The Fallen Woman (A Regency Romance)

by K. L. O'Keefe

  “Hmph.” Leona took a large bite of her croissant. The large mouthful might have been considered unladylike in other company, but she didn’t think Tristan would mind. She felt more and more comfortable around him as the days went on. “I’m going to go on believing there isn’t gloom and doom in our future. I hate to think of it!”

  Our future. Her words made Tristan’s ears tingle.

  “Is that why Andrew’s been staying at Randall Hall so long? Does he fear the worst?”

  “You seem to have an aversion to poor Andrew.”

  “No, it’s not that I dislike him. I just… I don’t think it would be normal, in other circumstances, for a man to spend so much time with a recently wedded couple.”

  “By all means, continue to dislike him. It’s an interesting change from the norm.”

  Leona hoisted an eyebrow. “The norm?”

  “Any animosity toward Andrew is strange, considering how most women clamor for his attention. Don’t you think he’s handsome?”

  “Handsome? I suppose he is… if you like a boyish face,” Leona answered with a shrug. She took another bite and continued with a full mouth, “Beshides, I don’t shee why I should clamor for hish attention,” she swallowed, “when I already have the attention of a kind, caring husband.”

  “I’m kind and caring?”

  “Of course. You have many wonderful qualities.”

  “As do you,” he said. “Should I name them?”

  Leona put her finger over his lips. “No, please. I don’t know how I’d react if I heard compliments from you. I don’t feel worthy of them.”

  He lifted her finger from his mouth and held her hand in his. “Why not? I’m sure your innumerable London beaux would shower you with compliments all the time. Besides, I would compliment more than your beauty. I like how you’re pure of heart, and so full of life.”

  Leona shuddered. She knew there was nothing pure about her. “I don’t know about that.”

  “You’re kind and vivacious.”

  “Wild and tempestuous is more like it.” She rolled her eyes, but the gesture was disguised by her bonnet.

  “Most importantly,” he continued, “you make me smile when you smile. It’s been a long time since these lips of mine have gotten so much exercise.”

  “You are much too kind to me, Tristan. Besides… didn’t I tell you not to compliment me?”

  “I couldn’t resist.” Tristan laid down on the blanket, and every inch of his body felt relaxed. His head was so close to her, it was nearly resting on her lap. “You have a very lovely chin,” he said, grinning up at her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen it from this perspective.”

  “Well… my chin thanks you for the compliment.”

  “Oh!” Tristan laughed. “Your chin can take compliment, but you can’t?”

  “Maybe my chin is the only part of my body I have confidence in,” she stated matter-of-factly, even though she wanted to laugh.

  “Anyway, on the subject of Andrew… you won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Actually, he’s decided to leave us. He left for London this morning.”

  “Without saying goodbye? How very rude!”

  Tristan and Leona were silent for a several seconds, giving each other time to concentrate on eating, not talking.

  Suddenly, Leona said, “Open your mouth.”

  “Open my… what?”

  “Mouth,” she repeated. “The thing you talk out of. There are two lips, a tongue, and…”

  “Hey!” Tristan playfully shook a finger at her. “You don’t have to educate me on the function of a mouth, my dear. I was just surprised by your command. And I’m supposed to be the one who gets to tease you, not the other way around. So, you want me to open my mouth?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Are you going to feed something to me?”

  “Maybe.”

  “You sound a bit mischievous. Should I be worried? You’re not going to feed me a spider or a worm or something along those lines…?”

  “I’d never do such a thing!” she gasped. “Now, open your mouth.”

  When he did as he was told, Leona dipped her hand into their picnic basket and twisted a grape from its vine. She dropped it into his mouth and smiled.

  “Better than a bug,” he said as he chewed.

  “Don’t choke!” Leona exclaimed, feeding him another one.

  Tristan held the grape between his teeth for a few seconds before swallowing it down. “You’re so adorable from this perspective,” he said. “I’m sure you’re adorable from every perspective, but you look adorable when you’re upside down. I can see up your nose, you know.”

  “That’s terrible!’ Leona swatted his shoulder. “No more grapes for you!”

  “I had to mention your nose because I’ve spent the last several seconds hoping the moisture that fell on my forehead didn’t come from your nose. Rather, I was hoping it came from the sky.”

  Leona looked up at the dark clouds swirling overhead. “Oh no…” she gasped. “It’s going to rain, isn’t it?”

  “Most likely. We should finish our lunch as quickly as we can.” Tristan sat up and reached for a sandwich.

  A few seconds later, the top of Leona’s head was hammered by a huge raindrop. “I think we might be too late.”

  “So much for decent weather,” Tristan hopped to his feet and offered Leona a hand. “We should take our picnic basket and head for the house.”

  “Good idea,” she agreed, taking his hand and hoisting herself to her feet.

  Tristan and Leona headed in the direction of Randall Hall, but the weather had other plans for them that didn’t involve dry clothes. As soon as they started to head back, the rain picked up immediately. Tristan grabbed Leona’s hand and made a dash for the house.

  “Will you be alright?” she asked, concerned for his health. “I mean… with the rain… and the running?”

  “We don’t have that far to go. I’ll be fine.”

  When they reached the front entrance of Randall Hall, they were moderately damp and somewhat bedraggled. Leona pushed a few tendrils of hair from her forehead with a grumble. She’d spent so much time on her hair that morning, trying to look nice for Tristan. “So much for that!” she said out loud.

  “I suppose our little outing was ruined, wasn’t it?”

  “Actually, I was referring to my hair. Poor Mary spent nearly an hour perfecting it, only to have it ruined by the rain.”

  “It still looks lovely to me,” he said, capturing a wet strand of her hair between his fingers. “You look adorable when you’re wet, too.”

  “Oh, come on. Surely--”

  Leona didn’t have time to finish her thought. While she was busy fussing about her hair, Tristan decided it was time for a kiss. He leaned toward her, and his mouth brushed hers. His lips were softer than she thought they’d be, and tender. It was just a small kiss, but it was enough to make her tingle from the tips of her fingers to the bottom of her toes.

  And it was enough to leave her wanting more.

  Maybe her life wasn’t so bad after all?

  Chapter Twenty

  On a stroll through Hyde Park, it seemed Andrew Lamb couldn’t walk twenty steps without running into a woman with amorous intentions. Every few seconds, he was approached and propositioned by a lady—if one could still call them ladies after all their brazenness.

  First, it was Lady Stanbury, a handsome countess almost ten years older than Andrew. Nevertheless, he had bedded her at least a dozen times. He knew some people would fault him for making a lover out of a married woman, but someone had to do it. After all, poor Lady Stanbury was married to a man who was eighty, if he was a day. Someone had to make her feel better about her dreadful situation.

  “Ah! Andrew!” she flitted over to him as soon as she spotted him. Her dress was so low cut, Andrew nearly choked when he saw her. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from what was below her neckline. “
Well… I don’t blame you for staring, dear. This is a fetching dress, isn’t it? When did you return to London?”

  Fetching? Scandalous was more like it. “I, um… just a day ago, my lady.”

  “You were visiting that friend of yours, right? What’s his name?”

  “Lord Randall.”

  “Yes. Lord Randall. Everyone’s been saying he’s ill. I DO hope that isn’t true!”

  “Unfortunately, there’s truth behind the rumor. My friend isn’t doing as well as I would like,” Andrew answered with a sigh. “So, Lady Stanbury… what have you been up to lately? I hope you found sufficient entertainment while I was away?”

  “Oh… it’s been awful without you, Andrew. Positively awful!” Lady Stanbury pouted as she spoke. “I’ve missed you so!”

  “I’ve missed you as well,” he answered, not giving much thought to what he was saying. He was distracted by something, and it wasn’t her bosom.

  “Can you some see me again? Soon?” she whined. “Lord Stanbury will be out of town in a few days. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you kept my bed warm while he was away.” She cackled. “Well… I’m sure he would mind, but he doesn’t need to know.”

  “That’s as tempting invitation, one I will surely consider.”

  “You better do more than consider it!” she scolded him. “You better accept it, dear!”

  With a shuffle of her skirts, Lady Stanbury was on her way. Several seconds later, a blonde cherub came rushing toward him with a stern-looking chaperone trailing closely behind.

  “Mr. Lamb!” the cherub squeaked. Her voice was so high-pitched, she could make gentle dogs turn rabid. If she wasn’t so adorable, Andrew never would’ve wasted any time with her. “Mr. Lamb… it’s so good to see you again! You’ve been away from London… it’s been so terrible!”

  “Terrible, Miss Bluebell?” Andrew answered, sounding incredulous. “Surely not. I haven’t been away too long.”

  “But it has been terrible! I don’t like any of my suitors nearly as much as you, Mr. Lamb! I miss your compliments! Your words are like poetry. Your voice is like…”

  Behind her, Miss Bluebell’s chaperone cleared her throat. Apparently, she didn’t like the way her charge was conducting herself.

  “None of your other beaux give you compliments? How foolish of them. Why, I could think of at least a million compliments I could pay you, starting with the way your hair seems to glow like gold when the sun hits it, or… how your blue eyes put the sky to shame.”

  “Oh, Mr. Lamb! You’re too kind!” Miss Bluebell clapped her gloved hands in a way that was almost ridiculous. “My other beaux do compliment me on occasion, but none of them are as eloquent and handsome as you. Now that you’re back in London, will I be seeing you at Lady Stanbury’s ball? She’s having one next week.”

  Andrew nearly choked on his tongue. He didn’t realize the two ladies were acquainted. “I… I suppose I could make an appearance.” He flashed a disarming smile. “For you, I would most definitely come.”

  “Oh, Mr. Lamb… you say all the right things!” She sighed so loudly, Andrew was afraid the silly girl might faint right in front of him. Leaning toward him, she whispered, “You can pull me aside and steal a kiss, if you want to…”

  Behind her, Miss Bluebell’s chaperone cleared her throat again. She didn’t approve of their closeness.

  “Sorry, Auntie,” the young woman squeaked. “Well, Mr. Lamb, I guess I should be on my way. It was SO wonderful to see you again!”

  “The feeling is mutual,” he answered mechanically. As he watched Miss Bluebell scuttle away, he was surprised by how little emotion he felt when he spoke to her. He lived to flirt with women, but today he wasn’t inspired in the least. Why was he so bored?

  An image of a maid’s freckled face came to mind, but he quickly pushed it aside. Why would he be thinking about her when a voluptuous red-haired widow was heading in his direction?

  On most occasions, Lady Dudley put every other woman to shame. She carried herself like a queen and looked like a goddess. Her hair was a waterfall of fire, and he could picture it spread across his pillow. It was a picture he was quite familiar with, as he’d shared his bed with her numerous times. If she propositioned him again, how could he refuse? A beautiful widow of seven and twenty needed some companionship, did she not?

  “Ah… Andrew Lamb! How fortuitous!” She lowered her parasol, which she used to shield her gorgeous face from the sun. “I’ve been so lonely lately! I can’t think of any man I’d want to see more!”

  “And I can’t think of a woman I’d rather be with,” he answered, a bit solemnly. Why wasn’t he beside himself with joy at having been approached by three beautiful women in such a short time span? Isn’t this what he wanted? Andrew’s apathy was a crushing blow to his soul.

  “I hate being lonely…” Her voice was like butter-coated velvet. “I feel so terrible lately. I know you could fix it, Mr. Lamb. You could fix my loneliness in an instant.”

  “Mmm.” He wanted to sound amused, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t even muster false amusement. What was wrong with him?!

  “Would you think less of me if I outright asked you to visit me in my chambers tonight?” Lady Dudley asked. “I know it’s very forward of me, but I can’t help myself. I need you.”

  “Of course I wouldn’t think less of you, my lady, but--”

  She interrupted before he could finish. “You can use the servant’s entrance… no one will see you come in.”

  “But I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your invitation.”

  She scowled at him beneath her fire-red eyelashes. Judging from the look on her face, his refusal was the last thing she expected. “Why… Andrew! Why would you say such a thing? D-Don’t be silly!”

  “As much as the offer tempts me, I’m afraid I won’t be staying in London much longer.”

  “Why is that?” she gasped. “Surely you haven’t been in town too long?”

  “To tell you the truth, I’ve been in town for less than a day,” he admitted with a sigh. “But I’m afraid there are some… pressing matters which force me to return to Randall Hall.”

  * * *

  When Andrew returned to Randall Hall, he had such a wild look in his eye, Dubois was almost reluctant to let him in.

  “Mr. Lamb? How unexpected to see you back so soon. Should I tell his lordship you’ve returned?”

  Andrew thrust his walking stick and hat toward the butler and, without a word, continued on his way. He wasn’t here to see Tristan, or Dubois, or Leona, or anyone but…

  “Mary,” he uttered her name when he saw her. She was standing at the top of the grand staircase, making her way toward him. She hadn’t seen him yet.

  “Mary.” He said her name louder this time, and their eyes met.

  “Oh! Mister… Mister Lamb?!” She started to descend the stairs much more slowly after she saw him. “I thought you went back to London.”

  “I did,” he answered. “As soon as I got there, I came back.”

  When it started to look like Andrew wasn’t going to move from his spot at the end of the staircase, she crept down the stairs even slower, trying to avoid the moment when they would be standing on the same step “The air in London didn’t agree with you?”

  “No, the women in London didn’t agree with me,” he answered swiftly. “They don’t interest me anymore.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but I don’t think that’s information you should be sharing with me.”

  “I think I should share it with you… because it concerns you.”

  When she was three stairs above him, Mary stopped.

  “It doesn’t concern me in the least.”

  “Oh, but it does!” he protested. “I’m not interested in other women because I’m interested in you.”

  With a roll of her eyes, Mary started down the stairs again. “You should save your breath, Mr. Lamb. I already know how you feel about me, remember? It’s not nice of you to tease me like tha
t.”

  He followed her down the steps. “But I’m being completely serious. No matter how many women approached me, I only had you on my mind. And believe me, it surprises me as much as it surprises you!”

  “Am I supposed to be flattered by a comment that insinuates your admiration of me is a shock?” she asked. “This admiration which, in all likelihood, is completely false?”

  “It’s not false. I really do admire you.”

  “But for what reason?” she sighed. “I’m a maid, and I’m not a pretty one. You’ve been very honest about that.”

  Andrew reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her at the bottom on the staircase. “I regret those comments I made, because I no longer think they’re true. You’re almost handsome to me now!”

  “Almost?” she sighed. “Handsome? Are those the half-hearted compliments that make other women swoon for you? If so, I’ll have no choice but to question the sense of upper-class women.”

  “You’re so well-spoken, Mary. You’re much more intelligent than I thought you’d be.”

  “Everything you’ve said to me is an insult, in some way or another,” she grumbled. “You should watch what you say.”

  “But… how is that possible? I wouldn’t insult you! I think very highly of you! I came back to Randall Hall for you!”

  Mary gently tugged her arm away from him. “If I say anything else, I’m afraid it would sound rude, and I don’t want to lose my position. Let's just leave it at that.”

  “Mary…” Andrew moved toward her, and he kept moving toward her until her back was against the wall. When he had her where he wanted her, he boxed her in, with an arm on either side of her head. “You don’t think I’m handsome?”

  “Yes. Of course you are. And you’re wasting your time.”

  “No… never,” he whispered, his lips just inches away from hers. “To be near you would never be a waste of time.”

  “I don’t know what you want me to say, Mr. Lamb. I have no idea what I can say to get you to… go on your way.” Mary took a deep breath. There was a time when his close proximity might have made her weak in the knees. Now that she knew more about him, her wits were in no danger of abandoning her. “You’re a very handsome man… beautiful, even. And I confess I was very taken with you when we first met. Any woman would be lucky to have you. There… now will you leave me alone? I don’t mean to be rude, but being trapped at the bottom of the stairs is a bit disquieting.”