Rogues, Rakes & Jewels

by Claudy Conn

  “They might ask us to leave, and I don’t wish to yet …”

  “You don’t wish to return to London, yet?” Robby was stunned.

  “Are you not enjoying yourself?”

  “Here is the thing—I am, immensely. Didn’t think I would like this damned Isle of Wight, but having a jolly good time, and what is more, like the Henshaws, every last one of ’em.”

  “So then, don’t you want to stay?”

  “Yes, Rye … I want to stay, but I want to stay under m’own name—don’t want anyone to think me the wealthy marquis …”

  “We will straighten it all out soon—very soon.” Ryker put up his hand. “Shh … I am fairly certain that lone figure on horseback must be Ben Clay …”

  “What the devil is he doing?” Robby asked in some surprise.

  “No doubt he has returned the—what did you call her—little hellcat to wherever she lives, and he is returning to the Silver Heart.”

  “Why wouldn’t he stay the night with the beauty?” Robby snorted. “I would.”

  Ryker laughed. “And you not in the petticoat line!”

  “Don’t want to marry ’em … not in that line …” Robby clarified.

  Ryker laughed out loud and said, “This situation with the masked beauty is deep, Robby, very deep, and it has naught to do with larking. There is a why that drives them to it.”

  “You have lost me, Rye … as you usually do, so I am not going to ask, because I am a bit in m’cups … and besides that, I know you … and know you aren’t about to answer me. Best get to Henshaw House and get to bed …”

  Nine

  CLOTHED IN BRIGHT yellow muslin and carrying a large, old, and much worn portmanteau, Jewelene sped down the hall from the rear third-floor staircase to her room. She closed her door, breathed a sigh of relief, and said out loud to the form who had chosen to take a nap beside the small fireplace in her bedroom, “Whew, that was close, Caesar!”

  She moved to set the bag on her bed and added, “I thought Aunt Dora was going to catch me. If Elizabeth hadn’t called her … I would have had to lie to her—and an out-and-out lie, although you will say a lie of omission is still a lie, but it is different in my book. Thank goodness Babette will have to make only one more appearance, because between you and me … not really enjoying it as much as I made Ben think. Want it done, want the odious Omsbury out of our lives … want … oh, Caesar … the man of my dreams is naught but a rogue … and a libertine … kissing me and propositioning Babette a few hours later. How is it I still feel so much for him?”

  She heard something belowstairs and scrunched up her face. “I wonder what is afoot?” She pulled out two of her mother’s gowns and shook them out, deciding immediately on the royal blue velvet. She was pleased it was still in such good shape and hung it by the window to air out. “There … that should do nicely …”

  “Now come along, Caesar … Jimmy should be back by now, and I suppose everyone will be dawdling in for breakfast … and I am sure Aunt Dora will quiz me about oversleeping …” Jewels sighed heavily. “I shall have to fib … but a fib isn’t a lie … is it?”

  Caesar moaned as he padded forward. “Yes, I know … it is a lie … and now I am in one tremendous lie, but some lies, now and then, especially when it is for the purpose of producing something good, are necessary.”

  Caesar did not seem to agree as he turned and gazed at her mournfully before leading her down the stairs.

  *

  Belowstairs in the parlor, Ryker looked on as Aunt Dora and Elizabeth were entertaining Lyla and Ben Clay and Robby, when Jimmy joined them with his usual jovial manners. Aunt Dora left them to their own devices when she was called to the kitchen, and then Jimmy suddenly took a reluctant Ben with him to the stables.

  Robby was left to dodge Lyla’s advances, and Ryker returned his attention to the open doorway.

  Elizabeth giggled and leaned towards him as she watched Robby’s face and Lyla’s intense maneuvers. “Poor man—Lyla cannot see that he is not interested.”

  Ryker grinned. “Oh, it isn’t that she cannot see … she will not.” He frowned then and remarked in what he hoped was an idle tone, “It would appear we are not to see your cousin Jewelene this morning,”

  Elizabeth’s dove eyes regarded him quietly, but she smiled. “It is unlike her to oversleep, but she has been so overburdened as of late …” She frowned, and her eyelashes fluttered as though she realized she had said too much.

  “Overburdened?” he said, encouraging her to continue.

  She sighed. “It is most unbecoming to speak of my cousin’s affairs.”

  “Not at all—it shows a great deal of caring, only that,” he said kindly but with the hope that she would tell him more.

  “Jewelene, being Jimmy’s older sister, takes on all the problems of Henshaw. She seems to think it is her place to set things right for Jimmy’s future. And then of course there is that odious man, Omsbury, forever after her …”

  “And why does she not send him to the devil?” Ryker asked softly.

  Elizabeth blushed rosily. “I … I … am not … I should not be speaking of him … or of Jewelene’s business … Oh, do forgive me! I cannot imagine … what moved me to do so …”

  He took pity on her genuine distress and patted her fingers. “Don’t fret, Elizabeth. You spoke to a friend. I wish you and the family no harm … quite the opposite, in fact.”

  At that moment the object of their discussion appeared at the open double doors of the parlor. Ryker looked up and across to see Jewelene’s green eyes sparkle with irritation and her chin go up.

  He caught his breath as he looked at her. She was magnificent. But why the devil did she look in a temper? She purposely avoided his eye and seemed intent on ignoring him. Her temper, he noted immediately, was directed at him.

  He realized his fingers were still touching Elizabeth’s hand, and a smirk tickled his lips. She was jealous.

  “Good morning … or is it almost noon?” Jewelene smiled brightly as she came in and went to drop a light kiss on her cousin’s cheek. “Lizzie … do look out for him, I believe he is a dangerous man …” She turned abruptly and said good morning to Robby and Lyla and asked after her aunt, who appeared at that moment, followed by both Jimmy and Ben Clay.

  Jewelene went bouncing to greet her brother and then Ben, who put her fingers to his lips and said, “Miss Jewelene … I am delighted to see you looking so well.”

  “And I you, sir,” she responded at once, and then she turned to link her arm through her brother’s. “Tell me about Lightning.”

  Ryker had not missed the look exchanged between Ben and Jewelene, nor had he missed the look Ben gave Elizabeth as he approached and sat beside her on the sofa. He left them to quiet conversation and made his way towards Jimmy and Jewelene to listen in on the report regarding the Arabian stallion.

  He waited for a moment and interjected, “If I were you, I would not allow this particular information to go abroad …”

  “Why? What are you suggesting?” Jewelene surveyed him coldly.

  He inclined his head. “For one thing, the less people know, the greater the odds. If you plan to place a bet on your own horse, you want high odds. Secondly, you don’t want anyone putting a spoke in your wheel. The less others know about your plans, the safer.”

  Jimmy’s eyes showed dawning. “Deuce take it, if you aren’t right!”

  Jewelene conceded reluctantly, “Thank you … for your concern.”

  “Also, are you aware that there is a hefty entrance fee and it will need to be paid soon if your horse is to be considered?” Ryker asked quietly.

  “Yes, yes, I know—” Jewels started.

  “Tell her she can’t be selling her jewelry either,” said Jimmy, clearly not thinking about proprieties.

  Jewelene glared daggers at him. “I have a solution to the entrance fee problem, so you needn’t regard it,” she said to both Ryker and her brother.

  “I am glad to hear i
t, because, as a friend—if you need one—I can help …”

  She looked shocked and then lowered her eyes. “We do not take charity,” she said in a low voice.

  “I do not mean to give it.”

  “Your concern seems genuine, and, please—”

  “Aye, you are the best of good fellows, but we will manage, though I do hope she will get it out of her head to sell m’mother’s emeralds.”

  “That is not open for discussion here and now …” Jewelene said to him in a warning tone and with a threatening glare.

  “Indeed, though if that is true, I must agree with your brother,” Ryker said and reached out to touch her arm.

  Her eyes got wet, and she couldn’t speak for the moment. “I am afraid that some things are not open for parlor discussion.”

  Jimmy looked upset. “I am sorry, sis, I … I feel a helpless fool …”

  She hugged her brother. “Nonsense! Now don’t be silly. ’Tis naught but jewelry. Honestly, such a fuss …”

  Their man, Stanton, opened the parlor doors and announced that ‘late breakfast’ was ready in the breakfast room.

  *

  After breakfast, everyone went strolling about the early spring gardens, gardens that were certainly in need of more care than they were getting, and Jewelene felt a moment’s frustration as she glanced over the unruly garden beds. When had life become so violently altered? The day your parents died … and your father left you with such staggering debts … that’s when, a harsh voice answered. She hushed it. She loved her father. That was not what she wanted to remember—but she would be careful when choosing a mate. She needed someone who would be solid and steady, and there for her always.

  Beside her, tall and seemingly taking enough space to blot out all else, was Ryker—muscular, handsome Ryker. He hadn’t bothered to wear his hat, and the wind played with his layered waves of dark blonde hair. A quick look, and she saw that his gray eyes were on her and held a light that brought back an old dream—a dream where she could rely on someone strong and capable.

  She wondered how he had so adroitly managed to detach her from the others and get her down this little-used wooded path. She wanted to get Ryker out of her head. She wanted to remind herself that he was the same libertine who had propositioned Babette last evening—only last evening—so how dare he look at her with such eyes! He was not the man of her dreams—he was not the one she could trust and rely on. Sadly, though her heart wanted him to be, she very much doubted he ever could be.

  Yet, here he was, solicitous, and gentle, and flirtatious, yes, but there was that in his tone that hinted of more …

  Here was the man who had taken her in his arms last night and kissed her like she was the only woman in the world he wanted—like she was the only woman he would ever want. Was she an idiot? She had had her fair share of kisses—yes, from boys, not from anyone even close to Ryker’s stamp—and his kiss felt so completely right.

  “Where are you, Jewels … for your eyes tell me you are somewhere else?” Ryker smiled as he clasped his hands behind his back and paused.

  They were behind an abandoned tool shed in the woods that lined the far grassy paddocks and completely out of sight of the others. She smiled naughtily up at him and tried to change the subject. “Now, how did you manage to get me here all alone …”

  “Do you not wish to be alone with me, Jewels?” he said, unclasping his hands and taking a step closer to her.

  She moved back against the weathered building. “I ah … I … how many women do you dally with in a day … how many in a week … Ryker? I don’t want to be one of them,” she answered her chin well up.

  “I am not dallying,” he said, scooping her into his arms and bending his head towards hers to whisper as his lips brushed hers, “I am in earnest …”

  He was going to kiss her if she didn’t stop him. The time to stop him was now. Now was the time.

  The question flitted in her mind—how could he say that such a thing? How could he be in earnest? She frowned and said harshly, “You … you are a liar!” She pushed ineffectually at his chest.

  He pulled away only slightly from her, and she fancied that instead of anger she saw a twinkle in his gray eyes. Why would his eyes twinkle? She had just called him a liar.

  He said, “Harsh … my love—why would you call me a liar?”

  “I … I …” she looked away.

  “Ah, did Ben carry tales out of school?” he asked, and although he seemed to look annoyed, she did not believe he really was. An underlying current of something was going on here, but what?

  “Ben? No … he wouldn’t …” She eyed him. “So … you have tales that could be told?”

  He laughed. “I was at the Silver Heart … and I suppose a man that attends such a place must have tales …”

  “Why?”

  “Because last night there was an unusual masked Frenchwoman dealing faro, and I flirted outrageously with her …” He shrugged a shoulder casually, all the while still leaning in ready to take his kiss. “Just for sport.”

  “Just for sport, you say?” He was so close, he was about to kiss her. Jewels, her inner voice called, … run.

  He bent his head once again. “There is a difference …” he whispered huskily.

  “If a woman were to kiss a man in earnest and flirt with another … just for sport, what say you to that?”

  He kissed her then, long and hard, his lips parting hers, taking possession, his tongue engaging her in a tango that went from wild to gentle persuasion as his hand lifted her gown and he parted her thighs to cup the thinly covered tuft he found there. He came up from that kiss and whispered on a hard note as his fingers lingered between her thighs, “I would say, Jewelene, that is not a game you wish to play with me …”

  What was he doing? He was ravishing her body, and she loved it. She moved into the hand between her thighs and wanted more. And then he kissed her again, and this time, her mind was lost to her heart because her heart demanded she let go. The last year of scraping and worrying and fending Omsbury, and she just surrendered—but for Jewels it wasn’t a game.

  It was a dream—it was everything she had thought being in a man’s arms should be. As he touched her, the world around her vanished and the air filled with sparkling rockets that drowned out the sound of anything but his growl of pleasure and her whimper of delight as his hand wandered over her body and his kisses traveled over her neck. Then suddenly he pulled away …

  “We will be missed … and I will not have you whispered about,” he said with an inclination of his head as he took her hand and led her down the path back towards the others.

  She shook her head, unsure how he could withdraw so quickly. She wanted the kissing and touching to go on. For a moment she was off balance and thought she might stumble. “I cannot understand you, Ryker—I wish to understand you, for there is so much more than what you show to the world, but … you elude me.”

  “It is my fervent hope that you will learn to know me soon … and trust me …”

  “How can I trust you when everything about you is a mystery and everything you do leads me to more questions?”

  “We shall see … but trust, my dear, is something that must be earned by those that seek it …” He put up his hand. “Ah, Jimmy is waving to us …”

  Ten

  THE SUN PEEPED between fingers of gilt-edged clouds, and the sky turned bright azure. A breeze stirred the flounce of Jewelene’s spencer and played with Sir James’ open buckskin riding coat. His uncovered brown hair curled about his fair face, and he smiled broadly.

  “Put him through his paces, and I tell you, girl, he did splendidly. Lord, but he’ll do.”

  Jewelene smiled. She had wanted to go walking on her own this morning and was but giving him half her attention. She hadn’t seen Ryker since dinner last evening.

  He and his cousin Robby had left for town, and she and Jimmy had taken an early breakfast in the kitchen with Cook this morning before they made
their way to the stables. She had grimaced at herself for giving in to convention and donning a pretty day gown of blue muslin with a dark blue spencer for warmth against the morning wind.

  She wanted to just take a long walk down to the seaside and think. She was so confused about so dashed much these last few days. She smiled at her brother, however, and said, “I am well aware of Lightning’s prowess, my pup. Ben tells me he has looked into the other horses that will be going to Derby. From what he hears tell from talk at the Silver Heart, none come close to our boy’s speed.”

  Jimmy’s eyes lit up. “Deuced relieved to hear that! Well, I have another matter I wish to discuss with you …”

  She looked up at him in puzzlement. “What, Jimmy …?”

  “I want to set your mind at ease. Methinks, girl, you have had enough on your plate these two years! Don’t want you to sell Mama’s emeralds. She gave them to you … and you should have them. Arthur and I have thought of a solution.”

  Arthur was Jimmy’s dearest friend. He was a good lad, and with any luck the two of them would be off to school in the fall, but whatever scheme he was up to was not something she wanted them to be taking on without supervision. “Give over, Jimmy … what have you done?”

  “Nothing yet, and can’t tell you. I’m off tomorrow for the mainland.”

  “What?” she almost screamed. “But, Jimmy, you can’t … we have a house full of guests, and they don’t look like they mean to leave anytime soon …”

  “Can go and must. It is time I started helping you, sis …” He touched her shoulder. “You must not worry—this is nothing that will cause you a problem. Can’t give you any details as it is not the sort of thing a man tells a woman,” he said mysteriously.

  “Jimmy!” Jewels shrieked. Whatever was he involved in with Arthur? This sounded dangerous.

  “Won’t be gone above a week, and when we return, we’ll be set right and tight, see if we won’t.”

  “But, Jimmy, it isn’t necessary,” she put in hurriedly. “I have the emeralds for the entrance fee, and it will also leave us enough to carry us through the year … and … and we shall do … for Ben also has a plan.”