The Earl of Heartbreak

by Bethany M. Sefchick

  The kiss yesterday morning in the parlor had been nothing short of magnificent, made even more so by the fact that this time, Rayne had not disappeared without so much as a word. Instead, as he had reluctantly pulled away, he had looked Sarah directly in the eyes and promised her that he would not allow her to fall into the clutches of a man like Baron Hodge.

  There was a part of Sarah that wanted to protest that she did not need saving, that she was more than perfectly capable of saving herself. Or rather, she did not even needing saving in the first place, since she wasn't so foolish as to allow a man like Hodge to trap her in a carriage or some other nonsense where they might be discovered. And she might be ruined. She was a Tillsbury, after all. The sister of Frost. Friend of the Bloody Duke of Candlewood. There was very little she feared.

  Then she had remembered the way Rayne had seduced her with his kisses. Not that Hodge could do the same thing certainly, since she would never allow him that close to her, but it did make Rayne's point that rogues like Hodge had skills that a lady like Sarah could not even dream of, or be prepared to defend against.

  So she had agreed to Rayne's plan, even though she knew that someone - likely her and her fragile heart - would be hurt in the end. If not utterly and completely destroyed. However that was for later. The future. For now, there was this foolish and ever so delightful plan to follow. Especially since now that she had enjoyed two of Rayne's spectacular kisses, Sarah knew there was no way that would ever be enough for her. She craved more of him - and only him. No other man would ever do, and yet, when her brother arrived here at Hallowby, their time together, as well as those deliciously wicked kisses, would end.

  Still, for a brief moment in time, Sarah was willing to risk everything, including her heart, just to have a small taste of what life was like for the women Rayne courted and the courtesans he bedded. She knew that he liked her well enough to kiss her, but he did not desire her enough to take her to bed. No matter. If nothing else, there was a very practical side to Sarah that few ever saw. If kisses and caresses during this faux betrothal was all she could ever hope to have of him, she would be satisfied with that. It might not be precisely what she desired, but it would be what she could have. She would have to be satisfied and not greedily demand more. Even though she might like to do just that.

  Now as she sat beside him in her brother's new high perch phaeton, which Rayne had borrowed for the day, Sarah still felt a small thrill shoot through her each time Rayne glanced in her direction. However, his rakish charm and amorous attentions from the day before were tempered somewhat, though that might have had a little something to do with the fact that he could not take his hands from the ribbons. At least she hoped that was the reason.

  Because yesterday as he had been kissing her so exquisitely, Sarah had the distinct impression that she was not alone in feeling something more than friendship sparking between them. Rayne's hands were just a little too clever and anxious as he caressed her breast and his tongue a bit too insistent as it sought out hers to tangle with.

  Sarah prayed that she wasn't imagining these things, for she had decided that before Frost and Lavinia arrived at Hallowby in less than a fortnight that she, Lady Sarah Elinore Tillsbury, would seduce the Earl of Heartbreak into her bed. Perhaps even more than once.

  The idea had come to her the previous night as she went over the finer details of their plan in her mind, unable to fall asleep as quickly as she normally did. Then again, it was not every day that one gained a faux betrothed, especially one so rakish and handsome as the Earl of Raynecourt. Sarah had no idea how she would successfully accomplish this planned seduction, mind you, only that she was quite certain she desired it. Or, to be more specific, she desired him. And she meant to have him.

  There was, of course, one little matter she had not thought through all the way, but then, she knew that many couples mated without completely undressing. It might not be perfect, of course, and certainly not like in her dreams, but then, in her dreams, the flesh of her lower back was as smooth and silky as the rest of her skin. Not covered in long, wicked looking scars that had only grown more ugly and twisted over time.

  Yet once more, that was for the future. She had yet to even do more than kiss the man at present. They were a very long way from falling into bed together.

  Today the sun was out, the air was warm and overall, the weather was gloriously perfect. Sarah didn't wish to dwell upon the negative. Instead, she wished to concentrate on the positive, including the fact that she was racing down the road away from the tenant cottages in her brother's new phaeton with Rayne by her side. If she had an image of the perfect day, this would certainly be a part of it. A very large part of it, indeed.

  Well, except for the part where Rayne had to intervene with at least a few of the farmers who hadn't wished to deal with a female, even though she was the viscount's sister and had known them all since she had been a child here at Hallowby. Sarah had even foregone a traditional carriage dress that day in hopes of appearing more accessible to the tenants - more like her brother. Especially since she would be acting in his stead for the next few weeks until he returned. The plain gown she had chosen hadn't helped her in the least, but Rayne had put even the most stubborn of men in their places and she was grateful for the assistance.

  "Something amusing you?" Rayne asked beside her as he gripped the ribbons tightly. Though he had driven any number of phaetons, high perch and otherwise, this was the newest and by far the sportiest model he had ever had the pleasure of controlling. It took a great deal of concentration to prevent it from tipping over as the horses galloped along. Still, he did have at least a small amount of concentration to spare for Sarah. He always would.

  Shaking her head, Sarah smiled again and drew in a deep breath of cleansing country air. "No. I am merely content." She paused. "Though I did like the expression on Jack Harris's face when you informed him that he could either deal with me or with you. And that you had a reputation for cheating. Which you do not."

  "There are those amongst our set who would argue with you on that point. Lord Selby among them." Rayne gave her a wry smile.

  Sarah snorted in a rather unladylike fashion. "As if he is one to make accusations. That man is a reprobate."

  "True enough. In fact, at this very moment Lord Hathaway needs to be careful of 'that man' as you so mildly term him simply because he is a reprobate. And worse." For the first time all morning, Rayne truly frowned. "Given what Harry has learned as of late, the man is desperate. And desperate men are often times the most dangerous."

  Sarah knew little of one Mr. Harry Greer other than that he was a famous and celebrated Bow Street Runner with possible connections to the peerage. Well, that and the tiny fact that her twin sister Dory was utterly infatuated with the man. That said, Sarah did know enough to believe that if Harry thought that Selby was now dangerous and desperate, then he likely was.

  "Very well. He is dangerous then." The day was far too wonderful for Sarah to be concerned about a wastrel lord that she barely even knew. "Let us not linger on thoughts of him, however. I would much rather remark upon how happy you made Mrs. Miller when you mentioned that you believed there might be an apprenticeship for her daughter in London. Cecilia is extremely talented and has always longed to see London. Most of the other young women are content here at Hallowby, but not her."

  "Madame LaVallier is always in need of talented seamstresses." Rayne would not divulge how he came by this information, but he suspected that Sarah could likely guess. That was a part of his past that he didn't care to think of at the moment so he brushed it aside. "I merely mentioned that it might be a possibility, and that I would see what I could do about at least arranging a meeting."

  "It made me happy," Sarah replied softly. Because that was the Rayne she remembered from so long ago. That was the scholar she had called a friend for so long. That was the man she had fallen in love with. Despite the fact that she was attracted to the currently rakish version of Rayne, th
ere was a part of her that missed the young boy she remembered from so long ago.

  She could not say that, though. So instead, she changed the subject. "And I am also happy with our plan, of course."

  "You mean the one where we pretend to be a newly betrothed couple still courting? You mean that plan?" Rayne hadn't expected Sarah to agree to his suggestion quite so easily, but she had and he was grateful. He could not stay here at Hallowby forever, no matter how much he might wish to, so the quicker she had agreed, the more time they could spend together. When Frost discovered the truth, Rayne would be lucky if he was still alive when all was said and done, but for the moment, Rayne would not trade a moment of his time with Sarah for anything.

  "Yes, that one," she chided, though she laughed as she did so. "I know you believe I cannot take care of my self..."

  "With good reason," Rayne cut in quickly.

  "...but even though I can, I will admit that it gives me comfort to have an additional ally against Baron Hodge." She refused to allow him to sidetrack her into another discussion about whether or not she could fend off the baron's advances. Likely because deep in her heart, she knew that Rayne had the right of it. He saw things that she did not. That was why he was a scholar.

  He snorted. "And the fact that it gave both Mrs. Dowdy and Wilson no small amount of relief to know that I would be accompanying you about had nothing to do with it? Or that they thought the idea of pretending that Aunt Beatrice is also in residence to chaperone was an excellent one?"

  Sarah had thought it a bit peculiar that Hallowby's staff would be so accepting of Rayne's plan or that they all agreed almost instantly to play along with the ruse that Beatrice Tillsbury was, in fact, serving as a proper chaperone. All except for Colleen who thought the entire idea a terrible one for no real reason that Sarah could determine. If she had any lingering reservations, they had all vanished when she saw the relieved expressions on her staff's faces. As if she was giving them a gift instead of sneaking time with the man she had loved in secret for so long.

  It was a curious thing indeed. But not one that Sarah was about to question.

  "Those things might be a factor as well," she admitted as Rayne began to slow the phaeton as they approached the ruins of the old church and the Tillsbury family's crumbling graveyard and mausoleum. "Why are we stopping?"

  "Because we are being followed. Discreetly of course, but followed just the same." Rayne had been aware of someone following them since they had departed the cluster of tenant houses nearly ten minutes ago.

  Even when he and Sarah had been speaking with the tenants and informing them that Sarah was in residence with her chaperone until Frost returned - however unorthodox an arrangement that might be - Rayne had been aware of a figure moving along the edges of the crowd that had gathered around the phaeton, thrilled to see such an unusual sight. The person in question was clearly doing his best to go unnoticed, but the sheer size of the man prevented him from being invisible. It didn't take much to deduce that it was Baron Hodge following their movements and trailing them when they departed as quickly as his poor, beleaguered horse could carry him.

  Which was why Rayne intended to put their plan into motion immediately. If Hodge insisted upon continuing his foolish and unwelcome pursuit of Sarah, then it was up to Rayne to make certain that the man understood there was no way he would get close to Sarah ever again. At least not as long as Rayne was around.

  Once the phaeton came to a stop, Rayne handed Sarah the reins until he jumped down and led the horses to a nearby tree, tying them to it lightly. It was not the most perfect of arrangements, but then these were two of Frost's best, matched grays and were about as docile as they came most of the time. Finally satisfied that the horses were secure, he reached up and lifted Sarah down, his hands clasped around her waist.

  For one brief moment, Rayne thought that she might object and the expression on her face indicated that she was indeed thinking about it. Then, as if remembering their arrangement, she offered him a sunny smile and allowed him to grip her even tighter about the waist and help her down.

  Once her feet were planted firmly back on the ground, she undid the laces of her bonnet and tossed it into the front seat of the phaeton. Had they been in town, it would have been an absolutely shocking thing to do, but here at Hallowby Grange, there was a great deal more freedom to be had.

  "That is better," Sarah announced a bit more loudly than she might have otherwise and Rayne repressed the urge to smile. Stealthy she most certainly was not and subterfuge did not come naturally to her. Lord Candlewood would be hard-pressed to find a use for her as a spy Rayne decided, but she was also far more beautiful than any spy he knew. "I despite that thing."

  "It looks so fetching on you," Rayne replied, playing his role of hopelessly enamored suitor to perfection. Or so he hoped.

  "It looks like a dead rosebush," she replied saucily as she took his arm and allowed him to lead her towards the ruins of the church. "I despite the thing, but since Aunt Beatrice brought it with her as part of my betrothal gift when she arrived yesterday, I suppose I had better wear it. At least when she is awake to see it."

  Rayne wanted to cheer. It seemed that perhaps Sarah was better at this game of subterfuge than he had given her credit for. Now it was time for him to play his part. "Yes, well, at least she agreed to chaperone us. I'd hate to think that we could not continue to court until your brother returns and we can be wed." That was perhaps laying it on a bit thick, but with each rustle of the bushes off to their right, Rayne found that he cared less and less. In fact, Hodge could fall out of the damn bushes and break his neck for all Rayne cared. Just so long as the man left Sarah alone.

  "She is a dear, is she not?" Sarah cooed as she allowed Rayne to help her over the remains of an old wall. "And always so prim and proper. Then again, how could we expect otherwise?"

  Being something of a scholar, historian and theater buff, Rayne knew that even in ancient Greece, the two of them would be laughed off the stage because their performances were truly awful, almost to the point of being a farce. However with each word they spoke, he could hear the rustling the bushes becoming more aggressive. As if the watcher was becoming more agitated. Perfect.

  "We could not ask for a better chaperone, my love," Rayne pronounced, as once more, he lifted Sarah around the waist and swung her around until her feet touched earth once more. "And I, for one, am glad of it." Then he grinned because despite everything, he was still a rake at heart. "And I am also glad that I have you to myself, even if it is only for a brief snippet out of time."

  He was doing it up a bit brown. Rayne knew that. Likely so did Sarah, but she was not objecting. Instead, she seemed to be enjoying herself, laughing and chattering on like the magpie she generally was not as he pointed out bits of old stonework and provided her with a small history of what the area would have been used for when the church was still functioning. This, he knew, was the man he should have been all along, the man he had dreamed of becoming when he was still a young boy. A man of science and study who courted proper ladies and did not cavort with actresses and Cyprians.

  That side of him still existed, of course, and always would. After all, he was allowing that part of himself free reign now. However, the far more jaded and rakish side of him was what he showed the world. Except that he could not bring himself to do so with Sarah. Never with Sarah. For despite their recently rocky friendship over the last few months, she knew him far better and more intimately than any other woman likely ever would. He would never allow any woman to get as close to him as he allowed Sarah. And he only allowed her to remain close because she was Sarah. To push her away would be to hurt her and that was something he could not and would not do.

  So when he finished his little history lesson with a bow and a flourish, Sarah clapped her hands in delight. There was a part of Rayne that wished to believe she meant that applause, and that she had truly been entertained by his stories of the past. That she found him, and his penchan
t for history, charming and adorable. He wanted this to be more than an act for Hodge. He wanted it to be real.

  "And that, my lady, is likely far more than you wished to know about the history of the medieval church." Rayne bowed again and when he looked up, he fully expected to see Sarah laughing, but instead, when he raised his eyes to hers, he found her studying him curiously. As if she really had been hanging on to his every word with rapt attention.

  "You amaze me," she whispered and to his surprise, she moved forward to take his hands in hers. At some point, she had removed her gloves and now her soft, warm fingers slid against his much rougher ones. "And I thought I had ceased to be amazed years ago." When she smiled at him, there was a softness to her face that she had lost long ago. He hadn't realized it at the time but now, when he saw that softness return, he realized that it had been absent a good long while.

  Rayne bowed his head to hide his blush. Damn the Tillsbury women - particularly Sarah - and their uncanny ability to pink his cheeks! "You humble me, my lady." He was no longer playing a role for Hodge's sake. In fact, he had just about forgotten that the man was even there. "I shall take your words as a compliment."

  "I meant them as such." Once more, Sarah's face seemed to be lit from within. She was the most breathtaking creature Rayne had ever laid eyes upon, and he had courted some of the most arguably beautiful women in all of England. In all of the world, if he was being honest, including princesses and royalty in far-flung lands. Yet in this moment, Sarah outshone them all, even in her simple muslin gown.

  How on Earth had she not been snapped up on the Marriage Mart yet? And how had he been blessed with such good fortune that she had not been? That she was here with him now and she seemed to be gazing at him as if he was her entire world?

  Unable to stop himself, Rayne cupped Sarah's face in his hands and kissed her. Except this kiss was different than the two kisses that had come before. This kiss was full of emotions that Rayne could not and did not dare name. However in that moment, he meant each and every one of them. He simply prayed that Sarah was inexperienced enough not to know the difference.