by Jolie Cain
She slumped in her seat, more dejected than she could ever remember being, even during the dark days of her marriage to her Edgar Laughton.
She chanced a peek at Richard and saw his shoulders shaking. Oh, no. He was crying. It must have been even worse than she had suspected. She reached out a hand of comfort. Haltingly she tried to apologize.
“Richard, I don’t know what to say. There is absolutely no excuse for my behavior.
I’m so sorry.” When he felt her touch on his leg, he finally turned to look at her. His face was covered in a huge smile. When he met her eyes with his, he burst into laughter.
“Oh, my God, Lily.” He spoke between guffaws. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that before in my life.” More laughter. “The expression on Ann’s face when you slapped her.” He clutched his sides as another bout of laughter took him. “It was priceless.”
At first Lily was relieved that he wasn’t upset or angry. She even began to tentatively smile back at him. But the more he laughed, the more irritated she became. Then irritation turned to anger. “What is so funny, Your Grace? You find it amusing that you have driven me into acting like someone escaped from Bedlam? You think it humorous that I have humiliated myself in front of the most important ladies and gentlemen of the ton? That I will be the object of ridicule for the gossipmongers?”
He stopped laughing finally and just smiled at her. That made her even madder. “Oh, you inconsiderate oaf. And to think I thought I was in love with you. That I had changed my mind about marriage. I was insane. Thank goodness I have now come to my senses. I hope I never have to see you again as long as I live.”
She hadn’t noticed that the carriage had pulled to a stop. When the coachman opened the door, Richard didn’t say a word. He just exited and held his hand out for her. Ignoring his polite gesture, she got out of the carriage without assistance. Still blinded by her anger, she didn’t notice at first that they had arrived, not at Caroline and Stephen’s townhome, but at one she had never seen before.
She shot a suspicious glance at the duke. “Where have you brought me?”
“This is my home, Lily. Please, come inside. I think it’s past time you and I had a little talk. Don’t you?”
Again ignoring his outstretched hand, she stomped up the steps and through the door held open by a dignified butler. Richard quickly led the way to a nearby room, which appeared to be a study.
Richard shut the door behind him with a decided thud and then crossed to a tall cabinet where he poured two glasses of an amber-colored liquid. Lily watched him, her nerves frazzled and a dull feeling of nausea in the pit of her stomach. He approached her and offered her one of the glasses. He tossed back his own in a quick gulp. Lily did the same and gasped at the liquid fire that had burned down her throat and hit her churning stomach.
He took her glass and set it aside with his own. Then he enfolded her hands in his and gazed deeply into her eyes.
“I love you, Lily. Will you marry me?”
Lily said no, of course, and then threw up all over his shiny black shoes.
Chapter Eight
A week had passed and the duke still had not been able to talk to Lily. After that fiasco of a night at the Rumsford’s ball, he had taken her home at her request because she had been feeling poorly. His valet still hadn’t quite forgiven him for the mess his shoes had been in. The next day he had gone directly to Stephen and Caroline’s so that they could talk and he could press his suit with her, only to be told by Caroline that Lily still wasn’t feeling up to snuff and was not accepting callers. And so it had gone on every single day since. He had sent her letters, which she had returned unopened. Gifts of flowers and jewelry. All sent directly back. The duke had finally reached the horrendous conclusion that the lady might have been serious when she had refused his proposal.
Perhaps he had destroyed all hope of winning her with that ridiculous plan.
He wanted to blame Stephen for the situation in which he now found himself, but the truth was that he had been all for the idea. It had seemed so simple. Make Lily jealous, and she would see how much she cared for him. Then she would surely accept his offer of marriage, and they could live happily ever after. Bah! Now the whole thing left a taste of dust and ashes in his mouth. He reached out and poured himself another glass of whiskey, lifting the drink and studying the dark liquid as it refracted the light from a nearby fire before tossing it back with one quick swallow. How many glasses was it going to take to dull the feeling of hopelessness which had gradually been creeping upon him the last few days?
“There you are, Richard.”
He looked up and saw Stephen settling in the seat across from him. He supposed it had been inevitable that his friend would eventually show up here at White’s. He poured another drink and raised it in a toast.
“Where else would I be, old son? My lady love has denied my suit and refuses my presence. I have nowhere else to go. This…this has become my home.” He gestured widely.
He saw Stephen’s eyes widen. “You’re cup-shot.”
Richard shook his head. “I only wish.”
“Egads, Richard, is this what you have come to? Drowning your sorrows in a bottle of whiskey over a woman? Where’s your pride, man?”
“It seems I have no pride left. And Lily is not just some woman.”
“I know that. I know how you feel about her. Don’t give up, my friend. You can still win her.”
Richard laughed harshly. “She won’t even see me. Doesn’t read my letters. Hell, she’s not even attending any of the balls or soirees. She hasn’t gone to the opera or the ballet. It’s a bit difficult to press my suit when the lady is unavailable.”
Stephen leaned forward and grabbed the bottle as Richard reached for it again. He set it aside, just out of reach, and Richard glared at him.
Stephen capped the whiskey. “Is this really helping?”
Richard’s mouth tightened. What could he say? That nothing was helping? That he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to crawl out of the pit of wretched defeat that he had fallen into? That the most the alcohol did was blur the emptiness and pain for a short while?
“I didn’t think so.” Stephen gave him a sympathetic smile.
Richard grimaced, leaning back and crossing his arms before nodding. “Say whatever you feel like you need to say, Stephen,” he muttered, “and then go.”
“Just listen to me, man. I’m trying to help you. That’s the only reason why I am here.
Lily’s finally agreed to get out of the house and rejoin the social whirl. She will be attending the balloon ascension tomorrow at The Green Park with Caroline and myself. It will be the perfect opportunity for you to steal some time alone with her.”
“I don’t know, Stephen. She seems pretty adamant about not wanting to have anything to do with me.” Richard tried not to let his friend’s news raise his hopes. Just because she was going out didn’t mean she’d changed her mind about him.
“Oh, come on. That’s not the man I know. Giving up when things get a little rough.
You know if you don’t try, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
Richard acknowledged his friend’s statement with a reluctant smile. “You know all the right chains to yank, don’t you?”
Stephen smiled back. “Only because you and I are so much alike. And I know if it were me and I was trying to win Caroline, I would not give up. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
And I would hope that you would not let me drown my sorrows in a whiskey bottle instead of trying everything I possibly could to get her back.”
He didn’t know if he still had any hope of winning Lily, but he knew Stephen was right. He couldn’t give up on the chance. The thought of spending the rest of his life without her was unbearable.
“All right. I’ll go.”
“Good man.”
* * * *
The next afternoon, Lily strolled with Caroline and Stephen across the grassy lawn towards the hot ai
r balloon which towered above the gathered crowd. It was an amazing sight, but Lily’s mind was not really on the balloon. Instead, all she could think about was Richard. Would he come? Caroline had assured her that he would be there, but she couldn’t stop herself from worrying. She’d wanted him to understand that what he had done was unacceptable. To insure that he never did any such thing again. But perhaps she had pushed things too far.
“Come on,” her thoughts were interrupted by Stephen’s voice, “this way.”
Scattered around the area were spread blankets on which ladies and gentleman sat, eating their picnic lunches and avidly watching the preparations which were being made for the ascension. Stephen directed the ladies towards a blanket set beneath the spreading branches of a large oak, beside which stood one of Stephen’s friends, Sir Evan Spencer, whom Lily remembered from the house party. She darted a glance toward Caro who grinned.
“Well, I didn’t think it could hurt.”
Lily rolled her eyes, and Stephen cast them both a suspicious look. Caroline just linked arms with Lily and pulled her towards the blanket.
“Sir Evan! How good to see you. Thank you so much for saving our spot.” Caro held out her hand, and the baronet took it.
“It’s my pleasure, my lady.” He bent over Caroline’s hand with what Lily noticed was a very practiced move. Then he smiled at her. “And Lady Morely. I am so glad you were feeling up to joining us today.”
“It’s good to see you again, Sir Evan.” She couldn’t prevent the blush that crept into her cheeks as she recalled the rather intimate circumstances in which she had last seen the young baronet.
“Yes, Spencer. Glad you could make it.” Stephen moved forward to place the picnic basket he had been carrying in the center of the blanket.
Lily and Caroline settled themselves down, and the gentlemen joined them quickly.
It wasn’t long before they were all happily enjoying the delicious repast. They passed a pleasant half hour finishing their meal and discussing the forthcoming ascension. As the gentlemen bantered back and forth about the possibilities of balloon flight, Lily glanced around again as she had been doing surreptitiously since she’d arrived, trying to catch a glimpse of Richard.
She didn’t see him anywhere. Disappointed, she turned back around, and her eyes met Caroline’s who lifted her chin at a point over Lily’s left shoulder. She stole another quick look, and there he was standing amidst a small group of people, his eyes focused unblinkingly on her.
When she turned back around, Caro smiled. “Sir Evan? Why don’t you take Lily and show her the Queen’s Basin? I know she would adore seeing it. She just loves that sort of thing. Don’t you, Lily?”
“Indeed I do. Would you mind, sir?”
He grinned and stood, holding out his hand to help her rise. “I’d love to, my lady.”
Not daring to risk another look in Richard’s direction, she allowed the young baron to tuck her arm into the curve of his elbow and guide her along the path.
“So tell me, Lady Morely, am I taking my life in my own hands by escorting you to see the Basin?”
Startled, she looked over at him. His eyes twinkled down into hers.
“Now, now, my lady. No dissembling, please. I collect that I am here to make a point to His Grace, am I not?”
She flushed and looked down, ashamed at herself for attempting to use him in such a way. “I am so sorry, Sir Evan. ’Twas a foolish plan. Indeed, perhaps we should turn back.”
He chuckled softly. “No, indeed, my lady. I think it’s about time that Richard found himself leg-shackled. And I cannot think of anyone better equipped to fill the bill than yourself. I quite like the idea of being the…what shall we call it…ah, yes, the spur that sends the thoroughbred after his mare.”
Lily couldn’t prevent her lip from twitching at the baron’s phrasing, even as she widened her eyes and pretended outrage. “Sir, what a thing to suggest! As if I would ever…play such…games. And to compare me to a mare…”
He laughed out loud at that. “Oh, my lady. You are indeed going to lead His Grace on quite a merry chase. I must confess that I am somewhat envious.” She met his flirtatious grin with one of her own. “Now, I do hope there is to be no call for fisticuffs or pistols at dawn or any such thing.”
“Oh, no, Sir Evan,” she assured him. “Nothing like that. I’m sure there will be nothing harsher than some strong language from the duke.”
They halted next to the Queen’s Basin, and the baron’s eyes narrowed as he peered over her shoulder. “I sincerely hope you are correct, Lily, because the duke is coming up behind you, and he looks absolutely furious.”
He reached down and brushed a stray hair off Lily’s face, tucking it beneath her bonnet in what must have looked to the approaching duke like a very intimate exchange.
She gasped as his fingers stroked across her cheek. Her eyes widened, but the baronet murmured, “Shh. Just follow my lead.” He stepped closer, putting his hands on her shoulders.
“Get your slimy hands off her, you snivel-nosed muckworm.”
Lily’s eyes widened as they met the baronet’s and then looked over to her right where the duke stood, steam practically coming out of his ears.
Sir Evan’s grasp tightened. “You don’t own the lady, Richard. And I don’t hear her asking for me to remove my hands. Do you?”
Lily watched fascinated as a muscle in Richard’s cheek began to jump.
“I’m warning you one more time to let her go,” Richard growled, and Lily began to feel alarmed at the banked fury in his expression.
The baronet laughed. “Make me.” Lily couldn’t believe her ears at that challenge.
Hadn’t he said he didn’t want fisticuffs? What on earth was he thinking egging Richard on like that?
She heard Richard’s, “My pleasure,” only a second before she was pulled from Sir Evan’s arms and shoved aside. Then Richard loosed a punch that caught the baronet on the chin.
“Oh, my heavens.” She stood looking on, appalled as the two men continued to slug one another, circling and throwing punches. Vaguely she was aware that some ladies nearby were screaming and men were running in their direction, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the scene in front of her.
“What on earth?” Stephen stepped up beside her with Caroline close on his heels.
In a worried voice, Lily told her friends, “I promised Sir Evan there would be no fisticuffs.”
She felt Caroline’s hand wrap around hers for a quick squeeze. They stood watching as the fight gained momentum. While the men battled, they kept moving closer and closer to the edge of the Basin. What happened after that was inevitable. One moment they were dancing around, exchanging blows. The next instant one of them had tumbled over and fallen into the water.
“Richard!” Lily screamed, racing to the side to peer down and scan the surface. A moment later the duke’s head broke through, and Lily felt a wave of relief. Then he was swimming to a nearby embankment where he was summarily hauled out by a couple of the gentlemen who stood there.
An appalled silence fell over the crowd as Richard, His Grace the Duke of Carlisle, squished his way past them. Lily covered her mouth in dismay as a nervous giggle escaped. The duke shot a fulminating glare in her direction before moving on in dignified, though soggy, silence.
Lily turned to Caroline. “I have to go after him.”
Stephen shook his head. “I think you should give him a little time to calm down, Lily. He looked a bit…upset.”
She shot him a disbelieving look. “Upset? Yes, I suppose you could say he is upset.”
Caroline put her arm around Lily’s shoulders. “Come, we’ll go home. And once everything’s settled down—”
“No. I must go now.” She knew that it was vital that she speak to Richard as soon as possible. “If you won’t take me, I’ll find someone else.” She turned to search for anyone who might give her a ride.
Stephen touched her shoulder. “No. That’s not n
ecessary. If you insist on going to Richard’s, we will take you.”
She turned to look at Stephen, her relief making her lightheaded. “Thank you. Thank you so much. Let’s go now.”
Sir Evan stepped in front of her, his hands reaching out to steady her as she swayed slightly. “I am so sorry things got so insane, my lady.”
She nodded and raised her hands to pat him comfortingly on the chest. “I know, Sir Evan. It’s not your fault. This kind of thing seems to be the norm where Richard and I are concerned.” She pulled away from his hold. “Now I must go.”
She followed Stephen across the park with Caroline right beside her chattering away nervously and offering advice that Lily barely even registered. All she could think about was getting to Richard and settling things between them once and for all.
In a few minutes they were in the carriage and headed to the duke’s townhouse. It didn’t take long before they pulled to a halt, and Lily reached for the door handle.
Stephen’s hand came out to stop her.
“Lily, are you sure—”
She met his gaze firmly. “I’m sure. Please, don’t worry.”
The footman helped her descend from the carriage, and she turned to her friends.
“Go home. I’ll be there later.”
She could tell that they wanted to protest her decision, but Stephen finally nodded and directed the footman to close the door. Caroline leaned out the window. “We’ll leave once you’re inside, Lily. And good luck, sweetheart.”
Lily smiled in acknowledgement to her friend and then climbed the steps to the front door. She waited impatiently on the duke’s doorstep for his butler to answer her knock.
She could feel her friends’ eyes burning into her back as they waited in the carriage to see if Lily would be allowed inside. The door opened, and the same stately butler she’d seen the night of the Rumsford’s ball stood staring down at her in disapproval. “Yes, madam?