Lord of Sin

by Boyd, Heather

  Julian glanced at his aunt and found her grinning at Montrose. “Your grace, what a pleasant surprise to find you here.”

  “Mrs. Lenthall,” he said, looking down his nose at the woman. “How interesting to find you again ready to sup at another family’s table instead of your own.”

  Julian stepped forward, but his aunt placed a restraining hand on his arm. “We were invited to dine with the family, your grace. Unlike some, I would never invite myself anywhere,” she noted.

  Julian glanced at her sharply and saw her slowly smile at the duke.

  “The Hayes family are the most generous and kind of any family I’ve ever known,” Julian added.

  Mrs. Hayes beamed a smile at him. “You are too kind, my lord.”

  “He is kind,” Portia agreed, coming up on Julian’s other side. “Why, I’ve never known anyone so generous to help others as the Wade family. They were the first family of the ton to welcome us with open arms and have done so for many families.”

  Wade couldn’t help but be confused by what was going on. Auntie and Portia seemed to be in perfect step. “Are we to spend the night complimenting each other?”

  “Indeed, no. We have so much more important matters to discuss, and we have promised a feast and mean to make good on that score, too.” Portia slid her arm through Julian’s. “You are with me tonight, my lord.”

  Montrose spluttered.

  The dream dearest to Julian’s heart was to have Portia all to himself at dinner, but not with Montrose looking daggers at him.

  Mrs. Hayes held out her arm to the duke, and Julian and Portia walked in to dinner together.

  Portia held him back a little so they were not following so close to the others. “He was supposed to come the day I saw you last,” she told him, scowling at the dark figure up ahead. “He promised to call today, too, and then amended his acceptance to say that he would be here for dinner. Mother is very cross about it all.”

  “He knows she won’t refuse the honor of having a duke eat at her table.” He shook his head. “The man is incapable of being agreeable. What are you and Auntie up to?”

  “Nothing you need know about,” she promised with a sweet smile he instantly distrusted.

  Her fingers toyed with her neckline, drawing his attention down to her breasts. Those had filled his hands, and her body had met with his in perfect symmetry. “I like your gown,” he whispered.

  Portia gently shoved him sideways into the library and pressed him against the wall. He grasped her hips while she pressed her lips against his and stole a kiss. Her tongue flickered out to meet his, and they stood kissing like that a moment or two. However, they could not stay in this room. They were expected to join everyone else soon.

  He glanced down at her bust and wet his lips as he skimmed his fingers across the hard peaks of her nipples through her gown.

  “I like your buttons,” she said, eying his waistcoat.

  He frowned and looked down. “Just the buttons?”

  “There are only four on your waistcoat. Four less than I had to contend with the other afternoon,” she murmured.

  Julian considered that and grinned. “Less is better?”

  “More efficient,” she whispered, and the hot look she threw him almost knocked him off his feet. She laughed wickedly and pecked another kiss on his lips. “I think I shall make that the first requirement of my husband, that he economize on buttons.”

  “I’ll consider that a priority.”

  “Please do so,” she murmured.

  Julian pulled her back into the hall and along to the dining room. Everyone noticed their late arrival.

  “There you are,” Montrose exclaimed, eyes narrowing.

  Portia glanced at the duke but it was a dangerous smile that flitted across her lips. “A pressing matter of business detained me.”

  Julian helped her sit, trying not to laugh at the look of shock on the duke’s face, and he took the chair at her side. He placed his own napkin in his lap and sat back, looking at everyone at the table again. Auntie sipped water. Mrs. Hayes, wine. Mr. Hayes seemed at a loss for words, while Portia’s younger sister fiddled with her napkin, glancing shyly at Sullivan.

  Conversation resumed slowly, and Julian turned to Portia. “Did you hear that Lord and Lady Windermere left London this morning?”

  “I had not.” Portia smiled. “Do you know what brought it on?”

  “Lord Windermere sent a note to say he has decided to take his wife to the seacoast for the rest of the summer. A honeymoon trip.”

  “How romantic. I do like to hear of husbands and wives traveling together after so many years of marriage.”

  Julian nodded. “It seems…economic.”

  “Ah,” Portia said, just as Montrose sniggered.

  Portia’s hand settled on Julian’s suddenly. “Did Mother tell you our news?”

  “She mentioned something but did not elaborate. What makes her smile so happily?”

  “Exeter has sent an invitation to join him for a month this winter.”

  “Oh, what a boon for Lavinia!” Julian exclaimed, and then cast a glance along the table to where Montrose sat. The dukes did not get along, and Exeter had been only too happy to repay Julian’s future help with a promise to invite the Hayes family to the country. Julian glanced at Portia quickly. “For everyone?”

  “For Mother, Papa and Lavinia.” She smiled and took a small sip of the soup that had been placed before her as they spoke. “I expect my inclusion will sort itself out eventually. Once I marry.”

  Julian leaned toward Portia slightly. “I would say so.”

  “How do you like your lobster soup, my lord?”

  Julian glanced down at his bowl and dug in. The first mouthful melted his senses. “This is truly excellent.”

  “I though you might enjoy that one. I hear it is your favorite.”

  Julian and Portia spoke in pieces all through the meal. He was very sorry when the last dishes were cleared away. He didn’t want to part with Portia, and nearly said so. However, he soon noted Lord Montrose was glowering at them.

  As soon as Mrs. Hayes suggested the ladies repair to the drawing room, Montrose was on his feet and rounding the table to capture Portia’s arm. “I’ll take you in.”

  Julian goggled at the breach of etiquette. The duke had no manners for delicate company and was only getting worse the older he got. Julian got to his feet, too, and Sullivan joined them all.

  Portia freed herself. “Actually, Lord Montrose, might I trouble you for a word in private, now that you finally have time to see me.”

  His jaw clenched tight. “I think that’s a good idea, too.”

  Julian swallowed at the hard edge to Montrose’s words. He was furious. Julian didn’t want Portia to be alone with this man, not when he was in a temper, and he was about to say so when, to his complete surprise, Auntie came up to Portia, linked their arms like sisters, and drew Portia out of the room.

  “This way, your grace,” Auntie called.

  Mr. and Mrs. Hayes drew together to whisper, appearing very concerned. They did not, however, follow after their daughter and Montrose.

  Julian sat back down slowly but stared after the retreating figures until he heard a door close down the hall.

  Sullivan slid into a chair beside Julian. “I thought he would explode! Bravely done.”

  “We were only talking.”

  Sullivan chuckled. “That was always enough for him to become jealous of anyone when they got too close to his lovers.”

  “She is not that to him.”

  “You know what I mean,” Sullivan chided.

  Unfortunately, he did. If Montrose found out he and Portia had made love, he might hurt her. Julian got to his feet and slipped from the room to follow Portia for his own piece of mind.

  Chapter 23

  Portia swept ahead into the library with Mrs. Lenthall at her side without waiting to see if the glowering Duke of Montrose followed. It was all his fault it had to be thi
s way. He was a tardy suitor and expected everyone to bend over backward to please him at all times. No matter how rude he was or how inconvenient his arrival, Portia and her family had been expected to feel honored to be inconvenienced.

  She turned around and faced him. The duke was a handsome man but he was arrogant, inflexible, and rude to her friends and family. She gritted her teeth. She had intended to be gentle about ending their engagement, but after listening to him needle Julian and his aunt about their reduced circumstances yet again, well…she was much too angry to be bothered with the niceties anymore.

  Auntie sat herself down on a nearby chair to act as protector and chaperone with a wide smile on her lips.

  Her presence gave Portia all the courage she needed. “Your grace,” she began. “I am glad you came tonight.”

  He drew close and nodded. “I have neglected my responsibilities, so here I am.”

  She winced. “Is that what you think I am already? A chore that must be completed out of duty?”

  “That is not what I meant.”

  “But that is what I heard and what I feel.” She drew herself up. “I have something to say to you that is most unexpected. Over the past weeks, I have striven to know you, and I must say you have proven impossible. You promised I would have time to get to know you, but you’ve done nothing but neglect me.”

  “You will not be neglected after our marriage,” he promised.

  “After marriage doesn’t interest me. After marriage you will most likely do whatever you like with anyone you like too. But before marriage, I expected better—I expected to be courted. I imagined you to be a man who would at least try to make me fall in love with you before we wed. Two shoddy kisses and you have failed most thoroughly.”

  The duke’s face darkened. “What do you know of kisses?”

  “Enough to know you are terrible at it,” she insisted. “You don’t enjoy kissing me, or seem to want to, and I’d prefer you didn’t now. Did you give any thought to what I might have wanted from my future husband? Was I just expected to put up with long silences and the scowls you directed at my dance partners?”

  The duke’s jaw clenched and she sensed he was on the edge of an outburst. Now seemed like a good time to stop. She’d said enough. “Lord Montrose, it is my duty to inform you that we do not suit.”

  He stared without saying a word.

  “Do you understand me? I no longer wish to become your duchess.”

  He took a pace toward her, standing over her so tall and forbidding now. Any trace of polite engagement faded away, to be replaced by a look of complete shock. “No.”

  “Yes.”

  He took another menacing step toward her, and she had little choice but to take a step back. She did not want his body touching hers.

  “You are mistaken,” he announced.

  “I am not. I have ended our engagement, and as a gentleman, you must accept it.”

  His gaze grew cold. “I could crush you. I could ruin your family!”

  “I’m sure you will do your best,” she murmured. Threats would change nothing and she could not relent. The last thing she wanted was to be his duchess. Not when there was a chance she could be the wife of a good man instead. “But that statement just proves how very odd a man you are. The rules of polite society demand you accept the situation and withdraw. Threats do not work on matters of the heart. You care not for me or for the good of my family.”

  He glared at her for a full minute, and Portia held her tongue while he mulled over her words in silence.

  He narrowed his eyes even more. “You asked too many damn questions anyway.”

  Montrose spun about on his heel, strode away, and slammed the door shut behind him.

  Portia waited, trembling with relief while he demanded his hat and gloves, and then he was finally gone from her life.

  “That was very well done, dearie,” Mrs. Lenthall murmured. “You would have made a formidable duchess.”

  Portia grinned. “I thought so, too, once. Shall we join the others?”

  “Indeed we should. Julian was looking a little worried for a while there.”

  Portia turned and saw Julian retreating back to the drawing room, where everyone else must be by now.

  The easy part was over. Telling her parents that she would no longer be a duchess was bound to be the most difficult discussion of her life. It was also bound to sour the night and make them very angry with her.

  The only bright spark was that Julian was here, and he must know she was free to hear his proposal now. About time. She pressed her hands to her cheeks and laughed softly as she followed Mrs. Lenthall to the hall. She paused outside to listen, realizing that Lord Wade, and even Lord Sullivan to an extent, fitted into the family already—far better than Lord Montrose had ever tried to.

  She stepped into the room with Auntie and smiled at everyone. “What have we missed?”

  “Nothing of importance.” Julian promised. “Sullivan was just inviting us all to join him for a few weeks of country air.”

  She moved to sit beside Julian. “A trip to the country is just what we all need.”

  “As I was saying, how about you all visit my estate for a few weeks next month,” Lord Sullivan continued. “We could take long walks, picnic by the river, and perhaps even fish if you are inclined.”

  Auntie sighed. “Northport’s gardens are lovely in the summer. I visited long ago, when I was a girl. I doubt much has changed, but I don’t know if Wade would be willing join us.”

  “Oh, that is a shame,” Mother murmured. “Are you sure you cannot?”

  Portia glanced at Julian, catching him watching her with a smile playing on his lips. “I think I might actually have my hands full next month. Perhaps the month after I could, though.”

  Summer in the country was not her wish, either. She wanted to be married to Julian as soon as possible. She still had to ask him about Soho Square, and whether they might live there instead of his own townhouse. There was so much to do in that house and none in the other but decorate it. In four weeks, or perhaps less if he were able to obtain a special license, she hoped they would be newlyweds.

  Lavinia cleared her throat. “Do you fish, my lord?”

  “Indeed I do,” Lord Sullivan promised her. “Do you?”

  “Oh yes. I am a very keen angler. I caught more than my papa once, but I was only a little girl at the time.”

  Lord Sullivan’s smiled indulgently. “Truly?”

  The pair then discussed fishing as if no one else was in the room.

  Julian leaned a little closer to Portia, his fingers resting on the edge of her skirts. “Do you fish as well, Portia?”

  “I could learn to,” she said, taking note of his hand’s movement. Fishing was not a favorite pastime but she would learn to like if Julian wanted her to.

  “You will not ever have to sully your hands with worm guts because of me,” Julian promised with a laugh as he quickly caressed her thigh. “I find it as dull as watching paint dry.”

  “What will you do then if you are not fishing?”

  His brows lifted suddenly. “What we did the other day would suit me very well.”

  A thrill flowed through Portia’s body at his gravelly tone. “Me too.”

  Her mother glanced toward the door. “Will Lord Montrose be joining us soon, Portia darling?”

  She sighed, knowing her peace was at an end. She had to tell them now. “No, he’s gone.”

  “Without saying goodbye?”

  “I for one am glad to see the back of him,” Sullivan promised.

  Julian nodded. “You were magnificent, by the way.”

  “Thank you.” She looked to her parents, buoyed by his praise. “Mother, Father. I have an important announcement to make. Tonight, I ended my engagement to Lord Montrose.”

  Portia’s father turned red, and then he paled. “What?”

  Mother gasped. “Portia, what have you done? You were to be married. I have everything arranged! And what a
bout your sister?”

  “I did what I believed was necessary. Accepting his proposal was a mistake. He was not what he first appeared to be.” She took a deep breath. “You should know, too, that Lord Montrose threatened to make trouble for us if I didn’t marry him, but that only made me more determined not to. He is no gentleman.”

  Mother swooned.

  Portia rushed over to help her.

  “Are you really not going to get married now?” Lavinia asked suddenly.

  She smiled at her sister. “I would have been very unhappy if I had married Montrose.”

  Lavinia’s brow furrowed. “What does happiness matter? You would have been a duchess.”

  “Trust me, happiness is the only thing that matters when you marry,” Lord Sullivan explained gently, and then he winked. “I think she did a very brave, very right thing.”

  Father stormed from the room. Portia sighed heavily and wondered if she should follow and explain, or at least be there to be scolded. “He wouldn’t even look at me.”

  “He’ll come around eventually. I got the impression he wasn’t so keen on Lord Montrose anymore, anyway. It happens once people get to know Montrose’s true nature. He’s a hard man, impatient and very demanding. He’s the worst fellow to ever inherit that exalted title. What you have done tonight was very brave, Portia. Never doubt that,” Julian murmured. “The ton will probably hold you at fault at first but not for very long, I imagine. Your popularity and easygoing character will bring true friends back to your side and ensure your place in society remains unchanged.”

  She looked at Julian fondly. “It is only because of you and your aunt that I became popular.”

  “Nonsense,” he argued. “It would have happened eventually. You have a great heart, and you have never been afraid to befriend anyone and everyone. Most women in your position don’t. Not if they dream to catch themselves a title.”

  “I have dreams aplenty.”

  “I’ll do all I can to assist,” he murmured with a twinkle in his eye.

  Mother moaned suddenly and covered her face with both hands. “Oh, dear. Oh my! We will suffer for this.”

  “I can assure you they will care little by the end, dearie,” Aunt Hesper soothed. “The ton has a short memory, especially when reminded of their own misdeeds. They will forgive by the time she marries another and move on to the next scandal almost immediately.”