Chapter 18

CHAPTER18

Henry woke up suddenly. Hearing Isabella’s soft breathing had him raising his head to look at their entangled limbs. Somehow, they’d ended up even more entwined through the night. His arms were wrapped around her completely, with one of his legs intertwined with hers.

How did this happen?

By the looks of things, he was the one who had initiated it, for he was practically lying over her, with Isabella’s face softly resting on the pillow beside him. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were parted as she breathed evenly.

Henry swallowed, uncertain what to think of what had passed between them. The night before, he had been so caught up in his passion for her, this need for something to take place between them, he hadn’t thought his actions through.

All I thought about was the heat.

He tried to pull away from her. It was slow, gentle, disentangling himself in such a fashion that he would not wake her. She nearly stirred at one point, her eyelids fluttering. He held himself still at that moment, waiting for her to drift deeper into sleep before he pulled himself away completely. Tucking the covers of the bed around her, he stood up and reached for his shirt.

As he dressed, he repeatedly glanced back at her.

I slept beside her. I’ve never done that before.

In all the years where he’d worked hard to ruin the reputation of the dukedom by being a rake, he’d never spent a night with a woman. There had been trysts in gardens and quiet rooms, even sometimes creeping into ladies’ bedchambers, but he had never once had a woman under his roof, nor had he slept beside a woman.

I like her.

The realization was sudden. It was not supposed to happen, this natural bond that had formed. Liking could lead to something much more intimate happening between them, repeatedly, and then that could lead to a child.

That is something I cannot do. I would be breaking my vow.

Henry retreated from her as quietly as he could. Once he’d changed, he left the room and headed back to his chamber. He called for his valet, who prepared a bath for him, and he tried to lose his thoughts deep in the hot water. But it didn’t help. His bare skin against the water simply reminded him of touching Isabella, thrilling her, watching her arch her back off the chaise longue as she reached her climax.

He longed to repeat the moment. He could easily go back to her chamber now and show her completely what it was like for a man and woman to be together.

“I cannot let that happen,” he said firmly aloud.

Dropping down beneath the water, he hid his face in the depths as he made a resolution.

I must let our passion be controlled if I’m going to stop myself from fathering a child. It must be controlled!

* * *

“Ready for this?” Henry asked as Isabella took his arm.

“I suppose.” She wasn’t sure how to speak about what she felt.

Her fingers slid slowly across his arm as they left the carriage behind and walked into Almack’s assembly rooms. Many other people were arriving, each one talking animatedly to their friend about the assembly that evening. A few looked their way, clearly intrigued about the newly married couple who had rushed their wedding because of a scandal.

“Do not think of their whispers,” Henry murmured.

“Yes, it’s as easy to ignore as what we did last night,” Isabella said sarcastically, earning a narrow look from him.

Henry said no more about it as they walked into the assembly rooms together.

Why has he been avoiding me?

Since Isabella had woken up that morning, she’d noted the difference between them. Any intimacy she might have hoped there would be had vanished. Henry had put some distance between them and had barely spoken to her all day. She half wondered if there hadn’t been an assembly tonight if he would have avoided her completely.

Walking into the building together, Isabella looked briefly at the different rooms. The grandest ballroom was decked ready for dancing. Violinists were sitting at one end, and the walls were draped with fine roses and camellias. Another room to their right had been prepared for the light supper that would commence later, with tables adorned in crystal glasses and carafes.

Isabella looked at it all with little interest. She sought out faces instead and looked for her sisters.

“You never told me what happened between you and your father yesterday,” Henry said.

“I tried to.”

“We got rather distracted.” He smiled and looked at her. “You came to tell me in your bedchamber, did you not?”

Isabella frowned at him, confused how he could wish to deny talking about their intimacies in one breath then refer to it in the next. Wishing to move the topic on as they walked through the assembly rooms and collected their drinks, she told Henry everything that had transpired between her and her father. She revealed the argument in full and her resolution to help her sisters.

“For now, they are safe from his games,” Isabella said as she took a sip of her claret. “If my dowry can be used to add to theirs, then that keeps their prospects safe.”

“Indeed, it does.” Henry smiled again as he poured a glass of claret for himself. “I’m impressed.” The compliment took her by surprise, and she nearly dropped her glass. “Shocked?”

“A little.”

“You did well, very well indeed,” Henry continued as he sipped at his wine. “You have protected your sisters from what could have been a nasty future.”

“I just hope my father will not think of any more games to play,” she said in a low voice, fearing what would happen.

“I doubt he would after what you said to him.” Henry laughed and shook his head, clearly amused by the idea. “I’m very impressed.”

“You said that already.”

“Now I’ve said it again.” He looked straight at her without blinking. That tension suddenly returned between them, and Isabella felt her breathing become a little restless. “You should not look at me like that, Bella.”

“Why not?”

“Because you are tempting me to return to what we did last night,” he whispered.

“Would that be so bad?”

He didn’t answer her question but lowered the glass from his lips. It was hardly a smile he offered her, more a wary look.

“Strange, I could have sworn you enjoyed last night too,” Isabella said and turned back to the table, finding she needed more claret.

She went to refill her glass, but Henry did it for her.

“I would never deny that I did,” Henry whispered in her ear, his voice deep.

“Then why have you been avoiding me all day?” she asked.

Their fingers brushed across the glass, and they both jolted. It was incredible to Isabella after how much they had shared about themselves the night before that such a simple touch now could cause such excitement, but it did. It was as if a lightning bolt had struck her in the center of her chest.

“It’s complicated,” he whispered, then glanced over her shoulder. “Your sisters have found you. Shall I leave you to talk to them openly?” he offered with a smile.

“Thank you.” Isabella would have happily had Henry stay, but he was already retreating, leaving her alone as Irene and Susan hurried up to her.

“Isabella!” Susan squealed as she reached her side, bouncing on her toes. “Oh, we are so glad to see you. Have you ever seen such a fine assembly as this before?”

“I’m sorry?” Isabella asked distractedly, looking in the direction of where Henry had retreated to.

“Ah, she’s distracted.” Irene giggled and took hold of Isabella’s chin, turning her to look away. “See? She can barely take her eyes off her husband.”

“Yes, I can.” Isabella purposefully looked between her sisters, avoiding looking at Henry at all.

“I’m just glad you at least like your husband after all,” Susan whispered, moving closer towards Isabella as she poured out a glass of champagne from the table beside them. “I feared you would not.”

“Of course, she likes him,” Irene declared happily. “Do you not remember the talk about how they were found out?”

“If you talk about that one more time…” Isabella turned a mock glare on her sister.

“All I’m saying is that there must be affection there.” Irene giggled and held up her hands in innocence. “Who falls on top of a man?”

“I do, apparently. You’ve seen how clumsy I am.”

Isabella blushed and hid her face by raising her glass to her lips. She could hardly explain away what had passed between her and Henry the night before as her clumsiness. Their taunts of one another had culminated in something incredibly passionate.

So, why has he been ignoring me?

“Enough about me, tell me about you two,” Isabella pleaded. “I hope our father is behaving himself?”

“So far, yes.” Susan nodded and passed one of the two champagne glasses she had poured to Irene. “He has not talked about marrying us off again, though he has quite retreated into himself.”

“Really?” Isabella asked.

“Yes,” Irene confirmed. “He’s been gambling more, and he brings ladies back to the house.” She wrinkled her nose and looked over her shoulder, showing how scandalous it was. “I do not think I realized before just how many he brings back.”

“That is because I rather eagerly closed the curtains of the sitting room every time he did so you could not see the carriage arriving,” Isabella explained. As much as she wished she could keep her sisters protected from their father’s rakish ways all her life, it was impossible now that she lived in another house. Sooner or later, they would see for themselves the extent of his depravity. “Nothing worse than a rake.”

“But your husband…” Susan said with a nervous swallow. “What of his reputation?”

Isabella took a hefty gulp from her claret glass. The image of Mary holding her hand over Henry’s, trailing her fingers delicately across his wrist, raced through Isabella’s mind.

“The statement stands,” Isabella muttered. “Nothing worse than a rake.” Her gaze lingered across the room, seeking out Henry. He was talking to his friend, Lord Hillson.

“Yes, that explains why she is gawking at her husband.” Irene laughed and elbowed Isabella, pulling her attention back towards them.

“Let us talk about something else,” Isabella suggested. “Irene, what about your suitor?”

“Oh, him.” Irene blushed and smiled.

“At last! A blush.” Isabella pointed at her sister’s face. “Now, this is much more of an entertaining topic for us to discuss. Pray, tell us about him.”

“I am not sure I should. You will simply tease me for it,” Irene said in a rush.

“Good, it’s about time I repaid all your teasing.” Isabella placed the glass down behind her and rubbed her hands together, readying herself for the challenge. “Come on, tell me his name.”

“I will not.” Irene shook her head.

“His name is Jeremiah Puxton, the Viscount of Burton.” At Susan’s declaration, Irene’s jaw dropped.

“You traitor.” Irene put down her glass and marched towards Susan, who hastily hid behind Isabella.

“Well, isn’t this amusing?” Isabella laughed, putting herself between her sisters. “Irene, unless you wish to cause a scene in these assembly rooms, then pray, stop looking as if you wish to attack our sister.”

“How did she know?” Irene asked widely. “He has been very discrete.”

“Hardly.” Susan rolled her eyes as she peered around Isabella’s shoulders. “She thinks I have not noticed that every time I have a piano lesson, he comes to visit her. Flowers turn up with his name on the card too.”

“Truly?” Isabella’s eyebrows raised as Irene blushed and wrung her hands together.

It seemed Irene was having a traditional courtship, a loving one.

Isabella wondered briefly what could have happened if Henry had ever courted her, then she dismissed the idea at once. It was not in his nature to have ever done such a thing. She couldn’t imagine him sending flowers or coming to visit her.

I can only imagine what happened between us last night!

She had a brief image in her mind of Henry above her, kissing her as he pleasured her. She placed a hand on her neck and the thick banded necklace she’d placed there to hide the mark he’d left on her skin.

“Aren’t these good things, Irene?” Isabella asked, trying to calm her sister’s embarrassment. “You have a true admirer.”

“I know.” Irene sighed and stopped trying to chase Susan, who came out from her hiding place. “I just can’t help being nervous about what happens now,” she explained in a rush. “He is clearly under pressure from his mother to marry well, and I hardly have the largest of dowries.”

“You’ll have the money I gave you as well,” Isabella reminded her. “Henry has seconded my opinion. We’ll make sure you have the money you wish for.”

“Thank you.” Irene smiled.

Isabella looked across the room, intent on finding Henry. She caught sight of him in the corner of the supper room, yet he was no longer with Lord Hillson. There was a widow beside him. It was Lady Hampton.

Isabella stilled. Her palms beneath her white gloves felt abruptly sweaty, and she felt ridiculous bearing such a large necklace to hide the mark Henry had put on her skin. He’d pleasured her the night before, and here he was in a corner with Lady Hampton.

She was mentioned with him in a scandal sheet once. I read of it the morning before I met Henry again.

Lady Hampton whispered something in Henry’s ear, and he did not pull away.

“He is such a cad,” Isabella muttered.

“What was that?” Susan asked softly.

“Nothing.”

Isabella forced a smile and turned to face her sisters, but she felt numb now and joined in conversation very little. All she could think of was Henry standing with Lady Hampton.

It seemed he had swapped Mary for Lady Hampton and in between had spent a night with Isabella. Lady Hampton wasn’t as beautiful as Mary, but she held herself with such confidence across the room that she must have been entrancing. As a matter of fact, Henry didn’t once look away from her.

He moves from one woman to the next so swiftly. I wonder how he could spend the night sleeping beside me at all when he can act like this as easily as breathing?