by Dawn Brower
“I’m sitting at a table of imbeciles.” He threw his hands up in frustration. “Not sure why I’m bothering anymore.”
Fin sighed. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t come to play cards at all. I was hoping to gather a bit of advice from you.”
“Oh?” Darcy sat up a little at that. “I’m a bit intrigued. What does the proper duke need assistance with?”
“Bugger off,” Ashley told him. “He wanted my advice, not yours.”
They were going to start another round of bickering if Fin didn’t do something to prevent it. Was it too much to ask for some simple conversation? Maybe he should call it a loss and go home. Coming to the club hadn’t gone at all as he’d imagined.
“Maybe this was a horrible idea,” Fin said. He pushed the cards in front of him to the center of the table. “I’m going to leave.”
“Don’t go,” Dashville said. “As you can tell.” He gestured toward them all. “We’re falling apart at the seams. We don’t exactly have our lives—together. But if you’re willing to take what we have to say…” He nodded at Ashley and Darcy. “We’d be happy to impart on you some tidbits we’ve learned the hard way. What is it you need help with?”
“There’s a woman…”
Ashley leaned forward. “You have my full attention. Is it Miss Vasile?”
Fin’s mouth fell open. How could he have possibly known that he was taken with Lulia? “Pardon me?”
“Don’t act so shocked. I read people well, and you, my friend, were clearly taken with Lady Northesk’s gypsy friend.”
“That’s not how I’d describe her.”
He considered Lulia the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She had haunted his dreams for years now. Fin had been attracted to her from the first moment he’d met her. Of course, no one sitting with him knew that. They were barely acquainted with each other, and Fin had just started to become familiar with Ashley. He’d thought he needed friends, and he still did. Living his life as he had been—it was a lonely existence.
“That doesn’t matter.” Ashley waved his hand dismissively. “What does is the fact that you are smitten with her. What is the problem?”
“I don’t know how to…”
“Seduce a woman?” Darcy supplied. “If that’s the case, you did come to the right place.” He smacked Dashville on the shoulder. “According to the scandal sheets, he’s the biggest rogue of us all.”
“Hell,” Dashville nearly grumbled the word. “It’s one scandal sheet. Stop bringing that blasted woman up.”
“So, none of you know who this Lady X is?” Fin was starting to be glad he’d never graced the pages of her scandal sheet. Though he wasn’t sure if that was true or not as he’d never actually read it.
“That woman doesn’t matter,” Dashville said. “She’s not your problem. We can help you with yours. Tell us about your gypsy.”
He had come in for advice on how to pursue Lulia. Was it selfish to brush aside their concerns about Lady X for what he needed? He did want to have a real relationship with her. This might be his one chance to figure out what to do next. “She’s beautiful.”
“Of course she is. Any woman worth the effort is.” Darcy wiggled his eyebrows. “But what makes her special?”
Fin sat back in his char and considered his question. What was it about Lulia that kept his attention focused on her? “She’s brave, stubborn, and intelligent. When I’m around her, I can’t focus on anything else. Even when she drives me mad, I want her by my side. Her tenacity and willingness to put those she loves first is amazing. I can’t imagine a more perfect woman than her.”
“Sounds like love,” Ashley said. “A lot of good men are falling victim to it. First Northesk, and now you.” He sighed. “I suppose we’ll have to help.”
Fin wasn’t sure what he felt for Lulia. The idea of love terrified him and he wasn’t sure he wanted to define his feelings yet. Loving her might prove fatal and he didn’t like the idea of losing her. All he wanted was to enjoy spending time in her company. Whatever was between them could be determined later.
“Helena’s Christmastide ball,” Darcy said. “I’ll have my sister, Helena, send out the invite. It’s the event to be at if you’re still in town. If you’re both there, it’ll give you some time to sneak away if you want to.”
“Your sister won’t mind?”
Darcy shrugged. “It’s mother’s idea, but she doesn’t like organizing these things. Diana won’t care.” He stood. “I’ll take care of it now. I might need to find my bed regardless.”
Fin wasn’t sure how a Christmas ball was the answer to his problems, but he was all for spending more time with Lulia. At least when they were around each other he had a better chance of figuring her out… “I think I’ll depart as well.” Fin pushed back from the table. “I’ll see you all at the ball?”
Dashville lifted a brow. “Probably. Helena hates me almost as much as that dratted Lady X. She’ll invite me though because she loves her brother.”
“I’ll be there,” Ashley said, ignoring Dashville’s rant. “To offer you support. Go home and rest. I’ll stop by tomorrow, and we can discuss everything.”
He didn’t have a plan exactly, but he did have something. It was a start any way… Perhaps after he had a lengthy conversation with Ashley, he’d have a better idea how to court Lulia. Fin could use all the help he could get...
Chapter 6
Lulia had not heard from Fin in several days. She hadn’t heard from Diana either. She debated what to do about both of them. Should she go and visit Diana, or should she let her cousin come to her. She understood that it was a lot to take in and that Diana may need time to come to terms with the new parameters of their relationship. At least Lulia had plenty of time to accept that they were family. If Diana needed space to figure things out on her own, then she would allow her to have it.
Fin was an entirely different story. They have had years of separation and barely were acquainted with each other. If they had any chance of discovering who they were as individuals and as a couple, they would need to find time to enjoy each other’s company. The problem was that Lulia had no idea what Fin wanted. Hell, at times she had no indication what she hoped to gain from their association. Did she want a lover, a friend, or did she want something inherently more than that?
A part of her envied Diana and her relationship with Lord Northesk. They loved each other with a passion Lulia didn’t quite comprehend. She believed her own parents had adored each other, and they’d risked so much to be together, but she’d never experienced anything similar to that type of devotion. What would it be like to be loved and have that love in return? Could she have that Fin?
Fin may not know where she resided; however, that did not mean she had no way of contacting him. Luckily, for her, the Duke of Clare’s residence was well-known. There was a simple solution to her problem. She would write a missive and have it delivered to the Clare townhouse. When she sent her note, she’d leave her direction, as he’d requested from her, and then it would be up to Fin to take the next step. She wanted the opportunity to discover if they had anything worth fighting for. Lulia needed to find out if she was capable of loving a man.
She didn’t doubt she could care for another person because she adored her cousin Diana. Fin was an entirely different beast though. The very idea of him was almost foreign to her. When she was sixteen his presence held the promise of a future she never dreamed of or thought she could have. Her mixed heritage made finding a husband difficult at best but nearly impossible at worst. She resigned herself to a life of living alone. It was for that reason she sought out her cousin Diana to begin with.
Once she decided to send Fin a missive, she walked over to her desk and pulled out a parchment. She dipped her quill into a pot of ink and then began to pen her note. Once completed, she sealed it with wax and went to find a servant to have it delivered. Her roots were more humble, but working with Diana over the years, she’d amassed a nice savings. It
allowed her to keep a simple residence with a couple of servants. She had a cook who, at times, took on the role of housekeeper as well. It was her footman she gave the note to for delivery to the Clare townhouse.
“Please ensure this arrives safely,” Lulia said to Maxwell. “It’s important that the Duke of Clare receives it.”
“You may depend upon it, Miss Vasile,” Maxwell replied. With those words, he spun on his heels and exited her home.
She had no idea what she was going to do while she awaited his reply. What if he didn’t answer her? Should she take things a step further if that should happen? How far could she theoretically push him before she received the desired response? She wanted him to express how his feelings, to believe in the possibility of something more, to want love, and her. He seemed to want more from her in the same way she did with him, so she had to believe her efforts wouldn’t be for naught. Lulia hoped she didn’t have to discern his feelings on her own. She’d prefer he freely admitted them to her.
Maybe she should go visit Diana. Her cousin wouldn’t push her out of her life entirely. Lulia would not allow it. She had worked so hard to build a relationship with Diana and she refused to give up on her now. The rest of her family had pretty much abandoned her. Diana was the only one she had left, and now that she was expecting a child of her own, Lulia had even more to lose. Lulia wanted to be a part of Diana’s life, as well as the lives of any children she may have. She refused to be pushed aside and forgotten again.
It was a day of decisions. Lulia had made one by sending a note to the Clare townhouse. Now she had to make another one. Should she go to visit her cousin or allow Diana the time she probably needed? Everything inside of her screamed to run as fast as possible to see Diana... Lulia understood the dilemma that faced her cousin. She’d been in her position once. Maybe it would be better to send her a note as well to gauge her reaction in that manner. When Maxwell returned, she could send him out to deliver it too. With that in mind, she went back to her desk and quickly wrote to Diana.
Before she had time to seal the note with wax a knock echoed through the room. Someone was at her door, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out who it could be. There were not many individuals who had her address. She could name them on one hand, and most wouldn’t bother to visit. With Maxwell out attending to Lulia’s errand, it was up to her to answer.
Lulia headed to the front of the house and pulled the door open. A servant stood on her doorstep with a note in hand. It couldn’t have been from Fin because Maxwell had left moments before. Maybe it was from Diana, but she doubted it. Mainly because she didn’t recognize this particular servant. “How may I help you?”
“I have an invitation for a Miss Vasile,” the man explained.
“You do?” Lulia lifted up a brow. Who would’ve sent her an invitation? “You may give it to me.” The man handed her the wax-sealed envelope. She nodded at him and then closed the door. She tore off the seal and scanned the invitation. After reading it, she was more confused than ever. Why would the Duke and Duchess of Montford have sent her an invitation to their Christmastide ball?
Fin was once again studying the ledgers for the accounting on his estate. The numbers swam before his eyes as they had before, and every other time he bothered to try to take care of the ducal estate. He had no business even attempting to work. His focus was on other things. To be more accurate, every aspect of his thought process revolved around Lulia. He should give up while he was ahead. Though he couldn’t really be certain he was actually ahead of anything. The accounting could be off, and he really should start at the beginning when things were clearer.
Fin scrubbed his hands over his face and tried to wipe away the thoughts of Lulia. Although he didn’t know why he bothered... Nothing would remove her from his thoughts. Resigned to his current state of mind, Fin stood and walked over to a nearby cabinet. He opened the door and pulled out a decanter of brandy. Normally, he didn’t have much room in his life for stronger spirits. After his time at the club playing cards, he had found a new appreciation for the numbing effects alcohol provided. He hadn’t had any to drink that night, but since then, he had found a way to keep his cabinet supplied of the amber liquid. He still hadn’t received his invitation to the Duke of Montford’s ball. He didn’t doubt that the Earl of Darcy had ensured his sister would send him an invitation. Darcy had no reason to lie to him.
He poured two fingers of brandy into a glass and returned the decanter to the cabinet. His time would be better served preparing for the upcoming ball. He should pay a visit to his tailor and have a new waistcoat, tail-coat, and pantaloons fashioned. Fin didn’t usually care much about his style of dress. He had an excellent pair of Hessians since he had already taken measures to replace his old pair of top-boots, but he hadn’t bothered with a new wardrobe at all. Now he found he had a reason to present himself in the best light.
Fin stared down at the brandy he poured. He twirled the goblet between his fingers and stared at the liquid as it coated the sides of the glass. While he appreciated the brandy’s ability to numb everything, and yes, his mind and body, he wasn’t sure it was so wise to depend on it as much as he had for the past couple hours. A knock on the office door echoed through the room. Fin didn’t really want to deal with anyone; however, he did have a duty to the dukedom to see to. Therefore, that was why he bellowed out, “Come in.”
The door creaked open as his butler entered. The old man was hunched over and used a cane to help him limp to Fin’s side. When he reached Fin, he handed him two missives. “These came for you, Your Grace.”
Fin took the letters from the butler. “Was there anything else?”
“No, Your Grace,” the butler replied.
He nodded at his butler and then dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “Please see that I’m not disturbed.”
“Very well, Your Grace.” The butler slowly turned to balance himself on his cane for support and hobbled out of the study. As he exited, the butler closed the door behind him with a soft click echoing back at Fin.
It was a rare occasion that Fin received any missives outside of the occasional note from his solicitor or the steward at his estate in Tenby, so to have delivered two at the same time baffled him. As to the writer of the other letter, he could only guess. Although it would be easy enough to deduce who had written him by unsealing both of them. Fin slid his finger over the wax seal on one of the missives. This one he recognized—it was the crest of the Duke of Montford. He picked up a letter opener and broke the wax off. It was indeed what he expected it to be. A Christmastide ball would take place on the first of the twelve days before Christmas day to launch the season. He had less than a day to prepare. If he wanted new attire for the ball, he’d have to pay an extravagant sum to have a it commissioned. Some things were worth the effort though.
He set the invitation to the ball aside, then returned his attention to the second one. This wax seal was not one he was familiar with. He wasn’t even sure it resembled a crest of any kind. It looked like two fencing swords crisscrossed with a rose between the two hilts. Fin broke the seal and began to scan the contents. His lips turned upward into a joyous smile once he realized who the note originated from. His Lulia had grown impatient.
* * *
My darling Fin,
I grow weary awaiting a response from you. Patience is not one of my finer attributes, and I find it easier to reach out and take what I want. Please meet me at Vauxhall Gardens tomorrow directly following afternoon tea.
You will find me where the roses bloom under the hot summer sun. Let us pray their beauty survived under the exquisiteness of a winter storm. I’ll be awaiting your arrival on bated breath. My thoughts will be of you until we meet next.
Yours always,
Lulia Vasile
He applauded her ingenuity and anticipated their time together at Vauxhall Gardens. Though he would have to investigate the area to solve the riddle... She wanted to play a game, and who was he deny h
er anything? The gardens would be nearly empty at this time of the year, and it would be the perfect place to steal the kiss he’d been longing for. Then maybe, just maybe, they could be something more to each other.
Chapter 7
Vauxhall Gardens was a landscape public garden with an orchard, long walks, arbors, and hedges. The site also boasted streamlined promenades, gravel paths, fountains, artificial ruins, illuminated transparencies, statues, platforms for musicians with thousands of lanterns to light the entire garden. There wasn’t much Vauxhall didn’t have to offer to both high society and the lower classes. Its popularity reigned during April through June. In those months, it became a particular pleasure point for the upper class. It cost three shillings to enter Vauxhall, and once there, visitors could marvel at the many thousands of gas lamps illuminating the gardens. They could be found hanging in festoons from the trees and between the cast iron pillars of the vaulted colonnade. At one time, the only way a person could gain entrance was by taking a boat over the Thames; however, it was more easily assessable now by way of the Westminster Bridge.
Lulia had always been fond of Vauxhall Gardens. Even during the cold months when the gardens weren’t in full bloom. They were perhaps more appealing to her during those times when the snow covered the statutes, the fountains, and the pathways through the gardens. There was no revelry, no entertainments, and no lovers hidden amongst path. All of those things could be magical with the right person, but Lulia had never had anyone to share with. The snow glistened over the hedges like pieces of white magic giving the feel of a winter kingdom designed for her pleasure. Since not many people could be bothered with dealing with the hardships snow and ice brought them while visiting the gardens, Lulia found a sense of peace amongst the stark beauty of it all. That was why she invited Fin to meet her, so she could share why she loved it so much with him.