A Ring of Midnight Orchids: Flowers of the Aristocracy (Untamed Regency Book 3)

by Jackie Williams

  Pierce sat down again quickly and leaned forwards, exuding enthusiasm for the alternative idea.

  “But of course you do! It’s just the thing you need, especially now Sophia Barclay has given you the cold shoulder. Who would have thought she could have dallied with your sensibilities for so long and then married Spencer! The very nerve of the woman. You were as good as engaged to her.”

  It was Lucas’ turn to leap from his chair, his temper flaring.

  “I was not nearly engaged to her. She was merely a good friend. Just because I met her most mornings at the gun club and breakfasted with her regularly...And danced with her at balls...And had dinner with her...And...Oh God!” He dropped his head into his hands, his anguished tones breaking as he realized what he had lost.

  Pierce remained silent for a few seconds before daring to open his mouth.

  “Sweet heavens! You were in love with her! I had no idea. I am sorry, old chap. If it’s any consolation, I know exactly how you feel.” Lucas looked up curiously, but his friend waved his look away and carried on. “If only Bren had stuck with Angelique everything might be different.” He made to stand beside his friend, but Lucas lifted his head, squared his shoulders, and cleared his throat.

  “Wouldn’t have made any difference at all. Sophia has always loved Bren. You remember when we all used to go to the Spencer country estate, she followed him about everywhere. Drove him mad back then. Drove him mad after Algernon married Felicity too. Brendon avoided her like a dose of the plague all last year, and I thought that with him out of the picture, Sophia and I might have something together, but I waited too long. As soon as he came back into her life, I knew that I didn’t stand a chance. She has only ever had eyes for him, and he for her, though he would never admit it until now. She would have been miserable if she had married me, and I would be desolate knowing that another held her heart. I am happy for them and have no regrets.” He gave a wavering smile, as if not quite sure about his regrets. “But that doesn’t mean I am about to fill in for you and your mistakes.” He added tersely.

  Pierce snorted.

  “But that’s the blasted point. I haven’t made any mistakes. Well, maybe telling my mother that Angelique is a Russian princess, but that was all. The rest is down to her brother. Arrogant bully! You would never think it to see him outside the ring.”

  The breath huffed from Lucas as he winced at the memory of the man.

  “I didn’t see a lot of him when I was inside the ring with him, let alone outside. Came at me with a right hook and all I saw were stars after. But it’s not as though we would mix in the same social circles anyway.” Lucas peered down his slightly bent but still aristocratic nose before biting a large chunk of the bread still residing in his hand.

  “Huh! Of course you would. Harold Frederick Lancer, Third Earl of Landsdowne. Wears a dark wig normally, but he is bald as a coot beneath the hairpiece, so you might not recognize him from your fight. I swear that you have been introduced formally.”

  Lucas choked on his mouthful, such was his shock at this news. He gasped for air and cleared his throat before managing to splutter his words.

  “Landsdowne? Bloody hell! Why didn’t I know this snippet of information? My mother invited him for dinner only last year, shortly after he came in for the title. She knew the old Earl’s sister, but the son and daughter were brought up at the Landsdowne country estate. The mother had some kind of affliction, I believe. Whole family became almost reclusive due to it, if I remember rightly. His father never brought him to town and I barely noticed the fellow at my mother’s dinner. I had promised to escort Sophia for the evening and became distracted,” he added by way of an explanation as to his frightful memory of his recent opponent. “But I recall mother’s enthusiasm for the man the following day. She positively gushed about Landsdowne’s charming manners! I wonder what she would say if I told her that he cheats in the ring. Drugged me before he could put me down. Man’s a complete arse! And he lets his sister become the mistress of both Spencer and you. Good Lord!”

  Pierce sighed deeply.

  “Truth be told, she’s not much of a mistress. I’ve never as much as kissed the back of her hand. Always wears gloves, and the rest her is out of bounds too. We sit and read most of the time. She likes to sew on occasions, but I haven’t seen as much as a glimpse of her ankle. Makes me wonder what she’s hiding.”

  Lucas let out a laugh.

  “And you are not keen to find out on your wedding night.”

  A horrified expression crossed Pierce’s features.

  “No, by Jove! What if she’s covered in warts? Or has a third or even fourth tit on her back? And that’s apart from the fact that she barely says a word. Conversation is like attempting to squeeze pennies from my father. I’m only in funds due to your bouts. Talking of which, when are you taking part in another one?”

  Lucas flinched, knowing how tightly the elder Lord Trenchard held the family purse strings.

  “Not any time soon. Still recovering from the last one. Besides, I might not be as good a bet as you once supposed, but we digress. With all those faults against her, it is a wonder that you decided she would make you a good mistress. I cannot think what you ever saw in her in the first place.” Incredulity lit Lucas’ brow.

  Pierce grinned.

  “Well, you have not met her. She is simply incomparable. Such beauty I have rarely beheld. Simply mesmerizing!” His shoulders dipped suddenly. “But being a beauty is not enough. I clearly need more than a pretty face if I am going to be with one particular woman for the rest of my life.” There was an odd look on Pierce’s face, as though he were in pain that had nothing to do with his blackened eye. The man looked positively miserable, but Lucas decided not to pursue it.

  “I thought you said that she liked reading. The books she peruses cannot possibly all be penny dreadfuls. She must have some intelligence if she reads so much. Perhaps it won’t be as bad as you think.” Lucas reached for the pot of jam, but another snort from Pierce distracted him from spreading the confection over his bread.

  “Books! Great dusty tomes of nonsense. No thank you! I’d rather be riding to hounds or shooting at my country estate while she awaits my attentions, as a good wife should.” He puffed out his chest. “But she clearly has no interest in that direction. Probably one of those who lies as still as the dead with the blankets pulled up to her chin. Only at night and without a single candle lit. Like trying to find a corpse in a coal cellar! Can’t believe Spencer put up with her for a whole bloody year!”

  Lucas returned to his food.

  “How do you know that she was more accommodating for him? Maybe it is simply you with whom she does not respond.”

  An angry red blush spread across Pierce’s cheeks.

  “What the devil are you saying? Do you think I am lacking in some manner.” He puffed out his chest and rose to stalk about the room.

  Lucas shook his head.

  “Not at all, but it does seem very strange that the daughter of an earl has made herself available as a possible mistress. Damn sure I wouldn’t let my sister do it.”

  Pierce’s face blanched, but he pulled himself together before he spoke.

  “Well, you are not an earl, and Daisy is already with Portland so that hardly counts. Besides, Angelique’s family barely ever came to town so who would care what she does... or rather doesn’t, do?” He pressed his lips together at the memory of his spurned affections.

  Lucas drew in a long breath as he pondered the situation.

  “Doesn’t it seem a little strange to you that Lancer spends most of his time in the guise of the Peckham Pulveriser rather than lording it about under his true title? And why is he trying to unload his sister onto anyone at all? Even without holdings, he can’t be poor. Must have made thousands on that last fight. I was a sure fire bet to win. Never lost in over twenty bouts. He had to drug me to take me down.”

  Pierce’s shoulders near on reached his ears.

  “Must hav
e laid a massive bet on himself at tempting odds then needed to make sure you were out of the competition. Angelique says he has always preferred to drift close to murky waters. I am not sure how fond she is of her brother. Especially at the moment. I think I was her choice about as much as she is mine.”

  Confusion marked Lucas’ brow.

  “So why isn’t she crying off? She only has to refuse you and you are off the hook with no damage to her own reputation. By carrying this deception on, she is sealing her own fate. She’ll be shunned by the ton if the gossips think she is trapping you and then you push her aside for a new mistress.” Lucas shuddered at the thought of how the whispers would circulate if something wasn’t done soon. Pierce might even be affected, though a gentleman tended to suffer less than a lady.

  Pierce wiped a hand across his brow.

  “She can’t cry off. She’d end up on the streets in an instant, and she knows it. He might be her only brother and the one she can turn to, but I swear she is too scared of him to voice her objections. Her brother is insisting that she marries me, and you know exactly how persuasive he can be.” He tilted his head and stared pointedly at Lucas’ misshapen nose. “And if I don’t do as he demands, I might end up feeding the fish in the Thames.”

  Lucas privately agreed, but decided not to worry Pierce further by vocalising his thoughts.

  “It’s a mess, isn’t it? But is there no way we can persuade the lovely Angelique to stand up to the bully. It is her life that he is controlling. Perhaps if she has two stalwart friends at her side she will feel up to telling the vile beast where to go.” He waggled a pointed finger between himself and his friend.

  “So you will help! Take her off my hands?” Pierce’s tones shot up with relief and delight.

  Lucas held up a cautionary hand.

  “Calm down, you fool. No, I’ll not go as far as marrying her, but we can perhaps sort out somewhere for her to go while the scandal subsides. A cottage in the country perhaps. A small allowance. Nothing extravagant, you understand. Just something to get you both out of this mess. And perhaps something that will give me a taste of revenge for the brother spiking my ale.”

  Pierce’s shoulders slumped again.

  “Revenge aside, I cannot afford a cottage in the country for her. I barely have enough for my own needs. Father has always kept a keen eye on the family outgoings, but recently he has become a positive miser. He actually demanded I produce the receipts for my brandy last month. And what with your loss against the Pulveriser, I find I am almost on my uppers.” He huffed in outraged indignation.

  Lucas glanced towards his own brandy decanter sitting on the drinks cabinet in his dining room, knowing that the finest aged blend filled the sparkling crystal.

  His own financial situation had been dire prior to his new prize-fighting career. Now, due to a lot of hard training and some wisely placed wagers, he could afford almost anything his heart desired. So long as he didn’t come up against opponents such as the Peckham Pulveriser too often.

  Pierce’s predicament and the reminder of the boxing match suddenly fuelled Lucas’ anger. God damn it! Lancer had cheated! In any other circumstances, Lucas would have called the man out, but such were his injuries, and with the added distraction of Sophia’s recent marriage, he hadn’t considered any forms of retribution until now.

  But now, Pierce had given him the perfect opportunity for exacting his revenge. How, he wasn’t quite sure yet, but there had to be something he could do. Physically harming Angelique Lancer while in the quest was clearly out of the question, but if she despised her brother half as much as Pierce suggested, there had to be some way to convince her to help. Placing her out of harm’s way seemed the first and easiest option until he could formulate a plan of action.

  He tapped his fingertips on the table. A cottage in the country? Didn’t his father own several adjoining their country estate? Would he be willing to give one up for a good cause?

  Probably not, but what about the place Lucas’ grandfather had left him. Perrydale. An old manor in need of updating, but hardly a crumbling pile. He had been wondering what to do with it now that he actually had money to spend on the place. But did he even want it? It wasn’t as if he ever went there, even though it was only a stone’s throw from Brendon Spencer at Fallows. He certainly didn’t want to go there now that Bren was married to Sophia. The sight of them so happy together would be like a knife in his gut.

  But there was the hunting lodge at Perrydale too! Right at the north end of the estate. Not more than two days ride away and unused by anyone. He and his friends had found it a grand hideaway at one point in their lives but the place had gone unused for several years, though he still paid for a housekeeper, a gardener, and a steward.

  What if the lovely if frivolous Miss Lancer could be persuaded to disappear? Would that solve Pierce’s problem? Lucas couldn’t see why not. It wasn’t as if she had a hectic social life. She apparently just sat and read all day and night. And Perrydale had a huge and extremely underused library! A grin lit his face. He was decided. The hunting lodge would be perfect for the lovely, but frivolous Angelique Lancer.

  He leaned toward his friend and brought his voice to a whisper.

  “Leave it to me. I think I have an idea.”

  Chapter Two

  Sunshine and Summer Storms

  Lucas Caruthers blinked incredulously. How in the blazes could anyone as unbelievably ugly as Harold Lancer, third Earl of Landsdowne, also known as the Peckham Pulveriser, have a sister as captivating as the woman sitting opposite him.

  The summer storm that drove him to take shelter inside the carriage rather than continue on his own horse had passed and the late afternoon sunshine now shone brightly through the remaining clouds. A few moments previously, a rainbow had arced across the fields outside the window causing Angelique Lancer to share a delighted smile. Now, seeing her delicate hands clasped in her lap and her attention on the passing countryside, Lucas had no inclination to return to his mount. He enjoyed simply staring at the woman, not at all surprised that two of his friends had fallen for her charms.

  She lifted her dainty chin and closed her cornflower eyes, her décolletage rising as she breathed in the shower-fresh, country air. Blonde curls danced about her ears and her heady scent caught his attention as the breeze from the open carriage window cooled the air inside the vehicle. A rosy blush graced her velvet soft cheeks as she sucked in her full bottom lip, and Lucas had to swallow down the stab of desire that pierced him.

  Lord, but she was a beauty! And that scent! Midnight orchids! He would know them anywhere. His mother grew a hothouse full of the things. He recalled her staying up half the night waiting for them to open and share their beautiful fragrance, a fragrance that had never bothered him before, but was now driving him to distraction and beyond. He watched her pull on her lip again and his whole body tightened as the tip of her tongue swiped across the fragile skin. What he wouldn’t give to moisten that bottom lip with her.

  A small cough brought his attention to the older woman sitting at Miss Lancer’s side, and his own cheeks heated beneath her reproving glare.

  “How much further is it to Perrydale exactly, my Lord? We have been travelling all day and evening is almost upon us, yet I see no sight of the place.” She craned her leathery and lined neck to search the countryside around them before turning back to him again. “And when is Lord Trenchard joining us, for we have seen nothing of him since this morning?” The woman’s sharp tone shredded the peaceful silence.

  Lucas was about to speak when Angelique’s hand moved with surprising speed and she touched her maid’s arm.

  “Please, Mary. We will arrive when we arrive and Pierce will meet us as soon as he can. Lord Caruthers is perfectly good company for this part of the journey. I am only too grateful that he agreed to escort us, seeing that my fiancé was called away so suddenly. Please don’t spoil my enjoyment of the day.”

  Lucas hadn’t known that he missed her voice unt
il that moment. She had spoken few words as they left her London apartments, seemingly happy to accept Pierce’s plans to explore the Perrydale library. It was only now that her husky tones streaked their way over his body, leaving him utterly pliant to her charms.

  And what charms they were! He ran a finger around the inside of his cravat before wiping his handkerchief across his brow, immediately wishing that he hadn’t when his movement caught her attention, and she directed her summer gaze directly at him.

  “I am happy for you to lower the window further if you find yourself becoming over warm, my Lord.” Her words caressed every inch of him.

  Over warm? If only she knew! His whole body seemed to be lashed within a raging inferno. He drew a breath, and stopped short as her scent caught him again. Lord, but she smelled glorious! He parted his lips and breathed through his mouth, determined to resist the temptation of leaning in close and taking another whiff from behind her shell like ear.

  But now the dratted woman lifted a trembling hand to her throat, lace covered fingertips fluttering over her rapidly beating pulse. Gads! But he was about to be consumed! The inclination of her head reminded him of the grace of a swan’s neck. His fingers trembled at the thought of running his knuckles down the length of it... And further.

  His gaze wandered to the lace edging her gown and then shot back up. What was he thinking! Staring at his friend’s fiancée’s breasts, no less! He was fit to be kicked for his boldness. Beginning to think this trip a very bad idea, he fisted his hand at his side and fought for some kind of control. Her eyes dropped and she shifted in her seat, her back ramrod straight, her shoulders now stiff.

  Her fingertips trembled at her throat and it took him more than a few moments to realise that her sudden rigid stance wasn’t one of revulsion at his lecherous manners, but of fear. Heavens! He had scared her. The very thought revolted him. He might have a large frame and be an excellent pugilist, but he had never harmed a woman in his life, and he wasn’t about to start now. So, he admitted that he was using her for his own ends, but it was in her own, and Pierce’s interest too. Not that she knew that. Yet. But she would in time, and she would be grateful for his intervention too.