A Taste of Seduction

by Bronwen Evans

  When she’d set eyes on him yesterday she knew immediately that though she was mad as hell at him, she still loved him. The heart doesn’t always listen to the head.

  As their eyes met she’d hoped he would still love her.

  His cold, rage-filled stare had been like a dagger to her chest. It had looked more like he hated her. Now she understood why. He blamed her for breaking his heart, and that caused her more pain than any bullet.

  Prickles of anger surfaced to chase away the sorrow. Her dead husband was still winning. Dougal had forced her to marry him, lie with him, and live with him. He’d stolen her life of happiness with Hadley, and then through a forged letter ensured that when she became a widow happiness would still be denied her.

  “Does it hurt?”

  She looked at her son’s anxious eyes and smiled away her tears. “A little.”

  He rose up and kissed her cheek. “All better.”

  She gave a laugh. She always kissed him when he had a hurt. “Yes, all better.”

  Every time she looked at Sealey her heart burst with pride, joy, and love. He made everything she’d endured worthwhile.

  “Nanny said you were taking me to the park today. I suppose that’s off now.” His face lost its smile. “How many sleeps will you be indisposed for?”

  “I’m not sure. How about we ask Lady Isobel if she’ll take you and Nanny instead?”

  He jumped out of her arms and started bouncing on the bed. “Really? When can we ask her?”

  “If you’re a good boy and go with Nanny so Mummy can rest, I’ll send a missive to Lady Isobel and see if she’ll take you tomorrow. How does that sound?”

  Sealey slid down off the bed and started trotting toward the door to her room. Before he could reach for the door latch, the door swung open and Lady Marisa, Lady Beatrice, and Lady Isobel swarmed in.

  Marisa was in the lead, and she stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes took in Sealey.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, and turned her startled eyes toward Evangeline.

  Beatrice bumped into her and peered around Marisa, only to gasp when she looked at the boy standing wide-eyed in the middle of Evangeline’s room. The only one not to show surprise was Isobel.

  The silence was broken when Sealey squealed, “Lady Isobel,” and raced into her outstretched arms.

  Isobel had befriended Evangeline after Dougal’s death while she was enduring twelve months of mourning for a man she hated. Isobel’s father had been Dougal’s close friend and confidant, and when Isobel came to visit for the funeral, Isobel fell in love with Evangeline’s little boy. When Isobel met Hadley, after the carriage rescue, she’d understood the truth.

  “Sealey! Why, I think you’ve grown in the week since I last saw you. Look how tall you are.”

  Sealey beamed up at Isobel.

  “Mother says you might take me to Richmond Park to see the deer tomorrow since she is unwell.”

  “Sealey Hadley Masters, where are your manners? Say hello to the ladies first before you start requesting favors.”

  He turned on his heel to look back at Marisa and Beatrice, who were still staring at him as if he had two heads.

  Sealey gave a small bow. “Good morning, ladies.”

  The ladies curtsied back, with Marisa saying, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man. I’d be excited about a trip to see the deer too. They are beautiful, but look out for the stags—they can be fierce.”

  His eyes widened further. “They are not scary, though?”

  Marisa chuckled. “A little. You’ll have to hold tightly to Isobel’s hand so she won’t be too frightened.”

  His little chest puffed out. “I’ll protect you,” he said to Isobel, and Evangeline had never been so proud of her son.

  Just then the nanny arrived to take him for a walk before lunch in the small park round the corner. Evangeline knew she couldn’t risk taking the boy further afield just yet. Not until she’d spoken to Hadley.

  “Wendy, when you go for your walk today, please ensure you take the extra men with you.” She looked pointedly at Sealey and did not say anything more. Wendy merely nodded and escorted the boy from the room.

  The second the door closed, three sets of eyes found hers, and the astonishment on two of the ladies’ faces was priceless.

  “I’m sorry that we barged in unannounced, but the men couldn’t tell us how badly injured you were. We were out of our minds with worry.”

  Evangeline merely shook her head at Beatrice and sighed. As they stood staring accusingly, she added, “I suspect my secret is out. I’m hoping you ladies can keep my confidences.”

  Marisa took her gloves off as she bent to kiss Evangeline’s cheek. “I take it you haven’t told Hadley that Sealey is his son.”

  Evangeline shook her head. “I’d planned to do so last night, just after he fell into my arms and professed that he still loved me.” She added sarcastically, “That didn’t happen.”

  Beatrice was at the door organizing refreshments with Evangeline’s maid, and it was Isobel who sat at the end of her bed and said, “I knew the minute I met Hadley—the day the men rescued Marisa and me—that Sealey was Lord Fullerton’s son. But I promised Evangeline I would not say a thing.”

  “You do realize that Hadley will know as soon as he sees the boy,” Beatrice said as she took the chair by the window. “In fact, if any of the men see the boy, your secret is out.”

  “I want time to think before I do anything. Dougal claimed the boy as his own. Society understands Sealey is the next Viscount Stuart.”

  “You can’t expect Hadley to have sat waiting for you. He must have been shocked to hear your story. If I know him, he’ll blame himself for not saving you.”

  “Did he beg your forgiveness? I’m sure his feelings for you are as strong as ever.”

  Hadley’s feelings were strong, all right. He detested her.

  “Why have you never told him?” Marisa asked quietly. “A person deserves to know they have a child.”

  Beatrice reached for Marisa’s hand, and Evangeline understood the reason for Marisa’s accusation. She knew Marisa could not have children, the result of an injury received when the villainess who had shot at Hadley last night kidnapped Marisa and Isobel a month ago. She thought of what her life would be without Sealey and completely understood the devastation of Marisa’s loss. She therefore forgave Marisa.

  “I wrote many, many letters to Hadley from the moment I found myself married to Dougal. I hoped at least one might get through to him. I specifically wrote to him when Sealey was born, but the maid I thought was my friend and confidante was working for Dougal. I now know Hadley never received my letters.”

  Evangeline hadn’t understood the depth of her maid’s betrayal until she met with Hadley last night. It was obvious that none of the letters she’d written to Hadley during the first eighteen months of her marriage had been sent to him.

  Now she understood why he’d never come for her.

  She’d never expected to receive a letter back, as Dougal guarded her well. Still, she had hoped Hadley would come for her, scandal or not. It had never occurred to her that he hadn’t received her pleas. Instead, she thought he’d decided that what was done was done—now that she was married, he could not change anything without destroying her reputation.

  Through all the months of her pregnancy when he’d not come for her, she’d almost despaired. Only Sealey’s birth kept her from going insane.

  The moment she’d held her son in her arms, the world changed. The dream of Hadley came second to the life of her son.

  Dougal knew the boy was not his. He learned she hadn’t been a virgin on her wedding night, and she’d paid dearly for that. When her son was born seven months after her abduction, he treated the boy with little more than restrained contempt, something Sealey noticed as he got older. As Sealey grew she could not deny he was the image of Hadley. She thought she’d have to protect Sealey from Dougal, but to her amazement she didn’t have to.
Dougal barely tolerated Sealey, but for some reason he was only too eager to claim the boy as his own. His previous wife had died with no issue, and so she assumed Dougal was worried the fault might lie with him. Since she’d never fallen pregnant a second time, it was likely he was right.

  So her son was now the next Viscount Stuart. She intended to see that he was a far better man than the previous viscount.

  “Are you saying he never got your letters?” Marisa’s tone was conciliatory.

  She swallowed back the sorrow of the past. “He received only one letter, a letter that was supposedly written by me, telling him I was eloping with Viscount Stuart of my own free will.”

  Stunned silence greeted her announcement.

  “No wonder his reception was so frosty.”

  She wanted to cry at Isobel’s words. “ ‘Frosty’ doesn’t begin to describe his reaction. ‘Downright hatred’ would come close.”

  “A man would hate only if he’d deeply loved. Therefore, he obviously forgave you once you explained…” At Evangeline’s raised eyebrow Beatrice uttered, “Oh, dear.”

  “But you left together,” Marisa added.

  “I told him I hadn’t written any letter to that effect. He swore I had, that he’d compared the handwriting to our previous correspondence. So I asked to see the letter. We had just arrived at his family’s townhouse when someone decided to shoot him. If I hadn’t dropped my muff…”

  “He’d be dead.” Isobel shuddered. “You saved his life.”

  The women looked at one another. “None of us are safe.” Marisa’s hands were clenched in her lap. “I want to catch her so badly.”

  Beatrice smiled at Evangeline. “At least you’ll have Hadley’s attention and devotion. You were shot because of him, and if I know him at all, he’ll be feeling pretty guilty. Once you explain about Sealey, he’ll step up and do the right thing.”

  Evangeline flopped back onto her pillows. “I don’t want him to do the right thing. I’ve just come out of a loveless marriage, and I’m not about to enter another.” She wasn’t about to marry a man who didn’t know her or want her.

  “If he finds out about Sealey, you’ll have no choice. He’ll insist.”

  Evangeline looked at Beatrice as if she’d like to slap her. “He can insist all he likes, but Dougal claimed the boy. Sealey is now Viscount Stuart. In the eyes of the law Hadley has no rights.”

  “He should be allowed to know his son, just as Sealey should know his real father.” Marisa stood and moved to stare out the window, lost in private thoughts.

  “I agree. However, I’d like the chance to tell him in my own time. He has much on his mind at the moment, what with a madwoman out to kill him. Plus, if it became known he was Sealey’s father, wouldn’t that put my son in even greater danger?” She felt the breath seize in her chest. “I will tell him the truth about his son when it suits me, and then of course he can see Sealey as much as he wishes, but I warn you now”—she looked at Marisa—“I will never be forced into another marriage. That would destroy me.”

  Marisa swung round from the window to face her. “What if he had died last night? He would never have known he even had a son.” She gave a sad smile. “Plus, he is about to announce his engagement to Lady Claire Hampton. I’m not supposed to know, but I overhead Arend and Maitland discussing it. She doesn’t even know yet. His Grace organized the match with her brother.” She appealed to all of them. “You see, don’t you? He should know the truth in case he is still considering Lady Claire. Once their engagement is announced he would never renege, even if he longed to. He’s too honorable and he’ll be left unable to acknowledge Sealey.”

  Evangeline’s heart missed a beat. No wonder he was not enraptured to see her; he was about to marry another. It was all the proof she needed to finally understand that Hadley had, of course, moved on. It also proved how she truly felt about Hadley. Sadness engulfed her, and she had to take deep breaths. It didn’t matter if she forgave him or not. They were fated to never be together.

  Only now would she admit that she’d lied to herself. Her purpose in coming to London had not been to berate Hadley. It had been to get what had been stolen from her—her happily-ever-after with a man who loved her. The father of her son.

  “He’s getting married?”

  “It’s not what you think. I’m not sure of the details, as I’m not proud to say I was eavesdropping. I think it’s a favor to Augustus. I’m pretty sure Hadley is not in love with Claire. He only gave up his mistress yesterday.”

  A fiancée and a mistress? Hadley certainly had not been pining for her.

  “I’m not the same young girl I was back then, and so I can hardly expect Hadley to be the same man. It would appear he has moved on and forgotten me.”

  “Rubbish,” Beatrice said. “I saw his face when you walked into the room last night. I’d never seen a look of such longing, and it was followed by a great deal of fear. He wants to hate you but he can’t. The first thing we have to do is find this letter you supposedly wrote and prove it a forgery.”

  “Or,” Isobel said, clapping her hands, “we find other proof of your story. Have you been through your husband’s papers? Even better, perhaps a staff member will come forward to verify your story.”

  Evangeline sat up when she saw all the ladies energized on her behalf. “He’d be wary of staff; they need jobs and would therefore likely lie for me. I could go through my husband’s papers, as he kept immaculate journals.”

  “I could help you. I’m sure we’ll find something in his journals. Perhaps Lord Stuart recanted all his sins.” Enthused, Isobel next asked the question Evangeline was dreading. “What of your mother? She is still alive. Would she help you now?”

  Evangeline turned her face away and looked out the window. She hadn’t spoken to her mother since her wedding night. She could not bring herself to forgive her. The fact that her mother had sold her made her so angry she was tempted to do violence. She had never been a daughter; she was just property to be bartered. She worried about Edward too. Did their mother control him? Had she gambled away all the money she’d received from selling Evangeline to Dougal?

  “I won’t go to my mother.”

  The coldness and firmness in her tone made it clear to those present that they were not to push the issue.

  Beatrice shrugged. “So, then, just your husband’s papers, journals, and the forged letter.”

  “Where are his papers?” Marisa asked.

  “I have all of his papers and journals with me. I want to employ my own man of business to go through all the estate documents. I don’t trust anyone who worked for Dougal. I was hoping one of your husbands might recommend someone I could hire. I have to protect my son’s inheritance.”

  “Maitland would know of a man you could trust.”

  “Thank you, Marisa.”

  What a wonderful friend Isobel was. Without her she’d never have met these amazingly generous women.

  “That’s settled, then,” Beatrice said. “I’ll send a missive to Portia, and we’ll help you search through the journals once you’re feeling up to it. I suggest we start there rather than his business papers. Isobel, you will ensure that Sealey is kept entertained yet undiscovered. Hadley will come here. He’ll want to ensure you’re all right, and of course there is the business of the letter. We can’t have him clapping eyes on his son until you’ve had a chance to learn what’s in his heart.”

  Evangeline threw back the covers, “Oh, goodness. I sent Sealey to the park with his nanny. If any of the men come here just as Sealey and Wendy are returning…”

  Isobel stood and raced for the door. “I’ll go to the park and warn Wendy. We’ll come in through the back alley and use the servants’ entrance.” With that, she disappeared.

  Evangeline grimaced with the pain of moving her shoulder. She sank back onto the bed. “Thank you. I’m so lucky you befriended me,” she said to the women who remained.

  It was Marisa who spoke first. “No wom
an should have to go through what you did. If we don’t help each other, who else will?”

  Evangeline smiled at them both. Such strong, capable women. She wished she had met them before being abducted by Dougal. What a difference these women might have made. They would have come looking for her, she was sure. They would have known that her heart belonged to Hadley and that she’d never have run off with another.

  Why hadn’t Hadley believed in her? She kept pushing that devastating question aside, but at some stage she would need to know the answer if she was to ever move on.

  She’d never had close friends. Her mother had kept her isolated once she turned fifteen, the year her father died. Perhaps her mother had even then hatched her plan to use her only daughter to save the estate for Edward.

  Beatrice rose. “We’ll leave you to rest.” As they made their way to the door, she added. “If you’re well enough, I’ll be back tomorrow with Portia to go through the journals with you.”

  “Perfect.” Evangeline hesitated, but soon decided she had to say something. “Hadley and Arend believe De Palma is Victoria, Isobel’s stepmother. I wonder if we shouldn’t keep anything we find within the journals secret and share it only with the men. If you noticed, Isobel seemed very keen to be involved in perusing the journals.”

  Marisa and Beatrice looked at each other, and Marisa cleared her throat. “Isobel was kidnapped with me. She was just as frightened as I was, and could have been as badly hurt as I was. Why would she put herself in that danger? Too, I had my season with her. I cannot believe she is in league with our villainess, and I’m still not convinced her stepmother is involved either.”

  “However, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious. Perhaps we should keep what we find just between ourselves and our husbands until we have proof Isobel plays no part in this revenge,” Beatrice suggested, and Marisa nodded her agreement. “Now, I’ll send your lady’s maid to you. If I know Hadley, he’ll call this afternoon. He’s probably chomping at the bit to ensure that your injury is not severe.”