Dangerous Games of a Broken Lady: A Historical Regency Romance Novel

by Linfield, Emma

  As Mr. Sawyer stood and Jasper followed him out of the room, Ephraim leaned forward and rested his head in his hands. This was all too much. He had not anticipated such cruelty in himself. Never in his life had he thought himself capable of such callous behavior. Somehow, a survival instinct had emerged; an urge to protect his family above all else.

  Sitting there, looking out at a gray sky, he only prayed that he would not be pushed to the very edges of what he was capable of.

  What can these hands, this voice, this mind, be made to inflict, for the sake of those I love? As bitter tears filled his eyes, he wondered if he might be better off dead after all. Would that satisfy Lord Rowntree? Would that give him his pound of flesh? Or would that rotten scoundrel haunt him past the grave and beyond?

  He could have risked his own life to discover the answer, but he could not risk Adelaide.

  Damn you, Rowntree. Damn you straight to hell.

  Chapter 15

  How oblivious you are, wandering the streets without a care in the world. And how beautiful your Mama is—what a rare bird. You share in her exquisiteness, dear girl, although you have youth on your side. He smirked to himself. Can you feel my eyes upon you? Do you feel how they singe into your sweet skin? What would you say if you could see me now, watching you from so close? Would it frighten you? Would it thrill you? You mix with unsavory sorts, perhaps you enjoy the titillation of voyeurism—or, perhaps, you do not know the extent of your fiancé’s past? How deliciously unscrupulous it is. A man after my own heart. Oh, what he shall do with your innocence, dear child. You shall emerge a butterfly from this dreary chrysalis.

  Lord Rowntree stood in the shadows of the India exhibit, and continued to watch Adelaide through the glass pane of a display box. He had received confirmation that Ephraim and Jasper had left their quaint square of grand townhouses not an hour ago. Everything was slotting rather marvelously into place.

  If Ephraim completed the initial stage of his task, then a messenger would arrive no later than three o’clock to deliver the news to Lord Rowntree of its success. It was half-past two already. Time was ticking swiftly by.

  Now that he had managed to observe Adelaide a little more closely, he was starting to hope that Ephraim might allow his cowardice to get the better of him. She would make a rather wonderful plaything. He did not tend to get his own hands dirty any longer, given the vast network of minions he had in his possession. However, for Adelaide, he would make an exception.

  She was remarkable. That pale skin, juxtaposed with that raven hair. He could not get enough. The way she smiled and laughed, and spoke intelligently on all the creatures and objects, stowed away in their glass cases. He licked his lips, picturing what it might be like to have her in a glass case. An exhibit all his own.

  What a tantalizing idea.

  “Might I assist you, Sir?” one of the museum curators asked, disturbing Lord Rowntree’s peace.

  “No, thank you. I am merely browsing.” He grinned, delighting in the double meaning.

  “Very well, Sir. Sorry to trouble you.”

  Lord Rowntree went back to his silent admiration. He enjoyed the way Adelaide’s body moved elegantly beneath the lavender muslin of her gown, like a ballet dancer. Hypnotized, he could not tear his eyes away. She had him enraptured.

  Perhaps, if your dear father does not do as he is told, you and I may come to some arrangement to free him of his debts? Lord Rowntree grinned at the prospect. I would not trouble your father for a dowry, for you would be treasure enough. Besides, I have no need of further wealth—I am richer than Midas himself. It seems a small price to pay, dear girl. The rest of your life for your father’s financial freedom.

  The only trouble, Lord Rowntree was a man of his word. Despite his villainous behavior, he never reneged on a contract. He and Ephraim had come to a specific agreement; if Ephraim followed through with the task that had been set, then Lord Rowntree would have no choice but to repeal any threats he had made. He would also have to give Ephraim the second half of the promised fee. Both seemed like disappointing prospects, now that he’d viewed Adelaide with his own eyes.

  Still, he had his doubts about the Earl of Leeds. He did not believe that the old man was capable of intimidating another human being, not even with his daughter’s life at stake.

  Time will tell, he mused. For now, I shall enjoy what the museum has to offer.

  The trouble was, in focusing all his attentions on Adelaide, Lord Rowntree had broken his cardinal rule. Standing in the shadows of the India exhibit, he had allowed his defenses to come down. He had not even noticed the museum curator until he was standing at his side. Overconfidence set a dangerous precedent. If a man believed himself to be invulnerable, he left himself open to unexpected attack.

  Indeed, there was another figure that Lord Rowntree hadn’t noticed. Another shadow, lurking on the periphery. A stealthy presence, camouflaged by those who walked around him. Here, he blended in. And whilst Lord Rowntree’s focus was firmly fixed on Adelaide, the furtive shadow had the villainous wretch in his sights.

  Had he only turned around, he would have seen the flicker of his potential fate darting from the India exhibit. Without realizing it, the hunter had become the hunted.

  Chapter 16

  Adelaide sat at the far side of the library, flipping absently through a book. It had been an entire day since she had witnessed Leah’s unexpected flirtation at the tea room on St. Martin’s Lane, and she had successfully managed to avoid encountering Jasper. She fully intended to reveal the news to him… she just didn’t know how to broach the subject. It required time and care.

  A knock at the door disturbed her. Jasper poked his head into the library, prompting Adelaide’s heart to sink. She did not have the right words yet. She did not know what to say to lessen the pain, whilst somehow protecting their friendship. He would be furious with her for being the one to break the news, his distress blinding his logical mind.

  “Adelaide, there you are!” he cried. He looked pale, his eyes bloodshot.

  “Jasper, what on earth are you doing here? I did not hear you come in.”

  “Ah yes, I happened to arrive at the front door just as Rosemary was departing with your mother,” he replied. “My apologies, I should have announced myself.”

  “Are you unwell? You do not look well.”

  “Charming,” he muttered.

  “I mean it, Jasper. You look as though you have taken sick. See how pale you are.” She rose and crossed the gap between them. Lifting her hand to his forehead, she felt for his temperature. “Well, you do not feel feverish.”

  He sighed, the breath scraping through his throat. “I did not sleep well last night, that is all. I had much to contemplate.”

  “My father is somewhat under the weather today,” she mused. “Do you think you might have caught his illness? If it is infectious, we ought to call for the physician.”

  “I very much doubt it, Adelaide. If he were infectious, you would also be sick. You were in his study alongside me.”

  She shrugged reluctantly. “Will you promise me that you will retire early tonight, and have a full night’s rest?”

  “I promise… if you will do one small thing for me.” His eyes sparked with sudden vitality.

  “What?” Her tone held a hint of wariness.

  “Miss Green has arrived at my doorstep, and she wishes to speak with me,” he said excitedly. “I did not quite know how to respond, so I told her we might speak here… with you as a chaperone.”

  Adelaide grimaced. The timing could not have been worse. She had all these secrets swimming around in her head, with nobody to vent them to. Ordinarily, that duty would have fallen to Jasper. For obvious reasons, they had been forced to remain inside her brain, unspoken and building in pressure.

  “That is a terrible idea,” she complained.

  “Please, my dearest friend,” he urged. “This may be my one chance to make amends, and to assure her of my admiration and affection.”


  She paused, taking a moment to look into his eyes. It wounded her to see his boyish excitement. The more she thought about it, the more Adelaide wondered how genuine Leah’s affections were. All night, she had tossed and turned, trying to decipher Leah’s true intentions. After all, if she truly loved Jasper, no amount of external coercing or doubts would be able to drive her away from him.

  Something did not add up.

  Still, she had to give Jasper his chance.

  “Fine… you may bring her in here,” Adelaide relented. “I will sit here, with my book, in complete silence. You may converse as though I am elsewhere—I promise I will not interject.”

  Although, it will be hard not to, she added silently. You think Reuben is woefully unsuitable. Perhaps, neither of us has made the greatest choice.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He grasped her hands and lifted them to his lips, planting an excitable kiss on her bare skin. The action took her by surprise. His lips were rough, but not unpleasant. She could feel the grazed tingle long after he’d disappeared back out into the hall.

  How bizarre, she mused. Brushing it off as half-crazed weariness, she padded back over to her cozy armchair and returned to her book. There was no way she’d be able to read a single line, not with Leah in the room.

  A few minutes later, Jasper and Miss Green entered the library. She barely paid Adelaide an iota of attention, before sinking into one of the deep leather sofas that lay parallel to the fireplace. Jasper, meanwhile, sat on a comically small stool, propriety keeping him from sitting beside her. As woeful as the situation was, Adelaide had to stifle a laugh. He looked like an awkward child, his knees almost up to his chin.

  “I hope you do not mind that I have asked Adelaide to chaperone?” Jasper broke the silence. “I know there have been some tensions between you, of late, but I trust such things are behind you?”

  Miss Green shrugged. “I do not mind if she is here. She seems to always be wherever you are.” The bitterness in her voice was undeniable.

  Oh dear… this is not going to end well.

  “That is somewhat unfair, Miss Green.”

  Leah shot him a look. “You see, you call her Adelaide, yet you call me Miss Green. It is highly perplexing.”

  “My apologies, Miss Green. I do not know you as well as I know Lady Adelaide, though I hope we may continue to better our acquaintance of one another?”

  She paused. “You wish to be my friend, Lord Gillett?”

  “Why… I rather think I do,” he replied stiffly.

  “Only my friend?”

  His brow furrowed in confusion. “I do not understand, Miss Green. You must forgive me.”

  Adelaide had to grip the side of the armchair. The conversation had barely begun, and already it was unbearable. All she wanted to do was hurry over to him and interpret Leah’s meaning, so he could better understand. The poor boy was entirely baffled.

  “I have asked nothing of you, Lord Gillett. I have been quiet and patient, biding my time. In the beginning, I had no doubt in my mind that you were the sort of gentleman that any young lady might be fortunate to marry,” she explained coolly. “As the weeks wore on, doubts did begin to find their way into my thoughts.”

  “That I am ungentlemanly?” he replied, still clearly confused.

  Let her finish, Adelaide urged.

  “No, I still believe any young lady would be fortunate to wed you,” Miss Green went on. “The doubt lies in your affection towards me. I am a shy, modest girl. I have done all I can to convey the depth of my feelings towards you, without causing myself embarrassment or disrepute. And yet, you have done nothing in return. You show Adelaide far greater affection than you have ever shown to me.”

  “I do no such thing, Miss Green,” he said defiantly. “I hardly show Adelaide any affection at all.”

  Oh, you fool. Focus on her, not me. Please, I beg of you, for both of our sakes.

  “You are a closed book to me, Lord Gillett!” Miss Green’s voice cut through the air, shrill and angry.

  A stilted silence stretched between them. Adelaide tried not to look, but she could not help it. The awkwardness appeared to have a powerful pull that drew her in. Leah’s cheeks were flushed a furious pink, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. Meanwhile, Jasper continued to wear an expression of complete bemusement.

  “I apologize if it seems that way, Miss Green,” he replied at last. “The truth is, I do not know what it is that you desire me to say.”

  A strangled whimper slipped from Miss Green’s throat. “My goodness, Lord Gillett, are you really so obtuse?”

  “I—”

  “I wish to know of your intentions, Lord Gillett,” she interjected coldly. “I hear from Adelaide that you admire and adore me, but I see no hint of that warmth from you. She has even told me that you do not care for societal dogma, so I know you have no qualms about my station. Regardless, your behavior remains almost platonic where I am concerned.”

  Adelaide watched him visibly fumble for a reply. “It is my desire to be courteous, Miss Green.”

  “What does that matter?”

  He grimaced. “It means that… I do not quite know how to express myself when it comes to members of the fairer sex. I am ever-conscious of behaving in a decorous manner.”

  “Then, allow me to speak plainly.”

  Adelaide braced for what was to come.

  “Do you care for me, Lord Gillett?” Miss Green asked, her voice worryingly quiet. A flicker of a warning lingered in her words. Evidently, there was a right and a wrong answer.

  He froze.

  Answer her! Heavens above, answer her! Tell her the truth of what is in your heart—the truth you have told me often enough when you speak of her.

  “It is not as simple as caring for someone, Miss Green,” he began, causing all of Adelaide’s encouragement to plummet.

  “Do you care for me?” Miss Green pressed, her hands balled into fists. Her voice wavered as she continued. “Do you think you could love me?”

  Time seemed to slow down as the question hovered in the center of the room, heavy and unanswered. Jasper squirmed on his stool, his gaze seeking out Adelaide for help.

  I cannot assist you this time, my dear friend. Leah will flounce out of here and never come back if I involve myself. This is one battle you must fight alone. She hoped that, deep within his subconscious, he could hear her.

  “I care very much,” he said, at last. “I hold you in the highest esteem. Indeed, you have become a rather dear friend to me.”

  “A friend?” The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Adelaide almost ducked for cover behind the armrest of her chair. He could not have chosen a worse word if he had tried. No lady wished to merely be a friend, not when they held feelings of love for a gentleman.

  “Yes… you are a very dear friend to me. I relish the time we spend in one another’s company. And I confess, I look forward to the occasions where we might converse and get to know one another better,” he went on, digging himself a larger hole. “In that sense, there is still a great deal for me to discover.”

  “You do not seem to understand, Lord Gillett.”

  No, my dear Jasper, you do not. Adelaide stole a glance at the couple by the fire and wished she could be anywhere else. She had never seen her friend so desperately uncomfortable.

  “Understand, Miss Green? What is there to understand?” A note of panic peppered his words.

  “I am a lady of lesser means than you,” she replied. “There are certain things that are expected of me, especially given the station of my family. They have greater wealth than many fine lords and ladies, yet we lack the title to give us our proper place amongst high society. I am expected to make a fortuitous match.”

  He frowned. “And you have sought me out to make such a match?”

  “Again, Lord Gillett, you do not seem to understand.” She paused, heaving in a shaky breath. “You may think me blunt in my manner of speaking, but I must be honest with you. I
have little else to lose. You see, against all odds, I had hoped to wed a man that I could truly love, who might also gift me with the benefits of a suitable title. I do not want to marry a man who does not care for me.”

  He stared at her silently.

  “And yet… it appears I have been mistaken in where I have placed my affections.” She shook her head slowly. “Perhaps, it was foolish of me to pin such hopes to you. I envisioned a fantasy, but I see that it cannot be attainable. My mother is putting a great deal of pressure upon me, as I am already reaching beyond a favorable age for marriage.”

  If you are beyond a favorable age, Leah, where does that leave me? Adelaide wondered, for she was several years older than Miss Green. Although… I suppose I am engaged now. The pressure upon my shoulder has been somewhat alleviated.