Chapter 10

CHAPTER10

Bridget felt as if her body was soaring.

At first, the kiss with Lord Ramsbury was nothing but a press of lips together. She felt awkward, afraid he would pull back, and just as she went to lean back, his hand reached up and caught the back of her neck. It was a seductive touch, his fingers soft, though his palm were rather firm. She could have escaped that touch easily if she had wanted to. Only, she had no wish to.

He leaned toward her once more, angling their heads together.

In the heat of that kiss, Bridget didn’t think about what she was doing. She felt the Marquess run his tongue along her bottom lip. She parted her lips, wondering what he wanted, and he quickly thrust his tongue into her mouth.

It was not the sort of kiss she had read about in books, but somehow much more heated and intimate. Her hands, quaking, reached up and clawed at him. Her fingers tightened around his lapels as his hand drifted down her neck, angling her head further to his so they could deepen the kiss.

If this was what a kiss could be like, Bridget wondered why she had gone so long through her life without one. It was such a thrill, so full of excitement, that all she could think of was Lord Ramsbury’s lips and tongue.

What would it be like if he kissed her elsewhere? Would the thrill be even greater if he kissed down her neck?

“God’s wounds! What the hell is going on?”

The sudden voice had Bridget jumping back from Lord Ramsbury, her hands pushing at his chest. He leaned back too, the pair of them whipping their heads around to see who had entered the library.

Emily stood in the doorway. She hastened to shut the door behind her, fumbling with it and then leaning against it, holding a hand over her mouth.

“Bridget! Get away from him this moment.”

Yet, Bridget didn’t move. She wasn’t sure if she was numb from the kiss or discovery, or if she felt a little angry at Emily’s disturbance. Emily had hardly played by the rules of courtship before she had wedded.

“My Lord.” Emily’s tone grew dark and husky as she moved her hands to her hips.

Lord Ramsbury released Bridget and stood, moving away from the chair. Bridget felt her stomach lurch as he stepped away. She longed for him to be back already so they could share another indulgent kiss.

“Explain, at once.” Emily waved a hand between the pair of them.

“Explain?” Bridget spluttered.

“I believe you know what a kiss is, Emily,” Lord Ramsbury answered with a smile, leaning against the shelves nearby.

Bridget had to fight a smile at his words.

“Do not get all high and mighty with me now.” Emily marched across the room, waving her hand wildly in the air. “You two have been dancing around one another for days now, we have all seen it. And now I find you like this? Goodness, Bridget. If it was Rachel who had found you, you would have found yourself married to Lord Ramsbury by the end of the week.”

“What?” Bridget spluttered and shot up from her seat.

Lord Ramsbury winced. “I’m not that bad, Bridget.”

“No, no, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just… what I meant to say…” Bridget stammered.

How could she explain that the mere idea of marrying Lord Ramsbury was a thrill? That she liked the idea of indulging in further kisses, of sitting with him in libraries and discussing the stars above as they stole secret touches?

What a thrill! Yet, he will not marry…

He was a rake. He would look at her with no more sincerity than he would any other woman he met.

“It was just a kiss, Emily.” Bridget shifted her focus solely to her sister. “I know you have misbehaved enough in your life that you have hardly married every man you have kissed.”

“Yes, but I didn’t expect this sort of mischief from you,” Emily said sharply, pointing at her. “What is going on, Bridget? Explain it, at once. Are you two… Is this some sort of courtship?” She waved a hand between the pair of them.

“No,” Bridget and Lord Ramsbury replied at the same time.

Bridget looked sharply at him. It didn’t seem to matter that she had answered the same thing. She was rather hurt by the way he refused to look at her now.

“It was just an experiment, that is all,” Bridget explained hurriedly. “Some mischief, as you used to do. You need not fear what is happening between Lord Ramsbury and me. It is nothing.”

“Nothing?” Emily didn’t look convinced. Her head jerked between the pair of them.

“It is true,” Lord Ramsbury agreed, nodding slowly.

Having his agreement also seemed to change things. Emily turned on the spot, her hands rubbing a sore spot on her forehead.

“God’s wounds, I know I should tell someone about this,” she said in a rush. “Yet, if I did, everyone could have the wrong idea.” She lowered her hands and looked at Bridget. “You are very fortunate, indeed, that I am the one who found you. I know what it is like to cross the boundaries, but believe me when I say this has to stop. You cannot keep up this mischief with Lord Ramsbury, Bridget. No offense, Lord Ramsbury,” she added in his direction.

Lord Ramsbury held up a hand as if waving off her apology. Yet, Bridget noticed something curious. He turned away and no longer looked at the pair of them.

Was he actually irked by Emily’s words? Or had Bridget imagined that idea?

“Bridget.” Emily’s sharp voice urged Bridget to look at her again. “Come with me to prepare. Catarina is holding another ball tonight.”

“This conversation is over, then? Just like that?”

“Yes.” Emily’s sharp tone showed no sign of fading away. “And I beg you not to talk of it again.” She pulled Bridget through the door.

Bridget tried her best to look back at Lord Ramsbury, to catch his eye before she left, but the only thing she saw was his back as he leaned over the mantelpiece. He showed no inclination to meet her gaze at all.

* * *

Seth couldn’t get the word out of his mind as he watched Bridget at the ball.

Courtship.

It was the word Emily had uttered when she had found them together. Yes, it was a mad idea, completely wild. He could never court Bridget. Her sisters would certainly not allow it, and Daniel would probably kill him, but he couldn’t stop thinking of it.

Seth knocked back a glass of claret as he watched Bridget across the room.

Tonight, the whole room had been decked out in silver, as if every surface glittered in the same frost that covered the world beyond the windows. Candlesticks shimmered in silver leaf, and the tables were draped in silver cloth. White berried mistletoe hung from candelabras and pillars, adding to that snowy feeling.

Bridget stood beside Emily, wearing a rich blue gown that Seth couldn’t stop staring at. She was stunning, with silver jewelry at her throat and hanging from her ears. She was beautiful, the curve of her neck on show, as her hair had been swept up into an elegant updo tonight.

“Something wrong, Seth?” a familiar voice asked.

“Nothing.” Seth barely turned to acknowledge Jacob as he stepped beside him.

“You have not danced at all this evening. You out of sorts?” Jacob laughed.

The music was so loud tonight that Seth struggled to hear him. He settled for shrugging instead as people applauded the last dance.

In addition to the guests staying over, Catarina had invited more people for the night. The ballroom was so cramped that to keep Bridget in sight, Seth had to keep angling his head back and forth.

It hadn’t escaped his notice that Lord Burnington hadn’t danced with her this evening. In fact, he hadn’t even looked her way. Seth supposed that was the reason Bridget was looking so miserable, hanging her head and tapping her wine glass absentmindedly.

I have to help her.

“If you would excuse me,” Seth said to Jacob.

“Where are you going? Seth, you truly do not seem like yourself.”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

A mad idea had taken up place in his mind now, and there was little he could do to stop it. It was growing and growing, like an increasing snowfall on the ground that was settling and could not be stopped.

He approached Emily and Bridget. Seeing that Emily was talking to another young woman at her side, Seth didn’t hesitate in grasping Bridget’s hand and pulling her away.

“Good evening to you too,” she said pointedly. “Where are you taking me?”

“Away from that dark corner where you look truly miserable.” Seth put his wine glass down on a nearby table and urged her to do the same.

“What are we doing?”

“I’m helping you to get noticed. I’m tired of him not looking at you, the blind fool,” Seth muttered and led her toward the dance floor. He purposefully steered her to his right-hand side so she walked in front of Lord Burnington.

On cue, the Earl looked away from the gaggle of ladies around him, his eyes turning to Bridget to watch her. Evidently, he was curious as to why she hadn’t joined his little fan club this evening.

“What is the aim of this?” Bridget hissed to Seth as they neared the dance floor.

“Lord Burnington likes to be the center of attention. You wish to be noticed by him? Then it is simple,” Seth whispered in her ear as they waited for the last dance to end. “Stop taking notice of him.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Oh, believe me, it does.” Seth drew her onto the dance floor.

The opening notes of a waltz began. He bowed, and she curtsied, then he swept her into his arms, safely into the crook of his right elbow. She gasped at the touch, and Seth nearly lost his control, tempted to kiss her again when she made such sounds. He cleared his throat, reminding himself of his task and why he was dancing with her in the first place.

“He is watching you now. He is a simple man,” Seth whispered to her, swaying her. That scent of vanilla was back now that he stood so close to her. “To capture his attention completely, I have a suggestion for you.”

“You intending to dance with me all night?” Bridget asked, quirking an eyebrow.

He chuckled, trying to hide the fact that he would have enjoyed such a thing.

“What if you and I were to announce something quite mad?” Seth whispered, adjusting their positions so she was even closer to him. His lips hovered by her ear as her hand gripped tighter onto his shoulder.

“What?” she prompted.

“What if we were to announce we were courting, Bridget?”

Bridget stepped on his toe and then lurched back. Seth had to recapture her hand fast and pull her into him, in danger of knocking the pair of them off their feet with the suddenness of the movement.

“Are you mad?” she spluttered. “Do you wish Daniel and Jacob to challenge you to a duel?”

“They may do.” Seth sighed, knowing it was a distinct possibility. Yet, he hoped that by announcing a courtship, at least Daniel would think he was being serious. “I am not thinking of myself at present. I am thinking of you. If catching Lord Burnington is what will make you happy, then we need to shake the tree and make him do something.”

“This is mad,” Bridget murmured.

“But it will work.” Seth moved his head near hers, adjusting their stance so they were dancing close together again. “Look in the mirror behind my head, Bridget. Look who is watching you.”

She must have done so and must have seen what he could see from his position. Lord Burnington was no longer paying attention to the two ladies on either side of him but was intently watching Bridget instead as she danced with Seth.

“If we announced a courtship, wouldn’t Lord Burnington think I was off limits?”

“It would anger him to think he had lost one of his admirers,” Seth explained in a low tone. “I believe he would do anything to have that admirer back.”

“This is a wild idea.” Bridget chuckled as he swept her around the floor.

Seth put more energy into the dance than usual, determined to have Lord Burnington’s attention completely.

You blind fool of a man. How could you not want Bridget and only Bridget? It is idiotic to long for anything else!

Seth turned her under his arm and caught her around the waist again, aware out of the corner of his eye that he could see Lord Burnington gripping his champagne glass so hard, he was in danger of breaking it and spilling the bubbling liquid down his waistcoat. It was a testament to the man’s consternation, for he would not willingly risk ruining his fine clothes.

“What do you think?” Seth whispered in her ear. “It could last a couple of weeks, just long enough for him to think of you and only you.”

“What if it doesn’t work?” Bridget shook her head. “Maybe I am just not enough to be noticed by the Earl?”

“Then he is a greater fool than I gave him credit for. When Christmas is upon us, you and I can end our courtship and explain to your sisters that we realized we were not a suitable match, after all. You risk nothing. What do you say, My Lady?”

Seth couldn’t explain why he felt such keenness to have her answer. It was a fake courtship, after all—one designed with an end in mind, nothing more.

Yet, her answer was suddenly very important, indeed.

“Well, we could,” Bridget whispered, chewing on her bottom lip, looking uncertain.

The waltz came to a slow end, and Seth moved them to the middle of the dance floor, swaying her from side to side. She was so close to him now that he could practically feel her hips brushing against his.

“People would think I am another of your conquests, My Lord,” she whispered.

“Conquests?” Seth laughed at the idea. “I’ve never had conquests, only lovers, Bridget.”

She blushed, her eyes widening. Had the word intrigued her? Was she excited by the idea?

It is not a real courtship!

“Well?” Seth prompted as they released one another. He bowed, and she curtsied. By the time they came back together, he clutched her hand rather tightly. “To keep up the illusion,” he explained in response to her questioning look.

“I think you’re mad, My Lord, but very well,” Bridget whispered. “Though I fear what people will say when we tell them.”