Secluded with the Rogue

Chapter 3

Three

“I ’m sorry I didn’t tell you before now, Cali. But I was worried you wouldn’t come.”

Calista grimaced across the breakfast table at her cousin.

She didn’t like the fact that Marianne had kept Lord Tilton’s presence for the Christmastide season a secret but – well, Marianne was right. She would have refused to come if she’d known that there were other people present. Especially people as – distracting – as Lord Tilton.

Last night she’d been aware of his presence for the entirety of the evening after their meeting. He’d offered to dance with her, and she’d refused, just as she’d refused every other offer.

And she could tell by the whispers and glances that people thought it was in deference to some secret scandal or other when frankly, nothing could be further from the truth. She just didn’t want to be the center of attention. Even for the brief moments of a dance.

But looking into Marianne’s stricken face now, Calista felt a twinge of guilt. It was Marianne’s home, after all. And Lord Tilton was David’s cousin. And it was Yuletide, a time when families came together. She had no right to dictate what guests her cousin should invite, whomever those guests might be. And she had even less right to make Marianne feel in any way guilty about it.

So, squaring her shoulders, she painted a serene smile onto her face.

“Please don’t worry about it, Marianne,” she said, keeping her voice calm and nonchalant. “It was a surprise that’s all. But I’m sure we shall rub along quite well together, all of us. And it’s nice to meet some of David’s family.”

Marianne eyed her closely for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“Oh, Cali. You’ve never been a good liar. But I sincerely appreciate your trying.”

Calista felt her cheeks heat at Marianne’s frankness.

“No, honestly –“

“Hush.” Marianne reached out and clasped Calista’s hand. “I know that you aren’t comfortable with this. But – I truly do hope that you’ll find some enjoyment here with us. After such an awful couple of years, you deserve it.”

Inexplicably, Calista felt her eyes fill with tears.

“And I need to ask you to do something for me,” Marianne continued.

“Anything,” Calista blurted. Marianne had always been such a rock for her, she would do anything for her cousin to show her gratitude.

“I want you to try to set aside your misgivings. To try to forget your father’s expectations and all that you endured. For this one visit, set aside everything except the fact that you are a young lady who needs some enjoyment in your life.”

“I am perfectly happy with my life, Marianne.”

“Poppycock,” Marianne interrupted. “You’ve been existing since your illness, not living. And there is a difference, dearest. So, you must dance, join in games, and perhaps even flirt a little.”

Calista choked on the tea she’d just sipped.

“There are to be dinners and parties right up until the Christmas Eve ball. Plenty of opportunity to flirt with no harm done,” Marianne winked.

Calista opened her mouth to argue but there was no point. Marianne was stubborn as a mule, and it would make for a far easier life if Calista just went along with it. Maybe not becoming an outrageous flirt, but she could certainly stand a few conversations and even a dance or two.

“Fine,” she said albeit a little grudgingly. “But no kisses.”

Marianne’s nostalgic smile was tinged with a pity that Calista recoiled from. The last thing she wanted was pity from anyone, but especially Marianne. It made her feel like she was some sort of broken doll and not a woman grown. A woman capable of standing on her own two feet and living a nice, contented life.

“No kisses,” she answered softly. “Unless” she continued after a pause, “you fall in love.”

“Of course,” Calista shared a conspiratorial look with Marianne, though inwardly she knew there was little chance of that.

“Now, what shall we –“

The door to the small, informal morning room they were occupying opened, and in swept David with his unsettling cousin.

“What a lovely sight to see in the morning,” David said, pressing a kiss atop Marianne’s hair before rushing to the sideboard and beginning to fill a plate.

“Do you mean us or the food?” Marianne laughed.

“Why my beautiful wife and her beautiful cousin, of course,” her husband countered with a wink as he sat at the head of the table and lifted a hand to gesture for coffee.

Lord Tilton merely offered a silent bow before strolling at a more sedate pace to the sideboard groaning under the weight of the food.

“Marianne, are we expecting the company of a starving army while breaking our fast?” he quipped as he ran his eyes over the selection.

“You’re teasing,” Marianne answered, her tone blasé, “but it’s not a bad idea. Perhaps I’ll fill the house with handsome soldiers in red coats for Calista’s entertainment.”

For the second time that morning, Calista choked on her tea, feeling her cheeks flame at Marianne’s shocking words.

“Marianne,” she hissed, though she wouldn’t be heard above the raucous laughter, she was sure.

“If you’re looking for someone to entertain you, Lady Calista, surely I am the more convenient choice?” Calista looked up in time to see Lord Tilton’s roguish wink which set her cheeks burning hotter.

She was about to meekly dip her chin, but something about his smirk had her raising it instead. “Convenient doesn’t always mean ‘best’, Lord Tilton,” she said before she could think better of it.

This elicited another round of laughter from Marianne and David and Calista felt a jolt of pleasure. How long had it been since she’d verbally spared with anyone?

Lord Tilton raised a brow, an infuriating little smile playing around his mouth. It was distractingly attractive.

“Ah, but I have it on good authority that I am rather talented in the area of entertainment,” he drawled. “And I’ve no reason to think otherwise. Care to find out? Offer your own opinion?”

Calista scoffed, even rolling her eyes for good measure. “I’m not sure your ego would withstand my opinion, Lord Tilton, large as it clearly is.”

The spark of delight in his eyes, even as he faked a frown, sent a frisson down Calista’s spine. It felt as though the sassy, bold young lady she’d been before her isolation was awakening from a long, long slumber. Like her brain was rousing itself, stretching and coming back to life.

“Well, I’ve never had any complaints in that area either,” he stated boldly.

Marianne’s gasp was positively gleeful, as were David’s laughing protests. The pair of them were watching Calista and Tilton as though watching a particularly engaging tennis match.

Calista’s nerve made a valiant effort to escape but she held tight to it, determined to have the last word now that she’d found someone who evoked real feelings in her.

“You probably couldn’t hear them, Lord Tilton, over the sound of your own voice.”

There was a pause and Calista wondered if she’d perhaps gone too far but in the next breath, Marianne’s delighted giggle broke the silence.

“My word, Ezra,” David chuckled. “Is it possible that you’ve met a woman immune to your charms?”

Lord Tilton bowed his head as though acknowledging a hit, and even though he answered his cousin good-naturedly, he kept that steel-grey gaze trained on Calista. “Perhaps,” he said quietly. “I suppose time will tell.”

E zra tried hard to keep his attention on the conversation around the breakfast table but try as he might, he couldn’t keep his eyes or his thoughts of Lady Calista.

He’d known it last night. She had a fire in her, just under the surface. And a tongue like a damned viper if the insults she’d just thrown his way were anything to go by.

But rather than bruising his ego, as she’d intended, all she’d done was intrigue him even more. He had a competitive streak in him. Always had. And she’d just thrown down a gauntlet.

“There are a million things to do before the ball.” Marianne had been bemoaning her lot in life for the past twenty minutes, as though she weren’t entirely responsible for the ball and its oversized guestlist. “And of course, I have callers coming every second hoping to be invited. Which is utterly insane because I’m inviting everyone as it is.”

“Well, I’ll help in whatever way I can,” Lady Calista offered sweetly, the picture of demure decorum once again. The fire she’d shown earlier well and truly banked.

“And I look forward to taking great advantage of that offer, dearest,” Marianne laughed. “But we must be sure you don’t overdo it, either. If your mother sees you even sniffle when she arrives on Christmas Eve morning, I’m quite sure she’ll have my head.”

“They’ve confirmed their attendance then, your parents?” David addressed the question to Lady Calista, but it was Marianne who answered with a giant eye roll.

“Of course! Do you think my uncle would pass up the chance to find a husband for Cali?” she scoffed.

For some, mad reason, Ezra felt a twist of annoyance at the viscountess’s words.

“And since you’ve invited half of Christendom to our party, he’ll have plenty to choose from,” David answered wryly.

Ezra watched Lady Calista’s face closely. Was she one of those debutantes, desperate to catch herself a husband? He didn’t know why, but the idea bothered him.

However, judging from her scowl, he could only surmise that she wasn’t in any rush to be dragged down the aisle.

He hated how relieved he felt.

What the hell was wrong with him? He’d only known her a couple of days and had spoken to her as many times.

Perhaps he should excuse himself from the house and visit one of his mistresses. End the dry spell, so to speak. That must be what was behind his strange fixation with the woman seated across the table from him.

“More to the point, Cali will have plenty to choose from. I can see it now, Calista. A tall, handsome stranger. Perhaps European, even. And your eyes will meet across the ballroom and he’ll stride over and demand a waltz. Oh, it will be glorious.”

Lady Calista laughed, a becoming blush stealing over her cheeks. Lord, she was pretty in the morning, he thought. The sunlight bounced off her golden curls, her eyes looked impossibly blue coupled with her simple, white muslin gown. And he knew without a doubt that she’d be considered quite the prize by every red-blooded male Marianne was planning on lining up for her.

“I thank you for the offer, but I don’t think I need a plethora of gentlemen at my disposal. I’m far more likely to be hiding in a corner somewhere.”

“Behind a potted plant perhaps?”

Lady Calista’s gaze snapped to his at the reminder of where he’d found her last night. And Ezra felt a shock of pleasure when she shared a small, conspiratorial smile with him.

“Perhaps,” she said softly before turning back to her chattering cousin.

“You can at least dance, Cali.” Marianne’s voice dropped conspiratorially. “Perhaps even get your first kiss. I mean a real one. One from the pact. ”

“Marianne! Really.” Calista sounded horrified and it seemed to be enough to make even the chatty Marianne take a breath. But it was too late. Ezra’s interest had already increased tenfold.

A pact? About a kiss?

He watched wordlessly as Lady Calista quickly made her excuses and hurried away, Marianne at her heels. David merely shook his head ruefully and buried his nose in the papers.

But Ezra didn’t read a word on the news sheet before him. No, he was far too intrigued by this pact.

And he was determined to find out what it was.