Page 23 of The Notorious Lord Sin
Gage clapped him on the back, sighing. "Come, man, there is no need to be so melancholy. You must rally, remember your goal, which is?" he asked him.
"To earn Lady Hervey's trust and love once more. Have her be my wife before the Season ends."
"All possible when you set your mind to it," Gage said. He waved in the direction of his wife. "My heart does have a point, however. Do not expect forgiveness overnight. You may burn in the bedroom, but men can do that as well as women and have no emotional attachment. You must court her. Make her remember what fun and laughter you once shared. What you can share again if she is willing."
Dominic thought over his friend's words and realized he could not seduce her to his way of thinking. He had to make her fall in love with him again with traits that attracted her, to begin with. He frowned. If only he knew what they were ...
ChapterThirteen
Paris accepted the note from her butler and broke the seal, skimming the missive. She stood and walked to the window and felt her mouth gape at the sight before her.
"He is waiting for you, my lady. What would you like for me to tell his lordship?" Frederick asked behind her.
For a moment, she watched Lord Astoridge tidy his hair as he sat in the black curricle, his matching gray horses docile as they waited. She sighed at the sight of him. He was so handsome, still made her heart beat fast, and yet behind that beautiful visage hid a man capable of cruelty. Of unfeeling words that were powerful enough to break the strongest of hearts.
He spoke to two ladies who passed her town house. She rolled her eyes at their tittering from his attention. Did every lady simper around the viscount? She had started to think they did.
"I will go and change. Tell his lordship I'll be out directly."
"Yes, my lady," she heard Frederick say before she walked from the room.
With the help of her maid, it did not take her long to change into her blue carriage dress with frogging along its hem and cuffs. Paris slipped on her bonnet and started downstairs, wondering where their little expedition would lead them today.
A footman opened the door, and she stood at the threshold, fighting the urge to sigh with delight as Lord Astoridge jumped down and came to collect her, his smile and bright eyes reminding her of times past. Much happier times when they had stolen away together without anyone's notice.
"Lady Hervey, your carriage awaits," he said, sweeping into a ridiculously low bow that was fit for a queen, not a countess.
"Lord Astoridge, how very surprising to see you here today. I thought you may have been far too tired after last night's routs. From what I heard, there were several."
His lips thinned into a displeased line, and he stepped closer, taking her hand and kissing it. His lips pressed softly against her gloves, and she felt the shock of his touch all the way to her toes.
"You mean the many routs I attended that you did not? I searched for you everywhere, and by the third at Lord Flowers, I realized that I had been played."
Paris couldn't help but laugh, having not known how fun it would be to trifle with him a little. And missing a fewtonnishentertainments wasn't so very bad. "I do apologize, my lord. I had a megrim."
"Really?" he drawled, his tone one of disbelief. "But, never mind, we are together now, and I'm stealing you away to Richmond for a picnic."
The idea sounded charming, not that she would boast so much to him. "I hope you have packed a hearty meal for us both. The ride to Richmond is an hour at the least," she said.
He led her toward the carriage and helped her up before joining her and taking up the reins. The horses moved forward with a flick of his wrists, and they were soon steering out of the bustling streets of Mayfair.
"I have packed a fine fare and one you will enjoy, trust me," he said, smiling at her.
Paris couldn't help but grin back. A day out of London, no calls, and no need to make any in return did sound heavenly. In fact, last evening, after deciding to forgo the routs she had enjoyed a night in at home, she read more of her book and had an early night, instead of stumbling into her house at atrocious hours of the morning.
"That sounds divine," she said. They kept a steady pace, the roads growing quieter the farther they traveled out of town. Soon they were clipping along at a steady pace toward the park. This morning, there was no cloud in the sky or a dash of wind.
Every so often, they would travel under a copse of trees, and Paris glanced up and watched the dappled light as it played upon them both.
She caught Dominic watching her with a small, wistful smile and she inwardly sighed. For all her anger at him, her resentment, he was the one man who could make her want things no lady ought.
Well, perhaps they should, in truth. If women took and demanded more of the male species, maybe there wouldn't be so many prickly matrons about theton.
"You should not look at me like that," she warned, needing to stop the uncomfortable feeling that rose within her whenever around Dominic. The sensation of falling under his charm like the nincompoop she once was. "You ought to save such looks for Lady Esme."
He shook his head, but his grin remained. "I've decided I want you, Lady Hervey, and I'm not afraid to admit what I want. Now," he paused, picking up one of her hands and kissing her palm, sending a riot of sensation through her that she did not need, "you may disagree with my plight and fight it at every turn, but I'm going to win your heart back, my lady. Even if it is the last thing I do on this fine earth."
"You are very sure of yourself," she said, a little part of her pleased that no matter how cutting she had been, he had not backed away. Was he in earnest? Did he truly mean what he said?
