He was going to have to take himself firmly in hand. He treated Arabella with perfect kindness. He had clothed her for a Season in London and made sure she was properly entertained. He bought her gifts. He had taken her about quite as much as anyone could expect. He had been indulgent with her. He had scolded her only once, over the matter of going out unescorted, and he had done so with restraint. Many men would have beaten their wives for less. And he was doing his best to get her with child. Perhaps by the next month she would be increasing. She would surely be happy then. He really had no reason whatsoever to feel guilty about his marriage.
Lord Astor rose to his feet. He was going to visit Ginny without further delay. He was going to leave all thought of Arabella outside the door, and he was going to enjoy his mistress as he had enjoyed her for a full year before that damnable journey to Parkland. He would stay all night if he felt like doing so, and exhaust both himself and Ginny until there was no energy left for anything except blissful, dreamless sleep. He was not going to feel guilty. After all, he could not go to Arabella that night anyway, or for the four nights following. He would be depriving her of nothing.
He was disappointed half an hour later to discover that Ginny was from home, singing at one of her musical entertainments. He had not thought of the possibility. He hesitated as the butler stood politely in the small tiled hallway of Ginny’s house. It might be hours before she came home.
But what were the alternatives? He could go home to an empty house or back to White’s on the chance that some of his acquaintances would turn up. Or he could go to the soiree after all. And if he did, he thought, he would doubtless find Arabella surrounded by the gentlemen friends she seemed so comfortable with, and unable to grant him more than a self-conscious smile and flush.
No, he would wait. At least he could be sure of commanding Ginny’s undivided attention when she did come home. And at least he could unleash all his frustrations on her unprotesting and doubtless eager body. Ginny would not mind an energetic lovemaking. She would prefer it so. And he did not think he would have the energy to be gentle tonight.
Lord Astor removed his hat and gloves, unbuttoned his greatcoat, and gave orders for brandy to be sent to the sitting room.
“Miss Cox is very beautiful, I must admit,” Arabella whispered to Theodore as the singer’s performance came to an end. “It does not seem fair that some women are allowed to grow so tall and elegant. And she has a lovely face.”
“I thought you came to listen. to her songs,” he whispered back. “I must say she is everything I was led to expect in the breakfast parlor at Grillon’s this morning. But she does not have nearly your air of breeding, Bella, if that is what is bothering you.”
“I don’t like the way everyone is turning to talk among themselves and quite ignoring her,” Arabella said, “just as if she were a servant. Perhaps she has been hired for the occasion, but for all that, her voice is vastly superior to any I have heard among people of theton. We are all being decidedly rude, Theo. I believe I shall go and commend her on her performance.”
“I shall come with you if you must,” Theodore said, his eyes twinkling. “That voice bears listening to at closer quarters.”
Arabella clucked her tongue and rose to her feet to find Lord Farraday almost upon her and reaching for her elbow.
“Good evening, ma’am,” he said. “I saw you earlier but have not had a moment to talk with you. They are serving supper immediately, I hear. May I lead you in?”
Arabella smiled at him. “I saw you too, my lord,” she said, “but I was having a particularly important conversation with Mr. Lincoln, and when I was finished, you had disappeared. I daresay you have been listening to the music. Did you not think Miss Cox’s voice quite superior?”
“Quite so,” he said. “If we do not leave immediately, we will be at the back of the line and have to wait forever. May I have the pleasure?” He had a firm hold of her elbow. He was standing so close to her that she was almost forced to sit back down on her chair again.
“Have you met my friend and neighbor from home, Sir—?” she began, but Lady Berry interrupted her, catching at her sleeve and saying something that Arabella could not hear over the hubbub of conversation around them. “Excuse me a moment. I must see what Lady Berry wants. I shall be glad to go in to supper with you, my lord, after I have commended Miss Cox on her singing.”
She edged her way past the two men until she could hear Lady Berry, who had merely been trying to draw her attention to the fact that supper was being served and that they should hurry if they wanted the best choice of food.
When she turned back, Arabella found that a few people had moved between her and the two gentlemen, and everyone seemed bent on reaching the doorway and making his way to the supper room. She moved around behind some of them until she could worm her way between two large bodies, and reached up to tap Theodore on the shoulder. He was talking with Lord Farraday, both of them facing away from her and being jostled by guests eager for their supper.
“She has a kind heart,” Theodore was saying. “She thinks Virginia Cox is being treated too much like a servant.”
“We have to get her away from here,” Lord Farraday said urgently. “Ginny is Astor’s mistress, for the love of God. There is no time for talk. Where is Lady Astor, anyway? I have lost her in the crowd.”
Arabella made sure that she remained lost for a few seconds longer. When the two men spotted her a little way to one side of them, she smiled gaily.
“One problem with being small,” she said, “is that one is in danger of being trodden on. And no one would even notice me until the servants came in tomorrow to sweep up the night’s debris. Are you going to take me to supper, my lord? Thank you.” She laid a hand on Lord Farraday’s sleeve. “And, Theodore, if you are not to be left all alone, I shall take your arm with my free one and be the envy of every lady present. At least with two such large gentlemen as bodyguards I may escape being squashed beneath someone’s shoe.”
The two men exchanged a glance of relief over her head. She seemed to have forgotten her plan to commend the singer.
“By the way, I did meet Sir Theodore last evening at the theater,” Lord Farraday said to Arabella. “Had you forgotten.”
“Oh, forgive me, please,” Arabella said, laughing merrily. Her eyes were sparkling. Her cheeks glowed with heightened color.
“Geoffrey!” Ginny swept into her sitting room, hands outstretched. She looked quite magnificent, Lord Astor thought as he rose to his feet, her daringly low-cut evening gown showing off her figure to advantage, her hair piled high and set with waving plumes. Her painted lips smiled at him. “What a delightful surprise. You have not been here at night since your marriage.”
He took her hands. “You look lovely, Ginny,” he said. “Did you have great success tonight? Were you in good voice?”
“I believe so,” she said. “The applause was more than just polite. I had one quite delightful pleasure.”
“Did you?” he said, and waited politely.
“I shall tell you later,” she said, reaching up to remove her plumes and pulling at the pins that held her hair up. “Are you hungry, Geoffrey? I shall not keep you waiting for long. And you may have the pleasure of watching me disrobe. I know you always enjoy that. Unless you would prefer to do it yourself, that is.” She smiled and twirled before him as she ran her hands through her hair and shook it free about her shoulders. “I am ravenous, I would have you warned.”
He sat back on his chair and linked his hands behind his head. He watched her undress. She was quite voluptuously beautiful, her breasts generous and heavy, her hips and thighs shapely. Her fair hair hung, curled and disheveled, halfway to her waist. She was what he needed more than anything else that night. He rose to his feet and opened his arms to her as she came to him.
