The Rakehell Regency Romance Series Boxed Set 5

by MacMurrough, Sorcha

  "Come upstairs. I've been waiting ages," she whined. "You said you'd let me ride first."

  "In a minute. I have to finish up now before the inventory tomorrow. The stupid bugger thinks he's so careful, that his tea is so pure. If only he knew."

  They both chuckled.

  "Aye, he thought I was pure," Matilda laughed. "Should have futtered him to string him along after all."

  "You are pure, cousin. Pure lust, pure temptation. It will be a shame to have to share you with him. But once we get that bitch Juliet out of the way you'll need to pick up where you two left off before she spoiled things."

  "When will we kill--"

  "He watches her so closely these days it's hard to say. It will have to be soon. We can't run the risk of having the baby pop."

  Juliet gasped in horror, alerting the two of them to her presence. Before she could flee Nash flung open the door and grabbed her by the arm.

  "How long have you been standing there!" he demanded.

  "Not long!"

  "How long?" he hissed.

  "I looked in, saw a naked woman and gasped," she lied desperately. "I didn't mean to startle anyone."

  "Lawrence warned me when you two first married that you were a prime actress. Come Matilda, help me--"

  "Let me go!" She shoved him hard, broke free, and ran. "Help, Lawrence, Lawrence!" she shouted as she charged back down the dock as fast as her distended belly allowed her. If she could just get back to the gate....

  She heard Nash coming after her inexorably. "Lawrence! Lawrence!"

  Suddenly she felt herself go flying. She landed in the canal with a splash. The noisome oily cold water bubbled up into her nose and mouth. She choked and flailed wretchedly for a moment while she tried to rise to the surface.

  For a blissful second she was able to take a deep breath. Then a rough hand rammed her head back down below the surface. Nash had laced his hard fingers in her soaking hair, trapping her.

  She reached up and clawed frantically at the hand and wrist. For a moment she despaired, until she forced herself to be calm. She had taken Eswara up on her offer to learn about her own power after she had been attacked by Parke. All that her friend and Ash had taught her came to the fore now as she used Nash's force in his arm against him to yank him into the water.

  Juliet surfaced in an instant, kicking madly against her heavy velvet evening gown and many layers of petticoats which were soaking through and threatening to drag her under. There was a ladder not far away which she paddled over to. Just as she began to ascend she felt Nash grabbing her from behind.

  "Lawrence! Lawrence!"

  "Juliet! Where are you?" her husband bellowed, coming down the gangplank of the ship berthed some distance away and peering into the darkness.

  "I'm down here! Help me please!"

  "Down where?" came the anguished cry.

  "In the canal!" she answered, clinging to the ladder with all her might as her assailant tried to drag her under. "Help me quickly! It's Nash! He's trying to kill me. I saw him adulterating all the tea, re-packing it as yours and the Han's brand we've seen popping up all over. And Matilda is in his office almost naked. They're lovers, and they've wanted to steal your company all along!"

  She was never so relieved in her life to have her husband's hands upon her as he tugged her from Nash's limpet-like grasp and stood her on the docks.

  "It was you who incited Parke. And set up those so-called accidents to harm or kill my wife. You bastard!"

  "Please, I can explain, only get me out of here! I can't swim!"

  "You were going to kill me. You and Matilda. And then what, marry each other?"

  "Don't be silly! What the hell would I want with a whore like that? She's only a means to an end. She isn't even that good in bed. You got the better bargain, you bastard. But then you always did roll in shit and come up smelling of roses. Me and your brother fleeced you all those years ago, and what happens. Your uncle adopts you, damn your hide! I set you up to marry the biggest whore in London, and you get this innocent barely out of breechclouts!" Nash snarled.

  "Whore, am I!" Matilda shrieked, kicking him in the head as he tried to ascend the ladder.

  She was clothed now in a low-cut gown with voluminous skirts. She hoisted them higher as she poised for another kick. Only this time the partly conscious Nash grabbed her ankle and heaved her into the canal.

  Lawrence and Juliet watched in horror as the couple struggled. Before Lawrence could even attempt to intervene, they had vanished under the murky water.

  "Run, get Ted at the gate," Juliet gasped. "Quickly."

  Part of Lawrence wanted to just leave them to their watery grave, but he knew his wife would never forgive him. Would he be any better than Nash or Matilda if he stooped to killing to get what he wanted?

  He waited and waited, but there was no sign of them. Ted came tearing up shortly afterwards, with a couple of the other factory watchmen in tow, but after half an hour there was still nothing.

  "We'll look for the bodies to surface just to be sure, but I'd say they were goners," Ted said with a shake of his head.

  Juliet had insisted on remaining with her husband. Despite her wet clothes he had not minded. Gripping her by the waist, he swore he was never going to let her out of his sight again.

  "Come, dearest. We need to get you out of those things." He brought her into the office and found Matilda's cloak. "Not ideal, but better than nothing until I can get you a gown," he said, stripping off her soaking clothes with alacrity.

  "Just like me travelling with you when we were first married," she said between chattering teeth. "Only in this case it will be a short journey. We'll be back home soon."

  "Oh no, I'm going to take you to an inn to rest."

  "No, darling, really, I'm fine. I want to be in our own home, our own bed. And I swear I'm not going to let you leave it for a week."

  He threw his arms around her and held her tightly. He had never felt so inexpressibly weary in his life. He had trusted Nash, and been betrayed day after day, year in and year out.

  And his loving wife.... She had tried to save him, and nearly paid the price. He should have listened to her hints that all was not right with Nash.

  Now he had to make some momentous decisions to deal with this new crisis. "Ted!" he called.

  "Yes, sir?"

  "Inventory tomorrow is cancelled. Close the factory. See that the ship gets away tomorrow, and then I'm giving everyone a fortnight's paid holiday until I decide what to do."

  "Decide what to do, sir?" he said, puzzled. "Why, everyone adores your tea. If you close, you're going to have a run on the place."

  "All right, a week's holiday, and I want all the tea in the factory sold at half price."

  "Half price? All of it? But--"

  He nodded. "You heard me. Half price. Spread the word to the others. I have a new shipment due any day now, and we shall just have to make sure that the new batches are unloaded and packaged as quickly as possible."

  "Aye, sir, I'll do my best, sir, pass on your instructions, and look for a replacement for Nash, shall I?"

  Lawrence shook his head and sighed. "No need. I think I've already found one. That is, if she'll agree to do it." He gave his wife a significant look.

  Her brows flew upwards in surprise. "Me? But--"

  "I've been so wrong about so many things, and will have to spend the rest of my life begging for your forgiveness. But I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

  "But the baby, and the boys--"

  He bent down to kiss her, all the love in his heart welling up with that single gesture. When he lifted his lips at last, he said, "You can do anything if you set your mind to it. Everything you touch thrives. And I was hoping well, that we could persuade your parents and sister to come live with us, make us a real family. And I would promise to work decent hours. And give you time to write your histories, I swear. Anything you want if it will make you happy."

  "Anything?"


  "Anything."

  Juliet took his hand warmly in her own. "Give me time to think about it, all right?"

  He kissed her hand tenderly. "Certainly. Come, my love, let's go home."

  Lawrence was most tender in the carriage ride on the way back, and let the floodgates of his emotions pour forth all the bitterness and sorrow of the past few years. However terrible it had been, none of it mattered compared with nearly losing his wife.

  "I don't even care about the tea any more. Not when I nearly lost you because of it," he said, cuffing his tears away.

  "But you didn't lose me. I'm still here, and they're dead. And you're not going to lose me either."

  "I'm amazed I haven't already, between being so unkind to you, driving you away, and that bastard Nash trying to kill you. All those accidents... The bastard. I hope to God he is dead, else I shall bloody well kill him."

  "You're not going to lose me," she reiterated. "I love you, I always have. I married you to save you from Matilda, and because I wanted you. On the whole, I've had few causes to repine. And Nash is dead. He couldn't swim. He can't hurt any of us ever again. I love you, and we're going to be happy."

  "Now I know you're going to leave me, just feel sorry for me. I was beastly--"

  She kissed him then, and the soaring sensation he always felt swept through him.

  "We mustn't--the baby!" he gasped.

  They were nearly home, so she smiled. "Not here, but in bed. If you can wait that long."

  "You waited for me, Juliet. I'll wait forever if I can just once hear you say you love and forgive me. I'll work every day to--"

  "I love you, Lawrence, and forgive you. On one condition. That you will invite all the Rakehells here tomorrow and tell them you were wrong, that you want to mend fences. That Nash cheated you, not them."

  "I will do it, gladly. And anything else you want."

  "I think a swing tomorrow as well wouldn't go amiss."

  He shuddered with desire and nearly missed his step as he got out of the coach and reached for her. "But the baby, the, well, depth."

  "We'll manage just fine. And there's always the blanket if the worst comes to the worst."

  "Hah, there is no worst being married to you, my love."

  He carried her up to their bedroom and laid her on the bed tenderly. He tugged off the cloak and threw it into the fire. "If I never hear that woman's name mentioned again it will be too soon."

  "The same for me, dear. And I never want to have to have her as a shadow between us either."

  "I never loved her," he said, his eyes blazing. "The only woman I have ever loved or will ever love is you."

  "Come and show me, then, and don't stop until I tell you to."

  He flashed her a broad smile. "In that case, we'll never leave the bed."

  He lay down on his side to face her and stroked down her body from cheek to wrist, from cheek to breast to waist. "You're the most arousing sight I could ever imagine."

  "Even better than the view of the Himalayas from Tiger Hill?"

  "Even better, though it comes a close second."

  "And you. I love you so much I just have to look in your silver eyes and I melt. But I rather fancy you naked too. If you don't mind disrobing, I'd like to feast my eyes on you. In fact, a full feast might not be such a bad idea." She nibbled his earlobe and he purred.

  "Only if you're not too tired. You've been through quite an ordeal, love."

  He began to remove his clothing and she kissed over his body as it was bared. "The only ordeal was thinking Nash might get away with harming you, and I would never get to tell you how much I loved you and have you really, truly believe it."

  Lawrence cupped her cheek and gazed at her. His tone had never been more serious in his life as he said, "You already have. You do it every day with just one look or touch, or something you do for me or the boys. I'm the one who's been remiss. I love you, Juliet, my darling wife. You are the sun, moon and stars to me. Even if I lost every ship, factory and tea leaf, even the roof over our heads, I would count myself blessed if I still had the gift of your love."

  "Then you shall be blessed for as long as God chooses to spare us both," she promised, rewarding him with a glowing smile.

  "And it will still never be enough time to tell you how much I love and worship you."

  "Eswara says the Hindus believe in reincarnation. I'd like to think we'll meet again. That we're destined for an eternity together. Even that wouldn't be enough to worship you."

  She had by now reached his abdomen. He sighed and melted. "Oh, you are a most perfect wife. Every man's fantasy."

  She lifted her lips at last. "And you're perfect for me."

  "I hope so. I'm going to try to be. Starting now." He laid her on her back and drew her knees over his shoulders.

  "Mm, almost perfect."

  "Almost?" he growled, nipping her satiny mound playfully.

  "You inside me is perfection."

  "In that case, I shall aspire to perfection always."

  "Mmm, yes, please."

  EPILOGUE

  Nash and Matilda's bodies were found in the canal the next day, and the new shipload of tea arrived from India the day after. There was a run on the Howard tea at half price, especially since the Han's tea vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Lawrence only hoped that some new ships would come in soon to help meet the demand for the Assam which Juliet had predicted all those months ago would be a huge success.

  Even if they did not, he was already more wealthy that he had ever imagined. He recalled Philip Marshall's words the morning he had wed, that Juliet would be the making of him. Never a truer word had been spoken.

  Lawrence kept his promise and called all the Rakehells together, apologised, and asked for their forgiveness. There wasn't a dry eye in the room as Lawrence and Matthew hugged and slapped each other on the back.

  Lawrence said, "I understand it all now. You didn't want me to hate my own brother. So you let me think all this time that you were to blame."

  "Family means everything to you. I can see that from how happy you've made my sister."

  "I've done and said a lot of things I'm not proud of. The way I treated her--"

  She came up to hug them both, one on either side. "It doesn't matter now. What's important is we're all friends, and so shall our children be. A new generation of Rakehells to carry on the honourable traditions of the original. No more mistrust and suspicion."

  "That sounds like an excellent toast, wife. Let's get out the champagne and really celebrate."

  Lawrence and Juliet went back to Bristol at the end of the week to try to assess the damage Nash had caused. Philip looked over all that they found in Nash's quarters, and surveyed Nash's wealth and holdings. He had been enriching himself at Lawrence's expense from the moment he had gone to India as his secretary, and had accumulated quite a fortune in his own right.

  Yet strangely, he had scarcely spent any of it. The sum would have been more than enough to set him up independently as a gentleman of means and leisure for the rest of his life. It had been the hunt, the treachery he had been addicted to.

  "What do we do with all of it now?" Lawrence wondered aloud.

  "Well, his cousin Matilda was the heir," Geoffrey Branson the magistrate explained. "She's dead too. So unless there are any other relatives we still haven't managed to locate, I would say you're morally entitled to the money, since it was just about all stolen from you."

  "What do you think we should do with it?" he asked Juliet.

  She shrugged. "Give it all to charity. Blake's clinic, a fever hospital, whatever. I don't care."

  "Ash's fever hospital?" Philip suggested. "He's still looking for subscriptions. And his argument with Thomas didn't help him much in the district, for all they've patched up the quarrel now."

  Lawrence nodded. "That's as good a plan as any. He's a worthy young man, with his heart in the right place. It would be a pity for him to go back to India just because of the quarrel, and because
he feels a burning need for social justice. We need it here in England too."

  "There's enough money here for Blake's orphanage as well," Philip pointed out. "Or for the clinic in London."

  "Do whatever you like, Philip, you and the Rakehells. I trust you. And I have all I could ever want right here." He embraced his wife.

  "I can't tell you how good it is to hear you say that."