A groan filled the air and Hugo stiffened, releasing Olivia as he stepped back.
‘As I said—’ he swept a hand through his hair ‘—it was not your fault. You can blame your reprobate brother for that.’
He jerked his head towards Alex, who groaned again. Hugo’s tone was now matter-of-fact, as though that tender moment had never happened. Hurt and confused by his sudden withdrawal, Olivia went to Alex—who was sitting on the ground, back propped against the wall, knees bent, head buried in both hands—and crouched beside him.
‘Alex? Alex? Are you all right?’
‘He must be very drunk to be in such a state.’
‘My head. Wanna sleep.’
He groaned again and Olivia glanced round at Hugo. ‘I know my brother. He can hold his liquor better than this and, for all his careless ways, he would never drink himself into this state when he was responsible for escorting me and Nell.’
‘Ahem!’
The cough came from close behind her and Olivia sprang to her feet. Lord Clevedon had returned and now stood by her side, staring down at Alex—and how had she forgotten about him? What if he had come back when she was in Hugo’s arms?
‘My lord, I trust you are not injured, too? Thank you so much for coming to our aid.’ She glanced at Hugo, who was scowling at his friend. He really did seem to object to her even talking to Clevedon. Was it because they were friends? Or was it because he viewed Clevedon as a more worthy rival than the younger men who courted her? Whatever the reason, she took heart from it. Perhaps Hugo was not as indifferent to her as he pretended to be.
‘I sent a message to Lord Clevedon with a footman, Lord Hugo. He is your friend and he was the only person I could think of who might help us.’
‘It was my pleasure, my lady, and I am uninjured, thankfully.’
Hugo joined them. ‘You have my thanks, too, Clevedon. Now, we must decide what to do about young Beauchamp here. He can hardly go back inside as he is.’
He bent and grasped Alex’s chin, tilting it up. Alex’s eyes were screwed tight and he groaned again. ‘Earlier, I thought he had the look of a man who had taken opiates.’
‘He would never—’ Olivia began indignantly, but Clevedon interrupted her.
‘It wouldn’t surprise me if those three didn’t slip him something in his drink,’ he said. ‘I’ve heard of such a thing happening and they were pretty determined to get what they thought they were owed.’
‘Is Alex in debt to those men?’ Olivia clutched Clevedon’s sleeve. ‘Tell me, please. I must know.’
‘This is hardly an appropriate subject for discussion.’
There was a note of warning in Hugo’s voice, but Olivia ignored it. She knew exactly what he meant—it was because she was a female and they deemed this men’s business. She bridled at yet again being pushed aside as irrelevant.
‘How can I protect him if I do not know the worst? Please, Lord Clevedon. Tell me why they were taking Alex to that place. Diablo’s, was it Alex said? What is Diablo’s? It does not sound very respectable.’
‘Alastair is right, Lady Olivia, and you should forget you ever heard of Diablo’s.’
And just like that, the men dismissed her. She was unimportant and didn’t need to know the facts. She balled her fists in frustration. She wanted to know. Alex was her brother. It was her responsibility to see he came to no harm. Was he already in debt or had they prevented the worst from happening?
‘You cannot go back inside looking like you’ve been in a brawl, Alastair, so why do you not wait here with Beauchamp? I shall escort Lady Olivia back to her friends and then I shall arrange for the Beauchamp carriage to come round and take Beauchamp home.’
Hugo stepped close to Clevedon, his stance challenging. ‘Mind you are discreet. We would not want the lady’s reputation to suffer, would we?’
Olivia puzzled over the menacing undercurrent in his voice as he spoke to his friend. Clevedon, however, appeared not to notice.
‘But of course, my dear Alastair. Soul of discretion, you have my word. And I shall personally accompany Lady Olivia and her companions home, as their escort is indisposed.’
‘Very well.’
Hugo sounded most grudging, but Olivia was grateful to Clevedon for his forethought. Lady Glenlochrie was so old-fashioned she would be horrified at the thought of driving home without a gentleman to escort them.
‘Thank you for looking after Alex, Lord Hugo.’
She smiled at him, wishing she could say more...wishing she could touch him. She yearned to feel his strong arms around her but she knew that was not possible and so she must be content with the brief smile he gave her in return. She bent over Alex and kissed the top of his head.
‘I’ll see you in the morning, Alex, dear,’ she whispered and then straightened and walked through the back door and into the short passageway that led to the door into the main part of the house.
Clevedon followed her and then led the way to the inner door and opened it to peer into the house beyond. Fear gripped Olivia as she belatedly understood Hugo’s warning to his friend—the consequences of her and Clevedon being seen were too horrible to think about.
‘The coast is clear,’ Clevedon whispered. ‘Follow me.’
They reached the vicinity of the door into the card room without being seen and that awful tension that had gripped Olivia melted away.
‘Please promise you will not tell anyone about this.’ Relief made her garrulous and the words tumbled from her as Clevedon crooked his arm and Olivia tucked her hand into his elbow. They walked towards the staircase for all the world as though the Earl was merely escorting her from the card room back to the ballroom. ‘If Papa should hear about what happened, then he won’t let Alex have Foxbourne and then—’
Conscious she was gabbling, she fell silent.
‘Foxbourne?’
‘I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I am sorry.’
‘You can trust me, my dear.’ Clevedon patted her hand. ‘You have my word I shall not breathe a word of any of this to anyone. Foxbourne...now...is that not the name of Rockbeare’s place?’
Olivia explained, in the briefest of terms, about Foxbourne and Alex.
They had reached the top of the stairs. In a few moments there would be no more time. ‘Tell me, sir, please—is Alex in debt to those men?’
‘You really do care about your brother, don’t you?’
‘Of course I do. I would do anything to help him. Anything. Which is why I must know about Diablo’s.’
‘He is a fortunate man, to have such a fiercely protective sister, but you may rest assured that after this evening your brother will never trust those scoundrels again.’
Clevedon would be drawn no further and Olivia had to be content with that. The remainder of the ball passed without incident. Hugo did not return and Clevedon escorted Olivia, Nell and Lady Glenlochrie back to Beauchamp House as promised.
Chapter Thirteen
The following morning a somewhat battered and bruised Hugo called upon Freddie Allen to acquaint him with the happenings of the previous evening. He had formulated a plan of sorts to try to keep young Beauchamp out of trouble and away from the gaming tables, and Freddie had been enthusiastic about Hugo’s suggestion for winning Alex over. Hugo was very aware that it would take much diplomacy on his part to get Alex to agree to his proposal—a young man’s pride, as Hugo well remembered, was a prickly subject. Freddie sent a request to Alex to join them in the library and, after a suitable length of time, the door opened to reveal the younger of the Duke’s sons. Hugo watched Alex through narrowed eyes as the young man slouched across the library and flung himself into a leather-upholstered wing chair next to the empty grate. Hugo flicked a glance at Freddie—who was already seated in the matching chair—and read the concern in the furrows of his brow.
Freddie pushed hi
mself to his feet. ‘Can I get you a glass of Madeira, Alex?’
Freddie and Hugo already had drinks.
Alex shrugged. ‘If you like.’
Sullen. Resentful. Disengaged.
Hugo remembered those traits very well.
Without warning, Lucas’s words came back to him.
‘You always were a deep one...hiding your true feelings...wary of letting anyone close...afraid you’ll turn out like our old man...’
Hugo rolled his shoulders as though to rid himself of a sudden weight.
Lucas was wrong. He’d shed that protective shield of sullenness at a younger age than Alex—by the age of twenty he had already moved on to the pleasures of life. Just because he didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve didn’t mean he was hiding his feelings. A man needed some privacy, for God’s sake. Besides, didn’t he have some excuse, growing up with that brute for a father?
Hugo thrust down the memory of his father as Freddie crossed to a side table and poured a glass of Madeira. He forced himself to stay seated and not to go and help the other man, instinctively knowing he would resent the implication he could not manage. Hugo hadn’t liked to ask the cause of Freddie’s lameness and Freddie hadn’t offered the information.
Freddie hobbled back, leaning on the crutch he used to help himself get around. He passed the glass to Alex, who accepted it with a muttered ‘Thanks’, and he sat down again.
Alex looked from Hugo to Freddie and back again. ‘I suppose this is where you rip up at me for what happened last night? Are you going to tell my father?’
Hugo sipped his drink. ‘That all depends.’
‘On what?’
‘What you intend to do about avoiding men like Tadlow in the future. Do you accept they were out to fleece you?’
Alex’s lips set in a mutinous line. ‘S’pose so.’
‘And?’
‘What d’you want me to say?’
‘That you’ll avoid them in future?’
Alex surged to his feet and paced around the room. ‘I’m not a bloody fool, Alastair. Of course I’ll avoid them. Although what business it is of yours I fail to understand. What are you doing here anyway? And how come you got involved last night? Nobody asked for your help. I can look after myself.’
‘You were out of your mind, you damn fool.’
‘I didn’t drink that much. I reckon they slipped me somethin’ in my drink.’
‘You were supposed to be escorting your sister and Lady Helena, but you were more concerned with your own selfish pleasures than with their welfare. What if something had happened to either of them?’
‘Oh, so that’s it, is it, Alastair?’ Alex bent over, thrusting his face close to Hugo, who battled to keep his hands on his lap and not retaliate. ‘You’re sniffing around her again, are—?’
‘Alex!’
Alex snapped upright and stared at Freddie in astonishment.
‘If you wish to apportion blame, then place it on my shoulders,’ he said. ‘I asked Alastair to keep an eye out for you until your father comes home. You would not heed Alastair’s warning the night you took Olivia to Vauxhall Gardens and our only concern is to make sure you do not lose Foxbourne. I have no ulterior motive and neither, believe it or not, does Lord Hugo.’
‘Still don’t see why he’s here now.’
He’s so ready to believe the worst of everyone, he’ll lose Foxbourne through sheer bloody-mindedness if he’s not careful.
‘Freddie told me of your skill with horses and about the prospect of running Foxbourne Manor for your father. It sounds like an ideal opportunity. I wish I’d been given such a purpose to life when I was your age.’
Alex’s brows met across the bridge of his nose as he glowered into his drink. Hugo waited. When Alex raised his gaze to Hugo it was with a mix of caution and enthusiasm, almost as though he were holding himself back with the fear of being disappointed.
‘Father has promised he will sign the place over to me.’
‘If you prove yourself,’ Freddie interjected.
Alex scowled again. ‘He knows I’m good with horses. He won’t find anyone better to be in charge.’
‘And that is in part why I wished to speak with you,’ said Hugo. ‘I have a favour to ask of you.’
He sipped his own Madeira. Alert for any nuances of expression from the younger man, he recognised the flash of intrigue in his expression.
‘My stepfather, Sir Horace Todmorden, has bought this mare...she’s a prime piece of horseflesh, but she has turned nasty, biting and kicking until none of the grooms will go in the stall with her, let alone ride her.’
Alex straightened in his chair, leaning forward as Hugo spoke.
‘Where did he buy her?’
‘At auction. He suspects she was doped—she was docile enough during the sale and while being led home.’
‘Doped and docile, eh?’ A sudden grin flashed across Alex’s face. ‘Bit like me last night—I couldn’t summon even a spark of energy to resist Tadlow, even though I didn’t want to go anywhere near bloody Diablo’s.’
‘Well, believe it or not, she is even wilder than you now the drugs have worn off,’ said Hugo, with an answering grin. ‘Would you be willing to take a look at her? The alternative is to have her shot, but her conformation is superb and Sir Horace is keen to breed from her. Not at the price of injured men, though.’
‘Of course. Although town isn’t the best place to sort out a horse’s problems. ’Tain’t a natural way to live, see? I like to work with them in a small paddock. They’re less likely to feel threatened if they have the delusion of freedom.’
Hugo found himself nodding in agreement. He’d never really thought about it, but what Alex said made sense.
‘Sir Horace is an ex-cavalryman and he has plenty of contacts still at the Horse Guards. I’m sure they can find you a safe area to work with her. Although we’d have to get her there safely first.’
‘We’ll find a way,’ Alex said with confidence. He drained his glass. ‘When can I go and look her over?’
‘Now, if you’d like to.’
‘I’ll go and change my clothes, then. Give me ten minutes.’ Alex leapt to his feet and strode from the room, a completely different man from the one who had entered.
Freddie also rose. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I must get on. I don’t want to give the Duke any reason to complain about my slacking off work when he comes home.’
‘When do you expect him?’
‘Either tomorrow or Friday.’ Freddie rammed his crutch into his armpit and hobbled towards the door. He turned before he left and smiled. ‘I’ve no doubt you will be the most relieved of us all when he returns.’
Hugo smiled, but after Freddie left he stared into the empty grate, lost in thought, his treacherous mind bringing back the slide of his hand around Olivia’s waist, the delicious scent of violets, her gentle hands cradling his face and reliving that near-irresistible urge to seize her, to kiss her, to take, despite—or maybe because of—everything that had happened. His rakish instincts had clamoured at him—what did it matter that she was too young, too beautiful, too innocent? They had roared their demands, their need for satisfaction. Only Alex’s groan had jerked him back to reality and he had, thank God, come to his senses before Clevedon returned. And he must continue to keep those urges on a tight leash and, more importantly, he must learn to keep those unwanted emotions—the yearning, the tenderness, the need to protect—safely locked away. Olivia was only on his mind now because he happened to be in her home. Once he had fulfilled his obligation towards her brother, he would soon forget her. There were plenty of warm, willing women out there who knew how to play the game.
‘Oh!’
The feminine gasp jerked him from his musings. He looked around into her wide silver eyes and his heart twitched with longing. He set his jaw, batten
ing down that unnerving need to be wanted, to find somewhere to belong.
‘You should not be in here, alone with me.’ His voice emerged as a growl.
‘I did not know you were here.’ Her pert nose was in the air as she rounded the sofa and sat by his side. Her scent—not only that hint of violets, but the scent of her...of a delicious, delectable, desirable female—filled him.
With longing. With desire. With...
It took time to identify that feeling, but she filled him with hope.
‘You should go.’
The words came almost without thought. That same feeling of protectiveness arose within him, quashing any lustful urges. It was up to him to protect her from her own innocence...she surely had no idea... He surveyed her expression and caught the glint of determination in those striking silvery eyes of hers, the irises ringed with dark grey—and he wondered. Was it innocence? Or was she a risk-taker? A tease? Out to entice and then to refuse. He had watched her with her coterie of admirers. She was not innocent of the effect she had on them. What she might not realise was the difference between toying with those green lads and playing with a man of his experience—an older man less easily manipulated. There were too many wolves out there, prowling around the young innocents, eager to taste young flesh. He might feel compelled to protect her from herself, but others would not be so gentlemanlike.
‘That is not what you said last night. You were happy to see me then, happy to accept my help.’
‘That was different. An emergency. Olivia...you know you should not be in here with me. Your brother—’
‘Liv!’
The roar made them both start. Hugo stood and faced Alex, who strode across the room, a dark scowl on his face...directed firmly at his sister and not at Hugo for a change. Alex grabbed Olivia by the arm and dragged her to her feet, shaking her. Hugo clamped his jaw against a protest and stepped back so he would not act upon his sudden urge to punch Alex on his nose.
Lady Olivia and the Infamous Rake Page 14