Wednesday.”
The invitation thrilled her, but to wait until Wednesday seemed an eternity.“Yes, that would be nice.”
“Nice.”He barked in laughter.“There will be more.”
“More?”Confusion about his intentions rattled her.
“More kisses.More caresses.But I must be certain.”
“Of me?”
He arched a long red brow.“Of you, I am totally certain.I must be positive I can do right by you.”
“Oh, I am not a demanding—”
“I never thought you were.But I must hold up my head in society.More than that I must respect myself, Ada.If I take a wife, I want to support her, keep her, make her happy, my own.I cannot—no, I will not do that unless I have first established myself as I see fit.I did not…before.I had to make compromises.It ate at me that I did less than I should have, that I tolerated failures of my own and because of that, those of my wife, too.I will not do that again.Not again, Ada.”
What he had suffered in his marriage was truly horrid.He had told her what he wished and she would not ask for more.“I will certainly honor your need to attend to your affairs as you see fit.”
“Thank you.Give me time, my darling.”
Swallowing tears, she nodded.“You have it.”
“Come back inside,” he said, his rough voice an apology and a balm.
They joined Lily who stood talking with Jessica and Billings.
“I wonder if you would like to join us at the theater tomorrow night, Lord Victor?My husband and I do like to attend and we’d like you to join us in our box.Lady Jessica, her parents and Lord Billings have accepted my invitation.Ada, too, will join us.Next week my husband and I retire to our country house for the summer months and this is my last chance to enjoy the theater before I am otherwise occupied for many months.What do you say, sir?Will you come?”
“I’d be honored, Your Grace.”
Once Victor appeared in the Seton’s box tomorrow night many would assume they were matched.The prospect delighted her, but she questioned if she could count on that.Lily seemed to have no problems with the impression his appearance with them might make.He had none.She couldn’t either…except for one nagging question.Would all that Victor did now lead to the result he wished?Would he garner enough support to be appointed to the vacant seat in Parliament?Or would he have to return to Shanghai?And if he failed here and he had to go, could she whole-heartedly support him and go with him?
Suddenly there was a hush in the room.
All turned, one by one, as if they were on precision wheels, toward the salon entrance.There stood a petite but elegant brunette, impeccably coiffed, exquisitely attired in ruby red satin of the latest fashion.Her hazel eyes scanned the guests like a fox sighting prey.She smiled, a rueful curve to her rouged lips.With a look of disdain for all, she made a line for Lady Jessica.
“Elanna,” Lily breathed.
Someone behind them whispered, “She never comes out.”
This was Lily’s sister-in-law, the Countess of Carbury, a woman Ada had met many times at her sister’s homes, always in private, never with any others in attendance.Always unescorted except by a mute and dowdy maid.Known to many as the reclusive hellion who’d met, married and deserted her husband, Elanna was a feared feminine creature who could attract ridicule and envy in one searing moment.She cared not for their approval.Cared not for their rules.She was the daughter of a duke without fortune but who’d been forced to marry a man decades older.A man whom she loathed from the first day she’d wed.And even the birth of a child, her son and husband’s heir, had not allayed her need to live far way from him.She’d abandoned her husband and child years ago to live in the Carbury townhouse and rarely appeared at social gatherings where thetoncould gape and marvel and then shun her.Yet today she had come.
Ada understood why.Jessica had been Elanna’s childhood friend.And it was she who had introduced Lily to Jessica.She was here to wish Jessica well…or so Ada hoped.Elanna could be snappish and abrasive.Not the kind of guest one wished for on any occasion.
“Dear Jessica.Lily.Ada.”Elanna kissed them each in the French manner.
“I’m happy you’ve come,” Jessica said, holding Elanna’s hands.
“Thank you.I doubt your mother is.”She gave Jessica a true smile, then appraised Lord Billings and Victor.
Jessica moved forward.“Allow me to introduce my friends.”
Elanna brought out her best behavior for that, appearing congenial and not at all predatory.For their part, Billings and Victor took her acquaintance with polite nods.
Billings and Jessica excused themselves to talk with other guests.
