Persuasion

by Owner

  that when his plans would come to the fore, they'd be wealthy and their

  child would be the heir to all of that wealth and power. And she had believed

  him, the stupid, stupid chit.

  It had all been going according to schedule and then the stupid bitch had

  died during childbirth and all of his plans had unraveled. He had been right

  at the very beginning again. When he thought of the time he'd wasted, it

  still angered him.

  For a while, yes, Dorian had been distressed, it hadn't been enough for him

  to do anything drastic. His plans had indeed come to naught, but a part of

  him had hoped, in vain, that Dorian would expire from a broken heart and

  do William a favor by killing himself.

  Sadly that had not happened. And now, William could only hope that the

  grief of Camille's death combined with the added stress of losing another

  love would finally push him over the edge!

  The carriage finally came to a halt and a surge of relish erupted through

  him. They'd arrived and he had finally arrived at the point for which he'd

  been waiting for over a decade. But he would have to tread softly. It would

  do no good to simply walk in there with a melodramatic tale. It would be far

  better to be cautious and cause damage by merely planting a seed of doubt.

  From the one seed, an entire forest would grow and, with it, Dorian's

  demise.

  Jumping out of the coach with glee, he walked down the path that led to

  Dorian's, soon to be his, townhouse and unlocked the door with a key that

  one of his cousin's footmen had given him a few months ago. He stepped

  into the hallway and strode down it towards the study where he intended to

  sit until Dorian awoke in the morning and came down to see to his papers.

  William opened the door and stepped through it, coming to an abrupt halt as

  he spied Dorian sleeping on the floor before the fire. Hiding a malicious grin,

  he gently closed the door and walked towards the armchairs. Taking a seat,

  he watched as within moments Dorian began to stir and rolled to a sitting

  position with a bleary yawn.

  “William?”

  “Yes, cousin.”

  “It isn't that I don't appreciate the visit, William, but what time is it?”

  He smiled slowly. “Time I told you the truth, Dorian. That's what time it is.”

  Dorian frowned and stood, using his blanket to cover himself from the waist

  down. “The truth? What are you talking about?”

  “You do realize, don't you, that she was just after a wealthy husband.”

  “Who? Camille?”

  William snorted. “No. The Mercer chit.”

  Dorian tilted his head to the side. “Lily Mercer?”

  “Yes. Have you heard the rumor?”

  “No, what rumor?”

  “Devlin's pissed the fortune down the drain,” he lied easily.

  Dorian laughed. “Don't be ridiculous! It would take a damned sight more

  than two years to piss away the Mercer fortune!”

  He waved a nonchalant hand. “Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

  “How do you even know I've been . . . with the Mercer girl?”

  “Dorian, I just saw her leaving!” he further fabricated. “Why do you think

  I'm even telling you this story? Gossip is hardly your best friend. When I saw

  her leaving and obviously in a state of . . . well, shall we say, undress? I

  knew that I had to come to you and tell you to get away from her! She'll

  only cause you more pain.”

  “What are you even doing here?” asked Dorian with a glaring scowl.

  “I needed to talk with you about a business deal and know that you rarely

  sleep nowadays. What better time to discuss my proposition with you?”

  Dorian grinned. “Ah, but those days are gone.”

  William tutted. “Haven't you heard a word I've been saying?”

  “Lily is hardly a mercenary bitch, William!”

  “They all are, Dorian. They all are.”

  “Not Lily.”

  He cocked a brow. “Have I not told you that she is seeking a wealthy

  husband?”

  “She has dowry aplenty, William. It is more than likely separate from the

  family's main fortune, so even if Devlin has wasted it all on the gaming

  tables . . . it won't touch her!”

  “Still . . . it must make you question her, surely?”

  Dorian frowned and took a seat beside him on the armchair next to him.

  “Not particularly. It isn't as though we're affianced, William!”

  “From the state of the floor, I would suggest that with a miss of Lily Mercer's

  credentials, you're near as dammit! You've compromised her, Dorian. I

  wouldn't be surprised if within the next day or so, Devlin rides down and

  demands you marry her. Talk about killing a bird with two stones! With the

  fforbes-Hyde fortune, he'll be able to salvage the family name and also wash

  his hands of his younger sister! Perfect for the Mercers, no?”

  “How can she be compromised? No one has caught us!” Dorian scoffed.

  He snorted. “You can't be serious? Did I not see her sneaking out of the

  house? Who is to say that someone else hasn't?”

  Dorian shook his head. “Stop it, William. What's the matter with you? Why

  are we even discussing this?”

  “There is nothing wrong with me, Dorian. I just don't want to see you hurt.

  Is that so wrong?”

  “No and I appreciate that you do care, but this is just unnecessary. She

  doesn't want to marry at all, never mind me!”

  “Women of the demimonde say that, Dorian, hardly ladies of good family!”

  “Don't be ridiculous! What are you inferring?”

  “I don't particularly know what I'm inferring, but it seems to me that her

  motives are hardly pure!”

  He watched as Dorian's jaw tensed. “Look, what is this business deal you

  wanted to discuss?”

  “I hardly think it matters when your emotional well-being is at stake.”

  “Emotional well-being?”

  “You don't remember?” William asked all concern. “You were truly at a low

  point, Dorian, the last time we met at your country estate. I hardly think it is

  wise to involve yourself with a woman whose sole interest could quite

  possibly be in your funds! And her . . . well, her sojourn here this evening . .

  . it hardly rings true, does it?”

  Almost as though those words clicked in Dorian's brain, William watched as

  his cousin's face tautened. He couldn't help but feel pleased and he had to

  work hard to hide a smirk. Apparently, love did not mean trust.

  He watched as suspicions started to plant themselves into Dorian's brain and

  knew that he'd done enough. As long as the seed had indeed taken root,

  that was all that counted. The rest could come later. Slowly but surely he

  could fill Dorian with poison, until eventually the man snapped and

  hopefully, did away with himself.

  If he didn't, then William would simply have to edge him along.

  He had done quite enough waiting and didn't intend on doing any more!

  Chapter Nine

  “I swear, if I didn't know better I'd say you were . . . ,” Janie hesitated and

  shook her head, impatient at her own folly.

  “I was . . . what?” Lily complained crossly, her head ducked half in and half

  out of the porcelain pot that looked set to become her cl
ose friend.

  She had spent the last two hours in close contact with the porcelain and if

  her stomach was anything by which to go, she would be here a lot longer!

  She still felt quite ridiculously poorly and she had to admit that she was

  beginning to feel very sorry for herself!

  It seemed that she had been quite imbecilic in believing she would

  oversleep. She had awoken at an ungodly hour of the morn and had been in

  this awkward position ever since.

  “There's no point in discussing it, Miss Lily. You can't possibly be . . . . No,

  well, you can't possibly be what I was thinking. It's just so strange. No one

  else in the house is poorly and your aunt and uncle always share your

  mealtimes. There's no reason why you should be ill and yet, here you are . .

  . .”

  Lily bit her lip as she pondered Janie's words and knew them to be true.

  “What were you thinking, Janie? Please. Please, tell me,” she whispered, her

  voice raspy.

  The maid hesitated and her words were almost lost as another wave of

  nausea overcame Lily and she dove once again for the bowl.

  Janie's hand hovered above her charge's head and she slowly and gently

  stroked Lily's hair, offering comfort where it was needed.

  “Tell me, Janie. I must know,” Lily begged moments later, her throat raw.

  “Well . . . ."

  Had Lily not known that Janie was simply embarrassed, she would have

  snapped at her, but instead she begged the Good Lord for patience.

  To say that Lily felt concern for whatever it was that was ailing her was an

  understatement. If Janie knew what it was, then all for the good. She did not

  fancy having a physician poking and prodding at her, and, if her illness

  continued for much longer, she knew her Aunt Millie would indeed send for a

  doctor.

  Ever since her father's death, she had disliked those with a career in

  medicine on principal. She distrusted them all, viewing them as quacks, as

  the majority of them were just that. And she highly doubted that the

  physicians in London would be any different to their country counterparts.

  Indeed, she felt quite certain they would simply charge more for their lack of

  knowledge!

  Janie sucked in a breath. “When a woman is in the family way, miss, a . . .

  well, she . . . it's likely that for the first few months, she'll ail in the

  mornings. It's a symptom of being in the family way,” she blurted out.

  Lily bit the inside of her lip as she stared down into the cavernous pot and its

  nasty contents.

  Pregnant? Lily Mercer? Expecting a child out of wedlock? Could that be true?

  Surely not!

  She gulped and felt the sickness press against her gullet once more until the

  force of it was such that she couldn't hold back any longer. Her nausea and

  concern were released in a wave of queasiness until she almost fell out of

  bed with its ferocity.

  When it had lessened, she sank back into her pillows and cuddled into the

  blankets for warmth. Shivers racked her frame for what felt like endless

  moments until the pure woolen coverings worked their magic and brought

  her body back up to temperature.

  Her teeth ceased to chatter and color returned to her cheeks as she rested

  with her body snuggled into the bed.

  Janie hovered above her, patting her hand and then once again stroking her

  hair.

  Lily appreciated Janie, but the only thing that would ease her sickness was

  to have Dorian in bed beside her, heating her with his warmth and

  comforting her with his embrace. A breath soughed gently out of her mouth.

  It was laden with regret, and she slowly sat up, realizing that she had to go

  see him. Now. It was more urgent than ever if what Janie had said was the

  truth.

  “I need a bath, Janie, and I need to go out. Prepare the cream muslin and

  the brown velvet pelisse, it looks rather nippy outside.”

  “But, ma'am, you can't go outside in your condition!” the maid protested

  urgently.

  “What condition?” Lily retorted with a snap. “I-I, there's nothing wrong with

  me. I must just have eaten something that disagreed with me!”

  Janie nodded, but her lips were pursed with an irritation she failed to hide.

  “Would you like me to arrange for the carriage to be prepared for your use?”

  Lily shook her head. She wasn't entirely sure where the Earl's house actually

  was. It would be hard enough navigating the streets of London on foot,

  never mind asking a coachman to follow her lead! “No, I wish to walk.

  Alone.”

  “Alone? But you can't do that, Miss Lily! It isn't proper!”

  It was far too late for that! She had far surpassed the boundaries of society's

  dictates. “I find myself past caring, Janie. I shall walk alone and do not dare

  tell my aunt! Or my uncle,” she quickly added. “I need some respite, some

  space. I miss the freedom of the estate.”

  Janie frowned.

  Lily could see that she was not best pleased with Lily's mandate. Shrugging

  her shoulders obdurately, she snuggled deeper into the bed and watched as

  Janie stalked off, annoyance written into every taut limb of the maid's body.

  She did not like to anger Janie, but, in this case, there was no alternative.

  She could hardly have Janie accompanying her as she went to speak to a

  man who could well be the father of her child, could she?

  At the prospect of being pregnant, Lily blanched once again. She had not

  truly thought of the consequences of partaking in bed sports with Dorian,

  and, if she were indeed set for confinement within the upcoming year, then

  Lily knew she was truly done for.

  Not only would she have to explain the hideous background to their

  relationship and why she had pursued him, Lily would have to drop this

  news. This added an extra urgency to the matter. She had disliked the idea

  of divulging all to Dorian and she liked it even less now!

  With a frown pleating her brows, she watched as Janie stalked back into the

  bedroom with a troop of footmen leading the way, each yielding the heavy

  weight of the bath tub and a horde of maids laden down with buckets of

  steaming water at their backs.

  The tub was placed before the fireplace and the maids began to fill it,

  emptying their loads and quickly retreating from the bedroom. When only

  Janie remained, Lily climbed unsteadily out of bed. Hearing Janie's tut, she

  grimaced and knew that the maid had seen her faint stumble and was

  doubting her sense in wanting to go out for the day.

  She shrugged off Janie's vexed look and stripped out of her uncomfortable,

  sweat-stained night rail. Her body was equally as damp from the

  perspiration her skin had exuded during her frequent ailments and it was

  with relief that she sunk into the piping hot water and felt the heat penetrate

  her flesh and her cold limbs. A shudder rushed through her as her body

  reacted to the warmth, but finally it began to work at her knotted shoulders

  and tense frame.

  For a few moments, she rested, allowed her body to recharge itself and then

  she began to cleanse herself. After twenty minutes in the warm water, her

  skin was slightly prune
d, but it had been worth it. She felt alive once more.

  Janie dried and then dressed her and readied her for the outdoors with a

  bonnet that covered her ears, winter gloves with rabbit fur as a lining, and

  heavier than normal stockings to keep her legs warm. It was only the middle

  of Summer, but it looked set to be grim, and she was glad for the extra

  warmth! Ordinarily, the drop in temperature wouldn't overly affect her, but,

  at this moment in time, Lily felt as though a great gust of wind would have

  the power to knock her over!

  By the end of the hour, Lily was dressed and had two sovereigns tucked into

  her left glove were she in need of funds.

  Before she exited her bedroom, she turned to face Janie and reached for her

  hands. “There is something I must do,” she admitted earnestly. “Something

  that I alone can do. I won't be long, but please, Janie, I beg you, do not

  inform my aunt. I have to do this.”

  Janie frowned down at her but gently returned the squeeze and nodded. “Do

  be back before three o'clock this afternoon though, Miss Lily. Otherwise I'll

  be more worried than I can say!”

  “I don't want you to worry. Indeed, there is no reason for concern. However,

  I-I believe that if my aunt were to see you and ask you of my whereabouts,

  you could not lie to her, so I release you for the day. Enjoy your free time,

  Janie.”

  “But miss, I've already had my free day!”

  “I know you have, but you work hard for me, Janie, and an extra afternoon

  off won't do you any harm,” Lily said with a smile. “If you hurry for your own

  coat and gloves, we can leave the house together and separate once we're

  away from this street. Would that be all right?”

  “Yes, Miss Lily. That would be grand if you're sure you don't need me?”

  “Of course I do, Janie!” Lily retorted with a wry grin. “But, as I am still

  learning, there are things that one must do alone and this is one of them.”

  Janie looked faintly perplexed at this but hurried off to do her bidding. Only

  ten minutes passed between that conversation and their parting of ways at

  the end of Hammond Avenue, the street on which her aunt and uncle's

  house sat.

  It was with relief that she was alone to seek out the Earl's home. During the

  journeys to his townhouse, she had noticed various landmarks and knew