A Lady to Redeem a Rakish Lord: A Historical Regency Romance Novel

by Lucinda Nelson

  She was getting angry and she looked at him as he left, with the servant behind him. When he got to the stair case, he paused for the servant to take the lead and that moment, he looked right behind his shoulder and stared right at her.

  When his gaze met hers, his mouth curved in a warm smile. Ophelia looked away instantly, her cheeks flushed and she felt as if he had touched her somewhere private. That moment, she knew she had terribly missed him.

  “Did you say that your brother has never lost a horse race before?” asked Charles seconds after.

  “Yes, Mr. Doddleton. Do not be surprised, he is just very good. Please excuse me,” she quickly said to both Charles and Ophelia before leaving to attend to one of the guests.

  Charles put his index finger below his chin like someone lost in thought.

  “So he has never lost in a horse race before, I wonder why I beat him thrice.”

  Ophelia shrugged. “Maybe you are just really good,” she said.

  “No, I think he is only trying to impress me,” replied Charles before leaving walking away from her towards her mother.

  Chapter 20

  Miss Ophelia Campbell

  Ophelia stood at a corner of the room, alone, watching the mandolin player while he played beautifully. She could see her cousin and her mother from the other end of the room. Charles has changed into a new cloth. The servant must have taken him into a changing room, she thought.

  She sipped from her cup while she listened to the music. It reminded her of the last New Year Eve party which she had spent with her father. The family had hosted a party then, inviting some of their close relatives.

  “A penny for your thought, Miss Campbell….”

  The voice sent a thorough rush of adrenaline through her entire body system and she shut her eyes. She was expecting to see him back so soon.

  “My lady,” he said, bowing slightly.

  “My Lord,” she replied with a curtsy. She realized he has changed into a white shirt, a pair of buckskins over a black waistcoat which was cut at the front. He looked very refreshing and more handsome. She looked away, not wanting him to know the effect those gleaming eyes were having on her knees.

  “I beg your pardon for being so preoccupied and having little time to tell you how beautiful you look tonight, as always.”

  She colored instantly; quite aware of how much her cheeks must have reddened.

  “Thank you, my Lord. You look really handsome, yourself,” she managed to say in a voice which did not really sound like hers.

  “A compliment? Thank you,” he chuckled. “Would you terribly mind if I take you away for some time?”

  “No. Of course not,” she stated, careful to hide her excitement. She had been desperately hoping for a time alone with him.

  He extended his arm and she took it. She could have sworn she felt some sort of electric current surge through her as their body came into contact. Together, they walked out of the room and into another room close by.

  He opened the door into of a large room which had a high ceiling, beautiful chandeliers, and several shelves containing books.

  She entered while he waited by the door.

  “You have got a beautiful library, my Lord,” she said, as she walked to one of the shelves.

  “I suppose we do” he replied, walking to a bottle of wine in one of the shelves to pour himself more drinks.

  “So, you and my cousin had a good time?” she asked as he drew closer to her.

  “Yes, we really did,” he said. “Come, I would like to show you something.”

  He opened another door which was hidden behind a brown velvet cotton and she followed. She gasped when she realized she was at the balcony of the second floor. Even though the breeze of the night was cold against her skin for her gown left her shoulders bare, however, she was distracted by the beauty of the night sky.

  The stars hung above them as if strung in the air by some invisible strings. They filled the sky in both lighter and faint patches. Shining like sugar split over black marble, glistening.

  She smiled. It was really beautiful. She felt the wind blew her hair and just in time, she felt warmth all over her as Christopher hung his jacket around her shoulders.

  The sudden touch on her skin as he placed the jacket was too much for her and she shut her eyes. She needed to control her emotions but she could not… not around him….It was too much. There was only one thing on her mind…

  He hesitated for some time before letting go of her shoulder and standing next to her. He placed a hand on the balcony rail as she did. There was just a little distance between his right hand and her left hand. She was very aware of that.

  “So, you got my letters?” he asked in the softest tone.

  She was hoping he was trying to control his emotions just as she was.

  “I did,” she whispered.

  He finally turned to face her and she did the same, but then he looked up above her and smiled.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  “Look, it’s a mistletoe,” he said, pointing upwards, between them.

  She looked up and indeed, there it was. Hanging downwards on the ceiling and just about several inches above them.

  When she looked down at him, their eyes met. Her heart was thumping so hard with the excitement of what she knew was going to happen…what she desired to happen….

  He closed the gap in between them and brought a hand to her cheek. Gently, he bent closer to her as she felt his warm breath against her face-she closed her eyes as his lips barely touched hers. Oh.

  It was just a light touch. Practically could not be called a kiss at all.

  But then, his mouth touched hers again, parting, pressing against her lips, then moving away. His fingertip moved away from her chin to the side of her jaw, joining the rest of her hand and gently pressing upward, toward him.

  Their breaths mingled-they were standing so close. Their mouths touched again. He was kissing her. Lord Christopher Crampton was kissing her, and it was as beautiful, as soul-stealing a kiss she had always imagined it would be. His mouth probed, nudging her lips apart.

  Anxiety surged through her. Just like he knew, he tightened his hold on her upper arm. Not too tight, but firm.

  He leaned towards her and his mouth covered hers more firmly. She could feel him in every part of her. He smelled good, she thought and his lips were astonishingly soft.

  Time stopped.During the compression of the present, past and future that might have lasted no time at all for all eternity, Ophelia was incapable of thought. And when she could think again, she was without the aid of her wits.

  His tongue slid along the seam of her lips, and without the slightest bit of hesitation, she parted her lips. His touch became firmer, his eyes tightened. His tongue moved past her lips, intimately, smoothly, dizzyingly. Her stomach somersaulted and the world balanced instantly.

  He withdrew, though he still held the side of her face and his fingers were now curled around her arm. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment as she heard him take a quick breath.

  He pressed his mouth to her, to her cheek, and then to a spot close to her left ear, very close. Then finally, to her forehead. His fingers slid from her face as he leaned back. However, his hand on her arm slid to enfold hers.

  “I’m sorry…” he started saying before a loud movement from somewhere close pulled them apart instantly. The door that led back into the library was still opened but through the curtain, Ophelia quietly gasped when she saw her cousin strolling in and moving towards one of the shelves.

  He must have heard her for he looked towards them instantly.

  “Ophelia!” he called out, his hand was wrapped around a book.

  Quickly, she stepped into the library while Christopher.

  “Charles, what are you doing here?” she managed to ask as confidently as she could. She could not betray both her emotions and that of Christopher who had just walked in.

  “I was looking for…” st
arted Charles but then his face tightened as he saw Christopher. “Why are you wearing his jacket and what were you two doing outside, alone?” he asked.

  Ophelia could sense the anger and jealousy in his voice. He was watching them both suspiciously, intently.

  Ophelia inhaled and removed the jacket. “Lord Crampton was kind enough to offer me his jacket due to the cold outside,” she replied. Then she turned to Christopher, “thank you, my Lord,” she said, handing the jacket to him while avoiding his gaze. However, their hands brushed and Ophelia could still feel some of the sparks she had felt earlier.

  “Perhaps if you had stayed downstairs just like the rest of the people, you would not be standing outside and catching cold,” Charles blurted.

  Ophelia gasped. “There is no reason to be rude, Charles,” she cautioned. “Please, forgive my cousin , my Lord. Excuse me,” she said and then left the room. Not waiting for her cousin who later came after her.

  She was angry. Who did Charles think he was to be talking to her as if she was a child?

  “I know you kissed him!”

  She stopped as she heard that. They were along the passageway and just some steps downstairs where the rest of the people were. She knew he knew, there was no point in hiding it.

  “Yes, I did,” she replied, warmly. But she decided not to be angry and share everything with him.

  “And it was the most beautiful thing, Charles. I am so, excited.”

  “Then, you must be more foolish than I had thought!” he retorted.

  Charles!” she gasped.

  “How could you have been so stupid to have fallen for him!”

  “He loves me, and I love him too,” she replied firmly.

  “Do you know how many ladies have fallen for him the same way you have? What happens if someone had caught you two? Do you know the repercussions?”

  “No one caught us but you, and there isn’t going to be any repercussions. I think you are just jealous, Charles. Excuse me.”

  She climbed down the stairs as quickly as she could. She could not bear to talk any further with him else she might end up loosing her temper.

  By the time she got downstairs, more guests have arrived. There were more women this time. She walked to the table, for a private time to get a hold of her emotions.

  She was standing behind a group of about four women who were talking in whispers and who had no idea she could hear them.

  “Was this not this time last year that he took Rosaline to his room to corrupt that poor girl!” said one of the women.

  “It is a shame that Lady Crampton does not know the kind of shameful son she has. Yet she thinks she is better than everyone else just because her husband is a respectable Earl but her son deviated from the righteous path a long time ago,” spat another.

  No, it couldn’t be! Ophelia thought. They could not be talking about her Christopher.

  “I heard the Sherriton’s daughter vowed not to come to London again after Christopher had slept with her and then told her he could not marry her!”

  Ophelia could feel the throbbing of her eyes and the trem

  bling of her hands as she waited. Fear and shame consumed every part of her nerve. She knew if she stayed a little bit longer, she might burst into tears. But her feet stayed rooted to the ground as she waited to hear more.

  “He is indeed a terrible handsome devil!”

  “That handsomeness had ruined the reputation and virtue of lots of ladies. I wonder who the next victim would be this time.”

  A tear rolled down her cheek as she knew the answer to that. Without waiting any further, she ran out of the room.

  Chapter 21

  Christopher Crampton, Viscount Barrington

  Christopher got downstairs some minutes later but only saw Charles and Mrs. Campbell, talking. There was no sign of Ophelia and after what Charles had almost witnessed, he could not find the courage to confront him and ask where Ophelia had gone to.

  He hoped Charles had not been too hard on his cousin. While he attended to some of the guests, he felt a light brush on his shoulder and turning around, he saw his father. He was standing next to a lady who seemed pretty and was dressed in a lovely green and white muslin gown.

  “Father, is anything the matter?” he asked.

  “Son, meet Justina Mencer,” said his father. “She is the daughter of Lord Mencer of the Hampton’s Estates.”

  Christopher was uncertain what he needed the information for, but he took a slight bow at the lady. “My lady,how do you do?”

  The lady gave a shy curtesy without saying anything. Christopher looked at his father, wondering what he was supposed to do with the lady.

  “I want you to give her a proper tour of our mansion.”

  Christopher frowned. What in god’s name did his father mean by that? Just as his father turned to go, he quickly excused himself and went to have a private talk with him.

  “Father, who is she? I do not understand why you have to bring her to me.”

  “She is the lady I intend for you to marry.”

  Christopher looked shocked as he heard this-of course, the Mencers, how could he have forgotten?

  He watched as his father left before proceeding towards the lady.

  “Well, my lady…I…” he started.

  “Please, make no attempt to impress me,” the lady blurted out immediately. “First of all, I would like you to understand something,” she continued. “Do you see that man over there?”

  Christopher looked towards the direction she was pointing which was also where his father was standing with another man, expensively dressed.

  “Yes,” he replied.

  “That is my father, and he is keeping eye on me,” she replied, looking at her shoes.

  He frowned. He could not understand how that was his business.

  “He wants us to marry but I do not like you, neither do I approve of you.”

  Christopher was more surprised at the audacity of the lady but he was impressed.

  “I am only here because the one whom I truly love is planning a way for us to run away together and you are going to help me.”

  Christopher made to protest but the lady squeezed a folded paper into his hand.

  “That is a letter that you shall give to your father, it will explain my decision and you and your family can be in the clear. When my father gets to know, he will realize that I have made up my mind to marry the person I truly love, regardless of him being our stable boy.”

  Christopher was even more shocked and delighted.

  “Well, it will give me a great pleasure to help you on this plan of yours, my lady. Just tell me what I need to do.”

  The lady managed a smile and finally looked into his eyes. “You seem happy to help me, I have been thinking you would decline.”

  “And why would I do that? Do you not know how easy you have just made my life with this plan of yours?”

  Justina looked at him suspiciously. “Are you in love as well?”

  He nodded. “That’s right. I am very much in love with the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.”

  Justina laughed. She was indeed a pretty lady with the way her eyes lit up when she laughed. “Well, that could only be the reason behind your enthusiasm,” she said, looking at the clock. “It is almost time,” she whispered. “All you need to do is to ask me to visit the gardens with you and make it loud enough for my father to hear you. He is looking at us, intently.”

  Christopher stepped back a bit before taking a bow. “Would you like to take a walk with me, my lady?”

  She nodded and took his hand. Together they walked out of the room.

  When they got out and locked the door behind them, Justina embraced him and kissed him on both cheeks.

  “Once I leave, do not go in immediately, my father must not see you alone.”

  Christopher nodded.

  “Thank you for doing this. You are a very honorable man. Whoever the lady is, is a very lucky lady. Do not let
go of her, fight for whom you love,” she said before pulling away and running into the arms of another man who stood beside a carriage.

  Christopher watched as they both kissed before climbing into the carriage. He stood by, watching as the carriage left.

  * * *

  Miss Ophelia Campbell

  “Ophelia, what happened to you? We were looking all over for you?”

  Her mother said as they got home that night. All through their way back home, she had been very quiet. When she left the party, she had gone straight into the carriage to cry her eyes out. Then, several minutes later, Charles had stumbled upon her in the carriage when they were ready to go home.