To Tempt An Angel (Book 1 Douglas series) (20 page)

“Thank you, darling,” Roxanne said. “Your father keeps showering me with gifts. I must admit I am becoming a tad spoiled.”

“You deserve only the best,” Duke Magnus spoke up. He turned to his son, asking, “Are you certain attending tonight’s ball is wise?”

“Father, your bodyguards are smothering me,” Robert said. “I was forced to feed the whole lot of them in order to escape.”

“They didn’t accompany you?” the duke asked, a hard edge to his voice.

“Magnus, do not upset yourself,” Roxanne said. “Robert is a grown man who, I’m positive, doesn’t wish to die. Let him decide what is best for himself.”

“Lady Roxanne gives good advice,” Robert told his father. “You should follow it.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Roxanne said, giving him a feline smile. “I have advice for you, too.”

“Concerning what?” Robert asked. Was he in trouble for seducing her niece?

“I’ve been hearing stories about your fabled Campbell charm,” Roxanne said. “Poor darling, your experience extends only to the myriad willing. No wonder Angelica felt reluctant to accept your proposal.”

“You proposed marriage?” his father asked in obvious surprise.

Robert looked at his father, saying, “The lady refused my offer.”

Duke Magnus chuckled. “Then follow Roxanne’s advice.”

“To tempt an angel into marriage, darling, a man needs a strategy,” Roxanne told him. “Lucky for you, I am an expert strategist and willing to help.”

Robert stared at her in insulted silence. “I do not need help with women,” he said.

“We aren’t speaking of women, only my niece,” Roxanne told him. “If you change your mind—Ah, here are my three lovely nieces.”

Robert turned around to see the Douglas sisters walking across the drawing room. Samantha looked lovely in a deep pink gown, while Victoria’s ice blue gown artfully complemented her fiery tresses, but his attention was drawn to his angel in red.

Angelica’s red gown was low cut, and the bodice molded tightly to her figure. She wore a single white rose in her blond hair, swept away from her hauntingly lovely face and woven into a knot at the back of her head. White gloves covered her bare arms, and she carried a reticule and a circular fan painted in swirls of red, gold, and white.

“I’ve never seen more beautiful young women,” Robert said, smiling. He cast a sidelong glance at Lady Roxanne, who smiled and nodded at the  “fabled Campbell charm.”

Angelica smiled almost shyly at him. “Thank you for the pretty compliment, my lord.”

“May I escort you to the ball?” Robert asked. “I assure you, the others will follow directly behind us.”

Angelica inclined her head, as if granting him a favor. “You may, my lord.”

“I must be the luckiest man alive to escort three beautiful women,” Duke Magnus said. “Shall we go?”

“Remember, my darlings, friends come and go in society, but enemies tend to accumulate,” Aunt Roxie said. “Do
not
dance more than twice with any man below the age of fifty, and that includes the Duke of Inverary.”

“Now, Roxanne, you know that I am fifty-five,” Duke Magnus said with a smile.

“You are? Oh, darling, your youthful vigor and incredible handsomeness make you seem much younger,” Aunt Roxie drawled, making her nieces giggle.

Once outside, Robert helped Angelica into his carriage and then climbed in beside her. “Grosvenor Square,” he called to his driver.

“How does your arm feel?” Angelica asked.

“Much better,” he answered. “I’m certain I’ll be able to ruin Drinkwater or Mayhew tonight.”

“Where are your bodyguards?” she asked.

“I ditched them.”

“Are you certain that’s wise?” Angelica asked, giving him a worried look.

“I cannot pass the next forty years hiding in my home or surrounded by my father’s bodyguards,” Robert told her. He smiled and added, “It’s good to see you again.”

“Where have you been for the past six days?” she asked.

Robert took advantage of this opening to make her wonder about him. “Keeping myself busy.”

“Doing what?”

“This and that.”

Robert smiled inwardly. He could see that his answers didn’t sit well with her and hoped she was jealous of this time spent away from her. He would show Lady Roxanne what real strategy was.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt. Without waiting for his driver, Robert opened the door and climbed down. Then he turned to assist Angelica.

Sacred sevens
, Angelica thought, frowning when she looked toward Charles Emerson’s mansion. Her aunt should have warned her.

“What’s wrong?” Robert asked.

Angelica heard the concern in his voice, glanced at him, and then stared at the mansion again. “This house belonged to my parents,” she answered. “I lived here until I was eight.”

“I’m sorry, angel,” Robert said, placing his hand on the small of her back. “I didn’t know. Do you still want to go inside?”

Angelica forced herself to smile when she answered, “I am fine, only startled to realize Emerson lives in my house.”

“Trust me, love,” Robert said. “The Douglas family will own this house again one day.”

Duke Magnus, Aunt Roxie, and her sisters had alighted from the duke’s carriage. Robert and Angelica waited for them before walking upstairs.

“Sisters, take a long look at this house,” Angelica said. “We lived here until father lost his fortune.”

“That dirty Emerson bastard,” Victoria exclaimed. “I’d love to slit his throat.”

“Tory, your language and thoughts are unbecoming to a lady.” Aunt Roxie scolded her youngest niece.

Samantha touched Angelica’s arm and turned to look at the street through the long line of carriages waiting to deliver their passengers. “Is this where the carriage struck me?” she asked. “The memory of that day is hazy in my mind.”

“Yes, I remember that day,” Angelica told her.

“Was it Emerson’s carriage?”

“I don’t know.”

Samantha turned to her aunt, asking, “Did Emerson hit me with his carriage?”

“My darling, tonight is not the right time to speak of such things,” Aunt Roxie answered.

“Samantha needs to know,” Angelica said.

“Yes, Emerson struck you,” Aunt Roxie told them. “I’m positive he never meant to hurt a child. The incident was an unfortunate accident.”

“I hate all Emersons,” Victoria said.

“So do I,” replied Samantha

With a dangerous glint in her blue eyes, Angelica touched her sister’s hand. “Sam, I promise Emerson will pay for what he did to you.”

Duke Magnus cleared his throat. “Shall we go inside?”

Angelica turned to Robert and slipped her hand through the crook in his arm. “Don’t look so concerned my lord,” she said, giving him a bright smile. “Emerson is safe for tonight.”

With the others in the lead, Robert and Angelica walked up the stairs into the foyer. Excitement coursed through Angelica’s body as the sounds of music drifted down from the second-floor ballroom. Tonight she was a princess, and the man beside her was her prince, her champion.

Charles Emerson, his son Alexander, and Venetia stood at the top of the ballroom, where a receiving line had formed. The orchestra played at the opposite end of the room, consisting of a cornet, a piano, a cello, and two violins.

The Emerson majordomo announced the Duke of Inverary and his party first. Then it was their turn.

“The Marquess of Argyll and the Countess of Melrose,” the majordomo announced, joining them together in Angelica’s mind.

Surprisingly, many in the crowd turned to watch them enter the ballroom. “I feel so conspicuous,” Angelica whispered, a placid expression pasted on her face,

“When you’ve got it, darling, flaunt it,” Robert drawled in a good imitation of her aunt.

Angelica laughed. “And do I have
it,
my lord?”

“Angel, you are an Original,” Robert answered. “That is spelled with a capital
O
.”

“Should we step into the receiving line to greet our host?” Angelica asked.

“I was hoping you would dance with me first,” Robert said.

Angelica smiled. “I would much rather dance with you.”

Robert led her onto the dance floor, and Angelica stepped into his arms, thankful that her aunt had insisted on teaching her nieces how to dance.

As he led her in a sweeping circle around the ballroom, they danced with the ease and grace of a couple who had waltzed a thousand times.

Dancing in his arms felt as natural as breathing. The music and their constant swirling motion conspired with the man to intoxicate her senses.

Robert Roy Campbell reminded her of Lucifer in all his perfection before his fall from grace. His formal black trousers, jacket and waistcoat combined with his white shirt and tie to accentuate his dark good looks. When he smiled, his teeth appeared strong and straight and almost as white as his shirt.

The marquess was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. How could any woman not be attracted to him? How could she possibly have rejected his marriage proposal?

And then Angelica’s gaze swept past Charles Emerson. She would never consider marriage until that villain was in the same condition as poor Mr. Lewis.

“What are your thoughts, angel?” Robert asked.

“I was thinking that l would love to make Charles Emerson and Mr. Lewis neighbors,” Angelica answered honestly.

Robert laughed, earning them curious glances from other couples. “If that happened,” he replied, “Mr. Lewis might leave his new home and walk to the anatomical schools.”

Now Angelica laughed, drawing more curious glances from the waltzing couples. She lost her smile when she added, “I do hope Samantha dances.”

“Samantha is almost as lovely as you,” Robert said with a puzzled smile. “Why wouldn’t she dance?”

“Her limp makes her self-conscious,” Angelica told him. “Do you think any gentleman will invite her to dance?”

“Your sister will receive dozens of invitations to dance, angel,” Robert assured her. “The receiving line is much shorter now. Shall we pay our respects?”

“I cannot respect that man,” she said.

Robert inclined his head in understanding and escorted her off the dance floor. They stood at the end of the receiving line.

“Lady Angelica, how lovely you look tonight,” Charles Emerson greeted her.

“I always look lovely, my lord,” Angelica replied, wearing a sunny smile. “Thank you for mentioning it, though. How kind of you to invite my family and me.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Emerson said.

Angelica gazed at him from beneath the fringe of her golden lashes. “Perhaps we’ll meet at the gaming table later?” She watched his beady brown eyes narrow, and knew that he’d heard about Trimble’s reversal of fortune.

“I must play the gracious host tonight,” Emerson replied.“ Another time, my lady?”

Angelica inclined her head. “I shall look forward to it.”

After leaving the receiving line, Robert led her in the direction of their relatives. “You will
not
meet Emerson at the gaming table,” he ordered in a whisper.

“You have Trimble, Drinkwater, and Mayhew,” she whispered. “I am saving Emerson for myself.”

“I forbid it.”

“I don’t take orders from you.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“You’re damned right we will.”

Robert ignored her last comment and walked directly toward her sister. “May I have this dance?” he asked.

Angelica felt her heart wrench at the frightened expression on Samantha’s face. Murderous hatred for Emerson swept through her like a gust of wind.

“Could we postpone our dance until later?” Samantha asked. “I need to get my bearings in this crowd of strangers.”

“I understand how intimidating a gathering like this can be,” Robert said smoothly.

“I’ll dance with you,” Victoria piped up.

“Ladies do not ask gentlemen to dance,” Aunt Roxie corrected the girl’s behavior.

“I was about to ask you for this dance,” Robert said. He took her sister’s hand in his and led her onto the dance floor.

When the waltz ended, Alexander Emerson appeared and claimed Victoria for the next dance.

Angelica waltzed with James Armstrong and then Adam St. Aubyn, who returned her to Robert for the fourth dance. She kept her gaze riveted on her sister as they swirled around the ballroom floor.

“Watching Samantha won’t get her onto the dance floor,” Robert said, drawing her attention.

“I’m sorry,” Angelica said with a sheepish smile. “You are correct, but I can’t help worrying.”

“When she’s ready,” he said, “Samantha will dance.”

When the waltz ended, Robert and Angelica returned to their group. Duke Magnus and her aunt stepped onto the dance floor as Alexander Emerson escorted Victoria off the dance floor and then left to speak to his other guests.

It was then that Angelica spied Venetia heading straight for them. With her walked an incredibly handsome gentleman, and Angelica wondered if Venetia had given up on Robert.

“Angelica, I’ve brought Prince Rudolf to see you,” Venetia said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “He is an old friend of yours, isn’t he?”

Angelica nearly swooned from shock but managed to paste a sunny smile on her face. She glanced at Robert, who was grinning, and then gave the prince her attention.

With his black hair and piercing blue eyes, Prince Rudolf was the kind of man maidens dreamt about. He was as tall as Robert and well built, and had the most charming smile.

“Your Highness, we meet again,” Angelica said deciding the only thing to do was continue the deception and hope the prince was an understanding man.

“So formal a greeting for such an old friend?” Prince Rudolf returned bowing over her hand, his eyes sparkling with easy camaraderie.

“Seeing you again is good, Rudy,” Angelica said, blushing prettily. “You do remember my sisters, Samantha and Victoria?”

“I’m certain I could never forget such lovely young women,” Prince Rudolf said, his gaze fixed on, Samantha, making her blush.

Venetia looked distinctly unhappy. She turned to Robert, saying, “Aren’t you going to invite me to dance?”

“Dancing with you is always a pleasure,” Robert said, as he escorted her onto the dance floor.