Wolf Who Loved Me

by Lydia Dare

  Maddie sighed and settled deeper beneath the counterpane. Thoughts of tomorrow flitted across her mind. From sunup to sundown, she’d be barraged by marriage-minded men who wanted her fortune. All of whom had been hand chosen by her father. Sophie would be going to Eynsford Park in the morning alone, while Maddie was left to fend for herself. She wondered absently if the Hadley twins would be there. She couldn’t even remember the other twin’s name, the one without the scar. But Mr. Weston Hadley was a man she didn’t think she’d forget for quite some time.

  ***

  Wes paced the floor in Dash’s study from one direction as Gray walked in the other direction. Occasionally, they crossed paths.

  “If the two of you don’t stop it, I’m going to tell Dash about that prank you pulled last month in Town,” Archer said from where he relaxed in an oversized chair with a newspaper in his lap.

  Gray’s head snapped up. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Try me,” Archer gloated from his position. “Sit,” he barked.

  Gray dropped into a chair with a groan. Wes was still trying to remember which prank Archer might have in mind. Gray must have had a better recollection of recent events, since he seemed more than a little concerned about the threat.

  “Sit,” Archer growled again. He’d never been a very effective pack alpha. But he did try on occasion when Dash wasn’t around.

  Wes landed in the chair opposite his twin. Gray nudged Wes in the shin with the tip of his Hessian. “Do you have any idea why we’ve been summoned?” he asked beneath his breath.

  But Wes had no clue and he shrugged his answer. After all, they hadn’t done anything since yesterday. They hadn’t had any time to get into trouble. For God’s sake, the night before they’d been stuck at the lesser table with the Duchess of Hythe. They’d been on their best behavior with her looking down her hawkish nose at them all night. Maybe Archer had done something after he left the castle. But if so, there would be no reason for Wes and Gray to be summoned as well.

  Then an unfamiliar floral scent caught Wes’ attention. He lifted his nose in the air. “Who’s here?” he asked.

  Archer made a similar action and grimaced. “Oh, good God,” he sighed beneath his breath.

  Wes glanced at his twin. “Who do you know who smells like violets?”

  “Lady Sophia.” Gray smirked. “Which you would know if you could take your eyes or your snout off Lady Madeline for five seconds.”

  “I can’t help it if Lady Madeline’s rosewater overpowers everyone else in the room.”

  “Quiet,” Archer growled. His head was cocked to the side, which indicated that he was trying his hardest to overhear a conversation in another part of the manor. “She’s here for Cait,” he finally said with a sigh, his body relaxing marginally as he lifted his paper and went back to reading.

  “I sincerely doubt she’s here for Cait,” Wes said. “But you can delude yourself if you so choose.”

  “She just asked for Cait, you idiot,” Archer growled. “That’s a fairly good indication of her intent.”

  “And what was her intent when she trapped you in the parlor last night?” Wes raised his brow at his brother. Then he sat back and waited for Archer’s reaction. He didn’t have to wait long.

  “And just what do you know of that?” Archer asked, his amber eyes narrowing as he laid his paper to the side.

  Wes shrugged. “Not as much as you, apparently. But for some reason, the lady would like to get your bollocks in a vice. I feel certain she has a good reason.”

  “There are so many to choose from,” Archer replied with a wolfish grin.

  “She’s a good friend of Lady Madeline’s,” Wes informed him. “You’d do well to leave her alone.” He knocked his forehead with the heel of his hand. “I’ll wager that’s why we’ve all been summoned this morning. Because you somehow offended Lady Sophia, and now Lady Madeline has told the duchess. Who must have told Cait. And now we’re all in for it. And it’s your fault.”

  “I sincerely doubt that’s why Dash called us all here at this ungodly hour,” Gray said beneath his breath as he laid his head back and closed his eyes, as though the very thought of keeping them open for one second longer was much too taxing for him.

  Wes kicked him in the shin. “Then why did he call us, if not because of something Archer did? You tell me that. You and I haven’t done anything since the race.”

  “It could be something you did prior to the race,” Archer reminded them both. “Sometimes it takes days for the news to get back to Dash.”

  “Not this time. You’ve offended Lady Sophia. And now we all have to pay,” Wes ground out. “You should never have suggested she had nice assets with which she could bargain.”

  Gray’s head bolted upright. He was suddenly fully awake. “Did you ask Lady Sophia to be your mistress?” he barked with incredulity.

  “God, no. Do I look like an idiot?” Archer replied.

  “Well, if you must know…” Gray said drolly. Archer scowled at him again. “So, what did you do then?”

  Wes felt compelled to interject. “I overheard your conversation with the lady when you spoke to her alone in the parlor last night. And I know she slapped you.”

  He had Gray’s complete attention now as he sat forward. “The lady slapped you? I’d have paid good money to see that.”

  “If only you had any good money,” Archer replied.

  “Well, now you have enough for all of us, don’t you?” Gray tossed back.

  “If you think you’re going to get your grubby little paws on my fortune,” Archer growled, “Then you are sadly mistaken, pup.”

  “So you’d leave us all in poverty while you take Lady Sophia as your mistress?” Gray grumbled.

  “I have no plans to do any such thing,” Archer barked.

  “She would never have you anyway,” Wes put in. “Not if her response to being within a few feet of you was any indication. The lady would have scratched your eyes out as quickly as she’d have looked at you.”

  “I vaguely remember that evisceration was at the top of her list,” Gray added.

  A grin pulled at Wes’ lips. “That wasn’t on her list. But I bet if she heard the word, it would be. Perhaps we can plant the seed.”

  “Thank you both for helping her plan my demise.”

  Suddenly, the door flew open with such force that all three men jumped to their feet. Their eldest brother stormed into the room as he raked a hand through his golden hair. For one so fair, he had a commanding presence. Particularly when he looked as though a storm cloud brewed above his head.

  Dash stomped across the room and dropped into the chair behind his desk. He sorted through his correspondence for a few minutes without even looking up. Finally, Archer coughed into his closed fist and Dash looked up in a distracted motion.

  “You sent for us,” Archer stated quietly.

  “I did,” Dash agreed with a nod.

  “We didn’t do it,” Gray began.

  But Dash pursed his lips together and scowled at him. “Just what didn’t you do this time?”

  Gray’s eyes danced toward Wes, as though looking for assistance. “Anything?” He shrugged.

  Dash leaned back in his chair and templed his hands in front of his chest. “You expect me to believe that you didn’t do anything? You’ve always just done something.”

  “Not today,” Wes mumbled.

  “The day just started,” Dash reminded them.

  “Indeed, it did,” Wes muttered back.

  “Why don’t you get to the meat of the matter, Dash?” Archer finally said with a heavy sigh. “We’re here. You requested our presence. We came readily, as any good pup is wont to do. Pray ease our torment by telling us what they did wrong.” He gestured toward the twins with his head.

  “Very well, if none of you have any misdeeds to confess…” Dash looked at each brother in turn for a moment before continuing, “I’ve come to a decision.” He rummaged in his desk drawer.

  �
��Would you care to share it with us?” Archer asked, his tone flat and annoyed.

  “I have decided to hire a governess.”

  “Aurelia is a tad small for a governess, wouldn’t you think?” Wes reminded him. The little lady was still a baby.

  “Not for her, you idiot,” Dash growled. “For the three of you.”

  Archer smiled wolfishly. “The last governess I had was well worth the smack she gave me across my—”

  But Gray cut him off. “Oh, God, Archer, I don’t want to hear about how the governess popped your naked arse again,” he cried.

  Wes couldn’t prevent the grin that tugged at his lips. “But it’s such a good story. It’s not often one meets a female with such…”

  “Skills?” Archer suggested.

  Wes shrugged. “Call them what you will.”

  “Will you all shut your mouths?” Dash bellowed as he rose to his feet. “The whole lot of you has forced my hand. We could have avoided this if you could have maintained any sense of propriety. But, no, every last escapade has gotten back to me or to Cait. And if hearing about your exploits from her friends wasn’t enough, now you’ve put our children in danger, too.” Dash took a deep breath. “So my decision is final.”

  Wes glanced from Archer to Gray to Dash and back. They all waited patiently.

  “The lot of you is more than any one person can manage. And Cait has her hands full. So, we’ve hired a governess.” At Archer’s smirk, Dash stopped and said, “Not that kind of governess. The kind that has a knot of hair right here that’s so tight her eyes are pulled tightly. The kind that has lips that turn down because they don’t have any practice at staying upright. The kind that barks orders more powerfully than me.” He took a deep breath and shuddered. “And I just met the woman. She makes me worry for all of you. But Cait thinks it’s best.”

  “A governess?” Wes scratched his head. What on earth had their brother been doing hitting the whisky so early in the morning?

  “A governess. A nanny. A tutor. A social coach. A nurse. A really old woman with a sour disposition. Call her what you will. But you will call her your very own until the three of you are fit to be in polite company.” He heaved a sigh. “And I do mean very polite company.”

  Archer looked as confused as Wes and Gray did. That was good. Fortunately, he was the first one to speak. “Dash, I don’t think—” he began.

  “Precisely,” their oldest brother drawled. “You don’t think. None of you do. You act. You do foolish things. You embarrass us. You put our station in danger. Do you know that Cait wasn’t invited to take tea at Lady Jersey’s last season? And rumor has it that it’s because of Cait’s association with the three of you.”

  That made Wes’ heart squeeze a little. He would never do anything to purposefully cause Cait harm. Why hadn’t she said something earlier? Sally Jersey was nothing but a pinched-nosed old harridan with the sense of humor of an asp…

  “So, from this day forward,” Dash continued, “until she deems you fit to be released from her care, Miss Wigglesby will be the first person you look for in the morning and the last person you look for at night. She will arrange your social schedule. She will work with you on your manners. She will attend your social events with you. She will be your guiding hand in all things.”

  Wigglesby? Why did that name sound familiar? Wes scratched his chin. The answer was right on the tip of his tongue.

  “I need a new servant like I need a hole in my head,” Archer grumbled. That was true. Archer had just staffed several new residences, after all.

  “Oh, she’s not your servant. She’s mine, at least until I return her to the Duchess of Hythe.”

  Wes’ blood ran cold. Now he knew why the name sounded familiar. “Her Grace’s companion?” An ancient ape-leader with the worst disposition, if Robert Hayburn was to be believed.

  Dash nodded. “Indeed. But before that, she was governess to the duchess’ children. And Her Grace guarantees Miss Wigglesby will be able to manage the three of you.”

  “The full moon is tonight. I hardly think we should bring someone new into the household,” Gray protested.

  “I disagree.” Dash sat forward in his seat. “You need to behave no matter what the lunar cycle, Grayson.”

  “I’m a bloody peer, Dash!” Archer barked. “I’m not going to have some decrepit nursemaid follow me around Town.”

  Dash narrowed his eyes at Archer and growled low in his throat. No one in the room doubted which of the two Lycans was their pack alpha, and Archer’s eyes dropped to the floor in submission.

  “Now then,” their oldest brother began, “I would tell you to all be on your best behavior, but I’d rather Miss Wigglesby see exactly what she’s dealing with.” He gestured to the doorway. “Let’s adjourn to the green parlor to meet the woman, shall we?”

  Wes and Gray exchanged a look, and they both sighed in unison. Certainly there had to be a way around the situation, but not at the moment. Not with Dash’s current posturing, in any event. Wes started for the threshold, followed by his brothers.

  He could faintly hear Cait and Lady Sophia engaged in polite conversation a few rooms away, but he was too focused on his own unfortunate future with Miss Wigglesby to pay much attention to his sister-in-law and her curious guest. A governess, for God’s sake! The three of them were grown men! They couldn’t walk around with a governess, and certainly not the prune-faced Miss Wigglesby.

  They entered the green parlor to find the woman exactly as Dash had described. She was dressed in black, and the tight grey chignon at the nape of her neck made the ancient Miss Wigglesby’s pointed features more pronounced. Her cloudy eyes raked across each brother before she turned her attention to Dash.

  “I believe I can take it from here, Lord Eynsford.” Though she was old, her voice had a taskmaster’s bite.

  Dash nodded in agreement, and then left Wes and the others to their new keeper. What a bloody awful day.

  Miss Wigglesby pushed a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles up the bridge of her nose. “You,” she looked at Gray. “Your neckcloth is a disgrace. Did your valet dress you in the dark? Or are you always so unkempt?”

  Gray looked down at his usual cravat, then at Wes as though hoping for help. “Uh,” he finally muttered in response.

  “Lack of verbal skills, I see.” The old woman harrumphed as she turned her gaze to Wes. “And what did you do to your face? You look as though you were in a dockside brawl.”

  Wes instinctively lifted his hand to his scarred cheek. He could tell the woman the truth about how he’d acquired his disfigurement, but he doubted she’d believe him. No one would believe such a story, and the telling of it would only land him a spot in Bedlam.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Archer snarled, shaking Wes from his thoughts. “Eynsford said you were to help guide us, not insult us.”

  “You, Lord Radbourne,” the woman rose to her full height, which wasn’t all that tall, “will not speak to me in such a tone.”

  Archer stepped closer to the governess. A menacing growl emanated from his throat. “I am Viscount Radbourne, and I will speak to you or anyone else any way I see fit. You, however, will not address my brothers in such a fashion. Weston can hardly do anything about his appearance, and your discussing such a thing shows your complete lack of breeding. I don’t believe there is anything we can learn from you, Miss Wigglesby.” He motioned toward the door with a fierce scowl. “You may return to Castle Hythe and inform the duchess we have no need of your attention.”

  The governess’ eyes did widen a bit and she placed her hand over her heart. “I am not here on your orders, my lord.”

  Archer laughed. “But you’ll be leaving by them.” He turned his back on her with the most dismissive move. “Good day, Miss Wigglesby,” he tossed over his shoulder.

  The old woman gasped. “Well, I never!”

  “That’s quite obvious,” Archer remarked absently. “If you had, your countenance would be much more bend
able.” The woman needed a moment to realize that he referred to her bedchamber activity, but then she finally understood. Her face flushed scarlet. She frowned so deeply that her eyes pulled back even farther. She sputtered and started for the threshold, only to find Dash blocking her exit.

  “Just what do you think you’re doing?” Dash looked pointedly at Archer.

  “Dismissing Miss Wigglesby.”

  Their oldest brother shook his head. “Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear, Radbourne.”

  But it was no matter; Miss Wigglesby glared at Dash. “You assured me they would listen to me, my lord. It is clear they have no intention of doing any such thing.”

  “Oh, they’ll listen to you.”

  She shook her head as she slid past him into the corridor. “I will not remain in an atmosphere of such disrespect, Lord Eynsford. They are hopeless.”

  Hopeless? She’d made that determination rather quickly. Wes glanced at his brothers. What had she seen in the trio that would make her come to such a conclusion after just a few moments? Was there something so objectionable about them that she could see it immediately? If so, what was he missing? Was it his scar? There was nothing he could do to remove it. He’d tried. There was something about a vampyre scratch that simply refused to heal, even on one of his kind.

  “I am too old,” Miss Wigglesby tossed over her shoulder, “to waste my time on lost causes.”

  Dash stared after the woman, his mouth agape. Then he refocused on Wes and the others. “I’m certain you’re proud of yourself, Archer. But this does not change my mind. I’ll simply have to find someone with more fortitude. I had thought someone in Hythe’s employ would have just that, however—”

  “I believe I have the solution.” Cait’s lilting voice filtered into the room at the exact moment the scent of violets caught Wes’ nose again.

  Dash turned to find in his wife in the corridor with Lady Sophia at her side. He cleared his throat. “I am terribly sorry if we interrupted your tea, my dear.”