"My dear Lady Langley, you have not been invited in the past only because I have not had a fete like this before." A twinkle sparked in Lord Thornecroft's eye. "I live an exceptionally dull life dedicated primarily to the study of ancient flora and fauna."
Nicholas choked back a laugh.
His uncle ignored him. "However, I should have parties each and every evening if you would promise to grace us with your lovely presence.
"I would consider it an honor," Elizabeth said with a smile.
Odd, she had never considered the older gentleman in any manner other than as a friend of her parents and, as such, a figure of parental guidance. The slightly wicked gleam in his eye now was anything but fatherly. Nor had she ever noted how attractive his lordship was or how very much his nephew resembled him. While she had never quite believed it before now, at once she realized Lord Thornecroft's reputation with women was obviously well founded.
She pulled her hand from his and turned to the woman beside Nicholas. "Please forgive me. I seem to have forgotten your name, although I am certain we have met before. You look remarkably familiar."
"I rather hope I am, Lady Langley." The woman smiled a genuine kind of smile, and Elizabeth couldn't help but like her immediately. "While our paths have crossed at an occasional ball, we have never actually met."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't—"
"Do allow me to introduce you both," Nicholas cut in smoothly. "Elizabeth, Lady Langley, may I present Miss Theodora Godwin."
"The actress?" Elizabeth's eyes widened with recognition. "Of course. I have seen you perform any number of times. You're quite good."
"So I have been told," Miss Godwin said with a light laugh. "But I dearly love hearing it again." Theodora Godwin was well known in London for her skills on the stage, and, unlike many other actresses, she was considered something of a private person. While many actresses were as famous for their reputations off stage as for their acting abilities, Elizabeth had rarely heard more than the occasional rumor about Miss Godwin. Either the woman was remarkably chaste or remarkably discreet. She was also remarkably beautiful, with dark, nearly black hair, porcelain skin, rather lush lips, and clear blue eyes. While Elizabeth had seen her on the stage for years, she must have started at an early age. The woman couldn't possibly be more than a few years older than Elizabeth herself.
"Teddy is quite extraordinary, in my opinion." Lord Thornecroft cast the actress an affectionate smile.
"And exceedingly generous with her time."
"Teddy helped my uncle with this evening's festivities," Nicholas said. "And did an excellent job of it, given the speed with which the task was undertaken."
"Not at all, Nicky." Miss Godwin smiled up at Nicholas.
Nicky
? "The credit for this evening belongs to Frederick's staff." She leaned toward Elizabeth in a confidential manner. "His housekeeper, butler, and cook are true wonders, and I daresay he has never taken the tiniest advantage of their skills. It is the Christmas season after all, and the poor dears were simply dying to do something of a festive nature in this stuffy old house."
"Nonsense," Lord Thornecroft said staunchly. "This is your doing. Why, you penned the invitations, selected the menu, directed the decorations—"
"The mistletoe," Elizabeth murmured.
"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without mistletoe." Miss Godwin glanced around the room with a satisfied smile. "It has always seemed rather a shame to me that we hesitate to decorate in the fashion of the season until the very day or so before Christmas. I know it's considered bad luck, but, as Frederick gave me free rein for everything surrounding Nicky's coming-home party, I thought why shouldn't we start the celebration of Christmas with the celebration of his return?"
"Why not indeed?" Elizabeth said pleasantly.
Nicky
? "It is lovely, Miss Godwin. Quite in the spirit of Christmas. And I agree. It is never too early to begin the celebration."
"Oh, do call me Teddy." Miss Godwin— Teddy—laid her hand on Elizabeth's arm and met her gaze directly. "I much prefer it to Miss Godwin. There is something rather dreary about the title of Miss at my age. It simply serves as a reminder that I have failed in that most illustrious of female pursuits, that of marriage."
"Come now, Teddy, I know for a fact you have had numerous proposals and ample opportunity to acquire a husband," Nicholas—
Nicky
—said.
Teddy laughed. "I have indeed had numerous proposals, few of which were for marriage, and ample opportunities for the acquisition of a husband. Unfortunately, none of them my own." The comment hovered in the air.
"How very interesting." Elizabeth stared at the other woman, not quite sure if she should be offended or rather envious. Everything in her upbringing dictated shock, yet Teddy was obviously a woman who had always run her own life, apparently on her own terms. Elizabeth drew a deep breath and smiled. "And you must call me Elizabeth. My friends do."
"Excellent." Lord Thornecroft breathed a sigh of relief, beamed at Elizabeth, then turned to Teddy. "I don't believe you've met Elizabeth's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Roxborough, and you really should. Remarkable couple, I've always thought." He offered Teddy his arm. "Shall we?"
"Of course." Teddy studied Elizabeth for a moment. "It was very nice to meet you at last." She nodded at Nicholas. "Nicky, we shall have to have a long chat later."
"I shall look forward to it."
Nicky
grinned.
Elizabeth watched the couple cross the room to greet her parents. Her mother would no doubt be delighted by Teddy's straightforward nature. The Duchess of Roxborough was rather unique among her peers in that respect. As for her father, Elizabeth doubted there was a male alive who would not appreciate the actress's more obvious charms, including the man beside her. She turned to Nicholas and raised a brow. "Nicky?"
He grinned. "Are you jealous?"
"That she called you by a pet name? Not in the least." She shrugged. "But Nicky? Come now, Nicholas, it's the name one would use for a little boy."
He laughed. "I used to be a little boy."
"Yes, well, you have grown some." She tried and failed to stifle her curiosity. "Have you known her for very long?"
"Ah." He nodded in an annoyingly smug manner. "You are jealous."
"I most certainly am not." She narrowed her eyes. "But if I was, not that I am, mind you, but if I was, would I be justified?"
"If you were," he tucked her arm in the crook of his elbow and steered her toward the entry, "you would not be justified. Teddy and I are simply very old friends."
"How old?"
"I knew you were jealous." He chuckled. "Very well then. We met once, years and years ago, before my uncle and I left on our travels. She was in a rather dreadful play called
The Bandit's Bride
, or something like that, although she was quite good. We renewed our acquaintance when she toured America. I had no idea she knew my uncle until he reintroduced us last week." He glanced down at her. "Does that ease your mind?"
Last week? Before or after she had issued her proposal? She brushed aside the question.
"I am merely curious, therefore my mind does not need easing, thank you. However, if it did, you have not precisely answered my question, and furthermore…" She realized they had moved into the foyer, and she stopped in mid-stride. "Where are you taking me?"
He continued to steer her forward. "There is something I wish to show you."
"What?"
"In here."
He pushed open a door and allowed her to pass by him into what looked very much like a gentleman's library and smelled very much like a place where said gentlemen indulged in brandy and cigars. Not an offensive odor, more of an essence really, a memory of past times, and not at all unpleasant. She stepped into the room and turned toward him. "Well?"
He closed the door behind him and leaned against it. "I wanted to thank you. Privately."
"Oh?"
"For being so kind to Teddy."
Her heart sank. "I see."
"You were most gracious, and I am most appreciative."
A leaden weight settled in the pit of her stomach. That was that then. She certainly was not about to have any relationship whatsoever, let alone a temporary arrangement based on nothing more than lust and desire, with a man who was already involved with another woman. Whether that involvement was of a legal nature or something substantially less official, she would not be in the position of destroying another woman's happiness. She was disappointed of course, but there was nothing more to it than that. Elizabeth shrugged in an offhand manner. "It wasn't at all difficult. She is quite charming."
"She is an excellent actress, but she has been extremely apprehensive about tonight."
"Why?"
"Why?" His brow rose. "This is a rather intimidating gathering. You and I may not realize it because these are people we have known much of our lives, but Teddy is the only one in the entire room without a title or, barring that, great wealth. The only guest here who was not born to rank and privilege is Mr. Cadwallender, and even he is now Sir Ephraim."
Elizabeth pulled her brows together. "I am not intimidating."
"No?" He stepped toward her. "Do you have any idea what kind of reputation you have today, Elizabeth?"
"No," she said sharply. "But as long as it is not frivolous and featherbrained, I don't know that I particularly care."
"You should." He clasped his hands behind his back and circled her slowly. "I have been back for little more than a week and I have already heard comments about Lady Langley, who not only carried on bravely after her husband's death but has brilliantly managed his affairs, continued her charitable works, and is considered well versed in matters ranging from architecture to politics."
"Really?" She stared in disbelief. "They say that?"
"Indeed they do." He nodded and continued his circle. "In point of fact, the gentlemen at my uncle's club consider you intelligent, charming, quite lovely, and eminently eligible. In spite of the fact that there is not the slightest hint of impropriety about you, you have no end of suitable, as well as optimistic, escorts. Am I right?"
"Perhaps." She tried and failed to hide a grin. "Probably."
"You have social status, wealth, and independence, and your beauty has only improved with age." He stopped in front of her. "So you see why, through no intentions of your own, you could be somewhat intimidating."
"I suppose I could. I had never thought of it that way, and I'm not entirely sure if the idea of being intimidating to anyone, let alone Theodora Godwin, is flattering or rather upsetting." She shook her head.
"Although one wouldn't think a woman like Miss Godwin—Teddy—used to performing in front of vast numbers of people would be intimidated by much of anything at all."
Nicholas gazed down at her, his dark eyes thoughtful. "People have all sorts of fears one would never suspect simply by looking at them."
"Perhaps." She drew a deep breath. "As I said, I found her charming, and I can certainly see why you're taken with her."
"I am not taken with her." His lips curved upward. "But my uncle may well be."
"It wouldn't matter to me if you were, you know." Even as she said the words she realized it would matter. And realized as well it wasn't simply a question of fidelity.
"I never for a moment thought it would." His expression sobered. "Teddy and I met in America at a time when I was longing for home and she was torn over a love affair. She is my friend, Elizabeth, and has never been more than that."
"I see." She felt like a complete and utter fool. A jealous fool at that.
"You feel a bit foolish now, don't you?" A superior note sounded in his voice. The man was right and he knew it.
She wanted to smack him. Or break a vase.
"For jumping to conclusions?"
Perhaps over his head.
"I did a moment ago." She narrowed her gaze. "But now I don't feel the least bit foolish. If I did not know better, and quite frankly I don't, I would think that everything you've said this evening to or about
Teddy
has been for the express purpose of trying to make me jealous."
His eyes widened, and he gasped in an overly dramatic manner. "I would never do such a thing."
"You would do anything that gets you what you want." She aimed her finger at him. "It won't work, you know."
He frowned. "It won't?"
"It most certainly will not." She poked her finger at his chest and glared up at him. "
Nicky
."
"I thought it was working rather well."
"You cannot have everything your own way."
"Oh, but I can." He reached out and pulled her into his arms. "Everything." His mouth met hers in a gentle kiss, his lips warm and firm against her own. A kiss of discovery perhaps, or recognition. Tender and sweet and not nearly enough.
She slipped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her tighter against him, and all restraint between them vanished. She pressed her lips harder against his in a kiss fueled by the denial of a decade. His mouth was demanding, insistent, plundering, and she met him in kind. Her lips parted, and her tongue met his in a frenzy of taste and passion, and still it was not enough.
She wanted to touch him, taste him, run her fingers over his naked body. His hands splayed across her back and she wanted to feel those hands on her body without layers of clothing between them. She wanted his mouth on her breasts and his bare legs entwined with her own and the sensation of him buried deep inside her.
Her blood pounded in her ears and she could feel the thud of his own heart racing in tempo with hers. He wrenched his lips from hers and stared down at her, his dark eyes a smoldering reflection of her own need. "This is neither the time nor the place."
"Absolutely not." She swallowed hard.
"We are about to go in to dinner."
"I know I am especially hungry."
He stared at her, indecision warring with desire on his face. "Damnation, Elizabeth."
"Damnation indeed." She sighed and pulled his head back to hers. He tasted of champagne and desire and never-forgotten memories. And merely kissing him was at once wonderful and completely insufficient.