How to Ravish a Rake

by Vicky Dreiling

  “The last is stunning,” Madame said. “May I recommend a black silk ribbon to trim the high waistline?”

  “It is an excellent suggestion,” Amy said. “I know you like this last one. Are you interested in any of the others?”

  “I will take them all,” Madame said. She glanced behind her at Julianne and returned her shrewd gaze to Amy. “You have your reticule. I will use a shawl to cover the purse when I return.”

  After the modiste disappeared behind a curtain, Amy’s anxiety kept her on edge. She pretended to be engrossed in the designs, as if matters had not already been concluded. Not long afterward, Madame walked out with a shawl draped over her arm. Amy glanced over her shoulder, but Julianne was examining a bonnet.

  Amy closed her sketchbook and retrieved her reticule. She opened the drawstring. Madame dropped the purse inside. The clink of the coins sounded unnaturally loud to Amy’s ears, but it was undoubtedly just her nerves. She closed the drawstring. Then she looked up and saw Julianne standing before the mirror and looking at Amy’s reflection there.

  Amy felt as if her heart had dropped to her stomach. She made herself walk over to her friend—and now sister. “The bonnet looks well on you.”

  Julianne looked at her reflection again and sighed. “No, I don’t think I will take it today.” She turned round. “Have you concluded your business?”

  “Yes, I have.”

  Madame curtsied as they departed. The jingle of the shop bell made Amy feel a little ill.

  “There is the carriage now,” Julianne said, lifting her gloved hand.

  When it arrived, they stepped inside.

  “Do you wish to visit any other shops?” Julianne said.

  “No, not today.”

  “Amy, be careful. The coins jingle,” Julianne said.

  Of course they jingled. Amy looked out the window. She’d not even thought about the reflection in the mirror, but then she’d been anxious, because she’d known what she was doing could cause problems.

  “I know your parents are wealthy,” Julianne said, “and I know your marriage portion was staggeringly large. So I am at a loss to understand why you would accept money for your sketches when you do not have a need.”

  “My grandfather was in trade. I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking money for honest work.”

  Julianne turned to her. “Then why were you attempting to hide it?”

  “Because I know how the beau monde views trade.”

  “Does Will know?”

  Amy winced. “No,” she whispered.

  Julianne patted her arm. “Tell me the reason you’re taking the money.”

  She tightened the strings of her reticule. “I initially made the agreement with Madame DuPont that day my designs were displayed at your home. Greed was part of it, but I thought I should be paid for the work. You’re right. I knew I must keep it a secret. My parents do not reveal the source of their fortune, because it came from my grandfather’s trade.”

  “Amy, you know I will keep our conversation confidential, but I am concerned. You’re deceiving Will.”

  She looked at Julianne. “I know so little about my husband. His reputation is such that I am far from comfortable. He is a rake, and I started to worry that he might also be a wastrel. How could I say that to him? It would be an accusation. But, if I discover he has put us in ruinous debt, we would be in terrible trouble. So I thought to set aside a nest egg, in the event it was ever needed.”

  Julianne frowned. “Amy, if the worst happened, you could go to your father or my husband for assistance.”

  She shook her head. “My parents have had to bear the scandal of my marriage. I don’t ever want them to worry again.” She knew that others in the neighborhood probably gossiped about her marriage to a rake. “If I ever applied to your husband for assistance, it would cause hard feelings between the brothers.”

  “Amy, if someone else had seen you today, you can be sure the gossip would fly. Then you would humiliate your husband, your parents, and all of Will’s family. Is the money worth the risk?”

  “I wish to take preventative measures for a while longer. Just until I am assured that he has mended his ways and that I can trust him.”

  Julianne looked at her. “Amy, if he ever found out you deceived him, he would never trust you.”

  “I swear as soon as I feel our marriage is on solid ground I will give up the compensation.” She wondered if she would ever be able to trust him.

  The carriage stopped off at the cottage.

  “I’m not encouraging you in this deception,” Julianne said. “But those coins jingle, and others will notice. How will you explain when we make all of our purchases on credit?”

  “I’m sorry to involve you in this matter. I prefer to stay home now,” Amy said.

  “Will is expecting you at Ashdown House. Do you want me to give him a message?” Julianne said.

  “No. Let me take the purse inside, and then I will go with you.” She flew inside the cottage and up the stairs, hating the sound of the clinking coins. Once inside her room, she hid the purse deep in her trunk. In the future, she would ask Madame DuPont to pay in pound notes only. As she closed the trunk, Amy wondered if she was making the right decision. She would simply take it day by day and be far more cautious in the future.

  Will sat in the drawing room with Grandmamma. “Amy is not Scottish,” he said, pitching his voice louder. “She just has red hair.”

  Grandmamma patted his hand. “You could wear a kilt.”

  He laughed. “No. I’ll never be caught in a skirt,” he said in a loud voice.

  “Oh, dear,” the dowager countess said. “Grandmamma is quite fixated on Scotsmen.”

  Marc walked inside. “Oh, Lord, does she still think Amy is Scottish?”

  Will laughed. “Yes.”

  “I hear voices in the hall,” Hawk said. “Julianne and Amy must have returned.”

  When Amy walked into the room, Will and Hawk rose. Amy’s subdued expression puzzled him. He’d thought she would be happy after a day of shopping.

  “Julianne went to feed Emma and said I should come to the drawing room,” Amy said.

  Will went to her and kissed her cheek. Then he held her hand and led her to the sofa.

  Patience, Hope, and Harmony glided into the drawing room. They spent so much time at Ashdown House that Will wondered why they didn’t just move in.

  “William, you are very familiar with your wife,” Patience said as she sat across from them.

  “It’s called affection,” Hawk said.

  Will winked at Amy. “Shocking, isn’t it? Married couples being familiar with each other.”

  She blushed and looked at their joined hands.

  “They are newlyweds,” Hope said. “Will, it is too bad that you were unable to have a wedding trip.”

  “We’re postponing it until this summer.” Will looked at Amy. “Shall we go home?”

  “Oh, but you must stay for dinner,” the dowager countess said.

  He didn’t want to spend the evening with his family, and he suspected something was troubling Amy. Will knew his relatives would poke their noses into his marriage. Already Patience had criticized him for openly showing affection for Amy.

  Amy leaned closer to him. “Let me speak to your mother,” she murmured. Then she sat beside the dowager countess. “Thank you so much for inviting us to dine. I hope you will forgive a newly wedded couple for wanting to spend time alone.”

  “Of course, dear. I just like having the family here. That’s why my girls come so often. It was lonely after my husband died. That was many years ago, but when you’re old and gray, time seems to go faster for some reason.”

  Amy patted her hand. “I will call on you soon. Will and I started out our marriage backward, so we’re trying to get to know each other.”

  “I’m so glad, dear.” She sighed. “William, it seems you married a very sweet girl. Now go have your honeymoon.”

  The next da
y, Amy paid a call on the dowager countess as promised. Patience, Hope, and Harmony had called as well. Grandmamma was snoring softly beside Amy. As was custom, all the ladies applied themselves to needlework as they spoke. Julianne joined them for only a few minutes and then left to feed Emma.

  Amy found the dowager countess to be a somewhat timid woman who was easily influenced by her daughters, Patience in particular. Amy noticed that Patience criticized Harmony’s stitches, which looked perfectly fine to her, but she kept her opinions to herself.

  “I’m sure Amy’s needlework is perfect,” Hope said. “She does design fashions.”

  “There is no such thing as perfection,” Amy said, “and I cannot be impartial about my own needlework.”

  “Your gown designs are renowned,” Patience said. “You must be proud of your accomplishments.”

  She kept her gaze on her needlework. “Actually, William is proud of my designs.”

  “Isn’t that sweet?” Patience said in a sardonic tone. “Do you not agree, Hope?”

  Amy lifted her eyes, stunned by Patience’s sarcasm.

  Hope’s lips twitched. “Indeed, I’m sure he’s not hoping to gain anything from complimenting his wife.”

  All three sisters laughed.

  A hot blush crept into Amy’s face. She kept her gaze on her needlework and said nothing, but she didn’t like what they had insinuated. Obviously, they were teasing, but underlying their words was their belief that his compliments were not genuine.

  “Amy, I’m sorry. We did not mean to wound you,” Patience said. “It’s just that we know our brother. He is a charmer and not above scheming to get whatever he wants.”

  She couldn’t disagree completely. Charm did seem to flow in his veins, and there was something irresistible about his fun-loving nature. Their wager was a prime example. But she didn’t know him well at all.

  “It would behoove you to take his compliments with a grain of salt,” Hope said.

  “He is restless and unlikely to settle in one place for any length of time, but perhaps you’re just the one to tame him, Amy,” Harmony said.

  Amy threaded the needle into the cloth. She almost made an excuse to leave, but she’d made a promise to Will, and she would not break it. “I have found that sometimes we believe we know someone when we do not. It is true I have not known Will very long. But he is my husband, and I told him that he would always come first. I also swore that I would defend him if anyone ever criticized him.”

  The three sisters exchanged surprised looks. Patience cleared her throat. “Amy, we love our brother, but we know that he earned his devilish reputation. We’re hopeful that you’re the one who will reform him. We couldn’t help but notice that you’re a little smitten with Will. We just wanted to make sure you understand him.”

  “If you believe that he is incapable of being sincere, then I conclude you do not know your brother at all,” Amy said. “And I will not allow you to criticize him in my presence. Please excuse me.” She rose, only to find Hawk closing the door. “Amy, please be seated.”

  “Perhaps we should give you privacy,” Patience said.

  “Sit down, Patience, because this mostly concerns you.”

  “I really must go,” Patience said, gathering up her needlework.

  “Patience, I’m calling an impromptu family meeting right now,” Hawk said.

  Amy noted the arrested expression on Patience’s face. “I did nothing wrong, Hawk.”

  “I was standing outside the door and heard every word,” Hawk said. “At this moment, I’m ashamed of all three of my sisters.”

  Amy covered her mouth, remembering Will’s warning. Part of her wished she’d said nothing, and yet she couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t defend him.

  “They were only teasing,” the dowager countess said.

  Hawk regarded his mother. “It was unkind, Mama.”

  “We’re family, and being a part of a family is supporting each other,” Hawk said. “I could not stand back and listen to my sisters tell Amy that her marriage to our brother didn’t stand a chance. Patience, you influence Hope and Harmony. I’m not excusing them, but you’re the one who sets the tone, and they have always followed your lead. Will is our brother. He and Amy have recently married and are just now getting started on their life together. What I’m asking from all of you is to leave off the criticism and focus on lending your support to Amy and Will.

  “We’re a big brood,” Hawk said. “We all have different personalities and interests. But we should stand united as a family and remember to count our blessings and keep our focus off the negative.”

  Patience sighed. “You’re right, Marc. Amy, please accept my apology. We do love Will very much, but sometimes you see other people only through the perspective in which you know them. Please do not take an insult, but I had heard that you were a wallflower. I expected a shy, mousy woman with no conversation or backbone. You are the exact opposite.”

  Until that moment, Amy had not realized how much she had changed in such a short time, but she’d taken control of her life, even when uncontrollable events had occurred. She looked at Patience. “I always wanted a large family. I was so touched when you loaned me your wedding gown. I had no brothers or sisters and hope that we can all grow closer over time.”

  “I think Will is very lucky to have married you,” Hope said. “He has changed for the better. Now that he has married you, he will give up his dreams of traveling. Before you entered his life, he was determined to journey to Switzerland, but everyone in the family agreed that it must stop. We feared he would stay away for years as he did before.”

  Patience sighed. “He meant to leave, and we urged Hawk to cut off his quarterly allowance. Will was furious, but he needed to settle into a career.”

  Amy did her best to shutter her expression, but inside she was alarmed. Little wonder that he objected to his family’s interference. But why had he not told her the truth about the measures his family had taken to keep him home?

  Chapter Twelve

  Amy spent the day overlooking all the preparations for tonight’s dinner party. Bellingham and Fordham would dine with them tonight, and Amy wanted everything to be perfect. The maids had polished every surface to a shine. The food was under preparation, and now all that remained was for Amy to dress. At one point in the afternoon, Will had laughed and told her that his bachelor friends wouldn’t notice, but she had been adamant.

  Amy had meant to speak to Will about the information his family had divulged, but she’d decided to wait another day because his friends were joining them for dinner. She was troubled that he’d not told her about it, but perhaps he just felt that it was water under the bridge. When speaking of the past, he often said it was over and nothing could be changed. He wasn’t one to look back. But clearly, the traveling had meant very much to him.

  That evening, Anna persuaded Amy to wear her jade silk gown with a low neckline. As Anna finished dressing her hair, a knock sounded. “Thank you, Anna. That will be all,” Amy said. Then she called Will inside.

  He opened the door and walked toward her with his hands behind his back. “Stay at your dressing table.”

  “Why?”

  He looked at her in the dressing mirror. “Close your eyes.”

  “Why?”

  “Just do it. And no peeking.”

  She closed her eyes. He reached round her. She felt him drape a necklace round her neck. His fingers worked on a clasp.

  “Now you can open,” he said.

  She gasped at the sight of the glittering emerald necklace. “Oh, it’s beautiful, but where—when?”

  “It was the day you went shopping with Julianne, and I’d gone to White’s to see Bell. I realized I’d never given you a wedding gift. Since you haven’t complained, I thought your gift should be extravagant. Oh, yes, there are matching earbobs as well. But I’ll let you put those on.”

  “Anna must have been in on the surprise,” Amy said.

  He g
rinned. “And I see she persuaded you to wear that gown.”

  Amy donned the earbobs. “Will, they’re beautiful.” She turned to him. “Thank you.”

  He took her hands and helped her rise. “I’m glad you like them. Do you know you actually surprised me that day? You went shopping and came home empty-handed.”

  She kept the smile on her face, but her stomach tightened. Neither she nor Julianne had made a purchase because Amy had inadvertently exposed her secret. Her guilt gnawed at her, and for a moment, she was tempted to confess, but not tonight, when his friends were coming to dinner. She didn’t want anything to mar this night.

  “I do wish you had allowed me to invite two other ladies to make the numbers even at the table,” Amy said. “I have friends who would be delighted to meet Bellingham and Fordham.”

  “I’ve no doubt your lady friends would be delighted, but my bachelor friends can smell a matchmaking scheme a mile away.” He kissed her lingeringly on the lips. “Do you realize there are only seven more days until one of us wins the wager?”

  “I never did find any spies, but then we’ve not been apart except that one day,” she said. “Well, except for the day I called on your mother.” She told Will what had transpired, with the exception of the information about his travels. He thanked her for defending him and admitted Hawk was right about his sisters. Will was also impressed with the way she’d dealt with Patience that day.

  A thoughtful expression flitted through his dark eyes. “By Jove, you’re right. We’ve spent every evening together, not eating dessert.”

  She laughed and touched the necklace again.

  He smiled. “I wonder who will win.”

  “It may be a draw. I was certain at the time you proposed the wager that you would fail, but you’ve proven yourself quite romantic,” she said. “Flowers, poems, and jewelry. Our conversations were the best part of all.”

  He cupped her face with his warm hands and gazed into her eyes. An intense giddy feeling flooded her heart. The tender feelings had grown gradually over the last two weeks. She told herself that it was too soon. Yet the heart has no time line.