Teasing Your Wicked Heart

CHAPTER 28

"If you must know, I hadn't brought a maid with me for I had desired privacy and utter solitude in dealing with my appointment." A sheepish expression formed on her face. "I do not know what I would have done if you did not come along. Its contents would have spilled on the street, and I shall be too embarrassed to pick them up and admit that they are indeed mine."

Anthony guffawed, he could not help himself. Madame De Courcey was known for her uncanny ability to maintain secrecy in a society that profited very much from gossip. The infamous clothes, which left nothing to the imagination, were just a boon for madame's reputation. "Such modesty from the Duchess of Ravensdale. You should be proudly waving your lace in a flag!"

Her lips turned down into a frown, eyes menacing and lips pursing to form forceful hurried whispers, "If my fists weren't otherwise engaged in these packages, I would have throttled you and boxed your ears."

Words that should have inspired fear had then extracted a spell of chuckles rumbling under Anthony's chest.

Their steady friendly relationship has blossomed into a sibling-like affection as the years passed. The duchess usually kept a femme and unaffected facade, but only Anthony could seduce her out of stoicism and move her to violence.

Even so, Charlotte was grateful for his rescue.

They reached the end of the street and she easily recognized her large crested carriage with its coachman lazily sleeping under the safety covers of his hat.

"How long have you been here?" Anthony asked dubiously, it seems like the duchess was even more modest than he previously assumed.

"I had a long internal debate before the sun was up." She said, shrugging as she shouted at the coachman to wake him up. "Then I waited until I could slip away without disturbing my husband's sleep." She said in a whisper and then continued sheepishly, "And then, I continued to my appointment. I was being very discreet about it. This could have ended much worse."

"Ah." He smiled, feeling awfully lighthearted at the turn of events. "One would think that in the way that you use your words, the meaning could be deduced that you have in fact taken a lover."

"Oh, pish! Stop it, will you?" She breathed, the corners of her mouth pinched with irritation as her eyes darted to the coachman to see signs of any eavesdropping. "You know as well as anyone that I would never take a lover. I love him."

Surprisingly, Anthony didn't feel any nausea at the mention of hearts and sweetings. "I know you do, and if this is any evidence, I think you might love him just a wee bit much."

Charlotte rolled her eyes as the last of the boxes were loaded into the carriage. "I can scarcely believe I'm going to say this, but I've missed you so. Why don't you come and take a turn with me? I can bring you back to your townhouse."

What a terribly fantastic idea!

This decision would be ripe for another scandal under his belt. This time, Anthony will not be known for seducing young impressionable females, but instead caught red-handed in the vestiges of the morning with a married duchess in her husband's carriage, no less. Never mind the truth, the ton will spread this like wildfire.

He thought that he'd rather not be at the end of Ravensdale's pistol by the end of this Season. He was just getting his life back.

Sensing his hesitation and plausible reason for inner conflict, Lady Ravensdale tugged hard on his coat. "Oh, pish! No one will dare say anything, nor suspect. They must be stupid if they do. And you shall be a fool to think that I might seduce you." She took a step on the stool provided for her, calling behind her as she climbed the coach, "Come on now, we have much to discuss."