Lorena pulled away.
“Lorena,” Ashwick called.
She shook her head. “No. You are the wealthiest men in England. It was only a matter of time before the mothers found some reason to get you to their parties.”
“Ren,” Calvin said.
She was not through with her thought. “You’re also the most handsome, intelligent, and honorable men I know. Of course, the mothers of society wish you to marry their daughters, but it does not mean you must do it today. Simply go to a few parties. Once society sees that you are not interested, the invitations will once again dwindle.”
Francis started toward her.
Lorena jumped and sat down.
Sophia said, “It’s a fine plan.”
Francis stilled.
Everyone looked at her.
Sophia grinned. “You go to the dinners.”
“No,” Calvin said.
“At my house,” she added with a wider smile. “Or my uncle’s, who is the Viscount of Dovehaven. And we will have a party at Genie’s and a rout at Lorena’s until your calendar for the season is full. Every now and again, we’ll add a few guests, but this way, you’ll be in society without being in society.”
Genie stared at her and said, “Sophia, you’re brilliant.”
“Even better,” Sophia added. “If you leave the Spinster’s Society in charge of hosting parties and don’t hold any of your own, no one could feel angered at any of you for not being invited. They’ll be angry at us.” Then she laughed.
Lorena laughed, too and looked at the rest of the room. “It would be like our old country parties with the addition of a few more friends.”
It truly was a brilliant plan and Lorena felt herself smiling on the inside at the possibility. She’d missed her extended family, her brothers.
The room fell into silence as the men seemed to think.
Calvin eventually asked Sophia, “Your uncle is the Viscount of Dovehaven and he wouldn’t mind keeping his parties small?”
“Not at all,” Sophia assured him.
The room fell into silence again.
Morris said, “We wouldn’t be able to refuse every party we’re invited to.”
“Yes,” Franklin agreed. “But we can refuse many.” He was smiling.
Francis placed his hands on the back of the couch in front of Lorena and stared at her. Then he said, “The parties would be small.”
“Of course,” she said and sighed. “We would have to invite a few others, but not many.”
“I’m not dancing,” Rollo said, affirming his statement from earlier.
Lorena smiled at him and said, “Then don’t dance.”
“You think me honorable?” Calvin asked her, referring to her speech earlier.
“Of course,” she said with conviction. “You only play the cad. Everyone knows this.”
He smiled at her.
Franklin said, “Doing this would ensure more men for the club.”
They received a few nods.
Lorena took a breath and was sure she would be victorious.
Francis then said, “No more taverns.”
“Of course,” Sophia cut in.
Genie started to jump up and down in her chair and clap her hands with glee. Lorena always loved when she did so.
Francis’ eyes flickered over every one of the female faces in the room and settled on Lorena. “Just stay out of trouble.”
“We shall try,” Lorena said, though she had no clue where to start with such a task.
Francis seemed to read her eyes. He shook his head and straightened.
“Dinner will be at my house tonight,” Sophia said.
Lorena felt Ashwick’s presence at her back just before he leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Have you another gown to display?” His voice reminded her of fine silk.
Lorena didn’t turn to look at him but heard him chuckle. She, in fact, had two new dresses to choose from, both made by Mr. Taylor and his seamstresses, but Ashwick would have to find out later that night. He straightened and his hand grazed her cheek before he walked away, causing a warmth to spread through her.
The meeting seemed over once everyone broke into groups and started to talk about what invitations the men could not avoid and which spinster would hold the first party. So, Lorena walked over to Ashwick, who was speaking to Francis, and asked her brother, “Might I speak to my fiancé alone?”
Her brother inclined his head and left them.
She and Ashwick were in one of the corners of the room by the stained glass. Ashwick fell into the seat and Lorena followed.
“Did you buy the silver tray?”
He seemed caught off guard by the question, his smile falling away before he said, “What?”
“The silver tray and brandy decanter? And the blue looking glass? And the statue? And the candelabra?”
Ashwick had started to shake his head at the first question and continued as Lorena went through the list. “I’m only paying the wages for the servants and gave the cook an allowance for food. That was all.”
She smiled at him and said, “I can afford my own food.”
He touched her nose and said, “Right.” His eyes were dancing.
Lorena leaned forward and whispered, “Does that mean you’ll allow me to provide for myself?”
“No,” he said with a grin.
“Ashwick…”
Ashwick cut off her words. “You just won a very big battle, but I tell you now, you will not win this. Give in now. You’ll be much happier in the end.”
“You’re impossible.”
“Duly noted.” Then he rose and took her hand, forcing her to stand. “I’ll see you at dinner.” He lifted her hand and placed a kiss upon it.
Lorena felt flutters in her belly and said, “Yes.”
“Then I’ll see you in your room,” he promised and once again kissed her hand.
The fluttering grew wild. “Yes,” she whispered.
He smiled, dropped her hand, and left. Lorena’s eyes remained on the door even after she was gone.
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CHAPTER THIRTY
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Lorena, Aunt Matilda, and Maura left the house and were on their way to Mr. Taylor’s when a carriage stopped in front of them.
A large man climbed from his position by the driver and he stared at the women before settling on Lorena. “Would you be Lady Lorena?” His eyes were dark, but it was hard to see the color in the shadows. The sun had set but it was still a bit early for many carriages to be on the streets. Parties wouldn’t start for another two or three hours and those who wished to be fashionable would never be on time.
Lorena looked over the man’s working-class shirt and breeches and met his gaze. “I am.”
The man moved quickly. Placing a hand on Lorena’s arm, he dragged her down the stairs and pushed her into the back of the carriage just before Aunt Matilda screamed.
The man who’d grabbed her had just taken his seat when the carriage pulled away. It was only then that Lorena understood the great danger she was in.
Before she could open her mouth, the man cut her off. “Scream, my lady, and I’ll be forced to do something you wouldn’t like.”
Lorena leaned as far away from him as she could, her heart beating in her throat as fear gripped her. “What do you want?”
“Your fiancé procured something from my employer that doesn’t belong to him. My employer wants it returned.” His eyes remained on her as the carriage moved swiftly through London, turning at every corner, until it eventually slowed to a more expected pace.
Ashwick.
She shook her head.
“My aunt saw you,” she said. “And my cousin. They’ll tell Ashwick what they saw.”
“Good,” the man said, his eyes still on hers. “That’s precisely how we wished
it to happen, my lady.”
Lorena turned to look out the window. She’d never been kidnapped before. Turning back to the man, she asked, “What is your name?” She noticed then that he had a familiar scent, though she couldn’t place it. It was almost welcoming, though there was nothing welcoming about the man.
“Ben,” he told her easily.
“Ben,” she began. “Surely, if you told Ashwick what it was he took, he’d give it back to you. I’m sure he didn’t steal it on purpose.”
Ben laughed and said, “He stole it, my lady. Without question.”
It didn’t sound like Ashwick.
“How do you know?”
“Because we stole from him first,” Ben told her. “Though I never meant to set that fire in his house, I’ll have you know.”
Lorena’s eyes widened. “You were the man in the mask.”
“Yes,” Ben said. “I took something that my employer wanted because Ashwick refused to sell. Threatened even to shoot my employer if he asked for it again.
“What was it that you wanted so greatly?” Lorena asked.
“A toga pin,” he told her.
“No,” Lorena whispered.
“Holds the symbol of the royal Roman household. Could belong to Saint Helena herself.”
Lorena groaned and realized even when she tried to be kind she brought disaster to Ashwick. What Lorena would forever know as the worst and the best week of her life came together under the needle of a toga pin. A silly, rusted toga pin that she’d found at her parents’ estate.
“I’m sure the pin holds no value,” Lorena told him.
“How are you sure?” Ben said.
“Because... I’m the one who gave it to him,” she confessed. “I found it in my house and if there had been any value, I assure you that my father would have sold it.”
“Your father?” Ben asked. “The Duke of Valdeston?”
“Yes.”
“He found the Valdeston treasure?”
Lorena blinked at the man and groaned again. “The treasure isn’t real.” Then she asked, “How did you know where I lived?”
“Everyone knows,” Ben said. “It’s in the papers.”
Lorena let a bit of her anger replace some of her fear.
And she was scared, more than she wished to think about.
The carriage stopped, and Lorena was forced down the steps and into a small alley. The further they traveled from the main street and the noise, the more her fear grew.
“Remember what I said about screaming,” he told her.
At the end of the alley, there was a door to the building on their left. Ben opened it while pushing her forward.
The interior smelled old and felt as though no one had been there for a long time.
The foyer was small, dimly lit, and held a dining table and an old stove, whose fire was the only sign of life in the room. The walls were covered in a pink pastel wallpaper that was peeling away from the walls. There were dirt stains on the carpets, and when Ben pushed her through to the other room, she found more peeling pink paint and dirt stains on the floor. The fireplace was empty, but two lanterns sat on its mantle.
The floor was bare except for two chairs and Ben pushed Lorena into one. He walked over to the lanterns and lit them, filling the room with light, then proceeded to drop into the chair across from her.
She stared at him and tried to slow her breathing.
Then Ben said, “If it all goes to plan, you’ll be returned to your event and all will be well.”
Lorena didn’t nod and she didn’t respond. For some reason, Ben was much scarier in the light than he’d been in the shadows of the carriage. She could see that he had dark hair and his eyes were a dark brown. His face looked as though he hadn’t shaved for days and he sat in the chair in a way that seemed relaxed, but if the muscles under his clothes were real, then she knew he could spring into action within a second. Thus, Lorena knew she couldn’t run, much less leave her chair.
But she didn’t like the way Ben was watching her now. If she could see him clearly, then it meant he could see her as well.
His eyes settled at her breasts, and Lorena wished more than ever for a gray dress. The one she’d decided to wear to the party was the deep red that Mr. Taylor always wished to see her in. It was cut low, showing more of her chest than she wished, but not low enough to be unfashionable. A measure of lace ran across the seam, drawing more attention.
Lorena turned in her chair, trying to hide, but she doubted her plan worked.
Then she knew it hadn’t when Ben’s eyes returned to her and he said, “I’ve never had a lady before.”
Lorena stopped breathing.
He leaned further into his chair and said, “Women, I’ve had aplenty, but never a gently bred lady.”
“I was hardly gently bred,” Lorena said, hoping her words would displease him. “In fact, I’m quite worldly.” And she thought it true, considering all the many pleasures that Ashwick had introduced her to.
Ben’s lips twitched and, in a blink, he was leaning forward. His hands were on either side of Lorena’s chair.
She screamed.
“Quiet,” he growled.
She started to shake and looked down.
His hand rested on her lap and she tried to move away.
“Think the earl would still want you if we had a little fun?” Ben asked, breathing on her neck. His hand fisted in her fabric. “Promise it’ll be sweet.”
Lorena shrank away as best she could, but then jumped when she heard a banging noise. Her eyes closed and she felt something pass before her face. Someone grunted and then something hit the floor.
She stayed still, hoping that whoever had come in would simply leave her be and go.
She heard footsteps and felt a presence at her side. A hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped.
Lorena’s eyes opened, and she gasped as she saw Sudworth.
“Let’s get you home, my lady,” her butler said in a calm voice. “We wouldn’t wish you to be late for dinner.”
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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
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Ashwick and his friends arrived at dinner at the appointed hour and when Lorena and her family didn’t arrive immediately after him, he suspected she’d decided to make another one of her fashionable entrances. He set his mind to thinking about what dress he would find her in that night. He’d also bury himself inside her before the night was over.
But when fashionably late turned into rude, he grew worried and he wasn’t the only one. Genie had arrived, in her usual cheerful state. Whenever Francis was in a room, she was happy, but he’d been surprised that she’d come alone. Usually, Lorena and Genie stayed together and if not, then one always showed right after the other.
While everyone waited in the drawing room, chatting in groups, Ashwick made his way over to Genie, who was speaking to Miss Taylor, and said, “Where is Lorena?”
Genie’s eyes widened. “I don’t know. I expected her to be here by now. She sent me a note to tell me what time she would show.”
“What time was this?” Ashwick asked, hiding the fear turning in his stomach.
“Eight,” she said.
Ashwick looked at the clock by the mantle. It was five minutes to nine.
A commotion from the front door caused everyone to fall into silence. Matilda ran through the door and announced, “Someone took Lorena.”
Everyone immediately wanted to know when, from where, how long ago, and who had taken her.
Ashwick stalked to Matilda and gripped her arms. “What did the man look like?”
“I couldn’t see him,” she confessed. “It was far too dark for me to see.”
“Was the man tall?” he asked.
Matilda seemed to remember nothing except for Sudworth racing after Lorena in another hack.
“Taller than Lorena.” This said something, because Lorena was not a short woman. “And he spoke Cornish, even if it was obvious he tried to hide it.”
“How do you know?” he asked her.
“I could hear it,” Maura told him. “I’ve had many doctors from many places visit me. I know accents. He was from the west country. Liverpool.”
Ashwick had a sickly feeling that he knew exactly who had taken Lorena.
There was more noise from the entrance, and everyone stilled as Lorena walked into the room with Sudworth’s arm wrapped protectively around her.
She looked at everyone in the room, and Francis immediately grabbed a hold of her. Lorena latched onto her brother, held onto him dearly, but then her head turned. Her eyes settled on Ashwick, she choked, and he was there to take her from Francis. And Francis, only after a moment, let her go.
She buried her face in his chest and he shielded her from the room as she cried, though the sounds she made tore at his heart.
Sudworth said, “If anyone would like to know what occurred, we could carry this conversation elsewhere.” It was the perfect way to give Lorena much needed privacy.
“Grand idea,” Mr. Taylor said, with heat in his eyes. He was the first to stroll out the door. The rest of the party followed. Francis paused at his side and gave Ashwick a look that hadn’t been necessary, but Ashwick had every intention of taking care of the woman in his arms. Then Francis left, and Miss Sophia closed the door behind her.
Once Ashwick and Lorena were alone, he pulled her toward a couch and continued to hold her until she calmed down. Then once she did, he adjusted her so he could see her face. What he saw caused his anger to grow to extreme heights.
“What happened?” he asked her.
“A man took me,” she whispered. “Right in front of my house.” She choked on ‘house’ but then steadied her breathing and went on. “It’s all my fault,” she whispered, meeting his eyes. “It’s always going to be my fault, isn’t it?” He saw the finality of those words, and it shook him.
Lady Lorena’s Spinster’s Society ( The Spinster’s Society) (A Regency Romance Book) Page 20