A Husband for Mary

Despite the insult leveled against him, he breathed a little easier, feeling almost certain he wasn’t about to fall victim to a parson’s trap.

“I’m sure I would not have kissed you either. What was it you said to me, half a day ago it must have been? Let me see. Ladies of sense do not want a rake as a suitor,?

?? he bit out, quoting her slight of earlier that day back at her. “How dare you label me a rake and then seduce me yourself! Douglas told you about me. You speak so proudly of your own propriety but act just like everyone else.”

“Of course he told me all about you. You’re a rake, and I wasn’t going to fall into your arms for no good reason.”

He laughed at his own naivety. “You most definitely flirted with me. I should have suspected even you’d be willing to get into my trousers now.”

Her lips pursed in an expression he knew well. She was winding up for a good argument. “I most certainly did not,” she said insisted. “You were not wearing trousers in the first place!”

He drew back, surprised by the humor of her words, but still bitterly disappointed. How sad that they could get along well but only when they didn’t recognize each other. Mary would never think kindly of him after this debacle. He should hardly expect her understanding for going along with a seduction with a woman he’d never bothered to learn the real name of.

However, it might be a near miss for her virtue, but thankfully no real damage was done to her innocence. Mary would quickly forget his hands peeling her out of her clothes in a day or two, or how he’d caressed her fair, delicate skin tenderly, skimming heaven in preparation for an explosive passion of the like he’d never once imagined existed.

Ellis, however, would have trouble purging from his mind how heatedly they’d come together with so little provocation. He’d thought he’d met his goddess tonight and had eyes for no one else since. They’d gotten quite carried away with their flirtation without a clue as to their real identities. He hadn’t recognized her voice over the noise of the crowd. But he’d seen her instant lust and willingness while they’d danced, and responded to her honestly with his own.

He regarded her warily, confused by her as feelings of protectiveness rose up even now. She should not be here. Outside were any number of rascals who would not have stopped short of satisfying themselves with her. She was lucky she’d picked him out of the crowd to seduce. At least he had honor enough to do the right thing and stop, now that their disguises were off. “You must go home.”

Still clutching the costume to her breasts, she fumbled with the ends, flashing him a glimpse of her nipple, the curve of her waist. She stared at herself and then hugged the garment tightly to her chest. “I can’t.”

“For God’s sake, Mary, do you want to be found like this? You can’t possibly remain without a chaperone.”

She dropped her chin. “I know that too.”

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed quite pitifully.

Ellis ground his teeth and cautiously approached. He hated it when women resorted to tears to make a man feel bad about a situation. He never knew what to do, and he wasn’t the only one to blame, or be upset about it. Mary had been so very intent on having him that it never crossed his mind to refuse her advances or question her real identity first.

She cried softly, bitterly, and he sank down beside her on the edge of the bed. Guilt was the harshest master for a gentleman of honor, and he set one hand on her knee to gain her attention. “I’m sorry that you ended up like this with me.”

She smacked his hand away. “I’m not crying over you, you horrible man. I cannot dress in this contraption without help. As soon as I call for a maid, everyone will know how stupid I was tonight. I will be found out no matter what I do next.”

He pursed his lips and then nodded when the only logical solution that would prevent scandal came to him. “Since I got you out of the costume, perhaps you’d permit me to redress you.”

She scowled at him, her tears instantly replaced by irritation. They stared at each other, and heat burned between them. But not just anger. Beneath it all, lust remained. He felt it as surely as if they were touching. And he wasn’t the only one suffering the malady of disappointment either. Mary licked her lips, her attention sweeping across his chest too. He ached to lean forward to claim her lips again. They parted, and Mary’s languid gaze drew him in. Ellis was almost upon her, almost kissing her, when her tiny hand slapped over his heart. “Don’t you dare kiss me, Ellis Worth!”

“You didn’t mind earlier,” he pointed out but drew back as asked. “You shouldn’t look at me like you want to eat me if you don’t expect me to think about doing the same to you.”

She turned her face away and closed her eyes. “Scoundrel.”

“Guilty earlier tonight. Now, I will behave because you want me to. Let me help us both escape this mistake with as much dignity as possible. I promise I will resist your come-hither looks in future and keep my unreasonable desire for you under control, since you dislike me so very much.”

He tugged the garment from her soft hands, ignoring her frowning face, and shook it out briskly. It was badly wrinkled but whole. In his haste to reach the bed, he was glad to see he’d not utterly destroyed her costume.

He did have a good recollection of its twists and turns from undressing her, which of course made him recall what he’d found beneath. Mary Vine was such a contradiction he couldn’t yet reconcile the two sides of her. One moment more passionate than he deserved, the next cutting and hostile. He much preferred the former attributes. She fair took his breath away with her passions. He’d love to kiss her again one day, press his mouth to her crisp red curls between her legs and make her scream out in pleasure.

His breath caught, his pulse hammered through his veins, and desire affected his manhood yet again. Kissing Mary had been intoxicating. Touching her, bliss. He swallowed hard, wishing tonight could have ended in an entirely different manner and turned away. They’d been so close. He’d even briefly believed he’d found his true love at last. “In case I never get the opportunity to speak frankly again, you are a breathtaking and passionate woman. You will make some gentleman a very lucky bastard when you marry him.”

There was silence behind him a long moment. “Thank you, I think.”

Ellis ran his hands through his hair, cursing his poor luck and expecting more to come. He’d have to escort Mary home to ensure she was protected from further unwanted advances. He could not in good conscience allow her to travel London’s streets alone. But what would happen if her family discovered them together at his hour?

Douglas would demand a marriage. He’d be pleased that Mary would become a duchess one day. Mary might hate him for taking away her chance of happiness, but Ellis would offer her his name. It was the least he could do under the circumstances. Ellis was too much of a gentleman to abandon her to face scandal alone. If there were no other way to salvage her reputation, he would do the honorable thing and marry her immediately, even if it meant he’d be miserable right alongside her too for the rest of their lives.

He turned, offered a wry smile, hoping there was a way to salvage the situation and not end up the bitterest of almost bedfellows. She might not like him right now, but he’d always thought her clever and very much a lady worthy of respect for all her impulsive ways.

He waited patiently for her to stand. However, Mary Vine remained wrapped up in the coverlet, regarding him with her head tipped slightly to the side and her lips parted. She appeared dazed again.