Juliet felt no such softening of her regard as she watched him approach her after dinner, when the gentlemen rejoined the ladies in the drawing room. Juliet was not sure, but it seemed to her, by the reckless glitter in that whisky-coloured gaze and the slight flush to his cheeks, that His Lordship had imbibed far too much wine and port this evening to allow for even his usual questionable caution.
Indeed, that concern was borne out by the way he took a firm hold of her arm the moment he reached her side and urged, ‘Walk out onto the terrace with me, Juliet.’
‘I believe you would find it more beneficial to your current mood if you were to retire to your bedchamber, My Lord,’ she insisted in low icy tones, but her outward demeanour was one of smiling graciousness as she sensed they were once again the subject of curious eyes.
He arched dark brows. ‘Was that a proposition, Lady Boyd …?’
Juliet drew her breath in sharply. ‘You must know it was not!’ She gave him a warning glance from beneath lowered dark lashes.
‘One can but live in hope,’ he drawled, with a noticeable lack of concern.
The serene smile Juliet bestowed upon him was not matched by the angry glitter in her eyes. ‘Release me at once, sir, and cease this licentious behaviour!’ she hissed.
Sebastian frowned down at her. Juliet truly believed him to be foxed?
Admittedly Sebastian had been imbibing rather too freely during dinner, but he had put an end to that the moment he’d realised he felt a strong desire to stand up and walk the length of the room before grasping Gray by the throat and squeezing the life out of him—just because he, and not Sebastian, was the one sitting beside Juliet, and the recipient of one of her rare and beautiful smiles.
Strangling the life out of one of his best friends had not seemed to him to be a rational idea!
Sebastian felt no qualms, however, at the thought of using the fact that Juliet believed him to be foxed if it gave him the slightest advantage …
‘Only if you will agree to help me to my bedchamber …?’
She looked disconcerted by the suggestion. ‘You know that is not possible.’
He shrugged. ‘Then I will remain here and endeavour to dazzle you with my wit and charm.’
‘I assure you at this moment you do not possess either wit or charm!’
Sebastian grinned unabashedly at her vehemence. ‘Implying that I might when I am not foxed …?’
‘Implying that—’ Juliet broke off to eye him in utter frustration. ‘I really think it advisable if you retire to your room now, My Lord—before you do or say something you might later regret.’
‘And what might that be?’ He raised dark brows. ‘Kissing your hand, perhaps?’ He raised her gloved fingers towards his lips, but instead of the courtly kiss she was expecting, at the last moment Sebastian turned her hand and kissed the delicacy of her wrist, his fingers tightening about hers as she gasped and tried to pull sharply away. ‘No, I feel no regret,’ he murmured, after considering for a moment. ‘Perhaps if I were to take you fully into my arms and—’
‘I have reconsidered, Lord St Claire,’ she cut him off in alarm. ‘If you wish it I will see that you are safely delivered to the privacy of your bedchamber!’
He gave a seductive smile. ‘Oh, I most certainly wish it, my dear Juliet.’
‘Just remain here—endeavour to try not to get into any more mischief while I am gone!—and I will make your excuses to Lord and Lady Bancroft.’
‘And your own, dear Juliet,’ Sebastian advised softly.
Her mouth tightened. ‘I will be but a few minutes.’
Could it really be so easy? Sebastian wondered, watching as Juliet gracefully crossed the room to talk quietly with their host and hostess. Of course she did believe him to be more than slightly the worse for drink, and so perhaps incapable of attempting her seduction once they were alone … A completely erroneous assumption—as the rapid hardening of Sebastian’s thighs just at the thought of making love to Juliet testified only too well!
Not that he would seduce her before he had apologised for his behaviour this morning, of course. One should not even attempt to make love to a woman who was as displeased as Juliet still appeared to be.
Sebastian’s gaze narrowed with displeasure as he watched his host stroll the length of the room to his side, whilst Juliet remained in conversation with Dolly Bancroft.
The Earl raised mocking brows. ‘Lady Boyd seems to feel you may be indisposed, St Claire?’
‘Lady Boyd is—’ He broke off, his mouth tightening in frustration at the neat way Juliet had outmanoeuvred him.
‘A very beautiful but equally mysterious young lady,’ Lord Bancroft finished for him, not even attempting to hide his amusement at the other man’s predicament.
Sebastian’s gaze focused on his host. ‘Mysterious …?’
The older man gave him an enigmatic smile. ‘There are certain inconsistencies to the Countess that I find … questionable, shall we say?’
Sebastian’s unhappiness with this conversation increased. ‘Is it not impolite of you to discuss one of your guests in this way?’
‘Do not attempt to tell me how to behave in my own home, St Claire!’ The usual good humour had left Lord Bancroft’s eyes, and his gaze had become steely. ‘Considering your own continued interest in the Countess, you and I perhaps need to talk further,’ he stated. ‘Would ten o’clock in my study tomorrow morning suit you?’
Sebastian looked irritated. ‘What is this all about, Bancroft?’
‘Not here, St Claire.’ The cordial smile returned to his host’s lips, and the tension left his shoulders as he once again looked his usual amiable self. ‘Dolly is about to propose a game of charades. I suggest you join us,’ Lord Bancroft said lightly, before leaving to return to his wife’s side.
Sebastian, as any man who valued his reputation as a gentleman of fashion, would as soon take a walk to the gallows as engage in a game of charades. Besides, he was too disturbed by Bancroft’s strange behaviour just now to concentrate on such inanity.
Juliet, Sebastian noted, also remained as a spectator to the game rather than a participant. She had moved to stand near one of the sets of French doors that had been opened out onto the terrace to allow the warm evening air into the drawing room, completely ignoring Sebastian’s existence as she gave every appearance of enjoying the fun as their fellow guests made complete cakes of themselves.
So intent was Juliet’s attention on the party game that she did not even notice when Sebastian slipped out of the matching set of doors further down the drawing room and made his way silently across the terrace to where Juliet stood, chuckling at Gray’s antics as she leant against one of the velvet drapes.
Totally oblivious of Sebastian standing directly behind her ….
This second evening at Banford Park had definitely been easier to bear
