The Rake's Vow

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  “It won’t be anything too formal,” Lady Eloise was telling the group. “We’ll only be taking a leisurely stroll through Hyde Park. All you need to do is buy a gown. I was thinking it would be nice if we all showed unity within our group, so make sure you have something gold in it.” She glanced at Loretta. “Gold will go well with your complexion. We’ll wear it in honor of your marriage.”

  The other ladies looked at Loretta with a mixture of respect and envy, and Loretta’s cheeks turned pink with pleasure. As Tad watched the group fuss over the cost of the gown they should buy, he couldn’t help but note that they were no different than how some of the gentlemen at White’s behaved. Each person in the group sought for a place of importance. Lady Eloise was the leader, so no one would try to take her spot, but there was definitely a struggle to be the one who would be second to her.

  If Tad had to make a guess based off of the little he was seeing, Loretta was now at that spot. That made him feel significantly better about the marriage. Loretta had gained something she—and the others—desperately wanted.

  Lady Eloise’s attention went to Tad. “Thank you for letting us attend your wedding and for inviting us to the lovely wedding breakfast.”

  “It was my pleasure,” Tad replied. “Loretta and I are happy everyone was able to attend. It made the day much more memorable.”

  “Well, we were honored to be here,” Lady Eloise said. “I hope you two accept the dinner invitation my father will be sending out as soon as he returns to London. He had to go to France to meet with some friends.”

  Celia’s eyes grew wide. “Will he be bringing you back some of the gowns from over there?”

  “Of course,” Lady Eloise told her. “Father knows I would be very upset if he didn’t.” She smiled at Tad. “He spoils me.”

  “You’re fortunate you get to wear gowns from other countries,” another lady—Lady Gareth, if Tad recalled right—said.

  “I could get gowns from other countries if I wanted,” Celia replied. “My brother excels in all of his investments, and he has more money than he knows what to do with. He’s friends with Mr. Jasper, and Mr. Jasper is considered royalty in the financial world.”

  “Yes, but he likes risky investments,” Lady Eloise said.

  “He has more than enough to invest with,” Celia replied. “As my brother says, it’s important to remember that you can’t risk more than you’re willing to lose. My brother and Mr. Jasper are both excited about their latest investment. They just funded a significant portion of their money into Captain Egan’s whaling expedition.”

  Lady Eloise grimaced. “Whaling. What kind of expedition is that?”

  “A very profitable one, according to Mr. Jasper. There are a lot of uses to the things whales provide. My brother is excited about the money he expects to get when Captain Egan returns.”

  “I’m not saying there aren’t practical things whales provide us. There are. Someone has to go out and hunt them down, and I know it requires money in order to do that. But seriously, Celia, there’s a lot of risk in it. What if this Captain Egan doesn’t catch any whales? What if something happens to the ship? What if he and his crew don’t make it back to London? So much can go wrong. My father has more money than he can ever spend in his lifetime, but he won’t go near such a risky prospect.”

  “My brother says that despite his young age, Captain Egan’s one of the best.”

  “For your brother’s sake, I hope he’s right.”

  Tad noted the doubt in Lady Eloise’s voice, and he was inclined to agree with her. The sea was a fickle thing, and the weather was just as unpredictable. He would much rather play it safe.

  Lady Eloise turned from Celia and gave Loretta a hug. “I look forward to seeing you at Hyde Park next week.” To Tad, she said, “Thank you again.”

  He offered a nod to say she was welcome.

  As Lady Eloise and the other ladies left, Celia gave Loretta a long hug. “I’m glad I could be here to share this day with you.”

  Smiling as Celia pulled away from her, Loretta clasped her hands. “I’m glad, too. The day wouldn’t have been complete without you.” She glanced at Tad. “Celia is my dearest friend. We’ve been through so much together over the years.”

  “We have,” Celia agreed. “And I can’t wait for you both to attend my wedding.”

  “Are you betrothed?” Tad asked.

  He was under the impression that she wasn’t because she’d been flirting with Corin at the Duke of Silverton’s ball. But maybe she was and just wanted to enjoy a quick dalliance with Corin before she exchanged vows. There were plenty of ladies who did that. He, after all, had been propositioned more than once by a lady who wished to have an evening or two of excitement before her wedding night.

  “No, I’m not betrothed yet,” Celia replied, “but I will be soon.” With a knowing smile, she added, “I have it all worked out.”

  Tad had no idea what she was talking about, but he supposed it didn’t matter since she gave her friend another hug and then headed out of the room.

  Brad came up to Loretta and hugged her. “I’m proud of you, Loretta.”

  “Really, Brad?” she asked, tears in her voice.

  “Yes. Really.” He cupped her face with his hands and smiled. “You’re a good sister.” Turning to Tad, he added, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Tad indicated he would be ready to go to the bank with him when he came.

  Stephen, who’d been hanging back until now, came over to them and snickered. “I can’t believe you actually went through with it, Tad,” he said. “And now you,” he turned to Loretta, “don’t have to worry you’ll be a spinster after all.”

  “You disappoint me, Stephen,” Tad replied. “I thought you were going to be able to make it through the morning without saying anything unpleasant. But I suppose such a feat is impossible for you.”

  A slight frown crossed Stephen’s face, and Brad chuckled. “You deserved that one,” Brad told him. “Come. Let’s leave the two newlyweds alone.”

  After they were gone, Loretta turned to him, a big smile on her face. “Can you believe Lady Eloise gave me a hug in front of the entire group? I thought I was going to faint.”

  “There’s no doubt your position in the group is secure now,” he replied.

  “Thanks to you.” After a moment, she added, “You don’t need to worry about the gown she wants everyone to get for our stroll through Hyde Park. I already know which one I’m going to modify. All I have to do is make some minor changes to it and find a gold ribbon to have the maid sew into it. When she’s done, it will look like a new dress.”

  “I can’t help but notice how much you talk about saving money.”

  “I want to be careful with the money Brad and our father spent all their time saving for my dowry. Plus, I know you’re worried about your estate, and I want to make sure you understand that I’m not going to do anything to put it in jeopardy. I haven’t been good with money in the past, but I will be now.” She clasped her hands together and glanced at the doorway. “Do you mind if I go to my bedchamber so I can find the gown I want to make the changes to?”

  “I’ll show you the way.”

  He took her by the elbow and led her out of the room, down the hall, and up the stairs. He wasn’t sure why he was touching her. There was no one around to make such a display of affection to. They didn’t have to put on a pretense of being in love when it was just the two of them. But he still felt like it was something he should do.

  They reached the top of the stairs, and he gestured to the second door on the right. “Your bedchamber is that one. Mine is here.” He motioned to the first door as they went by it. “I asked the maids to decorate your bedchamber, but if you want to change anything, you certainly may.”

  As they went into her bedchamber, he let go of her elbow and went to the armoire. “While we were getting married, the staff put your clothes in here.” He opened it for her. “Your lady’s maid set out some of your things
on the vanity over there. But your books, knickknacks, and other trinkets are still in this trunk.” Going to the foot of the bed, he tapped the trunk.

  “I’ll take care of those later,” she said and went over to the bed, her eyes lit up with excitement. “I’ve never had a canopy bed, but I always thought they were gorgeous. I can’t believe I actually have one now!” She touched the gold curtains. “They’re softer than they look.”

  “I picked the color out. Lady Eloise was right, you know. Gold looks good on you.”

  “Hmm… I love yellow. Usually, I pick a bright yellow, though.” She glanced at him. “Do you think gold is a better shade for me?”

  “I do. It complements your hair color and complexion.”

  She smiled. “I’ll have to stop wearing so much of the bright yellow clothes then.”

  “That’s not necessary. You look fine in that shade, too.”

  “Maybe, but I want to do everything I can to make myself more appealing. I’m not the prettiest lady in London.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “The mirror.” She went over to the armoire and sorted through the dresses.

  “There are all kinds of beauty.”

  “I realize that, but I also know I’m not the type who turns heads when I enter a room.” She found the gown she was looking for and took it out of the armoire.

  He shrugged and sat on the chair by the vanity. “That kind of beauty is overvalued. I don’t know why so many people think that’s the most important kind to have.”

  She shot him an amused smile as she went over to the bed. “Because that’s the kind that’ll have gentlemen lining up to dance with you. You won’t have to worry if you’ll get a husband in your first Season. You have your choice of anyone you want.”

  “Most of those marriages are shallow. The gentlemen are often looking for something beautiful to put on their arm when they attend social engagements. And what’s more, the ladies tend to be vain. They think they should get whatever they want.”

  He’d come across enough of those types. He’d even taken a few of them to bed, though he’d rather not think about it.

  “Sooner or later, the beauty fades, and what’s left?” he continued. “The best quality a lady can have is sincerity. A lady like that is truly beautiful.”

  “This may come as a shock to you,” she replied as she spread the gown on the bed, “but Celia’s sister-in-law is extremely beautiful to look at, and she’s sincere.”

  “Then she would be the exception.”

  “I will say there is no one else like her that I’ve ever come across.” She turned to him and grinned. “Would you believe I went to her a few weeks ago and asked her to help me be nice?”

  “No. I don’t believe it.”

  “Well, it’s true. I told you Stephen had a right to say the things he did about me.”

  He chuckled. “Even if that’s the case, I don’t agree with him.”

  “That’s because Celia’s sister-in-law helped me see the error of my ways.” She went over to the cord along the wall and pulled it. “I assure you, I was a real harpy.”

  “All right. Let’s say that’s true.” Before she could argue that it was, he quickly added, “You are beautiful in your own right. Your eyes twinkle when you’re happy. You have an adorable dimple in your chin. You’re taller than most ladies, and though you’re slender, you still have a nice figure. I even like your red hair. It has golden highlights in it. That’s why gold is the best color for you. It takes what you already have and accentuates it.”

  “I didn’t think men looked beyond a lady’s face,” she replied.

  “They do. They look at the entire body. Beauty is all over a lady.”

  Loretta’s lady’s maid came into the room. “May I help you, Your Grace?”

  Loretta glanced over at Tad, so he said, “She’s talking to you.”

  Loretta’s eyes widened, and she turned back to her lady’s maid and laughed. “That’s right. I forgot I became a duchess today.”

  Tad chuckled then rose to his feet. “I’ll leave you two to work on the gown.”

  “You don’t want to stay and watch us discuss what changes we should make on the gown?” Loretta asked.

  At first, he thought she was serious, but then he caught the twinkle in her eyes and realized she was joking. “Maybe some other time,” he opted to reply.

  As he left the room, he couldn’t help but smile. It was nice to know he had succeeded in making her happy. He only hoped she would always feel that way with him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  During the stroll through Hyde Park with Lady Eloise and the other ladies in the group, Loretta couldn’t help but notice that Lady Eloise insisted on walking right beside her. That had never happened before. And even more surprising was the fact that she included Loretta in the conversation.

  “I don’t know if it would be too soon to have a luncheon before the month is over,” Lady Eloise was saying as they passed by a row of trees. “It would be nice to discuss what desirable bachelors there still are in London after Loretta got the best one.” She winked at Loretta. “The other ladies in the group who are without a husband won’t be as fortunate, but it’s to our advantage we all find ones who’ll be a benefit to the group.”

  “I already know who I want,” Celia spoke up from where she stood on Loretta’s other side.

  Lady Eloise glanced at her. “I know who you want, too, but it’s not clear he has any intention of proposing to you. It’s been well over a year, and he hasn’t made a move to be your suitor. Maybe you should have your brother arrange something.”

  Loretta chanced a look at her friend and saw Celia’s frown. Maybe she should speak with Anthony about Corin to make sure Tad and her brother were right about Corin’s lack of interest. What good was there for Celia to keep longing for someone she was never going to get?

  “However,” Lady Eloise continued, “it is still early in the Season. We don’t need to rush things. Maybe it would be best to wait until next month to have our meeting. What do you think, Loretta?”

  Not sure Loretta understood her right, she asked, “You want me to give you my opinion on when we should have the next meeting?”

  Lady Eloise nodded. “When do you think we should meet? This month or next?”

  “Well, I th-” Loretta’s voice wavered, so she cleared her throat. “I think next month might be best.”

  It would allow the other ladies a chance to come up with the money they would need to buy another expensive gown and her to modify one she already owned. She didn’t know if Lady Eloise was aware of how difficult it was for most of them to keep spending all that money to keep up with her demands, but Lady Gareth’s husband recently lost money in his investments. If nothing else, they should delay the social engagement for her sake.

  Lady Eloise paused for a moment then said, “We’ll wait for next month then.”

  Loretta noted the relief on Lady Gareth’s face and was glad she’d picked the option she had.

  The rest of the stroll through Hyde Park went along much the same way, and by the time Loretta was walking up the steps of her townhouse, she felt as if she were floating on air. Lady Eloise was not only paying attention to her, but she was also asking her for her opinion on several matters.

  In addition to asking her about when she should have the social engagement, Lady Eloise wanted to know if they should serve apricot cakes or lavender shortbread. Then she wondered if she ought to decorate the room with a purple or a peach color. Even better, Lady Eloise accepted Loretta’s answers and proceeded to say something about what good sense she had. And as if that wasn’t enough, Lady Eloise had complimented her on her gown and said it looked lovely on her. Imagine Lady Eloise saying all of that about her—and all in one day!

  Upon entering her townhouse, Tad was coming toward the entryway with Mr. Jasper and Lord Steinbeck.

  “It’s one of the safer investments,” Mr. Jasper was telling Tad. “You’ll bring the
money in faster than you will with the Duke of Silverton. I admire the gentleman, but you shouldn’t be afraid of taking some risk.”

  “I agree,” Lord Steinbeck said. “The price of everything keeps going up. You need to make enough to live on and have some to save aside for the future.”

  “All right,” Tad replied. “You talked me into it. I’ll go to White’s in four days to hear what Lord Clement has to say.”

  She debated whether or not to say anything since the gentlemen seemed to be having a good discussion, but then Tad caught sight of her and smiled.

  “Gentlemen, are you both acquainted with my wife?” Tad asked.

  “I remember her from the duke’s ball,” Mr. Jasper said and greeted her.

  She returned the greeting.

  “Yes, we’ve met,” Lord Steinbeck told her then offered his own greeting, though it seemed strained, something she could be imagining due to her guilty conscience.

  Lord Steinbeck was Iris’ husband, and she was sure he didn’t think well of her. Which she deserved, given the things she’d said to Iris. It was on the tip of her tongue to apologize for her behavior, but Tad and Mr. Jasper were there. Besides, the person she should apologize to was Iris.

  Tad turned back to them. “I’m glad you came by.”

  “Well, we can appreciate a gentleman who wants to make money through honest means,” Mr. Jasper replied. “We’ll see you at White’s.”

  Once they left, Tad directed his attention to Loretta. “Mr. Jasper is an exceptional gentleman. I doubt very many other gentlemen would take the time to help someone new to investing.”

  “I heard he’s exceptionally good at it,” she replied.

  “I heard that, too. From the way he talks about it, I suspect the rumors are true.” He took her by the elbow and escorted her to the drawing room. Once they were alone, he shut the doors and led her to the settee where they sat down. “I’ve been wondering how things went this afternoon. Did they go as you hoped?”

  “Better! I keep thinking I’m dreaming. Lady Eloise has never been this nice to me before. I think in the past she tolerated me because Celia kept saying that I was going to marry Anthony, and Anthony was on her list of most desirable bachelors. Anthony is Celia’s brother. You might remember him from when we were talking about him at the Duke of Silverton’s ball. Lady Eloise referred to him as Lord Worsley. He was the one I was betrothed to last autumn.”