mpletely. As for Evangeline, she was breathing as hard as he was. It pleased him so much he still thought he’d lose his seed. He didn’t move from her side, nor did he say anything.
“There’s Lady Jane Bellerman,” Evangeline said, “and she’s coming this way. I knew it was too good to last. She’s even taken off her mask.”
The duke eyed the young lady, who was bearing down on him with alarming purpose, and said, “A shepherdess’s costume. Thank God she isn’t carrying a staff. She’d probably hit you with it.”
“I think she looks lovely, more’s the pity,” Evangeline said, wishing the lady to Hades. “I suppose you’re going to dance with her?” “Would you tear out her hair if I did?” “Your conceit is showing again, your grace. I can see that there are a long line of ladies already forming a queue to grab you. Yes, I would say by the look on Lady Jane’s face that she should like to throw me off the balcony.”
“Quite possibly, but you may trust me to protect you. Now, where is this line of ladies? No, don’t hit me. It isn’t done in the middle of a ballroom with more people watching our every action than you can imagine. Yes, I’ll do my duty by Lady Jane. As for you, don’t dance with any gentleman more than once.”
“Why ever not? I was going to dance with you again.”
“You’re being a blockhead again, Evangeline. It would provide unnecessary gossip, that’s why.” “You mean you won’t dance with me again?” “That’s quite different. You’re my cousin. I must see to you, it’s my duty. Ah, Lady Jane, that lovely virgin shepherdess, is very nearly upon us.” “I didn’t know that all shepherdesses were virgins.” “Only the most valuable ones. Now I must be off, Evangeline. Stay close. Ah, dare I believe that for just this once I’ve had the last word?”
She said in a very sweet voice, “Since you’re my employer, since you pay me so very well for my services, why then, I should fear losing my recompense.” “Perhaps,” he said finally, stroking his chin with his long fingers, fingers that itched to stroke her, any part of her, “I will rectify your father’s failings. He never thrashed you, did he? I didn’t think so. Perhaps soon you’ll be over my knee, that quite nice bottom of yours all white and soft beneath my hand. Now, I must see to Lady Jane.” He strode off, not looking back, damn him.
At least he drew the young lady’s fire by catching her a good six feet from Evangeline. She was grateful for that. And yet again, she pictured everything he’d said clearly in her mind.
The orchestra struck up another waltz, and she was at once pulled into the knot of dancers by an Arthurian knight who was a good four inches shorter than she was. She saw the dowager duchess waltzing with an aging Greek philosopher, Lord Harvey, her Arthurian knight told her, between hiccups, for which he apologized continuously. She saw the duke dancing with Lady Jane. He was laughing down at her, at something she said. She didn’t remember a single clever thing out of Lady Jane’s mouth at the duchess’s dinner party.
A Puritan partnered her next, only this one wasn’t at all ready to deny the flesh. She had to give him a little kick in the shin. Next there was a knight with armor that looked very heavy and uncomfortable. He was amusing, she’d give him that.
Between dances she had only enough time to catch her breath and an occasional glimpse of a nodding smile of approval from the duchess. And she watched the duke. He never approached her again. He danced each dance with a different young lady, and he danced every dance.
Hadn’t he spoken about his duty to her? Why didn’t he come to her? But no, the righteous clod was much too occupied with English shepherdesses, giddy nymphs, even a goddess with stout gold ribbons crossing and separating the soft white material covering her breasts.
When a French chevalier of the last century said it was near midnight, she was frankly surprised. When he wanted to remove her mask for her, she said quickly, “Oh, no. I see the duchess waving to me. Good-bye, sir,” and made her escape. She slipped out of one of the long French doors that gave onto the balcony. The night was cold, the moon bright overhead, splashing light onto the beautiful gardens beneath her. She walked to the iron railing, still feeling warm from all her dancing.
“Hello, Madame de la Valette. Fancy that finally you’re free of all the gentlemen and out here all alone.”
She whirled about at the softly spoken words to face a tall, slender man costumed in a gray domino and mask. There was something familiar about his voice, but she couldn’t grasp it.
She remembered the duke’s warning and took a final step back, her side against the iron railing. “You know my name,” she said, eyeing him closely. He didn’t appear at all drunk. Perhaps he’d just wanted a moment of cool air and quiet. No, she didn’t believe that for an instant.
“It’s midnight,” he said, raised his gloved fingers to his mask, and pulled loose the ribbons.
Evangeline stared at him, at the mole on his cheek, at his eyes. It was Conan DeWitt, the man she had met at the old Norman church in Chitterly.
Chapter 31
He was wearing a gray domino, the gray mask held in his long, gloved fingers. “Don’t look so shocked, Madame Eagle. I’m quite accepted in society. Naturally, since you’re connected to the duke, you are as well. I nearly gave up speaking to you. You’ve been quite popular.” “What do you want, DeWitt?” “You remember my name, do you?” “I remember the name of every traitor I’ve seen. What do you want?”
He took a step toward her. “Don’t anger me, Madame. I believe you dangerous to us, no matter what Edgerton says. He’s told me he’s got a hold over you that will never be broken, no matter your pathetic attempts to escape us, no matter your tender virtue. Now, let’s get this over with. The Lynx asked me to come here. He was unable to come, though I know he wanted to see you very much. This is his message to you.” He handed an envelope to her. Evangeline quickly stuffed it in her reticule. “My letter from my father?” “It’s in the envelope.”
He looked at her more closely. “I still doubt you no matter what Edgerton has over you. He killed that foolish old woman whom nobody cared about, and yet you allowed your delicate woman’s conscience to collapse.”
“I cared about her, Mr. DeWitt. Tell Edgerton to release me from this.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? No, you won’t be released from anything as yet. Our emperor is in Paris. Soon, Madame, he will destroy the allied armies and will rule once again. This time his name and dynasty will stretch far into the future. When that happens, then you will be free, but not before.”
“Napoleon will never hold power again as he did before. All he has is one country filled with madmen, and if it comes to another battle, he will lose.”
She saw that his hand was trembling when he withdrew an enamel snuffbox from his waistcoat pocket and flicked it open. As he inhaled a pinch of snuff, he said, his voice low and controlled, “I don’t like you, Eagle. I do consider woman occasionally useful, but my uses for them are somewhat different than Houchard’s. I believe that Edgerton has allowed his lust for you to blind him. You’re dangerous. Edgerton told me that if you balked at all, I was to remind you of two deaths, not just one. I see from your face that the warning makes sense.”
Without warning he grabbed her arms and jerked her to him. She felt the fury in him, and was so afraid she nearly bit her tongue. “Let me go.”
“Oh, no, not just yet. I’d like to fling you up against the railing and take you right here. I’d like to find out what keeps Edgerton enthralled with you, for you’ve surely let him bed you, haven’t you? What do you say? The duke’s probably had you as well, why not I?”
“You fool. It’s very cold out here.” And then she spat in his face.