by Lauren Smith
“Well, dear sister, you sure know how to enter a room,” Richard said. “Come, sit, we all have things we need to share.”
“Like what,” she asked nervously.
“Like the reason the wives came to this meeting was to warn me against his intentions…both personally and professionally. Seems I made an enemy of him when I denied him a piece of the last shipping venture.”
Shock and frustration coursed through her. Lord Warwick had a personal vendetta against her family? A man like him? She would never be safe.
Chapter 6
“I’m sorry, but two questions. One, why does Lady Harrington not know about this already as it obviously affects her safety, and two, what does the personal vendetta against you have to do with the others here? No offense, my lords,” Henry said with a half bow before sitting in one of the chairs.
Richard leaned on his large, oak desk and looked to the other two men. Henry simply waited, leaning back into his chair, ankles crossed, as he surveyed their varying responses.
Finally, the Duke of Canterbury spoke. “I, too, turned him down on a shipping venture with him. Seems he has become desperate. He threatened my wife, in secret, cornering her and bruised her wrists.”
Henry shivered at the duke’s tone, wondering why Lord Warwick was even still alive. Definitely proved that The Dark Duke antics had likely been perpetrated by Lady Amber as the rumors suggested. Because otherwise, the man would be six feet under.
“That explains your part in it.” Though, if memory served, the ladies in question were great friends.
“I hired the Viscount of Yorkshire to look into the Lord of Warwick’s affairs. His wife is also an investigator.”
Henry’s eyes widened, and he heard Lady Harrington’s excited gasp next to him. “I have heard such things during Napoleon’s War time…but now? Intriguing.”
“My wife and I have done many investigations together. Going as a husband and wife team allows us…autonomy that one of us on our own may not find.”
“Makes a lot of sense,” Henry acknowledged. “I take it this investigation somehow put you two in Lord Warwick’s targets.”
“Very much so,” the Viscount of Yorkshire chimed in. “He approached me with his own shipping venture, wanting capital, but I had already done too much research into his affairs. He is in dun territory. The only lands which are entailed do not have a lien against them. All monies produced from the entailed properties are held by the gaming hell, Docks and Doxies down along the Thames.”
“So he needs a quick get rich scheme. Marrying for money or a shipping venture. But these ventures can take months,” Henry said. “Why start one now?”
The others looked at each other. “I believe for the insurance,” Richard said, the Duke of Canterbury adding an agreement.
“Insurance?” Lady Harrington asked.
“Yes,” Richard said. “Sinking a shipment on purpose, claiming a loss, and taking the insurance months before a shipment could be delivered and traded goods or money brought back.”
“And, less to be shared, if he writes the business deals correctly,” Viscount of Yorkshire said.
“But if he cannot put together a viable, or at least believable deal for shipping, a ship and her captain, then all is for naught,” the Duke of Canterbury said.
Henry realized things were way worse than he had envisioned when choosing to come here. “Well, he has set up camp in the outskirts, near enough to London for quick trips, but he is hanging on a group of women, keeping his sister under wraps, and terrorizing them off and on. Probably to force one of them to marry him.”
“That is despicable!” Lady Harrington exclaimed. “The cad. The buffoon. The coward. The—”
“Yes, dear sister, I do believe we have a handle on how you feel about Lord Warwick.”
“She is not wrong,” the viscountess murmured. “You did not say what he did specifically to you,” she added, addressing Lady Harrington.
“He, um, well. He has been pursuing me for some time. And though Aunt Julie and I both have told him no, he still persists. He came to today’s meeting for the paranormal society. Before he left, he wanted to have a word with me.” She colored, and Henry wondered why she was embarrassed at the buffoon’s actions. “Lord Warwick was less than pleased when Henry came along. He asked me what the meaning of me saying Henry was my beau was. I am afraid I was quite flippant with him about it. He did not appreciate it and wanted to punish me. When he raised his hand to strike me, Henry stepped in his way and stopped him and told him not to attack me or any of the ladies of our salon. It was quite magnificent,” she added, looking at him with shiny eyes that memorized him.
“I merely stood up to a bully,” he protested.
“And took him down a peg or two. And now look at you? You are still trying to get help for me.”
Henry got lost in the color and admiration of her eyes. He had no idea how long they stared at each other, leaning in close, before he heard, “Ahem.”
“Sorry, I… I also wanted to tell you of my intentions to court your sister. I will tell Miss Chapman as well, but as I am here…”
“Quite right,” Richard said, a bit pompous. “And perfect timing. You can personally escort my sister any time she wants to leave the house.”
“Richard! That is hardly fair. He lives nowhere near me. I have many castles to explore, meetings, and more. He cannot be expected to leave his own duties to play nursemaid to me.”
“I have good people to help me run things. I just need to check in with the estate manager. Consider it done,” he said to Richard, and then turned to Lady Harrington. “I will find a place to rent near your aunt and yourself as I can.”
“Where does this aunt live?” the Duke of Canterbury asked.
“Near the outskirts of London, northside,” she said.
“I have estates there. He can stay at them. It will save at least thirty minutes than staying in London proper, and he will still have easy access to it. You can stable your carriage and horses with mine.”
“That is terrific,” the duchess said. “It has hardly been used since that awful business a couple of years ago. I cannot bear to be there. We are going to sell it off soon if the rumors ever die down.”
“I accept your graciousness. Sounds perfect. Now, we must be going. If you would care to give me directions as to how to make it to your estates that I may give it to my driver, we can be on our way.”
In short order, they were back on their way.
“This is all happening very fast,” he told her. “Are you okay?”
She gave him a gentle smile. “I am fine, my lord. I find myself to be tired, but happy. And though this is happening rather quickly, I trust you, and I cannot deny that something is going on between us. Not when my body awakens as if from a deep slumber every time you touch me.”
He breathed a sigh of relief, tension leaving him that he had not realized he held onto. “It pleases me to hear you say that. I promise to spend time with you so that we may get to know each other. Care to go for a picnic on the morrow?”
“Of course. Then we can discuss more of your plants and make plans as to which castles you will come with me to see.”
“I would be delighted.”
He alighted with her when they arrived at her home. “I will come in when I arrive tomorrow to speak with your aunt, if you would give her my intentions to speak with her?”
“I shall. I look forward to seeing you again, my lord,” she said, a touch of shyness in her voice.
“Yes. I will enjoy a quiet picnic with you while we make plans. On the morrow then?”
“On the morrow.”
He wanted to kiss her goodbye, but it was too early for such forwardness. So he took her hand, kissed the back of it, loving her change in breathing. Reluctantly, he let her hand go and watched her walk back into her home.
Tomorrow could not come fast enough.
Chapter 7
Colleen rose out of bed quickly whence
morning came, anticipation making her heart beat strong against her chest. Sue came in, a pink dress across her arm.
“What is this?” Colleen asked.
“It is a dress, my lady.”
“Yes, I can see that,” Colleen said in exasperation. “Where did it come from?”
“Your brother sent it around. It came half hour ago with a note for you to wear it today.”
“I do not know whether to laugh or scream.”
“Perhaps, my lady, you can be grateful that your brother is cognizant that you may want new clothing after being in morning,” Sue said, gently chiding.
“Of course, Sue, you are correct. And I am grateful. I had not thought of such things. It feels weird to be thinking of clothing and picnics. I find myself at a disadvantage. I much prefer my books. What if he finds me a bluestocking the way my brother does?” She spoke way too rapidly. Her nerves unsettled her. A simple picnic. No reason to have her nerves all shot. No pressure.
Except there was. She liked him. Like really liked him. And she felt an attraction. Then she noticed that her maid gave her a pitying glance. “You really do not see it, do you?”
She blinked at her made in confusion. “See what?”
“Your brother is proud that you are a bluestocking. He says it with love and pride. Anyone can see it, they have but to look.”
“He-he does?”
“Of course he does. He was raised to value intelligence, same as you. Why would he not want you to be?”
“I…but people are so mean about it. It is not usually used in a nice way, so I can be forgiven in not seeing the positive right away.” However, it would be just like him to make fun of Polite Society by using their own verbiage against them to keep the shallow ones away from her.
“You have a point. He uses it a bit…as an in your face, I would say. Like, you are too good for most men.”
“Oh.” Now she had that to ponder. Would Lord Strathor feel as her brother did about women and books and intelligence? He had seemed to in front of Lord Warwick.
And it had been genuine, in her estimation. Look at the effort he had put in, and in front of her brother as well. And, he had not dismissed the idea that Lady Yorkshire could be an investigator, just showed surprise. Hope bloomed in her heart, hope she had tried to contain, but now did not want to. Maybe she had found a man she could marry who would respect her, her dreams, her wishes.
She tucked that hope back away in a corner of her heart, but it glowed there, as if lighting a path. As Sue brushed her hair with the silver handled brush, she traced her fingers over the design on the comb from the matching set, wondering if she and Henry could ever be a matching set, with how different they were.
Him into plants, her into ghosts. Maybe they could combine their loves? An idea began to simmer in her mind. She would think on it and mayhap address it on their picnic.
Sue had just twisted her hair up to go under her matching hat, when a discreet knock came at her door. “Yes,” she called while putting on her hat.
Aunt Julie walked in. “Sue, I need to speak to my niece. Can you give us a moment, please, before you finish in here?”
Sue nodded and left. Colleen met Aunt Julie’s gaze in the mirror as she put the hat pins on. “Good morning, Aunt Julie.”
“Good morning, Colleen,” she said then sat on Colleen’s bed.
Colleen turned to look more closely at her aunt. “What is it?” she asked, perplexed by the solemn look upon her aunt’s face.
“Lord Strathor has just informed me of his intent to court you and that he has your blessing.”
“Yes, no promises, but I have granted him permission.”
Aunt Julie gave her a half nod, but the worry did not leave her face. “About a month ago, you said to me that you wanted to be like me, to never fall in love and live your life. I need to correct a few things.”
“You already mentioned you had known love.” Colleen’s confusion stilled her hands before putting on the final hatpin.
“Not just known, child. Know.” Aunt Julie futzed with her dress in an unusual show of fidgeting which Colleen could not recollect seeing very often.
“What-what are you trying to tell me, Aunt Julie? Are you going to marry?”
Aunt Julie’s soft laugh escaped on a sigh, a single tear falling. “If only it were possible. See, it is illegal for me to marry the one I love. And I am about to entrust a great secret upon you. Jane and I have been companions for many years. The society we live in insists on women not living alone, so it has helped us to cover our actual doings.”
“Actual doings?” Colleen felt as if she had started one of her ghost novels in the middle and could not catch the thread of the conversation properly.
“Jane and I met years ago. She came in to my father’s shop to have her gowns made. I knew immediately.”
“Knew what?” Colleen’s mind could not put the pieces together. Like a clog or two was missing on trying to put an old clock together.
“She did not see me that first time, for my feelings scared me and I hid behind the bolts and bolts of fabric Father kept in his shop. I personally worked hard on sewing her dress, for she had commissioned us for that as well. The next time she came in, I found my courage and helped her with her fittings. My hands shook, and I even poked her with a pin.” Aunt Julie’s soft laughter came out again.
“I was so embarrassed, apologized profusely, and prepared myself for a haughty put down. Instead, she put a hand on my shoulder. Instantly, my body’s reaction hit. I stared up at her, still kneeling, and saw an answering flare of attraction in her eyes.”
“Wait…are you saying…” Colleen’s mind began lining up the cogs of information.
“I had never had any attraction to men, thought something was wrong with me. Then Jane came along, and, well, the law being what it is, we took the whole season of me fitting her for gowns, and her buying fabrics before either of us broached the subject.”
“But…”
“We loved each other beyond words, but the law…especially as women, we had little chance at a happy life. One day, Father came to me with keys for this home.” She waved her hands around her. “Though surprised, it was nothing compared to the words he said. He said, ‘You are destined for a life of sadness if I cannot find a way for you. Take these keys, move Jane in as your companion, which is the most society will allow, and live your life.’ And for the first time in my life, I understood why people fainted. I nearly did.”
And all of the clogs fell into place, and things started ticking for her. “You are in love with Jane!” It was not a question, really. For, now that she had an inkling with Henry, she could see the signs. The little touches, the hands being near each other. The quiet conversations which no one else was a part of. “Oh, but it is illegal for two women…oh. Oh. Aunt Julie!” Compassion flooded her.
Tension around Aunt Julie’s eyes softened, and a relieved sigh left her. “My child, I have been afraid to tell you. When you did not see or say anything after living here, I thought maybe you did not see it.”
“I did not see it, Aunt Julie.”
“I was afraid the reason you did not see it was because it was taboo, that you would not accept it.”
“So why tell me now?”
“Because, I do not want you to think I have lived a loveless life and strive to attain what I have when you have a chance at a real love. Lord Strathor… Jane and I both agree that his tone, his words mean he has started to develop an entendre for you. And it seems to me that he would be a good man to you, if you want him.”
“Aunt Julie! You risked a lot just to make sure I have a chance at happiness. I love you. I was more worried about losing my ability to care for myself, at having someone have authority over me in a way I could never get away from.”
“If it is of any comfort, I do not believe Lord Strathor to be of that ilk.”
Colleen gave her aunt a hug. “It is of great comfort, for my body’s responses to him have me doub
ting my instincts at every turn.”
Aunt Julie laughed. “Yes, that sounds about right. I remember how much I doubted mine whenever Jane came in. Now, the two of you go, have a good picnic. Get to know each other better.”
“I plan to when he arri—wait. You said he talked to you… He is here?” Colleen jumped up and began searching for her satchel with her drawing stuff in case they came across a ruin. She had readied it last evening before bed. Where had she put it?
She bounced around the room, searching under her blankets and in the wardrobe.
“Colleen!” Aunt Julie said. “Yes, he is here. But what in heaven’s name has gotten into you?”
“I cannot find my drawing satchel. The one I take everywhere. I wanted it with me. I always take it on picnics.”
With a laugh, Aunt Julie pointed to the chair she had been sitting on the whole time. “Do you mean that one?”
Collen frowned and turned. It hung from the chair…just the way she’d left it the night before. She colored in embarrassment. “Yes, of course. You know I do,” she murmured.
“Ah. Young love,” Aunt Julie teased. “Now, come. Though Jane is totally smitten with your beau as he is a bit of a horticulturist same as her. I am sure they have found plenty to talk about while we had our chat.”
“Of course. He does love his plants. He was particularly admiring our lilac trees. Something about the early blooms.”
“The fact that he noticed that will earn him a forever place in Jane’s heart. Now go, dear, before they forget about both of us and take a full turn of the gardens.”
With a happiness and lightness in her heart, she ran down the hall until she reached the top of the stairs, and then walked down them to see him.
“My lord,” she said.
“My lady,” he replied and took her hand, and then proceeded to do that hand thing.
“Oh,” she whispered, heat rushing through her body. This was the first time without gloves on. His warm lips upon the sensitive skin sent shivers through her.