Bargaining With a Rake (A Whisper of Scandal Novel) (12 page)

Alex had a million
ways to woo a woman, but as he stared at the voluptuous creature before him, he
could not remember a single one he had mastered in all his twenty-two years. Penetrating
green eyes met his and a jolt of lust shot through his body. He had to keep his
wits about him. He was on a mission of revenge, not pleasure. But if the
mission should end up being pleasurable, he didn’t mind that.

He smiled at her,
and she glared in return. Sally’s prediction that Lady Gillian would not be
easily seduced rang in his ears.
“Are you hurt?”

“You almost killed me.”

“Actually, you almost ran me over.” He
leaned over and grasped her under the arms, lifting her onto her feet. “We need
to talk.”

She gazed up at him, lifting one perfect
black eyebrow. “Are you ready to apologize?”

“For what?”

“Misjudging my character.”

Between the smell of freesia
surrounding her and her soft body within his hands, he had the distracting wish
to cover her full, pink mouth in a deep kiss that had nothing to do with a
purposeful seduction and everything to do with learning what she tasted like. Instead,
he gently set her away from him. “You are the woman who was planning on
seducing my partner into marriage, weren’t you?”

“Yes, but you don’t understand.”

“Then make me.”

Her mouth parted, closed and then
opened again. “I’m afraid I can’t.”

“Then I’m afraid I can’t apologize.”

She turned on her heel so fast that the
weight of her hair swung behind her and whipped across his chest. Stunned, he
watched her march to her horse. Surely the little vixen did not plan to rudely
dismiss him. She grabbed the reins and placed her foot in the stirrup. Women
did not walk away from him ever, let alone
hurry
to get away.

A perfect, slender calf peeked from
beneath her skirt as she swung her right leg over the horse and mounted it as a
man would. By all the saints, this woman intended to leave him standing in her
dust. She reached around her and shook the folds of her skirt over her exposed legs
before turning to fix him with a severe glare.

So much for his legendary charm. Obviously
it only applied to women he had no interest in whatsoever. Now that he actually
wanted a woman to fall under his spell, she disliked him. So bloody typical of those
of the female persuasion. He stalked toward her and pulled her off the horse.

She struggled, attempting to move
from his grasp, making it painfully obvious she did not wish to hear what he
had to say. This was not going well at all.

“Let go,” she demanded, squirming in
his arms before twisting around to gaze up at him with blazing eyes. “You aren’t
even supposed to be here.”

“Just who are you hoping is here?” he
demanded, though he had a fairly, if rather astonishingly, good idea.

“Mr. Sutherland, of course.”

“Have you considered that your
betrothal should have put a halt to your plans to seduce my friend?” The lady
had audacity. He’d give her that.

Her eyes formed dangerous slits, and
her lips pressed together in a hard white line. “I’ve considered nothing of the
sort. My father betrothed me to Lord Westonburt despite my wishes.”

“There’s hardly anything abnormal in
that. You are under your father’s control.” Blood rushed to her cheeks, giving
them a most pleasing pinkness, except Alex knew by the way her arms folded
across her chest and her eyes shot daggers at him that she was livid.

“You would think that, Lord
Lionhurst. You are a typical Englishman.”

“I think I’m beginning to understand
you.” He had the perfect opportunity to present the problem and his case.

“Pray tell me what you think you
understand.”

“You’re pursuing my partner because
you don’t wish to marry a controlling Englishman. You want to get out of
England and go to America, where you think you will have more freedom.”

Her eyes rounded to twin saucers.
“You are partially correct. Are you going to tell your partner?”

“I’ve already warned him.”

“You’re a horrid man.”

“Why? Because I didn’t stand idly by
and let you seduce my unsuspecting friend?”

“I will make him an excellent wife.”

Her surety that she was still going
to be Sutherland’s wife irritated the hell out of Alex. “He won’t fall for your
tricks.” Yet as Alex stared at her perfectly sculpted face and her worried
eyes, he had doubts. Sutherland wanted a beautiful wife with backbone, and Lady
Gillian definitely fit both of those requirements perfectly.

“Is he here?” She glanced around him.

“He is,” Alex snapped. “Don’t you
think people will question you chasing after one man when you are betrothed to
another?”

“I’ll be very discreet.”

“Aren’t you worried I won’t be?” He
couldn’t resist. Her unwavering focus on Sutherland was annoying him.

Small, slender fingers gripped his
arm. “You mustn’t say anything to anyone.”

“Why?”

“If my father knew what I was up to…”
She shook her head.

One glance into her wide, pleading
eyes melted his resolve to use whatever means necessary to seduce her. He’d
simply seduce her before she could accomplish her goal. And he’d better do it
quickly. One bat of those pretty eyes and Sutherland would probably drop to one
knee and ask for her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll not tell your father or anyone
else, for that matter. Your impending marriage is why I’m here.”

“It is?”

He nodded. “I agree you should not
marry Westonburt.”

Her brow creased as she gazed at him.
“You do? Well, thank you, I suppose. But I must say, I’m confused.”

“For the sake of time, may I be
blunt?”

“I hadn’t realized you could be
otherwise,” she replied with a smile. “By all means.” She waved a hand at him.
“Try and shock me.”

“Westonburt has wronged me in a way
that can only be righted by revenge.”

“I can’t say as I’m shocked, since I
know the man. He’s vile. But do continue.”

Alex chuckled. If she wasn’t a woman
in want of a husband he might like to truly get to know her. “He wants to climb
the social ladder, and you are his rung.”

“That’s funny, since my family is
practically outcasts from the
ton
.”

The trembling of her lips jerked on
his heart. Fragile women would be his undoing. He raked a hand though his hair.
He would not embarrass her by remarking on the unfairness of it all. She was
right, her family was whispered about, but Westonburt was hated by many in the
ton
.
Marriage to her would help him. She was beautiful and an object of extreme
curiosity. That alone would open doors previously closed to him. “Outcasts or
not, you can still get him what he wants.”

“What do you propose to do to Lord
Westonburt?”

“Take away his rung.”

For a moment, she stared at him, her
lovely mouth parting. “You wish to marry me?”

“No. I wish to seduce you.”

Lady Gillian burst out laughing, but
after a moment, likely because he didn’t join in, her laughter died. “You’re serious.”

“Completely.”

“You think you can just stare at any
woman with those blue eyes, and we will all fall at your feet? Reputations be
damned?”

“Considering that you’re intending to
still try and seduce my partner, I doubt your reputation is of much concern to
you.”

“I can’t afford to be concerned, Lord
Lionhurst. But my problems do not concern
you
. And I fail to see how
seducing me will help you get your revenge.”

“You’ll break your betrothal once you’re
ruined. And Westonburt will know I’m the one that took the one thing he wanted
most. His public humiliation is just the first step. I plan to destroy the
man.”

“And what of me? I’ll be ruined and
stuck here. Not a very good bargain.”

“I’ll supply you with enough money to
live comfortably in America for the rest of your life. And I’ll supply the
passage for you to get there.”

Something flashed in her eyes that he
could not read. Her lips pursed together and she took in a long breath. “My
favors are not for sale, Lord Lionhurst.”

“You misunderstand me.” But damned if
she did, he realized. He was proposing to buy her. The thought sickened him. In
his grief and anger, he hadn’t considered the ramifications completely.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “I
don’t think I’ve misunderstood. Let me propose a different solution.”

“Such as?” Was there a way to get
what he wanted without being so vile?

“You could just help me win your
partner’s hand. You would’ve helped to take me from Westonburt, which will give
you what you want, and I will secure a marriage to a good man who does not live
in England, which will give me what I want.”

Could he do that? He had considered
it. Why had he dismissed it?

“I’m afraid our time alone is ending,
Lord Lionhurst.” She stuck out her hand. “Are we partners or enemies? My sister
is coming up the drive, so you must decide quickly.”

Gillian tried to control the
trembling of her outstretched hand. She couldn’t believe she was striking a
deal with the devil, but what choice did she have? He would no doubt make it
impossible to capture Mr. Sutherland if she did not get Lord Lionhurst to help
her. And there was no way she would ever allow the man to seduce her and send
her packing to America without a husband. The main point was to flee England
with a man who had the means to protect her sister from any harm that may
follow them across the waters, and Mr. Sutherland’s good name would do that.

He took her hand. “Deal. But seducing
you would have been more pleasurable I think.”

An amused grin tugged at the corners
of his mouth. Heat spread up her neck and over her face.
Blast him
. She
wished he did not ruffle her so.

“Have you forgotten how to speak?” He
flashed a dazzling white smile that caused her heart to flutter. He cocked his
head to the side, waiting, she knew, for her to speak.

“No,” she managed to get out before
clearing her throat at the sound of her husky voice. Good heavens, she was a
simpleton. He reached out and ran a finger down her cheek, lingering for a
moment on her lips. She jerked away, but self-consciously brought her fingers
to her lips. They tingled as if swollen from too much sun or tart fruit.

Every time she encountered this man,
he had the ability to make her forget herself. First things first, she had to get
control of this situation. It would not do for Mr. Sutherland to think she
wanted Lord Lionhurst or encouraged any special attention from him. From this
moment forward, she would not be alone with this man. She took a step away from
him and squared her shoulders, hoping to appear unshakeable in her resolve.

Gillian glanced around Lord Lionhurst,
relieved to see Whitney’s slow horse finally approaching. Trying not to appear as
desperate as she felt, she casually waved for Whitney to come closer. Instead,
Whitney shook her head and pulled up on May’s reins, causing the mare to come
to an abrupt stop. Of all the times to be obstinate! Surely Whit could see
Gillian’s need. Gillian narrowed her eyes at her sister.

“Poor May is terribly hungry,” Whitney
called out. “I’ll just take a minute and let her eat some grass.”

Gillian would blister Whitney’s ears
when she got her alone. For now she settled on giving Lord Lionhurst a tight smile,
which she prayed conveyed annoyance and not befuddlement. “Good day to you, my
lord. I’ll just go help my sister.”

His hand whipped forward and gripped
her arm. “Don’t you think we should discuss details and strategy? By the way,
if we are to be partners, you should call me Alex.”

“Absolutely not. That’s much too
informal.”

“I insist.”

The man was too stubborn by half. “No,”
she snapped.

“Yes. And I’ll call you Gillian.”

He was too sure of himself, but the
loopy grin on his face made her smile in return. “You will not call me by my
given name as I’ve not given you permission.”

“But you will.”

He sounded so sure that she almost
believed it.

Voices sounded in the distance from
the area of the stables. The last thing she needed was to be seen standing so
close to Lord Lionhurst. They probably appeared to be engaged in intimate
conversation. “Lord Lionhurst, simply sing my praises to your partner. I’ll do
the rest. Now please go. This conversation looks too…”

“Cozy?”

A breath of air rushed out of her
lungs. He understood her at last. Of course he would. Why had she doubted it? “Yes,
it would seem quite improper.”

He stepped toward
her and leaned in so his lips almost touched her ear. “Jealousy is a sure way
to attract another man.” Lord Lionhurst’s breath caressed her neck, making her
want to lean toward his warmth. Instead, she forced herself to lean away.
“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“You’re quite sure?”

“Trust me.”

She snorted. “How
many times have you told a woman that?”

He pulled back from her, a dark scowl
marring his face. “Never.”

Her stomach fluttered at his serious expression.
“Are you sure it will work on Mr. Sutherland? Surely all men are not exactly
the same?”

“Of course we’re not. But it will
work.”

“All right. I’ll trust you. To an
extent.”

Lord Lionhurst’s finger came under
her chin. The scent of grass, pine and earth surrounded her. His hands cupped
her face, and she could scarcely breathe. She swallowed, sure he could hear the
sudden rapid beating of her heart. “I think a public kiss is too indiscreet.”

His hands twined
into her hair, tilting her head back. “I completely agree. Good thing we’re
still alone.”

A protest sprung to her lips just as
his mouth came down upon hers.