A Fraudulent Betrothal Page 11

  Despite finding her mood sadly lowered in the wake of Sophie’s desperate flight, Clarissa resolved to honour her appointment with Lady Burnett. Not only did she regard Caroline as a friend, but Leighton himself would be there. She scolded herself that her spirits should rise so quickly at the very thought of meeting her sister’s betrothed, but she couldn’t find it within her heart to deny him to herself. Marianne was still lost to her, but though she could pretend it was mere play acting, seeing Richard would bring comfort to her.

  ‘Marianne.’ Caroline greeted her with tender regard when she was shown into the elegant and sunny withdrawing-room at the front of the Burnetts’ house, holding out her hands and drawing her straight away into a warm embrace. ‘Richard is already here, as you see.’

  Leighton immediately claimed Clarissa’s hand and drew it fondly to his lips, holding on to the embrace a little too long for mere civility. ‘My love,’ he greeted her with a sparkle in his eyes, seeming to have forgotten the diatribe he’d read her on yesterday’s escapades.

  ‘Come, sit by me.’ Caroline reclaimed her guest’s hand and drew her down beside herself on a comfortable settle. ‘We can have a comfortable prose later, but unfortunately I have to attend to matters in the kitchen in the meantime. Our housekeeper has not yet taken me through today’s menus, but there’s no need for you to concern yourself, when Richard’s here to bear you company.’

  Clarissa eyed Leighton anxiously when Caroline left with one last squeeze of her hand. There was no doubt in her mind they’d been left alone on purpose and that it was at the behest of her, or more correctly, Marianne’s, soon-to-be-betrothed. No doubt it was a chance to quiz her again about the events of the previous day; in all probability to question her wisdom, or lack of such, in gadding about the capital without a respectable companion.

  She’d already held a hurried conference with her groom, Tom, to discover what Leighton had learned from him. If the boy were to be believed, then Richard was in possession of no more than the fact that Tom had followed her because he saw his mistress take off after her maid alone. She determined that would be all he knew, for her own sake as much as Marianne’s.

  In actual fact, she was much surprised to find he’d more important matters on his mind than her unusual conduct.

  ‘Marianne.’ Clarissa looked startled when Richard fell down on one knee at her feet. ‘Marianne, you must know I love you more than life itself.’ He took hold of the hand he’d so recently released and pressed it to his lips again. ‘Please grant me the honour of becoming my wife.’

  ‘Oh, Richard.’ Clarissa’s heart melted. ‘No, oh no, you must get up. Caroline will return.’

  ‘Not yet awhile, beloved,’ he replied confidently.

  ‘But—’

  ‘I realize my previous proposal was too formal, and indeed I didn’t provide you with all the attention you deserved on that occasion. It is otherwise now.’

  Clarissa hadn’t been in attendance when last he’d proposed, but she could readily imagine that a suitor offering a marriage of convenience might resort to tedious formality in his offer.

  ‘There is no need to renew your offer, Richard.’ She felt an unreasoning embarrassment in his love-making. This was her sister’s scene, not hers. If only she could have induced Sophie to betray her whereabouts, Marianne could then have received the repeated offer herself. And in the same moment her eyes began to fill with tears. This was so exactly what she wanted for herself!

  ‘The ball at which we’re to be publicly betrothed is drawing closer day by day,’ he reminded her. ‘It’s important to me, to us, that you accept my suit unreservedly, that you realize our marriage is a love match.’

  ‘I’ve already accepted you once,’ she faltered. Despite his plea for love, Clarissa couldn’t accept his proposal for herself, she just couldn’t. Marianne was the sister he was betrothed to, not her. It would be too cruel to give her love and accept his hand, only to have it torn roughly from her grasp again.

  ‘I beg of you, Marianne. Surely you haven’t been so wholly averse to my attentions since I returned from my estates?’

  ‘Oh no, I beg you, no.’ Clarissa laid her free hand lightly on his cheek, instinctively drawing him closer with the tender caress. ‘I do truly love you, Richard, but you don’t, indeed you can’t, know the whole.’

  She felt an overwhelming desire to throw herself on his mercy, to explain her position, knowing all the while she could do nothing of the sort. For the sake of her sister’s honour, perhaps even her safety, she must remain silent. Such a tale would surely give him a disgust of her too, for how could any woman retain any smattering of honour and propriety when she’d shown herself only too willing to take his kisses, and even return them with all the fervour of a lover, when she could never play that part for real.

  ‘Marianne, I don’t care for the past. If you love me now—’ Lord Leighton deserted words for action. All of a sudden he flung himself to the settle by her side and reached out for her.

  One of his hands slid confidently through her curls and cupped her head tenderly, while the other took a firm grip on her waist. His lips swooped down, pressing his advantage, taking her own with all the practised accomplishment of a demon lover. Her senses swirled and her lips parted; and before she knew it, one hand was kneading his muscular shoulder, while the other fluttered as wildly as her willing heart.

  ‘Please, sir.’ She tore her lips away and resorted to formality, knowing just how close she’d come to complete abandonment. Her breasts rose and fell to the violence of her breathing and she knew he was as aware of her feelings as though she’d admitted them to him herself. She would be lost if she didn’t put an end to the scene immediately.

  ‘Sir, you cannot admit your original offer was made for pure convenience rather than true love, then take my kisses however you wish. We are not yet wed, nor even formally betrothed.’ The speech was more stilted than Clarissa was prepared to admit, but it gave her space to compose herself.

  ‘It was a marriage of convenience I once proposed,’ he admitted. ‘I made no secret that it was done to secure the succession, and neither did you do anything to suggest your feelings were engaged any more than mine.’ He stared at her, his chest rising and falling as fast as her own. ‘My feelings have long since altered, love has grown, grown so fast my head is left spinning. It’s as though I met another woman in you when I returned from inspecting my estates and I could swear that you felt the same. Surely you see that?’

  ‘Yes.’ Clarissa spoke quietly, her head hung low. She was speaking from the heart, though she couldn’t, for the sake of her sister, speak of all that was in her heart, couldn’t pour out her love for the man who was going to marry her sister. Nevertheless, she was in raptures, and for the life of her, she couldn’t help but be elated when she knew that Richard had spoken words of love meant for her alone. For Clarissa!

  Later, she’d be disappointed, of course. Marianne would return and marry her lord, and surely they’d deal well together. Poor, dowdy Clarissa would die an old maid, or perhaps accept the cleric if he’d still have her. But for now she could drink in the desire she could see in Richard’s face, the words of love on his lips, the light touch of his hand on her waist, and know the ecstasy of loving and being loved in return.

  ‘We can be married within a month,’ he declared, confident he’d beaten down her opposition.

  ‘Richard.’ She felt her face warm with a becoming blush when a gasp parted her lips.

  It was too much for any man!

  Leighton’s head dipped once more and she was lost. Lost to all propriety and any maidenly modesty she may have felt. She turned in his arms, barely aware that her own were clasping him as relentlessly as his held her. She felt the crisp hairs at his nape in her fingers, the bruising rasp of his lips moving against her own, his breath in her mouth. She gasped out loud when, with a cry of desire, he drew her closer, her breasts crushed against the hard contours of his muscular chest, taut and sensiti
ve, sending dimly perceived messages to the most intimate parts of her body. She was all too aware of the strength in his thigh that nestled so comfortably against her own, and shifted her outer leg to lay across it, her soft flesh massaging his muscular length.

  His kiss continued to ravage her until she could stand no more and threw back her head to bare her throat. He pounced upon the soft, delicate skin exposed; nipping, sucking, kissing while she writhed beneath his ardour and drank in the soft loving words he whispered into her treacherously receptive ears. She could feel his hands moving on her body and—

  They heard the door opening as one, and leapt apart before his sister could enter.

  Caroline almost laughed at the dismay evident in their faces, for though she couldn’t have imagined the intensity of their feelings, she had expected some sort of love-making to have been in progress. Why else would she have rattled the door knob with such violence.

  ‘I should not have left you along so long,’ she declared, pretending not to notice how Clarissa was brushing the creases out of her garments, or of how flushed her face was.

  ‘No matter, I assure you.’ Leighton’s voice was as urbane as it was polite, but his sister couldn’t quite stifle her giggle when she saw the warning glare in his eye. All very well, but even for her brother’s sake, she couldn’t leave a couple not formally betrothed to their own devices for long. She risked another glance at her future sister-in-law and deduced it had been too long, or, with another stifled giggle, perhaps not long enough. She was grinning like a cheshire cat, for despite her earlier fears for the match, it seemed these two would make the perfect marriage.

  Leighton remembered his manners and stood up. ‘Sit here, Caroline,’ he murmured politely.

  ‘Thank you, Brother.’ Caroline gracefully seated herself next to Clarissa, and allowed herself a moment of pure mischief. ‘I thought you were sitting over there when I left.’

  ‘Marianne and I had business to attend to.’ Leighton had recovered himself as fully as he was likely to under the circumstances. ‘We’ve decided to bring the marriage forward.’

  ‘I should agree that’s a wise move,’ agreed Caroline, quite unable to stifle her giggles this time.

  Clarissa could have sunk through the floor. Caroline, she was convinced, had guessed exactly how badly they’d been behaving, and how should she not? Her own blushes must have told her they hadn’t comported themselves with any degree of decorum.

  Damn Richard and his words of love. She felt her blushes spread, the heat building further in her face. It wasn’t Richard who should be damned, it was her. She’d responded to his kisses, to his practised love-making. She, the modest maiden, the one who knew of his rakish past, should have put an end to it. The shame was all hers!

  Then contrition hit her with a vengeance. She hadn’t been thinking of her sister at all. Leighton only had to touch her and she forgot everything she held dear, including Marianne, her sister and the girl who was to marry him. He wasn’t her man, he was her sister’s, and she’d betrayed them both. She was being drawn into a quagmire of her own making, a dreadful web of deceit in which she was forced to pretend love for the viscount.

  Pretend! She groaned out loud. She truly did love him, but she couldn’t have him. Marianne, where are you? I need you. Then she became aware that both Leighton and his sister were staring at her.

  Clarissa’s mind dimly acknowledged the pair had been talking, but for the life of her, she couldn’t recall what they had said. Surely Richard had mentioned something about business in the north?

  ‘You’re going away?’ She turned tremulous eyes on Leighton, quite unable to decide whether she ought to be pleased to find him out of temptation’s way, or to be sorry, in that she might never again meet him as a lover.

  ‘I must, Marianne. I’ve urgent business to transact. I’m leaving this very morning, in a very few minutes. I came only to say my goodbyes.’

  Since they all three knew he’d come to pour out his love and renew his offer of marriage, this seemed a very lame excuse. Clarissa, for her part, wondered if he’d conceived a disgust of her for returning his embrace with such ardour when they weren’t even formally betrothed as yet. She felt the heat in his eyes on her and immediately realized it was no such thing. If Caroline left them alone then he’d reprise his scandalous behaviour without the slightest twinge of conscience. She blushed again, realizing she’d react just as passionately, and with as little sense of propriety.

  Then why was he leaving so suddenly? She turned to Caroline, instinctively perceiving that she, too, was dismayed by this abrupt and inexplicable amendment to her brother’s plans.

  Having taken a formal leave, Richard was walked to the door by his sister, who very soon returned to quiz her future sister-in-law.

  ‘What was that about? I thought you’d resolved all your differences. Indeed he swore to me he wished to renew his offer.’

  ‘He did.’ Clarissa was uncharacteristically quiet, wondering just what Richard really felt. She could see that Caroline had been taken as much by surprise as she by his sudden decision to leave.

  ‘Then—’

  ‘I accepted.’ Clarissa’s voice was cold. ‘I can’t tell you any more than that.’ She blushed when she remembered what else she’d been offering. If they’d been alone? No, to think that way was madness. It was her sister he loved, and he’d be happy once she returned to him. He must love Marianne, for she couldn’t deceive her own sister.

  Caroline laughed at the play of emotions reflected in her future sister-in-law’s face and decided she was truly in love with her brother. Perhaps Richard hadn’t made himself clear.

  ‘My dear,’ she began, ‘you may have no worries that Richard doesn’t love you as truly as you love him. He might have entered the match for the convenience of having an heir to continue the line, but, depend on it, his feelings have changed. Once he took the trouble to really get to know you, love began to blossom in his heart. I swear I saw it the first time we met. Richard has never acted that way with a lady before, not even when I saw him with …’ Her voice trailed off. Very likely Marianne had no idea of his entanglement with Lady Darcross, but if she did, she would hardly like to be reminded of the affair.

  ‘Lady Darcross, you mean?’ Clarissa felt a moment of illogical jealousy. Richard had loved before; indeed if the rector’s description of him was true, had loved many times.

  ‘You needn’t concern yourself with that wretched woman, Marianne. Richard has never really been one for the ladies, and though he may have dallied with a ladybird from the opera on occasion, he’s never behaved with the impropriety of many young men about Town. Lady Darcross flung out palpable lures to which he responded. The affair became the talk of Town, more because Richard had cut out Lord Dalwinton from her affections, than any violence of their own feelings. To tell the truth, the affair was over almost before it began. Richard soon saw through the lady’s outward charms to the vile core within.’

  ‘Dalwinton?’ Clarissa’s tone voiced her repugnance, and she shivered. She’d met him only briefly, but remembered the name from her sister’s letters. ‘He is the truly evil one.’

  ‘They say he attempted to force a quarrel on Richard over the matter,’ Caroline concurred, ‘but talk of a duel came to nothing.’

  ‘I should hope not.’ Clarissa felt a qualm for her sister. She knew from Marianne’s letters that Dalwinton had tried to force himself upon her, and immediately decided that act must have been aimed at wounding Richard, perhaps even to further the quarrel. No doubt Dalwinton was an expert with both gun and sword and would have favoured a duel with his rival. Had he gone further and kidnapped Marianne? She closed her eyes weakly and attempted to reassure herself. Sophie, though she might refuse to betray Marianne’s hiding place, would never betray the girl herself. And her maidservant most surely knew where her sister was to be found.

  ‘No, indeed. The very thought of it makes me sick,’ returned Caroline, wondering just what was occupyi
ng her future sister-in-law’s mind. She didn’t seem over concerned about his connection with the Lady Darcross. Was it his dangerous dealings with Lord Dalwinton?

  In fact, following Caroline’s candid disclosures of her lover’s past, Clarissa felt even more wretched in deceiving her friend, whom she’d already grown to love, knowing such a deed was almost as detestable as her behaviour to her beloved Richard. Neither of them could ever forgive her once they discovered her deception, and she was beginning to believe such an event must be inevitable unless Marianne returned to the fold immediately.

  ‘Why not rejoice?’ Caroline went on, seeking to charm Clarissa out of her mopes. ‘Richard must be happy in his future bride. You must be happy. I, too, for I’ve gained a sister whom I love as much as my brother.’ She slid a comforting arm around her friend’s waist, ‘and I can’t suppose that you didn’t return firm evidence of his regard while you were alone.’

  ‘You shouldn’t have left us.’

  ‘No, indeed, but I’ll wager you both enjoyed the time you had together.’ She laughed out loud when the blushes flared up again on Clarissa’s face. ‘Really Marianne, the way you leapt apart was a joy to watch, and nothing to blush over, I assure you.’

  ‘I deceived him.’

  ‘I doubt it.’ Caroline didn’t notice the change in Clarissa’s demeanour immediately. ‘Richard’s more experienced than you’ll ever know. He’d have noticed if you’d attempted to fake your passion.’

  ‘I didn’t …’ Clarissa broke down in tears. ‘I couldn’t … Oh, I cannot go on with this deception.’

  ‘Marianne?’ Caroline stared at her charge in bewilderment.

  ‘You’ll hate me, but I must confess, Caroline.’ Clarissa sat up straight and faced her erstwhile friend. ‘I’m not Marianne. Not the girl Richard must love. He is truly betrothed to my sister.’

  ‘What?’

  Clarissa broke down again. The day had been too much for her. If only Richard hadn’t given in to his romantic feelings and offered for her again. If only! No sense in asking such stupid questions of herself. She stared at Caroline’s confused face and confessed the whole.