Lady Catherine's Secret: A Secrets and Seduction book Read Free

applauding.
    The moment he was hit, Wentworth jerked his head back in surprise and then glared at her. He let out a huff of frustration and immediately dropped into the “ en garde” stance to continue the match.
    Catherine saw a brief frisson of tension spark through Wentworth’s body. Years of fencing had taught her to recognize an opponent’s mood change, and she recognized the shift in Wentworth’s temper through the small, subtle changes in his body.
    “Mind yourself, Wentworth, he’s just a boy,” Huntley called out.
    Catherine’s eyes narrowed as she focused on Wentworth, shutting out everything else in the room. Rather than calming him, Huntley’s comments seemed to have thrown fuel on Wentworth’s already smoldering temper.
    “It’s time I taught this boy a lesson .” Wentworth lunged at Catherine in what he probably hoped was a surprise attack. His anger, however, made him careless, and she easily parried his thrust.
    The metal of their foils sang as she slid hers up along his, easily scoring another point as she pushed his foil aside and thrust the tip of hers at his right shoulder. She allowed the length of the foil to arch as she pressed the tip against his doublet, offering visible proof of her hit.
    While standing frozen in her stance, she watched a deep flush suffuse Wentworth’s face. It was obvious even through his mask. As she stepped back, he clenched his left hand into a fist.
    Anger made a person more dangerous and unpredictable, as well as more careless, and that combination in a fencer could be deadly. Judging by the startled faces of their audience, they too had noted Wentworth’s growing rage. Catherine scraped her teeth against her bottom lip, tasting a hint of saltiness.
    What would Wentworth do next?
    Fortunately, the maestro was also focused on the duel. As the soaring tension between Catherine and Wentworth became palpable, Bernini stepped between them and raised his hands, putting an end to the match.
    “Two points,” Bernini announced. “And we are done.” He grabbed Catherine by her free hand and Wentworth by the one holding his foil and raised them above his head. “That was excellent, gentlemen. I know we usually go to three points,” he said, addressing the assemblage, “but I’m sorry to say, we have to cut this short.” He dropped their hands as he paused and offered a salacious grin. “I have a most important engagement this evening and I must ask everyone to leave promptly.” The twinkle in his eye left no one wondering about the type of engagement. Bernini was renowned for his insatiable appetite for women. “Wentworth, Gray... that was excellent. I look forward to hosting your rematch.”
    Wentworth gave Bernini a terse nod and backed away without even glancing at her.
    Since Wentworth was new to the academy, Catherine didn’t know him well enough to anticipate how he might have handled his anger, so with this abrupt disappearance of tension, she nearly sagged with relief.
    “Before everyone leaves, I have an announcement to make.” Bernini paused and glanced around the room, making sure he had everyone’s attention. “The first annual Bernini’s Fencing Tournament will be held on the second Saturday in March. The winner will be awarded a moderate purse and a traveling trophy.” He smiled as a spark of interest flashed through the room. “The winner will have his name engraved on a plaque and will be permitted to keep the trophy until he is beaten in a subsequent tournament. Anyone interested in registering can speak with Mr. Winston and provide him with your entry fee.”
    The room began buzzing with conversation and Bernini quickly disappeared from view as members of the academy surrounded him, besieging him with questions. She wanted to speak with him, too, but it was obvious she wouldn’t be able to get close to him. She’d just end up looking like a small dog trying to force its way into a pack of wolves.
    Wentworth gripped his fencing mask