Secluded with the Rogue

Chapter 14

Fourteen

T he ballroom looked like a fairytale. Marianne had outdone herself with swathes of white silks and hundreds of candles and snowdrops strewn about the room.

After Calista and Ezra had returned from the lodge, Marianne had been in raptures. Crying and laughing, thanking God, then thanking Ezra for keeping Calista alive, then thanking David for having the good sense to put a hunting lodge in the woods on their estate.

It had taken hours to calm her down and more time still to assure her that Calista was in good health.

She’d asked, of course, if anything had happened between them in that forthright way of hers, and Ezra had done a stellar job of pretending they’d been perfectly well-behaved. If he wasn’t a wealthy lord with estates and holdings to run, he could have pursued a career on the stage, she’d thought bitterly.

But his subterfuge had done the trick and after Marianne assuring them that not a word would be whispered about them being holed up in a cabin alone for three days, she’d thrown herself into the ball preparations once more.

“I’ve done nothing, of course,” she’d said. “I wasn’t about to hold a ball with you missing. But now you’re here and you look well so we can get on with it. If for no other reason than to commiserate with Mrs. Faust that the storm forced her to cancel her processional.” She’d cackled rather evilly before dragging Calista away.

And it had been like that almost every moment until now. Marianne running around like a madwoman and dragging Calista with her.

She’d only seen Ezra at mealtimes where he’d watched her with a heat so scorching in his eyes she was afraid she’d catch fire under his scrutiny.

The first evening they’d been back, she’d tried to sneak downstairs to see if she could find him in the library or study but she’d taken not two steps down the hallway before the door to the master chamber had swung open and Marianne had been there smiling sweetly and asking if she needed something.

It was then that Calista realized that Ezra hadn’t fooled her cousin for a second. But unless she was willing to talk about it, they’d all just dance around the subject pretending it didn’t work. And Calista hadn’t been convinced that she’d be able to talk about it without bursting into tears so they were at something of an impasse.

“We did a pretty good job, you and I.”

Calista turned at the sound of Marianne’s voice. “You look beautiful”, she told her cousin. And it was true. Marianne was a vision in peacock-blue satin.

“And you, my dear, are an absolute vision.” Calista laughed as Marianne circled her. She’d taken great care with her dress that evening, perhaps as a way of showing Ezra what he was cavalier about throwing away.

There would be no assignations behind potted plants. She’d be spending the evening with her father, who’d arrived just that morning, and he’d be parading her around until someone suitable took the bait.

Their time was over and she felt like she hadn’t even gotten to say a proper goodbye.

And yet, with all that, she’d realized when the last curl and been pinned, and her feet had slid into her satin slippers, that she’d chosen a gown almost the exact shade of Ezra’s eyes. It was a concoction of silver silk overlaid with the most delicate lace. Her ears, neck, and even her hair were dripping in diamonds.

The butler glided to the entrance on silent feet, as only butlers could do, and Marianne frowned in his direction. “Excuse me for a moment, won’t you?” she asked before hurrying off and leaving Calista alone again.

“She’s right, you know. You are a vision.” The breath caught in Calista’s throat. Not quite alone then. Steeling herself for the impact of seeing him alone for the first time since the cabin, she turned around and there he was. More handsome than ever, if that was even possible.

“Thank you,” she said because frankly, she could think of nothing else.

“I’ve missed you, Damsel,” he said softly, taking her by surprise with the raw honesty in his voice. “Even sitting across a table from you, I miss you. It seems that now I’ve had you in my arms, I don’t enjoy you not being there.”

Calista felt her eyes smarting. “I miss you too,” she confessed. Because it was true and if she couldn’t be honest now, she wouldn’t get the chance to be again. “Ezra, I need to tell you something. I –“

“Calista.”

She muttered a swear word she’d learned from him, earning a soft chuckle. But there was nothing funny about this.

Calista turned at her father’s summons and dipping a small curtsey in Ezra’s direction, hurried over to the gruff man.

“You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve settled on a match for you, Calista. The announcement will be made tonight. I’ve just spent the last couple of hours seeing to the marriage contract and I’m satisfied that you will be well taken care of. Now, let us go and help your cousin greet her guests.”

It was done.

E zra couldn’t keep from grinning as he watched Calista slink behind a potted plant. Just like old times.

God, he’d missed her. He’d meant it when he’d said as such. And if her damned father hadn’t interrupted them, he was quite sure he’d have had her in his arms again.

But perhaps it was for the best. Within minutes the ballroom had been filled with guests and the things he had planned for Calista certainly didn’t need an audience.

All evening, she’d been playing a cat-and-mouse game with her father. Every time the earl had conversed with an unattached gentleman, Calista had run. It was beyond amusing and he’d thoroughly enjoyed watching it but time was ticking on and his plan was about to kick in.

As though his thoughts had manifested it, the orchestra played the opening strings of the waltz. That was his cue.

He slunk over to where she stood, heart-achingly beautiful in silver. “Lady Calista, would you do me the honor of dancing the waltz with me?”

She jumped at the sound of his voice before melting in relief at his familiar face. “Ezra, I’m trying to hide. Don’t draw attention to me.”

He bit the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing.

“And why are you hiding?”

“You didn’t hear my father earlier in the ballroom? He claims to have found me a husband. He’s already had the negotiations for the marriage contract. There’s no getting out of it. I’ll have to run.”

Ezra felt his jaw drop. “Run?”

“Yes, run. I’ve been thinking about it since the cabin and I- I can’t do it, Ezra. I cannot hand over my life to some stranger. Not when,” she paused and heaved a breath. “Not when my heart can never be his.”

The moment grew taut with things unsaid and Ezra cleared his throat. “Well, before you run away, do you think you can spare me a waltz?”

He took the opportunity of her shock to grab hold of her and practically drag her to where the other dancers had gathered. And then, despite her efforts to dig her heels in, they waltzed.

Having his arms back around her was like a starving man being handed a feast. She held herself stiff as a rod, refusing to sink against him.

“Damsel,” he whispered. “Look at me.”

She refused.

“Calista.”

She ignored him.

He sighed in faux irritation before removing his hand from her waist and tilting her chin until she had no choice but to hold his stare. “I don’t think you should run away,” he said matter-of-factly. “I think you should stay here and meet your future husband.”

She scowled at him. “You are a traitor,” she hissed. “And an awful white knight. After everything we went through, I thought that that-“

“That what?” he pressed.

She opened her mouth, no doubt to scold him some more, but then just as quickly shut it, her shoulder slumping in defeat.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said despondently.

“Did you perhaps think that after everything we went through, after everything we shared, I would be violently jealous of whomever your father deemed worthy of your hand? That I would tell you that you should be allowed to choose for yourself? And that you should stand up to him, and everyone else in your life, who doesn’t want to allow you to choose your own path?”

Calista blinked up at him once, twice. “Well, yes,” she huffed. “I never asked you to love me, Ezra. I never expected you to feel the same as me. But I hoped you would at least help me get out of this mess.”

Ezra’s heart flipped at the vulnerability in her voice and vowed that after tonight she would never again wear that hurt expression.

“Ordinarily I might have said all those things,” he said casually even while his mind raced with the words ‘I never expected you to feel the same as me’. Did she even realize what she’d said? “But in this instance, I think you should stick around and meet the man who wants to marry you. I have it on excellent authority that he’s fallen completely and absolutely in love with you. That he went to your father, practically on his knees, begging to be given the chance to win your hand.”

He felt the very moment she began to understand him, the trembles that began to run through her.

“But I have it on equally good authority that he would never want to disrespect you by taking your choices from you. That he wants to marry you and spend the rest of his life with you more than he wants to take his next breath. But if you don’t want the same thing, he will let you go. Though he won’t stop loving you and fighting for you, and praying that one day you’ll feel the same.”

“Ezra.” It was the most she could manage before the tears came. All around them, they were garnering the attention of Marianne’s guests but he paid not an iota of attention to any of them. Every part of him was utterly wrapped up in the woman he was holding.

“So if you don’t want this, it won’t happen. It’s as simple as that. He made it very clear to your father that this needs to be what you want.” He paused then winked. “Or so I’ve been told.”

Her silence was interminable but Ezra refused to rush her. Patience. Since the cabin, he’d been exercising patience.

“And he loves me, this man?”

He nodded once. “Beyond words.”

“You know,” she sniffled as he wiped a tear from her cheek, “I believe I could fall desperately in love with a man as wonderful as that.”

The relief nearly brought him to his knees but he managed to keep them dancing. “Is that so?” he played along when he wanted nothing more than to drag her from here and show her just how much he missed her.

“Oh, absolutely. I think I could probably love him so much that marrying him would make me the happiest woman in the world.”

Before he could answer, the waltz ended and David was calling the attention of his esteemed guests. Ezra allowed Calista to step out of the circle of his arms, though he held tightly to her hand, propriety be damned. He looked toward the dais where Calista’s father was glaring at them. Lord, that was one stern man. The earl tilted his head, awaiting Ezra’s signal. But Ezra looked to the woman beside him, the woman who’d ensnared him heart and soul. It was her decision, after all. She gave her father a discreet nod and just like that, the announcement was made.

Within seconds they were surrounded by well-wishers and gossip mongers and it seemed to take an age to escape the mob and find a plant to hide behind.

“Ezra.”

He looked down into the most beautiful face in the world. “Yes, Damsel?”

“I’ve changed my mind,” she said and his heart damn near stopped in dread. But then he saw that mischievous little smile. “It turns out you’re a rather good white knight, after all.”

He laughed once before leaning down to whisper in her ear. “How about we sneak back to the lodge, and see if we can’t get ourselves snowed in again?”

“That sounds so perfect, I could kiss you,” she answered.

“So, do it then,” he answered.

And she did.