by Jane Charles
The scruff on his unshaved chin added a wickedness to his appearance and Audrey grew warm.
Trent stopped and looked up. A slow grin spread across his handsome face.
She should pull away from the window but his eyes locked with hers. Trent tipped his hat, bowed, then turned on his heel.
Audrey yanked the curtains closed.
He was a scoundrel and rake and she was just as silly as Millicent for allowing him to make her heart beat a little faster than normal. She must put him from her mind!
Audrey turned to her maid once they entered the grand foyer of the Lydell mansion. “This visit may be long.”
“Yes, mum.” The maid bobbed a curtsey.
“You will have to wait your turn.” Mrs. Lynch, the housekeeper harrumphed as she stepped in to the foyer. “The parlor is already overflowing with gentlemen,”
Audrey frowned. “Gentlemen?” Her friend was a married lady. Why would gentlemen feel the need to call on her?
“It isn’t right,” Mrs. Lynch shook her head.
“It isn’t for us to judge.” The butler sniffed in disapproval.
Audrey didn’t say anything further. All she could hope was that Jordan Trent was not one of Millicent’s callers.
As the butler led Audrey to the parlor, the voices reached her before she stepped into the room only to find half a dozen gentlemen seated and standing around Millicent. Audrey knew them by reputation. They were all in their early twenties, handsome, and well-known for their rakish lifestyles. Why were they here?
Millicent sat in the center, giggling, blushing and touching hands, arms and legs when comments were made. She was far too free with her affection and it made Audrey quite uneasy. Millicent seemed to have wrapped a spell around each one of them and was drawing them into her web. What she would do with the gentlemen when they were snared, Audrey didn’t know. Perhaps she didn’t wish to know either. What was her friend thinking and why were these gentlemen flirting with a married woman when there were dozens of debutants who would be thrilled with the same attention.
Of course, debutants weren’t free with their favors and by the way Millicent was clothed in her low-cut day dress and the freedom her hands expressed, these gentlemen were not here for a simple visit.
The pain of a headache began at Audrey’s temples and she dearly hoped Lord Lydell was not at home.
“Audrey,” Millicent cried when she finally noticed her friend standing inside the door. “Do come in.” Millicent swatted Mr. Dalton’s thigh with her fan and winked at him. “Do move so my dear, dear friend, Miss Audrey Montgomery, may sit.”
Dalton grinned, but stood. Another gent, Mr. Everton, offered his arm and escorted Audrey to the settee. Millicent leaned forward and poured Audrey a cup of tea. She had to look away because Millicent’s gown gaped most immodestly and she was viewing far more of her friend’s bosom than she wished. She glanced around and noted that each gentleman had taken note and were staring at the globes about to come free from the confines. Goodness, someone needed to take Millicent in hand. Her friend surely couldn’t know how much she was putting on display, could she?
“I am so glad you have come to call,” Millicent gushed.
Audrey took a sip of her tea and looked over the rim of her cup. The gentlemen had watched Millicent like they wished to make her their next meal and now a few of them were looking at Audrey in the same manner. Goodness, this was quite uncomfortable indeed. These were the very gentlemen young ladies were warned not to be alone with, or even dance with because they apparently had no moral boundaries. Each smile was more seductive than the last and their eyes glinted as if they knew secrets and wished to share them. A proper young lady wouldn’t be caught dead in the company of one of them and here she and Millicent were surrounded. How did one make them leave?
The butler stepped into the room and cleared his throat.
“Yes Jeeves?” Millicent asked.
“Lord Lydell has left Parliament and I believe he is now on his way home.”
“He ruins all of my fun,” Millicent whined. “Well, dears,” she said to the gentlemen gathered. “It appears our time has come to an end.”
There were a few groans but those who sat came to their feet. Each paused before Millicent, kissed her on the cheek, though a few brushed her lips, and others gave her hand or waist a caress or squeeze. Audrey did her best not to look at the display but could not tear her eyes away, as if watching a carriage wreck.
One by one they left until only Audrey and Millicent remained in the room. A maid rushed in and gathered up all of the extra cups and carried them out of the room, leaving just the two being used by the ladies. Another gathered plates and napkins and in a few short moments the room looked as if nobody had been present but Audrey and Millicent. This was clearly not the first time her friend had entertained so many gentlemen because her staff was far too efficient in getting rid of any evidence of gentlemen callers.
“What are you thinking?” Audrey demanded once they were alone.
Millicent grinned unashamedly. “Aren’t they delightful?”
“If one prefers the company of snakes.”
Millicent laughed and fell back against her seat. “They are charming. I just wish I could decide who I wish to pursue.”
“Pursue?” Audrey screeched. “You are a married woman.”
Millicent rolled her eyes and popped a biscuit in her mouth.
Her friend seemed to take forever to finish eating. Audrey could only stare at her and drummed her fingers upon her leg in frustration. What had become of Millicent? She was not the same person she had been while they were growing up.
Audrey quickly amended the thought. In truth, Millicent, the only child of doting parents, had always craved attention. She hated when someone received more than she and Millicent always wanted what others had, and especially what she couldn’t obtain. Audrey had hoped Millicent would have grown out of the childish behavior and thought her friend had after returning from the exclusive girls’ school her parents had sent her to, but Audrey suspected she had not. Is that why she was behaving this way now? Was the attention of her husband not enough?
“Lydell bores me.”
“He is still your husband and you should not carry on this way.”
Again, Millicent laughed. “He will never know.” She dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand and roll of the eyes. “He doesn’t pay any attention to me.”
Audrey suspected that may be the truth. Lydell certainly appeared unconcerned when Millicent had practically thrown herself at Trent last evening. “You can’t keep an affair secret, if that is your plan.”
A sly smile came to Millicent’s lips. “Oh, I don’t intend for my relationship to be a secret.”
Was Millicent intentionally trying to goad her husband? Was Lydell not giving her enough attention?
“How else can I make him jealous if it is a secret?”
“Yet, you just said he would never know. If he doesn’t know, how can you make him jealous? You aren’t making any sense.”
“I just can’t decide who would be better, Dalton or Everton.”
“Neither,” Audrey practically screamed.
Millicent straightened and she blinked. “Do you think one of the others would be better?” She leaned forward to pour tea into her cup. Audrey averted her eyes from the display of the woman’s gaping bodice. “Viscount Acker is rather charming, and handsome with his blonde hair, and light blue eyes, but he hardly paid me any mind last night.”
“Nor should he,” Audrey insisted.
“Then there is Mr. Victor.” Millicent sighed. “He was sitting next to you.”
“I know who he is,” Audrey bit out.
Millicent pursed her lips and tapped a finger against them, her brow furrowed in thought. “Perhaps Dalton and Everton. He would surely take notice then.”
Audrey threw up her hands in frustration. “Of course he would.”
Her friend grinned. “Fabulous.”
Millicent straightened. “What does this have to do with my husband?”
Audrey’s mouth popped open. This is the most confusing conversation she had ever been involved in. Had her friend lost her mind? “If you pursue a liaison with Dalton, Everton or both, your husband will be jealous and probably angry and hurt. I don’t understand why you want to do such a thing. What is the purpose of intentionally making Lydell jealous?”
The woman threw her head back and laughed. “You think I want to make Lydell jealous.”
“Isn’t that what we have been speaking of?”
“Oh, you silly girl. I could care less about Lydell.”
Audrey’s stomach churned. Though most societal marriages were not based on love, she hated to see a nice gentleman such as Lord Lydell treated in such a way. “Then who do you wish to make jealous, if not your husband.”
“Jordan Trent, of course.”
“Did you even bother to go home last evening?” Matthew Trent asked as Jordan entered the parlor of his brother’s townhome.
“He does look the part of a rogue,” Grace grinned from her seat.
“Dear wife,” Matthew chastised, “I prefer that you know nothing about rakes and rogues.”
She pursed her lips in thought for a moment. “Well, I can hardly pretend I don’t know your brother, now can I?”
“Unfortunately,” Matthew ground out before he winked at his wife. A year ago Jordan would have bet everything he owned that he would never see his proper brother wink at any woman. And if he could read Matthew’s expression correctly, his brother was having a few rakish thoughts about Grace. Though jealousy gnawed at his belly, Jordan was equally happy for his younger brother. Not that he had any interest in his sister-in-law, he simply wouldn’t mind having a wife he could wink at and think about bedding at the most inopportune times.
Matthew pulled away from where he was standing. “Is there something you wish to speak with me about? It must be very important since you are still wearing the same clothing from last night, and you haven’t shaved since sometime yesterday.”
Jordan brought a hand to his face. The scruff was rough against the tips of his fingers. He had left Lady Rothsbury’s and gone straight to the Inns of Court where he had spent a better part of the day in the extensive library and talking to colleagues about inheritance laws and how to remove a guardian. It would be no easy task but if someone else wasn’t put in charge of the young Lord Rothsbury’s holdings, there wouldn’t be anything left by the time the boy reached his majority. Though guardians were prohibited from using funds in trust for their own purpose, it still happened often enough and rarely was a gentleman punished for his behavior. Jordan could not stand by and do nothing. However, as soon as he was done with this visit he intended to go home and get some sleep. His eyes burned and were scratchy from having been awake for over a day. But, he knew he would not find rest until he had answers.
“Is everything alright?” Matthew asked and Jordan realized he had not answered his brother’s question.
“Yes,” he shook his head and moved to take a seat. “I am tired is all.”
“Well, if you didn’t stay out all night, doing whatever it is you do.” His brother hitched an eyebrow in speculation but Jordan chose to ignore it. “You would be presentable now.”
“I was working,” Jordan admitted a moment later.
“Solicitors must work through the night now?” Grace inquired with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
“When one is helping save an inheritance, yes.” That was all he would say. Jordan would never discuss his clients or the work he did for anyone except in the most general of terms. If one couldn’t trust their solicitor, lawyer or barrister to keep one’s secrets then nobody could be trusted, except perhaps a minister. Though Jordan knew plenty of solicitors who didn’t hesitate to discuss cases and people when speaking with others at the Inns, he was just not one of them.
A maid entered a moment later with a new pot and saucer. “Cook brewed some coffee after Wallace said you looked as if you needed something stronger than tea.”
Jordan gave the girl his most appreciative smile. “You are such a dear, always seeing to my comforts.”
The young woman’s face grew crimson.
She was a pretty young thing and if he were the type of gentleman who pursued young maids, this one would certainly take his mind off of Audrey Montgomery.
“Keep your attention away from my maids,” Matthew warned.
The young woman bobbed a curtsey and quickly left the room. Jordan reached forward and poured a cup of coffee before settling back with a deep sigh.
“What is so important that you had to see me before getting some rest?” Matthew asked.
Jordan chuckled. “It is not you I wish to see.” He grinned at his sister-in-law. “But Grace.”
Matthew frowned.
“How can I help?” Grace asked brightly.
“How well and how long have you known Miss Audrey Montgomery?”
Matthew stiffened and looked between Jordan and his wife. “I don’t think I’ve ever known you to ask about a proper lady. Are you sure you are feeling the thing? Did someone hit you on the head?”
Jordan shot his brother a look. “If you will not remain silent, or at least helpful, you can leave the room.”
Matthew laughed and took a seat, crossing his legs and arms as he got comfortable. “Oh no, this is too rare of a moment to be missed. I know you prefer the company of whor… um… more experienced, or mature ladies, and never thought I would see the day where you asked about an innocent miss.” Matt’s grin widened. “Especially one who detests you.”
If he weren’t so tired, Jordan would wipe the smirk off of his brother’s face. Sometimes he missed the pious vicar. At least that brother would have been encouraging him because it led away from his sinful lifestyle. And what would Matt know about Miss Montgomery’s feelings? Had she said something to him?
Grace shot her husband a look. “Jordan is here for assistance. I insist you don’t taunt him,” she chastised and received a scowl from her husband. “He may leave and I will never get to learn what this is about.”
“There isn’t anything to tell,” Jordan insisted. “I simply wish to know how well you know Miss Montgomery.”
Grace sighed happily. “I’ve known Audrey since before I can remember. She, Millicent, that is Lady Lydell now, and I were friends growing up.”
Had Miss Montgomery hounded him as Lady Lydell had, perhaps he wouldn’t be as interested in her now. Not that he would have ever been interested in Lydell’s wife. “Then perhaps you could explain why Miss Montgomery, as Matt put so well, detests me.”
Grace tilted her head and studied him. “Why don’t you tell me what happened last spring?”
He leaned back and stared at her. “I don’t know.” Jordan pushed his fingers through his hair in frustration. At least Grace seemed to know something, but how much was the question.
She frowned up at him. “You don’t?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be asking,” he ground out.
“Oh dear.”
“What?”
“I don’t know what happened either. I just know you did something because Audrey doesn’t like you very well.”
Jordan blew out a breath. “Has she said so specifically?”
Grace winced.
It couldn’t be that bad, could it? “Exactly what did she say?”
His sister-in-law began picking imaginary pieces of lint from her rose skirt. “She simply doesn’t care for you.”
If she couldn’t look him in the eye, then Miss Montgomery’s opinion must not have been scathing. “Do you recall her exact words?”
A blush stained Grace’s cheeks and she looked to Matthew for help, as if his brother would offer to shelter Jordan from whatever words she would impart, or t
ell him for her.
Matthew nodded for her to continue.
Grace looked down again. “She said you were arrogant, a reprobate, and all around scoundrel and if she never met you again it would be too soon.” She winced and glanced up. “She called you a lothario to your face that day in the dining room.”
He recalled that moment well as Miss Montgomery also tried to smack him at the same time. “But she didn’t explain why she felt this way?” her prodded.
She looked up at him and shrugged. “No and I didn’t think to ask.”
Jordan raced up the stairs to the Brachton town home, arriving late. But if one thought about it, he was actually early. The dinner party wasn’t to begin yet but he’d received a summons that he was needed an hour before the other guests. That message had arrived while he was still dressing for the evening so he couldn’t really be blamed for his tardiness, could he?
The door opened just as he reached it, held by a sprightly old man, his white hair sticking out in all different directions, as if the man had no control of the wiry mass. Jordan didn’t recognize the servant. “Where is Dougal?”
“He stayed in Scotland,” the man, no taller than Jordan’s shoulder, answered.
“And you are?”
“Fergus.” The man held out his hand. “Yer hat.”
Jordan handed his beaver hat over to the man. He would need to ask Brachton why Dougal hadn’t returned to London with him. Where Brachton was, Dougal was usually not far away, presumably as his valet but often butler, though never quite acting the servant.
“Lord Brachton and his wife are in the library.” The man turned and left without bothering to show him the way, or requesting his name. Jordan shouldn’t be surprised; Brachton’s household had always been a bit odd.
Voices drew him to the parlor. There were more people here than his sister and brother-in-law. Had Madeline changed the time on her dinner party? Even though she didn’t have much experience planning such events, she knew that to change the time so close to the event could upset anyone’s schedule.