Have Yourself a Merry Little Scandal: a Christmas collection of Historical Romance (Have Yourself a Merry Little... Book 1)

by Anna Campbell

  Alice clapped her hands together. This was the news she had been waiting to hear. Confirmation that Cuthbert was a fortune-hunting blackguard who only wanted to win the love of her sister in order to get his hands on her dowry.

  “So, what now?” she replied.

  “Eager little thing,” murmured Stephen.

  She shot him a disdainful look. “It’s not your sister who is in grave danger of being married to a rogue, so perhaps you might want to shut your mouth.”

  “Steady on!” replied Stephen.

  Alice reached into her reticule and pulled out the coin purse. She stood and tossed it onto the table in front of Harry. “According to the contract, that is the penultimate payment. I am paying for your services, Lord Steele. It is high time you delivered.”

  Harry glanced at the purse but left it where it had landed. He and Alice locked gazes; she flinched when she caught sight of the expression on his face. She had fully expected to see open defiance and was surprised that instead it was a mixture of hurt and confusion.

  You cannot be that clueless about how I would take your words last night. You expect me to come out of my cage while you lurk behind the door of your stone castle.

  She dropped her gaze to the Persian rug on the floor as anger and disappointment battled.

  “Alice, could we please fill you in on the plan and get your approval?” said Harry.

  She nodded, grateful that he was making some effort toward showing her at least a modicum of respect.

  “A ticket will be sent to Cuthbert Saint at the Grand Hotel today inviting him to join you and Patience at the theatre this evening. This, of course, is merely a ruse to make sure that we know where he will be at that time,” said Harry.

  “Not long after he leaves the hotel, he will find himself having a little chat with a gentleman dressed all in black. The pistol in his face should help convince him that he needs to quit his accommodations and depart London forthwith,” added Stephen.

  “And you will send word once the message has been delivered?” she asked.

  “Of course,” replied Harry.

  Alice nodded at the purse. “Once you provide me with confirmation that Cuthbert Saint has indeed left town, I shall pay the remainder of your fee. Good day to you, gentlemen.”

  Without a second glance, she headed for the door. Alice was downstairs and out into the street before the tears finally got the better of her. After all that she thought she had felt for Harry Steele, the only emotion left this morning was humiliation.

  In a matter of hours, she would hopefully be rid of Cuthbert Saint. And with the end of their contract, Harry would also be gone. Only then could she start to find a way to get him out of her heart.

  “What happened to the sweet romance that was bubbling between the two of you?” asked Stephen.

  Harry picked up the coin purse and tucked it into his jacket pocket. All night, he had lain awake and worried as to whether he had made a grave mistake in taking Alice to the Temple of Diana. Wondering if perhaps she had simply got caught up in the moment, and then once the haze of lust had cleared her mind, regret had swooped in.

  “I have a horrible feeling that I may have pushed Alice North too far out of her area of comfort, and she is now in retreat. All I can focus on right this minute is Cuthbert Saint. If we succeed in frightening him off tonight, then maybe I will be able to address the matter of the two of us and whether we could have a future,” he replied.

  Stephen got to his feet and came to Harry’s side, placing a brotherly pat on his shoulder. “This was always going to be a problem for us rogues when it came to be taking on wives. Harry, you have to succeed with Alice, because if you don’t then what hope do the rest of us have? Not that I plan to ever enter into the unholy mess of matrimony.”

  Harry nodded. Apart from Stephen’s foolish aversion to marriage, he was right. Of all the members of the RR Coaching Company, Harry was the one with the most legitimate career. Angus and George were respectively, smugglers and thieves. Stephen specialized in acts of revenge. And Monsale was up to his elbows in every money-making scheme in the country, with a penchant for the illegal ones.

  It was going to take a great deal of love and understanding on the part of any woman to sign up to a life with a husband who lived a secret life outside of the law.

  The cold and distant way Alice had been with him this morning didn’t fill Harry with any sense of hope.

  Damn.

  He pushed the worry of Alice to the back of his mind as best he could. He and Stephen had a job to do. “Go and get your pistol. I will organize the theatre ticket. Let’s handle what we can tonight, and I will deal with the rest later.”

  For a long while after Stephen had left the room, he pondered his predicament. Tell Alice everything and hope that she might feel enough affection for him to consider becoming his wife. That would mean her having to accept some hard truths about him and his friends.

  The other option was for him to permanently step away from the illegal operations of the RR Coaching Company and try to eke out an honest living. To give up on his friends.

  Bloody hell, what am I going to do?

  There was one thing he was sure of right at this moment; he couldn’t build a future with Alice based on a lie.

  She is an heiress; her dowry must be substantial. You could live off her father’s money.

  “No. That would make me no better than Cuthbert Saint. And she would hate me.”

  Chapter 15

  A little before seven o’clock that evening, Cuthbert Saint left the Grand Hotel and started on the short walk to Drury Lane Theatre. He made it as far as Broad Court.

  Passing number 15 Broad Court, he was suddenly grabbed from behind and dragged off the street and through a doorway. The door was firmly closed, and he was left standing in a foyer lit only by a small chandelier.

  “You’ve picked the wrong gentleman to rob. I have no money,” he pleaded.

  From out of the dark, a large figure, clad all in black appeared. He walked with measured steps, oozing menace. Harry, who was standing well out of sight in a corner, slowly shook his head. Stephen had a thing for dramatic effect.

  “I know exactly who you are, Cuthbert Leigh. And what you are up to,” said Stephen.

  A satisfying gasp came from their prisoner. Harry much preferred that to the haughty scoff which professional villains deemed as the hallmark of their trade.

  “What do you want?” replied Cuthbert.

  Stephen cocked his pistol and raised it, aiming straight for Cuthbert’s face. If he fired now, the shot would be at near point-blank range and most certainly fatal.

  “You give up on trying to win Patience North’s hand and you leave London. Tonight. If you don’t then my friends and I will make sure you are the victim of a terrible accident.”

  If it didn’t put his whole career in jeopardy, Harry would be the one holding the pistol. But a mask and a black suit couldn’t hide a man’s voice. He dared not risk Cuthbert recognizing him.

  “But I love Patience. I wish to marry her,” replied Cuthbert.

  The man had balls; he wasn’t going to take the threat at face value. He had more spine that Harry had expected him to possess.

  “Have you asked yourself whether she cares for you? Who else do you think sent me?” snorted Stephen.

  He retrieved a coin purse from his coat pocket and threw it to Cuthbert, who quickly caught it.

  “There is enough money in that purse to get you a start anywhere else in the country. Though I would suggest you might want to forget about the north. There is a Scottish lord who might be very interested in your whereabouts and also that of some of his trinkets,” said Stephen.

  Even in the poor light, Harry caught a glimpse of the shock on Cuthbert’s face. He clearly hadn’t been expecting anyone to know about his past life.

  His head and shoulders dropped, and for the briefest of moments, Harry felt a twinge of pity. That could very well be him standing there while
a stranger threatened to unveil his secret life.

  Remember what you said to Alice. Steady your nerves.

  “Alright, I will leave London. If Patience does not want me, then I will go,” said Cuthbert.

  “Good man. In time, you will see that you have made the right decision. Now, you and I are going to leave by the rear entrance where a carriage is waiting. The late mail coach to Harwich leaves from the Spread Eagle Coaching Company in Gracechurch Street in an hour. I intend that you will be on board. My loaded pistol will make certain of it.”

  Cuthbert closed his eyes and sighed. “I did love her. Could you please at least let Patience know that she held my heart?”

  Bloody hell. Just go! Leave the poor girl in peace.

  Harry moved farther into the shadows as Stephen guided Cuthbert out the door, only slightly relaxing as the sound of the lock clicking reverberated in the silence.

  As soon as he had heard from Stephen that Cuthbert Saint had indeed boarded the coach to the English coast, he would send word to Alice. The job was done.

  As he made his way back out into Broad Court, Harry had a sinking feeling that the easy part was now over, but what lay ahead may well be out of his control.

  Chapter 16

  Alice replied by letter early the next morning thanking Harry for his efforts but left it at that. A second note had reached the house late last night. He may well have quit London, but Cuthbert Saint had not gone quietly.

  “He says he has to leave for a time but begged me not to forget about him. Oh, Alice, what could possibly have happened?” said Patience.

  They were in the drawing room of their home in Mortimer Street, midmorning, neither having got much sleep. Patience had stayed up until the early hours crying, and Alice had sat beside her on the sofa, silently holding her hand.

  In the hour after dawn, Patience had gone for a walk around the block to get some fresh air. When she returned, Alice was relieved to see that her sister had dried her tears and seemed a little more at peace.

  You knew this moment was always coming; you just have to get through today. Give it time. She will forget Cuthbert Saint and find someone else suitable.

  Alice schooled her features into the best placid expression she could muster. Her sister wasn’t a fool, and if she gave the merest hint of having been involved in the sudden departure of Cuthbert, Patience would surely know.

  “Perhaps he has family obligations. Or even a new position to take up. Who knows? Men can be such fickle creatures,” she replied.

  “It was all so sudden. One moment we were talking about visiting the theatre, the next he was gone,” said Patience.

  “Well perhaps the best thing you can do right now is to get on with your life and await his next letter. If Mister Saint is true, then he will write.”

  Shut up, Alice. What are you saying? Don’t encourage her to carry a torch. Oh, I wish Harry were here. He is so much better at this lying lark than I am.

  She hadn’t seen him since the previous day at Grosvenor Street with Sir Stephen Moore, and her mind kept returning to the night prior at the Temple of Diana. To what Harry and she had shared.

  Patience wasn’t the only North sister wondering where a man was, and whether he wanted a future with her. Harry Steele was constantly in her thoughts.

  The prospect of spending the next few days at home while they both stewed over men didn’t fill her with any sense of joy. A fun diversion was what was needed. “How about we get our things and head out to Oxford Street this morning? I have some Christmas shopping to do, and I’m sure you could do with a spot of fresh air. Then, tonight, we should find ourselves a nice party to attend and try to catch up with friends.”

  She was tired, and a small headache sat behind her right eye, but Alice was determined not to succumb to the situation. Anything was preferable to sitting at home and wondering.

  “I suppose you are right,” replied Patience with a resigned sigh.

  Alice rose from her place on the sofa, eager to seize the moment. If they both kept busy, the day would seem less long.

  “If you can be ready to leave in the next half hour, I shall treat you at Gunter’s Tea Shop. How does that sound?” she said.

  The tentative smile which appeared on Patience’s face was a great relief. She came to Alice’s side and slipped a hand about her waist, dropping a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you, sister dearest. I can always count on you to help me out of an unhappy mood. Yes, we will go and spend the morning in town, and a flavored ice from Gunter’s sounds perfect.”

  Small steps forward.

  An hour later, Alice was standing at the counter of a small button seller in the Pantheon Bazaar on Oxford Street, silently congratulating herself on having eschewed the crush of Harding and Howell’s for her and Patience’s shopping trip. The bazaar was an interesting mix of shops and zoological gardens. One could buy all manner of items at the various stores, then go and see a real live monkey.

  The only downside to the place was the loungers—small groups of well-dressed young men who hung around just to be seen. Every time they passed by any of the gentlemen who bore the slightest resemblance to Cuthbert Saint, Patience would let out a small sob.

  Alice put her change and purchases into her reticule and turned to her sister. “Are you ready to go and get something to eat?”

  Patience softly smiled. “Not quite. I would like a few minutes by myself.”

  A cold chill slid down Alice’s back. Was Patience going to go somewhere and have another little cry all alone? She had appeared to be getting through the day without falling apart, but as she was beginning to discover for herself, broken hearts were unpredictable.

  “I am fine. I just have some presents I wish to purchase without you being with me. Even big sisters deserve surprises at Christmas,” said Patience.

  Alice softly chortled. She especially loved unwrapping gifts on Christmas Eve. “Alright. In the meantime, I shall go and rest my feet at the tea shop at the entrance to Marlborough Street. You can meet me there when you are done.”

  A cup of hot tea and a slice of buttered bun was top of Alice’s list. That and a note to Harry. For while she had been doing her utmost to help Patience forget about Cuthbert Saint, there was nothing Alice could do to get Harry Steele out of her mind.

  As soon as they were home, she would send word to him and try to meet. There was no point in putting off the worst if he wasn’t interested in furthering their relationship.

  But is it over between us? He looked hurt yesterday. Could it be that he might feel the same way I do?

  Until Harry finally told her ‘no,’ there would always be a tiny flame of hope alight in her heart. A fire that only he could snuff out. Or set to a roaring blaze.

  Chapter 17

  Harry turned the note over and read it yet again.

  Not a lot of sleep was had here last night on both our counts. Patience is coping as best as can be expected. The good news is that she wants to attend a ball tonight, so fingers crossed.

  Final payment is due to you for the end of our contract. Please let me know if you wish the money sent. Or should I deliver it personally?

  Alice.

  He carefully folded Alice’s letter and put it into his jacket pocket, then went back to staring out the drawing-room window. His gaze settled on the rain which had been falling constantly for the past half hour. There was something soothing about its steady rhythm.

  It was the end of a long and, for Harry, reflective day. He drew little comfort from knowing that he had not been the only one to have endured a restless night.

  From a safe distance, he had witnessed Cuthbert Saint get on board the coach bound for Harwich, only coming out from his hiding place after it had pulled out of the yard at the rear of the Spread Eagle Coaching Company. He and Stephen had then headed next door to the RR Coaching Company and polished off half a bottle of whisky in quiet celebration after he’d sent word to his associates to call off their Cuthbert watch.

&n
bsp; The job was done. Patience North had been saved from an imprudent marriage, but even as the alcohol slipped down his throat, a sense of despondency had taken hold.

  I almost wish Cuthbert hadn’t taken the coins and left. Then I would have a good excuse to see Alice once more.

  It was over between them before it had really begun. Her missive was polite, dare he say friendly, but all she really wanted to know was how he wished to receive his payment.

  Did he want her to put some coins into a bag and send a footman over with it? Or perhaps a courier from the bank with a note. Both solutions would see money in his pocket and their connection at an end. Cold, clear, and impersonal.

  His lack of sleep the previous night, had not just been due to the worry over what Alice had said, it was the fear that he had truly lost her. No other woman made him feel the way she did. Set his blood to near boiling point every time she was within arm’s reach.

  The memory of that night at the Temple of Diana, when she had finally shown her true self to him played over and over in Harry’s mind. Her cry as she reached completion was a siren’s call to him. He lusted after Alice, ached to once more explore her sweet body with his hands and lips. But it was more than just a deep seated sexual need. It went to his very soul; touched him deep on a primal level.

  “Damn the money. I want her,” he muttered.

  Crossing to his desk, Harry took out a piece of paper and sat to pen his short reply.

  I need to see you.

  Harry

  “If you are going to walk out of my life, I have to hear it from your own lips.”

  He folded the note and wrote Alice’s name and address on the front. If she and Patience were out this evening, then it would have to wait until morning.

  Bang. Bang. Bang.