Chapter Nine
June 25, 1818
Isobel waved to the hired hack driver and then prowled through the shadows of Hyde Park, moving as quietly as she could. An hour ago, she’d sent Royce a sealed note asking him to meet her at half past midnight by the Serpentine when it made the bend into a more secluded section of the park.
Tonight, she wanted nothing to interrupt her time with the doctor, and if it took dallying in this place well after dark, so be it. Additionally, she would tease him until he couldn’t stand it any longer, and hopefully it would gain her what she ultimately desired—him.
Her slippers made no sound on the grass, for she didn’t follow the bridle path to reach her destination. If all went well, she’d arrive well before Royce, but if it didn’t, there was no bother. The outcome would still be the same, but the effect would be ruined… and she did so want to cause a sensation no matter what she’d promised him.
That afternoon in the carriage when he’d tried to comfort her, discover why she’d been so upset at Fanny’s pregnancy announcement bothered her more than it should. Had he been asking out of professional courtesy, or did he truly wish to learn more about her? Perhaps she didn’t want to know, for that would take some of the fun from their proposed affair.
And she desperately wanted that distraction to keep from breaking.
Finally, she reached a small cluster of trees that would provide enough privacy for what she’d planned. No matter that any point in the park could produce people cutting through on the way home from ton functions, a mounted constabulary patrol, or men bent on nefarious violence, Isobel thought it the perfect spot for the good doctor’s seduction. The threat of discovery would provide an added thrill to the tryst, and the opportunity to shock him was for her personal entertainment.
Thank goodness the night was warm enough to warrant a swim. With a grin, Isobel sneaked through the trees. All around her, the air held the scents of growing things and the mysterious smell of the river. It hadn’t yet begun to stagnate with the oppressive heat of the summer.
When she found a spot she particularly liked for its privacy, she tugged a quilt from the valise she carried. Done in dark colors, it blended easily with the nighttime shadows and wouldn’t immediately call attention. Then she dropped the bag, which contained a few foodstuffs she’d purloined from the kitchens as well as a bottle of brandy from her brother’s study. If she were going to be truly naughty and wicked tonight, she might as well do everything she’d ever been curious about.
“This is my opening gambit, Doctor. The next move is yours,” she whispered into the darkness as she removed her gown of navy satin. If someone should catch her wandering through Mayfair, she’d dressed fine enough to fabricate the lie of coming home late from a society event. Next her petticoat fell to the quilt, followed by her slipper and stockings. Once she was clad in only her fine lawn shift, Isobel emerged from the trees, gained the edge of the riverbank, and then with more haste than finesse, she slipped into the blessedly cool water. Slowly, as she gained her footing, she moved deeper into the river until the water came up to her chin.
Now, she’d wait. Meanwhile, she’d enjoy a quick swim.
It took almost ten minutes for Royce to arrive. The wheels of a carriage crunched upon the small pebbles of the road; the clip clop of a horse’s hooves echoed in the relative silence of the night. For the space of a few heartbeats, the throb of frog song and the soft calls of night insects ceased, but once the carriage moved away, they began anew.
“Isobel?” The whispered inquiry sent tingles over her skin.
“Royce!” Her answer was as low-pitched while she swam in his direction. “You decided to show after all.” She couldn’t keep the delight from her voice, but it was difficult to discern him from the shadows. His dark suit blended all too perfectly with the environment. If it weren’t for the white of his formal shirt, she might have missed him.
“I made a promise, did I not?” To give him credit, he glanced about the immediate area and then propped his hands on his lean hips. “Where the devil are you?”
“Taking a midnight swim.” She splashed a hand in the water. “You should join me.”
“Bloody hell.” He advanced to the edge of the Serpentine. “You’re swimming.” It wasn’t a question as he peered down at her location. His top hat sat at a rakish angle over his left eye. The silver buttons on his waistcoat twinkled in the light of the waning half-moon. “What the deuce for?”
She shrugged. “Why not?” Daring much, Isobel approached the shallow bank until the water barely covered her breasts. “It’s a warm night. There is no one around. And I thought it might shock you.”
“Oh, there’s no doubt that it has.” He yanked off his hat only to shove a hand through his hair, leaving it to stand in rumpled disarray. “Why do you consistently do such things?”
Isobel frowned. She hadn’t anticipated a lecture. “What things?” The night wouldn’t end in carnal explorations if he continued with his bad humor, so she advanced another few steps until the constantly undulating water line fell at her nipples that had hardened from the cool water.
“Things like this.” He gestured at her with his free hand, but his gaze dropped to her bosom more than once.
“We had an assignation, Royce. What did you think would happen?” If there was a hint of frost in her voice, she couldn’t help it. He wasn’t exactly falling into her web of seduction as she’d hoped.
The doctor huffed in apparent frustration. “It never crossed my mind you’d chase scandal like this.”
“How would you have me chase it, Doctor?” Isobel moved two steps closer. Her breasts were out of the water now, and with the shift plastered to her body, surely he couldn’t ignore her. “After all, you knew what sort of a woman I was when we made our plans.” She danced the fingers of one hand along the neckline of the shift, hoping to draw his attention more fully to her.
“Of course I was aware. It was one of the reasons I was initially drawn to you. That and I have no idea what you’ll do next.” He tossed his top hat away—a sure sign of agitation. “However, this sort of behavior reflects badly on your family as well as mine.”
“How? There is no one here to see me.” She came forward more steps. The water lapped at her hips. “I certainly won’t tell if you don’t.”
“There is my clinic to consider. If my name is linked with yours, the gossip could harm my livelihood, Isobel. Did you ever think about that?”
“I did not.” Confusion circled through her mind. Did that mean he regretted making plans with her? Was she not attractive enough? Intriguing enough?
He was at the riverbank, his eyes glittering in the darkness. “You need to be taken in hand.”