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

by Anna Campbell

  The fellow was too astute for his own good. Ludo hadn’t even admitted to himself that he’d come hoping to meet a nice young lady, and… and what? The usual experience was one of watching them blush and stammer and then remove themselves from his company as though the devil had come to tea. He supposed it was true enough. He had been so intent on punishing his family over the past years that he’d never stopped to consider he might be punishing himself, too. He’d made a career of showing his so-called father and brothers that he did not want them, just as they had spent his entire childhood vividly illustrated how badly they’d not wanted him, and now… well, now no one else wanted him either.

  After a few words with Falmouth and his lady, Ludo moved on, draining his glass on the way and snatching up another. Two young ladies passed by, arm-in-arm, chattering merrily until they saw him. They blanched and skirted around him as if they might be ruined simply by breathing the same air. Irritated, Ludo winked at them and they gasped, hurrying away. He snorted. This was utterly pointless. He did not understand why he had bothered to come tonight.

  Liar.

  And there she was.

  Felicity Bunting was standing talking to Thomas Tindall. Tommy, to his intimates, was the Earl of Stanthorpe, and an easy-going, good-natured chap. Under normal circumstances Ludo liked him, only… only he was making Miss Bunting laugh, and….

  Ludo’s chest grew tight.

  It was ridiculous, really. He didn’t know her at all, had never spoken a word to her. On the rare occasions they had crossed paths, though, he had admired her. There was something wholesome and real about her, as if she was truly who she appeared to be, with no pretence, no façade. Ludo had noticed she laughed often and with no restraint: a rich, joyous sound that made him want to smile. That was such a novelty of late he always gravitated towards her, as though turning towards the sun. She was also gorgeous. Thick brown hair and wide eyes of the same colour complemented a heart-shaped face with rosy cheeks that blushed a deeper shade at the slightest provocation. All of that without even considering the body that must lay beneath her gown, and God, did he want to consider it. She was all curves and softness, and he wanted very badly to seek comfort in her embrace.

  So, why had he not approached her, demanded a little voice in his head. Because he was a bloody coward. Him, the wickedest rake in London, if the gossip sheets were to be believed, and he was terrified to approach a nice, gently bred lady in case she reacted the same way as all the others. He didn’t want to see her look at him in horror, did not want to see her gasp and take a step back. Which was why he was still dithering here, watching Tommy enjoy her company whilst he stood like a dog outside a butcher’s shop, salivating for something he could not have.

  Yet, she had always returned his smiles. On the rare occasions they’d been in the same room, she had not looked quickly away. She had met his eyes and held his gaze, and she had smiled back. Every time. Ludo remembered every one of those occasions, from the very first, when his breath had caught in his throat in astonishment that such a woman should look at him with such open friendliness. That was where it had ended, though, for no one would dare introduce him to her. He’d all but begged on a couple of occasions, but with no joy. What kind of blaggard would introduce a man like him to such a lovely, innocent creature? Not one that Ludo had found. Though, perhaps Tommy….

  Ludo moved forward. If he walked straight up to them, Tommy would feel obliged to make the introduction. The poor fellow was too good-natured to cut him. It was a rotten thing to do to such a nice chap, but needs must.

  “Oh!”

  Ludo stopped as someone ran into him.

  “I beg your pardon,” he said at once, though he was certain it had not been his fault. A woman gazed up at him in horror, a note clutched in her gloved hand. Was that one of the Ratched sisters? Ludo had reached out and taken her elbow to steady her, and now the woman appeared to be in shock. He let her go before she could scream blue murder. She was still staring at him, and still clutching the note. Ludo frowned.

  “Is that for me?”

  Her gaze darted wildly around the room. She looked as if she might be sick.

  “Miss Ratched?” Ludo began, beginning to feel rather awkward. “The note. Was it meant—”

  Before he could finish, she thrust the note towards him. Ludo took it from her, at which point she gave a little shriek and ran away. Good Lord! Did she think he would ravish her in full view of the blasted ballroom? Aggrieved, Ludo tore open the note and stared down at it with a frown.

  Meet me in the library at ten o’clock. B x.

  Ludo’s breath caught.

  B.

  Felicity Bunting was known to her friends and family as Bunty.

  Surely… Surely she wouldn’t. He looked up, his gaze moving at once to where she was speaking to Tommy, and their eyes met. She smiled at him, a shy smile that made colour bloom on her cheeks, before she turned away again.

  Hope rose in his chest. Ridiculous and foolish, for it was far more likely the B in question was a bored wife or a merry widow. There had been enough of those in the past to know it was the most obvious answer. Yet he wanted it to be Bunty, even as he knew he ought not go if it were. Ludo checked his watch. There was an age to wait yet, but he wanted to be sure he knew where to go, and that they were not observed. She was a nice young lady. Innocent.

  If they were caught….

  If they were caught, she would have to marry him.

  He set down his glass and went in search of the library.

  Bunty seethed with fury. She’d been having a perfectly nice evening—a miracle in itself—when she had taken herself off to the retiring room to freshen up. There, she had heard the Ratched sisters whispering together. The older sister, Jennifer, was already married. The younger, Sylvia, was not, which was something Sylvia intended to rectify this evening. Bunty was only astonished they were working together. The two of them were rivals in all things, and she thought Sylvia a fool to trust her sister to help her. That was neither here nor there, however. The fact was, they intended to trap Lord Stanthorpe into marriage, and Bunty would put a stop to it.

  “A Christmas wedding,” Sylvia said, giggling. “And he’s as rich as Croesus, Jenny. Richer than your sweet William.”

  Bunty left, rushing from the room before they came out from behind the screens and saw her. She pushed her way through the crowd until she found Lord Stanthorpe again. He was right where she’d left him earlier, thank goodness.

  “Tommy!” she said, grabbing his arm and towing him away from a conversation with Aubrey Russell. “Sorry,” she added over her shoulder to Aubrey as she dragged Tommy across the room.

  “Whatever has got you in such a pet?” Tommy asked, anxiety in his eyes.

  “Oh, Tommy, the Ratched sisters have hatched a scheme. If you get a note from someone signed B, do not believe it is from that pretty Belinda Lovelace you were so taken with. It’s a trap. If you go to the library, as the note suggests, you’ll find Sylvia Ratched waiting for you, and no doubt her sister and friends will burst in moments later.”

  Tommy blanched, the colour leaving his face so suddenly it might have been funny in other circumstances.

  “Lud,” he said faintly.

  “Quite so,” Bunty said, only too appalled by the vision of good-hearted Tommy married to such a shallow, mean-spirited creature as Sylvia Ratched. “So you must not go.”

  Tommy shook his head, his tumble of golden curls bouncing at the movement. “Indeed not. In fact, I’ll go one better. Dull affair, at any rate. Was going to take Aubrey to my club.”

  “A splendid idea, Tommy.”

  “Don’t need to tell me twice, Bunty, and I shall be on my guard from now on.” He reached out and took her hand, shaking it vigorously. “Thank you, Miss Bunting. I shall never be able to repay you. Never.”

  Bunty smiled at him. “You’re welcome, Tommy. Now, do run along.”

  She watched him hurry away and then turned. Bunty was not by n
ature a heroic creature, but such a vile scheme ought not only to be thwarted but exposed, even if she was the only witness. Taking a breath, she turned and headed towards the library, intending to give Miss Sylvia Ratched a piece of her mind.

  Chapter 2

  “Wherein misunderstandings and a hasty marriage.”

  London

  December 7, 1820

  Ludo had found the library with no trouble. It was well away from the ballroom, and an excellent location for a tryst. Now all he had to do was twiddle his thumbs until ten. Ridiculously, his palms were sweating, and his heart thudded in his chest. He was acting like a bloody schoolboy. But why? Why did Bunty want to meet him like this? If it was Bunty, murmured the voice of reason. He silenced it, wanting too badly to believe it was her and no one else. Likely it was the only way she thought they could meet. She must know as well as he did that no one would ever introduce him to her, and that smile, that sweet smile she had given him, surely a smile like that was a sign of encouragement? Wasn’t it?

  Finally, it was time. Ludo walked out of the ballroom, checking surreptitiously that he was not observed as he made his way to the library. He almost passed one of the Ratched sisters on the way. She was red-faced and looked furious, but did not see him, thank heavens. He lingered in a shadowed alcove as she rushed past. Ludo waited a moment longer, until he was certain no one was around, and then hurried on to the library, where he hesitated outside the door. Please. He sent up the prayer to a God he had largely ignored, and who had no reason to do him any favours, yet he opened the door and… there she was.

  She swung around, her eyes growing wide as she stared at him.

  The poor girl looked terrified. Likely she was having second thoughts about this mad scheme now. He could hardly blame her.

  “Miss Bunting,” he said, smiling and doing his best to look harmless. He closed the door behind him and moved into the room, noting that she moved the exact same distance away from him. “There’s no need to be alarmed. I… I won’t take advantage of the situation, you have my word. Only… I cannot pretend I wasn’t surprised. Extremely pleased, but… surprised.”

  “S-Surprised?” she stammered, the word squeaked rather than spoken.

  “By your note,” he said gently. “The one that asked me to meet you here.”

  She gasped and grabbed hold of the chair she was standing beside, looking as if she might faint. “Oh, good heavens.”

  Ludo rushed towards her and slid his arm about her waist before she collapsed.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, looking more astonished than alarmed.

  “I was afraid you might swoon.”

  “I never swoon,” she retorted indignantly, and then panic filled her eyes. “Oh, oh no. Oh, Lord Courtenay, you must leave—”

  Before another word could be spoken, the door burst open and the Ratched sisters appeared, with what appeared to be half of the guests in tow.

  “Oh, Miss Bunting!” Sylvia shrieked dramatically. “Oh, and with… with him of all men!”

  Ludo jolted. Good God. It was a trap. Felicity Bunting had trapped him into marrying her! He waited for the anger to hit him, the outrage and fury at being so manoeuvred.

  It never came.

  All he could think was… she wants me. Not for just a night. Not just for a bit of bed sport. She wanted to marry him. Why, he had no idea. God knew he was no catch. He had no fortune, no prospects, so that could only mean one thing.

  She wanted him.

  His breath caught and he almost laughed as he turned back to look at her, wanting to tell her yes, yes, he would marry her happily. Yet she did not look the least bit triumphant about her victory. She looked pale and horrified.

  “I’m so terribly sorry. It was supposed to be Tommy,” she whispered, obviously mortified. “Not you.”

  Ludo knew this was undoubtedly the most miserable night of his entire life and, bearing in mind the quality of options on offer, that was saying something. He’d reached a new low, and no mistake. Not only had Miss Bunting not intended to trap him into marriage, but she would ruin herself rather than marry him at all.

  Well, he’d damn well see about that.

  Her parents had ushered her away from the party, and from him, before he could speak two words to them, but he lost no time in discovering their address and following them home. He would marry Felicity Bunting if it was the last thing he did. She had just ruined herself in front of the entire ton. She’d never get another offer. Like it or not, he was her best chance. Admittedly, that wasn’t saying much, but it was the truth. He would give her the protection of his name and perhaps… perhaps in time….

  He swallowed down the hope that rose in his chest and told himself not to be so bloody pitiful. Look where hope had gotten him this evening. He’d be a fool to expect anything good to come of this, except it already seemed he was a damned fool… for he wanted her too badly to let anything stand in his way.

  Now, standing before her father in their front parlour, with Miss Bunting and her mother watching with frightened eyes from the other side of the room, he felt every bit the dastardly monster the ton had painted him. Not that he hadn’t encouraged the rumours, but it was too late to lament.

  He studied her as her father explained they would marry the day after tomorrow. She looked to be on the verge of tears and, despite everything, Ludo’s heart went out to her. God alone knew what kind of man she believed him to be. She would have read the gossip sheets like everyone else; she would know of all his years of wickedness and vice. No doubt she thought she was marrying a vile fiend who would make her life a misery. Perhaps he was a vile fiend. He could not claim that all those stories had been untrue, for they each had some amount of truth in them, even if they’d been wildly exaggerated. Yet, he would try to be better. He would try to be a good man. Once Ludo had explained his situation, Miss Bunting’s father had made no bones about his displeasure, pointing out that his daughter was getting a bad bargain indeed, but Ludo had spent the last year clearing his debts and trying to get his finances in order. He was in no position to provide for a wife, but he would try. He would find a way to give her a home. A home. The idea called to some place deep inside him he had buried years ago. He had not known what it was to have a home. Not since his mother had died, at least.

  Miss Bunting had a reasonable dowry, more than anything he might have expected to gain through marriage, considering his prospects, but the idea of living off her money made his stomach clench, and shame rose in him like a tide. He would be better than that.

  “Papa, do you think we might have a few moments alone together, please?”

  Ludo looked up in surprise as he realised Miss Bunting had made the request. How brave she was. She was miserable and afraid, but she would not shy away from him. Thank God for that.

  Her father looked none too happy about it.

  “Mr Bunting,” Ludo said, somewhat testy now. He was the one who’d been trapped, after all. “We shall soon be married, and I promise to act the gentleman. I do have a vague recollection of how to do so.”

  Mr Bunting gave him a dark look filled with mistrust, but nodded his agreement and escorted his wife from the room.

  Ludo’s heart began pounding again as he turned back to his fiancée. She swallowed hard and Ludo wondered if she might be sick.

  “You must hate me,” she said, staring at her feet.

  Ludo hesitated, wondering what to say to her. Honesty seemed the best idea, yet he was afraid to say too much, to let her see how badly he wanted this.

  “I don’t hate you.”

  She looked up at him then, her lovely brown eyes filled with sorrow. “How can you say that? I have ruined your life. I imagine the last thing you ever wanted was a wife, let alone… let alone one like me.”

  That last bit was whispered, and she sounded so utterly defeated that his heart ached, but what on earth did she mean?

  “One like you?” he repeated.

  She got to her feet, her arm
s crossed around her waist.

  “Don’t make me spell it out,” she said, irritated now, which was better than the awful sense that she’d been crushed, but he still did not understand.

  “But I’m afraid I must, Miss Bunting. I do not know what you mean.”

  “Bunty,” she corrected with an impatient huff before adding, “They call me Buxom Bunty, and that’s the nicest of my nicknames, I assure you. Fat Felicity is another.”

  “Who said such a thing to you?” Ludo demanded, hearing the hurt in her voice and wanting to tear limb from limb whatever wretch had made her feel anything less than beautiful.

  She gave him an odd look, as if he was being deliberately obtuse.

  “Nigh on everybody,” she retorted. “It’s not as if it isn’t true.”

  “The devil it is!”

  Her eyes widened at his fierce response and he wondered why she looked so surprised by it. Had no one ever defended her?

  “There is no need to be polite for the sake of it, my lord. In fact, I should vastly prefer it if there were complete honesty between us. I have no expectation that… that you should give up your….” He could see her struggle for a polite way of framing her words. “Pursuits. I have trapped you into this, though I swear I did not intend to do so. I do not expect you to… to woo me.”

  “Yet, I find that I would like to, all the same.”

  She gasped, staring up at him with obvious suspicion. “B-But why?”

  Ludo dared to move closer to her, encouraged when she didn’t take to her heels, but watched him come to her. To his chagrin, he realised his hand was shaking as he raised it to touch her cheek, the back of his fingers sliding against satin.

  “So beautiful,” he said, reverence in his voice.

  Her mouth fell open in shock and he could not resist. He lent down and kissed her. She didn’t move so much as a muscle and, when he pulled away, she was still staring at him. He wasn’t certain if it was shock or horror in her eyes, and took a hasty step back.