A Lady Out of Time

Chapter 18

  Later that night, as Helen got into the carriage opposite Edward, she was surprised to see that he handed her a half mask made of black satin. “This is surprisingly kinky of you. I like it.”

  “Yes, tying you to the chair was just the start of my depraved desires. In actual fact, the mask is to hide your identity,” he said, boredom in every word.

  “Does it work?”

  “No, but I do suspect that those engaging in vice like to pretend that they are anonymous when they are in the throes of their debauchery.”

  “Speaking of debauchery. How will this work?”

  She saw him shrug in the dark as the carriage rocked along the dark London streets. “You will pretend to be my mistress. A lot of the people there have already seen us together so that won’t be a surprise. What will be a surprise is that I’m there at all.”

  “Not a regular?”

  “No. Not a regular.”

  She cleared her throat, uncertain how to say what she needed to say. “Thank you for doing this. For helping me…” She paused, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with emotion. “For believing me and…everything. It’s actually a surprisingly long list of how many things I would need to thank you for. I should just get you a cake or something.” She saw him raise that infernal eyebrow at her. She took that as his I-don’t-know-what-you’re-talking-about-but-I’m-sure-it’s-beneath-me expression.

  Her stomach flopped like a fish on land as she said the next words. “The other thing about tonight. It’s important that they believe we’re together.”

  After a delay, he said, “Go on.”

  “So, uh…if I have to act like your mistress, that’s okay.”

  There was dead silence in the carriage. The fish in her stomach had died and was about to be vomited up. Her hands were clasped together tightly.

  Helen hastened to clarify. “I’m not a virgin. In my time, things are different, and morals are more…relaxed. You know, it’s not a big deal is what I’m trying to say.”

  His lips pursed as though he had something to say and was trying to keep his mouth shut or look for other words. Helen wished she had found other words. She couldn’t believe she just said that. She licked her lips.

  Edward opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again, apparently struck dumb by her statement. “I very strongly doubt that we will need to prove the authenticity of our relationship. But…” He cleared his throat loudly, as though the words were choking him. Helen leaned forward, peering at him in the dark.

  “Are you laughing at me?” Helen asked, totally mortified.

  There was another moment of silence, and then he did laugh, the sound loud and sincere, so infectious it made her smile too. She reached over to him, slapping him on the knee. “Don’t laugh at me! I’m being serious. I can’t have my cover blown just because you get all stuffy and decide you can’t hold my hand or put an arm around me.”

  “I will endeavor to remember that. Who knows, perhaps the entrance exam for this club of debauchery is steeper than I had imagined.”

  Helen scowled at him. He chuckled again, the sound knowing. The carriage began to slow. Her cheeks felt hot. The carriage stopped and Edward got out, waving the footman away so that he could personally help her down. He held her hand snugly, a frisson of awareness pulsing through her at his touch.

  She could still see a trace of a smile on his full lips. Helen tried to let go of him, but he kept her hand, wrapping her fingers around his arm so that she stayed next to him. The house in front of them was large, several windows open, the sound of loud voices and laughter billowing out to meet them. But all she could think about was his firm grip on her hand, keeping her by his side.

  “Don’t worry about tonight. All will be well. Now, two things before we go in,” he said, facing her fully. He looked down into her face, his eyes glinting with amusement. But his voice was very serious. “First of all, it will be my great honor to sleep with you in order to save millions of lives, and I will do my best to acquit myself in a manner that would make generations proud.” A corner of his mouth twitched.

  “Ha.”

  “I’m very serious. I will do whatever it takes to convince them of our amorous relationship,” he said gravely, but then he chuckled.

  “Great, what’s the second thing?”

  His smile was so sincere and open it made her blink. He looked boyish, transformed into a man she didn’t know but wanted to. “You should probably call me Edward.”