Gentleman's Guide 02 - His Contrary Bride) (20 page)

Marius stiffened. It was one thing for her
to be kissing all those dandies. It was quite another that his own
friend had decided to aid her. He couldn’t decide who he wanted to
throttle more and started for the terrace door, only to be stopped
by Taylor.

“Hold up. Chambers knows how you feel.
Perhaps he only wishes to discuss something with her.”

“He may just be doing this to irritate you
without any intention of kissing her,” Martin suggested.

“It wouldn’t be out of character for
Chambers, after all,” Lavins agreed.

Marius relaxed. It was just the type of
action Chambers would take for the sole purpose of aggravating him.
Of course Chambers would never kiss Sabrina because he knew Marius
would kill him.

Sabrina returned a short time later, alone.
Of course, that was not unusual either. She always returned alone.
Marius just didn’t understand the strange look on her face. Even if
Chambers had kissed her, it certainly hadn’t left a favorable
impression because she was practically frowning. Marius reminded
himself to ask his friend what had transpired later as he watched
Felding approach and claim his dance.

This time Marius kept an eye on Sabrina and
her dance partner. Chambers had yet to appear and Marius began to
have doubts in how far he could trust that friendship. Again,
Taylor clasped his arm to keep him from following Sabrina and
Felding as they left. Certainly both men didn’t have something to
say to her. They were kissing her, he decided with a scowl.
Whatever happened to loyalty?

This time Sabrina returned with Felding. The
same look was on her face. Chambers followed and the three
approached Marius and the group. Marius searched her face for any
signs of recent kissing. Then looked at his supposed friends.
Nobody could look him in the eye.

Marius became rigid with anger. “That is
entirely enough of this nonsense.” Taking Sabrina’s arm, “We are
leaving, my dear. There is a discussion we must have that is long
overdue.”

Sabrina pulled back and didn’t lift her feet
to follow. His blood boiled further and he whipped around. “Either
you come willingly with me or I will throw you over my
shoulder.”

Sabrina blinked back at him, her mouth
opened in shock.

“Well?”

She took a step forward. Marius enjoyed this
one moment of satisfaction and marched her through the crowed, down
the stairs, into the foyer and outside into the clear, star filled
night.

Outside they stood waiting for his carriage
and Marius held her hand in a tight grasp in the crook of his arm.
The silence continued after he handed her into the carriage and
took his seat. He drummed his fingers on the seat, waiting for the
carriage to leave the traffic behind. When he believed it was safe,
he turned and pulled her against him and lowered his mouth to hers.
He wanted to brand her, make her his and erase the memory of any
other kiss she experienced.

His arms tightened around her. He tilted his
head and deepened the kiss. Sabrina relaxed against him and opened
her mouth to his exploration while she explored herself. Her arms
went around his neck and held tight, never breaking her lips from
his.

*

Jolts of pleasure spiked through her body.
Only Marius made her feel this way. Only Marius made her pulse
quicken and her breaths shorten. The force of this kiss stirred her
own deeper passions and she wound her arms around his neck meeting
his desire, mating her tongue with his and the world
disappeared.

It was Marius who broke the kiss while
pulling away from Sabrina and groaning. “What am I going to do with
you?”

Coming out of her daze, Sabrina pulled away
as well. “There is nothing you need to
do
with me.” How dare
he treat her like a possession?

“I should have gone with my first instinct
when I pulled you from the house.”

Sabrina looked at him quizzically. “That
would be?”

“To turn you over my knee.”

“How dare you. You are not responsible for
me, nor are you my guardian.”

“It is clear your guardian doesn’t care what
you do.” His voice rose.

“Uncle James only cares that I don’t marry,”
Sabrina argued back.

“Exactly. This is why he didn’t once
intervene in your little experiment. He was hoping this little plan
of yours will ruin you for good.”

“I am well aware of that. Please quit
yelling at me. No harm has been done.” Marius relaxed back onto the
seat with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. “So, did
you learn anything from this experiment?”

Sabrina turned away from him. “Yes, I
believe I did.”

She twisted her hands in her lap. This was
something she had thought about, now to just tell him in a way that
doesn’t reveal that only his kisses stirred her.

“Did you favor any of them?”

Sabrina sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
She might as well tell him the truth. “Only a few could be
described as mildly pleasant. The rest, well I don’t wish to repeat
the experience.”

“I told you what we had was rare.”

“Of course, that wasn’t at all the case with
Mr. Chambers and Lord Felding.

Sabrina watched out of the corner of her eye
to see Marius stiffen.

“So they did kiss you.” Marius ground
out.

“Oh yes. They were happy to accommodate
me.”

“How dare they? I will kill them both.”

Sabrina was taken aback by his anger.

“I don’t understand why you are so angry
when none of the others seemed to bother you.”

“Oh, they bothered me but I wasn’t about to
interfere. What is unforgivable is that two of my closest friends
would kiss you. They know I am determined to marry you and know how
I would feel.”

Sabrina was alarmed by his rising temper.
“You are really making too much out of this.”

“I don’t believe that is true. It isn’t
every day a man learns he can’t trust his closest friends. So, did
you finally get a worthy comparison?” He barked at her.

Wide eyed, Sabrina scooted away from him.
She had pushed too far and should have told him the truth
immediately. She certainly didn’t want any friendship destroyed
over something so inconsequential. “No. They are more loyal than
you give them credit.”

Marius’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?
They did kiss you didn’t they?”

“Yes. Mr. Chambers kissed me here and Lord
Felding kissed me here.” Indicating to her cheeks. “It was no
different than the way Ramsey has ever kissed me – what I assume
would be brotherly affection.”

Marius stared at her for a few moments
before his posture relaxed and he was chuckling.

Sabrina was just as thankful this
conversation was behind them and Marius wasn’t angry any longer.
They had already stopped at Ramsey’s home and Sabrina rose to exit
the carriage. Marius reached over and laid his hand on her arm.
“Now that you know what we have is rare, do you agree that we
should marry?”

She stared at him. The man did not
understand at all. “No, Marius. Passion dies eventually. It is
still not a reason to marry.” She left before he had a chance to
say another word, and ran up to the house.

Sabrina decided to give up kissing. It had
been a failure anyway. The only knowledge she had gained was that
none of the gentlemen of her acquaintance could interest her.
Curses on Marius Parker for doing this to her.

She was just thankful she was not at another
ball this evening. Instead, she and Ramsey were attending a new
production. Glad to be away from crowds, she settled into her seat
in their private box. Sabrina barely noticed begin so lost in her
own thoughts. If she couldn’t leave London, then she would not
participate in the Season. This socializing was becoming tedious.
Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if Marius wasn’t everywhere. Even now
he was in a box not too far from theirs. Why did he have to be
everywhere she went?

Sabrina could remember nothing of the first
act. Part way through the second Sabrina couldn’t sit idle any
longer and excused herself to the retiring room. Just as she was
about to enter the room an arm snaked around her waist, startling
her in the poorly lit hall.

“I must congratulate you on your ingenuity
my dear.”

Sabrina struggled to pull away. “Who are
you? Unhand me.”

The man merely chuckled. “I merely thought
you were conducting a minor experiment. But, I think it is more
than that.”

She grabbed at his arm but it would not
move. In fact, it tightened further and Sabrina found her back up
against his solid chest, his hot breath on her neck. “It was an
experiment that is over. Unhand me.”

“No need to be coy. A lady does not go
around being free with her favors without expecting others to
believe they could have more.”

Shocked, Sabrina stopped struggling.
“More?”

He kissed her neck. Sabrina cringed and
moved away.

“When I overheard your uncle mention you had
no intention of marrying I put everything together.” He leaned
closer to her face. The stench of cigars and brandy wafted to her
nose and she turned her face. She needed to get out of this
situation but his grip around her stomach kept her anchored in this
spot. There must be something she could do to get away. “You wish
to have the benefits of marriage without the husband.”

Her stomach revolted. Perhaps vomiting on
his shoes would do make him loosen his hold. Sabrina strained away
from him and his questing lips. The hand previously locked on her
hip moved toward a part of her abdomen no gentleman should ever
touch and her panic increased. “You are mistaken sir. Now unhand
me.”

“No more games. The others were fools, but I
am not.”

Sabrina increased her struggles, unable to
dislodge his hold. Oh dear, how was she going to get out of this?
Just as she opened her mouth to scream a cool voice
interrupted.

“I believe the lady asked you to unhand
her.”

The man stopped, but didn’t let go. “Go
away, Parker. The lady and I were just coming to an agreement.”

At the sound of his voice relief rushed
through Sabrina and she strained to look around her assailant and
her eyes landed on Marius.

“I don’t believe the lady wants to agree to
your proposition.”

The man looked at Sabrina. “Tell him he is
wrong. You are just being a challenge.”

The hand previously on her hip moved to her
upper arm and squeezed. Despite the pain, she struggled to pull
away. “I want absolutely nothing to do with you, sir.”

His arms dropped and she scooted around him
and hastened to the safety of Parker’s side.

Marius took her hand and placed it on the
crook of his arm, drawing her close as he stared at man.

The man cleared his throat. “My pardons, I
didn’t know the lady’s affections were already engaged.” He bowed
and took his leave.

Marius didn’t say a word as he escorted
Sabrina toward the entrance of the theater. He paused only a short
moment to have messages delivered to Ramsey and his own
companions.

Shaken from her experience, she allowed
Marius to put his arm around her and pull her close once the
carriage was moving. “I can’t believe the audacity of that
man.”

“Yes, Dexler has always been a bit bold for
my taste.”

“Whatever gave him the impression I was
looking for a lover. I agree the kissing did not elevate my
reputation but nobody ever thought I wanted to take a lover.”

“Dexler just arrived in town and perhaps
misunderstood what had occurred.” Marius shrugged. “Not that it
would make a bit of a difference since he has always been one to
press his affections.”

Sabrina gasped and he looked at her.

“Oh, he hasn’t ruined anyone. He just
pursues what he wants and honestly can’t believe someone would
actually reject him.”

Sabrina shuddered. “I certainly hope others
aren’t similarly misled.”

“There is a distinct possibility that will
occur. London is beginning to fill for the Season. Others are bound
to hear and not understand the purpose, or possess the humor of
those in Town at the time.”

“I’ll just have to make sure everyone knows
that is not my intention.” It was a simple enough approach. “Thank
you for coming to my rescue. I was about to scream. That would
certainly have created a scene. Why were you in the hall just
then?”

Marius shrugged. “I saw Dexler leave right
after you and had a hunch.”

“Well, thank you.”

Marius rose the moment the carriage stopped.
He was not about to let her get away from him again and escorted
her into the house. She had to know the gossip before she faced
society again. If she faced society again. The only positive aspect
of what was being spread is she would have no choice but to marry
him now that truth was out.

Pouring a brandy for both of them he
broached the subject delicately as he could. “There is another
reason Dexler felt he could pursue you as he did.”

Relaxing into a chair, Sabrina looked up at
him. “What reason could that be?”

Taking a deep breath, he answered her.
“Someone has let it be known that you traveled away from the
academy with a man, spent the night at an inn with a gentleman and
never a chaperone in sight. For some reason they don’t know my
identity, but they do know yours.”

Sabrina’s stomach churned. She was truly
ruined now. “Who would have said anything?”

Marius shook his head. “I don’t know. But
the gossip flew through the theater this evening. I am surprised
you didn’t hear it.”

“I wasn’t paying attention to anything.”
This was mortifying.

“Given the gossip came on the heels of your
kissing experiment, the gentlemen now believe you weren’t
necessarily looking for a husband.”

“Oh dear.”

“You know what this means, Sabrina.”
Ramsey’s voice came from the doorway.