Page 47 of Wagering for Miss Blake (Lords and Ladies in Love 4)

He leaned in close. “Ah, you keep tempting me. Were I keeping track, I believe you owe me several kisses by now.”

She grinned, looking much more relaxed than when her parents had been present. “No. I don’t. Jamie is still right by the door, so we are not alone.”

“A technicality, my dear.” Bloody hell, he wanted that kiss—and much more—soon. He’d been a gentleman enough not to mention their encounter in the folly, but he was eager for a repeat.

“But still true.”

He took his hat and cane from Jamie. “Will you be attending the Everson ball tomorrow evening?”

She still appeared distracted and glanced a few times at the stairs to where her parents had disappeared. “Yes. Lady Montford and I were planning on attending, but I’m assuming my mother will also join us, now that she is here.”

“I assume your parents’ visit was unexpected? You seemed surprised by their appearance.” He didn’t want to mention not only surprised, but uncomfortable. In fact, in all the time he’d known Suzanna, and during conversations with both her and her cousin Lady Montford, very little had ever been mentioned of her parents. They apparently were not estranged, though, since her mother had seemed quite happy to see her daughter.

“Indeed. The last time Mother wrote, she said her ague had passed, but that she continued to feel weak. I never expected her to make the trip.”

Jamie opened the door, and Giles stepped out. “I had a most enjoyable visit, Suzanna.” He said her name in a lowered tone, so no one heard except her. “I look forward to seeing you at the Everson affair, and please be sure to save a waltz for me. Preferably the supper waltz.”

Suzanna raised her chin in the air. “If you wish to have a special dance with me, Mr. Templeton, I suggest you arrive early.” For some reason, the normal spirit he’d become accustomed to was missing from her words.

“To avoid the hordes of gentlemen swarming about the loveliest young lady at the event?” He attempted a light voice but didn’t completely succeed. He hated to admit it, but he was jealous of any man who had the opportunity to hold Suzanna in his arms. She was his, and now that her parents were available, he would make an appointment with Mr. Blake to stake his claim.

What frustrated him was even though they’d been intimate, and she had been completely and enthusiastically engaged with their lovemaking, she still held him at arm’s length. No other woman had been so difficult to pursue. Why should the one woman he wanted forever be so challenging?

It might have started off as a joke, a way to bring out Suzanna’s competitiveness, but he intended to win their wager. He was used to winning. In all his life, losing had never been considered.

…

That evening, Suzanna descended the steps, clutching her skirts while trying not to wrinkle them. Her dance slippers were just that—slippery. Her final glance in the mirror assured her she looked just fine. The pale green gown with a white lace overskirt was one of her favorites. The neckline dipped nicely, showcasing the emerald necklace Father had given her when she had turned one and twenty.

She was looking forward to seeing Giles at the ball, but at the same time, her stomach knotted at the thought of Mother watching her every move, examining every gentleman who approached and danced with her.

Mother would not be pleased to know she had promised the supper waltz to Giles, even though she had teased him about arriving early at the ball to secure his spot. She needed to speak with him in private, if for no other reason than to assure herself he did not think her a wanton after what had happened between them in the folly.

There was absolutely nothing else in her life to compare to how his intimate touches had affected her.

Mother and Father stood chatting with Lord and Lady Montford in the entrance hall. They all turned in her direction as she approached, leaving her feeling like an animal on display in a zoo.

“There you are, my dear. I was about to send someone up to get you.” Mother viewed her with studied eyes, then smiled, the familiar mien from Suzanna’s youth. Not a warm look, but a smile that did not quite make it to her eyes. Suzanna had often thought it made her mother appear as if she were a marionette, with strings attached.

“Yes, I am ready. Shall we go?”

Lord Montford took his wife’s arm, and Suzanna’s father extended both of his elbows for her and her mother.

It was not a common event for Lord Montford to attend these affairs, not being a fan of Society, but the Everson girl who was making her coming-out this evening was his niece and goddaughter. They made their way down the steps and into the carriage. With them all squished together, Suzanna was already feeling lightheaded.

Part of her unease came from worrying how Mother would view Giles’s attention to her. He had no idea it was her mother who demanded a title for Suzanna. She should probably tell him but, knowing Giles as well as she had come to know him, he would most likely dismiss that news with indifference, assuming Mother was not the force she was.

Suzanna could not remember a time in her life when she did not feel the weight of her mother’s thumb. Every decision affecting Suzanna’s life had been made by Mother. Down to the selection of her undergarments. Suzanna read no books not approved by Mother, sent and received no correspondence that was not first presented to her mother, and any minor rebellion—such as her breeches—had been quickly and severely dealt with.

Mother had to have been deathly ill to allow Suzanna to travel to London for the Season without her, and she was still astounded that it had actually happened. As guilty as it made her feel, the refreshing sense of freedom with Mother ill had been heady.

However, if Mother got wind of Giles’s interest, Suzanna would find herself betrothed to the first titled man Mother set her eyes on, even if she had to put them into a compromising situation to accomplish it. Her mother was no different from the other marriage-minded mamas of the ton who wanted the best match for their daughters, regardless of how it came about.

Stilted silence filled the carriage on the ride to the ball. The clopping of the horses’ hooves and the turning of the wheels went from monotonous to soothing, helping Suzanna calm herself before they arrived at the ball.

Thinking back, Suzanna realized that Cousin Eunice had never expressed an opinion on her mother, but after the short time they’d all spent together, it appeared the women were not exactly friends.

“Daughter, I would like a word with you once we arrive at the Everson townhouse.” Mother pulled her shawl around her shoulders, avoiding Suzanna’s eyes.