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  “I don’t doubt that, Andrew,” she said. “But I am not here for that sort of—shall we call it entertainment.”

  “But it can be so—” he put his lips near her ear, “—entertaining. And I’m very good at entertaining.”

  Clarissa couldn’t help but laugh. He was the first man who had paid her attention since before her marriage. “Are you the court jester?” she asked.

  “I’m good at many things,” he said. “That means I can promise you that an evening with me will leave you smiling.”

  “Do you not have a specific skill?” They had stopped just inside the dining hall. “Or are you a jester who excels at everything?”

  “Everything,” he whispered, his voice so seductively low that her nipples tightened. And then a different voice rang out, so near that Clarissa could have sworn it was right next to her—not it, her.

  “Clarissa, dear, so nice to see you.”

  The words made Clarissa’s back bristle. She turned to the woman standing near her. “You will address me as Your Grace, Belinda.” That should make a point. Clarissa could call Lady Strauss by her given name, but she would not allow Belinda to call her Clarissa. It was petty, she knew, but it proved a point. Or at least she hoped it did.

  “Oh, pardon me,” Lady Strauss said. “Such a shame for you to be so—rude.”

  Clarissa didn’t answer. She turned her gaze back to Andrew. But before she could say anything, Lady Strauss spoke again.

  “Andrew, so wonderful to see you. I’ve forgotten how handsome you are.” Lady Strauss put her hand on Andrew’s arm. “I wonder how close our rooms are.”

  She said it loud enough for the people filing into the dining room to hear. Several of them laughed, but Andrew didn’t. Clarissa felt her face heating. She wanted to say something, but she knew if she showed any little bit of jealousy their fellow party guests would find it highly amusing.

  Instead, she stood there and acted like she didn’t give a rat’s behind who visited Lady Strauss’ bedroom.

  “Perhaps I can get the duchess to make sure we’re seated next to each other at the dining table.”

  “That’s a very kind thought, Lady Strauss, but I’m afraid I already asked the duchess to seat me next to Clarissa,” he said. “She and I have so much to talk about.”

  Clarissa didn’t tell him he needed to use her title, something noticed, she was sure, by the assembled guests who were watching the first entertainment of the weekend.

  For a moment, Clarissa thought Lady Strauss would explode; her face was red and her eyes were little slits from where she’d furrowed her brows. She looked around, as if she realized for the first time that people were watching them.

  “How sweet of you to try and keep company with Her Grace,” Lady Strauss finally said. “She has so few friends.”

  That much was true, but once again, Clarissa didn’t say anything.

  “Spending time with Clarissa is not an act of charity,” he said. “I look forward to engaging conversation and stimulating interaction.”

  Clarissa swallowed the urge to tell him there would be no stimulation between them, but that would make Lady Strauss laugh, and right now she looked as if she’d swallowed a bucketful of slop.

  “Of course,” she finally said. “If you will excuse me.” Lady Strauss left without saying another word to Clarissa.

  When she was gone, Clarissa tightened her grip on Andrew’s arm. “You’re a wonderful person. Thank you for standing up for me.”

  “I did nothing of the sort.” He took her free hand and lifted it to his lips. After he’d kissed it he whispered, “I am truly looking forward to spending time with you this weekend.”

  Clarissa tried to pull her hand away, but he held it tight. “I appreciate the thought,” she said as he stared down the left side of the table. “But, unlike Lady Strauss, I don’t leave my door unlocked at night. If that is your intention, you need to go and sit with her, I’m afraid.”

  Although, Clarissa thought, spending time with him could fit into her plans. She mentally shook off that thought. She didn’t want anyone to know her true reason for being here this weekend.

  She hadn’t quite figured out how to put things in action, though. Would Andrew be someone she could trust? Could she tell him about what happened, and how she wanted to make it right?

  No. She needed to do all of this on her own, or else word of it would get out and she would be even more embarrassed than when all of society knew her loathsome husband had taken Lady Strauss to his bed.

  “Here we are,” Andrew said. He pulled out a chair and indicated she should sit down.

  Once he was seated next to her she said, “Did you really arrange this?”

  “I did,” he said. “I saw you when you arrived and I didn’t want to spend time with anyone else this weekend.”

  Clarissa took a drink from her wine glass. “As I said before, I appreciate the sentiment, but my door will be locked this evening.”

  “There’s always tomorrow night,” he said with a smile. “Plus, I have no desire to be with Lady Strauss.”

  “May I ask why not?” she took another sip. “She is very attractive.”

  “Clarissa, have you ever heard of a revolving door?”

  “Excuse me?” she asked.

  “It’s a fairly new invention,” he said. “I understand one has been installed in a building in Philadelphia, in the Colonies. The premise, from what I understand, allows for easy entry and access into a room. The door sort of twirls.”

  “I don’t think I’m following your idea, Andrew.”

  “I’m sure that Lady Strauss will have one installed in her bedroom as soon as possible,” he said.

  Clarissa smothered a laugh as it finally dawned on her what he was saying. “You are evil.” She turned and winked at him. “I rather like that.”

  “Then perhaps you will open your door to me tonight,” he said.

  “I’m sorry, no.”

  “Perhaps I can find a way to change your mind,” he said. “I understand we are dancing later. I will enjoy holding you in my arms.”

  A silent thrill ran through her, and Clarissa prayed her face didn’t betray her emotions. He didn’t look triumphant, so she hoped it didn’t.

  “You’re very charismatic, Andrew,” she said. “Something tells me you leave the ladies of London reaching for their fans when you flirt with them.”

  “You’re not reaching for one,” he said. “Perhaps I’m not as good at seduction as I think. I will have to find a way to get beyond the wall you’ve built around yourself.”

  “It’s high enough that you won’t be able to scale it,” she said.

  “Then I shall knock a door through it,” he said.

  “Knock?” Clarissa took a sip from her wine. “That sounds violent.”

  “If it works that is what I will do,” he said. “Don’t think that I will give up so easily.”

  “I shall enjoy the chase, Andrew,” Clarissa said. She truly meant it, but she had only one goal for this weekend. She would work here, while the men she hired would, hopefully, be working their magic in London.

  Clarissa made small talk with Andrew while the meal was served. They ate and from time to time she turned to talk to the man on her other side, Lord Jack Palmer, who was so boring she thought she would fall asleep in her food. He enjoyed talking about horses and money, and the more he chatted the more she wanted to turn her attention back to Andrew, who was talking to the woman on his other side, who was a friend of his named Charlotte, Lady Essex.

  Before Clarissa could turn her attention back to Andrew, though, their hostess called for their attention.

  “I’m honored that you’re all my guests this weekend,” the duchess said. “Before the dancing begins I would like to talk about tomorrow. I have taken the liberty of pairing my guests together for the scavenger hunt.” She continued to talk about the items they would search for.

  Clarissa turned her attention to Belinda, who was flirti
ng outrageously with The Duke of Stanhope. As if she knew someone was looking at her, Belinda glanced up and locked her gaze on Clarissa. She smirked, and Clarissa glared at her.

  Belinda threw back her head and laughed, and Clarissa grasped her napkin in her lap.

  “Don’t,” Andrew said. “The more you react the more she wins.”

  Clarissa didn’t say anything.

  “She will become angry if you don’t respond, and she will embarrass herself.”

  “I hope so,” Clarissa said. She didn’t want to add that she had other plans for her late husband’s mistress, ones that would, hopefully, do more than embarrass her.

  “Tomorrow will be great fun,” the duchess said from the front of the room. “I have worked hard to put together wonderful things for you to find.”

  The duchess continued to talk about the more than one hundred items of interest that were hidden in the house, all of them wrapped in white paper and tied with red ribbons.

  “The only hint I’ll give is that everything is hidden downstairs and in the gardens. Nothing is hidden in any of the rooms. Husbands and wives are paired together, and single ladies are paired with the single man who was seated to their right during dinner. I ask that no more than two couples pair together to hunt. The person who finds the most trinkets will win the grand prize on Sunday.”

  The assembled guests laughed and discussed the prizes. Clarissa smiled as Andrew took her arm.

  “I do believe we’re partners, Clarissa.”

  “So we are,” she said. “And a more worthy partner I could not ask for.”

  His smile was disarming, and it took Clarissa a moment to remind herself that she was here for a specific purpose, not to find a man to take to her bed.

  “May I suggest we pair with my friends in the hunt? With their help we can find anything. Lord and Lady Essex are here now, and several more are supposed to be here tomorrow.”

  “It sounds like a marvelous plan.” She just wished she could use them for her other activities while she was here. As the music drifted from the ballroom, Clarissa knew the dancing was about to begin. She would enjoy herself as much as she could, even though she had other things on her mind.

  Chapter 2

  Clarissa toyed with the hand-held mirror on her vanity while Sally ran a brush through her long hair.

  “Are you certain of this?” she asked.

  “I am, Your Grace,” Sally said. “Lady Strauss now has the room next to Lord Beaton. She specifically asked for it after dinner. It was supposed to be empty, but Lady Strauss complained that her room was too drafty, and asked for the move.”

  “What a little witch,” Clarissa said. “I’m beginning to think it’s me she wants to embarrass rather than Andrew she wants to bed.”

  “I’m sorry, Your Grace,” Sally said. “But, I must ask once again that you let me search her room rather than you doing it.”

  “No, Sally.” Clarissa turned to her. “I understand you want to help, but if you’re caught in there they will brand you as a thief. If I’m caught in there I will be thought of as a wife out for revenge against her late husband’s lover. You would be sent to prison. I would be talked about at parties and balls.”

  Clarissa turned back to the mirror and looked at her maid. “I hope you won’t go against my wishes, Sally.”

  “Of course not, Your Grace,” she said. “It just makes me ill to think of her wearing your family jewelry.”

  Clarissa lowered her gaze to the brush. “That makes two of us, Sally. It bothers me more that my husband stole those pieces from me and gave them to her. But I will find them. I may need you for information, but I will do the searches, and the—retaking.” She wasn’t exactly sure that was the word she wanted for this, but she knew her late husband had stolen four pieces of her family jewelry, and given them to Belinda. He’d told her about it before he’d died; he’d laughed about it, saying he had Belinda wear them while they were making love.

  “She’ll have everything you don’t,” he said. He’d sneered at her, and his voice had been deep with hate. She’d been sitting in her parlor at the time, unsure how to respond. “I’ll come hard knowing you’re here alone and she’s getting what you want.”

  He’d left then, and Clarissa had stared into the fire. When he’d died she didn’t dare confront Belinda about the jewelry. But when the opportunity to attend this party came along, and she knew her rival would also attend, she thought maybe, just maybe, Belinda would bring the jewelry. Something told her the woman would not leave the items in London. She’d sent Clarissa a letter, boasting of having her property and telling her she would bring it to her at the funeral.

  Clarissa had responded that if she did come to the funeral, Clarissa would have her arrested for theft. Thinking back on it, Clarissa knew it wasn’t the smartest thing she’d ever done, because it put Belinda on the defensive. And to Clarissa that meant Belinda would be out to get her. Which included keeping the jewels and, of course, she was sure to keep them with her at all times. That meant she would have them here. Clarissa just needed to find them.

  She hated the thought of using Andrew to meet her ends, but he might be able to help her. But for that to happen she would have to use him, and she didn’t want to do that. He was too charming. Too handsome. Too… her body started to heat and she wished she had one of those fans she accused other women of needing when he was around.

  What would it be like to be in bed with him? Something told her it would be exciting, and she would do more than close her eyes and pray for it to be over, like she had the four times a year the Duke had taken use of her body.

  What would his manhood be like? Would it be long and thin, or short and thin, like the Duke’s? Something told her Andrew would be able to please a woman with what he had between his legs. Her nipples tightened at the thought of him taking them into his mouth, and her quim grew wet.

  Maybe she would take him up on his offer for the weekend. If she left her door open he would surely come and visit and she would see what it would be like to enjoy sex. Her mother had taught her that it could be fun, that it didn’t have to be something a woman feared. But when she’d told her mother about the pain the first time, and the fact that she didn’t enjoy it, she’d somehow said that maybe it was Clarissa’s fault, that Clarissa was frigid.

  This would be her chance to find out if that was the truth. But how would she ask Andrew to come to her bed? Or maybe she just needed to wait for him to ask again and this time she would say yes.

  “Your Grace?”

  “Yes, Sally?”

  “You’re flushed. Are you feeling poorly? Should I get you a glass of water?”

  “Please.”

  And then tie me to the bed so I don’t go in search of Andrew.

  * * *

  Clarissa ate breakfast in her room, and then took time with her dressing. She left the room with plenty of time to gather with the others in the back garden. She found Andrew waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Good morning, Clarissa,” he said, right before he kissed her hand. “You look radiant this morning.”

  “You’re too kind, Andrew,” she said. She wanted to tell him he should have pushed harder last night. She had decided to lie with him, but now she’d changed her mind. Well, talked herself out of it, really. She didn’t want to be one of those widows who took lover after lover, and she didn’t know Andrew enough to take him to her bed.

  “Let me introduce you to my friends,” he said. “I have to warn you, they’re rakes, so watch yourself.”

  Andrew laughed, and she couldn’t help but smile

  “I’ll be on my guard,” she said as he offered his arm. She took it and he led her to a large group of people standing near the open French doors. A cool breeze wafted inside as they made their way across the room.

  She worked to put faces with names as he introduced Dalton and Charlotte, the Essexes; Tristan and Carin, the Ellingtons; and Julian and Alice, the Buxtons.

&
nbsp; “And over there, under the guidance of Lady Strauss, is Lord Barton, Jonathan Barrow. He’s a scoundrel so you’ll want to stay clear of him.”

  Clarissa glanced at Barton and Belinda, and then quickly turned before the witch could smirk at her again. She was happy that she and Andrew would be pairing with another couple. She would have to time things just right, and then slip away to put her plan into motion. The handsome Lord Barton would keep Lady Strauss busy enough so Clarissa was sure she would have time to find what she was looking for.

  The urge to let Andrew in on her plan was strong, but she fought the urge again. It was best to keep the whole affair private. She wanted to take the jewels and leave Belinda furious. If the wench decided to try and take the items back, Clarissa would be ready for her. She wasn’t exactly sure how, but she would.

  “May I hope, beyond hope, that you’re thinking about me?” Andrew put his arm around her waist, as if he were going to guide her in their hunt.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I hope your wandering thoughts would center on me, and how you will let me know you’re leaving your door unlocked for me tonight.” He leaned into her, so much so that his lips were right next to her cheek. “You don’t have to play coy with me. Just say the word.”

  The urges from last night came back—no, not came back, more like surged to all the important parts of her body. She wondered if her hard nipples could be seen through her bodice, but she didn’t want to look down to see.

  “Andrew, stop monopolizing the duchess’ time.” Charlotte playfully poked Andrew in the arm. “We need to search, or else we will be last in the hunt. And I don’t like to be last. Come, let us find those white wrapped packages.”

  “I’m sure the best packages are the ones that are hardest to find,” Charlotte said. “We start inside and, hopefully, throw our fellow party guests off our trail. Then we will find the big one and take the grand prize. Come, come.” She waved her hand to indicate Clarissa and Andrew should fall into step behind them.