Tempted by Curiosity

by Angeleke Kaldis

  This strange man was basically forcing the hand that would soon feed him for the rest of his life. If money continued to be spent at such a quick rate by Lord Stansfield then there would be none of it left for Mr. Coll. No man who was to inherit a sizable fortune wanted to be stuck with a large debt attached to it as well.

  That was simple common sense. Perhaps this Mr. Coll fellow was just like her father.

  Blind to his vices, and a victim to his own absurdity.

  Too many thoughts were crossing Marcella’s mind, like crosshatch marks drawn over and over again on an artist’s parchment paper. She tried to calm herself down by taking in deep breaths and then exhaling them slowly. She then squeezed her eyes closed, and hoped for some amount of sleep to overtake her, but it didn’t.

  Marcella twisted about, and then with an aggravated humph she threw the duvet cover off of her body with force and turned onto her stomach. She then turned her head to look at the small blue-enameled clock that was set on her bedside table. She grumbled as she saw the time.

  It was far too early to get out of bed right now. With an unsatisfied grunt, Marcella rolled onto her back. Staring at the ceiling above her, she realized something.

  Someone must be either thinking or even talking about her, and that’s why she was fighting this bout of insomnia right now.

  This was going to be a very long day.

  Chapter 9

  Lord Westbrook’s House

  Mayfair, London

  Over in Mayfair, Lord Alexander Maximus Westbrook, known as Alexander or even simply Alex to his friends, couldn’t sleep a wink.

  Ever since that sensational day at Ms. Janice’s Studio, Alexander couldn’t stop thinking about that dauntless and witty red-haired beauty that he’d encountered.

  Marcella. Lady Marcella Stansfield of Hertfordshire, to be exact. Every little thing about that woman made his emotions go into a tumultuous state, and that never happened to him.

  Never.

  Everyone who knew Alexander knew that he disliked showing his feelings. That’s who he was, but a part of him was sure that Lady Marcella could change all of that for him. He was so attracted to her, every bone in his body ached with the hope of touching her again, to feel her skin on his skin.

  Just to hold her hand without gloves as barrier between them, or to even wrap another lock of her glorious hair around his fingers once more would be more than a divine encounter.

  Alexander loved redheaded women, his friends knew that from his rakish ways at Oxford University, but there was more than just some sort of sexual attraction.

  Marcella’s hair color might have been the reason that attracted Alexander to her at first, but it was her mouth and the words that came out of it that intrigued him the most.

  When she spoke to him, it was as if her words had pierced straight into his cold heart and set a fire ablaze, awakening what he once thought was gone.

  The urge to love.

  He had to see her again, and he knew exactly where she would be. She would be making her debut at the Stanton’s Ball. He wouldn’t miss the chance to stare into those large emerald green eyes again.

  Alexander looked around his personal study. There were a few unfinished papers piled up in front of him on his larger than life desk, but he didn’t feel like looking through all of them right this minute. He’d get to them eventually, he always did, and he was never late with his responses.

  He then looked over at the clock that was settled in the center of the fireplace mantle. He sighed with disappointment, it was barely midnight. Alexander felt like he had nothing to do, and all day to do it. He prayed for some kind of diversion to occupy his frenetic mind in the meantime.

  A knock sounded on the door before him, Alexander looked up to the ceiling and whispered, “Thank you God.”

  He then saw his butler, Samson, walk into the study with a placid smile on his face as he said, “Lord Thomas is here to see you my Lord. Should I bring him to the study?”

  “Thank you Samson, yes bring him in.”

  The butler nodded to his command, then left the room quickly, and within seconds later Samson escorted Lord Thomas Marcus Kingston into the study. Lord Thomas thanked the butler, who then left the gentlemen to themselves.

  Lord Thomas had a mischievous look in his small icy-blue eyes as he walked over to the mantle and looked at the mantle clock.

  “Good lord, is it really that early?” Lord Thomas expressed boisterously.

  “Unfortunately, it is. Any plans for the evening Tom?” Alexander replied evenly.

  “None, but I did run into the Dover twins earlier and they mentioned that they were going to be meeting up with the rest of our lot at Starling’s tonight. We could join them if you’d like?”

  Alexander abruptly got up from his desk and rushed to the door, “Samson! I’m leaving for Starling’s. Ready my hat and gloves please!”

  A distant, “Yes my Lord!”, was heard from across the house.

  Lord Thomas smirked as he went over to pour them each a glass of whisky before they left the house for some merriment.

  “You look different this evening, you almost look…dare I say, happy.” Lord Thomas stated nonchalantly as he passed Alexander a glass.

  Alexander accepted the glass and then took it down in one gulp. He then replied with a gruff voice, “I’ve met someone.”

  Lord Thomas huffed, “That’s good news my friend, but why do you look so stricken about it?”

  Alexander shrugged insouciantly, “I think she may be the one.”

  Lord Thomas’s eyes grew large as he said, “The one that you’ll voluntarily leave all your rakish ways behind you for, the one that you’ll actually marry? That one?”

  Alexander nodded as he took Thomas’s own glass from his hand and swallowed the whisky down in one whole swoop again.

  “Yes, that one. She’s all I think about Thomas, so if you don’t mind I need a big manly distraction before I go undeniably mad.” Alexander said this with some concern in his rough voice.

  On the outside he had a very stern look plastered upon his face, but on the inside he was bouncing with eagerness. Eagerness to get out of the house and see if what he was feeling for Lady Marcella was actually real.

  Lord Thomas, on the other hand, looked quite amused with his friend’s current situation, and he was thoroughly enjoying every second of this.

  Samson came into the room out of breath, “Your hat and gloves my Lord.”

  “Thank you Samson. Come on Kingston.” Alexander stated aloud.

  Thomas followed him out of the study and asked, “Are we walking to Starling’s, or would you prefer to take my carriage? After all, it’s waiting right outside for me.”

  “Ah yes, the carriage will do nicely Thomas.” Alexander replied breathlessly.

  They left Westbrook’s house in a hurried fashion, twenty minutes later they had arrived at Starling’s for some “manly distraction” as Alexander had called it.

  The second their soles touched the pavement the gentlemen’s club doors opened wide for them.

  Winston, the head butler at Starling’s, welcomed them into the private premises, “Good evening my Lords. The rest of your party has already arrived. They are located in the blue billiards room on the third floor.”

  “Thank you Winston. Good to see you again.” Lord Thomas said with quick smile.

  “You as well sir.” Winston performed a quick bow and then closed the door behind them as they entered the establishment.

  It was a busy night at Starling’s from the looks of things down in the main room. If they had just been two walk-ins for the night, they would’ve never found a room.

  Thankfully, someone had reserved a billiards room ahead of time. Smart thinking, that was probably the Marquess of Lyon’s idea.

  As Alexander and Thomas rounded the corner of the third floor they could hear bellowing coming down the hall from the blue billiards room.

  They knocked on the door and a second later G
abriel Hamill, The Marquess of Lyon, opened it up with a wide smile on his face as he said, “About time you two showed up, we’re having a bit of a kerfuffle at the moment.”

  “What’s this so-called kerfuffle about?” Thomas asked with intense curiosity.

  “Well, it’s the twins…again. One of them wants to stay here and lull about, whilst the other wants to go to Circe’s Palace for some other entertainment.”

  “Circe’s Palace? That’s Viktor’s new place right?” Alexander asked with interest.

  Gabriel nodded, “Yes, my cousin has outdone himself with this one. He finally named it, appropriately too I might add.”

  Alexander looked around the room and saw the rest of his friends all over the place. For him, these men were the brothers that he’d never had. He would do anything for them, and he knew that they would do the same for him in return.

  They were his chosen family.

  He walked further into the room and sat in an empty chair on the left of the hearth that was burning brightly. To his right sat Vincent Lawrence, the Earl of Sweeting. The man looked exhausted beyond reason.

  “What’s going on with you Vincent?”

  The Earl looked up from the glass in his hand, “I’ve had a rough week Alexander, and those twisted twins over there aren’t helping a bit with my headache. All I want to do is sit here, and drink.”

  Vincent examined the liquid in his glass, swirled it around, shrugged at it, and then drank it up. The Earl looked worse for wear, and when he looked like this Alexander knew that it was best to let the man be.

  Alexander then looked over to the ruckus in the room and saw that the Dover twins were still arguing around the billiards table. They seemed to be playing duos against Lord Christopher Luke Bradley and Gabriel.

  Thomas had found his way to a generous glass of port, Alexander had taken his glass of whisky earlier so he was in need of some liquid goodness.

  With a glass of port in his hand, Thomas looked about the room and asked aloud, “So my good men, who’s winning this shite game of billiards?”

  Alexander chuckled a bit, and the whole room stopped breathing and just stared over at him.

  “Was that a chuckle?” Lord Andrew Dover asked to the whole room.

  “I believe it was.” Lord Robert Dover, Andrew’s older twin brother stated in shock.

  Alexander shook his head as if nothing had happened, “What? Can’t a man laugh?”

  “A man can laugh, but when that man is you…well it’s a rare occurrence. That’s all.” Lord Bradley said with certainty.

  Alexander looked at all the dazed faces around him, these men knew him too well, and he knew that he would have to say something or other.

  However, Thomas beat him right to it.

  “He’s met someone.” Thomas drank his port with a smirk on his face, because he knew exactly what was about to happen.

  “You’ve met someone?” Gabriel asked with full excitement.

  “When?” Christopher asked with a hint of exultation in his voice.

  “Who is she?” Robert asked with joy.

  “Why?” Andrew asked with despair.

  “Good luck.” Vincent stated with a sneer on his miserable face.

  Alexander took in all of the questions, and even that last comment. He knew that all of it was given purely with brotherly affection in mind. So he decided to tell them the whole truth, along with a slight threat.

  “Yes, the lady’s name is Lady Marcella Stansfield and she is mine. Understand?”

  He growled that last bit for reassurance.

  They all nodded, then Andrew asked him, “So, what does she look like? That’s the only way I’m going to be able to stay away from her.”

  They all laughed a little, but they all knew how Andrew could be. He was known to be the leading rakish lord of the ton, so he had an immoral reputation to keep safe.

  Alexander actually cracked a smile as he spoke, “She’s an elegantly tall redheaded woman with flowing hair like a spring goddess. At first glance, her eyes seemed to be as green as absinthe, but the longer I looked into them they became this vast green meadow full to the brim with hope.”

  They all gaped at him, but it was the Earl of Sweeting who spoke for them all.

  “Oh fuck it man, you’ve fallen in love.”

  Alexander shook his head vehemently, “No, no. This isn’t love boys, it simply can’t be true. At least, not yet.”

  Andrew shook his head, “If you deny it that quickly, then it’s definitely true mate.”

  “You’ve fallen in love, and at first sight too. Just like in a fairytale book.” Lord Bradley said with a smile on his jovial face.

  “Oh women, what angels of love they are.” The Earl of Sweeting joked.

  “You said that wrong Vincent, the line is, Oh women, what angels of Love you are. Not, they are. If you’re going to quote Dante Alighieri, do it right man.” Gabriel said with absolute certitude.

  Just like his sister, Lady Emilia, the Hamill siblings were raised and educated by only the finest of teachers. One could, and would, say that they were know-it-alls, but the Hamill siblings would refute that absurd statement quickly.

  Vincent turned in his chair by the hearth and looked right at Gabriel.

  The Earl pointed at the Marquess with his free hand, “You sounded just like your sister right there. Why is it that all of you Hamill’s want to correct me all the fucking time? Am I not good enough for you lot? I’m just a damned bloody Earl after all.”

  Alexander kept his mouth shut, just like the rest of the room, except for Andrew since he liked to add fuel to the fire. That man feared no retaliation, so he always talked to his hearts desire.

  “Vincent, you know this. Lady Emilia is honestly too good for any of us. I mean that with all sincerity Gabriel, your sister is basically a princess.”

  Gabriel nodded, “I know.

  Andrew continued as if he hadn’t heard the Marquess, “Beautiful yet untouchable, her heart belongs to one man, and one man only. He knows who he is. Lucky bastard.”

  A look of pure green jealousy spread across Andrew’s face as he looked at Vincent. The Earl looked back into the glass in his hand without a care in world about what Andrew had just said to him from across the billiards room.

  Alexander hoped that there wouldn’t be a cockfight tonight, especially not a fight between two of his best friends. That was not what he had envisioned when he said that he’d needed some manly distraction tonight.

  Thankfully Robert spoke up with a happier attitude compared to his glum twin, “Westbrook, I cannot wait to see you with this lady of yours. Will she be attending Stanton’s Ball?”

  Alexander nodded with a grin, “Yes, she’ll most certainly be there. I promised that I would be there as well, and I can’t break that promise.”

  “That’s splendid news. We’re all going to be attending the ball as well. As will all of the Pinkerton’s.” Robert blissfully said.

  Alexander smirked, “Excited to see Lady Rachel, aren’t you Robbie?”

  Robert smiled, “Always. It’s been some time, and I miss her most zealously. Her younger sister is debuting this season. Apparently the sister has recently met our dear Charlotte. My sister says that they are now friends, which is perfect for all parties involved. Don’t you think?”

  “Of course Robert. What’s the sister’s name?” Alexander asked out of curiosity.

  Gabriel answered the question instead, “I believe that it’s Louisa. Emilia met her as well at Ms. Janice’s. Emilia says that she wants to go hunting in Surrey with her. Can you imagine my sister hunting? Someone’s going to get shot.”

  Vincent laughed at that, Andrew even chortled, but the rest of them simply nodded in terrified agreement. They’d all grown up around Gabriel’s family, so they all knew Emilia well. The bad times, and the good.

  She did what she wanted. So if she said that she was going to go hunting, then she was going to go hunting. They hoped that Lady Louisa Pinkerton k
new how to hunt, because she would need it for her own safety. Not Emilia’s.

  Alexander and Thomas decided to team up against the other two teams of two and beat the lot of them easily. A few hours later, and a dozen games played between various tag teams, a knock sounded on the door. It was Winston the head butler.

  “My lords, a private missive has just arrived for The Marquess of Lyon. I was told to bring it to him immediately, as it is an urgent matter.”

  Gabriel came forth and took the note, “Thank you, Winston.”

  The Marquess handed the butler a newly minted crown piece, the butler took it, nodded his thanks, and left the room quick.

  Gabriel opened the missive once the door closed, and then he sighed with pain.

  Alexander asked, “Who’s it from?”

  “Mr. Viktor Perseus Nikolaev.”

  “Your cousin?” Thomas asked.

  “Yes. Apparently, my sister is causing a scene at Circe’s Palace.”

  “What sort of scene are we talking about here?” Andrew asked with fascination.

  Gabriel read on and then stopped, “She’s disguised herself as a foreign princess.”

  Andrew laughed loudly, “Wasn’t I just saying that she was a princess? I swear to you all that I should parade myself around the ton as an oracle.”

  Christopher looked at him and said honestly, “I doubt that would be possible Andrew. You’re not a woman, nor are you a virgin, and I’m pretty positive that you need to be both of those things in order to be considered a legitimate oracle.”

  Andrew jokingly punched him in the arm, “You’re right about that Bradley.”

  Alexander asked Gabriel, “What is it?”

  Gabriel showed him the note, “Viktor wants me to go there and collect her up right now. She’s just started a game of strip chess with a young lord. I love my sister, and I know that she’s been through the ringer these last couple of years, but this could potentially ruin her for good.”

  Alexander whispered back, “Do you want me to go get her? She’s always listened to me, she’s basically family. I wouldn’t want her to go through any more pain, she’s been through enough.”