The lady smiled almost sadly. “I was hoping my son, Miles, might attend the ball this evening, but he has chosen to retire to the country for the holiday season.” She blinked and her melancholy eased, as if she suddenly remembered her place. “I hope you all have a wonderful time and if you need anything, any one of the servants will be glad to attend to you.”
As they moved away and began to descend the steps into the ballroom, Calliope whispered, “What a rather depressing Christmas season it must be for her, to be abandoned by her own son?”
“We don’t know his reasons, nor his circumstances, Callie,” Isadora chided. “Don’t be so quick to judge.”
As her sisters walked ahead of her, Araminta took a moment to glance out over the crowd assembled below. With an array of evergreen branches and candles set about the large, elegant room, she could tell that the duchess had ensured the Christmas spirit was evident. Combined with the floor-length windows along one wall with their gilt-edged trim and the swirling marble floor at her feet, it was more than Araminta could have hoped for when it came to her first, official London ball.
As the orchestra began to tune their instruments on an alcove set apart from the guests, Araminta’s throat began to tighten. She realized that the only thing missing from such a magical evening was a certain gentleman. She’d noticed more than one interested male guest glancing their direction, but unfortunately, Lord Somers was not among them.
Of course, what had she been expecting? She’d declined his proposals more than once and told him on numerous occasions to leave her alone. While Araminta loved her sisters dearly, she realized she’d made a terrible mistake in pushing the earl away. Her chest had ached with a terrible loss ever since she’d given herself to him that night nearly two weeks ago.
If only she could go back and do it all over again, she would have never gotten out of that carriage. Instead of coming home and facing Isadora’s wrath and her own guilt, she should have confronted her siblings the next morning with Grey at her side.
With a sigh, she pushed those regrets out of her mind. There was no use lamenting what was already done. All she could do now was hold on to his memory.
As Isadora and Calliope were instantly whisked away to dance, Araminta declined the first few offers she was given. While decorum insisted that she couldn’t stand up with anyone else that evening, she found that she wasn’t really in the mood to waltz anyway. In truth, she was starting to think that she should have just remained behind with Olivia.
She wandered over to the refreshment table and accepted a glass of punch. After that, she headed to a secluded alcove and began to sip her drink. She watched the dancers swirling before her for a time and then quickly lost interest. She set aside her glass and headed down the hall toward the ladies’ retiring room.
However, the moment she passed a darkened room on the way, the door opened and her arm was caught in a tight grip as she was pulled inside. She didn’t have time to do more than gasp before a blindfold was placed over her eyes and a gag was placed in her mouth, her arms tied together in front of her.
Fear instantly shot through her as she was thrown over a firm, broad shoulder, and was too much in shock to react at first. She could feel her hair escaping its pins as she bounced against her captor’s muscular back. As the cold air from outside struck her, she shivered. It was enough to wake up her senses. Since she couldn’t scream in spite of the gag, she began to pound her bound fists against the man’s torso and kick her feet in an attempt to get away.
His hold tightened as he swatted her backside. Again, shock kept her immobile until she found herself tossed inside of a carriage. As it set into motion, there was a rap on the roof and they began to roll forward.
She cursed, using every name she could think of to insult her captor, but they fell on deaf ears since they merely came out as a muffled distortion.
The chuckle that resounded from the opposite side was deep and rather… sensual in nature. It only infuriated her even more that he was taking pleasure in her upset. She kicked out her leg and was disappointed when it only came into contact with the seat. In the next moment, she found herself deposited on a decidedly firm lap, her bound arms tossed around his head.
He made atsking sound and then dared to slide his hand underneath her skirts. She instantly tried to lash out, but he kept her immobile against that warm, firm chest. When he dared to touch that area she’d only reserved for one man, she jerked and tried to pull away from him. But as his deft fingers began to stroke her, her limbs grew heavy and she started to melt into the embrace.
As her breathing became labored, he removed her gag, presumably with his teeth, since his other hand was wrapped securely around her waist. “Please, don’t do this,” she sobbed, even as her traitorous body cried out for him to continue.
“I can’t help but touch you, my love.”
As he spoke, Araminta recognized that voice. “Grey?” she breathed. “What—?”
“Shh. Just relax and let me pleasure you.”
It didn’t take long until she reached her climax, knowing now that she was with the man she loved. As her body hummed in the aftermath, he removed his hand from beneath her skirts, as well as the blindfold from around her eyes.
When her gaze lit on that handsome face, she shook her head. “Was all of this truly necessary?”
“It was if I didn’t want you to refuse me again,” he replied with a soft smile. “To be honest, it was Isadora’s idea. She knew this was the only way for me to convince you that we are meant to be together.”
As her mind tried to process what he’d just said, she frowned. “I don’t believe she said that. She has given me grief for being with you ever since the night I returned home from Scandal Lane.” Her cheeks colored at the memory, along with what they’d just done.
“She said you would say that, which is why she told me to give you this.” He reached into his jacket and pulled out a sealed letter.
Araminta took it from his grasp with trembling fingers. She broke the wax seal and opened it to find her sister’s handwriting, strong and true as always.
My dear Minty,
If you are reading this,then the earl has succeeded in spiriting you away from the Gravesend ball, in true heroic fashion. Don’t be angry at him, for it was my idea that he should abduct you. I knew you would be too devoted to all of us to go with him willingly. At least, at first. I hope that you have changed your mind about marrying him, as I believe he will treat you as you deserve.
Sometimes life doesn’t always go the way we plan, but I believe this is the right path for you. And you were right. Perhaps I was a bit jealous that you have found a love worth holding on to. I should wish the same for Calliope and Olivia should they desire such. It was wrong of me to make you feel guilty or hold you back, acting as though you were abandoning us. I abandoned you for not trusting in your judgment, and for that I apologize.
Don’t worry about us, for we intend to enjoy all of the delights London has to offer. As for you, my dear sister, allow the love you’ve been holding back to envelope you in its warmth. But most of all, be happy.
