Letter From a Rake: Destiny Romance

by Sasha Cottman

  She smiled at him. ‘I spend half my life downstairs at home; our cook has been with the family since I was born so she knows exactly what I like to eat. She can tell from the look on my face what sort of mood I am in and what food will make me happy.’

  Alex turned back to the stove and after locating the tea canister, he took it down from the shelf and brought it over to her. He lifted the lid and waved the tin under Millie’s nose. ‘Marsala chai, Miss Ashton,’ he announced, with a degree of smugness.

  Her eyes lit up with delight and she eagerly took hold of the canister. She held one finger up to signal that she had yet to judge his offering. Then she put her face over the opening of the tin and took a deep breath. She sat back in the chair, still clutching the tea canister and closed her eyes.

  ‘Oh, Alex, you have no idea what that aroma does to me and how much it reminds me of home,’ she murmured. ‘I had forgotten how wonderful it feels when the sharp edge of the tea finds its way to the back of your throat. I have missed it so much.’

  She might have been passing judgement on his tea, but Alex only heard the first two words she said. He quickly turned back to the cupboards and after taking several deep breaths, he began to search for the teapot. He located it in a far corner of the kitchen bench and filled it with hot water before placing it in the middle of the table. He took a seat in the chair opposite Millie. ‘We shall have to make do without the pot being warmed. May I have the tea now, Miss Ashton? It will need some time to steep.’

  Her eyes opened and she looked first to him and then to the white china teapot. She sat up and removed the lid from the pot. She reached into the tea canister and carefully drew out a handful of black tea.

  ‘Exactly five minutes before you pour the first cup and not a moment sooner, Lord Brooke,’ she announced with great authority, and placed the tea in the pot. ‘That should give you time enough to find some biscuits. You must have a large store of them hidden away for all the girls you invite here to partake of tea,’ she teased. She placed the lid back on the teapot.

  Alex laughed.

  Oh Millie, if only you knew what your eyes do to me, and your lips.

  ‘The only “girl” who gets to drink tea here is Mrs Phillips and she is rather partial to a ginger stem biscuit. Many a time I have had to fight her for the last one,’ he quipped, as he headed to the doorway.

  ‘Lately I have taken to hiding a spare packet from Fortnum and Mason in my room; back in a minute.’ He walked across the front entrance and upstairs to his bedroom.

  Once inside his room, he took the opportunity to catch his breath. Would it always be like this with her? He shook his head, unable to understand why this girl had such an effect on him. He had danced with a number of beautiful girls at the party, using the occasion to see if he could force himself to fall in love with them. But only she could bring a smile to his lips.

  ‘Have you found them?’ Millie’s voice drifted up from downstairs.

  ‘Still looking,’ he lied.

  ‘Need a hand?’

  He smiled. ‘Not tonight, my love, but soon,’ he chuckled.

  He found the biscuits, still wrapped in their paper at the back of the wardrobe. He laughed at the notion of having to hide food from the servants, especially when Mrs Phillips usually did the shopping. She could have simply bought extra biscuits each week, but of course that would have taken the fun out of making her search high and low for the hidden treasure.

  ‘Well, I shall have to find a new hiding spot for the next lot,’ he murmured as he noticed that several biscuits were missing from what should have been a full packet. ‘You are good, Mrs Phillips, I will give you that.’ He broke off part of a biscuit and stuffed the crunchy, golden morsel into his mouth.

  ‘Here they are,’ he said, stepping back into the kitchen and placing the biscuits on the table.

  Millie opened the already raided packet, saw the broken biscuit and shook her head. He wiped a stray crumb from the corner of his mouth. She took two biscuits out and handed the broken one to him. They shared a happy smile, while Alex secretly wished time would stop and they could spend eternity just enjoying this simple moment together.

  ‘Tea?’ she asked.

  Alex the lovestruck fool nodded.

  She poured them both a cup and they sat in silence, sipping the flavoursome dark brew as the aroma of far-off India filled the small room.

  ‘Alex?’ Millie said a few moments later as she swirled the last of her tea leaves around the bottom of her cup.

  ‘Millie,’ he replied.

  ‘May I ask you about David?’

  ‘Just as long as it is not about why he and I aren’t on speaking terms,’ he replied.

  ‘Actually, I meant about his status within your family.’

  He nodded his head; he had been wondering when that particular subject would be broached.

  ‘You mean how is it that he is older than me and yet I am my father’s heir?’ he replied.

  ‘Yes, if it is not too personal or painful. If it is, I am sorry to have asked and I won’t mention it again,’ she replied.

  Alex slurped his tea. ‘This is really good, you know. I had not thought to put spice into my tea, but since I started drinking chai of late, I find I can barely stomach the normal English stuff. Anyway, you want to know about David.’

  He put the cup down and sat with his hands gently clasped together on the table as he explained the circumstances of David’s birth: how David’s mother had been engaged to their father and how after having consummated their relationship, she had inexplicably called off the engagement and run away.

  His father and his former fiancée’s sister had searched for her for months, unaware that she was pregnant, and when they finally received word of her whereabouts they had raced to Manchester, only to discover she had tragically died in childbirth.

  ‘My father and David’s aunt took the baby home, raised him, and somewhere along the way they fell in love and married. Then I came along, then Lucy, Stephen and Emma. So you see, David is both my half-brother and my cousin if you wish to go into the detail.’

  He picked up the teapot and poured some more tea into both of their cups, quietly musing over the fact that Millie had asked him about David when she would have had ample opportunity over the past weeks to pose the same question to Lucy. For some unknown reason she was more comfortable asking him that delicate question. He liked that Millie trusted him.

  ‘Anyway, he carries my father’s name and will inherit his own estate when the time comes, though I think father will pass something onto him before then. Hopefully a solid fortune in his pocket will somewhat help to overcome the circumstances of his birth. So that’s all there is to tell – he is my brother and always has been.’

  ‘But not at the top of your most popular relative list at present?’ Millie replied.

  ‘No.’

  He was not about to go into the how and why of the dispute with anyone, especially not with Millie. He let out a sigh and drained his cup. ‘We had better get back. It must be nearly time for our next dance. If we don’t, Lucy and Charles will be certain to notice our absence.’

  He started out the kitchen door and Millie followed him. As she reached the entrance, she stopped and quickly raced back downstairs into the kitchen. Alex followed her and in the doorway they collided as she returned.

  ‘Oh,’ she cried, as her head hit his chest.

  She took a step back and held up her evening gloves. ‘Mustn’t forget these, otherwise we would both have a lot to explain.’

  As she started to put her gloves on, Alex took hold of her hands and stopped her. He slowly pulled off the glove she had placed on her left hand and after taking the other glove, he put them both into his coat pocket. He took her hands in his. With his hands placed over hers, his signet ring with the Strathmore family crest formed a crown at the top of their hands. The gold horse and stars set in black onyx represented the wealth and power his family wielded. They both stared at the rin
g.

  Neither of them spoke.

  He raised her hands to his lips and placed a tender kiss on her fingertips. She shuddered and he felt her fingers tremble. As she lifted her head, he waited for the moment when their eyes would meet.

  When they did, he found himself staring into two magnificent deep-blue gems. Framed by long, dark lashes, Millie’s eyes drew him inexorably in. He cupped his hand under her chin, bent his head and placed a tentative kiss on her lips.

  In that brief moment he felt the soft warmth of her lips.. His heart pounded in his chest. He had kissed his fair share of women before, but never had his heart been involved. This was a new and heady experience, for which he had waited his whole life.

  He pulled away, just enough to break the bond and, seeing that she had her eyes closed, decided to risk a second kiss. This time, he concentrated all his efforts on remembering the rules of kissing a young miss.

  First, find a willing girl. He gave his imaginary checklist a tick. He appeared to have that sorted. Then find somewhere where you won’t be disturbed – these things required patience and absolute attention. Besides, if you got caught with the wrong girl, you might find yourself before her angry father, followed swiftly by a march up the aisle. Discretion was of the utmost importance.

  He was pleased that they were alone for their first kiss and unlikely to be disturbed. To woo Millie properly would take time. He had to be certain he had won her heart before he offered for her.

  The spectre of her desire to return to India still loomed over him. She had to want to stay with him in England, not be forced by circumstance or have pressure brought to bear by others. If they were discovered and forced to marry, she would never forgive him. Life would be impossible for him if Millie became his wife and she regretted their marriage.

  He had to win her – heart and soul. By kissing her now, he was making his intent clear. From this moment on, he would begin his campaign and court her openly. A visit to her father would be in order first thing tomorrow morning.

  He deepened the kiss, placing more pressure on her lips. When her lips parted slightly, he took her top lip and kissed it. She moaned. His whole body hardened. Then, emboldened by her response, he speared his hand into her hair, pulling her closer to him.

  She let out a gasp of surprise as he took her mouth more fiercely. This was so much more than anything he had ever experienced before.

  His tongue swept past her lips and into her mouth. He felt Millie’s hands on his chest and he steeled himself for the moment when she pushed him away. But, to his immense relief, she took hold of the lapels of his coat and pulled him in closer. He groaned.

  She wants this as much as I do, thank God.

  Her response was just as he had always hoped it would be; she held nothing back as she gave her mouth up to him. Holding tightly onto his coat, her lips soft and pliant, she demanded everything he could give.

  His right hand drifted down to her hip and settled on the curve that had filled his dreams for so many nights. His mind and body fought with one another as he struggled against stepping forward and pressing himself hard against her. If he did there would be no mistaking the rock-hard erection that was throbbing beneath his coat.

  She was an innocent. He knew if she suspected she was in any real danger from him, the evening would end badly and his campaign to win her would suffer a major setback.

  The time would come when she would understand what happened between a man and a woman, but that was not now. That moment would be planned down to the last intimate and minute detail. She would have willingly accepted his marriage proposal and an engagement ring would be sparkling on her hand when he first took her to his bed.

  The clock in the front hall chimed.

  They slowly drew apart. Millie brought a finger to her swollen, red lips. The stamp of his passion was there for all to see. Alex reached into his pocket and handed Millie her gloves. She smiled and with obvious effort put them on.

  ‘I love you,’ he said.

  She shook her head. ‘No, you don’t,’ she whispered. She took a step back.

  The moment was over.

  His heart sank. She didn’t take him seriously. He could see that to her mind, she was just another of his sister’s friends he had toyed with, just one more. All those stupid, thoughtless games he had played last season with Lucy’s friends now came back to haunt him.

  She pushed past him and climbed the stairs. Alex followed, and as they reached the front entrance he took hold of her arm.

  ‘Millie, I am serious with regard to my affections for you, I —’

  He stopped. Angry voices were at the front door.

  As the door flew open, Alex let go of Millie and stepped back from her. He caught her eye and shook his head. ‘Nothing happened,’ he whispered.

  They both turned to see Charles, David and Lucy standing on the threshold. Charles stormed into the room and took Millie by the arm. ‘What the devil are you playing at?’ he roared at her.

  David stepped between Alex and Millie and gave his younger brother a hard shove in the chest. Alex staggered backwards.

  Millie began to cry. ‘Nothing – nothing happened,’ she wailed.

  Alex attempted to take a step forward, but David held him by the shoulders.

  ‘We came to have a cup of tea, nothing else. We were just about to head back to the ball,’ Alex said.

  Charles looked to his sister, who stood shaking her head. ‘Nothing happened, Lord Brooke had some chai tea and he offered to share some with me. You can check the pot in the kitchen if you like,’ she pointed downstairs. ‘I’m not lying.’

  ‘Stay there,’ Charles ordered her. He returned a moment later holding the teapot in his hand, and showed it to the others. ‘It’s still hot; she’s telling the truth, or at least that part of it.’

  David nodded. He grabbed Alex by the arm and began to drag him towards the main staircase. Alex pulled away and reached for Charles. He tugged on Charles’s jacket sleeve.

  ‘Please, you must understand, nothing happened, I would never do anything to risk your sister’s reputation. I know what we did was a bit rash, but it was only a cup of tea.’

  Charles pushed Alex’s hand away with a violent swing of his arm. ‘David, you had better take him away this instant, or I shall not be held accountable for the bloody thrashing I give your brother,’ he bellowed.

  Charles turned and held out his hand to Millie. ‘We are leaving. I shall deal with you when we get home. In the meantime you might think of twenty reasons why I should not tell Mama and Papa what you did tonight.’

  ‘But you promised,’ stammered Lucy.

  Charles took a deep breath and glared at Millie. ‘Yes, Lady Lucy, forgive me. Millie, do you know what I promised?’

  ‘No,’ his sister replied, as she continued to sob.

  ‘I promised not to beat Lord Brooke to a pulp if you came quietly and did not make a fuss. I also agreed not to tell anyone about this evening and your foolish little expedition to the house of an unmarried man. Though right now I am so angry that I would quite happily give Brooke a pounding and then go home and wake Papa to tell him the reason why.’

  Millie dried her tears on the back of her glove and gave a silent nod. She would go quietly.

  ‘Millie,’ Alex said, but she refused to look at him. He knew she would think him a coward, one who used his sister’s friends and then bolted at the first sign of trouble.

  If she had not thought him a cad before tonight, then this evening’s events would have left her in no doubt as to his lack of character. The kiss and its aftermath had been bad enough, but now all he could see was the almost insurmountable task he faced of trying to win Millie’s trust again, let alone her love.

  As the Ashton siblings headed for the door, he watched with a sinking heart as Lucy stepped forward and faced Millie.

  ‘I thought you were different,’ she said, tears filling her eyes. ‘I thought you liked me for me, but you are just like all the ot
hers. I should have known it when the two of you spent the dance lesson giggling and whispering to each other. You used me to get to my brother.’

  Lucy shot Alex a look of despair before turning back to Millie. ‘I shall ask Mr Roberts to send his card to your mother; she can arrange for you to have your future dance lessons elsewhere. Please do not bother to call on me at the house any more – I shall not be at home to you. I wish you success with the forthcoming season.’

  ‘Lucy,’ Alex pleaded. ‘It’s not her fault, she did nothing wrong.’

  Lucy shook her head, and held up her hand refusing to hear his words. ‘You know the effect you have on vulnerable girls and yet you still play your pathetic little games with them.’ She turned to David. ‘When you are ready would you please take me home?’

  Charles thanked David for helping to locate his sister and they shook hands. He took Millie firmly by the arm and ushered her out the front door.

  It took only until the end of the first block for Charles to start in on Millie. After pushing her roughly into the carriage and slamming the door loudly behind him, Charles sat down on the bench opposite her. He seethed with rage.

  ‘Nothing happened,’ Millie said.

  Her brother closed his eyes and held a hand to his forehead. ‘Nothing needs to have happened, as you well know. If anyone finds out, you will be ruined. You don’t seem to understand that a young woman’s reputation is the only thing she has of value within the haute ton. If you lose that, you might as well go and live in a nunnery,’ he replied.

  He began to suck deep breaths in and out at a furious rate. Millie could see he was trying to control his temper.

  ‘The only reason you are not currently betrothed to Lord Brooke is because I agreed with his brother that we should not have to be continually reminded of how reckless the two of you were. You should be sitting there quietly counting your blessings that your older brother takes care of you. Others would have seized the opportunity to push their sister into marriage with a lunatic who will one day inherit a title and a sizeable fortune.’