Scandals of Lustful Ladies: A Historical Regency Romance Collection

by Meghan Sloan

  “I have something that requires your absolute attention.” Tattershall waited until a footman had taken Cassandra’s bonnet and coat, and then beckoned her to follow him. “I was hoping you would be able to look into it for me.”

  “I don’t understand, my lord.”

  “You will.” The viscount reached the closed door to the morning room and turned to her. “Just humour me, please? All I can say is that it will be worth your while.”

  “You’re making me uncomfortable, sir,” Cassandra glared at him. “And I don’t like people talking in circles.”

  “My apologies, but it would be better if someone else explained it. He’s got a better idea of it than I have.” He opened the door and stepped into the room. “Come on through. We can get ourselves settled before you hear everything out.”

  Cassandra could feel her gut tightening. Something was not right at all. What was the viscount up to? He was certainly acting very strangely. Realising that she wasn’t going to get any answers unless she did as she was bid, Cassandra headed into the morning room.

  And stopped short when she saw Gabriel. He was standing in the middle of the room, watching her with an expectant expression.

  This was all a ploy to get her and Gabriel together? Cassandra snarled. She was not having this. She didn’t care how Gabriel had managed to manipulate his father, but she was not going to get involved.

  Cassandra turned to the door just as Viscount Tattershall darted out of the room and shut the door. Cassandra ran over and before she touched the handle she heard the key turning in the lock and footsteps walking away. With a cry, she slapped the door with her hand.

  “He’s locked the door.”

  “I did say to Father that doing that might be a bit too much, but he said it would be best if you didn’t have an escape route,” Gabriel’s mouth twitched. “And while I know you don’t want to see me, I doubt you’re that desperate to escape through a window.”

  “Don’t tempt me.” Cassandra swung around on him, “You...you planned all this. You drew me out here. How you got your father dragged into your mess, I don’t know, but you can get that mess away from me!”

  Gabriel crossed the room. Cassandra knew she should move and keep her distance. If she didn’t, she would more than likely end up doing something she would regret again. But she couldn’t move. She found herself backed up against the door as Gabriel stepped up close, pressing his hands to the door, either side of her head.

  He looked freshly shaved and his hair had been cut, but the clothes he wore looked like they were either too big for him or he had lost some weight. He was certainly looking thinner in the face, his eyes sunken. It looked as though he hadn’t had any sleep in a while. Had he been suffering as well?

  “I don’t think I can do that, Cassie,” Gabriel bent his head. “Not with you.”

  “Gabe, please…”

  He kissed her. Only his mouth touched her, purposefully keeping the rest of his body away. His kiss was so soft it was barely there. Cassandra knew she should push him away, slap him, anything. But she couldn’t. All she felt was a desire to grab him and take more.

  You couldn’t keep away from him if you tried. And that’s the problem.

  Gabriel broke the kiss. He let out a ragged breath as he rested his forehead against hers.

  “I wanted to apologise, Cassie. I wanted to do that so many times once I knew that I couldn’t lie to you anymore. But my pride got in the way. It’s not worth the heartache. This last week has been hell for me. And all because you, quite rightfully, told me to leave you alone.”

  “You would’ve got over it.”

  But Gabriel shook his head. He still hadn’t touched her.

  “That’s the thing. I haven’t. I wasn’t lying when I said I loved you. That was the part that was real. I wouldn’t have said those words if I didn’t mean them. You should know that by now.”

  Cassandra did know. After speaking to Percy and Norman Montgomery - not exactly by choice on the latter, seeing as Norman was on Gabriel’s side - she knew that Gabriel did not take those words lightly. She could feel the tears building and blinked them back, pressing her hands flat against the door to stop herself from touching him.

  “You hurt me, Gabe,” she whispered. “You played me.”

  “I know I did, and I’m going to be grovelling for your forgiveness for as long as it takes.” Gabriel drew back, his eyes searching her face. “Because I know what I want with my life now, and that’s with you in it.”

  He really meant it. Cassandra could see that. There was no hiding what Gabriel really wanted now. And a part of her wanted to say that yes, she wanted the same thing. But yet she couldn’t. She swallowed.

  “I can’t be with you. Not if you’re going to be in charge of Montgomery’s. If that’s still going through. I heard a couple of days ago that Norman sold the business to someone else.”

  “He did. To Father.”

  “What?” For a moment, Cassandra thought she had misheard. She stared. “Did you just say that your father bought Montgomery’s? He hates gambling!”

  “That’s not the reason why.” Gabriel’s mouth twitched. He looked sheepish. “He heard what was going on, and he heard about what happened with us. So he bought Montgomery’s outright from Norman. Said it was for me to have with no need to worry about paying Norman back over the years. Norman can now relax on the coast with his paintings and I can start being an owner with no debt over my head. He even said I didn’t need to pay him back, as long as I didn’t let the business go under,” Gabriel swallowed. “He did me a great favour and expected nothing in return. I’m still coming to terms with it and I only found out yesterday.”

  Derek Tattershall had bought Montgomery’s for the son he had disowned? Cassandra felt like she was in a strange dream. This couldn’t be happening.

  “Why...why would he do that? You two don’t talk. He kicked you out of the family!”

  “We’re working things out.” Gabriel pushed away from the door and walked away, heading to the window. He sat on the window seat, watching her from across the room. “Turns out when he saw his life playing out yet again in his own son, Father got scared and threw me out. And he had every right to do so. I was a spoiled brat to him, and I never appreciated him as an adult. But he never stopped caring about me.”

  His shoulders rose in a lopsided shrug, “He wanted to make things right when he saw how genuine I was about it all. And once we went over the business plan Norman and I had drawn up between us, Father could see that I was doing really well with it all. I had things set out, and I wasn’t being a fool about it. He’s happy to own Montgomery’s and let me run it.”

  If this were anyone else, Cassandra would be really happy for them. It was a big thing for a father to pay for something as big as a business and turn it over to their child. But with Gabriel, it felt like there was a catch.

  “Sounds like he’s trying to hold something onto you.”

  “Not really. He says he’ll turn ownership over to me eventually,” Gabriel paused. “There is a catch, though. I must be married by Christmas.”

  Married by Christmas? That was several months away, so why…

  Then Cassandra realised what Gabriel was trying to say. Her heart racing, she shook her head.

  “Oh, no. No, no. Don’t ask me to marry you, Gabe.”

  “Why not? I love you, and I do want you as my wife. What’s wrong with that?”

  “The fact that you broke my trust and used me isn’t a factor in all of this?” Cassandra shot back. “I can’t trust you. Not after what happened.”

  Gabriel sighed and pushed himself off the window seat. Now she was seeing the man she had first met. Someone who had the confidence to swagger into the world and not care about anything else.

  “And how long do I have to grovel before you’ll forgive me? Because if you give me a chance, I’ll make sure I do that every day for the rest of my life, as long as it makes you happy. I don’t want anyone else e
xcept you.”

  “How am I supposed to be with someone who’s in charge of a rival business? Father won’t be too impressed.”

  “We can work it out together. Make it a family business.” Gabriel took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, “I’ll do anything as long as I have you.”

  He was really insistent on this. And considering that her way was blocked, he wasn’t going to let her leave until he got an answer. Preferably an answer that he wanted.

  Don’t lie to yourself. You want this as well. You’re just trying to find another way to say no. And you’re running out of reasons why you can’t be together.

  “Cassie,” Gabriel took a step towards her before he hesitated. He swallowed, and for the first time since Cassandra had entered the room, he looked unsure of himself. “I love you. And I want you to be my wife. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. Even if you make me beg every day we’re married until you find it in yourself to forgive me for what I did. Say yes, and I’ll make it my duty to make you happy every single day.”

  “And if I say no?”

  She saw the flash of pain across his face.

  “I hope to God you don’t, but if you say so, I’ll let you leave. You won’t have to deal with me again.”

  He would as well. Cassandra could see it. He really would let her walk away, and it would be the hardest thing he had done in his life.

  “That will break your heart if I say no, won’t it?”

  “Yes,” Gabriel swallowed. “It will.”

  Cassandra knew she wouldn’t be able to leave with her head held high. Not after an admission like that. Pushing off the door, she walked towards him. Gabriel didn’t move, watching her approach him with a flicker of hope. Cassandra reached up and cupped his jaw, running her hand through his shortened hair. It was a good look on him.

  “And it’ll break mine if I don’t see you again.”

  “Was...was that a yes?”

  Cassandra blinked back the tears, and she nodded.

  “Yes. But you’d better start grovelling now.”

  Gabriel growled. Then he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her neck.

  “I plan to do just that. You won’t regret it.”

  This time when he kissed her, she could feel him smiling.

  THE END

  Can't get enough of Cassandra and Gabriel? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…

  Will Gabriel finally win Ernest Seton’s trust and approval?

  What is the big announcement that Ernest Seton has to make? How will his exciting news affect Cassandra and Gabriel’s life once and for all?

  What are Cassandra's special plans for Emily and Percy?

  Click the link or enter it into your browser

  http://meghansloan.com/cassandra

  (After reading the Extended Epilogue, turn the page to read the first chapters from “A Lord's Bet of Desire”, my Amazon Best-Selling novel!)

  A Lord's Bet of Desire

  Introduction

  Laura Hawkins knows that she’s bound to a life of servitude at Sage Brook manor. While working at the house of Norman Pembroke, the Duke of Bancroft, she has always dreamt of advancing her life from a humble maid to that of a governess. Despite knowing that this opportunity may never appear, her love for reading is enough to keep the dream alive. But little did she know that fate would bring an unforeseen twist that would make this dream a tangible reality… When Edward, the endearingly attractive brother of the Duke, comes to visit, the last thing she expected was to end up under his roof and away from the only place she’s ever known. Laura will inevitably find herself seduced by his ravishing beauty, but will she allow herself to finally surrender to her burning desire for him?

  Edward Pembroke has always been the opposite of his brother. Being warm and dutiful himself, he was against his brother’s love for gambling that was dwindling the Pembroke fortune every day. When he finally decides to confront him about his wayward habit, they both end up engaging in a fateful night of gambling, and Edward wins the prize of taking anything he wants with him. Without a second thought, he chooses Laura, as her fiery nature lightens a spark inside him. Once they move to his house, he can’t help but be mesmerised by her every move, willing to do whatever it takes to possess her. Will he manage to turn this promising desire into an everlasting love?

  Laura and Edward’s attraction is impossible to deny, but their evident class differences are threatening their undeniable lust. The more time they spend together, the more they lose their hearts and bodies to one another. Will their passionate connection prove strong enough to shatter the insurmountable obstacles? Or will their heated affair go down in flames before it even sets them on fire?

  Chapter 1

  Laura Hawkins peered out the window of her cosy little room on the top floor of Sage Brook Manor. It was grey and dull outside, something that Laura had become accustomed to. Although Laura greatly enjoyed the freedom of being a maid in the grand estate, having a room to herself, and even her very own desk, she knew that something was lacking.

  She’d read the large stack of books that sat in the corner, learned not to bump her head on the quaint slanted ceiling, and had even excelled at teaching herself French. All of this progress was due to the fact that there was practically nothing to do at Sage Brook.

  She kept herself busy, nonetheless. The manor was so expansive that Laura was always dusting and sweeping, even if she was dusting and sweeping the very same places that she’d cleaned the day before. The master of the house, Lord Norman Pembroke, Duke of Bancroft, was the reason why the staff was so enormous at Sage Brook, but there was still little to do.

  Not much for entertaining, nor even finding a wife to bear him children, Norman Pembroke preferred sitting in his library for hours on end, reading old tomes, and gazing into the fire. Granted, there was not a speck of dust on any of those old books. Laura had seen to that. But aside from frequent cups of tea and the occasional biscuit, Norman was in no way demanding.

  Because of all this free time and the lack of livelihood at Sage Brook, Laura had space to dream. She wished to one day be a governess. As she turned from the dull scenery outside her window to look in the mirror, she admired her finely starched black and white uniform. It was simple, which was always what Laura preferred in terms of both apparel and conduct.

  Still, if one day her dream came true, and she became a governess, she could wear something much more fetching. Laura knew that it wouldn’t be a significant boost to her station in life, but it would be a boost, nonetheless. Instead of dusting books, she’d read them to children. Instead of sweeping floors, she’d teach children to dance and comport themselves befitting a child in society. There would be laughter and playtime, and while the children were learning, Laura would be learning, as well.

  Laura frowned to herself in the mirror. Perhaps she was reaching too high. Her chocolate brown hair was swept back in a neat bun, her alabaster skin was becoming, and her figure was fine. These were all features to be proud of, but deep down, Laura didn’t want to draw any attention in the slightest.

  Her shy exterior was a mask that she wore in order to get through. It was only after a long day of hardly working that Laura would return to her room, set her hair free, and pop her nose into a book, where she felt like she truly lived.

  Laura brought a hand up and clasped the locket around her neck. She opened it, looking at the picture of her late mother, Constance. Constance herself had been a maid after the death of her husband. Laura was raised in a different estate where Constance worked, but the grounds were nowhere near as stately as Sage Brook Manor. Laura couldn’t quite believe it when, following the tragic death of her mother, she was offered employment at Sage Brook.