When a Rogue Falls

by Caroline Linden

  The music started again as the first notes of a waltz played. Oh hell… It had to be this dance too. It was so—daring. She’d be a blubbering idiot by the end of it. He held her hand in his and then placed his other at her waist. Tingles she’d never experienced before flooded her. Helena glanced up and met his gaze. His ice-blue eyes were as cold as the color they depicted. There was no emotion in them, and especially, no indication he even realized who she was. It was demoralizing.

  He swung her around the floor with an expertise she didn’t know existed. It was amazing and cold in its execution. If he tried even the littlest bit, she’d be putty in his hands. She wanted him as she’d never wanted a man.

  “My, you’re a regular gossip,” Helena teased. “Please, don’t talk anymore. I can’t handle it.”

  “Talking is overrated,” he replied. “Why bother when there’s nothing to say?”

  That hadn’t gone well. “I suppose that’s true, but generally it is expected that dancers converse. Otherwise, it’ll create talk that is best avoided.”

  “I could care less what the ton thinks of me.”

  “Said like a person who doesn’t fully understand the disaster of a lost reputation. I wonder if you’d say the same thing if you were truly the subject of the worst kind of scandal.”

  He frowned. “As I don’t intend to be, I don’t see your point.”

  “No one ever intends to find themselves the talk of the ton. That’s the whole point of a scandal. People find trouble when they least expect it. No one willingly courts disgrace.”

  “Be that as it may,” he replied rather smugly. “I’ll never be one of those poor saps. I have a better handle on discretion.”

  With those words, he sealed his fate. One day she’d make him eat those words. She was patient enough to make it happen. He didn’t realize the trouble he’d courted—no one ever truly did. She lifted her lips into a sultry smile. “My lord, I hope you do. I’d hate to read about you in the scandal sheets. Especially if you continue to be a friend of my brother’s.”

  “What is that supposed to imply?”

  “Nothing,” she reassured him. “Wishing you all the best and all that goes with it. I would so hate for Lucas’ dearest friend to experience any kind of upheaval—that’s all.”

  Damn him and his handsome face. If only he didn’t have a horrible attitude to go along with it. Thankfully, the dance ended, and he led her back to her brother.

  “Let’s find that card game now,” Lucas said. “But not here. The club will be more fun.”

  Dashville nodded. “I agree.”

  They both left without a by-your-leave. “Do dash away, gentleman. It’s not as if I need a chaperone or anything.” Helena sighed. Tomorrow would be a brighter day, and she had a new subject for her project. Dashville was in for a rude awakening.

  Chapter 1

  All anyone can talk about is how Lady Helena Carter snubbed a certain marquess. A lady so firmly on the shelf shouldn’t be so choosy in her suitors. One would think even the likes of Lord Dashville would do in a pinch…

  —Whispers from Lady X

  The Season, 1816

  Helena strolled into the Loxton ball nodding at acquaintances as she passed. A lot had changed in five years. Well, not that much… She was still a spinster in the making—if she could even be considered that. Now though, it was more by choice than anything else. She hated to admit it, but the dance with Dashville had changed things. His social status had made some of the other men take notice. Too bad it had been toward the end of the season and none of them had piqued her interest.

  Still, somewhere along the way she’d become a favorite. She had more than enough suitors, and she should have picked one of them. That was what a dutiful daughter did. They married and moved out of the family home to start a new life. An adventure in motherhood and hosting parties—all of it sounded rather dull. The adventure she sought was far more exciting, and she liked to live a little dangerously. She could snub her nose at the ton, but why should she?

  They were perfect fodder for what really mattered to her. They provided entertainment in more ways than one. So much happened at balls that no one ever saw. Unfortunately for them, Helena saw it all. Her keen observation skills and growing social status aided her far better than being a wallflower had. It hadn’t occurred to her that flitting around the room like a pretty butterfly would garner the fruit necessary to publish her writing.

  Helena was no fool though. She took full advantage of the gift Dashville had given her, and repaid it in a way only she could. It didn’t matter that she was now firmly on the shelf and her would-be suitors had dwindled down to almost nothing. She would soon have more than enough funds to move out of her father’s house and live as she wished. The funds she’d accumulated over the years would ensure she could live comfortably until she reached the age of thirty and came into her full inheritance. At least her father had no control over that final outcome. Her grandfather had set up the trust and the current Duke of Montford, her dear old dad, had no power over its stipulations. Otherwise, she feared he’d have ensured she never received any of it.

  “Lady Helena,” a male shouted her name.

  She turned to see who was calling for her and plastered a smile on her face. They expected her to be pleasant, and she made sure she gave them the Helena they all wanted. When she went home, she could ease into the real person she was. “Lord Norfolk,” she said smoothly. “It’s lovely to see you. How is Athena? Have the pups come?”

  Norfolk talked about nothing other than his hunting dogs. The last time she’d encountered him, he’d raved about the breeding stock and how the new pups were far superior to any other retrievers. Helena couldn’t care less, but her other persona made a mental note of every last detail. The lord talked about his dogs to anyone who’d listen, and he’d never pinpoint how Lady X had garnered the information about his hobby. Whoever married the man would have to share him with his hounds. Helena didn’t envy the future Lady Norfolk, and was rather thankful it would not be her.

  “Yes,” he said enthusiastically. “She had four pups. Three boys and a girl. I don’t suppose you’d want one?”

  She’d love to see the look on her father’s face if she brought a puppy into the ducal home. For that alone she was tempted to say yes, but refrained. If she took one of the puppies, it would encourage Lord Norfolk. “I’m afraid not,” she said with a sad tone. “My father would never allow it.”

  That, at least, was the truth… The duke hated animals and firmly believed they had their place, and that was not in his home. A horse was something that provided a service, and they were well taken care of. Those were not pets, and he damn well would never buy his little girl a pony. She still had a little resentment over his refusal to buy her one.

  “That’s too bad,” he replied. “Maybe he’ll change his mind.”

  “It’s unlikely.” Helena shook her head. “It was sweet of you to offer though.”

  “Lord Norfolk,” a male said from behind her. It was a booming voice filled with authority that demanded everyone around them take notice. “Sorry to interrupt such a titillating conversation. I’m here to claim my dance with Lady Helena.”

  Like hell he did. She hadn’t accepted any names on her card yet, and she usually only danced once or twice in the evening regardless. She chose her partners carefully, and everyone knew she preferred to talk rather than dance. Stupid man thinking he could get the upper hand with her. He’d been trying his best to befriend her since that fateful ball five years past. Well, too bad. Holding a grudge suited her. There was one thing she could do—ignore him and pretend he hadn’t come up to join them.

  “Lord Dashville,” Norfolk greeted the marquess. “I’ve been meaning to speak with you. After your dance with Lady Helena, we could have a conversation?”

  “I’m afraid I won’t be here long,” Dashville replied. “Perhaps at the club.”

  “Yes, yes,” Norfolk agreed. “Splendid.”

/>   Norfolk probably wanted to talk about his hounds. Helena barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. She could use his obsession with his dogs to her advantage. It would be the perfect escape and another way to stick it to Dashville. “Oh, don’t let me prevent you from telling Lord Dashville about Athena’s pups. I’m feeling a trifle ill, and I’m going to lay down in the ladies’ retiring room for a bit.”

  “Are you sure?” Norfolk asked. He glanced up at Dashville and then back at her. The poor man had no idea what to do. Helena almost felt sorry for him—no, she actually did. He was a good man even if he fumbled in society from time to time. He didn’t deserve the way most of society treated him. “Would you like me to escort you?”

  “I can see her there,” Dashville interrupted him.

  “I’d rather you didn’t,” Helena replied coldly. She didn’t even look at him as she spun on her heels and headed away from the two men. The nerve of him to think he could order her around. How dare he presume she’d even want to dance with him. He cared because Lady X had upbraided him for his lack of manners repeatedly. In truth, he was a popular addition to the scandal sheet. Helena took great pleasure in seeing his name printed as often as possible.

  She rounded the corner and headed to the retiring room. It was one of her regular stops on evenings such as this one. Ladies in general had the best gossip, and they had no trouble sharing with her—sometimes without realizing it. Afterward, she’d head home and add the information to the final draft of her article. Tomorrow was a new edition, and she had a plan on exactly what the opening whisper would be…

  Dash had no idea what he’d done to catch the attention of the infamous Lady of Whispers, but he was one of her favorites—and he hated it. Not everything she wrote about him was bad, but most of it showed him in an unfavorable light. He’d made a lot of mistakes in his wild days. The first one had been with Lady Helena.

  He’d dismissed her as unimportant when he never should have. She was his closest friend’s sister, and he had treated her abominably. Some might say he’d done her a favor by paying her any attention at all; nonetheless, it didn’t detract from his attitude toward her. Something Lady X commented on more than once. It wasn’t just Lady Helena, but any lady of his acquaintance. If Lady X didn’t like it, she had no problem writing every scathing detail in her weekly scandal sheet.

  Now that he hoped to marry, no lady took him seriously. They all kept him at a distance and didn’t believe his intentions to be true. So, if he could make things up to Lady Helena, the first woman Lady X declared he’d been rude to, he hoped that he could in turn change the gossip queen’s mind about him. He wasn’t that same man he’d been five years ago. He had to grow up fast and make some hard decisions about his life.

  Lady Helena wasn’t making things easy for him. He couldn’t really blame her. Why should she? He’d been the worst sort of rude toward her for many years. He’d had a premier role in the very first issue of Whispers from Lady X, and the lady of whispers hadn’t pulled any punches.

  Sadly, it hadn’t been the beginning of his attitude toward Lady Helena. He’d dismissed her regularly and without much consideration. Why should he care about her just because he was friends with Lord Darcy? That had been his thinking at the time, and now he realized how erroneous it was.

  It had been stupid of him to think he could rush in and demand she dance with him as if he had the right. He had none where she was concerned. He’d have to play things smarter if he hoped to win her over. He didn’t want to marry her, just befriend her. Once Lady X realized he’d changed, surely he’d see his name in her scandal sheet less often. He’d prefer he didn’t see it at all, but that was unlikely. Everyone in the ton had been a subject of her scandal sheet at one time. He graced the pages more often than most.

  He rushed down the hall toward the ladies’ retiring room. Lady Helena should leave soon—he hoped. Giggles echoed throughout as two ladies stepped out. “Can you believe it,” one said in a loud whisper. “How scandalous.”

  Dash was afraid to find out what they were talking about. He prayed Lady Helena hadn’t been discussing his actions earlier, though avoiding anyone finding out would be impossible. The ballroom had been filled with some of the biggest gossips in the ton. They’d be happily spreading around Lady Helena’s dismissal of him.

  “I wouldn’t mind becoming more acquainted with him,” another said. “Who knew a Bow Street runner could be so—charming.”

  Well—that was interesting. At least he knew they weren’t referring to him. He’d never been a runner and didn’t actually know any of them personally. The ladies moved away from the door, not seeing him standing in a nearby corner. He was glad for that, as he had no inclination to justify his reasons for lingering near the ladies’ retiring room. How ever would he explain that if the wrong person caught him lurking around outside it? This plan was a disaster in the making.

  The door creaked open after several moments. There were no giggles to follow this time. The lady who stepped outside was the one he’d been not so patiently waiting for. He breathed a sigh of relief and fell in step behind her as she headed back toward the ballroom.

  “Lady Helena,” he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

  She gasped loudly and brought her hand up to her chest. “Lord Dashville, really. I never would have taken you for the sort to sneak up on ladies unannounced.”

  “Hardly that,” he replied dryly. “I did make myself known.”

  She spun on her heels and faced him. “Not in any normal manner. Why are you skulking around here? Were you hoping to ambush me?”

  There was some truth to her assumption, but he’d never admit to it. “Of course not. It’s pure happenstance.”

  She rolled her eyes in an unladylike manner. “Please. Don’t take me for a fool. Why are you here?”

  “I would like to make amends,” he admitted. “If you’re willing to allow me to.”

  “Well, you’re going about it all wrong.” She sighed. “I’m afraid it’s a little too late to change things now. I don’t know why you even want to. What’s done is done, and there is no fixing what is wrong between us.”

  He didn’t believe that. There had to be hope or why bother? “Don’t you believe in second chances?”

  She remained silent for several heartbeats, then chewed on her lip as she stared up at him. He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. She was utterly adorable, and he couldn’t believe he’d never seen it before. Her blonde hair was a mixture of spun gold and sunshine. She had it piled up in an artful coiffure with tiny strands curling around her face. Her lips were full, pink, and delectable. She nibbled her teeth on them, plumping them out further. The blue-violet of her eyes sparkled in the candlelight. She was—lovely. He forgot what they’d been discussing by being so entranced by her.

  “I do,” she replied, pulling him from his thoughts. “But you, my lord, have had more than two as it is. I fear I can’t spare you anymore.”

  With those words, she spun on her heels and headed away from him. He had a new mission though and let her go without pursuing her further. Forget about friendship—he wanted her as his bride. He would not fail in this as he had everything else. He’d learn all he could about her and form a plan that would work.

  She had so much fire inside of her. How had he never really noticed her before? Lady Helena was far more intelligent than he’d ever given her credit for. Truthfully, he’d overlooked her more often than not. He was a blind fool, but at least he recognized himself for what he was. Lady X had awakened him to so many possibilities, and perhaps, if he ever met her, he’d thank her for that. He’d been forced to reconsider a lot of his actions because of the scandal sheet, and now he finally figured out what he wanted from life. He wanted a woman who would challenge him. One who wouldn’t be afraid to tell him the truth or even “no” from time to time—more importantly, he wanted one he could love and who might even feel the same for him. Lady Helena met all of those requirements.
He could love her if she let him, and maybe, if he was lucky enough, she’d feel the same about him.

  “Helena,” he tested out the sound of her name aloud, and he liked it. In his mind, and hopefully out loud, he’d use it alone henceforth. Dash smiled. Things were starting to look up—finally. He couldn’t wait to court Helena. It was going to be quite interesting…

  Chapter 2

  The Earl of Darcy and the Marquess of Dashville were spotted at the Loxton Ball having a heated argument. Is trouble afoot between the long-time friends?

  —Whispers from Lady X

  Dash followed Helena back to the ballroom, but kept a good distance between them and lost sight of her in the process. It wouldn’t look right if they came back too close together, and he hoped she already returned to the ball. It would be enough to start the gossips talking. If his new plan was to work, they had to do things right—even if she was unaware of his intentions. Soon enough, she’d realize the direction of his thoughts and hopefully would be on board with the plan.

  He reached the entrance and waited outside, counting to ten before reaching for the door handle. As his fingers graced the knob, someone yanked him back. Dash glanced over his shoulder to see who dared stop him from going inside. He readied himself for any possibility, but breathed a sigh of relief when he realized who’d assaulted him.

  “What game are you playing, Dash?” Darcy asked. “I thought I could trust you.”

  “Of course you can,” he replied automatically. “Why the deuces do you think you can’t?”

  “I saw you with my sister,” he exclaimed. “She’s an innocent.”