Seduced by the Dandy Lion

by Suzanne Quill

  Vanessa gave her a look of disgust. “Bloody hell, Marianne, how can you know what you want if you don’t give him a go? The man is your husband. It’s not illegal. It’s not even unseemly or improper. You knew even less about him on your wedding night. Every woman I meet is wondering what that magnificent specimen of maleness is like in bed. The discussions behind closed doors are colorful, graphic, and endless. Even I hoped you’d share some of the sordid details on our ride today and yet I find out you are being some straitlaced miss. What are you thinking?”

  Marianne worried her handkerchief, then pulled on her gloves. “Well, there’s Sir Robert to think about.”

  “In heaven’s name, why?” Vanessa’s agitation made Marianne uncomfortable. “He’s not your husband. From what I know he’s never even been your lover, has he?”

  “Oh! No! I could never do that until I knew Drew dead as well as gone, or at least the courts had defined him as legally dead. We were still years away from that possibility.”

  “So, what are you thinking?” Vanessa clearly did not see Marianne’s dilemma.

  “Well, I know Robert. He’s safe and steady and reliable and patient. But I don’t know anything about Drew. He’s a completely changed man.”

  “I’ll say. And the change is definitely for the better. No one meeting him now would ever imagine he once had the sobriquet of ‘Dandy Andy.’ The man makes my toes curl every time I look at him. If he were my husband, I would have been in his bed the night he arrived. How can you possibly reject what you haven’t even experienced? Do you not find him attractive? Appealing? Does he not heat your blood? What happens when he touches you?”

  Marianne sighed heavily. “My toes curl. My blood heats. My body tingles all over. Just thinking about him makes me uncomfortable in places I will not detail. Last night I dreamt about him. I woke with damp sheets and a need I’ve never felt before.”

  “Surely the man has shown that he wants you. Wait just a minute.” Vanessa looked up to the driver. “Tom Driver, please take us to Gunter’s Tea Shop for ices.” She returned her attention to Marianne. “Look what you’ve done. We’re talking about the earl and you’ve made me hot and faint just thinking about him taking you to bed. Good grief, Marianne, if you don’t want the man, please, give him to me. I’ll be glad to have him in my bed. Lord knows it’s been pretty empty since my husband passed.”

  “Oh, Vanessa, you’re being silly. You know I just can’t give the man away. If I give him up, we will have to be divorced.”

  “Oh, yes, and there’s that. Are you willing to go through such a trauma just to have Sir Robert? Is he so fine a catch that you would permanently sully your reputation, be shunned by everyone of Society, and ruin your daughter’s chances of a quality marriage? All this when you’ve never even been to bed with Sir Robert and not gone back to bed with the earl? I ask you, Marianne, who’s being the silly one? Not I.”

  Vanessa’s carriage stopped in front of Gunter’s. She continued as one of the tea shop attendants approached. “You want my advice, Marianne? Here it is. Go to bed with the earl. Do it soon. Do it more than once. Know exactly what you have before you throw it away with both hands. Then, and only then, if you truly feel that a life with Sir Robert will make you happy in spite of all the debasement you’ll have to go through to achieve a divorce, plot your path. But, Marianne, once you’re on that path, there’s no going back. You’ll lose your status in the ton forever and, more importantly, you’ll lose the earl. Believe me when I tell you he won’t be lonely for long. The single ladies of the ton and their mothers will celebrate your blatant stupidity. Even I would be willing to have a go with him. I’d wager at White’s, if I could, that he’d be remarried in a year. So, my dear friend, if you have any feelings for him at all, you’d better clarify exactly what they are. And remember, if you do leave him, Andrea will be his. The law is clear on this. Watching him with her at her party gives me no doubt he would want her, take her. It would only be by his good graces if you’d ever even see her again.” Vanessa turned to order her ice.

  Marianne leaned back heavily against the squabs. She wanted to hear none of this. She wanted this to be easy. She wanted the choice to be obvious. She wanted everything to fall into place.

  Vanessa turned back and patted her hand. “Stop stewing, Marianne. You know what you must do for your answer. It surely won’t be that difficult. Now what kind of ice do you want?”

  Chapter 17

  Drew came lightly down the stairs to find Blevins at the bottom on his hands and knees industriously scrubbing the blood stains out of the Aubusson.

  The butler looked up.

  Drew shook his head. “Blevins, why are you doing this? Where are the maids?”

  “My lord, they are all about their duties. I have a moment so I took on the task.”

  “I am sorry I’ve put you to such trouble. Had I known I’d been cut I would have staunched the wound before entering.”

  “I’m sure you would have, my lord. It will take some time and effort but I expect to get the stains out. It’s not nearly as bad as red wine and I’ve mastered those a time or two in the past, if you remember.”

  Drew chuckled. “I should say you have, and quite well at that. Blevins, do you happen to know where I can find my wife?”

  “Yes, my lord. I believe she is in the library poring over the ledgers. I took in some tea not too very long ago.”

  “Thank you. Good luck, my man.” Drew ambled down the hall with purpose. Opening the door, he walked in unannounced. “Marianne, look what I’ve discovered in one of my bureau drawers.” With that he placed the quizzing glass to his eye and settled it in place.

  Marianne did not look up. “Not now, Drew. I’ve got much too much to do and it’s not working out. What am I going to do with your father’s bailiff?”

  Drew dropped into a chair before the desk. “Why should he be a problem? Does he not do what he is told?”

  “No, and that’s . . .” Marianne, finally looked up and started. “You’ve found your quizzing glass? I would have thought it lost when you were kidnapped? And you’re going to wear it now?”

  Drew flashed her a wicked grin. “I have. I did. I might. This is an old one I had put in a drawer and forgotten about. What do you think? Should I wear it and start the ton chattering again? Do you think they’ll think I’m regressing?”

  “Well, it certainly looks differently on you now than it did before. I don’t know what you should do. Do you want the ton chattering about you even more than they are? It’s my understanding your name is on the lips of every man and woman in Society. Why would they need even more encouragement?”

  Drew popped the glass out. “I am? In heaven’s name, why?”

  Marianne shook her head in dismay. “Drew, you disappeared without even a by your leave, and then, when you return, you practically drop out of the sky and, on top of that, you are nothing, really nothing, like you were before. What would you expect?”

  “I’ve been home well over a month. I expect there would be new fodder for the gossips by now.” Drew tapped his eyepiece on his leg, the habit coming back to him almost unnoticed.

  “There is always new gossip. But every time you show up at an event, the talk starts anew. Especially among the ladies.”

  Watching her closely, he asked, “What are they saying, Marianne?”

  Marianne looked down as if she were returning to her books. “They want to know if you will toss me aside and divorce me since you’ve been gone so long and returned with a huge fortune. They hope you’ll pick one of them as your new wife.”

  The room fell momentarily silent. Then in a soft voice, Drew asked, “And what do you think, Marianne? Do you think I will toss you aside and select another? Or do you think I’d like to stay where I am with my wife and my daughter?”

  Without looking up
, Marianne responded coolly, “That is your decision, my lord. Women are just leverage in the games of men. That is how we were married in the first place. Until you make up your mind, I will try to keep your estates together as best I can. If I can only get this bailiff to cooperate.”

  Drew decided he’d continue this conversation later. It seemed Marianne did not accept she was in the position to make the final choice. Or, possibly, that she did not choose to make the decision yet. Regardless, he would continue with his plans. Tucking his unneeded quizzing glass into the pocket of his waistcoat, he rose and went around the desk to look over her shoulder at the figures she pondered.

  “So, tell me, what is the problem? I should probably start to have some idea of exactly what is happening on our lands and assist you with any decisions you are struggling to make.” Placing his left hand on the desk and his right on the back of her chair, he leaned over only to be intoxicated by the scent of his wife once again.

  It was roses today.

  He so wanted to lift her out of her chair and take her to bed. Hell, he’d forego the bed and take her right there on the desk. Damn the ledgers and all.

  Unsure of exactly how long he could control the raging need he had for her every time she was in range, once again, he would have to wait. It was not the appropriate time. Bloody hell. When would he have the appropriate time?

  He girded his loins and struggled to pay attention as his wife began to speak.

  “It’s Bridgeton at your family estate. I’ve sent him multiple messages on how I want him to change the crops and fields. I’ve explained how he should have the crofters plant and rotate crops and let fields lie fallow and why. He does nothing but send back notes that he does not understand or he doesn’t know why we must change or he doesn’t understand how we have to change. He has not even had the courtesy to respond to my last inquiry. It makes no matter that I’ve told him how successful your other properties have been with these changes. He refuses to cooperate. And this is your largest holding with the greatest possibility of increasing your income.” Marianne started turning pages and pointing to figures. “Look here, and here, and here. These properties have made the changes and their yields have increased. Those that started over three years ago have almost doubled their output. The newer ones are just now showing the promise of greater success.”

  Drew placed his left hand over hers to stop the frantic pointing in the ledger. “Stop. I can see what you’re saying. I’ve looked at the books and have seen the incredible results you’ve had with our properties. We’ll just have to talk to Bridgeton. If he won’t cooperate, we’ll retire him or fire him and hire a new bailiff who will. Have you been out to the estate? We are talking about Saxton Park, are we not?”

  Marianne swiveled in her chair as she slid her hand out from under his. “Of course, we are. No, I’ve not been out to Saxton Park. All the other bailiffs have done as I’ve asked and the Park only came under my control after your father passed on. It’s only been a few months but if we don’t make the changes now we’ll miss the increased harvest this year and be forced to wait until next year.”

  Drew took both of her hands in his and pulled her up from the chair. Looking down into her eyes, seeing the worry there, the worry over his lands, his people, he couldn’t help but want to solve the problem and ease her mind. “Then we’ll go. We can leave tomorrow. We can pack today and head off first thing.”

  Marianne’s jaw dropped. “What? We can’t do that.”

  “Why not? There’s nothing here to keep us. Our lands are our priority. The people who work them, the crops they produce are part of our fortune. Short of the three of us and our properties and staff in town, nothing is more important than this.”

  “But, Drew, what about the events we have committed to? What about Andrea? What will we do with her?”

  Drew gently squeezed his wife’s hands. “We’ll take Andrea, of course. She should see our properties. Even when I have a son, she will receive some of them in her dowry. And pooh-pooh about the events. Send notes and beg off. The ton does not need us to attend it. They will go on without us. And, just think, it will give even more fodder to the gossips.”

  Marianne flashed him a huge smile, then threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, my lord. Drew. I’m sure speaking with your bailiff is just the thing we need to do. If you are there, he cannot help but do as he is told or know that he will soon be out of a job.” Releasing him, she rose on her toes to buss his cheek, then headed for the door. “I’ll tell Blevins immediately and get everything ready. We’ll leave tomorrow just as you said.”

  Drew rubbed his heated cheek as he looked after her. Would that everything else could be solved so easily in their relationship.

  Sitting down in the chair Marianne just vacated, still warm from the heat of her wondrous derrière, he prepared himself to review her ledgers more closely so he would be a knowledgeable ally in their confrontation with the old bailiff at the Park. If it was the man he remembered, it might just be time to give the ancient superintendent a pension and turn the reins over to a younger, more pliable man.

  Chapter 18

  Marianne gently shook Andrea. “Wake up, little one. We’re almost there. We need to straighten your dress and get you ready.”

  “No need to fuss, Marianne. The entire staff will fall in love with her as soon as they see her. It’s been years since there’s been a child at the manor so they’ll be delighted about the whole affair.” Drew leaned forward and looked out the carriage window.

  Marianne straightened Andrea’s printed cotton dress, the deep blue of the fabric the color of her eyes, so like her father’s. She then untied and retied the bow on her daughter’s bonnet. “It never hurts to make a good impression. Every child should learn that early on. I know I did.”

  The carriage made a turn and the rutted road became a crunchy, gravel driveway. Sitting their daughter back on her lap, Marianne tried to peek out the carriage windows to see the house. Instead, she only saw verdant green hills warm from the spring sun. Taking a deep breath her head filled with the freshness of country air. In the distance, she saw some horses grazing and, in another field, some cows.

  She had never been in the country before. It looked like so many of the lush, pastoral paintings her parents had hung in their home. She wondered why they had never made a trip in her younger years.

  Drew broke her reverie.

  “The house is in front of us, Marianne. You’ll see it soon enough when we pull up.”

  Moments later the carriage made another turn and came to a stop. The equipage shifted as John Coachman jumped from his seat, then opened the door and dropped the steps.

  Drew stepped out and turned back to Andrea.

  “Uppy, uppy, Papa.” The little girl reached up to him.

  “Come, my little poppet.” Swinging her onto his hip, Drew reached back to offer his free hand to his wife.

  Marianne took the proffered hand and stepped down to terra firma only to look up and see a household of servants lined up on the front granite stairs. As one, they all bowed or curtsied as appropriate.

  Her gasp must have been more audible then she expected as Drew squeezed her hand and whispered, “I sent word ahead we’d be arriving today. Don’t worry. They’ll love you, too.”

  She whispered back, “There are so many of them. I never imagined. We never had so many servants at home.”

  Drew set Andrea on her feet, smoothed down her dress, and took her small hand in his. “It takes a horde of people to efficiently run an estate this large. Especially if they are to keep up with the maintenance. You’ll see as we go over everything while we’re here.” Tugging gently on Marianne’s hand, Drew led them both toward an older gentleman, white-haired, slightly stooped, with sharp, hazel eyes dancing with life. As he stepped forward and bowed once again, Marianne knew he could only
be the butler, or, rather, in a household this size, the majordomo. Seconds later, Drew confirmed her assumption.

  “Lady Reignsfield, this is the majordomo of Saxton Park, Wellingford. I doubt there is anything that has happened on these lands in the last forty years that he doesn’t know about.”

  Beside them, Andrea made a little curtsy and smiled up at the older gentleman.

  “And who’s this pretty miss?” Wellingford asked.

  “Andrea. We got a kitty at home.” Andrea gave him a coy smile.

  “Well, Lady Andrea, we’ll have to take you out to the stables later so you can see Fluffy and her new litter. There are four of them. Maybe Mama and Papa will let you have one for a pet. You’ll have to ask them.”

  Andrea looked up wide-eyed to each of her parents in turn. “May I, Mama? Could I, Papa?”

  Drew looked down with a warm smile. “We’ll discuss it later. Right now, it’s time to meet everyone else and go inside.”

  Marianne smiled and nodded to acknowledge the butler’s kindness.

  He stepped back only to be replaced by a woman of indeterminate years who made a respectful curtsy. “Your ladyship.”

  “Our indefatigable housekeeper, Mrs. Stokes. She has been with us for the last twenty-five years.” Drew smiled warmly at her.

  As they made their way up the stairs each servant presented himself or herself. Marianne nodded in acknowledgement while Andrea gave each a curtsy, leaving each of the staff smiling and enchanted.

  As they came to the door, Wellingford, who had preceded them up the steps, opened it wide. Marianne stepped into the foyer and sighed. “I must say, my lord, I am glad that is over. It will take me an age to remember all their names.”