The Rake's Unveiling of Lady Belle by Raven McAllan

three,’ Phillip said straight away.
    â€˜I’ll make room.’ Her heart sank. So he did have a lady around. She was right not to believe he’d turned over a new leaf. ‘A kiss of death?’
    â€˜No, a kiss of anticipation. Now enough. This isn’t about me, or us. I didn’t see Clarissa this morning. Our father told me she was indisposed.’
    â€˜Whisky?’
    â€˜Matrimony.’
    â€˜Pardon?’ Belinda’s heart sunk. ‘Not because I said no, surely? That wouldn’t make sense.’
    â€˜Not at all. Because she wasn’t allowed to say no. Evidently she was found by none other than Lady Oakes in a compromising position with Lord Theodore Bennett. He was—and I can only quote my papa as his is the only version of events I have heard, for Ben is not around to ask—at her feet, touching her flounces. Therefore, it was come to you, or hunt down and thrash Ben. I thought Clarissa would prefer the former rather the latter, whatever happens.’
    â€˜So would I.’ Belinda was horrified. Poor Clarissa. That would have been the last straw. ‘What good would attacking Lord Bennett do?’
    â€˜Make me feel better for upsetting my sister?’ Phillip asked her in a dry tone.
    â€˜Rubbish. You men just like a good mill.’
    If all Phillip said was true it was no wonder Clarissa had emptied Belinda’s whisky bottle. Clarissa had always been adamant she had no thoughts or inclinations to ever marry. Men, she opined, said one thing, meant another and often did something totally different. Not for her.
    Up until recently Belinda would have agreed with her although…
No not for me.
Why didn’t that thought make her happier?
    â€˜That’s true,’ Phillip said. ‘But in this case? He has upset my sister—of that I have no doubt—but has delighted my father, who has often said how worried he was that Clarissa had no inclination to take a husband to look after her. On top of that, he annoyed me when due to him I missed a perfectly good breakfast and more than one chance to woo you.’
    Belinda ignored his last remark and thought over everything else Phillip had divulged. ‘You know, something doesn’t ring true. If you had said Ferdy Pendragon had her in a compromising position, I could have believed it. But then Clarissa would have given him short shrift and boxed his ears. Lord Bennett is too much of a gentleman to do such a dastardly thing.’
    â€˜You would have thought so. I itch to call him to account, but for Clarissa’s sake I won’t. I was at Lupton’s playing cards so I missed it all, but evidently within the hour their engagement was announced. Papa is pleased as punch, and Clarissa punch-drunk. Or should that be whisky-sodden?’
    He sat back and studied Belinda from head to toe. His gaze lingered on her bosom and her skin grew hot. Eventually she could stand his intense scrutiny no longer. ‘Do I have a smut on my dress? A rip, a crease? Are my buttons undone and my breasts on show?’
    Phillip didn’t look one whit abashed. ‘No smut and sadly not enough. I was just admiring what one day will be…’ He stopped speaking and for one brief second did seem abashed.
    â€˜One day will be?’ Belinda prompted him. Good grief, was she a glutton for punishment?
    â€˜Hopefully admired in full by me. And not just your bosom.’
    The pictures his words conjured up gave Belinda goosebumps. How did she answer such an outrageous and, yes she admitted it, arousing statement? The glint in his eyes told her he knew exactly how he made her feel. She swallowed and said the first thing that came into her head.
    â€˜Are we there yet?’

Chapter Five
    â€˜Oh well diverted, my dear.’ Phillip dipped his head in acknowledgement of her cleverness. It was cruel to tease her so, but she gave as good as she got and he enjoyed their verbal sparring. Never before