The Wicked Game (A Wicked Game Novel) (3 page)

But when he opened the door, there she was. It would have been bad enough if she had just been sitting around but when he opened the door, she was in front of the mirror with her robe around her waist. He had only caught a small glimpse of her in the mirror before she pulled up the robe and turned around but it was enough to set him into a temporary paralysis. He had expected her to scream and him to be murdered, most literally, but instead her eyes fixed on him for a few moments. What was she looking at? Was she in shock too?

He tried to pull his eyes away but he still could not move. She was wet and her robe was white and that was all there was to it. Even though she was mostly covered, the robe was sticking to her damp body and he could see every thrilling curve of her from the top to the bottom. He could even see a little bit through the robe. He felt a heat in his body and then he felt the beginning of a swelling. He saw her eyes move down and he prayed that she wouldn’t see his body’s reaction. Oh God, what a thing to pray for!

He had just looked back at her face when awareness flashed in her eyes. She gasped and pulled her robe tightly around her.

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my room?”

His paralysis ceased and though usually extremely verbose, he struggled for words.

“Well—um—I—the maid, she—”

In desperation he pointed towards the table by the window that was obviously broken. When he looked back at her, her face was stern as stone. So different than it had been only a few seconds before.

“Please leave my room.”

Andrew turned on his heels and fled, wondering what had just passed between them.

***

Angela’s body went faint and she literally fell to the chair next to her. She grabbed a small leaflet of paper and began to fan herself. She was breathing heavily and she felt lightheaded. How could she have let that happen? If this were any other day she would have been dressed by now and long gone from the room. Long ago Angela had rejected the idea of having someone else dress her when she was perfectly capable of doing it herself. She practiced diligently until she had gained enough flexibility in her arms and back to be able to completely dress herself without help. She was the only woman she knew that could lace her stays and button her own gown and be off to the kitchen to sneak a quick snack before it was time to leave for the night. Sarah knew this and that was obviously why she had sent this man up to her room to fix the table. But this had not been the case today. Today, instead of dressing, she had nonsensically decided to gawk at herself half naked in the mirror. Of course Sarah would never have expected that. And of course, the man had not expected it either.

Angela quickly got back in routine. She threw her chemise over her head and seized her stays, working quickly to attach the fastenings. She was just getting into her petticoat when Sarah walked into the room.

“Oh Miss Bennett, forgive me. I was not expecting you to still be in the room!” Sarah exclaimed.

“Neither was someone else…” Angela mumbled.

“Miss?” Sarah questioned as she added another item to her gossip list.

“Oh nothing. I just got umm, tied up for a moment and now I am running late.”

By now she had finished hooking her petticoat on and had slipped into the gown. She was angrily fighting with the buttons when Sarah again noticed the reading table.

“Oh Miss Bennett. Your table is still broken. Did the boy not come up here to look at it?”

“Yes he did.” Angela gave Sarah a sharp look. “But as you can see I was not done dressing so I, uh, called through the door for him to leave.” But now she was done dressing and she turned to face her maid.

Sarah looked embarrassed.

“I’ll fetch him back for you, Miss. He—”

“No, that won’t be necessary. I shall find him and introduce myself.” The words were out of her mouth before she knew what they meant. “Say what you want, and I know you will, but I assure you that I will speak to him in public, in full view of many others. Servant or royalty, I have no intentions of meeting any man in a secluded, dark corner. Ever!”

Sarah let her jaw gape open and Angela left her there to stew while she went in search of the handsome stranger.

Andrew disappeared down the hall as fast he could. What had happened back there? Why would that servant have sent him to the room of the Baron’s daughter and not warned him of her presence? Had it been some kind of cruel joke? Well whatever it had been it was not in the least bit funny. He had just seen the Baron’s daughter nearly naked. It was only a matter of time before she told someone and he would suffer the consequences. For a moment he thought about leaving. Just going right now. But if something were to come of this that action would be like admitting that he had meant to do it. And besides, he had never backed down from any obligation in his life. He was now obligated to serve this family and he would do so to the best of his abilities, for as long as he was allowed. Andrew had never known his mother but he inherited one trait from her that he held to tightly. His mother’s actions before his birth had taught him that some things in life are much more important than yourself. Andrew’s mother could have remained free. When she found herself pregnant she could have made many other choices, but instead she decided that her child’s life,
his
life, was more important than her own. And so she gave up her own life for his.

As foolish as it might prove to be, this was why he could not bring himself to run. He gave his word to serve the Bennett family and he would stay and follow his duty. If something amiss were to come of his earlier encounter with the Baron’s daughter then it was his obligation to see it through. To an outsider Andrew’s decision might seem brainless, but to him, his obligation was a binding promise, his word as a man, and he would not back down.

Andrew walked down the hallway that led to the servant’s stairs. He had briefly been shown where he would be sleeping before that maid had come looking for him. He didn’t have anything else to be doing at the moment so he was going up to his bed to think about his plan of action for what he knew was inevitable.

He had just put his foot on the stair when he heard someone storm up behind him.

“You!” he heard.

Andrew turned around but he already knew who it was. It was her and she sounded angry. Very Angry.

But God
, he thought when his eyes finally rested on her:
She sure is beautiful when she’s angry!

***

As it turned out, Angela might as well have met the man in a secluded dark corner because where she found him by the servant’s stairs was pretty close. She looked around cautiously half expecting Sarah to be peering from a corner but found nothing.
The one time she’s right and she’ll have no proof. How delicious.

Angela turned her thoughts back to the task at hand and briefly wondered again just why she had set out on this task. With no answers in mind she contemplated what she would say when she finally found him, but now that he was here in front of her she lost all sense of herself. Only one word came out.

“You!” She forced the sound through her chapped lips.

Her voice had most definitely not come out the way she wanted and she cursed her body for its betrayal. Angela’s intentions had been to approach him confidently, introduce herself, and act as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The stranger would then, of course, follow her lead… whatever that was. Nothing at all was going her way today. Her usually melodic voice left instead her mouth meek but somehow, at the same time, with an angry undertone.

What was wrong with her? As soon as she saw him standing there she went flush. Her knees slightly buckled and she lost her breath. Her first thought was that she must be embarrassed but she quickly dismissed it. This had not been the first time a servant had slipped into her room while she was less than decent. It was a common occurrence among all households with hired help and by custom it was never talked about and then “forgotten.” So again Angela puzzled over why she had been compelled to track down this man and confront him. Perhaps it was the moment of hesitation that passed between them. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it. All she knew was that she had been drawn to him nonetheless. Right now. This moment. It could not wait.

Angela took one stifled breath and tried to compose herself. The man heard her struggle for air and flashed her a concerned look.

“Is everything alright, Miss?”

Concerned? About her? When was the last time that had happened?

Angela’s knees weakened again and she almost fell over but the stranger reached out and caught her by the arm.

Her skin caught on fire.

She gasped and pulled back quickly. “Yes. Yes. I am quite alright thank you. I just lost my breath for a moment.”

She clasped her hands together in front of her and stood silent completely lost from her task.

The man gave her a questioning look. “Is there something you need?”

“Oh—umm—yes. I just wanted to come introduce myself. I am the Baron’s daughter, Angela Bennett. You may call me Miss Bennett.” She paused and gulped for air. Again. “And you are…?”

“Andrew Wilson, ma’am.” He bowed his head toward her.

Before she knew what was happening her body betrayed her once more and her hand was before him, offering it to be kissed. This was a strange gesture to offer a servant but she had done it almost unconsciously and to back down now would only make the situation worse. His face stayed calm but she thought she sensed a smile as he bowed his head to her, never once losing eye contact, and brushed his lips tenderly across her fingers.

Her fingers!

As if this entire situation had not been enough of a disaster, Angela had obviously forgotten that she was not wearing her gloves, and when his soft mouth swept her hand she melted. Literally. If she didn’t get out of here now she would be nothing more than a puddle on the floor.

“I must go,” she blurted, and as unceremoniously as the conversation had begun, it was over.

***

Andrew was relieved but more than that he was amused. He had to admit, he was quite scared when he saw Miss Bennett approaching him. He had expected to get an earful and maybe even be threatened, but instead she had lost her bearings. This sent a sense of pride through Andrew. The last time he had made a woman buckle at the knees, they had been in bed.

He shook his head in disbelief and then ascended the stairs to his quarters; a welcome warm feeling spreading through his body.

***

Now Angela
was
embarrassed. In fact, try as she might, she could not think of one single instance where she had ever been more embarrassed in her life! She had always prided herself on being a woman who was able to hold strong in any situation at any time. But here in front of this servant she had lost it. Of course this man (Andrew was it?) was not the first handsome man she had ever seen before. In a lifetime of parties and balls all designed for her to find a husband, Angela had seen many men who set her heart a flutter, but she had always been strong enough to control her inside emotions and keep herself composed.

There was absolutely no reason why this man, this…
servant
, should have even been attractive to her! His hair was all wrong and his clothes were all wrong and everything about him was just wrong!

But something about him was so right.

She softly slapped her hands against her cheeks as if the literal action might actually slap some sense into her.

Pull yourself together girl! He’s only a handsome man…and a servant at that!

She shook her entire body in an attempt to cast out the feelings rushing through it. She took a look around again just to make sure that Sarah was not watching. Now that would have just done it!

Suddenly a voice broke the silence and for the second time today Angela was startled back into reality.

“I didn’t find him that good looking myself…”

Angela turned around in horror half expecting Sarah but at once sighed a breath of relief to see that it was only Mary, her closest friend and cousin, on her mother’s side of course.

Seeing her now felt almost as relieving as it had felt to see her when she arrived with her mother last week. For one thing, she would finally have someone interesting to talk to at social events, and just maybe, she had thought a little selfishly, Mary’s presence would take some attention off of her. Mary was beautiful, by any man’s standards. She had flowing blonde hair, blue eyes, and a petite stature. She was a picture of the ultimate beauty.

At least until she opened her mouth.

She was crude and brazen and so it was no surprise that most gentlemen of society tended to look the other way. But Mary had never seemed to care what anyone thought, especially men. She spoke her mind and did as she pleased and those who didn’t like it could be damned. On looks alone she was exactly what men wanted, even more so than herself, but the moment she opened her mouth all bets were off. And Mary
would
open her mouth. Angela was beginning to have a sneaking suspicion that the type of man Mary required was not one of pleasant society.

One of these days, Mary’s wild antics were going to get them into trouble. But Angela loved Mary and her savage excitement, and had long ago decided that the rapture of adventure was worth more than the risks it created.

When they were together they were enduring and they were bold. They were the belles of every ball and the subject of every man’s wicked dreams. Neither of them enjoyed the attention they were afforded but they secretly relished in the rise they were able to get out of the gentlemen. It was a game to them now and a way to have some sort of control in their own lives. As horrible as it truly was it was their only sense of hold on their lives. So party after party and ball after ball they would engage the gentleman in conversation, flirting wickedly until he was weak in the knees… and leave him trembling as they dashed off to find more compelling prey. Of course no one would ever imagine that such gently bred women would play such a wicked game. Their flirting was seen as nothing more than impeccable women’s charm, a gift with which the cousins were highly regarded.