Lady Olivia and the Infamous Rake

by Janice Preston

  ‘Dangerous? What nonsense!’

  Never had she felt in danger when she was with Hugo. Nell did not know what she was talking about. He had never made her feel anything other than safe in his company.

  ‘I think perhaps I did not express myself very well. What I meant is not that he is dangerous per se, but he is a danger to you. When you look at one another...oh, Livvy.’ She shook her head. ‘Please be careful. A man such as he...with his reputation...he knows how to entice women. You’ve heard the tales of the Infamous Alastairs...but I’ve also heard them called the Irresistible Alastairs. And now I understand why.’

  Chapter Eleven

  ‘Well. I thought he would never leave.’

  It was the following day, in the early afternoon when Olivia and Nell were at home to their callers, and Lord Clevedon had called, complete with a bouquet of flowers for Olivia, and sat with her, Nell and Lady Glenlochrie for a full half-hour.

  ‘Do not be so ungracious, young lady,’ said Lady Glenlochrie. ‘You should be honoured such a fine-looking gentleman is showing an interest in you. He is an earl and has a fine estate in Derbyshire and he is old enough now to be thinking of setting up his nursery. Yes, I think your father and your aunt will both be quite content to learn of his attentions when they return from Worcestershire.’

  ‘Well, I am not content with his attentions,’ said Olivia, rising to her feet and shaking out her skirt, ‘and I have no wish to encourage them.’

  Her conscience stirred as she blocked Lady Glenlochrie’s ‘Ungrateful gel’ from her ears. She had been guilty of encouraging his lordship a little—but only because he was Hugo’s friend and she was desperate to prove that an older, more sophisticated gentleman such as Lord Clevedon could find her attractive and interesting. The few times she had seen Hugo since that kiss she had noticed the best way to attract his attention was through Lord Clevedon and she was willing to try anything.

  She crossed the drawing room to gaze out of the window, but the garden held no interest for her. Restless energy surged through her. She wanted to be doing something, not sitting at home pursuing ladylike occupations such as playing the pianoforte and embroidering and waiting meekly for gentlemen to deign to call upon her. It was hugely frustrating to have to constantly wait. She wanted... Hugo’s face, complete with that infuriating, knowing smile of his, materialised in her thoughts. She huffed impatiently and spun round to face the interior of the room again.

  Lady Glenlochrie was in the process of levering herself to her feet while Nell hovered by her side with her walking stick at the ready.

  ‘Help me upstairs to my bedchamber, will you, Nell, dear? I hope that if I rest now I shall be recovered sufficiently for the ball tonight. You young things are quite exhausting.’

  Guilt swept aside Olivia’s restless yearnings. Poor Lady G. She had travelled from her home in Scotland and taken on the task of launching Nell into society even though she found the hustle and bustle of London exhausting. And then she had broken her ankle, which had resulted in Rosalind coming to London to help. And probably that was good, because then Papa and Rosalind had fallen in love and Rosalind, Nell and Freddie had all come to live at Beauchamp House. But Lady G. was still not sufficiently recovered to face the return journey to Scotland and so she, too, had moved into Beauchamp House. And now, with Papa, Rosalind, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Cecily all absent suddenly, the role of chaperon for not only Nell but also Olivia had landed squarely back on Lady G.’s shoulders. And Olivia knew—because she did not hide her faults from herself—that was no easy task.

  She crossed the room to open the door as Nell assisted her aunt into the hall and then they both helped the elderly lady across the hall to the stairs. Lady Glenlochrie bestowed a smile upon Olivia.

  ‘Thank you, my dear. Nell will manage from here—I shall feel safer if I can hold the banister as I climb the stairs. Nell?’

  ‘Yes, Aunt?’

  ‘Will you read to me until I fall asleep?’

  ‘Of course, Aunt.’ Nell caught Olivia’s eye. ‘I shall go to see Susie afterwards, if you care to join us?’ She sighed. ‘We see so little of her these days, since Rosalind appointed Miss Pyecroft as her governess. It would be pleasant to take her for a walk in the Park later, but if Alex is not home there will be nobody to escort us.’

  Olivia watched Nell and Lady Glenlochrie slowly ascend the staircase until her attention was diverted by the murmur of male voices. She followed the sound. If Alex was in, perhaps she could persuade him to accompany them to the Park after all. The voices were coming from the library. The door was open and Olivia put one eye to the sliver of light showing between the door and the jamb to see who was inside. Then she stiffened as she recognised the classic profile of the one person visible—Lord Hugo Alastair.

  What is he doing here?

  ‘Would you care for a glass of wine?’

  That was Freddie’s voice. Olivia frowned. Why was Hugo calling on Freddie? She noted he had not sent his card in to Lady Glenlochrie—no doubt scared she would deny him—but it was still...discouraging...that he had not made even the slightest attempt to call upon Olivia even though Papa and Aunt Cecily were out of town. She cast a surreptitious glance around the hallway. There were no servants in sight at the moment, but how long would that last? A misspent childhood of listening to adult conversations she was not meant to be a party to had left Olivia with no qualms about eavesdropping on Hugo and Freddie who, after all, was in Papa’s employ so surely she had a duty to know what they were discussing.

  A chink of glass alerted her that Freddie was pouring his visitor a glass of Madeira from the decanter kept on a table in the corner. Olivia thought quickly. Not far from the door was a high-backed chair that faced the opposite end of the room. If she could creep unnoticed into the room and curl up in that, they would never know she was there. And, if they did happen to see her...well, this was her house. She had every right to go into the library and educate her mind by reading. But she did not think they would see her—the door stood open and would conceal her from Hugo, and Freddie would be concentrating on not spilling the drink as he carried it to Hugo. She could see that Hugo’s attention was on Freddie and so she took her chance, hugging the wall until she was as near the leather-upholstered chair as possible, then stepping across the gap and sitting down. No challenge came from the men and she curled her legs under and ensured her arms were tucked in before directing her attention to what was being said at the other end of the room.

  ‘I am sorry the task of watching out for Alex is taking longer than either of us envisioned,’ said Freddie. A creak of leather signified he had taken the chair on the opposite side of the empty grate to Hugo. ‘I genuinely expected his Grace to be home before now.’

  ‘I do not blame you, Allen; nobody could have foreseen Beauchamp donning leg shackles so suddenly.’

  His deep, soothing voice sent waves of longing through Olivia. She crossed her arms over her chest and cupped her shoulders, remembering the way he had held her. Her throat ached even as she reminded herself of his rakish reputation—the opposite of the sort of man she could rely upon. Except...she frowned. His actions...hadn’t they almost proved the opposite? Weren’t she and Freddie both putting their trust in him? And had he let them down?

  Freddie laughed. ‘Leg shackles! That is what Vernon always called it. Or parson’s mousetrap. And always with a theatrical shudder. Reckoned he wasn’t the marrying kind.’

  He was right, Olivia thought. Uncle Vernon always swore he’d never get trapped but now, suddenly, he was leaving the family behind and forging a new path. Her throat ached with suppressed emotion. Why did changes have to happen?

  Hugo was speaking again and she switched her focus to his words.

  ‘Well, he’s well and truly caught now, so it seems. It was the same story with my brother, Rothley. Once he met Mary, he knew. He told me love hit him like a thunderbo
lt and I’ve never seen him so happy. Rather them than me, that’s all I can say. I’m not convinced by all this love-at-first-sight nonsense.’

  ‘Six months ago I’d have agreed with you,’ said Freddie. ‘But I lived through the effects of such a meeting when my sister first met the Duke and let us say I am no longer as sceptical as I was.’

  Hugo huffed a mocking laugh and Olivia found each breath she dragged into her lungs more painful than the last. Love at first sight... She had always scoffed at the idea but she, too, had watched Papa and Rosalind. And now, it felt very much as though she was experiencing it herself, which was all very well, but what if only one person fell in love? What then?

  ‘Now, back to Alex,’ said Hugo, briskly. ‘I’ve done as we agreed and kept an eye on him. He’s played cards with Tadlow a few times, but so far he’s always come out even. I’ve joined in a few of the games and noticed nothing shady—they’ve been in different places, but at normal card parties or in legitimate gentlemen’s clubs. Tadlow’s not a fool; he won’t risk cheating against Alex in such places.’

  Olivia clamped her hand across her mouth to stifle her gasp. Sir Peter Tadlow was Nell’s uncle—a nasty beast who had planned to force his niece to marry Lord Bulbridge in order to pay off his own gambling debts. Luckily, Papa had put paid to Tadlow’s evil scheme earlier that year.

  ‘But I have no doubts he is working to gain Alex’s trust, ready to fleece him, just as Clevedon told me,’ Hugo went on. ‘I’ve made enquiries. Tadlow’s got links with a gaming club and brothel called Diablo’s. It’s got a dubious reputation; it’s members only—and it’s not an easy club to join—and there’s some secrecy over who is behind the place. The manager is a ruffian called Wood, but he’s just a front man. I’ve learned Tadlow’s introduced more than one green lad to the place and they soon find themselves in trouble. I suspect his plan is to entice Alex into a game there before long.’

  ‘I’ve tried to warn Alex again about Tadlow, but he’s in no mood to listen to me.’

  Olivia could hear the dejection and concern in Freddie’s voice.

  ‘I am fond of him,’ he continued, ‘and I should hate for him to get into further hot water with his father, especially when he has been trying so hard to keep out of trouble. He disappeared without trace for days on end the last time he found himself deep in debt and unable to pay his dues. That inadvertently resulted in my being offered this job with the Duke and I should hate for another such an episode to result in my losing it, selfish as that may sound.’

  ‘All I can do is to watch out for him as much as I can—as long as I can find out where he is going in the first place. That is not always easy, let me tell you.’

  ‘Well, I can help you out there, Alastair. Before she left, Lady Cecily tasked Alex with escorting the girls and Lady G. to their evening entertainments and, to give him his due, he has done so. Tonight they attend the Denbys’ ball, tomorrow is, of course, Almack’s and on Thursday they go to the Pendletons’ soirée, so at least you know where Alex will be at the start of each evening. By Friday, surely, his Grace will be home and you can relinquish the charge you have so manfully shouldered.’

  ‘I shall speak to Lady Denby about tonight. She is an old...acquaintance, shall we say.’ Olivia’s teeth ground together at the amused warmth in Hugo’s voice. ‘I am sure she will be happy to extend an invitation to me, even at this late hour. I can watch for Alex leaving Almack’s tomorrow and Mama can, I am certain, ensure my attendance at the Pendletons’.’

  The sound of movement behind her had Olivia shrinking into the chair in an attempt to make herself as small as possible. She was elated at the news that Hugo would attend the Denbys’ ball tonight and her wayward imagination immediately envisioned him requesting her hand for a dance. She could not wait—she would tell Hetty to lay out her favourite pale blue silk evening gown.

  After the door had closed behind the two men, however, Olivia’s thoughts turned to Alex and Sir Peter Tadlow, and what she had learned and anger simmered deep inside. She would never let her beloved brother fall foul of such a wicked plan and vowed that she, too, would watch over him as much as she could until Papa came home. She could not bear his disappointment if he were to be denied Foxbourne after all his efforts to stay out of trouble.

  * * *

  Later, Olivia told Nell about Sir Peter’s scheme to cheat money from Alex and, ultimately, Papa. There was no one else in whom she could confide and no one they could ask for help. Freddie already knew what was going on and neither girl could see any benefit in alerting him to the fact that they knew what Sir Peter was up to, and Lady Glenlochrie was an old lady. She could do nothing to help or protect Alex. Olivia couldn’t wait for Papa and Aunt Cecily, or even Dominic, to come home. They would know what to do and she would not feel so alone and so...responsible. She had always worried about Alex and tried to protect him from the worst of his self-destructive ways but the rest of the family had always been there, too. Now, there was only her and she had not realised until now how heavy the burden of ultimate responsibility must weigh upon her papa.

  * * *

  The Denbys’ ball was the customary squeeze and, after Lady Glenlochrie settled down at one end of the spacious drawing room on the first floor, ready and eager for a gossip with the other chaperons, Olivia and Nell—their dance cards filling nicely—waited with a group of friends for the dancing to begin. Alex had made his way straight to the card room on the ground floor, telling Olivia to send for him if he was needed. She tried to persuade him to stay upstairs and to dance with some of the young ladies, but he had merely cast her a scathing look and stalked off.

  ‘Livvy.’ Nell leaned in to speak. ‘I have just seen my Uncle Tadlow. He was headed for the stairs and, presumably, the card room, but I have yet to see Lord Hugo. I thought he told Freddie he would be here to watch over Alex.’

  The two girls moved apart from their friends, keeping their voices low.

  ‘Tadlow won’t cheat here, Nell. He would not take the risk of getting caught in Lord Denby’s house. He would be ruined. No, he will do his worst at some shady gambling club like that Diablo’s that Hugo told Freddie about.’

  ‘You are probably right.’ Nell did not look convinced. ‘And I hope, too, you are right to put so much trust in Lord Hugo. I cannot help but worry—’

  ‘Hugo knows here is not really where he is needed,’ interrupted Olivia. She had heard enough of Nell’s doubts and warnings about Hugo over the past few days. She knew her friend was only concerned about her, but there was a limit. ‘It’s after Alex has taken us home that Hugo will be needed to keep watch. I am perfectly capable of keeping Alex out of trouble while we’re here. All you need do is make my excuses if I disappear. You may tell anyone I’m promised to dance with that I have developed the headache and suggest they dance with one of the girls without a partner.’

  Olivia scanned the room as she spoke. For all her brave words, she hoped Hugo would arrive soon. The music began and her first partner came to claim her hand. For the time being Alex must look after himself. She smiled at Lord Sudbury and set her mind to making polite conversation with him.

  * * *

  Three dances later, Hugo still had not arrived. As Olivia’s partner led her from the floor, she manoeuvred him over to where Nell stood with her next dance partner.

  ‘Excuse my interruption,’ said Olivia, as soon as her own partner was out of earshot. ‘I have the headache, Nell, so can you please make my excuses to...’ she consulted her dance card ‘...Mr Beaton?’

  ‘I am sorry you are unwell,’ said Nell. ‘Is there anything I can do to assist?’

  ‘Thank you but, no. I am certain a few moments of peace and quiet away from the music will prove beneficial.’

  ‘I shall make sure to tell Mr Beaton, Livvy. I do hope you feel better soon.’

  Nell sent her a speaking look before turning again to her partner
and Olivia made her escape, running lightly down the stairs to the entrance hall.

  The card room was set up with several tables spread around the room and it took no time at all for Olivia to spot Alex, at a table in the corner with three other men, including Tadlow. Her breath caught as she recognised Mr Randall—that disgusting man who had made advances to her that night at Vauxhall Gardens—and Lord Bulbridge. She only knew the latter because of poor Nell’s lucky escape from marriage to the brute.

  She breathed a little easier as she recognised the other occupants of the card room—respectable members of the ton, most of whom she knew. She was confident Tadlow would not dare to cheat here, but it would not hurt him to know that Alex’s sister was keeping an eye on him. Resolutely, she crossed the room and stood by Alex’s shoulder. The three other men rose to their feet as Alex twisted his neck to peer up at her. He stared blearily for a moment or two, then struggled to his feet, where he swayed. His eyes appeared unnaturally dark and his eyelids kept drooping, almost as though he were on the verge of sleep. Olivia frowned, foreboding knotting her stomach as he propped both hands on the table as though to support himself. He reminded her of Lady Glenlochrie when she had overdone the laudanum in a bid to ease the pain of her broken ankle.

  ‘Wh-wh-what are you doin’ here, Sis?’

  ‘Lady Glenlochrie wishes to speak with you, Alex. Will you come with me?’

  ‘Here, Beauchamp, you can’t leave the game in the middle of play, man,’ said Tadlow, flicking a disdainful glance at Olivia. ‘Let her ladyship wait.’

  Olivia raised her chin. ‘Thank you for your contribution to our private discussion, sir. I shall, of course, be happy to wait until the hand is complete.’

  Olivia glanced at the various piles of money in front of the four players. Alex’s was the smallest of the four, but there was no clear winner and it appeared the stakes were within reason.

  ‘I have seen men emasculated by their wives before, but never by their younger sisters,’ drawled Tadlow. ‘Let us finish this hand in order that Beauchamp can obey Lady Olivia’s summons without further delay.’