Tenacious Trents 03 - A Reluctant Rake (12 page)

“Why would she possibly be jealous of
me?”

Jordan simply stared at her. Did Audrey
have no idea how beautiful she was? Such lovely golden hair and
soft, warm brown eyes and lips, pink as a rosebud and ripe for
kissing. Jordan wanted to kiss her but feared where it would lead
or that she would reject him again. She may be here to apologize
for a misunderstanding but she hadn’t indicated she wished to
further their relationship.

“There is more.” She sighed

How worse could it be?

“Millicent truly believes it was you.”
Her face grew crimson. “It was dark and in the middle of the night
so Millicent couldn’t see who was there and the gentleman claimed
to be you.”

Who would go to Millicent’s bed and
claim to be him? Unless it was Lydell, but to what purpose? Simply
being found in the ladies room would have sealed his
fate?

“Millicent’s maid found Lydell with her
the next morning and Millicent believes you left when she fell
asleep and Lydell replaced you.”

“She honestly believes such a thing,
when I was never there? She is that stupid?”

Miss Montgomery shrugged.

He should be livid for what Lydell had
done by using his name, but Jordan was too happy to have this
misunderstanding between him and Audrey resolved. “Why did you
start questioning her story now?”

“She has been acting strangely since
the Season began. Millicent is intent on having you one way or the
other.”

Lady Lydell’s behavior toward him was
now becoming clear.

“When I saw you with her last night, in
the hall, I knew something was not right.”

Jordan was hoping he would not have to
explain the encounter to Miss Montgomery because he had no
explanation for it, until now.

She chuckled. “You were terrified, at
least by my observation.”

“That I was.”

“If you had done what she claimed, or
were in love with her as Millicent insists, you would not have been
so intent on looking for an escape.”

He chuckled. At least Miss Montgomery
didn’t find it unmanly that he wanted to run away from a
woman.

She sobered and looked up at him. Her
brown eyes were darker than usual. “Will you please forgive me for
treating you so horribly?”

And he had planned or thought to be the
one who would need to apologize, once he learned whatever wrongs he
could have committed just to have her back in his arms. “Of
course.” He pulled her close and wrapped his arms about
her.

She looked up at him and blinked. “I
feel terrible for thinking the worst of you.”

“Hush,” he whispered and brought his
lips to hers.

His mouth descended on hers and Miss
Montgomery’s arms moved higher and she threaded her fingers through
his hair. Her full breasts pushed against his chest and her warmth
penetrated his clothing. He had waited so long for her to welcome
him into her arms.

Jordan groaned and pulled her closer,
deepening the kiss further, mating his tongue with hers. He grew
hard with desire and it took everything he had not to lay her down
on the settee and make love to her in one of the many ways he had
dreamed about since meeting her. But, he would do this right. They
would court, he would propose, and then they would marry. Then on
their wedding night she would be his, and not before. He was going
to do one thing respectable in his life though a special license
was not out of the question.

“I told Grace she should never leave my
brother alone with a lady.” Matthew’s voice jolted Jordan from his
intentions. Audrey squeaked and turned toward the door. Thank
goodness her skirts blocked all view of his person.

“Did it ever occur to you to knock?”
Jordan asked.

“Not in my own home.”

“I apologize,” Audrey stammered. “I
don’t know what came over me.”

Matthew chuckled. “My brother no
doubt.”

Jordan wouldn’t have minded being over
her, but now was not the place or time.

Jordan stepped into one of the large
warehouses not far from the ships floating along the Thames. He had
been in warehouses before but one never as busy as this one. Men
were everywhere directing shipments, loading crates, moving them
from one end of the warehouse to the other, shouting out orders. It
was as precise and fascinating as watching a ballet.

He chuckled to himself recalling the
time his father learned he enjoyed the ballet. Jordan had convinced
him that it was simply because of the costumes. The skirts were not
short, but they were above a woman’s ankles and made of the
lightest material that when they turned, more leg was exposed than
allowed in proper public. And, who could argue with tight bodices?
This had seemed to calm his father but it had nothing to do with
why Jordan enjoyed the ballet. He loved the beauty of the dance and
the story told through movement.

Would Audrey enjoy the ballet? He would
need to get tickets for the next performance. The family box was
situated close to the stage and they would have an unobstructed
view.

A weight had been lifted from him, now
that he knew the truth. Eventually he would find out why Lydell had
lied that night, but it didn’t matter. Audrey knew the
truth.

A large burly man stepped in front of
Jordan, crossed his arms over his broad chest and stared down.
“What business do you have here?”

Jordan sobered and dismissed the ballet
and Audrey from his mind. “I would like to speak with Mr. Jonathan
Bridges.”

“What business do you have with Mr.
Bridges?” The man’s chin went up a notch and as he braced his
feet.

Jordan didn’t think he was that
menacing in appearance and he would sooner avoid this man at all
cost than risk being struck by such a brute. “I am here on behalf
of his sister, Lady Rothsbury.”

“Trent, what brings you down to the
docks?”

He and the brute turned to find Bridges
standing at the top of a stairway that led to what Jordan assumed
were the shipping offices. The brute took a step back and let his
arms fall to his side. Apparently Jordan was no longer a threat,
not that he had ever been. “I am here about your
nephews.”

Concern marred Bridge’s brow and he
motioned Jordan to come up.

A moment later Jordan was entering
Bridge’s office and the door was shut to block out the noise of the
warehouse below.

Bridges turned to him, fists planted on
hips. “Has something happened?”

“Has your sister spoken with you about
her concerns?”

Bridges sighed and sank into the chair
behind his desk. “Yes, but there is little I can do.” He bent down
and opened a drawer in his desk and withdrew a bottle of brown
liquid before reaching behind and grabbing two glasses from a
shelf. “I am not part of your world and have little power to go
against a lord.” He poured as he spoke.

Bridges may be in the shipping business
but he held more power than he knew, or cared for because he was a
very rich man. “I’ve sent Creighton to the country.”

Bridges snorted and handed Jordan a
glass. “I doubt he will stay there long.”

“I think I’ve found a way to change the
guardianship, if you are willing.”

Bridges sat forward in
interest.

“Would you become the guardian for your
nephews and manage their inheritance until the oldest comes into
his majority, if I am able to convince a judge and perhaps
Parliament?”

“Of course.” Bridges took a drink.
“I’ll even do my best to see their funds increase.”

Jordan had expected as much. “I will
see what I can do about making it happen.” He tipped the glass back
and allowed the whisky to warm his throat and stomach. This day was
going better than he anticipated.

Audrey felt as light as air. The ball
was the most enjoyable she had ever attended. Even Viscount
Renway’s sweaty hands could not dampen her mood this evening,
though she was glad to have that dance behind her.

“I wish Jordan woul=-d show a bit more
discretion.”

Audrey stifled a sigh at Millicent’s
words. There were other balls taking place this evening, why did
Millicent have to be here and wish to stand with her? It was a
silly question of course. Millicent would be where Trent was and
currently he was speaking with Lady Rothsbury. The two had their
heads together in what appeared to be a serious conversation. On
the other hand, Mr. Trent had presented himself to Audrey almost
the moment she stepped into the ballroom, taking her dance card and
choosing the supper dance. A gentleman didn’t do such a thing if he
was no longer interested in courtship. Yet, there was no official
agreement, and there might never be so there was nothing she could
say with regard to his relationship with Lady Rothsbury.

Yet, his kiss today had turned her
knees to mush. A gentleman did not kiss a lady in such a way or
hold her scandalously close if he weren’t interested in courtship,
did he? Yet, he did have a horrible reputation, which she needed to
remember. And, he was in deep discussion with Lady Rothsbury.
Audrey just hoped she didn’t see him leaving her house again
tomorrow morning.

“Don’t you agree?”

Audrey turned to look at Millicent.
What had her friend said? And, could she still consider Millicent a
friend? “Agree?”

“That Jordan should show more
discretion.”

“I don’t believe he has done anything
improper this evening.”

Millicent rolled her eyes. “He is
panting after that widow. If he would come to me I would see that
all of his needs were met.” Millicent sighed and shivered. “It
would give me great pleasure to do so.”

Audrey’s stomach churned. She wasn’t
sure exactly what his needs may be. Her mother refused to discuss
intimacies but promised Audrey she would force herself to address
the topic on the eve of her wedding. Audrey did have a few ideas,
but other than an odd feeling in her stomach and nether regions and
the tightness and tingling in her breasts when Trent kissed her,
she knew nothing else. Oh, she knew it involved the more private
areas of her body and knew how babies were born, but she was never
told exactly how they arrived there in the first place. Yet, it
couldn’t be that unpleasant since Millicent was willing to
participate in the activity with Trent.

“You should be more concerned with your
husband’s needs,” Audrey hissed quietly, her face burning from even
referencing such a topic. Perhaps in time Millicent would realize
that Trent would not be hers and perhaps Millicent would learn to
appreciate her husband. If only Lydell would confess what happened
that night then perhaps Millicent would give up her infatuation of
Trent. Then again, perhaps he had and Millicent simply refused to
believe him. It was quite possible given that woman’s state of
mind.

“Lydell is taken care of, often.”
Millicent dismissed with a smile. “It is Jordan who I want,
however.”

As did Audrey, yet she wasn’t sure they
wanted the same thing, or perhaps they did. Millicent was far more
of an expert on the subject that Audrey knew nothing
about.

“He will tire of her soon,” Millicent
finally stated.