His Wicked Heart (16 page)

Bernard announced him, and he strode into the
sitting room. Olivia stood from the settee. She was as beautiful as
she’d been last night, her eyes as tempestuous as ever.

“Good morning, Jasper dear.” Louisa stood
just inside, fairly humming with energy. “Are you ready for your
measurements? I’ve already had mine taken this morning. Olivia has
a special dress planned for me. Do excuse me for a moment. I must
instruct Bernard to have someone go and purchase a fabric we saw at
Deacon and Bothe’s.” She whooshed from the room like a small
bird.

Jasper turned his attention to Olivia. Gowned
in a simple yellow frock, she looked fresh and innocent. Too bad he
knew better.

She twisted a measuring tape in her hand.
“Good morning, my lord.”

“We needn’t bother with niceties. I’ve
decided it’s time for you to tell Louisa the truth.”

Her eyes flashed and her head snapped back.
“What truth?”

“About your former life. I understand you
have this box that Merry painted—and I don’t doubt he painted
it—but we really can’t know where you found it.”

She had the skill to look outraged. “It
belonged to my mother. That’s the truth.”

“So you say.”

“It is!” She clenched the tape in her fist.
“Oh, believe what you will. Louisa and I know the truth.”

“Louisa knows the truth you’ve given her. You
were not in London looking for family, and she deserves to know
what kind of schemer you are.”

“Why? I would argue she deserves the
relationship we’re building. She wants a daughter, and I want…”

He moved closer. “What do you want?”

Some of the heat left her gaze. “I want to
stay here.”

He heard the longing in her voice and almost
felt sorry for her. But he couldn’t sacrifice Louisa for her. “I
can’t help you lie to my aunt.”

Olivia opened her mouth to say more, but
Louisa bustled back into the room. “I figured you would have gotten
started by now.”

Jasper looked at Olivia. “How do you want
me?”

Her eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t intended
an innuendo, but that’s clearly how she’d taken it. And he couldn’t
keep his own blood from heating in response.

Olivia glanced away. “You should remove your
coat.”

“And your waistcoat, I should think. Maybe
even your shirt,” Louisa mused. Olivia shot her a worried glance.
“It’s quite all right, dear. We shan’t tell anyone you’ve seen
Jasper bare-chested.”

Jasper almost barked with laughter. She’d
seen that and more.

Olivia’s hands quivered as she fingered the
measuring tape. “That won’t be necessary. He won’t be wearing his
waistcoat without a shirt, after all.” She shot him a furtive
glance and Jasper wondered if she hadn’t envisioned him that way.
His body tightened. This was dangerous ground.

He shrugged out of his coat and laid it over
the back of a chair, just as he’d done at her apartment when she’d
seduced him.
Don’t think of that
. Quickly, he stripped off
his waistcoat and deposited it atop the coat.

Louisa perched on the settee, while Olivia
came toward him. “Raise your arms, please. Straight out, yes.” She
stood before him and measured him from shoulder to waist.

At the first touch of her hand, he sucked in
a breath. God, this wouldn’t do. He was already hardening. He
turned slightly, presenting his back more fully to Louisa.

Olivia looked up at him. “Please stand
still.”

“I thought you could use the light from the
windows.” He stared straight ahead and tried to think about the
apples ripening on the tree outside.

She stretched the tape across his upper
chest, from shoulder to shoulder. With just the lawn of his shirt
separating her ministrations from his flesh, he felt each touch
with devastating accuracy. His body heated to a nearly unbearable
degree. He focused on the damn apples and keeping his arms out.
God, she smelled like lavender and honey, so sweet and delicious.
Think of the apples
—also sweet and delicious.
God damn
it
.

His aunt’s voice interrupted the battle in
his head. “We’re quite looking forward to the Faversham Ball,
Jasper. You’ll dance with Olivia, of course.”

“Of course.” His voice had deepened with
desire. Olivia stopped measuring and froze, her gaze fixed below
his waistband.

She looked up at him again and the charged
look they shared was nearly his undoing. He tore his gaze from hers
and damned every single apple on that tree to hell.

She moved behind him and measured from his
neck to the base of his spine. The torture was no better there.
Then she wrapped the tape around the circumference of his chest and
he closed his eyes in sweet agony. Her fingers brushed his nipples
and his cock strained against his breeches. If she didn’t finish
soon he’d make a complete fool of himself.

She lowered the tape to his waist and it
slipped. She had to reach around to slide it back into place, and
her hands came dangerously close to his erection. He couldn’t keep
his hips from twitching in response.

“Done!” She snapped the tape in her haste to
move away from him.

Jasper didn’t dare turn around. He reached
back and pulled his waistcoat from the chair, using several long
moments to button it. He did the same with his coat.

“Do you have designs for the waistcoat to
share, Olivia?” Louisa asked.

“Not yet.” She sounded a bit breathless, and
the fact that she was as affected as he was did not help cool his
ardor.

“Jasper, Olivia is making a very smart day
dress for me. Would you like to see her drawing?”

When he’d finally conquered his lust, he
turned. Louisa had the design plate on her lap so Jasper had no
choice but to go and see it. The sketch was stunning. It would
flatter Louisa’s diminutive stature perfectly.

He looked at Olivia whose cheeks were still
flushed after their encounter. “You’re quite gifted.” He wanted to
know why Olivia would continue to toil as a seamstress now that
she’d found a life of ease. “But, Aunt, why don’t you hire someone
to make the gown? Surely Olivia has better things to do with her
time.”

Olivia tucked her measuring tapes and
Jasper’s measurements into a basket full of sewing implements. “I’m
pleased to do it. Consider it a hobby, my lord.” She kept her gaze
averted from his.

“Indeed,” Louisa said. “We’ve promoted a maid
to full-time seamstress. Olivia has all the help she needs to
foster her creativity.” Louisa beamed at her, and Jasper noted her
use of the word “we” as if they were a partnership. A family. And
he knew right then that he couldn’t break his aunt’s heart with the
truth of Olivia’s background. If she wanted Olivia to be Merry’s
cousin, well, then he would let her. He’d just make damn sure no
one else learned the truth, and that Olivia wasn’t using Louisa for
some nefarious purpose.

“I’m off to my next appointment.” He kissed
his aunt’s hand on his way out, but refrained from offering the
same to Olivia. Not because he didn’t want to, but because it would
be too easy to press his lips to her hand for a moment longer than
propriety allowed—and he couldn’t do that.

She was no longer a common actress he might
pursue in the dark hours of the night far from Mayfair. Now she was
the respectable—at least in Society’s eyes—cousin of a viscount,
newfound ward of the esteemed Viscountess Merriweather. She was
untouchable, and unfortunately also unmarriageable since he knew
the truth about her.

He had to stay away from her while ensuring
she didn’t embarrass Louisa in any way. As if those objectives
wouldn’t keep him busy enough, he also had to prevent the duke from
learning about Olivia’s background. If he couldn’t do that, none of
the rest would matter.

JASPER KEPT away from Louisa and Olivia over
the next few days. He’d dispatched a man to Newton Abbott, just to
see what could be discovered. He needed to know if anyone, such as
Holborn, would be able to successfully investigate Olivia’s
origins. More importantly, Jasper wanted to know for himself. He’d
accepted her role in Louisa’s life, but he still didn’t trust
her.

He’d taken a drive in the park and made a
point of speaking with Lady Philippa, stirring rumors of a possible
courtship. She’d been charming and serene, everything a future
duchess ought to be. Why then, was Jasper still overcome with
thoughts of Olivia?

Because he wanted her more than ever. To
circumvent his lust, he spent every night at the Black Horse honing
his fighting skills. Tonight, however, he had to go to the
Faversham Ball.
Had
to. If one were in Town during August,
one simply didn’t miss this annual event. Especially when he’d told
Lady Philippa he’d be there.

His valet, a tightly-coiled, middle-aged
Welshman called Williams whom he’d employed after finding him
stranded on the road to York, stared at the powder on the dressing
table. “You’re going to put
that
on your eye?”

Sevrin had recommended cosmetic powder to
lessen the discoloration of the bruised eye he’d received last
night. It was that or go out with a purplish tinge that would no
doubt invite stares.

“Do you have a better idea?” Jasper asked,
looking at Williams in the mirror.

“I’m no lady’s maid.”

“You’re the next best thing.”

Williams harrumphed, his very favorite
vocalization. “Well then, turn around. Can’t very well slap this on
with your back to me.”

Jasper turned. Williams was not tall, which
made his height quite functional for applying the cosmetic. Using a
cloth, he dabbed the powder beneath Jasper’s eye. Williams frowned.
He dabbed a bit more. “Too bad you aren’t Welsh. With a darker
complexion, all of your bruises would scarcely register.” Another
frown. Followed by more dabbing. If his lips turned any lower they
might just slide off his face. Finally, he harrumphed.

“What?” Jasper turned back to the mirror. A
ghastly white circle surrounded his eye. He looked as if someone
had doused him in flour.

“I suppose if we made your entire face that
color it wouldn’t look so…odd.”

“Never mind.” Jasper took another cloth and
wiped at the powder. It streaked, but didn’t neatly come off.
“Water, please.”

Williams dipped his cloth into a basin of
water atop the dressing table. “Turn.”

Jasper did so, allowing his valet to return
him to his normal appearance, even if it was bruised.

Nearly an hour later he strode into the
Favershams’ ballroom. There was little breeze to stir the hot, late
summer air, but the windows were open in the hope of some small
relief. Though the crowd wasn’t as large as during the regular
Season, this was undoubtedly the most attended private event of the
summer.

He scanned the throng, seeking the dark brown
locks of Lady Philippa. Except his gaze fell upon Olivia’s auburn
beauty. She stood next to Louisa, cooling herself with a gentle
sway of her fan. A handful of male admirers clustered about her
like rutting stallions.

Though he ought to avoid her, he made his way
toward her anyway. It was as if his feet weren’t connected to his
brain. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only person seeking her
company. His mother and father had chosen the same moment to meet
Louisa’s protégé. The clinging group of men dissipated in the
presence of the duke and duchess.

Jasper’s gut clenched. He couldn’t imagine
what Holborn would make of Olivia. Would he see right through her
ruse and call her out?

Louisa inclined her head toward her brother
and sister-in-law. “Holborn, Your Grace, this is Merry’s cousin,
Miss Olivia West. Olivia, my brother, His Grace, and his wife, Her
Grace.”

Olivia delivered an acceptable curtsey.

Holborn gave her a cursory glance. “You’re
from Devon, is that right? I once purchased horses from Devon.
Never actually went there myself, of course.”

Olivia nodded. Her acting skill seemed to
hide any anxiety. Or perhaps she simply wasn’t nervous. For some
people, lies were as easy as breathing.

Jasper’s mother turned her blue-gray gaze
upon Olivia, giving her a rather pinched look. But then, that was
how she regarded everyone. “How fortunate that you found Lady
Merriweather.” She gave Louisa a bland smile. “I imagine this is
quite an improvement over your life in Devon.”

Louisa’s eyes narrowed, but she possessed too
much savvy to draw attention to the duchess’s rudely insinuating
commentary.

Olivia, for her part, merely blinked and
said, “I’m thrilled to be here with Louisa, thank you.”
Well
done
.

The duchess gave a shake of her impeccably
coiffed head. “Still, it must be difficult. A severe change in
station, I should think.”

And that was quite enough
. Jasper
offered his arm to Olivia. “Miss West, I believe this is our
dance.”