Love's Betrayals (The Extraordinary Life of Amy Winston Book 2)
Page 1
Book 2
Love’s Betrayals
The Extraordinary Life of Amy Winston
Liza O’Connor
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All characters in this book come from the imagination of the author’s. Any resemblance to living or dead people is coincidental.
Table of Contents
Love’s Betrayals
All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Blurb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
OTHER BOOKS BY LIZA O’CONNOR
Blurb
When Amy and her friend Domnika arrive in London, she discovers her guardian, Nicolas, is under the thrall of his ‘perfect’ wife. Neither is happy she has come. The only person who seems pleased with her arrival is the handsome valet, Antonio, who turns out to be far more than a servant.
Needing to escape her guardian’s care, Amy and Domnika take refuge at a fellow schoolmate’s home. Antonio leaves Nicolas’ service and becomes one of her many protectors. Unlike the other protectors, he becomes the first of many admirers that vie for her hand.
All the while, Nicolas continues to prove over and over that he is not the fine fellow her uncle had thought.
Chapter 1
1832
Nicolas read the letter over to ensure he grasped the content.
“Is something wrong?” his wife Sicily asked, as she entered the library and noticed his expression.
“Not wrong, exactly, only unexpected. It appears my ward Amy and a friend intend to visit London.”
“Why?” she asked, her voice betraying concern.
“I’m not sure. She should have had sufficient funds to go another year if she was frugal.”
Sicily laughed. “Well, there you have it. Surely you must realize by now that ladies cannot be frugal, even when they try so very hard.”
Nicolas pulled her into his arms. “And are we talking about my ward, or my beautiful and perfect wife now?” he teased.
“I’m by no means perfect. If I were, I could make my allowance stretch through the month.”
“And if I were a better provider, I could make so much that you would never be constrained by an allowance,” he replied and kissed her.
When the kiss broke, she leaned her head upon his shoulder. “She doesn’t expect you to give her a season, does she?”
“It is possible. I did promise Uncle John that I would do that.”
“But darling, we are losing ground now. How can we possibly afford to give her a season? And to what point? Without a dowry and her dubious parentage, there is no chance of her finding a husband. I understand that she was a sweet child that you doted upon, but there is nothing you can do to help her, and to be honest, it will be a social disaster if she stays here as our guest.”
Nicolas stiffened and assisted her off his lap. He had discovered one serious flaw in his bride. She had no respect to what it meant when he gave his word. Constantly, she pressured him to break his word on little matters. He had said he would attend the Batcher’s party on Wednesday, but would it not be far more sensible to attend the Stonewell’s instead? And while he all too often gave in on these little matters, he would not betray Uncle John again.
“Amy and her friend Domnika will be welcomed with open arms into this house and may stay as long as they like. That is not open for discussion. Uncle John loved Amy like a daughter and would never forgive me if I refused her refuge, especially since it is I who foolishly trusted your father with her dowry.”
Sicily’s eyes rounded with hurt as if he had slapped her. “As you wish.” She then turned and ran from the room.
Nicolas tried to call her back, but to no avail. He knew he should find her and apologize, but if he did, he would have to give in to her wishes and he could not do it. Not this time. This time, Sicily would have to bend to his needs.
Chapter 2
As Nicolas and his valet, Antonio, sat on a bench overlooking the docks, Antonio interrogated him about Uncle John’s niece.
“Is she intelligent?”
“Frighteningly so. By now I suspect she knows more than most doctors in London about medicine.”
Antonio smiled. “A practical woman as well.”
“I hardly would call it a practical vocation,” Nicolas objected. “No one will ever accept a female doctor.”
“I suppose it depends upon the situation. The next time I get stabbed or shot, I’ll be most glad to allow her to tend my wounds.”
“You don’t even know her.”
“She’s the colonel’s niece. That’s all I need to know.”
“Well, I wish Sicily was half so obliging to like her. She hasn’t spoken to me in three days.”
“It is odd. I’ve never seen the two of you even argue before,” he admitted and then stood up. “That’s got to be them.”
Nicolas squinted but could not make out anything except the vague shape of a ship on the horizon. “You must have the eyes of an eagle.”
“Would she be the tall or shorter one?”
“Since she never said whether her friend was short or tall I could not tell you.”
“Red or black haired?”
“Auburn.”
“The tall one. She has the colonel’s stance. Ah, my kind sir, you failed to mention she was such a beauty.”
Nicolas frowned. “Antonio, I am not going to have a problem with you, am I? This is my ward who is arriving, not some toy for you to trifle with.”
Antonio chuckled. “Trifling with that beauty would cost a man his life. I recognize one of the four…no…I recognize them all. They are considerably older now, but they still look most formidable. Doesn’t appear they have led an easy life of retirement.”
Nicolas groaned
as he realized that Amy had brought along Gunter and the Silent Three, Sam, Brick, and Tomas. Sicily would fall into hysterics when she discovered four additional servants added to the household, and the only work they would do was watch over Amy. Perhaps it was a good thing his wife was not speaking to him just now. He could only imagine what she would have to say about this revelation.
“Do you by chance know if there is room in the servant’s quarters for them?”
Antonio smiled. “Since half the servants will probably quit upon first sight of Gunter, I don’t imagine space will be a problem.”
“That is not a helpful observation.”
“Perhaps not, but true all the same. I’ll offer them room in my house, if you like.”
Nicolas smiled. “Thank you. I am certain everything would go much smoother if you would.”
“Ah you see, there is an advantage to your valet owning his own house,” Antonio teased.
“In this odd instance, yes,” Nicolas agreed. “However, Sicily still lives in fear of the day that it becomes known our valet owns a slightly larger house than ours, directly behind us on the block.”
“It will only impress the sad lot of society. If you recall, I am only leasing the house because the bed in your servants’ quarter was too short and uncomfortable. If you had offered me a guest room upstairs, I would have agreed to sleep in your house.”
“How does the butler keep you in line?” Nicolas demanded.
Antonio chuckled. “He doesn’t. He’s a wise old bird and just pretends I’m not there. I rather like him.”
“I’m sure he would be pleased to know it,” Nicolas replied with sarcasm.
“Is Amy always so cheerful? Or is it the joy of meeting her dear old guardian?”
“Amy has always had a cheerful disposition,” Nicolas answered as a worry crossed his mind. What if Amy still loved him? Sicily would see it in a second, for she was remarkably perceptive. Was that why she didn’t want Amy to live with them?
As the ship docked, even Nicolas could see Amy and her friend fluttering about trying to stay out of the sailors’ way. Keeping the two chicks safe was a full-time job for the four old soldiers. Yet, time at the job had given them an advantage. Now, they seemed to predict Amy’s actions before she even moved.
Once the boarding plank was secured and Nicolas and Antonio waited at the end of the ramp, Gunter released the two chicks and allowed them to scamper across the narrow plank, onto the dock. Amy threw herself into Nicolas’ arms and hugged him with all her might. He might have tumbled backwards had Antonio not grabbed his arm and steadied him.
“I fear my money has been wasted if that is all Madame Cousec has taught you about being a lady,” Nicolas complained.
Antonio noticed the other girl took insult by the comment, but Amy just laughed.
“It is too wonderful to see you, Nicolas. I will be a proper lady soon enough, but not until I have finished this hug.”
“Well, can we finish it somewhere safer?” Nicolas complained and forcibly removed her grip. “We are blocking the ramp and there are four dangerous looking rogues waiting to get off.”
Amy laughed again and smiled back at the men. “I rather like those dangerous rogues. In fact, I think we must take them home with us.”
“Actually, they will be staying with Antonio,” Nicolas said as he held out his hand and greeted each of the men, hoping as he did so that it didn’t get back to Sicily. She would be horrified he had done such a thing.
At the same time, Amy’s attention turned to Antonio, Gunter stepped forward and studied him for a moment. “You look like that little sprout the Colonel inducted. What was his name, Sam?”
“Antonio Bandito?” Sam suggested.
Antonio gave him a playful but threatening look in response.
“You’re Antonio Bandito?” Amy asked in amazement.
“That is not my last name, but it was what they called me,” he replied and kissed her hand as a gentleman might.
“Antonio,” Nicolas growled. “Valets do not kiss lady’s hands.”
“Pardon, such beauty made me momentarily forget myself.”
“You’re a valet?” Gunter chuckled.
“For the present,” he replied never taking his eyes off Amy.
Amy smiled at him. “I’ve heard so many wonderful stories about you.” She laughed. “I was very jealous of you when I was a girl, for you got to do all the things I wanted to do.”
“Go to war and kill people?” he teased.
She frowned. “I don’t recall any stories where you killed anyone, although in a few Gunter came close to killing you.”
Antonio laughed and glanced at the giant old man. “That he did, but I realize now he was all bark and no bite with all those attempts, for otherwise, I would not be here.” He smiled at the four men. “The colonel could not have chosen better men to guard his precious jewel.”
Amy beamed when the handsome Antonio called her a precious jewel.
When they reached the carriage, Nicolas realized another problem. He had not planned to transport so many people. There was no room for the four men.
“Not a worry,” Sam assured him. “I’ll ride up with Antonio and the others can rent a cart and come with the luggage.”
Antonio coughed to cover his laugh and then declared that as a valet he was much too fine to drive a carriage.
Sam sighed. “I’ll drive the carriage, and Antonio can sit beside me and look fancy. Gunter will join you three inside the carriage and your driver can drive the second carriage with the luggage, Brick, and Thomas.” When Nicolas looked as if he was going to object, Sam shook his head. “It takes at least two men to watch her.”
Nicolas sighed. “I see some things have not changed,” he complained and assisted both ladies into the carriage.
As they drove home, he wanted to learn more about Domnika, knowing Sicily would be demanding to know whether she was presentable and whether she had family that might wish for Amy and Domnika to remain with them instead. And while he would not deny Amy room in his house, he would not object if she chose to live elsewhere. It would make his life easier.
Unfortunately, Amy wanted to discuss Sicily and seeing as how Domnika did not seem inclined to answer his questions, he gave way and spoke eloquently about Sicily. When he finished, Amy laughed.
“You, sir, are besotted, for no woman on earth could be as perfect as that.”
“I am in love but wait until you meet her. You will find her to be every bit the lady I have described.”
Having exhausted the topic of Sicily, Amy moved on to Antonio. “Did you say he was your valet?”
“That is correct, so do not encourage his flirtations or I will be forced to fire him. After all my efforts to train him, I would truly hate to send him off.”
“It is an odd occupation for him,” she said. “Do you think he is planning some great theft?”
“Well, I see you think like the inspector of the Metropolitan Police. I cannot tell you why Antonio remains in the position, other than it seems to amuse him greatly. I must surmise from the fact he leased the house behind mine that he possesses an income other than what he makes as my valet. Why I put up with it I have no idea.”
“Because you like him a great deal. In fact, I believe he is your best friend.”
“I pray you will keep such observations to yourself. An earl does not make his valet his best friend.”
Amy scowled. “Oh, you’ve become terribly pompous. If this is what happens when you marry the perfect spouse, then I will make certain I do not marry a perfect husband.”
“That would be like marrying a unicorn,” Domnika muttered.
“How is that?” Nicolas asked.
Domnika nailed him with her dark eyes. “They only exist in fairy tales.”
Nicolas smiled at her observation, but worried how Sicily would take to this strange young lady.
When they arrived, Sicily did not greet her guests, which was such appalling bad mann
ers that Nicolas was left momentarily speechless. Finally, he asked the butler where she was.
“She went out, sir, she did not say where.”
Nicolas apologized to the girls and offered to show them to their rooms. However, when he asked the housekeeper which rooms had been aired for them, the woman looked absolutely stunned. After a bit of stammering she admitted that no one had told her to ready rooms for the young ladies.
“Well, see to it now, and have baths drawn for them both,” Nicolas ordered. He offered to give the ladies a tour of the house and the gardens while they waited.
***
Amy thought the lavish furnishings appalling. “This doesn’t look like a place Uncle John would have lived in.”
The ghost Uncle John, who had remained with Amy since his murder, spoke up in outrage. “I assure you, it looked nothing like this when I owned the house.”
“Do you not like it?” Nicolas asked in surprise. “Sicily has spent great effort in redecorating the place and her taste is the finest there is. Everyone says so.”
“Then it must be true,” Domnika quipped and smiled prettily.
Amy hid her smile by staring out the window. “So is that Antonio’s house?”
“Please don’t mention his house in front of anyone, especially not Sicily. She lives in fear of the day someone learns that our valet is our neighbor.”