Rayne Ch. 02

Javonnie still looking miserable replied dismally, "All I know is that ever since you told me of this damned engagement this morning, I feel like someone punched me in my gut and the pain just won't go away. Every time I imagine that little prissy Stevie or any man putting their hands on her I am filled with a rage I can't control. And when I remember the night I spent in her arms, not making love to her, but making love with her I become so aroused I almost spend myself! God, that's embarrassing to admit. What's wrong with me? I've never felt this way about a woman before?"

Poor Javonnie, he had fallen and fallen hard, and he didn't even know it. "I believe you've just answered all my questions. Let's go. We've got a ball to attend and a engagement to stop."

As the two devilishly handsome men walked into the ballroom there was a twitter among all the mama's with daughters of a marriageable age as well as the married women looking for a discreet lover.

"Well, the wolves are circling" Javonnie muttered and Rayne grimly agreed.

"I suggest you find Veronica, isolate her as quickly as possible and try and talk some sense into her. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to let her know how you feel about her" Rayne suggested. With a nod, Javonnie searched the faces as they swirled past him on the dance floor. Finally he caught a glimpse of her talking with another couple and there was that twit Stevie hanging on her every word wearing a horrid puce suite that made him look like an overgrown elf. With a surge of confidence Javonnie knew at least his physic and handsome visage were a plus in his favor. He already knew that the beautiful and serene Veronica was a tigress in bed, and he knew little Stevie wouldn't know what to do with that side of Veronica. But he sure did he thought with a chuckle.

He approached Veronica with the stealth of a lion stalking its prey. When he stood directly in front of her he said, "Good evening Miss Mulholland, how very beautiful you look tonight."

Veronica had not noticed him as he had approached, in fact she had no idea he had returned from Tahiti. Her breath caught in her throat and the room tilted dizzily for a few seconds as she drank in the sight of him. Then her anger at his cavalier attitude towards their relationship caught up to her and she gave him a frosty greeting, "Why Mr. Sumner, I can hardly believe my eyes. I would have thought you were still off on one of your high sea adventures. And instead here you stand in my humble ballroom. You must be terrible bored with all of us common, uninteresting, everyday people."

The couples around them picked up the undercurrent of the conversation and had almost gasped at the barely veiled hostility with which Veronica greeted the gorgeous man who stood staring at her. Javonnie knew she was furious with him and that she had that anger on a very short leash, so he decided to push the issue just a little. Before he spoke again he let his eyes rove over her freely from top of her head to the tip of her dainty satin slipper with a look that clearly told everyone there he was staking his claim on her. Veronica shivered because that look was. so bold it felt as if Javonnie had actually run his hands over her entire body. She knew firsthand how it felt to have Javonnie's hands on her body, that thought brought another round of shivers as well as arousal to her. She wanted to stomp her foot in frustration that he could make her feel so much with just a glance. How dare he come here after leaving her alone for so long without even the promise that he would come back or a declaration of his feelings?

The musicians began to play a waltz and Javonnie reached for her hand, even before he bothered to ask her for a dance. "May I have this dance, Veronica?" he asked softly.

Stevie, feeling way out of his element said in his wheedling voice, "Miss Mulholland, you said I could have this dance."

Javonnie kept Veronica's hand firmly in his as he turned and fairly snarled down into the little mans face, "She's changed her mind, twit, so go ask one of the wall flowers to dance." Stevie face turned the same shade of pink as his suite as he stood there looking like the idiot he was.

Veronica felt like laughing out loud at his expression, but anger at Javonnie held that emotion in check. "He may just challenge you to a dual over this obvious insult Mr. Sumners" she informed Javonnie with a frown on her beautiful face.

"One can certainly hope, love" Javonnie responded dryly. Javonnie used all of his charm as he cajoled "Please Roni, smile at me and tell me you forgive me."

"Forgive you? Why, whatever would I have to forgive you for? And please don't use that disgustingly male version of my name, you may address me as Miss Mulholland" she replied icily.

"Now Roni, you liked it when I called you that when I was last here. Remember when we were.."

"I remember when you were last here! I'm not a dottering old fool that can't remember so much as my own name. I also remember you sailing out of the harbor and not receiving one letter from you in all the months you've been gone, you inconsiderate, pompous, overbearing, egotistical,........Oooooh man!" Veronica could have bitten off her tongue for letting all of that slip out. She had at least wanted to salvage her pride by letting Javonnie believe that he meant nothing to her. So much for that idea! Her eyes were swimming in tears and she absolutely refused to stand here on the ballroom floor in front of all these guests and him and cry. She twisted out of Javonnie's arms and raced off the dance floor. Rayne who had thought things were going pretty well shook his head. Damn, couldn't Javonnie ever do anything the easy way? He decided to work his way around the dance floor and out into the garden to apprise Scotty that it would seem that he would be having a somewhat reluctant passenger before the night was over.

Having notified Scotty and the two men inside the carriage of the upcoming chain of events Rayne was making his way back through the gardens when he heard Javonnie pleading his case to Veronica. He faded into the shadows to await the outcome of Javonnie's second attempt to straighten out this mess.

Javonnie began to speak to Veronica in that voice that could charm the devil right into giving up hell. "Veronica, darling, you're being silly. Of course I know you're angry but did you really think I wasn't going to come back?"

Rayne rolled his eyes heavenward. Didn't Javonnie know women hated to be told they were silly? He wanted to snatch Javonnie away from Veronica and tell him he better get down on his knees and start begging for her forgiveness. Because that was about the only thing that was going to save him at this point in the game.

"Silly am I? Well, it would seem to me that you're the silly one. Did you really expect me to sit here and wait forever, darling?" That the word "darling" was dripping with sarcasm should have warned Javonnie he was on thin ice. But no, he just plunged ahead still believing she was ready to forgive and forget.

"Sweetheart, I know I should have made myself clearer before I left, but, I did think after what we shared that you understood my intentions" Javonnie explained still in his most charming tone of voice as he reached for Veronica.

Veronica sidestepped his embrace and turned to face him with murder in her eyes, "Oh "sweetheart" your "intentions" were perfectly clear." This said in a voice that was raising about one octave with each word. "Your "intentions" were to seduce me, compromise me and then leave me to face the music alone, pining for your return. Well guess again my "darling sweetheart". I won't wait around being made a fool of by you any longer." Having finished her speech Veronica stood glaring at Javonnie with tears streaming down her face.

Javonnie at last caught on to the fact that he was going to have to pull all the stops out to convince her of his sincerity and he was begin to doubt that even then she might not be swayed to his path. He managed to capture her hands in his and he looked into her eyes as he said softly, "Veronica, I know I've been an absolute cad. I didn't intentionally set out to seduce you or compromise you. Or fall in love with you." This last was said barely over a whisper and Veronica (as well as Rayne) wasn't sure they had heard Javonnie correctly.

"What did you just say?" Veronica asked him, a look of hopeful incredulation on her face.

"It's true you know, I guess it just took me a while to identify exactly what these feeling were. But I do love you Veronica. I can't stand the thought of another man touching you, making love to you or giving you babies. And as for that little popinjay Stevie, he isn't man enough to remove your slipper, much less be a real husband to you."

At the mention of Stevie, whom Veronica had forgotten all about with Javonnie's startling declaration her present situation was brought home to her. She had the overwhelming urge to stomp her foot yet again. (A terribly unladylike habit of hers that the aunts continuously admonished her about.) After all, this was a ball to announce her engagement to the little twit. Ugh, now Javonnie had her admitting that she could hardly stand the sight of Stevie. It was hardly fair to Stevie as she had her god-like Adonis Javonnie to compare him to. Of course Stevie couldn't compete with Javonnie, she didn't know many men who could, except for possible the Duke of Darkness. But he was much too formidable for her taste.

"Veronica, aren't you going to say something?" Javonnie asked impatiently. Which was what Rayne himself was wondering.

"Well, you've made a fine mess of things Mr. Sumner!"

"Me? Mess? I stand here baring my soul to you, professing my love for you, asking you to be my wife, mother to my children and you accuse me of creating a mess of things? Blast it women, you're never satisfied" Javonnie said running his hand through his hair distractedly.

"Damn it Javonnie" Rayne wanted to shout, you were almost home free. Couldn't the man hold his arrogance in check for even one moment?

"Yes, you've made a mess of things. Here I am already promised to marry another man, at a ball to announce that very engagement and you show up and drag me out here, confess your love and expect me to just walk in and tell all these people, what? That I've made a terrible mistake, that I allowed one of the most notorious rakes and debauchers in London to make wild passionate love to me for one entire glorious night and then sail away into the sunset, without me? But oops silly me, I didn't know I was supposed to wait a lifetime for you to sail back into my life as if nothing had happened? Damn you Javonnie, how could you? All of this could have been avoided it you would have opened your mouth and told me of your intentions, or picked up a pen and written to me." Well-said Rayne chuckled to himself.

Javonnie sighed, took a deep breath and asked, "You're not going to be reasonable about this are you Veronica?"

"What exactly do you expect me to do Javonnie?"

Well, at least she had stopped calling him Mr. Sumner and was calling him by his given name. "Well, we could get Stevie boy out here so you could break the bad news to him in private. Then with that out of the way, we could speak to the aunts in the study and apprise them of the situation and since this is a ball to announce your engagement, why not do just that?"

"You lost me Javonnie," she said exasperatedly. "You just suggested I break my engagement."

Javonnie explained it once more patiently, "Announce our engagement sweetheart. Just think of how envious all those other single females will be. Then they will have to turn their attentions to my wonderful friend Rayne, the Duke of Darkness." The last part had been added for Raynes benefit, because Javonnie knew without a doubt Rayne was just behind the hedge listening to every word.

"Do you think it would really work? I mean could we do this? You know everyone is expecting me to announce my engagement to Stevie."

Javonnie was stunned by the look of hopefulness and doubt mixed on Veronica's beautiful face. "Baby, you just leave everything to me. You wait right here, okay? Promise me when I return you will be standing right here in this exact spot."

Veronica blushed becomingly before saying "Oh Javonnie, I do love you! Of course I'll wait right here you silly twit." There was a long silence as Javonnie pulled Veronica into his arms and kissed her deeply. Rayne moved quietly away to give the two lovers a few moments of privacy.

Javonnie came around the bend in the walkway and grinned at Rayne, "Guess you heard?"

"Every word. By God Javonnie, I didn't think you were going to pull it off there for a while. Stuck you foot in it didn't you son?"

"Never mind that now, I've got an idea. Can you keep Veronica company for a little while? Give me a half an hour and then meet me by the back gate."

"Javonnie, what are you up to?"

Javonnie gave Rayne one of his award winning smiles and started up the steps toward the ballroom where he turned and said "Keep her company, but keep your hands off of my future wife!"

Rayne rolled his eyes and returned to keep Veronica from having second thoughts.

Javonnie reached Stevie's side and clapped him on the back so hard the small-framed dandy almost went sprawling in the floor. He probably would have except Javonnie had a hold on his arm. As Stevie turned his owlish eyes toward the offender he was met with one of Javonnie's most brilliant smiles. "Stevie ole boy, I'd like you to join me in the study. You know old man, sort of a pre-celebratory drink" Javonnie winked. Stevie, who had long wanted to fit in with the crowd Javonnie ran with, known rakes and debauchers, jumped at the chance to rub it in that he was about to announce his engagement to the beautiful Veronica. Once Javonnie had him alone in the study he began to ply Stevie with Cognac. After several drinks of the strong spirits poor Stevie was well into his cups and easily convinced that the voluptuous Veronica was eagerly awaiting him by the back garden gate for a few stolen kisses.

As arranged, Rayne excused himself from Veronica just in time to see Javonnie and Stevie weaving down the path. Stevie had a goofy smile pasted on his face in obvious drunken oblivion and Javonnie was looking extremely pleased with himself. "Okay, you've managed to get him drunk. Was that before or after you told him Veronica had changed her mind?"

"Actually, we never quite got around to that part. I decided it would be unjustly cruel to tell Stevie that bit of bad news without compensating him in some way."

"So, what exactly is it you've planned by way of compensation?"

Javonnie couldn't stop the laughter as it bubbled up in his throat and his chest rumbled with the sound of it. "I thought Red and Scotty could take him over to one of the houses of ill-repute that you and I used to frequent so regularly and let him wake up with not one but two of the brawdiest "ladies" the establishment has to offer. Of course it would be my "treat"."

Rayne had to admit, it was terrible clever on Javonnie's part and he would love to see the look on the little twit's face when he woke up with two naked "soiled-doves" as he referred to them. Yes sir, old Stevie was in for quite a surprise.

Stevie was soon deposited into the landau and on his way to a night he would never remember, or forget either for that matter!

Javonnie took Veronica by the hand and entered the ballroom. "Excuse me, could I have your attention please?" The musicians stopped playing and everyone turned to look with interest at the handsome man standing beside Veronica Mulholland. "I know you are all gathered here expecting to hear Mr. Finch and Miss Mulholland announce their engagement. Well, there has been a slight change in plans. Miss Mulholland is announcing her engagement tonight, to me." There was a great deal of twittering among the guests and the aunts approached with quizzical expressions on their faces. But when they saw the smile on Veronica's face, they were the first to offer their congratulations.

Rayne inclined his head in a silent salute to Javonnie that said he totally approved of the way he had handled the situation. As the guests made their way to the glowing couple to offer congratulations Rayne caught sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen before. When she approached closer he had a nagging feeling that he had seen this woman somewhere before, but just couldn't put his finger on where he knew her from. He wrangled an invitation from one of the aunts as she drew nearer. "Miss Quientanilla, may I introduce the Duke of Quinhurst?" As the beautiful woman turned a momentary flicker of recognition flashed across her face. It was concealed so quickly that Rayne thought he had imagined it. "It's a pleasure to meet you Duke Quinhurst. It would seem that while your friend has stolen the night, you are the talk of the single women here tonight."

"The pleasure is all mine Senorita Quientanilla. I'm afraid people here in London tend to talk when they should be listening."

"Really? And what would they hear if they were listening?" she said with a provocative smile on her lush ruby red lips.

"Only that the other ladies present pale in comparison to your beauty."

"So, the things I've heard about you are all true, senor?"

The way she said the word "Senor" was so familiar. "Well, I'm not sure what you've heard, so it would be hard for me to confirm whether or not it's true, now wouldn't it?"

She liked his rapier wit and the banter with him was much better than the boring conversations she had had to endure so far this evening. "Senor, it's terrible stuffy in here, would you think me terrible forward if I asked you to escort me into the garden for a breath of fresh air?"

"Not at all, senorita, I rather like a woman that knows what she wants and isn't afraid to say so" Rayne bowed gallantly before placing her hand in the crook of his arm and leading her out the French doors to the moonlit garden beyond. He led her to an iron bench and after seating her he stood with one foot on the small seat leaning closer to her while resting his forearm on his knee. "You seem very familiar to me Miss Quientanilla, have we met before?"

"No, not to my knowledge and I'm sure I wouldn't have forgotten if I had met you before" she said with the compliment thinly veiled. Rayne was quite good at this game, in fact it was one he excelled at. But he thought with humor, she didn't know just how good he was at this particular game and so thought she could turn his head with her compliments. He would let her think that for a while, but he knew he wouldn't play this coquettish game for long, before he demanded more than she would want to give.

"I understand you recently lost your grandfather, I'm very sorry for your loss."

"Unfortunately, my grandfather and I were not close and I had not seen or spoken to him in years. I am here only to sort through the estate and make necessary arrangements before returning home. What brings you to London Miss Quientanilla?" Rayne inquired politely.

"Last names are so formal, don't you agree? Please, Mr. Quinhurst, I much prefer you call me by my given name, Gabriella."

Rayne took in the sight of her beautiful skin and seductive eyes and her ruby red lips, full and pouty and felt himself quicken. "A beautiful name to fit an equally beautiful woman. By all means, I would be honored to call you Gabriella, but only if you consent to stop calling me Mr. Quinhurst, it makes me sound like my grandfather. That's a fate worse than death" Rayne said with mock horror.

"Very well senor, but what should I call you? Perhaps the Duke of Darkness?" Gabriella said somewhat impishly.

"Ah, I see you have already been treated to the entire sordid history of my background. Perhaps you could find it in your heart to simply call me Rayne?"