My Regelence Rake

by J. L. Langley

  Colton shook his head. “Nate is forever having to tell him to behave. You’d think by now he would’ve learned it’s a wasted effort.”

  “Something tells me he doesn’t mind Aiden’s rebellions.”

  “I believe you’re right.” Colton wobbled a bit and threw his hands out to his sides.

  Sebastian grabbed his arm. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, just a little floppy.” His eyes were darker than normal. No, wait…they weren’t darker, they were dilated.

  Sebastian leaned close and sniffed. “Are you foxed?”

  “I wouldn’t say foxed exactly. I only had two.” Colton held up two fingers and grinned. “And I think it’s wearing off.”

  “Why in the galaxy are you drinking?”

  Colton shrugged and teetered to the side.

  Sebastian caught him again, put Colton’s hand on his arm and started them walking. What else could go wrong tonight? It was definitely a night of surprises.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  They passed a group of four lords loitering outside the dining room, and Sebastian tipped his head to them. Let them say something with him here. He had no qualms about fighting duels.

  They all returned his gesture and resumed their conversation.

  “Plume is spreading a rumor that I’m your latest paramour.” A blush washed over Colton’s face. “I guess it’s sort of true after last night.”

  “Yes, well, about that. I want to ask you something.” Here goes nothing. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak another voice broke in.

  “And here is the happy couple now.”

  To their right lay the dining room. How had they gotten this far this fast? There were at least thirty tables full of people, and they were all staring. A round of applause and well wishes poured from the room.

  Steven held up his glass from where he stood next to the Duke of Eversleigh at the head of the main table. “To Colton and Wentworth.”

  Blast. Sebastian’s stomach plummeted to his feet. Surely Steven hadn’t announced their engagement before Sebastian could even ask Colton.

  “The wedding will be held tomorrow at Townsend Castle. It’s a private affair, but rest assured there will be a ball to celebrate.”

  Colton squeezed Sebastian’s hand to the point of pain.

  Bloody hell.

  No doubt about it, tonight he’d be sleeping on the sofa in his suite’s sitting room. Steven pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt a headache coming on. One could argue it was of his own making, but that didn’t make it any less irritating…it made it more. He’d done the right thing, he was sure of it. Colton and Sebastian were so obviously made for one another, but how could he convince Raleigh of that?

  “Damn it, Steven. Are you listening to me?”

  No. So do be quiet. Steven didn’t dare say it aloud. A night on the sofa he could handle. A whole week? Not so much. He dropped his hand and looked up at his consort. Was it his imagination or did Eversleigh’s library chairs seem lower to the ground than most chairs? Raleigh seemed impossibly imposing. He hadn’t grown taller since he was nineteen, so it had to be his glowering.

  Steven sighed. In for a penny…in for a pound. “I did the right thing, Raleigh. Sebastian asked me for permission to marry Colton when he learned about the rumors.”

  “Did you see your son’s face? Unless I miss my guess and completely misread his actions, Sebastian didn’t even have time to ask Colton before you announced their engagement.” Raleigh made a sound halfway between a groan and a hiss, threw his hands up and paced toward the other end of the library.

  Steven didn’t miss the emphasis on the word your in Raleigh’s question. The emphasis had the desired effect. Colton’s smile had been forced, and Sebastian’s hand had turned white where Colton was squeezing it. A weight settled into Steven’s stomach. He glanced down at his boots and the blue Persian rug. He should have handled it differently, but he was still convinced it was for the best.

  A door clicked open, drawing his attention.

  Raleigh stood in front of the open glass door leading outside to a rose garden on the side of the house. He stared out into the night. The gentle breeze ruffled his black hair, but his jaw was tight. His back moved with a deep breath, and when he spoke his voice was soft. Resigned. “I told you not to meddle.”

  “You told me they’d be horrible together.”

  Raleigh whirled around, and his hands flew to his hips. “Because I didn’t want you meddling. They’re perfect for one another, and anyone with a set of eyes can see it. But you weren’t supposed to interfere. And don’t think I don’t know about you telling Jeffers to keep their meetings secret from me.”

  Steven’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak and slammed it back shut. Raleigh knew about that? Wait. Raleigh thought Colton and Sebastian belonged together? “You were trying to maneuver me?”

  Crossing to stand in front of Steven, Raleigh sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t act so affronted. I’ve been getting you to do what I want for years. Only this time you botched things up because you didn’t listen. So stop your whining and help me figure out how to fix this mess you’ve made. Because Colton won’t marry if he truly does not want to, and I will not try to make him.” Squatting, Raleigh put his hands on Steven’s knees and met his gaze. “You know how I feel about forced marriages. Would you condemn our children to marriages like both of our parents had? I thought we broke that cycle.”

  They had. Steven cupped Raleigh’s cheek. Galaxy, he loved this man. He wanted their children to have what they had…have. Couldn’t Raleigh understand that? This was that match for Colton, Steven would bet his right hand on it. And that was his favorite hand. Heck, he’d even throw in a leg.

  Leaning into the touch, Raleigh closed his eyes. “Your parents were too busy carrying on their cozy little foursome with Marcus’s parents to make you too miserable, but mine…” Raleigh opened his eyes. His gaze bore into Steven’s. “My parents spent their entire marriage trying to destroy each other and me and my brother in the process.”

  “Your brother is an arse.” As far as Steven was concerned, the only good thing Barclay Fairfax had done in his entire life was to father Dalton. Ashbourne was a good kid—wild and scandalous as the day was long but a decent young man.

  Raleigh nodded. “How do you think he got that way? He learned from our sire.” Barclay always was Raleigh’s sire’s favorite.

  Steven wrapped his arms around his consort, forcing him to abandon his crouch and drop to his knees. When Raleigh rested his chin against Steven’s shoulder and hugged him back, Steven kissed his ear. “The reason you’ve given is exactly why I want Colton and Sebastian together. They will make each other happy. So why is this a bad thing?”

  “This is something they have to discover for themselves. Didn’t you learn anything from watching Aiden and Nate muddle through? It’s our job to give them a push now and again but not make the decision for them.”

  Rubbing his back, Steven smiled. “Wentworth is beginning to realize what he feels for Colton. I’m sure of it.”

  “Exactly. They were getting there all by themselves.”

  “So how do we give Colton the time he needs? How do we make him understand this is right for him?”

  Raleigh pulled back and kissed Steven’s lips in a quick smack. It wasn’t near long enough. “We let it soak into his thick skull tonight and take him aside before the wedding tomorrow morning. Then we’ll tell him he doesn’t have to marry.”

  He brushed his lips across Raleigh’s. Raleigh was spot-on about Colton. He was stubborn, but Raleigh had overlooked something. Colton was nearly as prideful as he was hardheaded. And that, more than the stubbornness, concerned Steven.

  Raleigh arched a brow. Was there anything more sensual than that blasted eyebrow? “You think that’ll work?”

  “It has to.” If it didn’t, it would be his fault.

  With a hand on the back
of his neck, Raleigh pulled him down until their foreheads touched. “I love you. I want to suffocate you in your sleep with your pillow sometimes, but I love you.”

  Steven chuckled and nipped Raleigh’s full bottom lip. “I love you too, Cony.” Running his fingers through the back of the thick black hair, Steven urged Raleigh forward. “Please don’t murder me in my sleep.” Their lips met.

  Raleigh’s arms slid to Steven’s back, rubbing, as Raleigh slipped his tongue into Steven’s mouth. Steven tilted his head, deepening the kiss.

  Moving to pull Raleigh into his lap, something distracted Steven out of their embrace. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was. An odd sense of…being watched. Or maybe it was leaves blowing into the library via the door. He glanced at said leaves.

  A shadow passed over them. His gaze shot upward. Something moved into the darkness of the garden. Steven jumped to his feet and a groan sounded, followed by muttering.

  Raleigh fell on his arse on the floor.

  “Sorry, Cony, I thought—” He stepped over his consort. The uneasiness persisted. His skin was ice cold, and seconds ago he’d been hot and bothered.

  As he drew near the door, the rose arbor and trellis of climbing bushes came into view. A lone lamp in the center stood sentinel over the small garden.

  A figure emerged at the far edge of the lawn.

  “Stop.” Steven bounded out the door and across the yard. Dodging a rose tree, he ran under the covered arches and past the birdbath.

  Raleigh was right behind him. Blast, the man was quick.

  The gate leading out to Ketterstone Street slammed shut.

  “Damnation.” Steven stopped.

  The wind rustled the plants and the moon illuminated the garden, but it was otherwise quiet. No running footsteps. Where had the man gone? Standing at the gate, Steven searched the street.

  A few people milled about. It was a fashionable part of town and across from Regelence Park. Lifts passed by. There was one on the corner. Its door hissed shut, and it pulled away from the curb. A man with brown hair stuck his head out the window, saw Steven and ducked back inside. It was him. Steven was sure of it.

  Raleigh touched Steven’s shoulder. His breath made a visible fog in the cool night air. “What’s going on?”

  “That’s the man.”

  “What man? What’re you talking about?”

  Steven turned to face his husband. “The man who followed Knighton and me at the auction the other day.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake.

  Raleigh’s cheek began to twitch. “Why am I just hearing about this, and why were you at the auction?”

  Damn. Steven was back to sleeping on the sofa. Not much to lose at this point. He sighed and confessed the whole story. “You know if I thought it was important, I would’ve told you immediately.”

  “Your idea and my idea of important vary widely.” Raleigh’s tick finally ceased, but he still glared. “You will not leave the castle without me by your side until we find this man and figure out what he wants. Let’s go find Knighton and tell him about this. Now, is there anything else you need to confess?”

  Was there? Steven rolled his eyes upward. There was the— No, Raleigh had found out about that. Maybe the— No, Raleigh had uncovered that. Oooh. No. Raleigh knew about that too.

  Steven shook his head. “No.” He always told Raleigh eventually. Steven’s ability to keep secrets from the man was nonexistent.

  Smiling, Raleigh shook his head, looped his arm through Steven’s and led them back to the house. “What am I going to do with you?”

  “Oh, I can think of several things.” Steven shivered with excitement.

  Raleigh chuckled. “Later, dear. Later.”

  Chapter Twelve

  He should have his head examined.

  Sebastian glanced up at the stained-glass window of the Regelence coat of arms above the entrance to Townsend Castle. What he was looking for he had no idea. Divine intervention, maybe? He wasn’t going to get it, that was for certain.

  Something cold and wet landed on his cheek. He brushed it away and glanced at his hand. Huh. It was snowing again. It floated around him, dancing on the air before drifting gracefully to the ground. As a boy, it was one of his worst enemies and claimed several of his friends, but now it seemed almost magical. Yet another thing that made tonight feel like a dream. When had his perspective changed so much?

  The front door opened, wrecking the serenity. Frisk, one of the guards, poked his head out. Odd, considering the guards only stood by the door during daylight. During the night, when the castle was on lockdown, they stayed in the basement and helped monitor the grounds from cameras. “My lord? Are you coming in?”

  Nodding, Sebastian reluctantly went inside. “Where’s Thomas?”

  “He had to um— That’s to say…he’s…uh…indisposed, Captain. May I take your coat?”

  It was strange to think of Thomas as, well, human. He seemed such an extension of Jeffers. Thomas was always where you needed him. Not that Sebastian needed him now.

  “Sure.” Sebastian removed his gloves, hat and coat.

  “Sebastian?” Steven came out of the study, straightening his cravat. Stray locks of hair fell over his eyes and stood out at odd angles around his head.

  “Steven, I came to see Colton.” Sebastian’s hands had been cold, but now that he was inside and facing Steven, his palms were a bit sweaty. Sebastian fought the urge to wipe them on his trousers and swallowed hard. What if Steven denied his request? Bugger. “I was not able to gain Colton’s agreement before you made the announcement this evening. And dinner was so hectic with all the well-wishers I didn’t get a chance to speak to him before we left the musicale. I can’t in good conscience go through with the ceremony until I speak to him.”

  “I know. I’m very sorry, Sebastian. I should’ve waited. Raleigh and I talked to him before he went up to bed. I told him to sleep on it and make his final decision tomorrow.”

  Sebastian’s stomach churned. He had to talk to Colton tonight. It wouldn’t wait until tomorrow. He opened his mouth to tell Steven so but was interrupted.

  “What if he refuses to marry you?” The question came from inside the study. “The scandal will be worse, but we will not force him.” Raleigh stepped up behind Steven. His hair also stuck out on one side, his cravat was askew and his waistcoat mis-buttoned. Raleigh was never this unkempt. At least someone was having a good time tonight.

  Steven said, “I won’t make him go through with it.”

  And there it was, all out on the table. Though his stomach cramped at the potential loss, Sebastian’s esteem of both men went up even further. Most men of their ilk would not hesitate to force their child’s acquiescence in this situation. The truth of it was while he wanted Colton, he didn’t want someone who didn’t want him in return. He was certain they could have a good life together, but if Colton was dead set against the wedding, their life would be a living hell.

  “Nor would I want you to. If we cannot come to an agreement, I’ll let Colton break the engagement. That way the fault lies with me. But I hope he will agree.”

  “He’s already in his room for the night.” Raleigh rested his hand on Steven’s shoulder and faced him. “As an engaged couple, a few minutes alone would be acceptable, wouldn’t you say?”

  Steven smirked at his consort. “Absolutely.” He began to nudge Raleigh back into the study, but his smirk faded and he stopped. “With all the excitement this evening and my jumping the gun, I forgot to ask you… Did you find anything at Jenkins’s place?”

  Jenkins. Sebastian closed his eyes for a second. Bloody hell, he’d forgotten all about Jenkins and what he’d learned tonight. “The place was ransacked, and the computer butler had been taken. Someone definitely went there looking for something. There’s no way of knowing if they found it until we locate someone familiar with the house. According to neighborhood gossip, the Jenkinses had only six servants. I’ve got men questioning
neighboring servants, and I’m trying to track down Betty’s family. She has a couple of sisters who live on Regelence.”

  Steven nodded. “Good idea. Nate is still following up on Jenkins’s son. There was something funny regarding his going AWOL.”

  “I figured as much. I’m thinking of sending Julian to Delcorte to check on the residence there.”

  “Good idea. We’ll talk about this more later. Right now… You know where Colton’s room is, Sebastian. I trust you will put considerable effort into persuading him.” The door closed. A loud thud and some laughter followed.

  The Townsends’ eccentricities never ceased to amaze him. Sebastian stood there stunned for several seconds. Had they just given him permission to seduce Colton? Surely not.

  Actually…he was pretty certain they had. He smiled and headed up the stairs.

  He should be happy—this was what he’d always wanted—so why wasn’t he? Colton tossed his toothbrush back into the vanity drawer and closed it. He stared down at the running water. To marry or not to marry? He had until tomorrow morning to decide.

  “Water twelve degrees Celsius.” Cupping his hands under the faucet, Colton bent over and splashed water on his face. “Brrr.” That was colder than he’d thought it’d be, but it didn’t clear his head any. “Water off.” The faucet cut off, and he grabbed the towel he’d laid out. He dabbed the rivulets of water off his face, neck and chest and tossed the towel on the counter.

  Bracing his hands on the vanity, Colton stared in the mirror at the bruise on his neck. He’d noticed it this morning. It had taken him several minutes to realize what it was and how it had gotten there. A love mark, he’d heard it called. Thank goodness his cravat covered it. The rumors by themselves were bad enough. If anyone saw the evidence… Running his fingers over the dark spot, he sighed.

  Last night when Sebastian put it there had been amazing. Funny, as much as he’d been castigating himself for his weakness, Colton had never considered it meant he was compromised. He hadn’t considered that until everyone thought he and Sebastian were lovers. Colton snarled at the mirror. And wasn’t that ironic? Because there was no way anyone could know about what happened in the stable. His parents didn’t even know. It was all speculation based on Plume’s big mouth.