A Scandalous Affair (Completed)

Chapter 4. 1856 

The following week, Amelia was dancing with lord Anthony Bradley, Viscount Cornwall. The young gentleman was tolerable, but nothing like Nicholas. For that evening, she was wearing a gown of dusty pink silk with off the shoulder sleeves and a sweetheart neckline.  Her hair was fixed into a chignon with pink diamonds woven throughout. Her mothers pendant was around her neck, blue diamond making her eyes sparkle.
Once the dance was finished, Arthur smiled and gave Amelia a soft kiss upon her knuckles. "Thank you for dancing with me this evening."
Amelia gave him a polite smile. "Thank you for asking."
With a bow, Arthur turned and left her alone.
Moving towards the wall of the ballroom, Amelia was just getting comfortable, when she felt a hand gently wrap around her left wrist. Her heart began to flutter as she felt herself being pulled away from the glittering candlelight and towards the shadows. But she wasn't afraid, because she recognized the hand that was holding her wrist. She knew the gentleman who was holding her wasn't a threat. Feeling emboldened, she brushed her thumb against the back of his  knuckles, and then felt her heart spiral into a pounding frenzy as the gentleman's thumb returned her action.
They moved away from the glittering ballroom and toured an empty hallway. They soon found themselves in a drawing room that was surrounded by more candles and a blazing fireplace. No one else was in the room but the two of them.
Amelia heard the door close softly behind them, and when she turned around, she came face-to-face with the Duke of Richmond. Nicholas had wanted her alone that night. But why? She smiled at him. "Well good evening your grace."
Nicholas returned her smile. "Good evening to you. I do hope I didn't frighten you earlier, I was looking for you all night."
Amelia. "I was looking for you all evening. I received news from George last week."
Nicolas. "Did you? What did he say?"
Amelia moved to sit down on the chaise by the window. "He wrote to me and said that he and Margaret are engaged."
Nicolas took a seat next to her. "Is that so? When is Margaret due to deliver?"
Amelia. "At the beginning of December, and her confinement is in November."
Nicolas leaned closer, his chocolate brown eyes sparkling. "So does this mean you are a free woman?"
Amelia smiled sadly. "Not quite yet your grace. The gender of the child still needs to be determined upon their birth. Once it is, and if it is a boy, then I'm free."
Nicolas brushed his thumb across her lips. "So you mean to tell me that until this child is born, you are still married to George Tristan?"
Amelia. "Unfortunately yes."
Nicolas. "Well, until we know of the child's gender, I don't believe there's any harm of me asking to court you."
Amelia felt her heart stop. Nicholas was asking to court her. He was asking to do so while she was still a married woman.
Nicholas moved his lips to her ear, his voice becoming soft and seductive. "Do you oppose Amelia?"
Amelia was beginning to grow hot. But it wasn't a fever. No, it was desire that was making her overheat. The prospect of being on the arm of one of England's finest bachelors, away from George for the rest of her life, was a delicious and scandalous affair.
Nicolas. "Well?"
Her eyes sparkling like powder blue diamonds, Amelia gave him a sweet smile. "Your grace, I would be honored to be on your arm this season. I give you complete permission to court me."
Nicolas beamed, his eyes dancing with excitement. His thumb brushed against her lips once more. "Wonderful, I look forward to calling on you tomorrow."
Amelia. "I am looking forward to it. However, I do believe you and I have a waltz to attend this evening."
Nicholas chuckled, sliding her hand and his elbow and leading her back out into the ballroom. "I agree."
Smiling at each other, they started dancing together as the waltz began. They knew that once George and Margaret had their son in early December, they could begin to form a proper attachment. However, until that took place, and the gender of the child was revealed at that time, the Duke of Richmond and Baroness Tristan knew that they couldn't get very much involved with one another.
As Amelia danced with Nicholas, she realized that he was nothing like George. She knew that he saw her as being a beautiful young lady, flaws and all. At least, that's what her hope was. She had no idea what the Duke of Richmond was going to think of her once he saw her body without any clothing on. She was praying that he wouldn't ridicule or criticize her because of her full figure.