The Vicious Viscount

chapter 16

Chapter 16

Malcolm held the urge to throttle his cousin, it appeared that he couldn't be more bothersome. He was sitting at his study with gentlemens who all interrupted what had occurred by the lake with Lady Stephanie twenty minutes ago. He recalled the horror on her face when they broke apart, and as he was just about to curse the men for interrupting she had ran the opposite way, since than he had not seen her and that was for the better. His cousin leaned back on the leather chair,  "My god, I thought no not our proper and collected could ever be reckless enough to not only snog a lady but in the bright light of the day---" Lord Aldrick was about to continue his dramatic speech, while edmund eyre the dramatist might have beamed with proudness in this moment, the viscount did not share that opinion, "Enough" his tone was low yet filled with rough deep that incliend for anyone to not cross his boundries.

Everyone would never dare beside his blasted cousin.

"I sense a lack of enthutiasim, cousin. We are all quite in the state of a shock, you see we have never witnessed you in such situation can't you understand it from our point of view?" The teasing tone lingering in his cousins words were very much noticed and not the bit did Malcolm found it amusing, an accusing voice came to mind, probably Annabelle was right on his humour fading over the years, but he did not care. He would not be spoken like some kind of besotted fool in front of noblemen, "Save your exaggerations, I believe we can return to business" he gestured to the gentlemens who all had smug grin but fell the moment he met their gaze, god heavens was he some kind of monster or did they all frighten?.

He had to get a grip.

But ever since that passionate kiss he had been going practically insane, for a moment he wondered if he actually was. For heavens sake how could he possibly think the girl who decieved him over six years ago and was from a family with lower background than a peasant could ever be Lady Stephanie?

The thought was absurd. Maddening and completely insane! Six years and he was fantasising about the past, imagining that she was masquerading as a lady.. Goddamn it! All the accusing things he sputtered at Stephanie when she had never meet him in her life.

"Have you been listening?" Aldrick cut his thoughts off and the viscount shifted uncomfortably  in his chair, eyes was on him as he cleared his throat, "Do go on," he nodded to Lord Thomas who was speaking, his cousin chuckled quietly as Malcolm focused solely on the financial discussions.

For an hour they had gone over files and agreements before a knock in the door interrupted, it was lady annabelle, "Gentlemen, the ball will start soon, god I should have known you all would be occupied in this nonsense" Annabelle sighed, had it not been for her older than him he would have taught her a thing or two about the term 'nonesense' she called on important business. Not that it was necesarry when her husband was working in economic himself, but Annabelle would never understand. Working kept him distracted, from his mind, and thoughts. It kept him sane.

And for that he was grateful.

"My dear cousin, we was just finished--- is that not true Lord Grey" Aldrick answered before watching him, Malcolm wanted to input that work was not near done but remebered his promise on cutting down his work to Annabelle, "That is correct, gentlemen, your dismissed" he bit out through clenched teeth. The men stood up with gratitude and walked out.

Aldrick wolfishly smiled, "I can not wait for the ball, beautiful and exotic ladies although I believe we have different words on that, I have to say that Lady Stephanie could outshine any woman, do you not think so Malcolm?"

Underneath the desk Malcolm fist were clenched and every muscle in his body tightened, he should have known that Annabelle was not near the dangerous aspect interfering in his love life. It was his rake cousin who know deserved to be punched In the guts, before he could do anything like wipe the smirk of his face with his fist  

a joyish woman squeal interrupted"What are you implying on? Dear heavens has Malcolm found a supposed candidate?" Annabelle was beaming with hope you could wonder if the woman won a price, before Aldrick could open his mouth Malcolm sent him a death glare that could dug him in place, "Cease those thoughts, the ball has not nearly gone for a month,"

Aldrick snorted lightly and input low enough for annabelle to not hear but high enough for him, "Yet you had intercourse with a lady, in less then a month"

Damn him!. Malcolm cheekbones coloured lightly that one had to look close enough to know that he was affected by those words, but considering that Malcolm never got flustered or caught out of hand one had to be blind not to notice . Annabelle was looking between the both of them, her expression beeming with curiousity and delightment before she glared at Aldrick,  "Don't push him, aldrick, to even know that some lady has caught his attention is more than we can call for"

Malcolms eyes darkened he could not let them nose into his business, and most certaintly was Lady Stephanie not a woman he would ever be involved with, let alone catch his attention.  Had it not been for his foolish believement that she was a girl from 1808, , a girl that til this day he wanted to take revenge upon, a girl that he cherised and came to love.. no he was a fool then, had it not been for that he wouldn't had approached Lady Stephanie..

But what mattered was both the present and his future.

"I believe you said we had to prepare for the ball," he stood up feeling somehow alive, ever since he had to be independent and had no one to lean on when he took over the viscount title his life had been a schedule, it was meant to be planned and lived accordingly, perfectly maped and structured for no obstacles to occur. Yet in this moment he felt alive, in anger and in every emotion that gripped him, perhaps because he had started drinking again but in the back of his mind he knew it was not true. It was because of her and god knows how much he cursed that witched woman!

This strange feeling like a schoolboy on holiday ready to do something micheivous and reckless came back, just like what happened when he recklessly kissed Lady Stephanie, even work couldn't distract him from the fact.  He hadnt even apologised for behaving like a madman, he most certaintly would seek her out in the ball and ask for forgivness.

And than he would drink until the memory of the her sweet lips against his was out of his mind and system, until he the memory was vanished and gone he couldn't recall it.