Page 24 of Only Scandal Will Do

“But I compromised you, Lady Katarina. If word of what happened ever became known, you would be shunned by everyone in the ton. Honor demands that I marry you.” Gravel crunched under his boots as he followed her.

She rounded on him. “No one knows you compromised me, my lord, and I intend to keep that secret safe. Tomorrow I sail back to Virginia. There is a man there, a captain in my father’s old regiment, who wants to marry me. I do not know if that will satisfy your honor, but it will have to do. Because I will not marry you.” No longer angry but simply tired to the bone, she asked, “Will you please return me to my brother? I would dance with him one last time before I sail.”

The marquess’s face fell into stern lines, but he nodded and they walked side-by-side, silent until he handed her to Jack. “Lord Manning, I am delighted to make your acquaintance and that of your beautiful sister. Lady Katarina has been a charming partner this evening. I had cherished hopes of a longer association with her, but she informed me of her proposed voyage to the colonies.” He kept glancing at her as he spoke. “I truly regret that our relationship will have no time to deepen.”

One last look from those soulful brown eyes sent a shiver coursing through her.

“Good evening, my lady, my lord.” A final bow and he was gone.

She followed his progress until he disappeared through the front entrance. Not even a backward glance. Why would he look back? She had given him no hope. Except for that kiss.

Damn.

Remembrance of that kiss made her flush and avoid Jack’s puzzled look. Of all the men she might respond to, why did she react so wantonly with this man? Amiable’s kisses had been pleasant, but nothing like the tangle of wild emotions she experienced when the marquess touched her. If she wanted to be honest, she regretted that they had not met at the masquerade ball under better circumstances…that she could never trust a single word the rogue said…that her dislike of him was less sharp now than two hours ago. She steeled her heart. Her course was set and she sailed...today!

Willing away the specter of the Marquess of Dalbury, she smiled with affection at her brother. “If you want a last dance, Jack, you had best take me to the dance floor now. I sail for home in a matter of hours.”

As he led her into the line of contra dancers, Kat sighed and forced herself to see only him, not the image of her first partner of the evening. And was infuriated at how difficult the task proved to be.

* * * *

Duncan walked outside and ordered his carriage again, hovering between elation and deepest despair. So much of his relationship with Lady Katarina rested on luck.

Tonight, for instance, only chance had returned him to the ballroom. He’d actually been headed down the street on the way home when one of his team had pulled up lame. Upon his return, he’d found Braeton talking to the Earl of Manning and Lady Katarina flirting with two young men he did not know. The sight surprisingly infuriated him, though he carefully hid that when she’d finally approached him.

He mounted his carriage and sank onto the upholstered seat, all the while seeing Lady Katarina as she had just appeared to him. Her seductive hair dressed elaborately on top of her head. A few riotous tendrils had escaped to tease his senses in the ballroom as they’d danced.

Oh, to pull that hair down and run his fingers through its sensuous length. And her gown...

His first sight of her had taken his breath. The blue gown complimented her coloring perfectly, making her skin glow creamy white. The décolletage left just enough to the imagination to make a man long to discover the rest in earnest. Of course, he already knew what lay beneath, and the knowledge set his groin to aching. If only he had not enfolded that lovely body so closely. He sighed. Unfortunately, these thoughts were the closest he would ever come to her again.

She had made her distaste for him more than clear throughout their encounter tonight. Except for the kiss. He had thoroughly enjoyed that kiss. Her response was as sweet and satisfying as he’d remembered. Of course she’d slapped him afterward, as well she should. Such liberties must be repelled unless they were betrothed. He chuckled at the thought that their kiss could be considered a liberty after the other intimacies they’d shared.

Duncan sighed and entered his house. Their marriage would have solved so many problems: that of honor, of finding a wife, of providing an heir. She would have made a magnificent marchioness, a wife to be proud of. But she was not for him.

He signaled a footman to lock up, and started up the polished marble staircase, determined as ever to become a husband and a father. Perhaps the scandal had died sufficiently to allow that to happen now. Lady Braeton seemed eager for him to meet her cousin, Miss Forsythe. There could be only one reason for such an introduction. Aunt Phoebe would be thrilled. Duncan repressed a shudder. Beggars could not be choosers, but he’d watched the young woman earlier this evening and found her unappealing, despite her admittedly gorgeous auburn hair. He suspected he found her lacking, however, because he compared her to his memory of Lady Katarina.

He entered his suite of rooms, hoping to relax after this most trying evening. The tastefully opulent blue and gold decor always seemed inviting to him, but in his somber mood tonight he took no comfort from the familiar surroundings, only a sense of dismal failure. He must put the lady out of his mind. The hunt for her was ended. He had proposed and been refused. Honor had been satisfied and he must continue his search for a wife. As Aunt Phoebe constantly reminded him, there was no time to lose.

His father’s death at fifty-one had shocked the entire family. He’d choked to death at the dinner table while they’d looked on, horrified, powerless to help him. In the ensuing five years Duncan had sown wild oats aplenty, all the while with an eye out for a likely woman to be his wife. No one in the ton had come close to taking his fancy--until Lady Katarina.

He moved to the sideboard and began pouring brandy from the decanter into a glass. Why the hell could he not have met her somewhere else, anywhere other than at Amorina’s? And how the devil had she gotten betrothed to this officer in the colonies so quickly? She’d said nothing about such an arrangement the night they met. Would she not have mentioned possible retaliation by a fiancé?

He stilled at the thought. The brandy slopped over the lip of the glass, onto his hand. Startled, he put both decanter and glass on the sideboard and stared into the pungent amber swirls of liquor.

Was Lady Katarina really betrothed? Or had it been a ruse to get rid of him? Was she even truly sailing for Virginia? She certainly disliked him enough to lie. And what would her brother have to say to his offer? Certainly his sister’s marriage to a marquess would be more desirable than one to an army officer, a mere captain. There would be so many more advantages for her, both socially and financially. For the new earl as well, he could see to that. Perhaps a call on Manning was warranted later this morning.

Eyes closed, he conjured up Lady Katarina as she’d looked in the ballroom, in the garden. His heart thumped faster. That kiss…the feel of her pressed against him, his hands buried in her hair...not wanting to let her go.

He still wanted her, even more than when he’d first seen her on the auction block. But now he wanted her for all time. Her feisty spirit called to him, challenged him as no other woman had ever done. She was his match, his mate. By God, he would move heaven and earth to possess her. As for her mistrust of him, he would find a way to overcome that. Whether she liked it or not.

CHAPTER 10

Next morning, Margery appeared as Kat finished her packing to tell her Jack wanted her in the receiving room. She’d breakfasted with him earlier, and couldn’t imagine what he wanted with her now. Except for another last minute appeal to stay in England. She closed the final trunk and gave the key a firm twist in the lock, mentally preparing herself for the ordeal to come.

“Will you fetch the footman, Margery, and have him load these trunks to take to the dock? And yes, tell my brother I will be there directly.”

With a curtsey, Margery retreated and Kat went to the mirror to check her appearance. They might not see one another for years after today. She wanted Jack to remember her looking her best. She smoothed the folds of her stylish apple-green gown and tucked a tendril of hair that had managed to escape under her lingerie cap then raised her chin and smiled; she would do.