Seduce Me If You Can (The Ashbrook Legacy Book 1)

by Tonya Brooks

  ~~~~~

  Carstairs nearly fell over his own feet as he led her inside to the table laden with beverages. Lady Scarlett had used his Christian name, and he was so overcome with joy that he could barely speak. And she'd not only given Ryder a set down for attempting to seduce her, she'd actually struck him. He wouldn't have believed it possible, but the lady had risen even more in his esteem.

  He was also deeply offended that his cousin had treated her in such an abominable manner and never would have believed Ryder capable of such behavior. Perhaps his mother had been right about the duke after all. For the rest of the evening, Geoffrey remained so firmly by her side that a pry bar could not have moved him. Of course she was surrounded by the rest of her ardent admirers as well, but he was the only one she called by name and the young man puffed up like a peacock.

  ~~~~~

  “Thank you, Geoffrey,” Scarlett said and gave him a radiant smile when he handed her a glass of champagne. She'd had quite a few, but after indulging in much stronger spirits over the years, the young lady was barely tipsy. She drained the glass and pouted prettily. “I vow the glasses are just too small. One should be able to enjoy a much larger quantity, don't you agree, gentlemen?”

  The dithering idiots would have agreed with anything the beautiful baroness said. She was so different tonight, so bubbly and effervescent, much like the champagne she was consuming so heavily. “Shall I fetch you another glass, Lady Scarlett?” Geoffrey asked solicitously, more than willing to aid her in any way possible.

  “Do you know what I'd really like?” She asked sweetly that mischievous sparkle shining in her emerald eyes. Scarlett leaned further into the circle of young men as if imparting a deep, dark secret and they all leaned forward intently to listen with rapt attention. “I'd love a glass of brandy.”

  Not one word was uttered for a heart stopping moment as the men digested this scandalous announcement. Then Lord Edward Teesdale volunteered, “M'father keeps a good stock on hand. Shall I send for a glass, Lady Scarlett?”

  Batting those long, luxurious lashes at him innocently, she inquired, “Are you sure your father wouldn't mind?”

  They all knew the earl would have a fit if he knew, but the young man wasn't about to let that deter him from currying the lady's favor. “Not a'tall,” he lied without a qualm.

  “Thank you, Lord Edward,” she beamed at him and then thought to ask, “I don't suppose your father has any cigars as well. I just adore a good cigar with my brandy.”

  His expression completely bemused, Edward replied, “I think that can be arranged.”

  ~~~~~

  Needless to say, Devlin nearly went completely ballistic when he stepped out onto the veranda and saw his sister playing hazard with a group of her ardent swains. Scarlett had a glass of brandy in one hand, a cigar clenched between her teeth, as she cast a pair of dice while her rapt audience of admirers cheered her on.

  “Don't do it, Dev,” he heard Nicholas say from behind him. “I goaded her into it.”

  “What the deuce did you do?” Whirling to face the other man furiously, he demanded, “And what the hell happened to your eye?”

  Since that lovely right cross of Scarlett's had his eye nearly swollen shut, Nicholas didn't even bother to address that. “Told her I preferred a hoyden to a cold bitch,” he confessed. “When Scarlett told me I'd get the hoyden, I knew what to expect.”

  So his sister had punched him in the face, Devlin deduced. “Well, I'm not about to tolerate...”

  “You don't have a choice in the matter,” Nicholas interrupted. “She's my responsibility now.”

  “Then you'd damn well better do something before she scandalizes the entire ton,” Devlin warned and walked away.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Langford House, London, England, 1812

  There didn't seem to be a hell of a lot that he could do, Nicholas discovered.

  Scarlett refused to even speak to him and conveniently managed to be indisposed every damn time he visited. Short of sneaking inside in the middle of the night and actually seducing the little minx, he had no idea what to do with her. If they had been at Devil's Keep, he could just go up to her bedchamber and demand entrance, but not here in town. The servants’ gossip would be all over the ton by morning.

  However, she had little choice but to allow Nicholas to escort her to social engagements, under the eagle eye of her blasted companion who never gave them a moment alone. The couple attended functions together as was expected, but went their separate ways once they arrived and rarely even spoke, in public or in private. Of course the ton didn't know that was because Scarlett had threatened to cause a scene of biblical proportions if Nicholas followed her about everywhere she went, or tried to curtail her activities.

  Out of all the speculation, innuendo and gossip surrounding the couple, a particularly scintillating on dit made the rounds like wildfire. It seemed the entire ton had heard about Scarlett fighting off her fiancé’s amorous advances and she became an instant heroine to the men. The fact that Ryder had been sporting a nasty black eye afterward gave that rumor credence. Apparently the lady really was immune to his legendary charm.

  That knowledge made her even more desirable to the males of the species. They were relishing the fact that the man reputed to be able to seduce a woman with a look, was engaged to the one woman who did not seem to be susceptible to his lethal charm. All the women thought she was insane, of course, but they did admire the way she kept the young duke dangling by his short hairs.

  While the dowager duchess firmly denied all the outlandish rumors, she also took great pains to make the union look like a romance. Juliette pointed out that before this season began, no one could recall seeing the handsome young duke at a ball in years, unless he had been escorting his mother during her visits.

  But this season, not only had he made an appearance at every ball her granddaughter had attended, Ryder had also danced with Scarlett at each one of them. Why, he'd even shown up at Almack's for the first time in a dozen years on the only night that her granddaughter had deigned to attend.

  Unfortunately, that ploy only added to the more sordid rumor that he'd been chasing her for years. There wasn't a man in Town who couldn't believe it. The woman was uncommonly beautiful after all. It had also been noticed that Ryder had been very possessive of the young lady, cutting in on her dance partners and stealing Scarlett away from them on more than one occasion. Once Scarlett's suitors chimed in about how Nicholas had all but run them off when they'd gone to call, the tale didn't sound so inconceivable.

  Without a doubt, the rumor had to be true.

  Especially since the young woman hadn't seemed pleased when her brother made the engagement announcement. Why, she had told everyone who would listen that her brother had chosen her husband for her and she'd had no choice in the matter. There was no doubt about it. Langford and Ryder had trapped the poor girl into marriage against her will.

  ~~~~~

  Laird Teague McKenna, Earl of McKenna, approached the hapless young man and asked in his most polite tone, “May I join you, Carstairs?”

  “Certainly, Laird McKenna,” the younger man hastily agreed as he shot to his feet in respect for a higher ranking peer.

  The show of respect both amused and pleased the Scottish Earl. He sank into a chair and tapped a finger against the caricature in the news sheet that the younger man had been staring morosely at for the last half hour. It showed the lovely Lady Scarlett dressed as an Amazon warrior standing in the center of a pugilistic ring, one dainty foot placed atop the chest of an unconscious Duke of Ryder who lay before her prostrate. The caption read, “Is It Love Or War?”

  “My money was on you, lad,” he said and casually referred to the betting books where gentlemen had placed wagers on which suitor Lady Scarlett would settle on. “Had the lass not been bound by a contract, I'd lay odds that she would have accepted your suit.”

  ~~~~~

  Geoffrey swallowed painfully and ma
naged to say in a choked tone what he was fervently trying to convince himself of, “Lady Scarlett deserves better than a mere viscount.”

  “Nay, lad,” the older man denied sagely. “She deserves a mon who will love her, honor her and cherish her as the vows say. Regardless of what his title is, I have to wonder if Ryder is that mon.”

  Loyal to a fault, the young man said with a bit more conviction, “His grace understands what a treasure he has,” Geoffrey knew that was true because his cousin had understood exactly how he felt about her at her come out ball.

  McKenna tapped the caricature again. “Maybe he does, but I dinna ken the lass is too happy with the decision,” he said regretfully. “For a lady of her ilk to be pushed to strike a mon, well, I'd say that it was pretty obvious she isna pleased.”

  Unfortunately, Carstairs was of the same opinion and it frustrated him to no end that he could do nothing about it. “Even if she's not, there's nothing to be done about it,” he admitted glumly. Lady Scarlett was going to be forced to marry Ryder whether she liked it or not and the thought of her being unhappy ripped his heart out.

  The laird leaned back in his chair and studied the younger man carefully before he nodded his agreement. “Aye, yer right,” he acknowledged. “It's too bad a knight in shining armor isna going to come riding in and carry the fair maiden away to Gretna Greene.”

  Geoffrey sat up straighter and stared at the other man, aghast at the very idea. “Such an action would not be honorable, my lord,” he protested.

  ~~~~~

  “Not honorable?” Was repeated in mock shock. “What could be more honorable than rescuing a lass from a situation she has no escape from? Why the mon gallant enough to do such a thing would be a hero.”

  “A hero?” He repeated and appeared to be giving the matter some serious thought.

  “Aye, lad,” the McKenna said firmly as he rose. “The lady needs a hero to save her. She shouldna have to fight this battle alone.”

  Teague ambled away from the table and barely managed not to laugh aloud. That had been too easy. Unless he missed his guess, Carstairs would be eloping with the lady before the week was out. Langford would probably kill the whelp, but the damage would be done. His sister would be ruined and if there was any justice in the world, the Devil Duke would hang for murder. Well pleased with himself, he settled comfortably into a chair and ordered another whiskey.

  ~~~~~

  If there was one thing that Scarlett excelled at, it was outrageous behavior, which she proceeded to prove to everyone over the next week. Since her brother had seen fit to saddle her with a husband, she considered their deal null and void. Therefore, she was free to resume all of her bad habits of swearing, gambling, drinking and smoking, not to mention insulting and outrageous remarks. If that didn't make Nicholas end their betrothal, it would at least force Devlin to send her back to the country where she belonged.

  A group of young dandies were having a shooting match in the park and Scarlett charmed them into letting her participate. When she won, they assumed it was a fluke and insisted on a rematch. Naturally, she agreed, at double the previous stakes, of course. She trounced the men a second time, informed them that her brother had taught her to shoot, and sailed breezily away in triumph, counting her winnings. No one thought it was a fluke that time. It was well known that Langford was a crack shot after all. Instead of being appalled that the young lady was a crack shot as well, the men were even more fascinated with her.

  At a picnic, a pair of men actually ran a foot race to see who would drink champagne from her shoe. She congratulated the winner, poured her slipper full of the bubbly liquid and presented it to the grinning man herself. The loser was so distraught that Scarlett offered him her garter as a consolation prize. He proudly wore the garter on his arm like a badge of honor for days afterward. However, even this scandalous act did not discourage the gentlemen from flocking to her like bees to honey.

  While crossing Bond Street on a walk with her cousins, Justin and Julian, she recognized a horse from Branvill Stables and called to it by name. The horse remembered Scarlett as well, and he nickered affectionately as she rubbed his head in a familiar manner. The horses rather bemused owner had to remind her of his name, however, and asked how she knew his horse. When she explained that she had ridden the gray stallion and chosen his name, the man and his two companions failed to hide their amusement. There was no way a lady could handle such a spirited mount. Not pleased with that, she explained that she had named him Nimbus because with his speed and coloring, it was like riding a storm cloud, and then proceeded to recite his bloodlines from memory until the men were astonished.

  Then she looked the other two horses over discerningly and wagered her engagement ring that Nimbus would outdistance them by three lengths at minimum in a race. With a challenge like that, the men had to find out if she was right. She was. The three men raced their horses at breakneck speed through the crowded street while she cheered them on. The winner begged her to go for a ride with him, but she had to decline as she did not know how to ride sidesaddle, which could only mean she rode astride. Shocking news indeed, but it did nothing to detract from the ladies enchanting appeal.

  On an afternoon ride in Carstairs phaeton, he swung the carriage too tight in a curve and promptly fell out. The bored, young tiger had fallen asleep atop his perch and proved to be of no use at all when the spooked horses broke into a gallop. Several ladies swooned at the sight, and a few gentlemen on horseback gave chase. Scarlett just took hold of the reigns, stood up in the high perched rig, and not only calmed the highly spirited pair of matched bays, but drove the phaeton with more skill than her suitor had shown. The crowds lining the carriage path watched in rapt fascination and heartily applauded the young ladies skill and bravery.

  That evening, she arrived at the theater to a rousing round of applause that the actors would have killed to receive. A riot nearly broke out when she blew kisses to the wildly cheering men in the pit below.

  Nicholas had finally had enough. He took his fiancé home, practically dragged her into the drawing room, slammed the door in her companion's face, and shoved Scarlett into a chair. “I don't give a damn what you do after we're married, but until then, you will behave properly at all times,” he decreed furiously.

  Scarlett was genuinely shocked at his outburst. Nicholas had never lost his temper with her before, but she'd certainly been doing everything in her power to make it happen. One of them had to be sensible and put an end to this ridiculous engagement and it looked like she was finally getting somewhere. Especially since Nicholas had just given her the perfect opening to push him over the edge.

  “Very well then. I accept your deal,” she agreed. So his mistress thought she wasn't sophisticated enough for him, did she? Ha! She'd show them just how sophisticated she could be.

  ~~~~~

  “What deal?” He scowled and knew she was up to something.

  “I had no idea you'd be such an accommodating husband, Nicholas.”

  “Accommodating?” Nicholas repeated in a suspicious tone. “What the deuce are you talking about, Scarlett?”

  “You just gave me your permission to do as I please after we're married,” she reminded him and threatened the one thing that no self-respecting rake would ever tolerate. “Most husbands wouldn't be as understanding about their wife taking a lover.”

  “A lover?” He roared loud enough to shake the chandelier overhead.

  “Of course,” she said firmly. “I wouldn't dream of curtailing your liaisons, so I'm thrilled that you think I'm entitled to my own.”

  “My wife will not take lovers!” He thundered, the midnight eyes blacker than the pits of hell and glowing with undiluted fury at the thought of another man touching her.

  ~~~~~

  “Well... not more than one at a time,” she amended. Scarlett was even more shocked when he hauled her out of the chair and crushed her against himself to kiss her senseless. She should have pushed him away, should h
ave fought him or jammed her knee in his ballocks, but that was the farthest thought from her mind.

  Instead, she reveled in the feel of his arms holding her so tightly against him, the warm solid muscles beneath his flesh pressing into hers, the scent and taste of him filled her senses completely. Her arms slid up around his neck and she clung to him, her mouth as voracious as his own as she strained closer still.

  ~~~~~

  Nicholas wanted to brand her, claim her, make it impossible for her to even look at another man. By God, he'd be damned if he would ever share her with another. One hand slid downward to her tight little bottom while the other lifted to capture one full, ripe breast. His mouth left hers to nip at her earlobe, sending a shudder through her, before trailing a scalding hot path of kisses down her throat. She was his, dammit, and before he was through, she'd know it as well as he did.

  ~~~~~

  After Mrs. Dasher had invaded his study in near hysteria, claiming that her charge was surely being violated in some manner by her fiancé, Devlin came to investigate and found his best friend all but ravishing his sister. “Nick, let her go,” he growled warningly.

  Nicholas released her and Scarlett collapsed limply back into the chair. Still in the grips of a towering rage, he whirled on his friend and demanded, “You'd better talk some sense into her before I throttle her.”

  “What did she do now?” Was asked in resignation.

  “Informed me that she intends to take a lover after we're married!” He snarled viciously.

  “You. Did. What?!” Devlin thundered incredulously at his sister.

  “If Nicky can, I can,” she pointed out stubbornly, still flushed and dazed from the kiss. “Besides, he told me he didn't care what I did.”