He searched his memory and only then did the truth of the matter come to the front of his mind. Damn and blast himself to hell! He remembered those moments with her as pleasurable, but his mother had sent the girl away to—where was it? Scotland?
“My lady, I would apologize for my younger self, if I could, but I can’t, nor will I willingly erase those moments with you.” He stepped closer to her.
She backed up a bit and tried to get away from him.
“You can’t make it right, my Lord.”
“Yes, I can,” he said as he reached for her hands, took them, and kissed the palms of each hand. “You must know what we must do.”
“I do, but I won’t allow that to happen until I get a proper wooing.”
“Very well, my lady. I will court you, and when you are ready, we will further that.”
She looked at Jacob, astonished. She never thought that he would do this. A rush of feelings hit her. She took one of her hands from his, reached up to his face, and cupped his jaw.
“Is there something you want, Minerva?”
“Yes, I do. Kiss me…”
“As you wish, my lady,” Jacob said as he lowered his lips to hers.
* * *
As everyone found their way back to the house, the women went to the sitting room where they did what women of high rank did. Meanwhile, the men went to the duke’s study for cheroots and a brandy.
Marcus, with a smile plastered on his face, stood by his desk, looking over the meeting of the Rakes. He noticed he wasn’t the only one looking smug. Jacob had an odd gleam in his eye. Maybe he needed to talk to his friend about how to treat an innocent lady. Then again, maybe the man needed to learn this valuable lesson on his own.
“I call into order this meeting of the Rakes. We need to decode the papers of both my late father and the late Lord Dumbrey. Can we do so without involving my wife and her sister?”
“Without looking over the papers, I wouldn’t know what I can do and what I cannot,” said Jacob, hoping to work with Minerva.
“Jacob, what do you propose?”
“That we bring the girls into this, have their opinion on matters, and then decide how best to proceed. We can’t do it without them.”
“What about you, Aaron?”
“I agree with Jacob. You two have the most beautiful women in this country…and they are both spies. I hope that I am just as lucky.”
“Very well. We will bring in the ladies after dinner.”
Marcus watched as his friends glared at one another. He knew from Juliana that Jacob had been trying to pursue Minerva with no luck, as of yet. Marcus knew it was a matter of time before the two would announce their engagement.
“We all took a vow that once we put our rakish habits to rest, we would marry for love. You love Minerva. It’s obvious. She’s perfect for you in every way.”
“I like her, Aaron, quite a lot. Love is a word I wouldn’t use yet.”
“You are beyond that, my friend. May you succeed in your attempts at wooing the lady.”
Juliana, Minerva, and Bethany sat ladylike in the chairs set by the window. There was a sense of foreboding in the room. Anxiety filled each of them.
“Bethany, we are confused about something. How did you come to be part of things?”
“Girls, I see it is finally time we had this talk. Anne, your mother and I were the female counterpart to the Rakes. The Rakes themselves handpicked us to help them. You helped carry and decode messages for your father. Another young lady who isn’t present helped in a different way. Each of the women was then paired with one of the Rakes.”
“You are telling us that I was destined to be the Duchess of Dunsbury before I even knew it?”
“That’s right. The old Duke and your father talked about it before my husband died. Neither formally signed any papers. Minerva was promised by way of writing to another Rake, but I am not sure if the papers still exist or if they were lost in a fire. The other young lady is promised to yet another Rake. There is a document sealed in the vault of a very prominent man in our ranks.”
“You mean the Leader?”
“That’s right. The Rake and young lady do know that they are to be an arranged marriage.”
“Are all of the original Rakes and their wife’s dead except for you?”
“Now that Anne has died, yes. I am the last but there is still one old Rake left—the Leader.”
“Are you not worried that you are the next target?”
“Of course, girls. I can’t help but be on guard, but we are here at Dunsbury Abbey. Nothing can hurt me here. Just as nothing can hurt you.”
Juliana and Minerva were not nearly as sure as Bethany about that. They saw the holes in their defenses. They knew the strategy. Maybe they needed to do something themselves for the sake of the whole.
Juliana saw her twin nod, knowing what she thought.
A knock on the door heralded the footman. He signaled that dinner was being served in fifteen minutes. It would not be prudent for the sisters to act for the sake of their friends.
The ladies rushed up the stairs to prepare for dinner since dinners at the Abbey were always formal. Minerva and Juliana found evening gowns waiting for them in their wardrobes. Bethany, of course, had had her clothes sent down from town. Their lady’s maids prepared each lady a warm bath, dressed them, and made sure they looked their best.
The men were already waiting in the parlor, chatting with each other. Marcus watched as his new wife entered the room in all her formal glory. Just the look of her caused him to overheat. He watched as his friends’ jaws opened and quickly shut.
Juliana and Minerva were dressed in identical dresses, identical hairstyles, and were almost inextinguishable. He knew which one was his. The overpowering look of joy in her eyes when she met his gaze was all it took. Jacob, on the other hand, was looking at Minerva with a look of appreciation. Aaron was astonished that the girls’ maids would dress them the same. He couldn’t distinguish one from the other.
They spoke amongst themselves until Jenkins announced that dinner was served. Unlike most dinners, this one was buffet style like the breakfast meals were. It confused Juliana and Minerva that they should be expected to dress formally and then have dinner a la mode.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I had Cook do something slightly out of the normal tonight for dinner. Seeing as how we need some change, I figured we could dine a bit differently.”
* * *
With that, the newlyweds started the line. Normally, Marcus would fill a plate of Juliana, but he felt that she would take offense to that (at least during the evening meal). She was independent through and through. The last thing he wanted was his wife to revoke his husbandly privileges. He glanced behind him to see Juliana smiling and then realized that she had been staring at his backside. He wasn’t surprised that she enjoyed watching him but, devil take it, he wanted her now. Still, he would have to wait until later.
Marcus caught Juliana looking at him. He couldn’t get enough of her. Her curves were his downfall. He wanted her with such an intensity that he could barely wait for dinner to be over so that they could go straight back to their bedchamber and into their warm bed. He could hardly wait.
“Darling, you wear your feelings on your sleeve. We are entertaining these people for the time being. When this dinner is over, you can have me all to yourself,” Marcus whispered and gave her a wink.
The dinner went as well as could be expected, especially with all of the tension. Cook had outdone herself. All were his favorites from his travels abroad, in and out of the Army. His missions took him everywhere short of Waterloo. He was called home before the bloodbath that Waterloo had become. The cuisine was anywhere from French to Indian. His cook was world-renowned for her dishes and desserts.
Once the last person ate their final bite of dessert, the men asked Juliana and Minerva to join them in the parlor where the men would usually take their after-dinner drinks and smoking of a cheroot. The plan had
been to bring the girls up to scratch on what was being done and what was expected of them. The tension in the room built before the girls, with a knock on the door, finally arrived.
“Enter,” said Aaron before tossing back some of his friends’ fine Scottish whiskey.
The girls walked in. They were no longer smiling but wore business-like looks on their faces. Furrows forged small ridges in their brows. Without a doubt, they were stuck in each other’s heads. Marcus knew this.
“What are we here for, my Lord?” Minerva asked Aaron.
“We have some code that needs to be decoded. Unfortunately, neither Marcus nor Jacob remembers enough of the code to do an accurate deciphering. With your memories, you should be able to remember the codes.” Aaron looked between Juliana and Minerva.
“I’m sure we can figure something out, my Lord Elderstone. We will have to see the documents to decide on that. You do have the documents, don’t you?” asked Minerva.
Aaron nodded and looked at Marcus. “You have the papers. It’s time to find out what they say or what they pertain to. Those at Whitehall would be grateful for any information. Too many of their agents have died over these papers, and many more will continue to die unless we figure out what is going on.”
Marcus watched quietly as Juliana and Minerva communicated with each other—without speaking. He could see how their facial expressions changed. He knew that the deaths in recent days hurt them. He would do anything to make sure those beautiful women never had to worry about anything for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, they still had a traitor to find.
* * *
Meanwhile in London
Basil helped Henrietta search the entire Mayfair mansion for his brother’s personal correspondence. There was nowhere left to look, short of taking down walls, which neither was in favor of. He had known for some time now that his brother must have given them to someone else for safekeeping. He didn’t want his cousin to know anything about that. Instead, he focused on the task at hand—trying to keep Henrietta from suspecting that he knew what happened to the papers. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder if Juliana had taken the papers with her.
But, why would she? She had no knowledge of what had transpired between him and his brother on the night of his death. The guilt that rocketed through him sent a shiver down his spine. Unfortunately, Henrietta noticed.
Basil wasn’t fond of the bitch, but it was their mission to find the papers for an agent of the Crown. He didn’t know the man, nor did he want to, by the sounds of him. He never even had contact with him. Only his blasted cousin did. She had gotten him into her ring of spies rather easily. His connection to the late earl was the one thing that had gotten him in. What she didn’t know was the only real secret he had kept from her. That secret he would take to his grave or until her superiors found out, which would lead to his downfall before his niece was safe. Not that he cared, mind you, except for the fact that she was his only surviving relative who knew the truth.
He tried keeping his mind off the secret he harbored but the obvious strain caught Henrietta’s attention.
“What has you looking at that book in such distaste?” asked the woman.
“Just thinking of where my brother could have hidden the papers, that’s all.”
“Like hell! Something isn’t right, and you know what that something is, don’t you?”
“No, cousin. We have searched everywhere except with Juliana, but she is now under the duke’s roof and his to protect. We made sure of that,” argued Basil.
“No, you idiot. You made that awful decision to send her to the duke and duchess. You lost us the chance to question her, you bastard!” Henrietta shouted at him with a deadly gleam in her eyes.
“I am no bastard. My father made sure of that. My brother kindly let me live with him and his beautiful wife after our father died. You, on the other hand, have been living off others for years. Never grateful for what they do for you. I don’t know where else to look.” Basil knew it was a lie. He knew where the papers were—or had been, up until several days’ past.
“I will have to let my superiors know that we can’t find the documents. You know, as well as I, that they won’t like that. You should fear them, my dear cousin. They can make people disappear, even your sainted niece and her lover, the duke.”
“How do I know that those whom you contacted haven’t already tried to harm Juliana, the duke, or the duchess? I told you the only way I would work with you was if you could guarantee the safety of those, I hold dear.”
“Oh, my dear cousin, you don’t hold Juliana close to your heart. You betrayed her just as you have betrayed all you have ever fought for. You just didn’t know it until now.”
“What do you mean?” said Basil as he shot daggers at his cousin.
“I will just let you find out on your own…later. Until then, I suggest you continue to look—but not inside this godforsaken house before my superiors arrive, wanting their prize.”
“I will, but it’s getting late and I need to see to estate business, which I have sadly neglected over the last several weeks.”
“Fine. I will go to the library to find a book to read. You know where I am if you somehow need me for anything.” Henrietta sashayed out of the room, hips moving in an erotic rhythm.
Basil watched her leave, feeling his cock grow hard at the sway of her hips. They were distant cousins. Why not lust after Henrietta? His tool knew what it wanted, always had, and this woman was his match in just about everything. As she walked around the corner and into the library, Basil shot straight into his study.
He sat down in his chair, pulled the placket of his trousers apart, and let his cock spring free. He was sexually frustrated—extremely so, and to the point of pain. He stroked himself, imagining Henrietta with her head between his legs, sucking on him. Pleasure surged through him. Pre-cum filled his hand, pressuring him to stroke himself harder and harder until his hot seed shot onto his hand and chest.
Pleasuring himself was a daily occurrence, and many times a day. Spending his days with only Henrietta had been torturous. The way she acted let him know that she knew how he felt for her, and yet, she didn’t act on it. Maybe it was time that he did, but it would have to wait until he went through the estate accounts—and maybe send a courier to his boss to let the man know what he had found so far, which was a grand total of nothing. But an update was an update whether there was news or not.
He wrote his correspondence to his boss, peeked at the accounts, and then went off to find the never-ending source of his lustful thoughts. It didn’t take him long to find his way to the library where Henrietta was sprawled out on a chaise lounge, doing her best to pleasure herself in full view of him. He couldn’t help but stare at the sight.
He rushed over and knelt in front of her thighs, which were spread wide. He gazed upon her nether region with longing. He knew that she saw his look and sent a rather intense look back at him. He lowered his head and sucked on the nubbin at the jointure of her hips. She bucked under his expert lovemaking. He let one hand slowly make its way up her thighs. He then changed angles and allowed his fingers to take over where his mouth had been. He played her like a violin, using everything in his repertoire to make her climax. He bent down and took her sex with his tongue, sliding in and out of her in a rhythm only he could keep.
* * *
Henrietta had had many a lover, but she had no emotional connection with them. Basil was different. He was close to her, worked with her. She felt pleasure burn through her as she felt her inner muscles clench. She screamed her completion, then watched him tug at the fastening of his trousers, letting his manhood spring free as his frenzy started. He swiftly lowered himself on top of her and kissed her passionately. Their tongues made war upon each other. He took himself in his hand and took her with one expertly placed thrust. She moaned her approval and bucked her hips, straining for the release that she so wanted.
She knew that Basil was barely holding onto his c
ontrol. Her inner muscles quaked, squeezing her lover’s cock as he pummeled her. She screamed his name as she reached her climax, waiting for the moment when he would follow her. With only a couple of more thrusts into her, he achieved his release, spilling his seed deep within her.
She looked up at him. He hadn’t noticed that she had removed a knife from her garter. How she even got it past him to begin with was a mystery. She leaned into him and, with all of her might, pushed the knife between two ribs as far as it would go and twisted. She watched as emotions swept through his eyes. It wasn’t until blood streamed from his mouth that she pulled the knife out. She watched as his body slipped from her and fell lifelessly to the floor.
Henrietta looked at her latest victim, sprawled on the floor and lying in a puddle of his own blood just like the Countess. What a pity that Basil should be a double agent. He had played her false from the beginning, which she did not know until after he sent his blasted niece to the duke’s house. She’d found correspondence to Whitehall among his account books in his study.
What an amateur, she thought to herself. Men like him made it easy to sell the Crown’s secrets to the highest bidder.
The countess knew too much and was a liability. The woman knew who she was the first day she had stepped into the role of chaperone for Lady Juliana. How could that be?
Henrietta walked up the stairs to her room to change out of the dress she had been wearing. The bloodstains were a telltale sign that she was the killer of yet another peer of the realm. She changed into another gown and threw the soiled one in the fire.
A scream pierced the silence that had encompassed the house. She rushed down the stairs to see what was happening.
“Miss, Lord Dumbrey has been murdered!” shouted an upstairs maid.
A Rake for Juliana Page 10