by Dawn Brower
“Hello, Mother,” he said and leaned down to kiss the duchess’s cheek. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“Not at all dear,” the duchess replied. “Are you here to join us for tea?”
“I wish I could,” he replied smoothly. “I’m here to see Father, but I wanted to come say hello before we secluded ourselves in his office.”
“Estate business?” His mother lifted questioning brow. “Never mind. I’m sure he’ll tell me later. Are you sure you can’t visit with us a little longer?”
As much as Angeline loved studying the man who held her heart without him noticing, she had other things on her mind. If Lucian stayed, that would make her goal even more difficult to achieve. Besides, it was slowly killing her to be around him. Nothing brought out the doldrums quite like his continued oblivion. She might as well be invisible when Lucian was around. He didn’t bother to greet her unless good manners dictated he acknowledge her presence. Even now, he didn’t turn his head and say the simplest of hellos to her or Emilia. He kept his attention focused on his mother.
“I must decline.” His voice even appeared to hold a tinge of disappointment. Angeline doubted Lucian held an ounce of regret inside of him. Sure, he loved his mother, but he’d been decreed the wickedest of rogues. He probably would rather spend time in the company of a more delectable sort of female. Lucian was nothing if not smooth. “Perhaps we can have a family dinner later this week.” Angeline swallowed the distaste in her mouth. Why had she gone and fallen in love with him? He’d never love her in return…
The duchess smiled, happiness radiating from her. “What a lovely idea.” She turned to Emilia. “You can help me plan it, dear.” Then she glanced back at Lucian. “We’ll send a note to your townhouse when we decide upon a date. Go meet with your father. You know how he hates to be kept waiting.”
“You’re right,” Lucian agreed. “Enjoy your tea.” With those words, he left them alone in the sitting room.
Angeline couldn’t help staring at him as he exited. Her gaze seemed to naturally follow after him whenever he was in the immediate vicinity. Would she ever put her feelings for him behind her? She held back a sigh. It wouldn’t help further her cause—any of them.
“Emilia,” Angeline turned toward her. “It’s such a lovely day. Do you care to go for a stroll with me?”
“Have you gone mad?” Emilia crinkled her eyebrows together. “It’s as hot as the dickens outside.” She flipped open her silk fan and waved it furiously over her flushed face. “I’d rather not exert myself any more than necessary.”
This time Angeline did sigh. Emilia had a valid point, but she was running out of options. She wanted her help, so she’d have to figure out another way of discussing her problem with Emilia privately. “I’m…restless. I thought walking would help.”
“Didn’t you walk here, dear?” the duchess asked, her tone held a hint of skepticism to it. “I’d have thought that was more than enough exercise.”
Her home wasn’t far from Huntly Manor, so she didn’t see any reason to have a carriage hitched for the short distance—even on a sweltering day. “If Emilia doesn’t want to join me, that’s her decision.” Angeline had to hold back from reaching over and shaking her friend. She’d have to wait until the Wharton dinner later to find some alone time with her. “Perhaps I should skip tea and make my way home.”
Her afternoon call hadn’t gone as planned. She’d also had to suffer through time spent in Lucian’s company—not that he’d acknowledged her. Maybe that was part of her problem. She’d longed for him since she was ten and two. Nine years later and her heart still skipped a beat whenever he neared.
“I didn’t mean to imply you’re not welcome,” the duchess said. “Please don’t feel as if you have to leave.”
Angeline stood and went to the duchess to pull her into a hug. “You’re gracious as always Aunt Ruby—it is as I said. I’m restless.” She didn’t want to make the duchess feel that she’d done anything wrong. It couldn’t be further from the truth. If anyone could be held accountable for her agitation, it would be Lucian. She’d been on edge before she arrived at Huntly Manor, but his proximity made it even worse. Angeline stepped back. “Don’t worry everything is fine, and I’ll see you tonight at the Wharton dinner.”
Emilia stood and wound her arm with Angeline’s. “I’ll see you out if you’re so insistent on leaving before you’ve had any tea.”
She scrunched up her nose. “It is hot out, and while I am parched, tea seems—too much right now.” Truthfully, she’d lost her appetite—if she ever had one—the moment Lucian had stepped into the sitting room.
“It’s never too hot for tea,” Emilia replied. “Perhaps there’s something else bothering you?” The corner of her mouth tilted upward into a sly smile. Her friend knew her to well…
They exited the room and walked down the hall leading to the foyer. Angeline didn’t bother to comment on Emilia’s not-so-subtle hint at Lucian’s presence interrupting tea. “We’ll have to talk more later. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”
“About Lucian?”
Angeline rolled her eyes. “Of course not. He’s…” Drat. In a perfect world, he’d be her everything. Too bad Lucian would never reciprocate. “As much as I long for him to love me, he never will. You more than anyone know that. This is something more important.”
“My brother is a fool,” Emilia said and placed her hand on Angeline’s. “We will talk more at the dinner. I’ll help you with anything.”
Emilia had always been there for her. Hopefully she was still willing to help once she realized what Angeline needed. She hugged her friend and left the manor. She had a lot to consider before the dinner later that night. Lucian could go to hell. He was probably the ruler of that fiery pit and the reason they were inundated with the unseasonably warm weather.
All right, he wasn’t that bad… She wished he loved her though. However, no amount of hoping for the impossible would make it true.
Chapter 2
The heat wasn’t much better in the evening, but it had cooled off enough to make it more tolerable. Lucian could have done without any entertainment for the evening, but he’d promised his father he’d attend the Wharton dinner party. He’d been woefully absent from any and all social activities of late. His father, the duke, hadn’t pressed him to get married exactly, but he had suggested a few times that he might start looking. He was three and twenty. What was the rush? He wasn’t against marriage, but he had no reason to consider entering into the bonds of matrimony until he was well into his thirties.
He’d make an appearance at the dinner, and later he’d go to the club with his two closest friends before they went off to handle some estate business for their father—they’d be gone for a fortnight at least. The Marsden twins, Alexander and Andrew. They were several months older than him and had grown up together. His family was close to the Marsdens, and they’d spent time at each other’s estates quite often. This year, they were going to Huntly Castle for the Christmastide season. For as long as he could remember every other year his family had celebrated at the ducal estate. The other years had been spent at Marsden Manor, and yes, the Viscount and Viscountess of Torrington joined them there as well.
Lucian strolled up to the Wharton townhouse and picked up the knocker, rapping it twice against the door. A few moments later the door swung open and their butler greeted him. “Good evening, my lord,” he said with a quick bow. “Please come in.”
He led Lucian down a hall and into a drawing room. Several other members of the ton were already in attendance—Alex and Drew amongst them. He was surprised to see the twins at something as tame as a dinner party. Why were they there? Perhaps their father had coerced them into attending as well.
“Lucian,” Andrew greeted him. “So glad to see you here. Please tell me you have a plan on escaping early.”
He had one, but now he wasn’t so certain it would work. With both Alex and Drew at the dinner, he c
ouldn’t call upon a previous engagement he’d forgotten with them. They could devise a plan though. The three of them together were quite formidable. “I wish I could alleviate your concern,” Lucian began. “But alas, I’m afraid I am unable to help you escape. What are you doing here anyway?”
“Angeline needed an escort,” Alex supplied the ready answer. “Mother and Father haven’t returned from the country yet. We couldn’t decide which one of us would escort her, so we both came. Misery loves company and all that.” He took a drink of his brandy. “The parents should be home tomorrow before we’re off to take over Father’s project.”
Lucian laughed. “Well, at least we’re all in it together. If you’re chaperoning your sister, where is she?”
Angeline Marsden was a hellion. Most of the Marsdens were strong-willed and wild in some way, but she somehow managed to make the lot of them look tame. She’d followed them around as a young girl and often dragged Emilia along with her. Somehow, she’d managed to infuse her hoydenish spirit into his little sister as they aged.
“She’s over there in the corner with Emilia.” Drew pointed in their direction. “They’ve had their heads tucked together for the past half-hour. I’m not afraid to say that it frightens me. They’re hatching some plot. I’m certain of it.”
Lucian had to agree with him. He studied the two girls and they were whispering together as if they were sharing some dark secrets. Emilia’s blond hair was pinned back elegantly—not a strand out of place. Her gown was a pale pink that bordered on white that gave her skin a soft glow. Angeline… Her dark hair was pinned so some of her curls framed her face enticingly, and there was nothing innocent about her dress. The darker shade suited her, and as a red-blooded male he appreciated the more risqué cut to the bodice.
Every now and then, one of them would glance up and check their surroundings. Whatever they were discussing, they wanted to make sure it wasn’t public knowledge. What was Angeline Marsden getting his sister involved in? That girl needed a keeper, and if the twins weren’t going to rein their sister in, he’d have to step in and do something. Otherwise, his own sister would be embroiled in the scandal Angeline was sure to cause with her mischief.
When would she grow up? Both girls were one and twenty now. They should be considering settling down and finding husbands. But no, they were up to their old tricks, and he’d have to swoop in and save them.
“Are you going to let your sister corrupt mine again?” He lifted a brow in the twins’ direction. “Someone should at least try to stop them.” It would be Lucian, but he thought he’d at least attempt to reason with his friends.
“I think you’re worrying about nothing,” Alex said. “They don’t do anything that we need to overly concern ourselves with.”
“I agree. It’s usually harmless fun. What trouble could two girls get into anyway?” Drew glanced past him. His tone held a hint of curiosity as he asked, “Is that Julian?”
Lord Julian Kendall was another schoolmate of theirs. He was the spare to a dukedom and still trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. His twin brother would inherit, and Julian was free to do almost anything he wanted to with his life. There was talk he’d join the army, but he had yet to make that decision. They’d become friends because, with two sets of twins at Eton, they figured they should band together and wreak havoc wherever and whenever they could. They had all been a part of the best mischief and pranks the school had ever seen. Julian’s brother had decided to go his own way once they went on to Oxford. He felt he’d needed to concentrate on his responsibilities as the future Duke of Weston.
Lucian should be concerned about the same thing. He was the heir to a dukedom too. In his mind, his father would be around for many years to come though. He wasn’t close to being ready to take on the responsibility of being the Duke of Huntly. He couldn’t imagine what his father had gone through when he’d inherited the title. He’d been much younger than Lucian currently was when he’d come into it.
Julian made his way over to them. “Glad to see some familiar faces here.”
“What in the blazes are you doing here?” Alex asked as he brushed a stray blond lock behind his ear. The tone in his voice suggested he was shocked Julian would show his face in society. “This doesn’t seem to be your usual entertainments.”
“It’s not.” Julian grimaced. “But Eleanor wanted to come. There was no one else around who could accompany her. She has her friend, Lady Hannah Jones, with her too. So I’m stuck with two ladies to chaperone. Don’t they know I’m a rake and I shouldn’t be trusted?”
“Well,” Lucian began. “Eleanor is your sister. I think that she’s safe in your company. She’s a buffer where her friend is concerned.” He tapped Julian’s shoulder with his hand. “Hate to break it to you, but they’re quite safe in your care.”
“Bloody hell,” Julian muttered. “Laid low by respectability and family connections. Never thought I’d see the day.”
They had all been knocked down a peg or two. They couldn’t shuck their responsibilities as much as they wanted to. Their wild days were fast closing in on them. “There are worst things, I suppose.” His words were more Lucian’s inner musings than anything, but speaking them aloud seemed to calm him some.
“Bite your tongue,” Drew said. “I’m not going to give up my roguish ways because respectability is trying to creep its way into my life. It’s too much fun to stop now.”
“You don’t think you’ll fall in love some day?” Lucian lifted a brow. “There have been many men who have given up on debauchery for the love of a woman.”
Drew’s laughter echoed through the room. “I don’t have to find someone to love. It’s up to Alex here to carry on the title.” He shoved Alex to the side, who in turn shot an irritable glare at his brother apparently unhappy about the offense bestowed upon him. “That leaves all the fun to me. Someone has to comfort all the ladies he rejects. I’ll gladly take up that mantle.”
Lucian shook his head. Drew was the more wild of the Marsden twins. “I doubt Alex is in a hurry to marry anyone.”
“None of us are,” Alex agreed. “We have plenty of time to figure out what we want in life. The right lady will wait until I’m ready.”
There were a lot of things that could wait as far as Lucian was concerned. He glanced over to Angeline and Emilia again. He couldn’t help the nagging worry that had taken root in his gut. They should be watched, but he figured it could wait until later. There wasn’t a whole lot they could do at a dinner party. He’d talk to Emilia in the morning—or make that afternoon. She’d probably not be up early enough for a social call. Either way, it could wait.
“They will be fine,” Alex said as if he was reading Lucian’s mind. “I’ll speak with Angeline on the way home. Might nip the plot in the bud that way before it takes root.”
He wished it was that simple. Angeline Marsden had a glint in her eye Lucian recognized. Her brothers always brushed off her scheming ways as nothing, but Lucian knew better. She wanted attention, and no one gave it to her. If they took the time to acknowledge her, perhaps she would stop finding so much trouble to sink her teeth into. “I think I’m going to talk to them now.”
Lucian had been set on waiting to talk to Emilia. If it had just been his sister, that would have worked, but with Angeline at the forefront of it all… Nothing could be left to chance. What if the plan she was hatching had something to do with the dinner party? Then waiting wouldn’t prevent it.
“You’ll regret that,” Alex said assurance echoing through his voice. “Leave the two of them be. I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Lucian ignored his friend and made his way over to Angeline and Emilia. They were still deep into their discussion, and neither one raised their head at his approach. For that, he caught a bit of their conversation without them noticing his presence.
“I promise you it will work,” Angeline said. “Please, say yes.”
“But what if something goes wrong? No one will
be there to help you.” Emilia nibbled on her bottom lip. “This doesn’t feel right.”
“Do I have to go over it all again?”
What Lucian really wanted to do was interject and say, “Yes, please do.” That way he’d know exactly what they were doing, or more importantly, what Angeline was plotting? Emilia didn’t seem to be on board and had no intention of being directly involved. His sister usually had better sense than Angeline.
“No,” Emilia said. “But promise me you’ll come see me right after you’re done. I won’t be able to stop worrying until I’m certain you’re all right.”
“You have…” Angeline stopped speaking and turned to look at Lucian. Her eyes darkened a little as she stared into them. “Were you eavesdropping?”
“Not at all,” he replied smoothly. “But now that you mention it—what exactly are you dragging my sister into this time?”
Emilia rolled her eyes. “I don’t need my big brother to step in and protect me from my friend. Go back to your little group of rogues and plan your evening of wickedness. We’re fine here by ourselves.”
The muscles in his jaw tightened at his sister’s words. “I’m afraid I can’t ignore what I overheard. You will tell me what you’re planning and now.”
Angeline’s laugher was a punch in his gut. He wanted to reach over and shake some sense into her. Why was she so bloody difficult? He narrowed his gaze. When had she become so lovely? Her dark hair was twisted up into an elegant chignon, and her blue eyes were like sapphires glittering on a perfect canvas. Her fury made her even more beautiful with her flushed cheeks and pouty pink lips. He wanted to kiss her, and that was an entirely new feeling. One he couldn’t brush off, and it terrified him in ways he’d never thought possible.
“Listen to me,” Angeline said. “I’m not embroiling Emilia in any scheme that will bring her harm. I’d never do that to her. Go away and bother someone else. We both know you don’t care about me, and it’ll be easier on us both if you removed yourself from my presence.”
