Chapter Fifty-One
BACK IN LONDON THREE weeks now, Jacqueline was leaving her home for the first time tonight. But they weren’t going far. While Georgina had planned this ball and had attended to every minute detail, they didn’t have a ballroom at their house in Berkeley Square, but Brandon Malory certainly did at his grand mansion in Grosvenor Square, yet another inheritance from the previous Duke of Wrighton.
Jack was hopeful now that Judy had confessed that while the ball might have been Georgina’s idea, making it a masque had been hers. It would give Damon an opportunity to sneak in, like the last time—if he was in London, if he heard of it. One too many ifs, but Jack could still hope.
“Your mother gave me a pile of invitations to take to Regina, who would know who else to invite, since your mother was mostly just inviting family. But I kept half of them and have invited some of your previous beaus.”
Judy had told her this earlier in the week and Jack had complained, “I wish you hadn’t done that.”
But Judy had pointed out, “How else were we to hide him in the mix?”
“So you invited Damon?”
Judith had grinned. “After everything you said the other day confirmed what I already knew you were feeling, of course I did. You’d already told me he owns the old Reeves estate in East Sussex, so I sent it there.”
“How could you know what I’m feeling? I don’t even know!”
“Yes, you do.”
Yes, she did, and while he might not even be in England to have received his invitation, she was hopeful that he would be, which led to this bubbling excitement she could barely contain. Which is why she wasn’t listening to what her parents were saying as they sat across from her in the coach, until she heard, “She says she’s not in love, but I think the arrow struck her true.”
“Good God, George, don’t you dare mention Cupid to me,” James complained.
Jacqueline raised her brow. “Trying to get my attention, are you?”
“It worked.” Georgina smiled. “But I wasn’t serious. We know you refuse to fall in love this year.”
“About that—”
James interrupted, “It’s rude to correct your mother, so don’t.”
Jack squinted her eyes and scrunched her mouth at her father, but wasn’t about to argue with that tone of his. She’d never imagined she would have to elope one day, but obviously that was the only way she was going to get herself married to Damon. If he asked. If he showed up to ask. He bloody well better show up.
Brandon, along with his parents, was waiting by the door to greet them, but the street was already crowded with vehicles, and the music was playing, so the ball had already begun. Judith had followed directly behind them with her husband and parents, so Jack waited for Judy and hooked her arm to her cousin’s before entering. Georgina did the same thing, entering with Roslynn. Which left the three men. But Nathan, seeing James’s expression, left him with his brother.
Standing alone with James, Anthony guessed, “You’re expecting something unpleasant. What?”
“Reeves is going to be here.”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
“There’s never been any doubt about his temerity. And while George assured me she invited no pirates, your minx sent off some invitations, too, and Judy is privy to all of Jack’s secrets, so she might have invited him. But you’re going to help me spot him before he gets anywhere near Jack.”
“If I must,” Anthony said drily, but after entering the ballroom with James and seeing how many couples were already on the dance floor, including Jacqueline, he added, “Did George really invite this many? Or has every gate-crasher in London come out for this?”
“The latter. How often does a Malory host an extravaganza? The ton will be rabid with curiosity to find out why we did.”
“Point taken. But in this crush, we’re not likely to—” Anthony began, but amended, “Well, that didn’t take long a’tall. Take a gander at the terrace. Reeves might have an invitation, but he wouldn’t want his name announced in a room full of Malorys. He appears to be sneaking in the back way to avoid that, but just this moment he put on his mask. Shall I toss him out?”
“Bite your tongue, that pleasure is mine.”
“Well, now’s your chance to catch him off guard, while he’s got his eyes clapped on Jack.”
A few moments later, James told Damon, “You were warned.”
The punch had already been delivered. Doubled over—bloody déjà vu—Damon gasped, “God, not again. Must you always lead with your fists, Malory?”
“You were warned.”
Damon didn’t straighten yet, but he risked a black eye and porcelain being smashed into his cheek to peer up at James to gauge just how angry he was—and wished he hadn’t. “What is the bloody point of a masque if you guess who’s who? I could say you have mistaken me—”
“You’re not that stupid.”
“I love her.”
“So you are that stupid,” James said. “The anguish you’ve twice caused my family won’t ever be forgiven. And you really were warned.”
James gripped a handful of Damon’s hair on the top of his head in preparation for the next blow, which would likely knock him out. The half mask fell off. The thought did cross Damon’s mind that he could fight back, but that brought an image of Jack crying over her parent being hurt, so that was out of the question.
He did have one second to get out, “What if Jack loves me? Would you really deny her happiness?”
“With you, yes. This country is overflowing with eligible men, and I’ll find her one m’self in a decade or two—” The pause was unexpected before he added, “Does she?”
“I don’t know,” Damon was forced to admit.
“Good.” James drew his fist back.
“But I’m going to find out.” Damon tore himself away.
He left a damn lot of hair behind in Malory’s fist, but quickly weaved his way onto the dance floor. He’d spotted Jack immediately, her domino short this time, barely covering her eyes—as if she wanted him to recognize her. He whisked her away from the fellow she was dancing with, hopefully not another Malory who might object.
Her eyes widened slightly, but then she laughed. “No mask? I’m disappointed we aren’t going to play that guessing game again.”
His smile was brilliant. “No, you aren’t.”
“No, I’m not. I’ve missed you!”
“I thought I might be coming to my execution here. I couldn’t think of any other reason your mother would send me the invitation.”
“And yet you came anyway?”
“Yes.”
“She didn’t send it, Judy did.”
“No, I actually got two invitations; one was from your mother.”
Jack’s brows went up. “Really? Then maybe you were right about an execution. Shall we find out? Quickly, before my father joins her!”
“Dragging me to my death wasn’t what I had in mind for tonight,” he said as Jack pulled him to the two women standing with Anthony Malory.
“Don’t be silly,” Jack said. “Mother wouldn’t carry her pistols to a ball.”
When they walked up to the trio, Anthony immediately started to reach for Damon, but Georgina actually put out an arm to stay him, which gave Jack time to say, “Mother, I would like you to meet Damon—”
Georgina cut in, “No, I don’t think so,” and gave Damon a resounding slap.
There was actually some applause in the room. Well, a lot of Malorys were present, and they were well aware of Jacqueline’s second trip to the Caribbean.
But Jacqueline stared at her mother and asked, “Just once, yes?”
“For tonight.”
“Is it my turn now, George?” Anthony asked.
“No, it’s my turn,” Jacqueline told her uncle, and pulled Damon away again.
Back in the center of the dance floor, where they would be temporarily shielded by other couples, she didn’t even pretend to want to dance. She did put her arms around Damon and leaned up to kiss his red cheek, whispering, “Better her than him.”
“Funny you should mention that,” he said cryptically. “I do understand, you know. You’re their only daughter. I twice caused them anguish, which I heartily regret.”
“I suppose it will take time to smooth those edges.”
“I would expect so.”
“But they will relent when they see how happy you make me.”
He drew in his breath. “Do I?”
“Well, that depends on why you’re here.”
“I’m here to ask you again to marry me. I wasn’t teasing before.” He had started to lead them in the dance, but stopped as he waited breathlessly for her answer.
“I wasn’t ready to hear it then, but now I am. Shall we sneak out now?”
He began to laugh. “Shouldn’t I ask your—”
“Good God, no. You can’t ask him or we’ll never get out of here.”
“I was going to say your mother. One parent’s approval would be nice.”
Jack rolled her eyes at him. “She just slapped you. She’s not ready to approve, either.”
“But I’m heir to two titles now. Will that make a difference to your father?”
She laughed. “No, but—two? How did that happen?”
He told her briefly about finding his mother, and the lie that had been told to her to keep them apart. “I can’t even be angry at Cyril for lying to her—well, I can, I am, it cost me so much. And yet if it hadn’t played out as it did, I never would have met you.”
“I beg to differ. You and I were destined. We would have met somehow.”
He smiled. “You think so?”
“It’s what every woman in my family would say.”
“But not you?”
“Don’t be silly. Who am I to dispute a consensus that big?”
“You did, as I recall. You would have made your destiny wait a full year.”
“Not anymore.”
His turquoise eyes perused hers, and he looked a little too serious when he said, “Are you sure? Because I haven’t actually heard you say yes.”
She grinned. “Yes.” She kissed his cheek. “Yes.” She licked his ear. “Definitely yes.” And slid her lips across his face to say against his mouth, “D’you need more convincing that I’ll marry you?”
He crushed her to him for a moment before he said, “The first yes did it, but by all means, continue.”
She shook her head. “If we’re going to slip out, we probably need to do it now, before my uncle tells my father that you’re here.”
“He already knows. Frankly, I’m surprised he hasn’t ordered the doors locked and the crowd to part.”
“He wouldn’t want to feed the gossip mills. He doesn’t care about creating scandal about himself, but wouldn’t want even a whiff of it to spread to me, so he won’t make a scene. It’s mostly my extended family here tonight, but there are still other members of the ton in the room.” A quick glance around her and she had to amend, “Actually, a lot more than were invited. But that would be why he hasn’t ripped you out of my arms yet. He probably does know exactly where we are and is just waiting until the music ends.”
“Wonderful.” Damon groaned.
“We can elope to Scotland and inform them afterward.”
“Impulsive as ever.”
“No, but now that I’ve decided I’m not waiting for next year after all, I don’t want to wait another day. Although it’s going to take more’n a day to get to Scotland.”
“But less than a day to get to Essex, where my father already has a special license for us.”
Her brows went up. “That sort of title?”
“Yes—and an extra name. If you marry me, you will be Jack Reeves Chandler. I’ve just met my real father.”
She started laughing and wouldn’t stop.
“It’s not that funny, Jack.”
“Oh, but it is.”
Then Judith bumped into them deliberately and exclaimed with wide eyes that swept over Damon, “So this is him? And you haven’t eloped yet?”
Jacqueline grinned. “We were about to. Damon, this is my cohort in all things secret, my dearest, dearest cousin and best friend, Judith Malory Tremayne. Judy, meet Damon Reeves. He’s got a third name, but if you don’t know it, then my parents won’t be able to pry it out of you and figure out where we went, so it can wait. Give us an hour’s head start before you let them know I’ve hied off to get married. Tell them I’ll send word tomorrow where the after-wedding party will be held.”
“They’re going to worry.”
“No, they’ll be too angry to worry, and they’ll hear from me before that changes.”
“Are you sure you don’t want a big wedding like mine?”
Jack grinned. “The family and I enjoyed yours just months ago, and besides, you know my father was never, ever going to give his blessing, no matter what, not for Damon, not for any man. I was giving him an extra year to get used to the idea, but it just wasn’t happening. So, fait accompli instead, which is more exciting and fun!”
They didn’t run out of the room, which would have drawn people’s attention, but they did move rather quickly to the entrance and then started running along the curb to Damon’s coach. Jacqueline was laughing, so happy she couldn’t help it. And Damon’s driver had been warned, so the moment they were in the coach, it started moving, and they started kissing. She couldn’t help that either! It had been far too long since she’d seen him, tasted him, felt him in her arms.
“Wait—” he tried.
“No!”
He chuckled. “Just for a moment.”
He was getting something out of his pocket, and he brought her hand to his lips to kiss it before he slipped a ring on her finger. The beautiful large emerald was surrounded by so many diamonds, Jack laughed.
“It’s the perfect wedding ring to receive from a pirate,” she teased. “Are you sure it’s not ill-gotten booty?”
He smiled tenderly. “My father gave it to me, a Chandler family heirloom. They are expecting us. They were as hopeful as I that you would say yes. They’ve missed so much of my life, they are thrilled to be part of our elopement. We have their blessing, at least.”
“You know we might have to marry again someday for my parents.”
“If they ever accept me, certainly.”
“My mother approves. She did invite you to the ball, after all.”
He rolled his eyes. “Just so she could slap me.”
Jack grinned. “You had to expect that, and it may even happen a few more times. But she wants me to be happy, and she could see that I am with you.”
“Are you?”
She kissed him soundly to answer him, but it wasn’t long before she wanted more. “Can the driver go any faster?” she asked breathlessly.
“I think this is as fast as we can go at night without running off the road. Besides, considering what we’re doing, I don’t want to face a clergyman and my parents just now.”
She laughed and reached under her gown to pull off her drawers before climbing up on his lap to make love to him. The bouncing of the coach was exceptionally nice once she felt him inside her!
In the throes of passion, she cried out, “Faster!”
“I told you the driver—”
“Not the driver. I meant you!”
“Now that I can happily accommodate.”