An Earl For Hire

by Bethany M. Sefchick

  Susan's face softened. "You have a point, miss. And your Aunt Beanie would have done the same, I know." Then she glanced at her mistress slyly. "Though he is a handsome one, isn't he?"

  "Lord Blackthorne? I hardly noticed." Miri lied and prayed that she wasn't blushing too much. "He is passable, I suppose."

  "He is the subject of many a lady's fantasy, I'll wager," Susan teased back, knowing full well her mistress' struggles with men and Society. "Yours too, if you allow it. If anyone can turn your head, miss, it would be him. Even you aren't immune to his charms."

  Miri shook her head, refusing to rise to her maid's teasing. "Enough, Susan. You know I must pay a call to Madame LaVallier before the hour grows too late. We cannot stand here all day debating the finer points of the earl's delightful physique."

  "Delightful, is he?" Susan grinned at Miri.

  "I didn't mean..." Miri sputtered but her maid cut her off.

  "Yes, you did, but it's fine, miss. The man is attractive and a lady would have to be blind not to see it. Even you. Your secret is safe with me."

  As she allowed Susan to begin to help her dress for the day, Miri could only hope that was true.

  Chapter Five

  "I can scarcely believe this!" Anna whispered to Will as he escorted her inside Madame LaVallier's tastefully elegant dress shop. "How could I have been so fortunate? We are never so blessed!" He was thankful that she, at the age five and twenty, was no longer bouncing up and down like a five-year-old as she had been doing in the carriage on their way here.

  Will smiled down as her, his heart catching somewhere in the vicinity of his throat. "Well, this time we are. Or rather, you are. I had nothing to do with this turn of events." Save, of course, for selling his body as if he was a whore and making a deal with the proverbial devil. Though his beloved Anna never had to know either of those things, of course. If she did learn the truth, she would never forgive him. Ever.

  As they waited for a shop girl to escort them into the back of the store, Anna seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Do you think there has been some mistake? What if that letter was meant for someone else?"

  When the letter from the Duchess of Barnstable's solicitor had arrived before the first rays of dawn that morning Will had wondered as well if there had been a mistake. However, once he had read the accompanying letter meant for him that directed him to deliver his sister to Madame LaVallier's modiste shop that morning as soon as it was proper, he knew that there was no mistake. This was Miri's work. He had slipped up last night and mentioned the modiste's name and the fact that he had been forced to cancel Anna's dressmaker order. That was why they were here. Otherwise, they would have likely been directed to another, far less expensive shop for Anna's wardrobe fitting.

  Or was it? Were they here because of what he had said? And if so, would Miri then expect more from him? He had no idea. After all, it wasn't as if he had ever done something like this before.

  A second letter delivered not ten minutes after the first was from Will's solicitor. It had mentioned a large deposit of funds into his account, supposedly from an investment that had paid off well in advance. The man hadn't questioned Will's good fortune. He simply wished to speak with Will about how the funds were to be used and remarked that fifty thousand pounds would go a very long way to easing the earldom's financial burdens, though it would not quite solve them.

  That was when Will had been absolutely certain that this was Miri's hand at work. She was quick. He would give her that. She was also thorough and precise, something he would have to remember if he wished to emerge from this association with her unscathed.

  Catching him reading the letters, Anna had all but demanded to know what was in them, but Will had deflected her questions. Just as he would attempt to deflect her fear now.

  He laughed, hoping to put his sister at ease. "Another Lady Anna Davenport? Unlikely, my dear. No, this honor is for you and you alone. I believe that to the very core of my being." When the shop girl reappeared, he tugged his sister forward, making certain her hand was tucked securely in the crook of his arm so she would not bolt. "The world could not handle two of you, I'm afraid."

  Though the sun was shining outside, inside of Madame LaVallier's showroom it was perpetual twilight. The dressing and fitting rooms were brightly lit, as was the area that contained the books with the fashion plates, but out in the salon area, there were dusky shadows playing along the walls and a decided lack of windows that made Will feel as if he had stepped into some enchanted castle. Curtains were hung just so to give the impression of a sultan's harem or a ladybird's boudoir. Not that Will had ever seen such a thing but he was guessing.

  There were two chandeliers overhead, both of them utilizing only half of the candles they could hold. The wallpaper was a dusky violet painted with odd, bold strokes of glimmering gold here and there. The Aubusson carpets were done in a similar shade, as were the furnishings, right down to the fainting couch he and his sister now stood beside.

  Will suspected the entire setting was done for effect, but there was still something rather unsettling about the entire scenario. It was as if this room was made for seduction and, given that this was a dressmaker's shop, that was very unusual. He'd be more likely to find this room in one of the houses of ill repute in Covent Garden. In fact, he had been in a similar one two years previous when the Golden Temple, a brothel of some note, had still been in operation.

  "Madame will be with you shortly," the girl informed Anna, her gaze flitting to Will every so often, her eyes raking his body as if she was mentally undressing him. Or perhaps that was just his imagination. Not everything was sexual, after all. "She is just finishing up with another client, and I am told your appointment is with Madame herself and no other. If you would please have a seat, I am certain she will be finishing momentarily." The girl looked at Will fully then, her eyes perusing him thoroughly and he wondered if every woman in all of bloody London knew that he was selling his body to the highest bidder. "I shall have a tray brought in for you, my lord, as it is customary that men wait here." Then she was gone in a swish of black silk.

  Ordinarily, the site of the shop girl's tight little backside beneath her skirts might fire his blood. He was only human after all and he was hardly a stranger to the pleasures of the flesh. However, after dancing with Miri the night before, he found that he could work up little enthusiasm for the chit's obvious charms. In the space of a single night, Miri Bexley had begun to consume rather a large portion of his thoughts and that was not good at all.

  He also wondered again if he might have made a mistake in agreeing to her proposal. At least if he had accepted Lady Colchester, as demeaning as that might be, there was no danger that his heart might become involved. With Miri? That danger was present a thousand fold. She would be his downfall if he allowed it.

  After Miri had departed the library the previous night, Will had decided that, given the limited time frame he had to work with, he needed to begin the courtship as soon as possible so that he might bed her and be gone from her life before the Season ended. After all, he was nothing to her but a means to discover a bit of knowledge. There was no illusion that she wanted more or felt more. The dangerous part, however, was that, under different circumstances, he might have fallen and fallen hard for Lady Miri. He simply hadn't known it until last night.

  She was, simply put, rather amazing and not at all like the other young Society women he had encountered over the years. She was beautiful and kind, yes, but she was also intelligent, thoughtful and pragmatic - especially where her leg was concerned. His lack of funds didn't seem to bother her, either. Nor did the fact that she seemed to have a vast fortune at her disposal. In fact, money seemed to matter little to her. All that mattered to her was knowledge, and yet, she was not at all cold as many of the academic set often were. Therefore, she was simply free to be who she was at heart - an amazingly intelligent and curious woman who just happened to be beautiful as well. Even though she likely did not view herself
in that manner.

  And Will knew he could very easily fall for a woman like that. Which, given that she was paying him for his body, would be an incredibly stupid thing to do. They had no future and it would serve him well to remember that.

  Then he had danced with Miri, all part of his plan to begin laying the foundation of this courtship, seduction, and bedding, and his world had shifted sideways. For if Miri conversing with him in the library was alluring, Miri looking up and him with wide, green eyes while they waltzed was deadly.

  That was the moment Will had realized that he was in very deep trouble and yet he could not go back on his word. Too much depended upon him finding a solution and, having finally felt the stirrings of more than mere lust for a woman, he was reluctant to return to Lady Colchester and her disturbing offer. More than that, he did not want to disappoint Miri by backing out. He had only just met her, and yet her good opinion of him mattered a great deal. Or as good of an opinion as a woman could have of a man she had purchased for pleasure.

  "You've grown quiet, Will." Anna interrupted his thoughts, a worried expression on her face. "Please do not let my silly fretting worry you as well. As you said, there is only one Lady Anna Davenport. That letter was meant for me." She glanced around the tastefully elegant salon again, which perhaps did not look as much like a seductive brothel as he had first imagined. "It is simply that this whole experience feels like very much a fairy tale. As if it is not real."

  Will placed his hand warmly over Anna's, trying his best to allay his sister's fears. "But it is real, sweetheart. And when Madame is finished with you? You will shine like the brightest diamond in all of London. I promise."

  "Did I hear my name in conjunction with good things? I always like to hear that!"

  Looking up, Will watched as a woman clad in deep, midnight blue silk embroidered with tiny crystals swept into the room. On her arm was the woman who had haunted him since last evening - Miri. And Miri was looking far too pleased with herself for his comfort.

  "Ladies." Will rose and dropped into his most proper bow even though his cock was quickly becoming rather stiff simply from Miri's presence. That would not do at all. "It is a pleasure."

  Madame waved him away though she did curtsey before him. Poor or not, he was still a titled gentleman. "Oh, there is no need to go on, my lord." Then she graced him with a cheeky grin. "Though I am flattered that you would do so and you may go on if you like."

  Will noticed that Madame had a very scant trace of a French accent, though what was there seemed genuine and not forced. Too many times, shopkeepers, especially modistes, pretended to be French when in fact they were not. Though this woman seemed to be genuine. He also estimated her age to be somewhere around fifty, about the right age to have learned a trade in France before escaping the wars, though it was difficult to tell for certain, for he could see the subtle use of cosmetics that disguised her true age.

  He wondered if this woman knew his secrets and he suspected she might at least know a few of them, for she gave him a knowing look before reaching out to clasp Anna's hands in hers.

  "My dear! Congratulations!" The older woman all but yanked Anna, who had just finished exchanging pleasantries with Miri, to her feet. "I received notice this morning from Lady Beatrice Bexley's solicitors regarding the happy news since I am to be the one to clothe you. The Duchess has finally made her selection for the Season and the honor could not have been bestowed upon a more deserving young woman."

  "Thank you." Will was surprised to see his usually more confident sister blush at the dressmaker's compliment. He also noticed the way Miri watched his sister closely. Perhaps she was uncertain about her choice? Lord, he hoped not. "I pray that I can find a match this Season and continue the string of successes the duchess has ensured."

  This time it was Miri's turn to offer reassurance. "I am certain you will, Lady Anna. My aunt has made an excellent choice."

  Madame LaVallier clucked her tongue. "Enough of the chit-chat. Come, my lady. There is much to be done and so very little time. I understand that you are to attend Lord Weston's gala ball this evening."

  Anna glanced uncertainly at Will. "My brother and I received an invitation, of course, and..."

  "And of course you will attend!" The tone of the older woman's voice left no room for argument. "Now we had been working on that ice blue gown, but..." Madame's voice trailed off as she led Anna towards the shop's inner sanctum, leaving Will and Miri alone - something that the other women clearly hadn't viewed as improper at all. Although it was more than a little uncomfortable. At least for Will.

  "Lady Miri." He had no idea who might be listening, so he erred on the side of caution and observed the proprieties. Though it was difficult to be proper and reserved with a woman who was essentially paying him to take her to bed.

  "Lord Blackthorne." She surprised him by dropping into a curtsey. It was, by far, the most proper and ladylike behavior he had ever witnessed from her. Though that wasn't saying much as their association was less than a day old. "It is kind of you to accompany your sister. Not many brothers would."

  He gave her a speaking look. "Not many brothers are fortunate enough to have a sister that has been blessed to be granted The Letter for a Season." He took Miri's hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. His eyes roamed the salon and he prayed that she would understand he was searching for a place where they could speak privately. Especially as he heard the soft swish of fabric against carpet and suspected that the shop girl was hurrying back with the promised refreshment tray.

  "I am quite certain she will be a smashing success, my lord. No doubt in my mind, actually." Miri swiveled her head in the direction of the hallway where the shop girl had disappeared earlier, obviously hearing the woman's approach as well. Wiggling her hand free of his grasp, Miri quickly crossed the room and pressed on a center panel that was free of curtains and other decoration. To his surprise, a door sprung open and she disappeared through it, though she made a motion that beckoned him to follow.

  Feeling as if he had no choice, Will did as she bade.

  Once inside, he was surprised to find the small room they had entered just as elegantly furnished as the exterior room he had just departed. It was also illuminated in the same shadowy fashion and color scheme, with branches of candles scattered about, indicating this room was in use as well.

  "This is Madame's original salon," Miri offered by way of explanation. "Like the room we just departed, it is modeled after her grandmother's suite of rooms back in the family's chateau in France." She grinned slyly at him, clearly not understanding the true meaning of what she was saying. "If it looks as if this is a woman's bedchamber and most private of rooms, that is because it is meant to. It is all part of the illusion."

  Will looked around again. So he hadn't been wrong. There was a sexual undercurrent to the decor. "It rather looks like a house of ill repute to me." He didn't wish to be crass, but he didn't think Miri would appreciate the lie. Nor would she shy away from the topic.

  As he expected, Miri did not appear offended in the least. "As I understand it, Madame's grandmother was something of a notorious woman in all things sexual. She had a rather risqué reputation in her younger days. And even in her older ones."

  "If her chambers looked like this, then it was no small wonder." Will slid a hand over the back of a chair and suddenly imagined that it was Miri's bare shoulder instead. "The moment I entered, everything felt rather sexual. The shadows, the colors, the decor? It makes one think of twilight and naked bodies, in particular a woman's naked body. It also makes a man in need think of...other things." As evidenced by the fact that he was now so hard that he could barely walk. Or conceal his condition from Miri.

  Miri looked at his hand where it rested on the back of the chair, his fingers lightly caressing the highly polished wood. It was as if right until that moment, she hadn't even considered that the rooms could be viewed in such a seductive and sexual light. "I...ah..." She sank down onto a nearby settee,
clearly flustered. Will liked that he had been able to unsettle her. It meant that she could feel. More than that, he could make her feel. "I suppose I can see that. I haven't much experience in that sort of thing, as you might imagine. Nor had I really imagined...that or how these rooms would appear in that regard." He could see her heart beating hard in her chest, her breathing increasingly rapid, and knew that she was imagining just such a thing now.

  "Trust me," he whispered softly. "These rooms are designed for seduction. For sexual pleasure and gratification. One only has to open their eyes and look."

  Miri gulped and Will could see her hands shake as her delicate fingers caressed her throat. "They were not meant to be, I don't think. But perhaps. As Madame's business grew, this area became too small and she had a new salon built. However she kept this one as a...secret retreat, you might say. I had thought it was for select clients, but..."

  Will knew he could keep pressing Miri on the issue, but he decided against it. For last night he had stopped by the only club where he had retained membership and discreetly asked around about the mysterious Lady Miriam Bexley.

  He hadn't learned much but what he had discovered indicated that she was shy and reticent, and, despite the ease she had displayed around him last night, rather backward with men. She was also thought to be cold and frigid, something of a bluestocking or possibly brain-addled, and not in the least passionate.

  Except that at the moment, she appeared rather passionate to him. Though he also understood that if she was that shy around most men, he had best not push her too far too fast. He wanted her to trust him, not fear him.

  "To keep spendthrift young ladies away from their bill paying brothers, perhaps?" he teased as he settled himself next to Miri on the settee, doing his best to hide his erection from her all-seeing eyes. Though he had only been in her company for a few moments, he noted that she was leaning heavily on her walking stick even though the hour was early yet.