by Peyton Meri
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
HARKER’S PENCHANT
A Count Series Novel
by
Peyton Meri
Copyright © 2017 Peyton Meri
All rights reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in every regard and are a product of the author’s imagination and used for fiction purposes. Any similarity to actual events and persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The reproduction of this book in whole or part, electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.
©2017 Peyton Meri
©2017 Count Series
THE BEGINNING
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
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THE BEGINNING
“Mother!” Ledi Barrton yelled with a huff as she lifted the crystal snifter to eyeball the spatter of reddish liquid coating the bottom.
A grumble came from her mother, Lavina, slumped in the large wing-backed striped chair. “Well you said to get my medicine down. That I did it with a bit of sherry should make no difference.”
Ledi stared at her mother as if she’d grown two heads. Eyes the color of pinewood that looked so much like her own shot her a miserable look, then turned away. Ledi set the glass down and dropped to her knees beside her. She felt sorry for yelling at her. “Oh mother, you know Doctor Hayward said that combination is not good. Do you want to wind up confined to your bed for another month and not being able to do anything? Do you?”
Another grumble then a sniffle. Lavina grabbed Ledi’s hand, her face pressed into her other hand as her body shook with her sobs. “Pray forgive me, Ledi. I am truly sorry. No, I do not want that to happen. It’s just that I cannot help myself when your brother leaves me so distraught.”
Ledi gasped, outraged and snatched her hand back. She should have known. “What has Evann done now, mother?” she asked, mounting fury stirred inside her at the sound of her rakehell brother’s name on her tongue.
Her mother patted her hand and cast a wary look her way from under her arm. Ledi sighed at the ashamed look. Her mother’s cheeks were duly flushed, tears in her eyes. Nevertheless, she pressed on. “Tell me, mother.”
“I’m afraid to.” Lavina patted her hand in a loving gesture. “You’re still mad with him from his last spat of trouble.”
“Mother,” Ledi warned as she silently, slowly counted backwards.
Her mother righted herself in the chair and pulled out a white hanky from inside her bosom. “Your brother has bled us dry, Ledi.” Her body shook from the pent up relief she found in admitting the truth.
CHAPTER ONE
Later in her room, Ledi stood before her cracked cheval mirror thoroughly looking over herself from head to toe with a critical eye. She could make this work.
She removed the pins from her haphazard chignon. Her smoky blonde hair fell down around her bare shoulders to mid-back. She had to do this. But could she truly?
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth then turned first one way then the other, inspecting her naked form.
She had all the right parts. Full in some areas and curved appropriately in others, she supposed. Her breasts, well—not quite blesses as she wished in that department at least they were firm. Adequate, she supposed. Could her they be smaller? Perhaps. Not that she had much to compare them too save only having seen her mother and sister.
Men seemed to ogle her sister to the point of falling at her feet while staring at her generous bosom. A body like hers—well it would have to do. It was what she had been given and all she had.
Well, Ledi thought even though she’d not been as blessed as she,.
Her knees knocked slightly, not so noticeable when she practiced a good walk. A graceful glide. Something she practiced weekly along with her reading and sewing time.
The conversation she’d overheard between her brother Evann and her sister Rena, the one that had plagued her thoughts for a fortnight, resurfaced.
The two had been arguing as usual over the state of their family’s finances. At first Ledi had thought nothing of it. It was not unusual for her siblings to argue and she had continued to slip on past the ajar door of her sister’s antechamber, thinking it was the usual argument until she heard something different.
The elevated tone of her sister’s voice. Yes. True anger laced Rena’s high-pitched throaty tone.
“You must be mad, Evann,” her sister had said. “Count Benning? Never!”
“One night is all, Rena.” Her brother Evann had thrown back.
“One night is too many. No. I won’t do it. How can you ask that of me? I am your sister.”
Rena sounded truly upset. Ledi crossed the hall and edged closer to the door.
“It didn’t matter to you when it was Adam.”
Ledi winced at the sound of her brother’s derisive tone laced with his desperation.
“That is not fair. You well know that was an entirely different matter.”
“He didn’t think so and neither did I. Now, because of it, we are barely speaking.”
“The fault of that does not fall wholly upon me, Evann. How easily you forget your hand in it. Your best friend is not speaking to you because you stole his winnings and pointed at me as the thief. In the end, even that didn’t turn out so well, did it? Rumor has it, he still aims to have the authorities haul you in.”
“He may be furious as hell, but I doubt Adam would do that. Besides, they’d never find me. And, Rena,” Evann’s voice softened, “this time things will turn out well. I just know it.”
“No. No, it will not. You know what the problem is? You never think things through, Evann. Everything is instant for you. You come up with great ideas and pfft! That’s it, just ideas. You do not do well at carrying anything through.”
“Damn you, Rena. This time it will! He’s willing to pay off all our debts. And I do mean that and more. Quite a hefty sum. Mother can have her medicine, the care that she needs. Think of all the good his generosity will do for us. For all of us.”
“And save your selfish sorry ass in the end. Right?
”
“Well, that too. Truly, mother is my concern, whether you think that’s true or not. It’s just one night.”
This time the derision was in Rena’s tone. “Then why not ask precious, virginal Ledi?”
Ledi stiffened at her sister’s venomous tone. She heard the loud intake of breath her brother took through the crack of the heavy door and she pressed her back as flat as she could against the wall.
“You know that’s not possible.” Evann sounded furious.
“No. Of course not. Never the too decent, the too virginal Miss Pure Ledi.”
Tears, unbidden, burned the back of Ledi’s eyes and her heart ached. She’d always known her older sister Rena disliked her. The discord between them had been there since they were old enough to know who the other was. But to hear her sister speak of her in the way she was cut through her like a hot poker.
She loved her family despite their quandaries and there were plenty of those. Ledi covered a sniffle and continued to listen as the argument went on.
“Ledi is an innocent. Don’t drag her name into this.”
“Too late for that, dear brother. You’ve done that all on your own in chasing the next coin with your hundred ideas that never materialize.”
“By Jove! Just leave her out of it, Rena. We’ve brought enough shame and disgrace down upon this family enough as it is.”
“Scandal and disease, Evann. And what do we’ve got to show for it? Penniless and starving in a mansion in grave disrepair. No food in the cupboard. The servants trickling off day after day.”
“That can change if you agree to this. I do not see why you’re making such a big to do over it. It isn’t as if you’ve never taken payment before for your…er—”
A muffled shriek of outrage, a shuffle of feet, then something sounded like a tussle. A resounding crack followed and Ledi had to cover her mouth with both hands to stifle her shocked gasp.
“Son of a bitch! If you weren’t my brother I’d cut your heart out!” Rena shouted.
Ledi was glad their mother was asleep and the few servants that had decided to stay on were abed.
“Rena, I’m sorry. It may sound insensitive, but it makes it no less true.” Evann didn’t sound at all contrite.
“Yes. Nonetheless, it hurts no less coming from your own sibling. That you put my body, me, up as a marker is bad enough. And truthfully,” she sniffed, “I probably would have done it if it was any other man than him. Not for all the money in the world would I let that horrible monster touch me or get me to share his bed. Not even for a trice.”
“Rena,” her brother started, “he’s not truly a monster. That’s just outlandish hearsay.”
“Enough, Evann. Had you married yourself to Coreen Bixby you would be close to out of debt. Her dowry was small, not a winning jackpot, nevertheless, it would have been a dip in your empty pouches. The girl was hot after your rod. I’m sure you could’ve squeezed out a bit more from her father.”
Ledi’s eyes widened at her sister’s bluntness.
“Absurb. Ridiculous, that. Sometimes you can be so gauche.”
“For the last time, I will not do it,” Rena repeated.
“So you are leaving us to hang here just like that?”
“Ackley has made arrangements for us to get to Gretna Green before dark falls. Make no mistake, I am going. This may be my last chance.” Her sister’s high-pitched voice was back.
Ledi sympathized with her. Her sister had fallen from the pedestal she had erected for herself. The ton had turned their backs on her sister. Even though the relationships made were shallow, they had meant something to her sister. Now, they were all gone. The invites stopped coming, as did the male callers from some of London’s prominent families. No offers for Rena’s hand would ever come again.
Her sister, used to having attention lavished upon her, had cracked from the lack of it.
It had taken Ledi nearly two months to realize what Rena had truly been doing on her nights out. Her sister had turned to prostitution. Rena’s self-hatred had turned her into an even more bitter person than she usually was.
Despite that, somehow in the midst of it all, Rena had met the son of a Marquis. Ackley Thornstead.
“By god, Rena! You’re selling yourself to a man twice if not thrice your age.”
“Isn’t that what you were just trying to do?”
Evann scoffed. “The Count is but five years older than you.”
“And a creature only women of the night dare visit. Even Madame Duvay’s girls talk about him. Besides. The man has never uttered a single word to me.”
“He’s an admirer from afar.” Ledi heard her brother sigh heavily again. “The Marquis will never acknowledge your union.”
“Perhaps or perhaps not. His breathing is checked every day to see if the old geezer is still alive. It makes no difference either way. Ackley said it does not matter what his father thinks and I believe him. It’s a chance I’m willing to take. We both know I won’t get many more,” her sister said sourly.
Ledi pulled away from the wall on that note when she heard the footsteps from inside move closer toward the door.
Then she’d scurried off to her room.
That had been two weeks ago. Two weeks since her sister had left. Two weeks they’d not heard from Rena since. And Evann?
He’d come to her door the next morning after their argument to tell Ledi what she already known and had overheard. Rena had run off with Lord Ackley Thornstead, heir to the Marquis of Yeardale, one of the most prominent families in London.
Evann had left after breakfast.
Ledi knew not whether he was alive or dead. She’d sent James, her brother’s footman out and about the Town and gaming clubs to see if he could gather any information. He’d come back with word her brother was nowhere to be found.
It was then she had sent word to their former solicitor and he’d given her the news. News, she feared, but had hoped her fears were empty. No such luck.
What she’d dreaded and had been too late to intercept on behalf of herself and her mother, had occurred. Evann had picked them bone dry. Drained the accounts.
To worsen the situation, she later discovered her mother’s precious jewels, family heirlooms that had been in their family for years, passed down from their ancestors, her mother’s side and her father’s—all gone! He’d wiped them out. Robbed them blind. Left them totally destitute. She and her mother were truly in dire straits.
Her mother was on the last of her medicine. Ledi thanked God she had the wherewithal to have squirreled away just enough for one more refill, even though it’d leave them with barely enough for food or anything left to cover their outstanding notes.
That matter that she’d overheard her brother present to her sister. As distasteful as it was, time had come.
Now she stood in front of the mirror trying to pump up her courage. To do something she’d never imagined herself considering, let alone doing.
She could do this.
Ledi pulled on a thin wrapper, walked down the hall to her sister’s old room and straight over to the chipped cherry wood armoire and opened it. It held all of three things, a frayed cloak, an oil-stained shawl, and the item she had come for. The single gown Rena had left behind.
Out of season, the blue gown looked drab and dusty. Once a beautiful vibrant blue, the color had faded. The hem and sleeves, upon closer inspection, worn and frayed.
It had been one of Rena’s favorites because of the low décolletage. Ruffles, bows and lace lined the short sleeves, the bodice and hem. Ledi did not let her mind wander to the things her sister might have done in the gown.
Removing it, she headed back to her room and held it up to her neck in front of the mirror.
After a few adjustments, a bit of mending, a tuck here, a tuck in there and a bit let out in certain areas, her gift with a needle could bring new life back to the material.
Ledi sighed as she looked at herself. She could pull this off.
There was not much difference between her and Rena save her chest. Oh, who was she fooling? There were quite a few. She was more buxom. In addition, her blonde hair was a shade darker. Rena had recently dyed hers to a shade of auburn.
Ledi had no plans to go that far. If what she’d overheard was true, The count had never met Rena face to face. He’d only seen her from afar.
Ledi turned to view her left profile. No one would be able to tell the difference. From the side, many had mistaken her for Rena many many times and Rena for her.
Now the time had come for her to put that a true test.
Could she give herself to a man? Rena seemed to enjoy it and never failed to lament that fact.
Hadn’t she herself dreamt of being touched, kissed passionately until she was mindless and swept off her feet by some man? A lover who could make her scream in wild abandonment from a night of unimaginable ecstasy.
Oh what was she thinking? Ledi lowered the gown, her shoulders slumping in despair. She could not do this! She was such a coward. God needed to send her a sign, any kind of sign. Hunger pains made her dizzy.
The sound of her mother’s bout of wet coughs down the hall reached her ears.
Tears sprang quickly to her eyes and Ledi lifted the gown back up and pressed it to her chest. The sign she needed had reared its head.
CHAPTER TWO
The hack she rented rolled along the rocky terrain that led up to the viscount’s castle perched above the sea on white cliffs. The night was cold, dark. The light fog had grown heavier the closer they drew to their destination as they’d ridden along the sea path roads. Ledi shivered and drew the thin shawl closer about her shoulders as she huddled closer to the corner to keep warmth inside her body, her mind on what she was about to do.
Could she face the count? A man likened to a wolf as if her were some fantastical mythical beast. Mysterious and apparently a sexually insatiable creature. At least that’s what the gossip bandied about added on top of his many other supposedly unsurpassed and impressionable male attributes. Ledi blushed as some of the more crude words swept through her mind. Most whispers about him she knew were just that, ridiculous and exaggerated innuendo to fan the rumors.