Attached to a side of her hair, was a red ribbon which seemed to make her eyes pop. She was not beautiful in a conventional way. To Julian, she was simply haunting. She looked purely innocent as she followed the fat woman around.
“Who is she?” Julian asked his friend who he realized was also watching her.
“She must be new,” said William. “For I have never seen her before.”
“Is she one of the harlots that work here?”
William nodded. “Apparently.”
“What do I need to do to get her?”
William smiled. “Well, you better get in line,” he said, pointing towards the men in the room. As a matter of fact, all the men in the room seemed to be watching her and as Julian could deduce, it was making the girl uncomfortable.
“William, get me that lady. I don’t mind what it will cost.”
His friend smiled and stood up. “Lucky for you, I am in the good graces of Madame Brisbois,” he said. “I shall be right back.”
Julian waited impatiently and watched as William walked to the fat woman who seemed excited to see him. He whispered something into her ear and then pointed towards Julian. All this while, the girl was seated oblivious to all that was going on.
Finally, the woman nodded and then William came back to meet Julian.
“Well, what did she say?” Julian asked.
“Just as I thought. She said she would cost a lot but I told her she could trust me. I shall pay as a welcoming gift to Paris. The lady will be waiting for you in the room which a waiter will soon take you to.”
Julian smiled. “Thank you so much, William,” he said.
“You are welcome, I am just excited that you are at least a bit interested in a woman.”
Julian laughed. “What did you take me for, a fag?”
“My Lord,” said a voice behind them.
Both Julian and William turned around and behind them stood a man in a uniform. “Please come with me. Your room awaits you.”
* * *
Miss Lucy Howard
Lucy waited in the room nervously. Her heart was beating fast and her nerves were beginning to fail her. How would her first time be like? She had heard that first times were always painful, but how painful would it be?
She sat down on a chair close to the bed but then she stood up, beginning to pace. The man had yet to come in to the room. For what it was worth, she hoped he would be at least better-looking than all the men she had been seeing in the gambling hell.
She had seen several, fat, old, charcoal-painted teeth, thin and rough looking men. She knew her luck would fall on one of these.
Madame Brisbois had given her no clue in regards to what should be expected. She was only told to follow a waiter and the waiter had led her to that room.
She went back to the seat and sat. What exactly was she supposed to do when he comes in? Would she need to say a ‘hello’ or start unbuttoning her dress? She inhaled and rubbed her sweaty palms.
Just then she heard movements just in front of the door and she felt her heart seize. The movement continued for a while and then finally the door was opened and a man stepped in. On seeing him, Lucy found herself relaxing a bit for he was far better than she had imagined. Far better.
He wasn’t just handsome, he was compelling. His eyes were hazel with a bit of green attached to a face that was too chiseled to be called a classically handsome. He was lean but taller than any man she had ever seen before, and his hair which was chestnut brown was packed at the back.
They stared at each other for a while before she got her senses back and did the only thing she could think of, she curtsied.
* * *
Julian Winthitorpe, the Duke of Havenwood
He was surprised seeing her curtsy and he removed his hat.
“Please, have a seat,” he said to her and she did. For a while things were awkward between them but he hung his hat and moved towards the bed. He had only climbed on the bed when the lady stood up and walked towards him.
He kept on studying her as she sat next to him, all the while she was looking at the floor, unable to meet his gaze.
He didn’t know what he was supposed to do as it was his first time but he could understand that he needed to get his shirt removed first. So he began to unbutton his shirt.
“Allow me,” said the lady, turning towards him and with shaky fingers began to pull at the buttons of his coat. Without thinking, he held her hands and could feel how shaky they actually were. She kept her gaze down. “I apologize, my lord,” she said. “It is my first time.”
When he heard this, he smiled. He was also nervous and didn’t think to correct her about his title. “You need not be afraid. It is my first time too,” he said and this time, she looked at him. Her eyes were the bluest pair of eyes he had ever seen, they glinted with a hue of silvery pattern and an overwhelming sadness.
“I must ask you. Why do you look so sad? Do you not want to do this?” he asked, unable to stop himself.
The lady looked down and a tear dropped. He couldn’t understand what was happening but he leaned back. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
“I do not wish to be here, my lord. I am not a harlot, but I am here because I need the money. So you don’t have to be sorry for me. I will do what is expected of me so as to get the money I need,” she said. Saying this, she stood up and began to loosen the hooks of her gown.
“Please stop,” said Julian, standing up and walking up to her while buttoning up his coat. “You don’t have to do this.”
“But I have to, I am sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable…I…”
“No,” he insisted, smiling. “We can talk through the night if you do not mind. I could use the company and you can tell me everything that is troubling you. I promise you, I will make it worth your while.”
* * *
Miss Lucy Howard
She couldn’t believe her ears when she heard this. What kind of a man was this? No man has ever been this nice to her. Not even Mr. Brisbois who had tried to sleep with her on the first day Madame Brisbois brought her home. He had said he wanted to ‘test the product’ first. Of course, Madame Brisbois had interrupted his advances and they went into a huge fight that night.
“Thank you so much,” she said.
“Now, why don’t you sit and tell me all about you?” he said as he sat on the bed. “First, tell me your name.”
“Lucy,” she said, smiling shyly. “Born in Livianna, in France,” she said, unwilling to disclose private information to him. “I never knew my parents and grew up being tossed from one place to another until I ended up here, under Madame Brisbois’s care. Now, she expects me to work here to pay her back for having taken care of me all these years.”
“I am indeed sorry for all your travails, Lucy. For what it’s worth, I have had a bad share of life as well.”
“You, my lord? What could possibly trouble you?”
He smiled. “You honestly think that the rich have everything working out for them?”
Lucy nodded. “Yes, I think so, My Lord. When there is money, I believe there is a solution to everything.
Chapter 4
Julian Winthitorpe, the Duke of Havenwood
When he heard this, he burst into laughter and she did the same.
“How far away you are from the truth,” he said.
“So, what trouble could you possibly be facing, My Lord?” she asked. He could see she was beginning to relax in his presence. Calling him by his proper name didn’t seem like a big issue for him.
“Family, marriage issues, past memory and guilt. How about that?”
She thought for a while. “Well, family issue. Marriage issues… You do not wish to marry?”
“No, not yet but mother is always ringing it into my ears and, I am tired of hearing it. I had to come to France with my friend to have some time off.”
She frowned. “But why don’t you want to get married?”
He shrugged. “Maybe
because I haven’t yet found the one,” he teased and winked at her.
Lucy laughed. He loved the way she laughed, it made her eyes sparkle. “So you believe in the one?”
He shook his head. “Not really,” said he. “That was just a joke. Actually, because of something terrible I did in the past, I do not wish to marry now.”
She frowned. “What terrible thing could you have possibly done, My Lord? You do not look like a bad person to me.”
He sighed. “Trust me; I am a bad person. I did something while I was younger and it led to something worse which I have to carry around for the rest of my life. Mother acts like everything is settled. She wouldn’t talk about it and has resorted into pushing me into marriage. She thinks that when I am married, my grandchildren shall serve as a solace for her. I shall be happy but I do not feel like I deserve to be happy.”
Lucy was looked at him with all curiosity. “But, what did you do? Did you tell your parents? I am certain that they will forgive you.”
He shook his head and straightened up. He was beginning to pace. “No, I do not think they will forgive me when I am unable to forgive myself, Lucy.”
She sighed and stood up. “Tell me, what did you do?”
* * *
Miss Lucy Howard
He stopped pacing and faced her. His facial expression had immediately changed and his eyes were red with guilt.
“I lost my sister ten years ago. It was my fault. She was kidnapped and I knew that she was not in the house but I knew mother would blame me and I was so afraid. My little sister has never been found since then,” he said, turning around and hitting the wall angrily.
“I am so sorry,” said Lucy.
“I should have said something. Maybe it would have given them a clue on where to look for her, but I kept mute. I was just a stupid little coward!”
Lucy watched as he kept on hurting himself by punching the wall over and over until he ran out of breath and sat heavily on the bed, placing his face into his hands.
Lucy realized his knuckles were bleeding so she looked around the room for something to bandage his wounds. She found a piece of cloth on the table. She tore it in two and came over to where he sat.
Gently, she took his hand into his, and he stirred, looking at her. Then she wrapped the first piece around his knuckle and then did the same to the other one.
Julian was so touched by her tenderness that he couldn’t find a word to say. When she was done, she looked up at him.
“I am so sorry, My Lord,” she said, reaching her hand to brush his hair back. Julian was dumbfounded, how could someone be so caring and beautiful at the same time?
“Thank you for sharing with me. I hope your sister comes back home soon,” she said in the most soothing voice. When she motioned to stand up, Julian held her hand. She threw him a confused look.
“Don’t go,” he whispered and she relaxed, looking at him. He didn’t know how, but his eyes fixed onto her full lips, and he was began to reduce the distance between them. She leaned in closer and closed her eyes as their lips met.
He kissed her and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and he could feel the beating of her heart against his chest.
When he kissed her, her brain lit on fire and the warmth spread throughout her entire body. Lucy had never been kissed before. His lips were soft and warm. They tasted like wine which he must have been drinking earlier.
Slowly, they fell on the bed, facing each other as the kiss deepened, their feet still on the ground while their bodies were on the bed.
Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to her hip. It settled there and pulled her closer. She inhaled sharply. She was splayed against his warm chest, chiseled to perfection. Must he be so perfect?
His breathing quickened as did hers. He began nuzzling her neck with delicate kisses. So faint, they were whispers. She urged herself to push away, but couldn’t. Her limp body began to tremble uncontrollably.
His head was angled slightly to the side as his lips came closer and closer to hers. She was surprised to find her own lips parted. Their breaths mingled. Her heart fluttered inside her chest.
At first, it was a delicate butterfly of a kiss. Then his arms encircled her. She felt so safe in the hollow of his arms, and all her worries seemed to disappear forever.
He slightly pulled away, much to her disappointment but his arms remained wrapped around her while he exhaled softly. Then she realized he was asleep.
She realized something was glinting in the hollow of his neck and she reached out a hand to touch it. It was a crescent-shaped pendant of his neck chain. She frowned as it looked familiar but she couldn’t recall where she had seen it before. She inhaled, drawing closer to him so she was able to see a dark scar at his left jawline. She frowned. Maybe he got into a fight when he was much younger, she thought
The desire to stay in his arms was so great, but at the same time, she knew she had to report back to Madame Brisbois. Still she decided to rest. Tomorrow, she would report back to her.
The brightness of the daylight hit her in the eyes as she opened them. She was surprised to see that she was alone even though he had covered her up with a blanket and had left several pound notes on the table for her. Beside it was a ‘thank you’ note.
She smiled and picked up the money. As she left the room, she felt really disappointed; she hadn’t even asked him his name.
* * *
Julian Winthitorpe, the duke of Havenwood
“Oh, trust me William. Hers were the softest pair of lips I have ever tasted,” Julian said to his friend later that morning when he got home. Meanwhile, William was busy pouring them a drink each.
“So you ended up telling her all your secrets just because of her soft lips?” asked his friend as he handed him a cup of wine.
“Oh, of course not!” Julian replied. “We had a lot to talk about that sharing of names never came to mind. Besides, I didn’t tell her everything, didn’t even tell her my name.”
Williams sat in the couch next to his. “But you got her name?”
“Yes, Lucy,” replied Julian smiling at the memory of the moment they shared. “I have never had so much fun from a woman, William. It was like she knew what I needed and she gave it to me.”
“A kiss?” asked his friend jokingly.
“No, stupid,” replied Julian, sending a scowl at his friend. “Companionship.”
“But I have been your companion for more than twenty years!” replied Williams.
“No, not that kind of companion. A warm, romantic companionship that only a beautiful woman can give.”
William laughed while a servant came in, holding a letter.
“My Lord,” said the servant to him with a bow. “You have a letter, from your father.”
Williams’s face tightened as he heard this. “My father?” he collected the letter, tore it and began to go through it. Meanwhile, the servant picked his leave.
Julian watched as William went through the letter. Finally when he was done, he sighed and folded it.
“Is everything alright?” asked Julian.
William exhaled aloud. “I have to go back to London tomorrow morning.”
Julian was surprised. “London? What for?”
“Father requires my presence. There is an issue with one of our estates, and since he is still on the sick bed, he cannot do much about it, so I have to go. I wouldn’t know when I will be back but I shall come back as soon as I’m done.”
“You can take all the time you need. Lucy will be keeping me company,” Julian joked.
“Idiot,” replied his friend as he laughed while standing up.
Julian sighed as his friend left. He couldn’t get the memory of Lucy off his mind.
When he woke up in her arms that morning, he could
n’t help but stare at her as she slept. She was indeed beautiful. He traced her lips with his finger softly enough so as not to wake her up.
She had only stirred but later kept on sleeping. He managed to stand up and counted fifty pounds which he placed on the table. William had already paid Madam Brisbois for the service just as he said he would. The fifty pounds was for Lucy, after hearing all that she said last night, she could tell how badly the girl needed the money. He found a quill, ink, and a piece of paper on the table on which he wrote a ‘thank you’. He didn’t want to leave her but he had no choice.
He smiled. He desired to see her again, that much was certain.
A Lady to Redeem a Rakish Lord: A Historical Regency Romance Novel Page 33