It's All About the Duke--The Rakes of St. James

by Amelia Grey

  “No matter the number, I am not afraid of a mouse, Justine. The way you are acting, anyone would have thought the mice had danced up your skirts.”

  Mrs. Abernathy harrumphed. Rath and Mr. Portington chuckled. Mr. Bramwell, he noticed, gave no sign of seeing the humor in Marlena’s remark and remained as stiff as a wooden soldier.

  “You can come stay with us, Mrs. Abernathy,” Mrs. Portington offered softly.

  There wasn’t room for the three of them in that house, let alone two more, Rath thought as he looked at her pale face. Yet Rath was touched by how kind it was of her to offer shelter from what little space she had. He was more determined than ever to make sure that his plan for Portington worked out.

  “Thank you, Veronica,” Mrs. Abernathy said. “It’s so dear of you, but we really couldn’t impose on your hospitality. The duke will take care of us.”

  “The offer stands,” Mr. Portington said confidently. “We’ll do what we can to help. Now, Your Grace, if you think we can be of further assistance to you, we’ll be happy to stay. If not, we’ll take our leave and allow you to handle this for Mrs. Abernathy and Miss Fast.”

  “There’s nothing more you can do. Thank you for coming to her aid, Mr. Portington. And you, Mr. Bramwell.”

  “Yes, thank you, gentlemen, Veronica, and Eugenia,” Marlena agreed. “I’ll see you out.”

  “What dear neighbors you all are,” Mrs. Abernathy called as they filed out of the room. She then turned to Rath. “I’m so glad you came so quickly, too. I simply didn’t know what to do.”

  “Miss Fast is right. A mouse cannot hurt you. They are way too small and are much more frightened of you than you are of them.”

  “No. No, that is not true. I cannot possibly get off the settee and put my feet on the floor. We have an infestation here, and I simply can’t abide it. We can’t stay here. I don’t want to live with mice. And worse, what would we do if Marlena had a gentleman caller over? Perhaps a viscount wooing her. What would we do if a mouse ran across his boots? What horror that would be!”

  “No man would be horrified over a mouse. They are seen in the finest homes and on every street all over London.”

  “He’s right, Justine,” Marlena said, walking back into the room. “It’s not likely anyone will have a mouse near their feet in this house. Give the tonic you drank time to settle you and you’ll be fine.”

  “Not in this house, I won’t. I can’t allow Marlena to live here, Your Grace. Whether or not she’s afraid of the little creatures, I am. We will have to move into your Mayfair home after all. Marlena will simply have to adjust and manage without seeing Eugenia every day.”

  “Justine, how many times do I have to say no to that?” Marlena exclaimed. “We are not moving.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not possible anyway, Mrs. Abernathy. My house in Mayfair is no longer available.”

  Mrs. Abernathy rose up straighter. “What do you mean? Why not? You offered. Are you rescinding your invitation?”

  “When it became clear Miss Fast didn’t want to move there, I allowed the family of one of my cousins to move in for the Season as I usually do.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us?” Justine sounded peeved.

  “I don’t feel it necessary to tell you about decisions I make concerning my family or my properties, Mrs. Abernathy.”

  “But you’d offered it to us,” Justine argued.

  “And the offer was declined,” the duke reminded her firmly. “I doubt I could even find a place to lease for you this late. Everyone has their plans for the Season set.”

  “Well, no matter,” she said, lifting her chin. “You can ask your cousin’s family to leave now that you know your ward and I have need of it. It will be perfectly understandable to them.”

  “Justine!” Marlena exclaimed. “How can you be so cruel to suggest such a thing? Throw someone out?”

  “It’s not cruel. The duke had no way of knowing you’d have need of the place. You are his ward. You should come first.”

  “Mrs. Abernathy,” Rath said, moving closer to Marlena. “I won’t ask them to leave. They’re all settled in and that is the end of it.”

  Mrs. Abernathy swung her feet off the settee and stood up, lifting her chest high as she did so. “Don’t you have another home in Mayfair we can go to?”

  “I’m afraid not,” he said.

  “We can’t go to an inn,” Mrs. Abernathy declared. “Heaven only knows what kind of people we’d have living there with us. I don’t want to even think about that. And we simply can’t stay in this house until we’re sure the mice have been dealt with. If you have no other home we can go to, we shall move into your house in St. James with you.”

  Marlena glared at her cousin in disbelief. “Justine, you are being impossible. We can’t do such a thing, and you know it. It’s absurd for you to even suggest such madness. An unmarried lady under the same roof as a—a.” She looked at Rath. “A rake.”

  Rath smiled at her. He saw her frustration at her cousin’s antics melt away after he did. He liked the fact that he could settle her with a smile. Mrs. Abernathy had no idea what she’d just done, but Rath knew and so did Marlena. Her cousin had given him the perfect gift for a rake. The opportunity for Marlena to live in his home.

  With him.

  The thought was heady. His breathing kicked up.

  “Thunderbolts and lighting, Marlena. He is your guardian. It is his responsibility to see to it that you live in a safe and suitable home, and right now, this one isn’t. It will be quite all right for a few days until this rodent infestation has been dealt with.”

  Listening to them, watching Marlena, Rath breathed in deeply and relaxed. The rake inside him wanted to accept Mrs. Abernathy’s plan no matter his honor, no matter the consequences. No matter that his father would have disapproved and challenged him to do what was right and be a gentleman.

  But how often had he listened to his father unless it was concerning the dukedom? Mastering the business of their estates, companies, and lands had been easy. Accomplished with his father’s approval before he died. Mastering being a gentlemen had never been easy for Rath, and his father took the failure of trying to teach him to his grave. Being circumspect in all things wasn’t easy for a man who enjoyed indulging in the guilty pleasures life offered, such as spending a week at someone’s house doing nothing other than drinking, playing cards, and making himself available to willing women.

  But now his thoughts were only on Marlena.

  “Mrs. Abernathy is right. I, more so than others, know the definition of scandal, Miss Fast. I assure you, I’ll make your stay at my house as short-lived as possible.”

  Marlena’s surprised gasp pleased him.

  “Thank you, Your Grace,” Mrs. Abernathy said with a smile. “I knew you would see reason and be kind and hospitable to us during our hour of need. How can Society balk when we have been overrun by mice? Everyone will understand the peril we’re in.”

  “I’m sure they would, Mrs. Abernathy, if that were to be the case. I’ll make arrangements for you and Miss Fast to be moved into my home this afternoon. However, as a gentleman and her guardian, I won’t do anything to tarnish Miss Fast’s reputation. Mice or no mice. I’ll stay at one of my clubs until you and Miss Fast are back here in your own home.”

  “Oh, the perfect gentleman indeed,” she exclaimed. “I knew you would be. Yes, yes. That would be much more appropriate but, of course, I’d never ask you to leave your own home.”

  “And neither would I,” Marlena argued. “Your Grace, this is madness. There is no reason for us to leave our home and certainly no reason for you to leave yours for us. It was a mouse. They are everywhere, including in the walls of your home.”

  He smiled. “I know, but I think you need to do this for Mrs. Abernathy’s well-being.”

  “Her well-being would be best served by staying here. The first ball of the Season is only a few days away! You can’t imagine what we’d have to pack. I don’t even want
to think about it!”

  “A minor inconvenience, Marlena. We now have more staff because of the duke and it will take them no time. All will be well.” Justine smiled at the duke. “I’m grateful you, at least, understand my delicate nerves, Your Grace. And as for you,” Mrs. Abernathy said, turning back to Marlena, “don’t look at the duke as if you want to snap him in two for being so kind and humoring me by letting us have his house. He remembers I was the diamond of the Season and appreciates my delicate sensibilities.” Justine lifted her chest even higher. “Besides, I’m sure the duke has a garden that has started to bud. No doubt you will find it fascinating to walk around in and look at all his gardener has planted. Soon you will forget all about your dear friends next door.”

  Rath stared at Marlena for a moment or two. She didn’t give in easily to Justine or anything. An admirable trait that pleased him. Suddenly a hunger for her engulfed him. Though at first it had bothered him, he really didn’t mind her being in the garden if it gave her pleasure. He liked gardens, too. He enjoyed the scent of fragrant herbs, rich, freshly plowed soil, and he loved the smell of sunshine on Marlena. Gardens were beautiful places for walks, talks, and most of all, for forbidden kisses and caresses.

  Being a gentleman was damned hard.

  Chapter 19

  He could be a rake if he tries to gain your attention by doing something unexpectedly nice for someone you care for.

  MISS HONORA TRUTH’S WORDS OF WISDOM AND WARNING ABOUT RAKES, SCOUNDRELS, ROGUES, AND LIBERTINES

  “Do tell him to be careful with my trunks, Sneeds,” Justine said as she and Marlena stood in the entryway of the duke’s St. James home. “I would be devastated to hear any of my perfume bottles breaking.”

  “Really, Justine,” Marlena whispered, holding Tut’s warm body in her arms. “The duke’s staff knows how to handle your baggage. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

  “We can hope,” Justine answered and turned back to the butler. “I should like to know what the duke’s favorite scent is.”

  The short man looked aghast and snapped his hands behind his back. “I don’t discuss anything about the duke, madam.”

  “Hmm. Very well. I’ll find out for myself.” Justine looked toward the two men carrying her trunk up the stairs. “You did tell them that I should be settled in the duke’s chambers, didn’t you?”

  Sneeds pulled up his thin shoulders, lifted his square chin, and rose up on his toes. He was still no match for Justine’s superior height and breadth. “Certainly not.”

  “Then you should. The duke would want me to occupy his suite of rooms. Wait,” she called to the men who were about to reach the landing at the top of the stairs. “You there, with my trunk, wait, please.”

  The men stopped and turned their heads toward her. “That will go in the duke’s rooms.”

  “No, it will not,” Sneeds said, also looking up at the men. “Put it in the room where you were told it would go.”

  “Now, see here,” Justine said to Sneeds. “The duke would want me to have the bigger rooms.”

  Holding himself stiffly, the butler insisted, “I can’t allow that, madam.”

  “Thunderbolts and lightning! Why not? The duke won’t be using the rooms while we are here.” She paused and then added under her breath, “Not unless he wants to, of course.”

  Marlena’s grip tightened around Tut in frustration. “Justine, please be careful what you say.”

  “I said nothing wrong, my dear girl. Merely the truth.”

  “The duke would have to give permission, Mrs. Abernathy. He hasn’t done so. I’m afraid it’s not possible for you to be allowed to use his private chambers.”

  “Sneeds is right, Justine,” Marlena added, hoping to put this unpleasant conversation to an end. “You have no right to invade the duke’s private chambers. We will only be in the house a few days. It doesn’t matter the room you’re given.”

  “I have no idea how long we will be staying. However, I intend to enjoy my time here, and I intend to do it from the duke’s chambers. He has given us the freedom of his house and I intend to use it.”

  Marlena shook her head. Sometimes there was just no way to make her cousin see reason.

  Sneeds looked back up to the men who still stood on the stairs close to the landing and said, “Be off with you to the guest room as you were told and stop tarrying.”

  “Now, see here, Sneeds,” Justine said, sternly. “While I am here I will be mistress of this house and you will do well to remember that.”

  “I’ve not been informed of that information, either, madam,” he answered quickly. “And until I am, those men are under my command, not yours.”

  “We’ll see about that. Furthermore—”

  The front door opened. Tut barked and squirmed. Justine stopped mid-sentence as Rath stepped inside, removing his hat as he entered. Marlena knew she’d never tire of seeing him. It was as if something bright shone inside her at the sight of him. She breathed a sigh of relief. He could now handle this situation between Justine and his butler.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Abernathy, Miss Fast, Sneeds.” He nodded to them all as he spoke their names. “I wanted to check in and make sure you’d arrived.”

  “And just in time, Your Grace,” Justine said with a satisfied smile.

  “Your Grace, let me help you with that,” Sneeds said, reaching for the duke’s cloak.

  Rath’s gaze swept back to Marlena and lingered on her face. Tut barked again. “It seems I failed to speak to Tut.” He took the dog from her arms. “And how are you today?” Rath asked. “Are you enjoying sniffing around my house?”

  Marlena watched Rath rub Tut’s head and pat his shoulders and back with firm caring strokes. It pleased her that Rath took the time to give Tut attention.

  “I haven’t put him down,” she answered. “We just arrived and we’re not settled yet.”

  “And I was just saying to Sneeds,” Justine said, moving to stand between Marlena and the duke, “that I believed you would expect me to make myself comfortable in your chambers while I’m here. Since, of course, you won’t be.”

  That wasn’t exactly the way Justine had said it to the butler but Marlena thought it best to stay quiet. Still, she wouldn’t let her cousin obstruct her view of the duke. She moved to the side so she could see him. Rath looked down at Tut again and lightly scratched the dog behind his ears. Tut yawned his pleasure.

  “I think perhaps you should inspect all the rooms before you make that decision, Mrs. Abernathy.”

  Justine smiled at the duke, and then at Marlena, and lastly at Sneeds before saying, “That’s not necessary, Your Grace. I’m sure yours will be perfect. I should be quite content residing in your chambers.”

  “Still, I insist.” Rath nodded to Sneeds. “Show Mrs. Abernathy all the rooms and allow her to choose the one she wants.”

  “All the rooms?” the butler questioned.

  Rath nodded.

  “Yes, Your Grace.” The butler stiffly turned to Justine and waved his arm toward the staircase. “After you, Mrs. Abernathy.”

  Marlena watched her cousin walk away the victor. “Justine seemed be floating,” Marlena said. “It was very kind of you to give in to her wishes, yet again.”

  He shrugged. “It’s a small thing.”

  “Maybe for you but not for her. I don’t think she’s forgiven me for not agreeing for us to move into your Mayfair home when we had the chance.”

  “Then maybe this will encourage her to look kindly on you once more. Besides, having her look at all the rooms gives me the opportunity to spend some time alone with you.”

  Marlena’s heart started beating a little faster. She gave him a teasing smile. “For Justine, I think it feeds the designs she has for you. I think she intends to catch you in a snare.”

  The duke’s brow wrinkled. “I think Mrs. Abernathy has sights set on no one but herself.” His frown turned to a pleasant grin. “And a rake can’t be caught unless he wants to.”
>
  “Oh, you must have read my—” Marlena almost choked on the word my. She cleared her throat. “That is, my copy that I gave you of Miss Truth’s book that day you were at my house.”

  “No, I haven’t read it yet.”

  Marlena’s spirits fell. Why did she keep expecting he would read it? Why did she want him to read the book? She shouldn’t. She should hope he’d never read it.

  “I thought perhaps since you mentioned a rake that you might have more insight about them now. But as I said before, there is no reason for you to read it. If anyone knows rakes, it’s you.”

  He laughed softly and patted Tut’s head again. “Since you still have your coat and bonnet on, let’s take Tut out to explore the garden. There’s something I want to tell you.”

  A feeling of anticipation washed over her. “What?” she asked as they started down the corridor. “Or maybe I don’t want to know. Is it good news or bad?”

  “It’s not about rakes or Mrs. Abernathy for sure.”

  “Then it can’t be too bad, can it?” Marlena smiled at him, and a shiver of awareness shook her when he returned the smile.

  As soon as Rath opened the door, Tut was squirming to be put down. He scampered down the steps and into the garden barking, letting the neighbors know there was a new dog on the street.

  Marlena walked down the steps beside Rath looking at the grounds spread before her. Late-afternoon clouds had darkened, and daylight was waning. The chilling breeze she’d felt when she’d entered the house earlier had calmed. But then she remembered she always felt warmer when she was with Rath.

  It surprised her that the garden wasn’t much larger than Justine’s. Definitely wider, but not any longer. There were shrubs, plants, and small trees showing their new growth, and the tops of many flowers were peeking from below the ground. In the center of the garden stood a fountain with three cherubs in the middle. Tut sniffed around the bottom of it.

  She and Rath started leisurely walking down the stone path that led directly to the back gate. “What is it you want to tell me?” she asked.

  “So you are eager to know?”