The Irresistible Lady Behind the Mask Read online

Her chest heaved up and down as she let him feel the full effect of her anger with words that made his dark brows rise and his lips twitch humorously.

  Incensed that he was laughing at her explosive anger, she writhed as he encircled her further into his embrace. His eyes dropped to her breasts as they moved up and down from exertion at her nonstop tirade and fury.

  Amusement danced in his blue eyes when they beheld her angry ones. “Why do you have the diction of a dockside whore? Did you learn it from your gaming parlour?”

  Before she could begin another tirade, he released her abruptly, making her almost lose balance again. She opened her mouth to continue from where she stopped but clamped it shut when he took her hand and practically dragged her into the drawing room.

  “I warned you about making a spectacle of yourself before the servants didn’t I? I will not have words being peddled to Aunt Agnes!”

  The man with the lazy smile had disappeared to be replaced by one with a fierceness that alarmed her a little. Hudson’s face looked as if it was carved from stone.

  “If you ever behave in such a childish manner again, I’ll take delight in showing you how I deal with pesky spoilt chits!”

  Blinded with rage now at not only being forced to be here but also called a spoilt child, Temper flung herself at Hudson.

  “You contemptible bully!” Angry tears brightened her eyes. “You won’t get away with this. I’ll see that you spend the rest of your miserable life in jail for this!”

  Outraged that he was staring at her with indifference as if her words were empty threats, she lifted her hand to slap him as hard as she could so his teeth would rattle.

  Hudson easily caught her wrist and drew her against his chest. “I won’t get away with making a decent lady out of you? Why, women are dying to be in your shoes right now.”

  Tempest opened her mouth to tell him those shameless women could have him, but he forestalled her by dipping his head and shocking her with a kiss.

  She stiffened with surprise as Hudson’s lips moved earnestly across hers, forcing them apart. Tempest tried to clamp her lips shut in defiance, but Hudson’s hand moved to tip her head back to deepen the kiss.

  Volts of sensations she couldn’t explain because she had never felt them, shot throughout her body. She shivered with pleasure as his tongue dipped into her mouth in a whirlwind of passion.

  Tempest surmised that it was just a few seconds, but the kiss seemed to go on and on. Hudson’s hold tightened, and his hand left her nape to caress her body which fit perfectly with his.

  However, when his hand trailed up the side of her body to cup her breast, she drew in a sharp breath and thrust her mouth from his. She quickly stepped back from his embrace, fixing him with a railing glare.

  “How dare you manhandle me like I was a piece of … of … furniture!” she hissed furiously.

  A lazy, satisfied smile crossed his face. “My curiosity has been satisfied. Now, I’m positive that we will deal very well together in bed.”

  Tempest reddened to the point that she was afraid that she would burst with anger.

  “I can’t wait for you to give in to your passion and let go between the sheets.”

  Tempest shook with barely restrained rage. “You’ll have to wait till hell freezes over!” Her ire increased when he gave a sharp bark of laughter at her words. “And the only passion I’d be releasing is one that would see you dead!”

  Her words seemed to create more humour in him for he laughed heartily.

  “We’re going to have an interesting marriage. I dare say I’m beginning to wonder if I’ll be able to keep up with your fiery nature.”

  “You’ll keep up alright, with the point of my rapier.”

  He guffawed, making her clench her teeth. “Surely, you don’t wish to become a widow so soon.”

  “Any status would be better than being called your wife!”

  Still obviously enjoying the banter, he smiled and shook his head. “While I would love to continue trading words with you, I’ve got to inform Aunt Agnes of my arrival. You’ll be reintroduced to her in the morning. Do well to make yourself presentable.”

  “I’ll make sure you regret every minute of the meeting,” she promised ominously.

  Taking her words with a pinch of salt, he shook his head and walked to the door with long strides. Over his shoulder, he said, “I’ll send a maid to show you your rooms.” And with that, he left her to her temper.

  Giving in to the unladylike act, Tempest reached for one of her dainty slippers and threw it at the door. Her fury increased when she heard Hudson’s rich laughter down the hallway.

  Blinking back the tears stinging her eyes, she paced the drawing room. Despair rose in her throat and threatened to choke her. If only she had listened to her father, who like a soothsayer, saw this coming and warned her.

  But she couldn’t have just folded her hands while Valerie married a man with the disgusting qualities she had thought Hudson possessed.

  Tempest was so torn; it took her a while to take in her surroundings. The room had changed from the last time she was there. The priceless artifacts at the mantle of the fireplace weren’t there before. Neither were the expensive paintings that graced the walls. The French windows were, however, still the same with large panels of glass.

  The view overlooking the windows of the countryside never failed to draw her, which it did yet again. She walked past the brocade chairs, which were new, to gaze out at the lush vegetation ahead. But this time around, the serene view couldn’t give her some of its peace for she feared she had murdered sleep by getting involved in her cousin’s life.

  So deep was Tempest in her thoughts that the maid sent by Hudson had to call her repeatedly before she acknowledged the young girl’s presence. Flushing, the disturbed lady followed the girl who gave her name as Anne up the spiral staircase and along the thick-carpeted hallway to a suite.

  The room was quite lovely with its silk draperies, flowery bed coverlet on a four-poster bed, an elegant divan, and an oaken-table and chair.

  Tempest thanked the maid who told her to rest and offered to bring her a tray of tea and biscuits. She moved around the room, touching the pieces of furniture, but her thoughts were far away.

  Her mind recaptured the explosive kiss she had shared with Hudson a moment ago. Men had deigned to steal kisses from her in her gaming parlour, but Anthony stopped them before they achieved their aim.

  So, invariably, she could say that was her first kiss. And what an explosive kiss it had been! Hudson was indeed knowledgeable when it came to the art of seduction. He had caught her unawares; nevertheless the kiss had blown her away.

  Marriage to Hudson or any other man wasn’t in her cards. However, she couldn’t deny her renewed attraction to Hudson. Her pulse raced whenever he was a few feet from her.

  Fear seized her heart, squeezing it until she was almost short of breath. Her hand went to her swollen lips from Hudson’s kiss. If she dared allow herself to be continuously kissed in such an expert manner, then she feared she might just give up her resolve not to marry. Longing for such sweetness in kisses with Hudson might cause her to make the biggest mistake of her life.

  Flopping on the bed, she surveyed the ceiling which was designed in a spiral way.

  “Dear God, what am I going to do?”

  She sighed heavily.

  Chapter 17

  “Oh, go away with the sleeping medicine, Joanna.” Agnes pushed away the spoon her maid was thrusting at her lips.

  “But, ma’am, you always take your medicine after breakfast to help you sleep and be able to withstand the pain,” the surprised girl explained carefully.

  “Don’t be daft, dear girl,” Agnes retorted hotly. “Aren’t you aware that Hudson is back? And not only is he home, but he’s also here with his betrothed. Pray tell why I should be sleeping instead of entertaining my visitors.”

  “But, ma’am, the doc—”

  “Out!” Agnes yelled, which caused he
r to commence a bout of coughing. Her eyes became red as tears fell out of them.

  The maid tried to use the opportunity to give her the medicine, but the stern look the ailing woman gave her made her stay her hand.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” Joanna hastily apologised.

  “Be gone, Joanna,” the woman instructed, “But first help me sit up. I can’t receive my future niece-in-law lying like an invalid.”

  “But you are one,” the maid dared to say.

  “You insolent chit!” Agnes giggled.

  She was too much in high spirits to be offended by anything that morning. Besides, it was the girl’s spiritedness that had made her hire her in the first place. When one had only a few weeks to live, one needed all the entertainment one could get.

  “Repair to your chambers, wench. When I’m in the mood for sparring words with you, I’ll send for you,” she demanded of the young woman.

  Joanna curtsied before departing from her mistress’s presence. Agnes sighed with contentment when she was alone. Today, she could foresee, would be one of the happiest days of her life.

  When Joanna had informed her in the evening past that Hudson had sent word that he would be arriving that day, she had been overjoyed. She had earnestly waited for his return with his bride, worried that something had gone wrong. Receiving his message had chased away her apprehension.

  At last, Hudson had strolled into her room late in the day, looking as handsome as ever. To her euphoria, he had informed her that his bride was presently in her room, resting, and she would meet her the following day.

  Agnes hadn’t been able to stop the tears that welled up in her eyes and rolled down her wrinkled face. It seemed too good to be true that her desire was finally coming to pass. Hudson would be wed right there in Strombridge. He told her that when he informed his bride about her state of health, the woman had insisted that their wedding take place right there at the manor in honour of her.

  “Why, I love her already,” she had told her smiling nephew.

  To have such a considerate woman as a wife would surely make Hudson a better man. She couldn’t wish for a better woman for him.

  Agnes tilted her head to the side, hoping she would hear footsteps heading for her door. Oh, she couldn’t wait to meet Hudson’s intended. The mischievous lad had told her it was going to be a surprise.

  “Boy, are you trying to shock me into leaving this world earlier than expected?” she had jocularly thrown at him.

  As predicted, Hudson tossed back his head, and rich laughter poured from his throat.

  “Of course not, Aunt Agnes. It’s going to be a pleasant surprise, one that will even give you longer days with us.”

  She had raised her delicate eyebrows then, wondering who the lady could be. Nevertheless, she was glad to see that her nephew was very happy, even happier than before he went to fetch the woman. Apparently, he was deeply in love with his bride-to-be, and it gave her joy for she had feared that he might never recover from his childhood friend’s rejection.

  When Agnes felt her eyes drooping, she began to wonder if Joanna had managed to slip the sleeping medicine into her mouth without her knowledge. She wouldn’t put it past the chit to have her way in the end. Perhaps when the maid had offered her water to drink at the time she was coughing, she had poured part of the medicine into the liquid.

  The dowager tried recalling if the water had tasted funny then. She couldn’t quite remember. Oh, if indeed Joanna had succeeded in having her drugged, she would have the maid fired.

  A yawn escaped her lips. Who was she kidding? She needed Joanna to keep the rest of her days entertaining. A stern warning would do.

  As her eyes began to close, she hoped that Hudson’s bride wouldn’t tarry for she couldn’t wait to meet her.

  ***

  The so-called Hudson’s bride was stretching her stiff limbs on her bed. Tempest had wanted to sleep some more, having lain awake half the night, searching for a solution to her problem. But a maid had woken her as instructed by Hudson, claiming his aunt was waiting to see her.

  Tempest had wanted the maid to return to Hudson with a harsh word but thought against it. Belatedly did she remember Hudson’s stern warning about doing anything to attract the gossip of the servants. Sending a maid to him with a cruel word was sure to get him furious. And she wasn’t in the mood to banter words with him.

  Tempest observed as the robust maid went about the room trying to prepare her bath. A pale blue silk dress with white lace trimmings was lying at the foot of the bed.

  She flounced back against the pillows and closed her eyes. Was there wisdom in staying abed all day with the excuse that she had taken ill from her impromptu journey?

  A low sigh departed from her lips as she shook her head. Hudson would barge into her room and drag her out, even in her dressing robe. The man had become something she couldn’t even put a name to.

  The kiss they had shared the previous evening raced through her mind. Reddening, she pushed the memory away. When it came back stronger, reminding her of the emotions that ran through her body as Hudson’s lips moved across hers, she hastily rose from the bed.

  In all truthfulness, she didn’t want to see the dowager. Being in the woman’s home was already bringing back nostalgic memories. Seeing her was sure to make her recall a lot of memories. Dread filled her at the thought of remembering how it used to be between her and Hudson.

  Such recollections were bound to make her heart soften towards Hudson, and she desperately didn’t want that. Anger and bitterness were the only two emotions she wanted to feel for the man. Anything other than those would be trouble she didn’t think she could handle.

  She was partaking of breakfast in the room when she heard a soft knock on the door. Intuition told her it was Hudson coming to ask her why she refused to go to the breakfast room to break her fast with him. In defiance, she had asked the maid to bring a tray up to the room for her. Hudson could be infuriated with the action for all she cared.

  But now that he was at her door, her heart hammered against her chest. It was such a beautiful day with the birds tweeting on the branches of the tree outside her window, the sun glowing in the sky that was an elegant blue silhouette.

  Exchanging hot words, which she and Hudson always did since they met again, was sure to ruin such a lovely day. But it couldn’t be helped. If he came to scold her for disregarding his words, she would give him as good as she got. Cowering wasn’t her nature, so she wouldn’t allow him to ride roughshod over her simply because he had succeeded in adopting her from her home

  Her words, however, died in her throat when she saw Hudson standing there looking debonair in a wine-coloured jacket, and a grey shirt with a red cravat at his neck, paired with black trousers. His hair was still damp, making the roots appear darker.

  It took her a while to register that there wasn’t anger in his eyes. In its place was lust so great it caused her lips to part company. Slowly, as if trying to keep it in his memory, his eyes trailed her body. The bold stare was so sensual from her shoes to her hair pinned at the top of her head that her face became beet red when he was done with his perusal.

  With a smile twitching his lips, he said, “I dare say Aunt Agnes is going to agree with me that you’re going to make a stunning bride.”

  Tempest opened her mouth to say something witty or something that would annoy him, but nothing came out. She closed it, cleared her throat, and tried again but was still unsuccessful.

  “You look like a breath of fresh air, sent to take my breath away. Your features are like that of the beautiful blossoming flowers in the garden, so—”