Lady Scandal (12 page)

“’Tis admirable. Amazing, really. A woman, a lady, as forthright as she is adorable. As intriguing as she is vexing.” Was it any surprise he’d already succumbed to her bewitching spell? Three more steps brought him to his former position, making his capitulation complete.

“Intriguing? Me?”

Of all he’d said, that’s what she latched on to? “Most assuredly so. Tell me, Lady Scandal, if your affections are not to be commanded, then how are they to be won?”

“Any man named after a god who stands so nobly among my ignoble things, speaking to me with heart and heat and truth, looking as you do, Zeus J. Tanner, well, I confess, my affections are nearly yours to command.”

“Nearly?”

“There is still the matter of a letter you’ve yet to finish.”

The blasted letter? They were back to that? “You still require it to be read? After all that has gone between us?”

She’d be the death of him yet.

“I do. And to completion.” So very primly, so utterly proper, did she order this directive, Zeus no longer knew what to make of her. And after he’d exposed and embarrassed himself beyond what any prideful man would ever consider, did he have it in him to balk further?

Pride may keep you company, but it won’t warm you at night. Remember that, Zeus, as you so doggedly pursue your fortune.
The prosy phrase intoned on more than one occasion by his dear mama picked such an inopportune time to rear its guidance he could do naught but heed it.

He placed the soiled stocking on the table and bent to retrieve the letter from where it had fallen. As his gaze scanned the crisp vellum, trying to locate his place, he saw not the script inked upon the page but instead the look of wonder upon Lady Juliet’s face as she’d watched him earlier, inciting his body’s response.

The lassitude that’d stolen over his limbs after the unintended release evaporated, changing into the renewed thrum of desire.

“You may begin.”

He jerked his head back to hers. “I’m unsure where I left off.”

“‘He will set his sights’ or thereabouts.”

He grunted. “Your memory is excellent.”

She glowed under the modest praise. “’Tis a trait I applied myself to develop.”

“You honed it well.”

As if to confirm the blasted talent, she repeated, “He will set his sights…”

Zeus coughed once into his hand, delaying the inevitable, but eventually he forced out, “
He will set his sights upon stroking you to heights of ecstasy before claiming his own. His tongue…
”

“Yes? Your tongue…?”

“
His tongue will surely delight you to no end. The agility with which he employs it shall—
” Zeus broke off and sliced his arm through the air, more than ready to rid himself of the damning letter once and for all. The unlit fire beckoned once again—if only it’d been burning! “Was not what I shared earlier sufficient?”

“Are you finished with her words? No, I think not.” She answered with so much haughty reserve he wanted to shake her. Then kiss her. Show her all his “delightful” tongue could do in her mouth and everywhere else.

From her perch upon the settee, she gave him a condescending smile. “Read the remainder, if you please, and stop dallying. How else will I know whether it contains a warning of some sort?”

A warning? Just what was she expecting?

“As to that,” she continued earnestly, leaving him flummoxed by the turn of her thoughts, “why have your
former
mistress write your character? Why not your current one?”

“You’re not just innocent! You’re oblivious to the ways of men and women if you think any man is mutton-headed enough to tell his
current
lover he’s seeking another. And for your elucidation,” he all but exploded, the burden of passion assuaged just a few moments ago now returned with a vengeance and lending fire to his complaint, “I don’t
have
a current mistress. I stopped funding one years ago so I could accumulate my blunt for things more important!”

“What manner of things, if I might ask?”

“You…might…not.” Striving for control, he inhaled down to his toes. And almost fell over when the scent of her arousal nearly knocked him to his knees. “I seem to be the one doing all the answering. All the acceding.” But he wasn’t the only one aching for a true release, not if her increased squirming was anything to judge by. “This conversation is terribly uneven!”

His aggravation didn’t faze her. “You
are
the one being interviewed,” she pointed out so punctiliously he wanted to throw something.

So he did. He crushed Marianna’s asinine reference in his fist and pitched it toward the settee. It bounded off and skid across the table, into a flower-stuffed vase.

They both stared at the rumpled parchment, neither making a move toward it.

“There it is. Read it yourself,” he challenged. “I said I was done taking orders. It’s time I showed it.”

Never taking her gaze from the page, she blinked furiously. “I-I’d prefer you read it to me.”

“Well, that’s too jolly bad because I’m done catering to your whims without you answering anything in return.” He looked for his shirt. “And I’ll be damned if I’ll stand around undressed while you sit there all high and mighty, Miss I’m-the-one-doing-the-interviewing-so-what-you-want-matters-not-a-whit!”

“That’s not how I meant it!”

“Oh no?” Zeus craned his neck first one direction then the other, still searching. “You sit on your throne, behind your big, fancy screen, hiding from your applicant peasants, lording over—” Not spying the linen shirt he’d given up too soon and too damn easily, he was starting to realize—too damn late—he rounded on her. “Where in blazes did you stash my shirt?”

“I… I…”

“You
what
? Now that I already performed to request and am no longer your obedient, sycophantic lapdog, you want me to leave? Is that it?”

“No! Not at all. The truth of it is…is…”

“Is what, dammit? Stop staring at the flowers and spit it out! Whatever your tongue’s tripping on. The way you’re behaving, it’s liable to poison you if you don’t.”

Stricken eyes met his. “I…I cannot read.”

Chapter Six

Born to Privilege…and now Passion

“Y-You…” Words failed him. “
You
cannot read?”

In a trice, his anger drained away and Zeus found himself on the settee beside her, gathering her clenched hands into his own. “But you’re aristocracy! Married to an earl!”

“Daughter to a viscount, but there you have it.” She manufactured a brave smile. “In my family, reading wasn’t judged a necessary accomplishment for a meager female. Unlike embroidery, speaking French, or being accomplished on the pianoforte. Music? I can read the greatest of Haydn’s symphonies, but recognizing words beyond my name? My father did not deem it of value. Nor did Lord Letheridge.”

Somehow her fingers had turned, twined within his, both his palms cradling one of her hands. Her other, he saw, was tangled in her shift. “But you’re a
lady
, born to wealth and privilege.”

“I’m a
female
,” she stressed, “born to accede to the dictates of men. Now
laisser aller
!”
Let it go
, she pleaded with her eyes as well as her tone.

With a decisive squeeze, Zeus released her hand and seized the despised parchment. Flattening the creases over his thigh, he realized reading the words upon it no longer posed a burden. Instead, they provided an opportunity. A
privilege
. One she’d been unfairly denied.

One he should be grateful for.

She covered his smoothing efforts with one palm. “Nay. You do not have to finish.”

He captured her wrist and relocated her hand to his chest—bad decision, that, but once made, one he chose not to retract. “Shhh. I now want to. In light of what you’ve shared, I need to. Now where were we?”

“Your tongue, I believe.” She said it swiftly, pinkening all over.

“Ah, yes. My blighted, delightful tongue.” A deep breath for courage lifted his torso and she flexed her fingers against him. The palm now splayed willingly across his chest burned a path straight to his soul.

Groaning silently at the delicate pressure, Zeus searched for his place. “Tongue…tongue… Ah. Here we are.
His tongue shall surely delight you to no end. The agility with which he employs it will curl your toes, warm your heart, and sear you everywhere in between. And his penchant for feet is equally delightful, if rather naughty. But I urge you to let his tongue have its way—in all things. The rewards will be considerable. And finally…
”

He faltered a moment when he reached the one line Marianna had composed without giggles accompanying the flourish of her quill. The one line she’d paused over, granting him a bittersweet smile of remembrance before finishing out, both writing and speaking, “
Finally, I can make no greater recommendation for that of trusted friend and lover than the indomitable Zeus J. Tanner. If further details are needed, I remain… Yours, Marianna Longley, Lady Torrington.
”

“Lady?” Juliet’s hand tensed upon his skin, tweaking a couple hairs. “She’s
married?
”

“Is now. Wasn’t then.”

Thunder cracked nearby, virtually drowning out her hushed, “Do you care for her still?”

Ahh, definitely an innocent. To exhibit jealousy over so long ago an association. And one gleaned from a reference she required!

“As a friend and no more,” he told her sincerely, choosing to omit the details of how he’d rescued the young widow-turned-courtesan, new to plying her dubious trade, from a pair of bosky peers who thought if they had the blunt then she had no say in the matter.

Zeus had used his substantial size and formidable fives to teach them her protests said differently. In return, the gently-bred Marianna had schooled him in manners and elocution and the ways of love from a lady’s perspective. Now he summarized those several years for Juliet. “She took me under her wing when I was new to London, imparted town bronze and instruction in the ways of women and the world. I, in turn, sheltered her for a time.
Voilà tout.
”
That is all.
“Our romantic liaison has long been extinguished and neither of us pine for its return. And they
aren’t
fripperies,” he added, pointing to the embroidered screen, “your masterpieces. Not at all.”

“You know?” As though wilting in shame, her fingers attempted to slide from his chest. Catching her wrist again, Zeus resisted the impulse to direct them decidedly south, and instead kept them right where they were, snug against his torso.

“What? That you create artistry with
yarn
I assume your clutch-fisted husband refused you? Aye. From what I’ve seen, along with yourself, your companion Miss Hales, and hairy Henry here…” Zeus raised one leg and pointed to his boot. The tassel swung freely, thanks to the cat’s current batting maneuvers. Giving the purring head a chin scratch, Zeus nudged Henry on his way and lowered his foot to the floor. “Your art is the only thing of value inhabiting this rickety tomb. Now I have inquiries to make of you and for every one you avoid answering, I shall remove another article of clothing.”

“You will?” Was that excitement in her voice? Or outrage?

“With eagerness and authority.”

“My clothing…or yours?”

“It shall be
my
choice. ’Tis time you learned who’ll be ‘lord’ in this household if you take me as husband.”

“Very well. Proceed, Zeus J. Tanner. Wait—tell me what the ‘J’ stands in for?”

She would have to ask that.

After a moment’s pause, he gave his standard reply. “James. Now, how many men have you told to shed their shirts?”

“Only one. You.” She answered promptly. Too promptly. He’d never get them both naked if this was how she intended to cooperate.

Yet… “Pleased to hear it.” Very pleased, in fact. “And how many have you demanded reveal their mistress’s letters?”

“You are the first I requested it of.”

“Simply making you aware, I plan to be the last. Have you ever been kissed?” She hesitated. Rather than take advantage and start stripping her bare, because he craved hearing the answer, he encouraged, “The truth now.”

“Not in such a manner I’d want to repeat the experience.”

“Yet you’re willing to trade yourself for a rich husband? To, let me see if I can recall this correctly, be an amiable wife ready to bear my children?
Lady
,” it came out an oath, “have you any idea what that entails?”

“I’m trying to ascertain it!” Sharp, determined nails pricked him even as her skin flamed red—every enticing, visible inch. And there were a number of them. “Have I not made it clear? I have tenants to feed. Loyal servants to remunerate!”

“You’d relinquish your freedom for these people? People who were thrust upon you because of an unfortunate marriage?”

“Certainly.” Said without any dithering at all, eyes focused straight ahead.

Of course she would. The entirety of her absurd advertisement made sense now. As did the required multiple letters of reference, her skewed questioning, even her desire to see his body. “Do I correctly assume you aim to find pleasure in the marriage bed this go-round?”