Chapter 12

"Are ye sure his lordship is expecting me? I only hope I dinnae embarrass ye in some way!"

Lissie"s voice called down from the hallway as Will waited patiently for her to arrive. He had been there for some time, on his way to collect Lissie for the banquet at Lord Sudbury"s home.

Sudbury was well known for his hospitality, throwing some of the most lavish balls in London, complete with mummers, jugglers, and acrobats. This banquet was the event of the summer. However, mother was less than pleased with him for inviting her.

"William! The entire point of this evening is to find a proper English lady. An heiress who can provide a healthy dowry for Mary-Ann!"she had griped. But Will was not listening. He had had enough of duty.

Duty,he reflected bitterly, is my entire life. He spent all day, every day, doing what was best for everyone else. His loyalty to the king and country, the estate, his servants, the yeomen, and the peasants. And last, but not least, of course, his family. There was Mary-Ann to wed, and if that weren"t enough, he was obliged to mop up after his foppish brother.

Hardly surprising, then, that Will was tiring of duty. I will do this my way, Mother, he had replied, albeit in his head. But despite his ardor, Will harbored some doubts.

Outside her door, he had a moment. Was taking her to the banquet the right thing to do? What if his mother was right? But in under a minute, Will had his answer.

"Will? How do I look?"

Lissie"s voice reached out, echoing down the hallway. It was drafty and dark in the house, and an odd chill inveigled the early summer night.

"Aye," said Will, coming closer. He stopped outside her chamber door, then hesitated. Should he go in? Did he have permission? An uncharacteristic malaise came over him. Suddenly, Will was paralyzed.

"Will? What are ye doing? Come in!" Lissie cried from behind the door. She sounded amused.

Will needed no other introduction. With a hearty push, he was straight in. Then, his mouth fell open.

"Lissie!"

In front of him was Lissie, her hair in an upbraid, wearing a robe that swept to the floor in damask and silks. The light in the room was not good, just a flickering from a lone candle, but it was enough to illuminate her beauty.

"God"s bones," exclaimed Will, then immediately apologized. "Pray excuse me, my lady. Such language is not for your ears."

Lissie just grinned.

"I"ve heard worse," she said, smiling. Through the half-light, he could see a mirror, where Lissie was admiring herself. Coming closer, Will entered the room.

"The clan I"m from is fond o" fighting an" colorful language," said Lissie, her hair shimmering in the candlelight.

Will stood there, transfixed. Looking, he saw jewels in her hair. He had never seen her look like this, and it knocked him for six.

Seeing his face, Lissie hesitated.

"But we dinnae need to talk about that," she said, as if she regretted she had mentioned it.

Surprised, Will looked over. "No, I would like to hear it," he said keenly. Indeed, he was. He had many questions about her homeland. But instead of responding positively, Lissie stared at the ground.

"Och, maybe later," she muttered, as if there was something she did not want to say. Confused, Will wondered why. Then he watched as she checked herself in the looking glass.

"Och!" Lissie muttered, spying something untoward. In the half-light, Will could not really see what it was, but whatever it was, it was enough to make Lissie cross.

Urgently, she began buttoning something, trying her hardest to reach a fastener at her behind. Will watched for a moment, then he coughed.

Lissie"s beauty had entranced him, but it had also brought with it the uneasy feeling that he should not really be there. A lady"s bedchamber was no place for an unaccompanied gentleman, and yet there he was.

"Och," tutted Lissie, trying again to fasten her robe. Will tried his hardest not to watch her lithe hand slide in and out of her dark blue silken gown. Every now and then, the candlelight offered tantalizing snatches of her skin; smooth, creamy, and sweet.

Every inch of Will"s being ached to touch her.

"Och, I just cannae reach," Lissie exclaimed.

Will tried his hardest not to look. He really did. He was desperately aware that this was not his place. But it was almost impossible for his eyes not to stray over to Lissie"s shape.

"Could ye?" asked Lissie, still desperately grappling with the hooks of the robe.

Will felt his cheeks color with mortification.

"Where"s Jane?" he asked, flustered. Instantly, he set about looking for the lady-in-waiting.

But from his side, Lissie laughed. "She"s nae here," she said. "She"s got the evening off. I"m just having to manage on my wee ane."

Will felt her glance, snaking around through the dark of the room. She sent him a look, willing him to come on over. Will, who wanted nothing more, felt his palms prickle.

"Oh," he said, unsure. "And there"s no maid at all?" he asked, his eyebrow arching up.

Lissie fixed him with her emerald beam. "Nae at all." She grinned.

Will had a hard time believing this, but did not say anything. Then, there was a pause in which he felt Lissie"s hard stare suck him in.

She smiled. Helpless and immediately, he became unstuck.

Without a word, he was at her side, lifting the sides of her dress and fastening them together. It took some time; he was unfamiliar with the workings of a woman"s robe. And the hook and eyes on the clothing were a particular pain. Finally, with clumsy fingers, he succeeded in hooking the robe.

As he did, Will felt his fingers surreptitiously slide beneath the damask. Lissie"s pure flesh caressed his fingertips. A sudden tingle shot down Will. Instantly, he flinched.

"Thank ye," said Lissie, as she smoothed herself down.

Will, still with the tingle from Lissie"s touch burning him inside, almost shot backward. He did not trust his hands. What if he touched her again?

And yet, from the comeliness of her gaze, it seemed she was inviting him in. A sweat worked its way up inside Will. He was too hot. He was too clammy. His hands itched to touch her. It was impossible. Instinctively, he moved backward. Anything to get away.

The look she sent him drew him in. Smiling, Will straightened himself down.

"So, are we ready, ma"am?" he asked formally, but at the tip of his mouth was a lopsided smile.

"We are indeed," a voice pierced through the gloom.

Will instantly stiffened. From the doorframe, he made out the silhouette of a woman.

"Lady Agnes," he murmured, as Annice came into the bedchamber.

Almost instantly, he had jumped backward, keen to distance himself—literally—from Lissie"s flesh. Fervently, he hoped that Aunt Annice had not seen anything untoward. But from the look in Annice"s eyes, it seemed she had.

"Good day, Duke Iverst," said Annice, nodding respectfully. She lowered her head as Will greeted her.

"You are as bright as the summer"s sun, my lady," said Will, but inside, he had been blunted.

It was obvious that Annice"s sudden appearance spelled the end of his carefree flirting. Now things were serious.

"So, um, you are to accompany us to Sudbury"s court?" said Will, theatrically unfurling his arms in the hopes of leading her away.

"Yes," said Annice, herself looking immaculate in the evening light. Will had to admit, for a lady of her years, Lissie"s cousin did not look bad. Her dark hair was stretched away from her head and cast up into one of those ridiculous hornets. Her eyebrows had been all but shaved off, and even the top layer of hairs plucked from her hairline.

But despite her impeccability, there was something daunting about this woman. She was somehow too polished, like wood, and with a soul of ice lurking behind it. He already sensed her disdain; perhaps it was not exactly for him, but Will could tell she did not approve of Lissie being with him.

Cheerfully casting this all to one side, Will piped up, "Well then, ladies, may I have the honor of accompanying both...belles to the ball?"

* * *

"Jings,the players are so bright and gay!"

Lissie clasped her hands to her bosom and gasped as the players bowed at the end of their piece. Almost immediately, the crowd was on their feet to applaud, with Lissie breaking free of her seat to join in.

"Bravo, bravo!" cried the crowd, as in wonder, Lissie turned to Will, bringing her arm to his.

""Tis like nothing I have ever seen back home," explained Lissie, smiling at Will. Will, for his part, found his heart beating. They were sitting close, yet every fiber in Will"s being exhorted him to move closer.

Lissie looked sensational. Just about every head in the room had turned when they entered, and Will"s heart swelled with pride. She was easily the most beautiful woman there, but it was if Lissie did not notice the stir she caused.

"Och, crivvens, what"s this?" she asked, open-eyed.

Trying to sound casual, Will shrugged and removed his arm from her shoulder.

"You didn"t ever have mummers?" he asked in disbelief.

"Och no. I mean, aye, but..." she began, then she frowned.

The room was elaborate and cheerful. Festooned with flowers at every angle, the Lord of Sudbury had gone out of his way to impress, and for Will, impress he did.

Lissie was about to tell him more when, before she could say a word, in danced a troupe of jugglers! The look on Lissie"s face said it all. She was completely silenced as the jugglers and acrobats performed their act, dancing and cavorting into the main hall of Sudbury House.

"Och! Help me boab," she gasped.

Will almost burst out laughing. Lissie looked at him wildly. "What?" she asked accusingly.

Will, biting back his amusement, watched her with interest. "I, um, nothing, my lady, just..."

"Och!" gasped Lissie again as one of the acrobats balancing on high swayed and faltered from above.

The entire hall had fallen silent, as the acrobats, highly painted and gay, danced and contorted themselves from a high beam set at the top of the hall. Then they swarmed in, performing cartwheels, backflips, and handstands, coming up to the ladies and kissing their hands.

Lissie, who was clearly overwhelmed, reacted excitedly.

Will couldn"t help smiling as he watched her. Despite her cool, calm act, it was clear that Lissie had never seen such things before but was struggling to pretend she did.

Seeing things through Lissie"s eyes had been its own eye-opener for Will. He had never come across anyone like her in all his staid existence in London. Watching her excitement at the show made him, in turn, excited for her.

It was plain to everyone that Lissie was the belle of the ball. And now, there she sat, barely half a foot from him, in easy reach of his wishful arms. For now, though, Will kept his hands to himself. Not because he did not want to approach her, and not even from any lack of confidence. Once or twice, she had shot him looks that hinted she wanted more, albeit discreetly.

However, it was hard to be certain because whenever Will leaned in close, Lissie would suddenly become coy, picking up her skirts and daintily edging away. Worse still, she was getting attention from every man in there. Will only had to turn away when he caught some other gentleman giving her the silent eye. Or not so silent in some cases.

"Lissie," Trenton yelped, flagging down Lissie from the other end of the hall. Instantly, Lissie"s eyes turned to him, and she grinned.

Will"s forehead pinched in a frown as he fixed Trenton with his best stare. For a while, Trenton wore an expression that mocked him, inviting Will to come and get him, but then he quickly turned away as the dancers brushed past them.

And Lissie… Well, Will couldn"t help catching her eyes steal over to him before flitting back. And her smile.

It perturbed Will more than he wanted to admit, seeing Lissie smile at Trenton. Jealousy kicked him in the guts; sly, cold, and twisting. Out of nowhere, an image of them together leaped into his head. And before he knew it, he was questioning himself.

Does she even like me?

And it wasn"t just Trenton. There were half a dozen men here who would easily have swapped places with him. More than ever, Will wanted to have it clear between them, to simply ask Lissie what she wanted. But he never got the chance.

As they watched the show, Will"s thoughts gnawed uneasily at him. And it was they, not the acrobats, who were the real floor show. At every turn, there was someone watching them; Lady Caroline, Lettie, Trenton…

There was no end to spectators that evening. And if that was not enough, Lady Agnes—who had sealed herself hermetically, like a third limb, to Lissie—was never far behind.

"Come on, my dear, pick your chin up from the floor. You are drooling like a gun dog!" chirped Lady Agnes, but her voice was tart. "And do try to look as if you are used to this. It"s plain for all to tell you have never been in society before."

Will had smarted, but it would have been unseemly to upbraid a lady such as Annice in front of everyone. All the same, it did not stop him from wanting her to shove off at the first eventuality.

Finally, as the night drew to a close, he had his chance.

As the mummers performed their last and the assorted dancers had taken a bow, Will turned to Lissie. Just as she came near and hovered so close that it made Will"s heart genuinely bumpy, a shrill voice intercepted him.

"Elisabeth, my dear, the wagoner is calling. We must make haste. Come, bid Lord Sudbury farewell and thank him for the sumptuous fare."

Annice smiled perfunctorily at Will. But as Will returned the gesture, his mind was reeling, thinking up some way to keep Lissie for himself. At least for a bit.

Lissie herself looked less than keen to be leaving.

"Och, so soon?" she asked glumly.

For a moment, her eyes sped over to Will"s, connecting very briefly. It was still too soon to tell exactly what she thought of him. But as Lissie brought her eyes closer, this time gazing at him for some time, Will got a little shiver. She was still watching him. She had not made up her mind. Anxious she should not turn him away, Will pitched up.

"Permit me, my lady," he said, casting an apologetic glance at Lady Agnes.

Annice"s eyes pinned him to his chair like a quill. Will cleared his throat bravely.

"I heard you tell the lady that the wagoner is ready, but she has barely looked about this grand abode."

She stared, but he blinked it back and refused to budge. This time, he was not in the mood to be told what to do. Annice smiled, but in a way, that made Will think she had some new form of torture just waiting to test out on him.

"We must not outstay Lord Sudbury"s welcome," she said pertinently. Her poison smile never slipped. Such a sight would unnerve a lesser man, but Will stood firm.

"No doubt," agreed Will wholeheartedly. He knew women like Lady Agnes. He had had a lifetime of trying to please his mother. "But that, I can assure, will categorically not happen. Lissie is here on his invite. And, furthermore, he has invited me to extend the hand...to all in the family!"

By now, Will was just plain making it up, but it was having the desired result. Both Lady Agnes and Lissie were looking up at him.

"And I have been instructed by his lordship to give Elisabeth here a tour of the grounds. And of course, afterwards, I will return her forthwith to you!"

Lady Agnes smiled at Will. She appeared to be thinking. Although her grin never changed, Will detected a flash of annoyance. Then she smiled again.

"Very well," she said, through barely parted lips. "You may accompany Elisabeth home. But I expect her back as your little activities here come to an end."

And before Will could utter another word, she turned and marched away, leaving Lissie and himself standing face-to-face in front of the hall.

Will smiled at her.

"Well then, Lady Elisabeth, it"s just us..."