Debutantes Don’t Date (12 page)

After several minutes of small talk, Grace finally blurted in frustration, “I’m so
sorry for what’s happened. If I could take that kiss back I would.” Well, not really,
as it
was
the best kiss that she’d ever experienced in her life, but she would take back that
she received it from this woman’s intended. “I’m
not
a man-stealer. I really didn’t know who he was and that he was promised to someone
else. I am so very sorry.” She dropped her head in mortification. How on earth could
this woman ever forgive her?

“Oh don’t be. I’m so happy to finally have the opportunity to find a husband that
I
want, not one that my father has picked out for me.” Lady Anne paused to stir sugar
into her tea. “You know, I truly believe Lord Bingham is lucky to have you. A lot
of other women have tried to force him into situations that would demand marriage,
and yes, that is exactly what has happened to you, but I don’t for one minute think
you did it for money or for the title. By all accounts neither of you were aware of
anything else, besides each other. That is how marriage should be. Not some stuffy
relationship where you tiptoe around each other and try to co-exist without really
acknowledging the other half. And let’s not deceive ourselves: that is exactly the
kind of marriage Jasper and I would have had. So, please don’t feel sorry for anything.
I only hope to find one day what you already have.” She raised her cup to her lips
and with one cocked eyebrow took a dainty sip.

“Ah, umm, thank you, Lady Anne.” Grace was stunned Lady Anne took it so well, although
slightly miffed she thought Jasper and her were in love with each other.

“Won’t you call me Anne? I hope we can be friends.” The lady before her smiled, adding
with a twinkle in her eye, “Won’t that give the gossips something to talk about?”

***

Jasper made it to the door, but Hoskins opened it before he could reach the knocker.
“One day I will beat you, Hoskins,” Jasper smiled.

“Indeed, sir?” Hoskins arched a brow at his employer’s brother-in-law; there was no
way he was going to let Lord Bingham win a game they had been playing since Lady Harrison
moved in. He had footmen keep watch so Lord Bingham was not able to reach the door
before he could open it. It was a matter of honour, not to mention pride.

“I heard Miss Lancaster has returned from the country, is she receiving? I would like
a word in private with her if it is convenient.”

“I’m afraid she is already entertaining a visitor in the library, my lord. But I will
inform her you’ve arrived.”

“I’ll join them. May I ask whom she is entertaining?”

“Lady Anne, my lord.”

He was halfway down the hallway when the butler’s words reached his ears. “Lady Anne?
Oh dear God.” He ran the rest of the way to the library and flung open the door.

Laughter died on their lips and both sets of eyes widened at his sudden appearance.
The two ladies were sitting together on the sofa with their heads practically touching.
They looked like childhood friends catching up after years apart.

Grace was the first to recover. “Lord Bingham, what a surprise, won’t you please join
us for some tea?” She reached for a spare cup on the tea tray. “Black, isn’t it?”

He noted her speech; obviously her grandfather had had some influence during her stay.
He performed a customary deep bow and told them he would be delighted. Sitting in
the chair closest to Grace he was left looking across at Lady Anne and immediately
regretted his choice of seating position. He would rather not look at the woman he
as good as jilted. She smiled at him and asked after his health. He realised marriage
to Lady Anne would have been like this every day, with her asking after his health
or some such other safe topic, neither of them willing to have a real conversation
in case they found that they couldn’t stand each other and had absolutely nothing
in common. For the first time he actually felt grateful for that wild, out of control,
hot wet kiss. He shifted in his seat as the image flashed in his mind. He tried to
adjust his trousers without Lady Anne noticing.

He turned to Grace and grasped her fingers. She looked at him in surprise. A jolt
of awareness sparked in her eyes and he was glad he wasn’t the only one who felt it.
“Grace, my darling,” he began, laying it on thick, “I have come to see if you would
like to take a turn with me around the garden. After Lady Anne has gone, of course.”
He smiled at Lady Anne, hoping she would get the hint.

“Lord Bingham!”

“It is quite all right, Grace, I must be going anyway. It was so nice to meet you,
I do hope you will call upon me soon. It was nice to see you again too, Lord Bingham.”
Lady Anne gathered her gloves from the table and let herself out the door.

“That was rude, Jasper. You made her leave.”

“I know. That was the whole point. I need to talk to you and I really didn’t want
her here while I did it and I need to go and see about some business this afternoon,
so I couldn’t wait until she left of her own accord. Besides, judging by how the two
of you were getting along when I walked in, she would have been here for days and
I would never get to tell you what I have to say,” he finished with a smile.

“Well, what is it you want to say that’s go important, then?”

He took Lady Anne’s place on the sofa and cupped her face with his hand. “This.” He
leaned in and drew her bottom lip into his mouth and gently sucked until she moaned
low in her throat, her hands gripping his arms. “And this,” he murmured. He slid his
tongue into her mouth and stroked hers back and forth until they were both panting.

Grace was consumed by need. Liquid heat had pooled in between her thighs. She was
aware of someone moaning and was afraid it might just be her. She didn’t care. All
she cared about was having Jasper’s lips back on hers. She grabbed his head and pulled
it back down to where it belonged, and a sigh of satisfaction escaped as his lips
touched hers again.

She felt the heat of his hands on her skin and vaguely wondered how he had got them
inside her dress. His fingers brushed her nipples until she no longer cared, her body
responding intuitively; arching and straining towards him.

His mouth escaped hers to trail wet kisses along her jawline. The heat of her skin
burned his mouth. He sucked on her earlobe and smiled at the sound that came from
her. He knew what she wanted. His fingers plucked at her nipple, sending her into
convulsions. His mouth found its way down her throat, closer to his goal.

Grace gasped as his hot mouth latched onto her breast. Her nipple hardened even further,
becoming like a pebble in his mouth.

Sweet shocks coursed through her body, all accumulating at the apex of her thighs.
Jasper leaned her back so she was lying on the sofa and he was positioned above her.
Ripples of pleasure ran up her leg as he slowly raised her dress. His fingers caressed
her leg as he brought the dress all the way up until she was fully exposed to him.
The cool air, coupled with the heat from his hand and the wetness of his mouth on
her bare breast, pushed her over the edge. She couldn’t control her hips any longer
and bucked against him when his hand touched her centre, starbursts exploded in front
of her eyes as a scream was ripped from her lips.

Jasper was at the very limit of his self-control when Grace shattered below him. He
captured her mouth with his, to catch her scream.

He fumbled with the laces on his trousers, desperate to be welcomed into her warmth.

Down the corridor a door slammed shut and Neal’s voice rang out, berating the careless
servant.

Jasper was suddenly very aware of where he was. A servant could walk in on them at
any moment!

He dragged a shuddering breath into his heaving lungs and helped Grace sit up. He
drew her dress back down to cover her legs and put her bodice to rights. Her eyes
were still out of focus, her lips swollen and her checks flushed. She was a delicious
vision before him and every fibre of his being begged him to lay her back down. But
he could see a friction burn on the top of her breast from his rough check. And disgust
at himself at what he had almost done, rushed through him. He stood to distance himself
from her. He still didn’t trust his hands.

“What am I thinking? Taking you here? The door is still open for God’s sake, we could
have been seen. This was a mistake, I’m terribly sorry, you can be sure it won’t happen
again.” He kept walking towards the door. He had to keep going or he’d come back and
finish what he’d started.

***

Grace watched in confusion as Jasper left the room. He was practically running; he
couldn’t seem to get away from her fast enough. His words echoed in her ears:
this was a mistake, it won’t happen again
.

Shame coursed through her body and it felt so much different to the pleasure that
had been in its place only moments before. She’d just had the most pleasurable experience
of her entire life and the man who was responsible for it said it was a mistake. How
could something that felt that good be a mistake?

***

Jasper was hard hours later in his club as he remembered Grace’s response to his touch.
He found himself remembering it all afternoon, in places he really shouldn’t be seen
with his penis straining in his pants. Thankfully he’d been sitting down in most situations
and managed to find something to cover his lap with until he could bring himself under
control. He discovered counting backwards from one hundred very effective. He had,
however, had to resort to taking his hat from his head several times while standing
and holding it in front of himself. He did get his fair share of odd looks this afternoon.

“I still don’t think it was a very good idea,” Philip said, “you really should’ve
asked me before you did anything for
that
woman.”

Jasper rose partially from his seat, ready to call Philip out when he recalled he
hadn’t told Philip what he had been up to this morning with Grace. He forced his mind
back to the conversation they were having and sat back down.

“I don’t see how your opinion matters; besides, the papers have been signed. It’s
not up for discussion anyway.”

“I understand why you feel responsible towards her, but don’t you suppose you’re carrying
it a little too far? Ten thousand pounds is a bit much. I don’t even expend that much
on my mistress.”

“Your mistress isn’t worth that much. Lady Anne is. Besides, with me jilting her,
she may not receive a better offer. I don’t see the harm and I’m sure she can find
use for the money.”

“Your fiancée may not appreciate your generosity,” Philip pointed out.

“She’s not going to know about it, is she?” Jasper tossed the rest of his whiskey
down his throat and rose from his chair. “I’ll see you later.” He was tired of this
conversation but Philip was right, Grace wouldn’t like it if she found out. He’d just
have to make sure she didn’t.

Chapter Fourteen

The next morning Grace was lost in her thoughts of Jasper while Victoria chattered
on at the breakfast table. She discovered all she needed to do was nod or make a small
noise to encourage Victoria to keep talking. This suited Grace just fine. She couldn’t
concentrate on anything other than the ‘mistake’ anyway.

“I want to hold a party in your honour, but since it’s winter, too many of my friends
are in the country, so I believe a music recital would be just the thing. What do
you think?” Victoria’s voice continued.

“That sounds nice.”

“Oh good, I was hoping you could sing for us. Do you know any songs?”

“Hmm?” Grace lifted her eyes from her breakfast she was pushing around her plate and
looked at Victoria.

“Do you know any songs, Grace?” Victoria spoke slowly, making Grace wonder how many
times she had asked the same question.

“Of course I know songs.”

“Good. It’s settled then. We’ll have it on Tuesday. Don’t forget to practise.”

Hoskins brought in the morning mail just then and Grace forced herself to listen as
Victoria read all the invitations for the coming days.

“We of course can’t attend everything. For one thing, you don’t have enough gowns.”
Victoria tapped her chin thoughtfully. “We’ll have to do something about that. Hmm.
How about I get Mme Beauparlant to come after the recital so we can top up your wardrobe?
The items I purchased before were meant to be a temporary fix but since it appears
you’re staying…well, we might as well introduce you to society properly.”

With her clothes sorted, Grace went back to pushing her food around her plate and
Victoria continued to go through the mail.

“Ah, look.” She held up a crisp card embossed with golden writing. “It’s an invitation
to Lady Blade’s Monday night. Have you met Jasper’s friend Lord Eaglestone? Well,
it’s his mother. She and her husband, Lord Blade, are wonderful friends of the family.
It would be fabulous to introduce you to a family of their standing. The more people
of their ilk you are associated with, the more likely you will be accepted into society.
Oh this could not have come at a better time.” Victoria clapped her hands lightly
together in glee.

Grace smiled at Victoria’s obvious excitement.

“I’ll send a reply straight away. And one to Jasper too, I think. He will be coming
as well.”

Victoria’s words were enough to wipe the smile from Grace’s face but what she said
next sent dread into her heart.

“Perhaps we should arrange for you to travel there with Jasper in his carriage? I
know it’s just not done, but considering you’re already engaged to be married, it
will hardly cause the stir it might otherwise do. Lord knows you need to get to know
each other better before the wedding. Why, I don’t even think you have spent any time
alone together, have you?”

Victoria floated from the room to write her letters, leaving Grace to her cold breakfast
and thoughts of being alone with Jasper, in a confined space, without any means of
escape.