She saw him twice more during the next week. Once at Hyde Park during an afternoon ride, and he had barely taken note of Evie when they were introduced. In her mind, he was becoming her savior. In her dreams, he was the chivalrous hero in glittering armor on a white steed.
This evening at a rout, he’d found her in the crush and melded his body to hers as he spoke into her ear. They had walked onto the terrace for some air and leaned against the balcony, shoulder to shoulder. Fenella thought she would cast up her accounts or faint dead away. Lord Shelton was dashing and elegant, and smelled of tobacco and vanilla. It made her want to smoke a pipe. His touch was gentle and familiar, holding her elbow as he moved her toward the stairs.
“Shall we walk in the garden?” he asked, his breath tickling her neck.
Fenella looked back at the people crammed together inside. It didn’t seem improper to walk alone with him when they were in plain view of the other guests. Another couple had preceded them down the gravel path.
“I’d love to, my lord.” She placed her hand on his arm, and he covered it with his own. The wings took flight in her stomach again. The path was shadowed and quiet. A light breeze cooled the back of her neck.
“I feel like I’ve known you much longer than a week. We seem to be… of one mind in many things. Don’t you agree?” His tone was low and caressing. His fingers moved up her arm and stroked the bare skin above her gloves.
Fenella held in the gasp at his familiar touch. Should she stop him? Would he think her too coming and send her scuttling back to her mother? Lady Franklin had hugged her tonight before they left.
I’m so proud of you, dear. If Lord Shelton seeks you out tonight, be at your most accommodating.
No, a brush of his fingers against her arm was surely permissible.
“I’ve found myself thinking of you these past days, Miss Franklin.” He paused and turned toward her, stepping in closer. He reached up and brushed a wisp of hair from her face and trailed his knuckle down her cheek. “You are quite unlike any woman I’ve known before.”
She struggled for composure as he resumed their walk, only the sound of their shoes crunching the pea gravel beneath them. It was the first time a male other than her father had paid attention to her for any length of time. The first time a male close to her own age had shown any interest. Her logical mind told her to be cautious, but the romantic notions of her heart were much louder. Perhaps she wasn’t such a wallflower. Perhaps the fact she wasn’t like the other girls appealed to some men. Perhaps… he was truly attracted to her.
They reached another veranda with several steps leading down to a fountain and two stone benches. Again, he stopped and faced her.
“Miss Franklin… may I call you Fenella?” He stepped closer. Close enough that if she leaned in just a smidgen, her nose could touch his forehead.
She nodded assent to this request, not trusting her voice.
“Good,” he said in a husky voice, his hands now leaving a fiery trail as he lightly stroked her arms. “There’s been something I’ve wanted to do since we first met. I hope you don’t mind.” A finger moved up to her shoulder and ran slowly along her collar bone. He stopped at the hollow of her throat, his finger trailing down to hook the neckline of her dress. His head bent, and his lips touched that sensitive spot below her chin before he pulled her close. Their bodies touched, his hardness pressed against her softness. Her pulse raced. Oh, merciful heavens.
“I want to kiss you now, Fenella. Do I have your permission?”
Once more, Fenella could only nod. Her first kiss. She was about to receive her first kiss. Oh, how she had told herself she didn’t care.
Oh, how she had lied to herself.
He leaned up, paused, then shook his head. “No, this won’t work.”
Her stomach sank. He’d changed his mind.
“Move down on the next step, would you, my lovely?”
What? She felt the gentle pressure of his hands and she stepped down.
“There,” he said, looking straight into her eyes, “this will work much better. No need to push up on my toes now, eh?” He pulled her close again.
Fenella held her breath and closed her eyes, waiting for the sensation of his lips against hers. A snort sounded from behind her, then a muffled laugh.
“Shhh.” Another chortle.
Fenella’s eyes popped open. “Did you hear that?”
“It sounded like someone on the other side of the fountain,” Shelton said, clasping her chin and turning her face back to him. “I’d wager it’s another couple with the same thing in mind.”
Her chest tightened. Something was amiss, and her instinct told her to run. Then the viscount’s palm cupped her cheek, sending her stomach into another tumble. She took in a slow breath and closed her eyes again. It was only nerves. It was her first kiss, after all.
“By Christ, he’s—”
“Shh!”
Someone was watching them! Fenella’s eyelids flew open again, and she pushed Lord Shelton away just before he claimed her mouth. He fell onto his backside and cursed.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I heard a voice…” She reached out her hand to help him up, heat flooding her cheeks.
He pushed her hand aside and stood, brushing off the back of his coat. “To the devil, you blaggards. You couldn’t have waited one more minute?”
Fenella turned to see three young bucks emerge from the shrubbery, brushing leaves from their sleeves.
“Our apologies, Shelton,” said the first, laughing so hard he wiped at his eyes, “but when you moved her down a step…”
“Good God, man. No need to push up on your toes?” croaked a second.
“They-they’re friends of yours?” asked Fenella, dread forming in her belly like a heavy stone. “They knew you would be here?”
“Well, I suppose I’ve been found out.” Shelton smiled at her. “It was all in jest.”
“Kissing me was in jest?” she croaked as a wave of nausea made her mouth water. “All of your attention was-was a sham?” Oh, God. She was an addle pate. But what reason would he have to pretend he was interested in her? Tears burned her eyes as Fenella realized she’d been part of a ghastly joke. Anger and humiliation warred in her chest.
“You are despicable. How dare you call yourself a gentleman,” she hissed. “Why? Why would you do such a thing to me?”
“For fifty guineas, my dear. It was a wager I couldn’t pass up.” He scowled at his friends, then sighed. “Come now, tell me you have a sense of humor. You couldn’t possibly have thought I would truly… that I would want to…” His dark eyebrows shot up her considerable length, a cruel glint in his eyes. “Well, I suppose one could call it a life lesson, eh?”
Fenella picked up her dress and ran, their stabbing taunts echoing in her brain.
“Colossal doxy…”
“Cream-pot love…”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, fell onto her chest, and soaked the front of her dress. She sobbed and gasped, horrified that she had put herself in such a position. Her hands shook with rage, and she wished with all her heart she was a man. She would challenge the rake to a duel and shoot him dead at dawn.
But she wasn’t a man. She was exactly what the others whispered. An Amazonian. An outsider who would never find love. Her choice would be some lecherous old man or desperate debt-ridden peer who needed money. Or she could be a spinster.