The Princess in His Bed (16 page)

Just how the bloody hell was he going to maintain the ruse
here
?

Emilie stepped around the footman and walked into the château. Joseph turned on his heel and snatched up his mask. “There is a party under way. I’m off.” He marched out of the room without a look back.

Gilbert turned to Vincent. “Well? Shouldn’t we join in?”

Vincent glanced down at the courtyard, noting the woman was gone. He smiled good-naturedly. “Absolutely. I believe the first thing I’m going to do is acquaint myself with the newly arrived lady.”

“You’re here!” Beaming, Pauline de Naylon, Comtesse de Saint-Arnaud, stepped around the desk in her library toward Emilie, her arms wide open.

Removing her demi-mask, Emilie smiled at her aunt, hoping she didn’t look as nervous as she felt. Her heart had pounded the entire trip from her town house in the city to the Comtesse’s country estate. The closer she got to the Comtesse’s château, the more she wrestled with her courage. What she was doing was daring. Risky. A tad foolhardy. She’d purposely distanced herself from many of the guests and their vicious tongue-wagging years ago.

It took everything she had not to turn and run back into hiding.

Pauline embraced her warmly and pressed her cheek to hers. “I’m delighted you came.”

“Hrrmph.” Twenty years Emilie’s senior, her cousin Marthe d’Arbac, Marquise de Sere, scowled from the doorway. She’d all but dragged her feet from the Comtesse’s main doors to the library. “Your invitation has drawn her into the Den of Iniquity. What is there to be delighted about?”

“Ah, Marthe.” Pauline’s smile faded. Her tone was flat. “You made the trip, too. It was lovely of you to accompany Emilie. Feel free to take your leave at any time.” Pauline looped arms with Emilie. “She’s in good hands now.”

Marthe lifted her chin a notch and clasped her hands before her. Emilie sensed it was likely to keep herself from strangling Pauline. The two women had maintained an unwavering animosity, stemming from their court battle where Marthe and her husband, the late Marquis de Sere, had won guardianship of Emilie as a child and control over her vast fortune until she came of age—years ago. Pauline from her mother’s side and Marthe from her father’s side of the family, the only things they had in common were their age. And their widowhood.

Marthe’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll not abandon Emilie in this . . .
place
. It’s utterly shocking what you allow in your home. Public fornication.”

Emilie sighed. “Marthe, that will be quite en—”

“I allow private fornication as well,” Pauline said. “Perhaps if you had a man more often, Marthe, you wouldn’t be quite so shocked.”

Emilie mentally cringed. A battle was afoot.

Just as expected, Marthe fired back. “Oh, you . . . ! You are utterly
brazen
! You see what I mean, Emilie? She is shameless. She always has been. We should get back in the carriage and return home immediately.”

“She has been cloistered long enough!” Pauline countered, releasing Emilie’s arm. She pointed an accusatory finger at Marthe. “You’re to blame. You and that horrible late husband of yours—”

Emilie took a deep breath, striving for patience. The last thing she needed was bickering between her kin. Her nerves were far too frayed. She’d come looking for a break from the monotony in her life. But this wasn’t the sort of entertainment she had in mind.

Both women meant the world to her.

If she hadn’t wanted Marthe and Pauline to repair their rift, she’d have left Marthe behind, given her own carnal intent. Perhaps it was too ambitious to plan on enjoying a lover
and
bringing Marthe and Pauline together after all this time, hoping they’d finally make peace.

Emilie held up a hand to silence them and implored, “Enough. Both of you.
Please
. Darling Aunt Pauline, you simply must attempt to be nice to Marthe.”

Pauline crossed her arms. “She doesn’t make it easy. She’s entirely too single-minded and obstinate.”

Marthe sucked in a sharp breath, indignant. Emilie walked over and placed an arm around her. Giving her an affectionate squeeze, she quickly stemmed Marthe’s flow of hot words. “Qualities you both share at times, no?” she asked, looking pointedly at both women.

Marthe clamped her mouth shut and looked away. Pauline simply studied the state of the nails on her left hand. Both refused to admit the truth.

Taking advantage of the silence, Emilie continued. “Now then, we’ve discussed this,” she said to Marthe. “I’ll not be dissuaded. I’m seeing this through. If you don’t wish to stay, you may leave. I shall see you at home in a week.”

“But Emilie . . .” Marthe said. “What you’re planning to do . . . You’re actually contemplating your own
ruin
. You don’t belong here. You are not like these women.”

Those words had bite, though Emilie knew they were innocently dealt.

She smoothed a hand down her cloak. It was summer. A cloak wasn’t needed, but she wore one anyway. She owned several, various colors, various fabrics. Heavy to light. Ornate to plain. For every season. The more she covered her body, the more confidence she had. It was something she’d done since she was a child. It hadn’t stopped the ridicule. Nothing ever had.

It gave her a certain comfort to envelop herself within the coverings of fabric. A barrier between her and the outside world.

But she was tired of the way she lived.

Tired of living vicariously through the characters in the books she read, the theater she frequented on occasion, and the precious few friends she corresponded with.

Tired of not really living at all.

Her discontent had become so deep, it had dragged her out of her safe solitary existence straight into one of the Comtesse’s notorious masquerades. “You are correct. I am not like these women. Or any woman. Thanks to the scars,” she said. “And no amorous encounter could bring about my ruin. My ruin happened long ago in a fire that took the lives of my parents and left me in this rather sorry—unmarriageable—state.”

Marthe lowered her head.

“Love and marriage are beyond my reach. I’ve made my peace with that,” Emilie said. “But I refuse to live out my life without ever knowing a taste of passion.”

As long as it was real and as scintillating as the passion she’d read about.

“If passion is what you want, then that is exactly what you shall have,
ma chère
,” Pauline said. “Besides, marriage is highly overrated. Trust me, I should know. I was married to the Comte de Saint-Arnaud. A lover is much more preferable than a husband. You can easily change a lover.”

Marthe’s head shot up. “Have you no decency?”

“Oh, hush, Marthe.” Pauline walked up to Emilie and pulled her away from her older cousin. “You are going to enjoy yourself this week.”

“But—But—what if they recognize her?” Marthe asked. “You know what they did years ago—”

“No one will recognize me,” Emilie cut her off abruptly, not wanting to remember that night. Or talk about it. She knew Marthe meant well. Unlike her husband, the Marquis de Sere, who had been more interested in Emilie’s inheritance than in her, Marthe’s affections were genuine. “After such a lengthy absence, no one will think for a moment that I’d be in attendance. Besides, everyone wears masks at all times and even costumes. Isn’t that so?” she asked Pauline. Her layered mode of dress wouldn’t look odd here.

“Yes. The ladies especially. They make every effort to maintain their anonymity—with both elaborate masks and outfits. I find men don’t make as much of an effort to conceal their identities, but they, too, wear the required mask. And no one, absolutely no one, is permitted to unmask anyone here. However, if during a carnal encounter, in a
private
setting, one chooses to reveal oneself, then that is between the lovers at play.”

Marthe slapped her hands over her ears. “I can’t listen to this.”

Pauline’s smile broadened at Marthe’s discomfort. “There are plenty of men here to choose from, Emilie. Many of them were not there that horrible night.”

Pauline’s response made Emilie’s heart flutter. There was a very special man somewhere in the Comtesse’s home, one who wasn’t part of that incident a decade ago.

Vincent d’Alumbert.

He’d mentioned in his letter that he, too, would be in attendance at the masquerade. She’d only ever seen him once, from afar, a long, long time ago. She was so eager to see him up close and in person. More than she could ever admit. Probably more than she should.

But she couldn’t help having tender feelings for him. He and his letters were a source of joy. She felt so very close to him, having forged a connection with him she’d never had with anyone else. There was nothing she couldn’t ask him. Or tell him. And she’d divulged plenty.

Given what she was attempting to do—indulge in debauchery—it settled her nerves just knowing he’d be present. On hand to offer advice if she needed it.

Pauline donned her silver-colored demi-mask with white plumes, then approached, placed her hands on Emilie’s shoulders, and looked her firmly in the eye. “Are you absolutely certain you want to do this?” she asked.

Emilie tamped down her fears and self-doubt and steeled her courage. “Yes.” Just once she wanted to be desired. For the next few days, she was going to step into the world of make-believe. With the aid of her masks, be transformed into someone else. For the first time ever, she wasn’t going to be looked at as a misfit. Or damaged. She wouldn’t be
Emilie Embers
.
Singed Emilie de Sarron
. Or equally as detestable,
The Ugly Little Duckling
—cruel names she’d endured all her life.

She deserved to be wanted. Kissed. Touched. Held. Every woman did, no matter her plight.

“Very well. Then let us begin.” Pauline took Emilie’s demi-mask of gold and red from her hand and tied it in place. “There’s no time like the present.” Looping her arm with Emilie’s once again, she led her to the door. “You don’t have to worry about approaching the men. They’ll no doubt approach you.”

2

The Comtesse opened the library door.

Sounds of chatter and gaiety rushed up to Emilie. Her pulse quickened. In the tapestry-lined hallway, groupings of people were clustered about, the throng in attendance having swelled into the corridor.

Be brave now
.
You are going to do this
.

Nothing was going to ruin this for her. Certainly not the people who’d ruined what was to be a special night ten years ago. This time would be different. She’d made certain of it. She’d taken every precaution. Thought the plan through, contemplating every foreseeable scenario.

She had a strong feeling this was going to be a week she’d never forget.

The crowd shifted. A couple across the hallway caught Emilie’s attention. A gentleman in a bright yellow justacorps had a woman pinned against the wall as she willingly, eagerly participated in a heated, most ravenous kiss. So engrossed in each other, they were completely unaware of anything else. Or anyone else.

Imagine having a man that hungry for you, Emilie
. . . The wistful thought echoed in the empty chambers inside her heart.

She’d spent too many nights lying in her empty bed picturing it . . . wondering what it would be like with a very specific, potently appealing man.

But that man was a dear friend. And he’d never think of her in that way or desire her like that.

“Madame . . . Mademoiselle . . .” A male voice interrupted her thoughts. She dragged her gaze away from the lovers to the gentleman standing before her.

Her breath lodged in her throat. Though he wore a demi-mask, she recognized his tall, sculpted form immediately. And especially those blue eyes . . .

“Good afternoon.” His voice was smooth, rich, masculine, as he addressed both her and her aunt with a slight bow. “Would you care to join me for a walk?” He held out his hand to Emilie.