“Oh, sod off, you pompous ass,” Nick snapped. “If you were any more envious you’d choke on it! Whatever the hell happened between you and the Countess of Vautrey has nothing to do with the rest of us.”
Ben had been about to turn away from the table, but Nick’s words halted him in his tracks. He swiveled to face them, fists clenched and a thundercloud of fury settling over his face.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he growled, his words holding a clear warning.
Nick chose not to heed it. “Don’t I? You have been in your cups ever since Aubrey told you about her death. You think I didn’t notice you haven’t attended a wedding since hers and Vautrey’s? Not until Aubrey and Lucinda, anyway. What’s that about, hm? Maybe you’re so angry with me, and Hugh, and David, and Aubrey because you never got over wanting someone who didn’t want you back!”
David traded glances with Hugh, who looked as confused and worried over this whole mess as he felt. These revelations were news to David, but made sense when Nick laid them out that way. David glanced at Aubrey, who was watching Ben, worry creating brackets around his mouth and furrows in his brow.
Benedict remained surprisingly calm, clearing his throat and running a hand over his jaw. When he looked at Nick again, all expression had left his face, but the rage still burned in his eyes, fiery and raw.
“Fuck Vautrey, fuck his countess, and fuck you.”
Nick snorted and rolled his eyes as if he’d expected such, but said nothing. Benedict whirled to leave, but Aubrey gave chase, stepping over the chair Ben had overturned in his haste.
“No,” Ben said, holding up a hand to ward Aubrey off. “I don’t need you … any of you. Go home to your wives. David, you are on your own. I’m done cleaning up your messes.”
Aubrey glanced back to David as Ben made his exit, turning several heads on his way out. The club hadn’t gone quite silent, but several eyes had strayed to their table once Nick and Benedict started trading verbal jabs.
Aubrey’s dark eyes brimmed with helplessness and remorse as he squeezed David’s shoulder. “He didn’t mean that.”
“Like hell he didn’t,” Nick grumbled. “He’s been unbearable since Hugh and Evelyn married, and you know it.”
“Nick, just leave it,” Hugh said. “You’ve only gone and made matters worse.”
“You’re wrong,” Aubrey added. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. If you did, you would have kept your mouth shut for once in your life.”
With that, he gave David one last apologetic look, then turned and set off for the exit—obviously intent on catching up with Benedict. No one else dared follow.
Once they were gone, Hugh turned to David, who then became the sole recipient of his concern. “Is it true, David … about you and Mrs. Hurst?”
David nodded, his head spinning from what had just occurred as well as the brandy muddling his senses. “I asked her to marry me, but she refused. Ben is right … I’m pitiful.”
“No, he isn’t,” Nick said, glaring in the direction Benedict had gone. “This Hurst woman is pitiful if she can’t see what a fine catch you are.”
“I own an impoverished estate,” David pointed out.
“Trivial. Besides, your letters indicated things are on the mend.”
“I don’t exactly have a reputation as the most respectable of men.”
Nick scoffed. “Last I heard that wasn’t an impediment to marriage. Just ask the biggest rake in London … oh! He’s sitting right here, fresh off his honeymoon—though I’ll have you know he is entirely reformed.”
“He’s not wrong,” Hugh said with a shrug. “Perhaps you could try again. Do you have any reason to believe she might return your feelings?”
David thought back to those blissful moments right before he’d gone and put his foot in his mouth. He thought over the long nights they had spent in her bed, whispered conversations stretching between bouts of lovemaking. He remembered holding her while she slept and dancing with her in a crowded public house. The memories were colored by his love for her, by the realization that he had probably been in love with her for longer than he’d realized. But, did that mean his view of those moments had been distorted? Had he seen things that were not there?
“I’m not entirely certain,” he admitted. “But then, that is probably my fault. I didn’t actually tell her how I feel. I think she assumed I only asked her to marry me because she’s pregnant.”
Hugh groaned and braced his forehead in one hand while Nick muttered that he was an idiot. David didn’t exactly disagree.
“You’re going to have to tell us everything, from the beginning,” Hugh said, signaling a waiter for more brandy.
They drank it as David told his story, holding back the most intimate of details but ensuring they understood the whole of it. When he was finished, Nick was looking at him as if unable to believe what he had just heard. Hugh seemed less shocked but was still thoughtful.
“Well?” David asked. “What am I to do? I can’t simply sit back and accept that I’ve lost her.”
“No,” Hugh agreed. “You’re going to have to convince her to listen to you, and you have to make yourself clear this time.”
David sat up straighter. “I can do that.”
Nick snorted. “Can you? That pretty face of yours always does the talking. The reputation your mouth has isn’t exactly for your use of words.”
Hugh choked on a laugh, then schooled his face into a more serious expression as he turned back to David. “Sorry. That was bloody funny.”
David shrugged. “I’ll admit it was. But what about Regina? If she will even hear me out, I assume I only have one last chance to get this right.”
Hugh and Nick traded meaningful glances, before both turned back to him as if they’d come to the same conclusion.
“What you need is a grand gesture,” Hugh said.
“He’s right,” Nick agreed. “Something big … something guaranteed to leave her with no doubt that you refuse to live without her.”
“I suppose that could work,” David mused.
“Trust us, it will work,” Hugh insisted. “You’re looking at the kings of the grand gesture. One of us stormed a wedding to beg the bride to marry him, then fought a duel and took a bullet from the scorned groom.”
“And one of us publicly exhibited a half-nude painting of a woman before the entire beau monde,” Nick added. “After which, he issued a public marriage proposal at a ball where the most influential people in society were in attendance.”
“Mine was definitely the better gesture,” Hugh muttered.
“I think not,” Nick fired back. “But we’re talking about David right now.”
David shook his head to clear it, fatigue and brandy making it difficult to follow their back-and-forth. But then, clarity dawned, and the niggling of an idea crept onto the periphery of his thoughts. It might just work … or it might backfire spectacularly. But David was desperate. He couldn’t stand to wallow in such misery; not without doing everything he could to win Regina’s heart.
“I think I have an idea.”
Chapter 13
Regina wiped her damp palms on the skirt of her gown as she followed the housekeeper to the salon where the Graham family received visitors. A fortnight had passed since she’d last seen David, though not for lack of trying on her part. After her conversation with Powell, she had spent a great deal of time alone with her own turbulent thoughts. Her fear hadn’t abated entirely—really, it had hardly lessened at all. But it had occurred to Regina that fear nearly kept her from experiencing passion and pleasure in the bedchamber. Had she not pushed her trepidation aside to allow David to show her how things should be, she might still be a half-dead shell of her former self.
And, it wasn’t only sensuality he had introduced her to. There had been laughter and joy and lighthearted fun, which she had forgotten over the eight years of her first marriage. She had come into their arrangement feeling old, shriveled,
and lifeless. Now, she stood on the other side a new woman—perhaps not completely changed, but still in a better state than when they had begun.
The expanse of the rest of her life stretched before her, alive with possibilities she might never have considered if not for David.
That epiphany had led her to his doorstep, only for the butler to inform her David had left for London and no one knew exactly when he should be expected to return. That had been disappointing, but Regina was no less determined to see him. She returned three times more, only to be turned away. David had returned to Lancashire days ago, but he was never at home when she called.
Until now.
Mrs. Moffat offered her refreshment, but Regina declined. She was too nervous to eat, and wanted nothing to impede the housekeeper from finding David and informing him of her arrival. The woman gave her a puzzled look on her way out, as if wondering what she might be doing here. Surely she didn’t know the truth of what went on between her and David, but the household couldn’t have failed to notice that David’s swift departure had coincided with her overnight stay in this house.
Once left alone, she sprang up from her chair. Even sitting still became too much of a trial, and she paced while ruminating over what she would say to David. During their time apart she’d had far too much time to rehearse various speeches, but nothing that truly encompassed how she felt. It had been Regina’s hope that she would know what to say once she laid eyes on him.
Apparently, she hadn’t been as prepared to see him as she supposed, because Regina’s throat constricted the moment the door swung open. Her heart fluttered wildly at the sight of David, disheveled but still heartbreakingly handsome as he filled the doorway. One hand braced on the knob, he stared at her as if unable to believe his eyes.
He wore trousers and braces over a shirt, all of which looked old and worn. His hair held a layer of dust, and a sheen of sweat stood out along his brow. It would seem she had interrupted him about some task. Just what had he been up to?
“Hello, David,” she said, then cleared her throat and injected confidence she did not feel into her voice. “I hope I haven’t come at an inconvenient time.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, he glanced over his shoulder, then stepped into the room and shut the door. “Not exactly, but … well, I had intended to ask you to call on me, only … I wasn’t ready just yet.”
“Oh. If you need more time—”
“No!” he said suddenly, lurching toward her but then coming to a halt halfway across the room as if thinking better of it. “That is, I am glad to see you, Regina. You look … well.”
His gaze traveled over her, and she stiffened, realizing he must be searching for any sign of her condition. Regina’s face flushed as his gaze fell to her bodice, which stretched a bit tight over her bosom. There was definitely more flesh filling her gowns these days, and the tenderness of her breasts made her stays an uncomfortable nuisance.
“Are you?” he added, gazing down at her belly as if to indicate the baby. “Everything is all right?”
“Oh, yes. I have been seen by a physician who assures me all seems to be going as expected.”
His jaw flexed as he looked away from her, and she wondered if she might not be too late. Was he still angry with her? Had he decided that perhaps he didn’t want her anymore?
But then, he shocked her by offering a small smile and gesturing toward the door. “Will you come with me? I want to show you something.”
Bewilderment had her glancing about, as if some clue to this mystery might present itself. She wanted to insist they continue their conversation, but the earnest longing in his eyes made her willing to follow him anywhere.
“Of course.”
He led her from the room and to the staircase, offering his arm while bracing the other hand on the banister. Regina wanted to lean into him, burying her face in his shirt and inhale the scent of him—the light hint of clean sweat melding with his signature sandalwood. But she didn’t feel as if she had the right to such intimacies. Not until she was certain he would accept her. Then, nothing would stop her from holding him, kissing him, and lavishing him with affection.
Interestingly, he led her down a corridor opposite the one her guest room had been in, leaving her wondering if this might not be where the family’s rooms were located.
“David?”
He turned to her in front of one of the doors, hands folded behind his back. “The last time we spoke, I did not make myself as clear as I should have. The quarrel that followed was entirely my fault.”
Horror overwhelmed her as she realized he had blamed himself for her shortcomings. Had he stayed away for so long thinking himself completely at fault?
“No, please, I cannot allow you to take the blame,” she argued. “It was me, I … I didn’t understand—”
He held one hand up to silence her, then grinned. “It would seem we both share some of the blame. For my part, I did not explain myself well enough and that led to you assuming the worst. And why shouldn’t you have? Experience has taught you not to trust any man who isn’t Powell.”
“But I do trust you. You’ve proven yourself to me time and again, and I am so very sorry for making you think that I did not.”
“I will forgive you, but only if you come into this room and remain silent until I finish talking.”
Curiosity reared its head as he laid his hand on the knob, excitement brightening his eyes as he watched her. Whatever was behind this door must be important.
“Very well.”
Taking a deep breath, he let it out while pushing the door open. Regina squinted as he took her hand to lead her inside, parted curtains letting in a great deal of natural light. This time of day the sun seemed to shine directly into the space, allowing her the perfect view. What she saw took her breath away. One hand held over her open mouth, Regina gazed about, observing it all in stunned silence.
David backed away from her and held his arms out to encompass the space. “I was going to send for you when it was ready. I wanted this to be absolutely perfect, but you’re here now and I will admit to being a little impatient. That smell is a combination of paint and furniture polish … it will go away once I open the windows for a few hours.”
What he had been so excited to show her turned out to be a suite encompassing a nursery. They stood in a day room just now, where white cloths draped various pieces of furniture, which David started removing under her watchful eyes. A couch, love seat, and collection of child-size chairs appeared, all appearing brand new. They were upholstered in a cheery yellow damask printed with tiny blue flowers—a perfect match for the striped wallpaper adorning the walls over freshly-painted white wainscoting. Silver sconces gleamed as if freshly polished, and pale blue drapes decorated the windows. One wall was lined with chests and bookshelves, and collections of toys caught her attention in this corner and that.
A hearth stood along the far wall, with an ancient-looking rocking-chair placed beside it.
“My mother sat in that chair to rock me to sleep,” he said when he noticed her staring at it. “I gave it a polish, but left it entirely as I found it. It’s a Graham family heirloom. Oh, and look!”
He dashed to one of the open doors, which Regina saw led into a sleeping chamber. Within, she found a row of three tiny beds, as well as an infant’s cradle near a window seat, which had been dressed with a collection of hand-embroidered pillows. David pointed to the inside of the doorframe, upon which were scratched children’s growth measurements.
“Here I am at eight,” he said with a little laugh. “I couldn’t have been considered tall until I was about twelve. See how much I grew that year? Here are the twins at five, and at eight, and at ten. They have always been exactly the same height. Oh, and see here?”
He crossed to another set of doors on opposite walls, opening both to show her that they led into separate rooms. One was a nurse’s chamber, and the other was a bright and airy room roughly the size of her chamber at ho
me. A room decorated in shades of magenta and rose, fit for the lady of the house.
When she turned back to David, her eyes were filled with unshed tears, her chest tight with the overwhelming emotion welling up in her.
He smiled and cupped her face, his thumbs swiping at the tears that escaped when she blinked. “I brought most of the fabric and newer decor from London, and have been working on this in my every spare hour. My home isn’t perfect, Regina, and neither is my life. I still have a great deal of work to do before things are as they should be, but I needed you to see for yourself what I’m willing to do for the comfort and care of our child … but also of you. You see, the baby was part of a contract, and I cannot lay any claim to him unless you let me. And I do hope you will let me, because I already love him … or her, I don’t care which it turns out to be. I only know that this baby will be the best parts of you and I combined, and that will make it the most perfect thing God ever created.”
A small sob escaped her throat. “David …”
“Now, now, you’re supposed to let me finish talking. You are supposed to let me tell you that I love you. Not your money, or the idea of you bearing my child … but you, Regina Hurst. I think I’ve loved you for far longer than I realized. You have made what might have been the worst time in my life bearable. I miss you when we aren’t together, and my world seems better, brighter, and more beautiful with you in it. So, you see, I can no longer settle for the occasional night in your bed, or illicit contracts with inevitable endings. I never want to sleep another night without you beside me. I don’t want to wake another morning without your face being the first thing I see when I open my eyes. I understand that there is still so much for us to learn about each other, and I know you have no reason to put your life into the hands of another man. But if you could trust me with your heart, with the child inside you, and with your future, I can promise you will not regret it.”
Taming of the Rake (The Gentleman Courtesans Book 4) Page 23
