Dark Passions

49.

"There you are," Marcus said, slapping Derek on the back. "Your mother was looking for you...and Meredith..." He surveyed Derek's slightly flushed face, and a knowing grin crossed his face. "But I think I know where you were, my friend..."

Derek straightened the cuffs of his shirt before answering, and smoothed his hair a little more. "We got a little, sidetracked, shall we say?" Derek grinned. "Meredith will be joining us in the ballroom shortly."

Marcus snagged two glasses of wine from a passing footman. "Here, you look like you need this." They stood quietly for a moment, watching the party around them. "Have you seen Addison?" Marcus asked. "I am quite surprised she isn't here making trouble."

"I haven't seen her since she came in - she did not even bother to greet Mother. Very rude of her, as usual." His dark eyes swept the group as well, searching for any sign of Addison. "Perhaps she left."

"We can only hope, Derek. But I am sure that she is still here somewhere." They turned to head towards the ballroom, both of them receiving admiring glances from several women. Marcus noticed, but did not make any attempt to return the eye contact, as he would have done in the past. Isobel had truly tamed his wandering eye - she had found a way to keep his interest, and his roving cock, firmly focused on her. Any weakness he had before for bedding every woman that came his way was gone.

The main ballroom was already filling with people, the musicians in place, as they entered. Marcus spotted Isobel, and he grinned happily. "Excuse me, Derek..." he murmured, heading towards his lovely lady. The crush of people parted for him, and he took her outstretched hands, bringing them to his lips.

"Marcus, it has only been a few moments since you last saw me," Izzie laughed softly, as his eyes seemed to devour her. "Just since Her Grace sent you to fetch Derek and Meredith...."

"I know - far too long," he agreed.

"Where is Meredith?" Izzie asked, peering around Marcus to find Derek scanning the crowd as well, as Eleanor and Lord John were preparing to make their announcements.

"I'm not exactly sure, but Derek says she should be here momentarily. They had a little intimate encounter..." Marcus whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her.

Izzie giggled, and put her hand over her lips to hide the laughter. "I should have known."

Meredith picked her skirts up and hurried along the quiet corridor of the second level, where she found one of the maids she recognized. "Oh, thank goodness, Eliza, I am in need of some warm water, and a hand in fixing my gown."
"I'll be right back, m'lady," Eliza murmured, as Meredith slipped into one of the guest rooms. There was a long mirror there, and she quickly surveyed the damage to the gown from Derek's amorous attentions. Shaking her head a little at their rushed lovemaking, Meredith discovered that the dress wasn't as badly crushed as she'd feared. But her face was flushed, and her hair looked slightly disheveled. As she was working at pinning it back properly, she hoped that Eliza wouldn't be much longer with the water. The ball was going to start any moment, and she would be in trouble if she was late.

She heard the door open silently, and she sighed in relief. Not taking her eyes from the mirror, she called out. "Just leave it there, on the bureau, please, Eliza. I don't believe I will require your assistance after all..."

"I'm not the bloody maid, Meredith..."

"What?" Meredith stared at the reflection, suddenly aware that the person who had entered was not Eliza, but Addison. Their eyes met in the glass - the hard, bitter stare of Addison's meeting her own worried sea green ones. "Addison..." she murmured softly.

"Yes, the one and only."

"What are you doing up here?" Meredith asked, suddenly worried about being alone here with this woman.