The Hellion and The Heartbreaker

by McNare, Jennifer

  Conner, the first of her brothers to marry, had wed the lovely Julia Ashcroft eighteen months ago in a simple ceremony at the country home of Julia’s parents. They could have had a lavish London wedding, but Julia, like Conner, preferred the quiet and serenity of the country, and had therefore chosen to keep it a simple family affair. Scarlett had long suspected that she might have been a factor in the couple’s decision as well, though they had never let on.

  Despite the continued assurances of her brothers, as well as Julia that she would be eagerly welcomed back into the good graces of the ton if she chose to return, Scarlett had her doubts. However, though she was content with her life and didn’t miss the social whirl of London in the least, she knew she couldn’t remain secluded forever. She owed it to her son to at least try to overcome her past mistakes and repair whatever was left of her damaged reputation. Oliver deserved nothing less. For him, she would do anything. And so, for the past weeks she had been preparing herself for the trip that was now upon them.

  Though Conner and Julia’s country home was only a few miles from Grey Oaks, Julia had wanted to be in London for the birth of their first child, as the Season was in full swing. Though she couldn’t partake in many of the festivities herself, and didn’t really care to in any event, the majority of her family and friends were presently in the city, and Julia, nervous about the birth, had wanted to be surrounded by her loved ones. Thus, she and Conner were currently staying at Julia’s parents London residence. Considering her own experience, and the difficulties she’d had delivering Oliver, Scarlett could hardly blame her. However, fortunately for Julia, and her anxious husband, the birth of baby Rose Marie McPhearson had gone off without a hitch.

  Giving her precious son a loving squeeze, Scarlett noted that he was dressed, as usual, for riding. The tops of his miniature Wellingtons were dusty, and Scarlett could tell by the look and smell of her young son, that he had just come from the stables. “Did Uncle Gavin take you riding this morning?”

  “Uh huh, I rode Jack.”

  The pony had been a gift for Oliver’s second birthday, and he had promptly named the gentle grey Jack, after the adventurous boy in his favorite bedtime story, Jack and the Beanstalk. His vocabulary had been fairly limited at the time, so Jack it was, and Jack it had remained, despite the Shetland pony’s female anatomy. If Oliver were anything like the rest of the family, including her, he would be demanding to ride a spirited stallion before long. But fortunately, for the time being, he was more than content with Jack, for which she and her brothers were exceedingly grateful.

  Over the past year, Oliver seemed to have gotten more daring and more adventuresome with each passing day. He was a rough and tumble lad, and Scarlett was grateful that she had three of her four brothers around, most of the time anyhow, to help her keep up with the little scamp. He was a bundle of boundless energy, and it seemed the only time he didn’t keep her and his doting uncles on their toes, was during his afternoon nap. Despite her son’s near constant state of activity, she had balked at the idea of hiring a governess. She loved spending time with Oliver and didn’t feel it was necessary to hire someone else to look after him when she was more than capable of keeping up with him herself. Besides, Tess had willingly stepped into the role of Oliver’s secondary caregiver, and with her help, along with that of her brothers, her young son was well-attended.

  “Jack was hungry, so I gave her an apple.”

  “I’ll bet I know someone else who’s hungry. Shall we go and see what cook is fixing for luncheon,” Scarlett suggested, heading in the direction of the kitchen.

  “Maybe plum pudding,” Oliver said, his vibrant green eyes, Alec’s eyes, lighting up at the thought of his favorite dessert.

  “Mmm, that sounds yummy,” Scarlett agreed. “Let’s go and see.”

  When they reached the kitchen, Scarlett set Oliver down, after which he immediately bounded over to Cook’s side, tugging on her apron strings as she stood at the large wooden table in the center of the room. “Have you made plum pudding today?” he asked, his expression hopeful.

  “Isn’t that your favorite?” Cook asked, bending down to brush her thumb across the tip of Oliver’s nose, leaving a smudge of flour in its wake.

  Nodding his head enthusiastically in response, he grinned up at the plump, cheerful woman who’d been in charge of the McPhearson kitchen for as long as Scarlett could remember.

  “Then of course I made plum pudding.”

  “Yippee,” Oliver cheered, clapping his hands in excitement and bringing fond smiles to Mrs. Crawley and the rest of the kitchen staff.

  “But first, you have to eat your vegetables,” Cook said, her smile suddenly replaced with the no nonsense look Scarlett remembered from her own childhood.

  Oliver’s expression took on a slightly less enthusiastic cast, but he nodded in agreement.

  “Good. Luncheon is almost ready so you run along and wash up, and then we’ll see about filling that hungry belly of yours.”

  “Let’s go, Mama,” Oliver said, grabbing her hand, already pulling her toward the door. There was nothing like the thought of Cook’s delicious plum pudding to entice a young boy to wash his hands and face.

  Later that day, after Oliver had been tucked into bed for his midday nap, Scarlett, Rory and Gavin sat quietly in the small gazebo that was nestled into a quiet corner of the rear garden. Colin had traveled to London the week before, so it was currently just the three of them at home. The afternoon sun was warm, and they were all presently sipping tall glasses of Mrs. Crawley’s chilled raspberry tea, a family favorite.

  “Are you nervous about London?” Gavin asked, drawing Scarlett from her thoughts.

  “A little,” she admitted. “Well, perhaps slightly more than a little.”

  “It’s going to be all right, Scarlett, truly,” Gavin assured her, his expression confident.

  “Of course it will,” Rory affirmed, nodding his head in agreement.

  She smiled and did her best to appear confident. She could only hope that her brothers were right. Of course, the one thing her brothers couldn’t predict was her reaction to seeing Alec again. It was that, more than anything that had her stomach in knots. Despite the passing of time, her feelings for Alec still remained. She had loved him with every fiber of her being, and if she were being honest with herself, she would have to admit that she still did. Though she tried not to think about him it was nearly impossible, for every time she looked upon her son’s face she was reminded of the man who had captured her heart, and then rent it in two.

  Chapter 15

  Since arriving in London two days prior, Scarlett had only ventured out of the house once, the day before, to meet her young niece. She had eagerly taken the infant into her arms, awed by her perfect, delicate features and utterly delighted with her thick thatch of hair, nearly identical in color to her own. Oliver too, had been captivated with his new cousin, lightly grasping her tiny fingers and laughing when she had curled them tightly around his own.

  Conner and Julia were clearly head over heels in love with their new daughter and Scarlett couldn’t have been happier for them. However, despite the jovial atmosphere, she had sensed their concern for her as well, and had done her best to keep her attitude positive and upbeat. The last thing she’d wanted was to distract the happy couple from the joy of baby Rose, and to have them worrying themselves over her own situation.

  They had stayed only a short while, for as she had suspected, Oliver’s fascination with baby Rose was relatively short lived. The moment she’d started to cry, Oliver had covered his ears and puckered his lips in distaste. “Can we go home now Mama?” he had asked, over the infant’s surprisingly loud display of dissatisfaction with whatever it was that had begun to trouble her.

  As Julia took the baby into the other room to see to her needs, Scarlett had pulled her brother into a fierce hug. “I am so happy for you, Conner. You and Julia have a beautiful daughter.”

  “Thank you, Scarlett,” he�
��d said, hugging her back. When he’d pulled away, his face had shone with pride and happiness.

  “Yet another fine addition to the family, if I do day so myself,” Conner had boasted proudly, then reached out to ruffle Oliver’s mop of black curls, asking, “What do you think scamp?”

  “Babies are loud.” Oliver had replied matter of factly; casting an uncertain glance in the direction his Aunt Julia had taken the crying infant, eliciting a chuckle from his uncle as well as his mother.

  At present, Scarlett was in the midst of her second outing since arriving in London, a brief shopping trip to procure something special for Oliver’s upcoming birthday. Stepping down from the McPhearson’s barouche, which had been pulled to a stop outside of a small, upscale toyshop on Bond Street, she glanced about, grateful to see the sidewalk in front of the shop devoid of patrons. Aside from the driver and accompanying footmen, she was alone, for she had left Oliver at home with Tess, and knowing of her brothers’ distaste for standing about while she shopped, had declined their polite offers to accompany her.

  In spite of her outward show of confidence, she had surreptitiously scanned the papers prior to leaving the house, immensely relieved to find no mention of her arrival in town. She was aware of course, that the news of her appearance in the city wouldn’t remain a secret for long. Servant’s gossip traveled as quickly, if not more so, than that of the aristocracy’s most rapacious gossipmongers. Between their own staff members and those employed at the Ashcroft residence, word of her appearance was bound to spread quickly. For now however, she did her best to push the disturbing thought aside. As she entered the shop, she was glad to have something other than her nervous musings to focus on.

  In response to the tinkling sound of the small bell hanging above the door, the shopkeeper, a young man with a welcoming smile, quickly made his way to the front of the store to greet her. “Good day, My Lady,” he greeted her cheerfully. “How may I help you?”

  “Hello,” she replied, nodding politely. “I’m looking for a gift for my son.”

  “Well then, you have certainly come to the right place,” he exclaimed. “We have all sorts of things to spark the interest of a young lad.” Adjusting the spectacles that were perched crookedly upon the end of his narrow nose, he looked to Scarlett questioningly. “Did you have something in particular in mind?”

  “Well, no actually. I was hoping I might just take a look around, if that’s all right?”

  “Of course, of course. There’s plenty to see,” he said, waving his arm in a semi-circle. “My name is Mr. Tolbert. Please let me know if there is anything at all that I can do to assist you.”

  “Thank you Mr. Tolbert, I shall.”

  As she moved around the shop, she had to agree with Mr. Tolbert’s claim, for there was indeed a great deal to see. There were toys of every kind, from porcelain dolls and miniature baby carriages, to wind up cars, spinning tops, and elaborate model trains. Oliver would have been in heaven.

  Standing at the rear of the building, she heard the distinctive tinkling of the tiny bell that hung over the door as another customer entered the shop. She didn’t turn around. Silently she prayed that it wasn’t someone she knew, and kept her gaze focused on the beautifully carved wooden soldiers that had caught her attention. It was a large set, and included several dozen soldiers in various poses, as well as a dozen horses, half a dozen wagons, and an encampment comprised of several small buildings. She knew Oliver would love it.

  Picking up one of the soldiers, she examined his brightly painted red and blue uniform, admiring the careful attention to detail that had been given to the small figure. She was just setting it back down when she heard the shopkeeper and the other customer, obviously a man by the sound of his voice, moving in her direction. As they drew near, she heard the distinctive timbre of a voice she recognized. There was no mistaking the cultured manner and pleasing tone of the Marquis of Fordham’s speech. She cringed inwardly. A moment later, he and the shopkeeper halted just a few feet from where she stood, giving her no choice but to turn and acknowledge their presence.

  The marquis halted in mid-sentence as Scarlett turned to face him, a hesitant smile curving the corners of her lips as she waited to see if she would be shunned by one of the ton’s most prominent figures. For a moment, he merely gaped at her in apparent disbelief.

  “Lady Scarlett, what a delightful surprise,” he said, quickly recovering himself.

  “Good afternoon, My Lord.” Scarlett felt herself relax slightly at the marquis’ friendly greeting. At least he hadn’t given her the cut direct. It was more than she had expected.

  “I had no idea you were in London. Have you only just returned?”

  “I arrived yesterday, with my son.” She deliberately mentioned Oliver, wondering at the reaction she would receive. “His birthday is coming up and I was shopping for a gift.” She made a slight motion toward the wooden soldiers.

  “Ah, an excellent choice for a young boy,” he said approvingly. “And please, allow me to offer my condolences on the passing of your late husband.”

  “Thank you, that’s very kind of you.” She glanced somewhat wistfully at the toy soldiers. “My son is fortunate to have four doting uncles who strive to make up for the loss of his father.”

  “Indeed he is. I know your brothers well. They’re a fine lot to be sure.”

  His smile was warm and genuine and Scarlett was reminded of just how handsome the marquis was.

  “I too have a nephew. Though it isn’t his birthday, I stopped, thinking that I might pick something up for the young scoundrel. Now I can’t help wondering if it was fate that led me here today.”

  “Fate?” Scarlett asked questioningly.

  “Surely it must be fate that led me to find you here, for once your presence becomes known, I am certain you will be so bombarded with callers and invitations that it will be near impossible to garner even a moment of your time.”

  “I had almost forgotten how charming you are, My Lord,” Scarlett said with a teasing smile, but then grew more serious. “I am not so sure that you are correct in your assessment of my popularity however. I fear I might not be as well-received as you think.”

  The marquis regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, compassion and understanding evident in his warm gaze. “I think you will be surprised. In fact, I am quite certain of it.”

  “I appreciate your confidence, My Lord. I suppose only time will tell.”

  “Hmm.” His gaze turned contemplative. “Perhaps we should do something to speed things along then.”

  “My Lord?” Scarlett eyed him curiously, unsure of what he meant.

  “As my father is off gadding about the continent once again, I have arranged to escort my mother to the theater this evening. I wonder if you would do me the honor of joining us?”

  Stunned by the sudden and unexpected offer, Scarlett’s eyes widened. “That’s very kind of you, but you needn’t…”

  He held up his hand, interrupting her before she could refuse. “My motives are purely selfish, I assure you,” he began. “Please say you won’t deprive me of spending the evening with the most beautiful woman in England on my arm. It’s not often I have the opportunity to be the envy of every man alive.”

  Scarlett blushed at the generous compliment, knowing he was greatly exaggerating her appeal. “But your mother…”

  “My mother will be thrilled to have you join us, I assure you.”

  He was so delightful and charismatic, and so sweet to offer that she couldn’t bring herself to say no. Besides, she owed it to her son to make an effort to reenter society and restore her tarnished reputation. The thought of Oliver being punished for her mistakes tore at her soul. If the Marquis of Fordham was offering to help smooth her way back into Society’s good graces, she would be a fool not to accept.

  “I hope you won’t regret this.”

  “Never,” he assured her.

  Several minutes later, with the carefully packaged gift for her son i
n his hand, the marquis escorted Scarlett to her waiting carriage. Handing her up, he saw that she was comfortably settled, and then passed her Oliver’s present. “Until tonight Madam,” he said with a polite bow, and then closed the carriage door.

  As the driver set the horses in motion, Scarlett leaned back against the velvet cushions and closed her eyes. She should have felt like the luckiest woman in the world. The Marquis of Fordham was as handsome as he was charming, and any woman in her right mind would be over the moon to have garnered his attention. Why then did her mind have to conjure up the image of a man with coal black hair and brilliant green eyes, she mused in frustration. In spite of herself, she couldn’t help wondering if he would be at the theater that evening. And if he was, was she prepared to see him? Clutching Oliver’s package tightly in her hands, she prayed for the courage she would need to face him once again.

  When she arrived home, she went immediately to Colin’s study to inform him of her encounter with the marquis and his subsequent invitation to the theater.

  “Scarlett, that’s wonderful,” he exclaimed, his expression jubilant as he rose from behind his desk. “By gad, if Fordham’s showing you his favor, even the most sanctimonious despots will be hard pressed to show you anything less than the utmost civility.”

  She hoped he was right. The last thing she wanted to do was to cause any sort of difficulty for the marquis, especially after the kindness he had shown her. However, not wishing to dampen Colin’s enthusiasm, she smiled brightly to hide her misgivings. “I do hope that I have something suitable to wear.” Fortunately, after giving birth to Oliver, she had regained her former figure, but alas, her current wardrobe was likely to be woefully out of fashion. As her outing with the marquis was mere hours away, she could only hope that a few of her gowns from her initial season wouldn’t appear too outdated. Thankfully, Tess was remarkably talented with a needle and thread and could assuredly make a few minor modifications before the marquis’ scheduled arrival.