She spread the edges of her lips wide in a strained smile. “Yes, Tony?”
He lifted one side of her vest with the index finger of his free hand and Mary had to clench her fists to keep from slapping his hands away. The heated desire in his piercing green eyes deepened and for the third time since her performance began, Mary resolved to burn this costume upon returning to London.
“Wear this tonight,” he growled. He licked the rim of her ear with the tip of his tongue and Mary tensed. “I want to rip it off with my teeth.”
“IfJames allows you to go first,” she teased.
His eyes darkened and his grip on her arm tightened painfully. “He will.”
Lady Marpol giggled loudly as Lord Kerr bounced her jarringly on his lap, garnering Mary’s attention. The others sat about the room with their own mistresses, though Lord Pondridge’s large blonde sat, dejected, while he slept.
“Come join us!” Lord Sheffield called, lifting one arm in the air, his other wrapped around Lady Kellings. “I know a story that boggles the mind!”
“Come, Mary,” Boxton hissed in her ear as his grip tightened even further on her arm. The warning was not missed. “Let us sit with Sheffield for a moment.”
With a mournful glance at the doorway, Mary allowed Boxton to lead her to the settee.
* * *
“These steps lead to thedungeon,” Lady Kerr whispered the last word in Gabe’s ear, as though the dungeon were a place in which to find great pleasure.
He hadn’t the faintest idea why Lady Kerr had decided to bring him to the castle ruins on the Kerr estate, but his curiosity had most definitely gotten the better of him. His initial supposition of her proposition had been an invitation to her bedchamber. At the very least he had thought to put her to sleep while rubbing her feet and then search her chambers for any pertinent information. Clearly that was not the case. At the most, he thought that he might have to restrain the woman if she attempted an attack the moment they were out of sight from any guests at the house party. But that hadn’t happened.
The ruins could be interesting, he supposed, if the woman beside him had any useful information on the previous residence, when it was built, or what ultimately happened to the structure, but she was sadly mute for the majority of the short tour.
Crumbling walls surrounded him, vines and dirt creeping upward from the ground, and the distinct sound of flapping pigeon wings high above their heads.
“Fascinating, Evelyn.”
“Shall we venture down to have a look?”
He dipped his head. “Certainly.”
* * *
Mary glanced toward the mantle clock and again her heart hiccoughed in her chest. Something must be wrong.
She looked around her at the faces of sin and delight. The other guests at the house party sat about the pink floral drawing room, drinking, smoking, and otherwise rejoicing in the gaiety of their hedonism. None were aware, however, of the turmoil within Mary. She smiled and laughed with the others, but her body veritably vibrated with alarm.
Where is Gabe? The question gnawed at her and the cold feeling of dread began to spread through her like frost consuming a forest.
The others talked and guffawed, though Boxton paid particular attention to Mary, having pulled her down onto his lap to press kisses to her neck and shoulder. Where washismistress? Should notshebe sitting here instead of Mary?
Her gaze roamed the group; Lord Kerr sat with his mistress, Lady Marpol, and as did the others, each paired—or tripled in Mr. Jackson’s case—with their lovers. Where was—?
Oh no!The pieces of the proverbial puzzle locked themselves into place in her mind and she leapt to her feet.
“Whoa-ho, darling.” Boxton grasped her wrist. “Where are you going? We’ve only just begun our afternoon of enjoyment.”
“I’m afraid that you must excuse me, Tony.” She smiled down at him before gently attempting to withdraw her arm.
He squeezed her wrist tighter in a punishing grip. Mary bit the inside of her lip to keep from wincing as his fingers dug deeply into her sensitive flesh.
“I would prefer you stay, Mary.” His eyes darkened slightly, though his mien remained playful.
She leaned toward him and whispered, “I must use the necessary.”
With a distrusting—and dare she say threatening glance—he released her. “Return directly.”
