Wicked Deception (44 page)

Learning Iverleigh married recently was
another shocking piece of news, knowing how the man felt for
Nicky’s wife all these years. Caspian could not believe the man
would actually marry another with Nicky dead and Catherine free. He
smiled as he thought of her refusal to hide at the Earl’s house
weeks ago, telling him she hardly ran back to her old
lover.

She refused Lord Iverleigh’s suit; it
was obvious. The nobleman wed hastily to save face for her
rejection. He quelled a pleased chuckle to know his fair muse had
surprised him once more. There was no other explanation for why she
wasn’t Iverleigh’s new Countess.

He could hardly climb down from his
perch and ask her. Better to watch her from afar than gaze into her
mesmerizing emerald eyes, see her full ruby lips part in surprise
at his daring, see fear course through her to know she was very
much still at risk.

Caspian had bought the flower on
impulse, something he never did. He watched the boy run it to her
and sighed, almost seeing the pulse flutter at her neck as she
brought the rose to her delicate nose.

A pang of such overwhelming desire
almost made him slide off the roof to see her looking around for
him, even from this distance, seeing her hopeful expression and her
disappointment as she went inside.

His heart had raced to see the signs
his infatuation wasn’t one-sided. Sighing, he rolled onto his back
and stared up into the blue, fading skies of the afternoon, longing
to go after the black-clad creature of his dreams and make her
his.

Caspian knew these fantasies of Nicky’s
wife were just that. She was beyond his reach. A woman like her was
far beyond Nicky too, but for fate’s hand putting them together.
Lightening never struck twice; he knew. Men like him didn’t slay
dragons for fair damsels and get lauded for their heroic efforts,
or even win the lady’s undying love as a prize. They were just
stories, nothing more.

Still, the sight of those amazing eyes
looking up and down the street for some sign of him made him
anxious to get back to his music. His men would cover the watch
until his return. He refused to allow anyone else to watch over her
at night when she was the most vulnerable.

He would be back tonight, to see her
light her lamp and stand at the window, an expression of such
longing in her face he nearly wept to see it. He cursed Iverleigh
for his damnable pride as he slid down the roof and found his
footing.

~ ~ ~

Gillian knew when Collins arrived in
her salon that Christian arrived. It was early. She knew this visit
wasn’t of a social nature. It was three days since their engagement
to attend the theatre was thwarted by Gabriel.

She was furious when he failed to
arrive the next night to take her to Lady Bromley’s dinner and sent
his regrets instead. All other engagements they planned to attend
were cancelled by Lord Lyndon since then.

Christian’s handsome face bore a trace
of regret as he entered the salon. He looked angry and apologetic.
His blue eyes met hers with a touch of mockery in them as he joined
her upon the settee. His finely chiseled features were etched in a
look she had never seen before.

He raked a hand through his
neatly-trimmed sandy locks, meeting her eyes with unmistakable
fondness. “It would seem your husband warns me away, Gillian.” His
lips curved into a bitter smile. His eyes traced her heart-shaped
face with sadness. “I have come here against his warnings to bid
you adieu.”

“
This is ridiculous,
Christian!” she said angrily, her lips flattened with displeasure.
“Last I heard my husband wanted only his good name restored. He has
no right to warn you away.”

“
He is your husband,
Gillian,” Christian reminded her with a knowing smile and shook his
head, patting her hand fondly. “I had hoped he would ignore you and
leave you to me, but clearly Iverleigh has other
thoughts.”

“
I don’t care what he thinks
or feels, Christian,” she argued, her sea green eyes narrowing with
displeasure. “He assured me ours was to be merely an arrangement,
and he seeks to change the rules now. It isn’t fair. He has his
mistress. Mrs. Klein saw Catherine Van Ryker leaving his residence
only yesterday.”

“
You’re his countess,
Gillian,” he pointed out, giving her a look that spoke volumes. “It
is your duty to give him an heir. Your marriage may be for
appearances only, my dear, but it is also with the expectation he
has his legal issue. I have no choice but to succeed to his wish
and stay away from you now.”

“
Oh rubbish, Christian!
Since when do you agree with Gabriel on anything?” she asked
irritably. He chuckled delightedly at her waspish words.

“
He is your husband, my
dear. I will not have him undo all we have worked for this last
month to make you a success,” Christian responded cheerfully.
“Knowing him as I do, he will doubtless make a scene. Your behavior
could be questioned. I simply will not have it.”

“
Do I have something to say
in this?”

“
No, you do not,” he
informed her and smiled in amusement at her livid features. “You’re
to be Iverleigh’s broodmare, my dear. Let us hope you give him a
son in short order. Then you can have your own life back. He will
not allow you any choice and he is well within his rights in this.
Society would frown upon your denying him his due,
Gillian.”

“
I don’t care what anyone
thinks!” Gillian stormed furiously and saw his lips tighten at her
words. “But you do, Christian? That is why you’re here, is it
not?”

“
I have enjoyed our time
together, my dear, but it is time you fulfilled your end of the
bargain to Iverleigh,” Christian replied gently, loathing the
sadness he saw creeping into her eyes. “This is very much goodbye.
To press this issue would cause a scandal that the both of you
would not survive. I would be angry to see my finest work
destroyed.”

“
He doesn’t deserve your
consideration, Christian,” Gillian said softly, feeling her heart
aching to lose her friend. “He would certainly not thank you for
paving our way into society.”

“
Be that as it may, Gillian,
I’m very much a gentleman and can do nothing but stand aside.”
Christian rose, smiling down at her. He took her hand and brought
it to his lips with regret. “You have my fondest wishes, Lady
Iverleigh. I have no doubt you will be back one day.” He turned and
was gone, leaving her achingly alone.

Gillian was angry. Gabriel forced
Christian out of her life by sending a note. He knew Christian well
enough to know he didn’t dare argue the matter. To do so would risk
all their reputations. Christian did this for her, she
knew.

He had little fondness for Gabriel,
though he never spoke of it. Obviously something had happened to
put the men at odds. She would not learn from it from her friend.
He was far too much a gentleman to condemn her husband in her
eyes.

~ ~ ~

Lord Iverleigh arrived at his wife’s
residence determined to force Gillian to accept her lot. He was
informed she retired early. He glanced at the clock and chuckled.
It was only eight. She must be pining for Christian to take to her
bed so early. He went up to her room and entered without
knocking.

She was sitting by the fire reading
dressed in only her shift and dressing robe. His dark eyes noted
the tight set of her lips. He tossed his coat over her dressing
table chair. She set down her book and glared at him.

“
My, you’re rather
determined to alienate you mistress, aren’t you, Lord Iverleigh? I
should inform her she is losing her appeal,” she noted icily,
pulling the opening of her robe shut from his heated glance. Her
husband’s features hardened at her words. His hands went to his
neck cloth and undid it without breaking her angry stare. “I do not
appreciate you barging into my house whenever you wish
it.”

“
I think we both know why
I’m here, Gillian. Do yourself a favor and leave her out of it,”
Gabriel said coolly. “I take it Christian is out of the picture and
that is why you’re sulking? I warned you to stay away from him. As
I expected, you had no intention of keeping your word.”

Gillian flounced out of the chair and
sent him a withering glare, her features livid. “Christian stands
aside only to save my reputation, my lord.” She watched him undo
his buttons with an unconscious feeling of anticipation despite her
angry words. “He is very much what you cannot claim to be; a true
gentleman.”

Gabriel laughed as he wrenched his
shirt off, his dark eyes meeting hers with insulting deliberation.
His hands went to his breeches and undid his fastenings. “You
obviously know nothing of Christian at all, Gillian,” he mocked
with ridicule laced in his voice. “Had you offered the slightest
provocation, he would have had your skirts around your ears, my
dear. He preys on women like you. I will not be made a fool of
again.”

“
Your status of a fool is
well-founded without any help from Christian,” she snapped and saw
his face flush in anger. “Do not speak ill of him. He has been
nothing but kind to me. I will not allow you to abuse him in my
presence.”

“
Don’t defend the man to me.
I know him far better than you do, wife!”Gabriel roared and kicked
his clothing free, naked and livid, and obviously aroused. She
swallowed hard and looked away. “You know nothing of him at all. If
you did we wouldn’t be having this argument. You will give me what
I want. You can have the blackguard then for all I care. Until
then, you will get in that bed and you will refuse me
nothing.”

“
You’re one to sling slurs,
my lord. Your mistress was seen leaving your home only a day ago,
yet you dare to cast aspersions upon Christian? I will not give you
anything, do you hear? Go to hell!” She shouted in outrage, her
fury so evident he was taken aback by it.

He smiled in delight at the way her
eyes sparkled when she was enraged. The way her face flushed made
her glow to match her damnable hair. He was furious and so hot he
could hardly wait to get her into bed. He reached out and grabbed
her without further words and shoved her towards the bed, his dark
eyes raging with lust.

“
Don’t pretend you don’t
enjoy it, wife,” he jeered as he tugged open her robe and looked
down at her heaving bosom beneath her shift knowingly. “You can lie
there and pretend for all I care.” He scooped her into his arms and
tossed her onto the bed. She let out furious curses as he came down
on top of her.

He ripped the garment from her body.
She gasped as his hands tangled in her hair, holding her thrashing
head still as his mouth came down upon hers. Gillian was furious
with him and her, as she felt her traitorous body grow alarmingly
warm as his mouth moved with insistent pressure over
hers.

She was determined to ignore the way he
made her feel, but as soon as his hands slid over her with slow,
expert caresses, she was lost, and shaking. Her unruly tongue ended
his attack upon her senses like a dousing of icy water. She tore
her mouth free from his and stared up at him with
hatred.

“
Just get it over with, and
be quick about it!” she snarled, enjoying the way his dark eyes
narrowed at her words.

Gabriel was so angry he wanted to
punish her for her words. His mouth slanted with bruising hardness
over hers once more as his knee forced her legs open to him. She
let out a harsh sob as he thrust hungrily inside her, and struggled
against the pain of his entry.

Gabriel took her without any tenderness
this time, pounding punishingly inside of her until he stiffened
and came quickly. He rolled off of her stiff body in disgust. He
sat up moodily, dismayed with himself and her for destroying what
he had planned to be a long, pleasurable evening.

She had rolled to her side, presenting
him with her back. He traced the beauty of her body, now rigid with
outrage with sudden regret, knowing he had not improved himself in
her eyes. She hated him even more now.

He stood up and dressed quietly,
shaking with what he had done, and ashamed of his lack of control
with her. He had never acted this way with any other, and cursed
her for pushing him to anger every time she opened her
mouth.

“
You bring this upon
yourself, Gillian,” he said darkly as he grabbed his coat off the
chair. “It makes no difference to me if you wish to play the
martyr. I will be back until you give me what I want.”

“
Get out! You sicken me!”
she cried with a harsh sob, her hands pulling the comforter around
her. “I count the days until I’m free of you!”

“
As do I, madam, as do I,”
he fumed coldly and stalked out of her room, slamming the door shut
behind him. He leaned against the door and gritted his teeth as he
listened to her cry inside the room. His hand went to the knob,
wanting to go to her, but he turned away and left. He took the
stairs quickly and left.

Something was very wrong with Lady
Iverleigh. None could name it these days as she went about her
social schedule with only Mrs. Plumb in tow. Lord Lyndon was at his
country estate. Some whispered of seeing her husband’s coach
outside her house each night. He never stayed over. The lady
appeared exuberant but the sadness in her eyes was marked and
noted.