An American Lady

by Emma Brady

  “Then I have nothing to worry about.”

  Slowly her hand inched its way up his hip to rest on his chest. Her warm body pressed against his, but his body had no reaction to her. She just didn’t excite him as she had before.

  “What? No kiss?”

  The practiced pout stretched up to touch his lips but he pulled away. An angry spark lit up her eyes. In that moment he knew that he shouldn’t have come here. This was going to be an ugly scene once he told her things were over. Marissa wasn’t the type to go quietly.

  “I think I should leave,” he said, pushing her off of his body. “I have too much to do tomorrow to be up all night.”

  “You visit me at this hour for nothing?”

  “Not for nothing,” he gulped the last of the brandy, “I came to let you know you should feel free to find another protector.”

  “You wish me to take a new lover?”

  Marissa’s face was painted with shock as she stood staring at him with her eyes narrowing. This was most likely the first time a suitor had chosen to leave her before she had left him. Looking at her full, ripened figure, he began to wonder about his own sanity.

  “I think it would be best. I will be too busy with my sister’s season to keep you happy.” Lucas didn’t want her to know the real reason he ended things. “You would get bored just waiting for me all the time.”

  “You mean you will be too busy hunting for a wife.”

  “I do not have to explain myself to you,” he answered. “It is simply over.”

  “How can you cast me aside like this?” She jerked away from him.

  “You are hardly being tossed into the streets,” said Lucas. “Your house is paid for the rest of the season and you will not have any trouble finding my replacement.”

  “You owe me more than that for the amount of time I gave you,” she hissed. “I have spent the last three years catering to your needs.”

  “If you want money, we can reach an agreement, but nothing more.” he replied. “If had not been me it would have been some other lonely gentleman.”

  The look in her eye said she was close to throwing something again. Taking the hint, he rushed out the door without a formal good-bye. He could hear her angry screaming in the background but it didn’t cause him to stop. Marissa had the cunning of a cat and twice the luck. She’d find someone new to appreciate her skills.

  It was late but Lucas felt no more relaxed than when he had left home, so he decided to spend some energy at the club. If he wasn’t going to be in the company of a beautiful woman then he could at least be around cards and something to drink. Those might provide the distraction he was looking for.

  He wasn’t dressed for White’s, so he went to another popular club in St. James with a more relaxed dress code. He was happy with his choice until he saw Viscount Andrews take a seat across the table from him. Lucas was in no mood for that man’s company, but he wasn’t going to leave in the middle of a game.

  “I’m glad I caught you,” said Andrews, sounding a little out of breath. “I wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings between us. I know you are feeling a bit protective of Miss Brown because of your attachment to her family.”

  “I just want her to be careful. She’s not accustomed to society here.” Lucas wondered if Andrews realized how much he wanted to punch him in the face. “There are a lot of people who could hurt her. Someone needs to keep the monsters away”

  “I agree, which is why I have been trying to convince her to accept my proposal. I can protect her from those types.” said Andrews, oblivious to what Lucas meant.

  “I think she can make up her own mind about where the danger is.” Lucas looked directly at him when he spoke. “She knows when someone is acting falsely.”

  “A woman can’t be expected to make her own decisions. They get too caught up in the emotions of it.”

  “She doesn’t seem to be the emotional type.”

  “All women are.”

  Lucas wondered if he sounded this ridiculous when he talked about women. If so, he might need to reconsider his own standpoint.

  “I wish you luck then.”

  Lucas folded his cards and went to go. As far as he was concerned, they had nothing more to discuss, but Andrews wouldn’t let him leave alone. The irritating man followed him from the card room, continuing to talk when Lucas gave him no encouragement.

  “I heard her new business partner has arrived from America. Have you met Mr. Gates?” Andrews asked.

  “No, I haven’t had the pleasure yet.” Word traveled faster than he expected if Andrews knew the man was in town.

  “I heard he has already secured a new office for them and is working on a contract with Applegate.”

  The man moved quickly if he was able to do all of that in only his first day. “I’m not worried about him.”

  “I know you are quite close to her and her family. I imagine your opinions carry weight with them.”

  “Not when it comes to business.”

  “Once Sinclair is my wife, I could have her sign her half of the shipping company over to you.”

  “I told you I wasn’t worried.”

  “I know, but still...” Andrews shrugged.

  So that was the angle he was trying to work. He thought he could convince Lucas to support his suit with her if he dangled a prize in front of him. Andrews thought he was easily bought with a few promises. He was going to be disappointed.

  “Sinclair will make her own decisions.” Lucas said, letting his voice reflect the feeling of disdain he felt for the man. “With both her marriage and her father’s business. She will not be pushed into doing anything she doesn’t want.”

  There was a threat in those words that was not lost on Andrews. His face turned bright red and his eyes narrowed. They were on opposite sides and would not be friends any time soon.

  “I only hope she makes the wise choice in both.” Andrews hissed before stalking away.

  Lucas wished he had met Mr. Gates at the hotel today, but there was plenty of time for that later. The man would be in town for weeks getting things ready. He wouldn’t be able to hide that entire time. This was just another situation where he would have to be patient in order to succeed.

  Chapter 11

  Sinclair found it difficult to keep her thoughts away from Lucas. The man frustrated her more than anyone had before. He knew how to say things that made her tremble with anger and just being in his company made her heart pound. It was a strange combination of feelings and very unpleasant. The next morning when she came down for breakfast she was bothered by the obnoxious man.

  “What are your plans for the day?” her grandfather asked.

  “I was going to explore some more of the city.” Sinclair would be inspecting the new offices Frederick had found and they were a part of the city.

  “You shouldn’t be going out alone so much. Your time would be better spent getting to know the people instead of the place.”

  “I have never been good at paying social visits.” Sinclair remembered how uncomfortable they used to make her in Chicago.

  “Nonsense. You are a charming young woman.”

  “Not everyone wants to spend the day sipping tea with strangers. I would much rather spend the day in my own company.” Smiling weakly at her grandmother, Sinclair poured a cup of coffee.

  “Sinclair, it is not proper for a lady to drink coffee.”

  “Why?”

  “It is a man’s drink.”

  Sinclair’s brows drew together as she stared at the steaming cup in her hand. A familiar, deep aroma filtered to her nose, making her mouth water.

  “I always used to drink coffee with my father,” she said.

  Before her grandmother could form another protestation, Sinclair brought the rich liquid to her lips and drank it in slowly. It felt like heaven sliding down her throat and warming her belly. She knew it wouldn’t be long before she began to feel ready for the day.

  “Lillith, if the girl w
ants a little coffee in the morning it will hardly lead to a scandal.”

  The duchess shot her husband an aggravated look that he promptly ignored. Sinclair knew she should be drinking a delicate cup of tea, but it wouldn’t have satisfied her. Coffee was the only thing that brought her to life in the morning.

  “You are encouraging her bad behavior, James.”

  James winked at his wife over the top of his newspaper. She shook her head but a smile was on her face. It made Sinclair happy to see her grandparents acting like a newly married couple. Her parents would have been like that one day. That thought made her eyes water and she blinked quickly.

  “I suppose I can allow her some freedom during the day as long as she agrees to attend social events in the evening.” said Lillith. “Invitations have been flooding in. You have made quite the impression on society.”

  A negative impression, but that wouldn’t stop people from inviting her to parties. They were hoping she would do something scandalous where everyone could see. They wanted her to attend and be the entertainment. “I would rather not.”

  “It wasn’t really a question.” Her grandmother’s tone was firm. “I have already accepted a number of the invitations and you will be attending.”

  She looked at her grandfather for some help but he was just as stern looking. There was no escape from her grandmother’s plans. If she was allowed to handle her business during the day, she could endure those social requirements in the evening. Success required sacrifices. She nodded her agreement and finished her breakfast, with a second cup of coffee.

  Frederick had changed into his gentleman’s clothes and left early in the morning. He had a long day of meetings with potential clients ahead of him. Sinclair hoped to be there for some of them, to decide which ones to do business with. She trusted her friend’s judgment but still wanted to be involved.

  The offices he had obtained were perfect. They were within a short walk of the dock but far enough that her presence would be acceptable. She needed to be able to visit without causing a scandal to be linked to her name. She couldn’t stop smiling as she entered the new London home of Brown Shipping.

  “Frederick, you have done a wonderful job.” she said as he came to meet her in the main room.

  “It wasn’t easy. Even as a man, these British don’t like Americans.”

  “They will become friendlier once they get accustomed to us being here.” Sinclair wished she was more confident about that statement.

  Outside the large, dust-covered windows, Sinclair spotted a familiar face. Lucas stood outside, trying to get a good look in. With a gasp, Sinclair shoved Frederick in the direction of the back office. He managed to get behind the door seconds before Lucas came in through the front. Lucas looked as surprised as Sinclair felt at the moment they saw each other.

  “Miss Brown, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Lucas slowly ran his hands through his hair, getting a good look at the office.

  “I was helping my new partner get settled in. Why are you here?”

  She watched the way the lines on his face shifted, knowing he would tell her a lie. “I was just in the neighborhood and thought I would be friendly.”

  Sinclair knew that Lucas had his own offices more than five blocks away. There was no reason she could think of he would be walking down this street in the middle of the day. He just wanted to meet the new competition in person.

  “I’m afraid Mr. Gates is going to be busy all day with interviews. He won’t have time for a social call.” She smiled sweetly at him.

  “I would like to at least introduce myself.”

  “It would be a terrible inconvenience to him. Perhaps I could arrange for you to meet him when he is available.”

  They both knew that her offer was empty and would never come to pass, but it would be rude for him to call her on it. If he forced the issue and insisted on meeting Mr. Gates, Sinclair would not be able to stop him. She needed to convince him to leave before the first client showed up.

  “I suppose I will just leave you to your business.” Sinclair walked to the door. “I can just continue on to the museum on my own.”

  “Museum?” She had his attention.

  “Yes, I had planned to visit the British Museum this afternoon.”

  “Alone?”

  She might have laughed at the look of shock on his face. “I find it’s easier to enjoy things without company. I visited many such places alone in America.”

  As her hand reached for the door she saw his moment of struggle. He was appalled at the idea that she would be walking around a public place without protection, but he also wanted to meet the elusive Mr. Gates. Sinclair struggled not to smile when she saw her moment of victory.

  “I wanted to see the newest exhibit as well.” he said, giving one last glance at the back of the office where Frederick hid. “I hope you won’t mind if I come along. I know you like your solitude, but I do not.”

  “I suppose I can make an exception for you, as long as you can be unobtrusive.”

  “You won’t even notice I’m there.”

  SPENDING THE DAY WANDERING around the British Museum with a distraction like Sinclair was not what Lucas had planned for his day. It should have been easy for him to go to the new Brown Shipping office and finally meet Mr. Gates. There was no doubt the man had been there when he visited, but had chosen not to come out and introduce himself. That made Lucas even more suspicious of the man.

  “Are you listening?”

  Sinclair glanced over her shoulder at him and he realized the answer was no. He hadn’t heard a word she said since they had entered the building. He was too busy trying to decide what he thought was going on between her and her partner. As a result he was in a foul mood and had no idea how to answer her.

  “I was distracted by the exhibit.” he lied.

  “Which one?” She looked at him like she knew he was lying and dared him to continue.

  “The Greek sculptures.”

  “Funny, since we are standing in the Roman history room.”

  She was smiling, amused to have caught him in his lie. Lucas wanted to be angry, but her sunny disposition made it impossible. His own mouth smiled all on its own.

  “Fine, I might have lost track of what we were looking at, but only because I have many other things on my mind.” That was at least the truth.

  “I hope it’s not the disappointment over my partner being gone. That was just bad timing.”

  They both knew that wasn’t true, but Lucas wasn’t going to push it. “No, I’m worried about Charlotte.”

  He had her full attention. “Why would you be worried about her?”

  “She recently found out that one of her suitors was a scheming villain and I think it hurt her deeply.”

  “Mr. Applegate I assume.”

  “You know him?”

  He was curious to see how much she would be admitting to in her involvement with Mr. Applegate. He would know if she lied, but she could choose to give him only a portion of the truth. That was the only way for her to get around her inability to lie.

  “I know that he made a big scene at the masquerade Charlotte attended. He got into an earsplitting argument with a woman.” She looked him straight in the eye without a blink.

  “She was defending my sister when he made rude comments about her.” He watched her closely for any response. “I was grateful someone was looking out for Charlotte in such a way. That woman was a hero.”

  He hoped using flattery might get her to give herself away but with no success. She blushed but wasn’t going to admit to anything. Sinclair shrugged with a little smile on her face.

  “It’s good that she was able to cast light on his true intentions, before Charlotte became too attached to the young man.” Lucas continued. “But now I’m worried it has damaged her confidence. I would hate for her to give up this early in the season.”

  “She might become more cautious, but I doubt she has given up entirely. There is still plenty
of time for her to meet someone more suitable.”

  “You never did.” Lucas pointed.

  “I’m unusual, Charlotte is not.” Sinclair wasn’t bothered by that description. It was just a matter of fact.

  As they continued to walk through the rooms full of artifacts, Lucas watched her more than the exhibits. He realized she was right in her choice of words, because she wasn’t like any other woman he’d met. It wasn’t just her intelligence, but the way she applied that to the world. Sinclair wanted to be of use and not just as a pretty wife to a great man. Lucas found that kind of ambition admirable in any person, much less a woman.

  Lucas noticed that she wore a dress in a dark navy color with only hints of lace around the collar and sleeves. It looked better than the black she was in when they had first met. He suspected that was due to the persistence of her grandmother. The color played well with her dark hair and the blue of her eyes. It would be easy to see why men would be attracted to her here or in America, as long as they didn’t mind her strong opinions. He was beginning to find them less objectionable with time.

  “Not listening again?”

  It was true that his mind had wandered off to think about parts of her body it shouldn’t. Thinking about her clothes had led him to thinking about removing them. That was a dangerous trail for his thoughts to take so he shook them away. Once again he tried to focus on what she talked about.

  “I think Charlotte is more worried about disappointing you than she is about finding someone to make her happy.” Sinclair said, sounding frustrated at having to repeat it.

  “Why would she think I would be disappointed? I only want her to be settled with the right man.”

  “Right man for her or right man for you?”

  Lucas thought about the conversation they’d had about Marcus and knew Sinclair was right. Charlotte would marry the man she thought Lucas would be happiest about.

  “I don’t want her becoming some kind of sacrificial lamb. I don’t need anyone’s business that badly.”