Regency Diaries of Seduction Collection: A Regency Historical Romance Box Set

by Lucinda Nelson

  She blinked and pushed away from him slightly, propping herself up on her elbow. “Did you…?” she asked, feeling horror mount inside of her.

  What if it hadn’t been as good for him as it had been for her? What if he wanted nothing to do with her now? She had meant to ensure that his needs were met, but instead, she had only paid attention to her own.

  Eric laughed and pulled her tight against him. “Oh yes,” he said, sounding more contented than she had ever heard a man sound before. “Oh yes, Charlene. I did.”

  She relaxed against him, feeling relieved. “And it was okay?” she asked.

  He kissed her hair again, his arms tightening even more for a moment. “Charlene, it was wonderful,” he told her firmly. “Truly, truly more than I could have ever imagined – wonderful.”

  Charlene smiled and ducked her head. “Good,” she said, feeling her prior contentment come back to her as well.

  There were a hundred things that she wanted to ask him. What would happen when they weren’t off in this inn, when they were back amongst society? Did they have any sort of future together?

  And suddenly, she realized that she couldn’t go back with him. How could she hope to return to her aunt’s house now? With her virginity spoiled, there would be no recovering her reputation.

  She would also surely have to watch him take another woman as his bride. He might say that he loved her, and he might want to bed her, but things were different for men. Things were freer.

  He could keep her as a mistress, at no risk to his future or his family. She could never just be his mistress, though. It would mean the ruination of everything in her life. She swallowed hard. “I’m not sure that I should return with you,” she said softly.

  Eric froze. “You cannot possibly mean that you wish to remain here,” he said, scandalized at the very thought of it.

  He had been so glad to save her from Harvey’s harm. Would she throw that all away and remain here in Whitechapel?

  The thought had never occurred to him. He had been certain that she would welcome his rescue. That she would return with him. But of course, there were reasons that she had left.

  Still, he was doing his best to resolve those issues. Couldn’t she see that?

  “You don’t need to worry about returning,” Eric said slowly. “Lord Ambrose will give you no trouble, or else I will have him trussed up in jail. As for your father, as soon as we go back to trial, I plan on presenting my evidence proving his innocence. He will be a free man in a matter of days. I am certain of it.”

  Truth to tell, he wasn’t entirely sure of it. He hoped that the light of justice would prevail and that the evidence he mounted would be sufficient, but he was worried that Lord Ambrose had already made things too complicated.

  He wasn’t going to say that now, though. Eric knew that if he didn’t manage to win her father’s freedom, then Charlene would have nothing to do with him ever again anyway. Best remind them both what the stakes were here.

  “As for Harvey,” he continued, “I hope you’re not afraid of him. He won’t touch you once you’re out of Whitechapel. He would never dare to be so bold.”

  That, at least, Eric was certain of. The man must know that there were men out looking for him. He would be especially conspicuous now, with the bruised eye that Eric had given him during their tussle and the scratches on his hand that Charlene had evidently drawn out.

  Fortunately, this incident with Charlene was enough that Eric had been able to take the man’s description to the authorities and have them look for Harvey. He was sure to be found in time for the trial.

  Things were going to be all right. Eric was becoming more and more sure of it.

  Charlene still looked uncertain, though. She bit at her lower lip and picked at a loose thread on her sleeve. “There’s nothing to be done for my reputation, however,” she finally said. She glanced up at Eric and then quickly looked back down.

  Eric shook his head. “Don’t worry about that,” he said fiercely. “I’m sure that once your father is cleared of guilt – ”

  Charlene shook her head, though. “You know it’s about more than just that, and you know that people aren’t going to let the rumors fade,” she sighed. “I disappeared. For all they know, I’ve been whoring myself out the whole time since I left my aunt’s home.” She paused. “I will never be able to sell my little skin creams or other medicines again, and no one would ever dare let me chaperone their daughter again!”

  “Well, perhaps that’s for the best,” Eric said. “Perhaps you simply need to find some new pursuit to occupy your time.”

  “It’s not about occupying my time,” Charlene said, unable to help how peevish her tone sounded. He didn’t understand. He was a duke; he wasn’t like her.

  Their differences in status had never been more pronounced.

  “I have to find work,” Charlene said. “Even if you manage to prove my father’s innocence, I fear that his medical practice will never again be what it was. As for Aunt Helene, she shouldn’t have to work because I’ve brought down scandal on my head.”

  Eric caught both of the young woman’s hands in his. “Charlene, I promise you that I will make sure your family is taken care of,” he said earnestly.

  Charlene sighed. “You cannot promise me that,” she said.

  “Whyever not?” Eric retorted. “I have money. I’m a duke. If you’ll allow me, I will ensure that your family is even more comfortable than before.”

  “All because we saved your life when you were younger?” Charlene asked skeptically.

  Eric laughed. “That is part of it,” he said, but from the twinkle in his eye, Charlene could tell that he was mostly jesting when he said that.

  What could the real reason possibly be? Why should he want to take care of her family? Why had he gotten so involved in this from the beginning?

  Charlene had asked him to help her, of course, but even if Eric was a man of his word, this help had gone beyond that. He had risked his reputation. If the way that Harvey had attacked her the previous night was any indication, he had risked his personal safety as well. Now, he was offering to help her family financially as well.

  ‘Good-hearted’ didn’t excuse his actions either.

  “Charlene, I will do whatever is in my power to give you everything that you desire,” Eric continued, his eyes serious again. “Because I love you, Charlene. I love you.”

  Chapter 34

  Miss Charlene Ellington

  After Eric’s pronouncement, Charlene could only stare at him. Had he truly said what she thought he had said? Had the duke just said that he loved her?

  No. That was her immediate thought. No, he couldn’t possibly have said that to her. This must be some strange fantasy that she had concocted in the aftermath of Harvey’s attack.

  Eric had never shown up to save her from that alleyway at all; she was still there, lying on the cobblestones and bleeding, in the process of dying.

  It would have been too much of a coincidence for Eric to find her in the first place. Even if the duke had somehow managed to come across her, by some chance, he would have marched her straight back to her aunt’s house, rather than spending the night with her in an inn, holding her close.

  She had imagined the whole thing.

  Except that this felt real. In fact, this felt like one of the realest moments in Charlene’s whole young life. How could that possibly be?

  Well, perhaps Eric truly was there but hadn’t said what she thought that he had said. Perhaps…

  But from the way that he was looking earnestly at her, Charlene knew that she had heard the truth from his lips.

  Her eyes stung with sudden tears as emotion welled up inside of her.

  Then again, what did this change? Eric remained the Duke of Havenport, and even if her father’s record was expunged, there was no being rid of the rumors and muffled whispers. Their family’s reputation would never be the same again.

  Charlene likely would not even be su
ffered to stay in London. She would need to return to Bath, to somewhere out in the countryside where she would never trouble anyone again.

  Eric’s saying that he loved her changed nothing. It only gave her a glimpse of what she might have had, in another lifetime In fact, it made her more depressed, almost, to know what she could never hope to have.

  She ducked her head, picking at that loose thread again. “Eric,” she sighed.

  “I know,” Eric said, sounding pained. “It’s not the right time to say it. Not now. There’s too much else that’s happening. I couldn’t hold back any longer, though, Charlene. I’ve wanted to tell you that for too long.” He paused, and then even more quietly said: “I don’t want to lose you again.”

  Charlene looked up at him. His gentle words were like a balm to her soul. For a moment, their statuses didn’t matter, nor did any of the rest of the world. It was just the two of them, and she felt love swell in her chest.

  She loved him too. Truly.

  Still, she held back the words. As he had said, now wasn’t the time to say them. Nor did she want him to think that the only reason she said that she loved him was because he had promised to help her family.

  Instead, she gave him the smallest of smiles. “Thank you,” she said sincerely.

  She was quiet for a long moment. The trouble was, the rest of the world did exist. No one would ever allow her to forget that Eric was a duke. And that meant that he had certain responsibilities.

  A frown creased her brow. “Aren’t your people worried about you?” she asked.

  Eric frowned, bitterness welling up inside of him. He had told her that he loved her, but all she could think of were the practicalities. He supposed that he couldn’t blame her. Her father’s jailing still weighed heavily on her spirit, and everything that had happened since only left a darker mark there.

  He knew that there were plenty who would oppose their match. Hell, his own mother likely would. At the same time, he wished that there were some way that they could make things work between them.

  Now wasn’t the time to be worrying about that, however. Now, he had to convince her to come back with him. They could talk about their futures later, once more of this was resolved.

  “I’m sure my people are a little worried,” he allowed. “This is a dangerous case to be involved with. Just look at what happened last night.” He paused. “However, my people are those who have enough sense to see who is innocent and not to form terrible opinions about things which they know nothing about.”

  Charlene gave him a crooked smile, but Eric could tell that she didn’t fully believe him. “You cannot mean to tell me that even your lady mother approves of your being here,” she said.

  Eric sighed. “She isn’t thrilled,” he agreed. “But Charlene, none of the rumors matter to me. All that matters is that you’re safe. I need you to come home with me. I would be devastated if anything were to happen to you here.”

  Charlene cocked her head to the side, considering. Slowly, she nodded. “I must admit that after last night, with Harvey…” She trailed off and shuddered. “My aunt will be livid.”

  “I think your aunt will be relieved to have you home,” Eric told her. “Oh, I’m certain that she’ll give you quite the talk with regards to your absence. However, she has been worried about you.”

  “She has?” Charlene asked. She supposed that should come as no surprise. After all, Aunt Helene had cared for her since she was a teenager and new to London.

  Still, she had expected that in light of the rumors, and particularly in light of Charlene’s refusal to save Dr. Ellington by marrying Lord Ambrose, her aunt might think it just as well that Charlene was gone.

  Lord Ambrose. The thought of that man still sent a shiver up Charlene’s spine. She was certain that she would have to see the man again, and she knew he would be angry. He would feel as though she had publicly scorned him, in light of his being thrown out of the case against her father.

  But Eric would be by her side the whole time. Through the trial and, it sounded like, beyond.

  She squared her shoulders. She had never been one to shy away from anything. Of course, the difference between this and a trip into Raven’s Hollow was that here, she had no idea what dangers lay ahead of her.

  She knew Raven’s Hollow well, all those years ago. She knew the beasts, and she knew the paths that crisscrossed the wood.

  Returning to her aunt’s home and facing whatever savage fate awaited, well. She simply had no idea what would happen. Suddenly, though, she realized that she needn’t fear.

  All those years ago, she had saved Eric from hazards that she knew better than he. Perhaps this truly was fair turnabout, and this time, he would save her from hazards of society that he understood better than she did.

  “I will go back with you,” she finally said.

  Eric’s smile made her feel certain that she had made the correct decision. It sent warmth pooling inside of her, banishing the last of her fears. “Good,” he said. “I’m sure your aunt is anxious to see you. In fact, according to my men, she came to my manor the other day to talk with me, no doubt about your disappearance and your father’s trial. We shouldn’t delay.”

  Chapter 35

  Mr. Harvey Parsons

  Harvey couldn’t believe how things had gone with that witch. It should have been an easy matter to subdue her and to have his way with her. What sorcery had she used to escape?

  He knew that he had been stupid trying to take her right there in the alleyway, especially with the way that she was screaming and carrying on. He ought to have dragged her straight to a brothel, where such screams were ignored.

  He hadn’t been able to deny himself the thrill of having her out on the street where anyone could see him defile her, though. Besides, it was generally frowned upon to leave dead bodies in brothels, whereas dead bodies on the streets were relatively commonplace.

  In the lead-up to the attack, Harvey had decided that he didn’t care who knew that he had killed the woman. Let her father find out about her death, just before his trial.

  Let that be the last thing that he knew on this earth: that not only had he been convicted of a crime that he hadn’t committed, he had also failed to protect his daughter.

  Harvey quite liked the idea of that.

  Of course, then the she-devil had gone and summoned up some demon to fight him.

  Harvey had had no choice but to run. As much as he wanted to spoil the woman and murder her, he had no wish to put his body in any real danger. He would find some other way to get to the woman.

  After all, she seemed to keep putting herself into increasingly foolish situations. Running to Whitechapel on her own? What did the woman think that she was doing?

  Only it was obvious to Harvey: the woman wasn’t thinking at all. She wasn’t a truly rational being, not like Harvey. That meant it would be all too easy for Harvey to outwit her again, and to overcome her defenses next time.

  This time, however, he would let her go. He had no doubt that the girl’s unexpected savior would go to the police. Harvey was no stranger to lying low, though.

  Besides, the police would only look for him for a day or two at most. They wouldn’t look very hard, either. Women in these parts were assaulted all the time. What Harvey had done to Miss Ellington was far less than the authorities would bother themselves about.

  After all, she was still alive. Harvey hadn’t even managed to spoil her sweet pussy.

  He was turned away from two inns that didn’t like the look of the scratches that bitch had given him, or the purpling on his face that the bitch’s demon had given him.

  No one wanted any trouble, and they were apparently certain that Harvey meant trouble.

  He didn’t care. He spat in the faces of those who were too dim-witted to guess at even half of the crimes he had committed. Then, he set off to find better lodgings.

  However, it was while he was on his way to the next of the inns that he knew when he became di
stinctly aware of the fact that he was being followed.

  He tried not to seem too worried as he continued walking. No doubt some con artist who thought Harvey had something to spare. Harvey would kill the thief if the man tried to rob him.

  He felt like killing everyone in the whole damn city at the moment. But he cautioned himself to patience. He couldn’t kill them all in a night. Best to start with his true targets, such as Miss Ellington. Once he finished with her, he could make plans for the rest of the cretins.

  Whoever had been following him disappeared not long after Harvey glanced threateningly back over his shoulder. A coward, then. Harvey wasn’t surprised.

  Most men were cowards, Harvey had long-since decided. Most men went their whole lives just hoping that things would happen in their favor, that some prayer to the gods would be answered.