by Mariel Grey
"Speaking of private situations and the nature of our relationship. I believe we need to discuss something else," he said."I have compromised you and your good name. We should, of course, wed.," Chalifour's face had a grim cast to it, certainly not the expression of an anxious lover eagerly proposing to his sweetheart.
Lucy couldn't keep her eyes from widening and her jaw from dropping. "Lord Chalifour, there is no need to worry about my reputation. Unless you are in the habit of discussing your bed partners, no one will be the wiser. I know you are trying to be an honorable man in making such a gesture, but I must decline."
Lucy would not accept an offer of marriage based on a sense of misplaced duty and honor. The thought of marriage was difficult enough, but to endure a loveless marriage would be unbearable, even more so in light of the strong feelings growing in her for Chalifour.
His face darkened, "I must insist, Lucy."
"Miss Goodwin, please, so that we don't give any hint as to our ... familiarity. And it is I who must insist. You do not really wish to marry me. You only offer out of a sense of duty and honor, so I will not marry you, Lord Chalifour. I'm sure in a few hours you will be relieved that I refused. Please help me dress so I can return to my room, unless you truly wish to ruin me."
Chalifour's expression was thunderous so Lucy ignored him and gathered her clothes in silence. Suddenly conscious of her nudity, Lucy struggled into the gown she had worn last evening. Without anyone to help her button her gown, Lucy's back was exposed. Bundling her petticoats in her arms, Lucy walked out of Chalifour's bedroom and into the corridor.
Heaven help her if anyone saw her! There would be no misunderstanding as to what had occurred. Here she was leaving the master bedchambers first thing in the morning, her hair in tangles, the back of her gown unbuttoned, and holding her undergarments. No, there would be no misunderstanding if she was spied.
Lucy hurried down the hallway to the safety of her room. Closing the door of her room, she heard the footsteps of one of the maids treading softly on the carpet just down the hallway. Lucy sagged against the door and let her breath out. She made it!
Chalifour was furious, but only because his pride had been stung because a woman had refused him. Lucy would not allow Chalifour to make that kind of mistake and doom them both into something as serious as marriage for all of the wrong reasons. If Lucy accepted, Chalifour would be indifferent, grow to resent her, maybe worse.
Moreover, how would Chalifour react if he knew Lucy had forged the documents? How would he feel about Lucy committing him to a business relationship with Lucien with full knowledge of the allegations of cheating? It would besmirch Chalifour's reputation and shatter any trust between them. Chalifour would grow to hate her. Lucy simply could not bear that, particularly after last night.
Lucy had never wanted to marry. She had a vague fear of giving herself over to any man. Lucy had never trusted any man enough to be become his chattel, or what amounted to such under English law. Ironically, it was she who was not worthy of Chalifour's trust at this point in time, not vice versa. Lucy smiled mirthlessly at the thought.
Chapter Seventeen
Chalifour paced his bedroom, replaying the events of the night before. He had surprised himself when he offered Lucy marriage. Though he had offered more out of a sense of obligation than any real desire to wed, Lucy had apparently realized that and said as much. Her rejection, however, chafed him for some odd reason.
It had occurred to Chalifour belatedly that bedding the sister of his new business partner might not have been the wisest of actions and could potentially create complications. After all, he would be seeing Lucy on a regular basis. If her indiscretion was exposed, Lucy would be ruined in society. Lucy would be expected to marry soon. She was already perilously close to being on the shelf as it was. Lucien might not take well to Chalifour having impeded any chance Lucy had of making a good match, or possibly any match at all.
Relief had surged through Chalifour in the first few seconds following Lucy’s refusal of his wildly impetuous offer. Chalifour hadn't yet resigned himself to looking for a wife. Lucy, while desirable, did not meet the normal expectation for the role of his future bride as Marchioness of Chalifour. Chalifour's next reaction had been confusion. Most women would have leapt at his offer, and Lucy didn't. It made no sense. Chalifour's last response had been somewhat visceral. Lucy had rejected him! Women seldom refused him anything. Chalifour had offered Lucy marriage and she had declined! His vanity and been wounded and he had been angry when she slipped from his room.
Chalifour had wanted Lucy badly. If he were honest with himself, he had used the contract to force Lucy to visit his estate so he could have her to himself. Chalifour could easily have retrieved the contract from Lucy at her home, since he often made the trip to and from Town. Chalifour had essentially conjured up the need for Lucy to journey to his estate. He then devised a plan that would cause his sister, the chaperone, to retire, leaving Lucy alone with him. Lucy was a rare wine he had thirsted to sample.
In his heart of hearts, Chalifour knew he had set out to seduce Lucy. The damnable thing was, now that he had her, instead of slaking his thirst, his desire was that much stronger. Chalifour was a parched man standing in the middle of the desert.
Chalifour continued pacing. What was wrong with him? He seldom had any real entanglements with women. Other than his occasional mistresses, his liaisons were uncomplicated. The parties always understood the entanglements would be brief.
There was something else too. Lucy's actions continued to prick at the corner of his consciousness. Something was off. Chalifour's reoccurring feelings of doubt nagged at him. Lucy's reactions to his query about Lucien were suspicious. The vague sense of unease which began the first time he met Lucy was growing into full blown foreboding. Lucy’s consultation with her brother at their house that day had been impossibly quick. Chalifour's continuing inability to speak with Lucien had only served to heighten his disquiet.
Then there was the visit with Perdan he had interrupted. Jealousy unexpectedly raged through Chalifour and caught him by surprise. Chalifour's head snapped up. Why did Lucy need to visit Perdan when she accompanied Monique to Town? Was Perdan courting her? What was Perdan's connection to the Goodwin family?
The thought of Perdan courting Lucy was reprehensible. The man, though a peer, was of questionable character. The Jockey Club had certain suspicions about him. Lucy couldn't possibly be interested in Perdan, could she? Chalifour made a mental note to pay a social call on Monique during his next visit to Town. He wanted to know the nature of the relationship between Perdan and the Goodwins, and Monique might be able to shed some light on that.
Chalifour was determined to speak with Lucien in person, soon. That Lucien had requested no changes to the contract had bothered him. At the very least, the man should have demanded a concession on the spring foals this year. It was downright odd that he hadn't. Chalifour needed to know why.
Last, what was the real nature of Lucien's injuries? Based on the fact that he had seen Dr. Willets heading in the direction of the Goodwin residence when he last left, Chalifour could safely surmise that Willets was the treating physician. Chalifour knew Dr. Willets just barely in a social context. Chalifour did, however, know certain members of Dr. Willets’ family, like Lady Kathryn Deerdan, reasonably well. Chalifour smiled. He should be able to get the information he needed.
The most perplexing thing was Lucy herself. Chalifour knew she desired him. Her body had betrayed her feelings. Smiling broadly at the memory of Lucy's response to his overtures, Chalifour ceased pacing and lowered his hand to adjust his trousers. He had proposed marriage to her. Lucy could marry a man to whom she was attracted, and gain financial security, social standing, and status unavailable to her by other means. Yet Lucy had refused. Why? Something was definitely not right. Chalifour intended to get to the bottom of this paradox.
Chalifour stopped his pacing again and walked to the window. Looking out, he surveyed th
e broad expanse of lawn before him. Was this merely a case of hurt pride? Was he looking for something where nothing existed because he had been rebuffed and his pride stung? It was possible, Chalifour admitted, but he had a gut feeling there was something more to this scenario than was readily apparent.
Dawn had barely broken and the sun cast a weak light onto the moist grass outside the window. Chalifour watched his coach pull to the front of the estate. Lucy hurried out to meet the coachman. The little minx! She was going to leave without a proper goodbye. Should he rush down and try and confront Lucy before she absconded? No, Chalifour decided. He would return her parting surprise with one of his own. Chalifour would pay an unexpected visit to Lucy in the very near future.
In the interim, Chalifour was going to get answers to some of his questions. He was going to pay a call on Monique and Dr. Willets and find out what Lucy Goodwin was hiding. Then he was going to see Lucien.
****
Lucy had desperately wanted to depart early to circumvent speaking with Chalifour. Aside from her aversion to facing Chalifour and his anger, she needed to evade any additional questions related to Lucien and the contract. The need to speak with Lucien was now more urgent than ever. Lucy needed to make her brother aware of the fact she had forged the contract with Chalifour and made a payment to Perdan with forged cheque paper.
Then, of course, if Lucy was honest with herself, there was the little matter of the incredible intimacies she had shared last night with Chalifour. To save her heart from being destroyed as it surely would be, Lucy had an urge to create the physical barrier of distance between them. Chalifour's desire for her was physical. Her hunger for him was more. Chalifour had awakened both her emotional essence and her sensual self. Chalifour posed a great danger to her for so many reasons.
Just after returning to her room in the wee hours of the morning, Lucy had summoned Chalifour's coach to return her home. After all, the plan had been for Lucy to leave today, even though the assumption had been her departure would be at a more reasonable hour. The coachman and grooms glared at her with bleary eyes.
The men tried to stifle their yawns when they loaded her baggage and opened the door of the coach for her. The coach set off at a brisk pace. Though the coach was well sprung, Lucy still bumped along the uneven road and grew tired within a short time. Burrowing into the plush upholstered seat, Lucy experienced a pang of guilt for rousing the poor men so early.
The coach carried Lucy in the direction of her home. Her thoughts collided with one another throughout the trip. Chalifour's offer of marriage was almost humiliating. It was painfully obvious Chalifour felt a moral obligation toward her, but there was no affection in it. Still, a thrill had coursed through her at Chalifour's suggestion of marriage. Chalifour had probably thought of the potential negative consequences of their affair in relation to his association with her brother. Well, Chalifour needn't worry. Lucien wouldn't know. No one would know unless it was from Chalifour's own lips.
Arriving home several hours later, Lucy hopped from the coach and raced to the door where Cedric greeted her. She offered the hospitality of her house to Chalifour's coachman and the groom who accompanied him. The men accepted her offer, knowing it wise to rest the horses and themselves before making the journey back.
Leaving Chalifour's men in the hands of Cedric, Lucy went directly to Lucien's room. Alistair was just leaving, a bottle of laudanum in his hand. Lucy looked inquiringly at Alistair who simply nodded and smiled. Her heart fluttered with hope and she entered Lucien's room.
Lucien glanced up when she entered and smiled weakly. "Lucy, where have you been? Alistair told me you went to see Lord Chalifour?"
Lucy closed the door behind her and walked to the edge of Lucien's bed and sat. Looking into his eyes, Lucy said, "Yes, Lucien, I did. We have much to discuss, but before we speak, I need to know how you are. You've been sleeping off and on for close to two weeks. What do you remember?"
Lucien dropped his gaze and stared at his hands. "I remember being in a coach accident on my way back from Town. After that, not much I'm afraid. I remember waking and ... "He ran his fingers through his hair, sighed, and looked up at her. Lucien's bruises had faded, but dark circles still shrouded his eyes.
"How do you feel?"
"I've felt better, much better." Lucien motioned toward his left leg, "Thankfully, it's not broken. Dr. Willets said I shouldn’t move around for a while. I can only hope it heals correctly and ends up the same length as my other leg. I don't fancy walking with a limp the rest of my life."
She bit her lip. "You'll be fine, Lucien."
"Don't patronize me, Lucy! You know damn well these things don't always heal properly."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to patronize you. I know you're worried. I'm here for you. I'll do whatever I need to do to help us get through this, but you have to have faith and think positively."
Lucien nodded his head, his lips pressed together for a moment. He sighed and asked Lucy, "So why did you journey to see Lord Chalifour?"
What to tell him? "I, uh, he asked me to visit him and give him my opinion on some of his mares since you were convalescing and not available to help him."
"You went there without a chaperone?" Lucien looked at her incredulously. "How could you do that? That kind of scandal could prevent you from making any kind of suitable match, Lucy."
Lucy glared at him, suddenly angry "Why are you suddenly so concerned about me making a match?"
"Because you're of an age that you need to consider your future."
"My future is here, with you, and the horses! This is my home!"
"Lucy," he leaned forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, "I love you, but sooner or later, you'll want a home and family of your own."
"I don't want to marry, Lucien," she said flatly.
"Lucy, you'll always have a place here, you know that. I just think you're going to change your mind at some point in time and I don't want you to ruin any of your chances for happiness, that's all. I'm sorry if you feel I've insulted your integrity. I'm just concerned for you."
"I know that. Please don't worry. My visit was not without a chaperone. Lord Chalifour's sister, Lady Elizabeth was at Chalifour Manor. She served as my chaperone."
"That seems a little thin, but I suppose it will do unless someone has the audacity to question Lady Elizabeth's integrity, which hardly seems likely."
"Precisely. That's why I believe I will be fine. I understand that you and Lord Chalifour have been discussing some sort of business arrangement?"
Lucien shifted in the bed. Wincing, he laid his hand across his injured leg and rubbed it unconsciously. "Yes, we have. It's not final yet. There are a few details yet which must be worked out before I agree, but, yes. We have been working on something."
Lucy's heart plunged. What details did he want to work out? She had already committed Lucien to a partnership with when he wasn't quite ready! Now what! She swallowed. "What are the business arrangement and details you are trying to resolve?"
Lucien was silent. His eyes closed and he or slipped away into slumber. The laudanum must be taking effect. Lucy's teeth gritted. For heaven's sake, what details had been unresolved in Lucien's mind?
Oh, Lucien! I need to talk to you! Frustrated by her conversation with Lucien, or rather lack thereof, Lucy made her way downstairs. She wanted to see the horses. The horses always managed to ease her mind. Walking along the path to the stables, Lucy admired the profusion of colorful flowers blossoming along the path. How long had the flowers been blooming like that? She had been too preoccupied to notice. Reaching the stables, Lucy paused in the doorway and inhaled the sweet scent of grass.
Lucy walked into the building and paused at Thor's stall, "Thor." She cooed and rubbed his forehead. "I've missed you, but don't tell Zeus." Lucy ruffled Thor's ear.
Zeus neighed and stamped his hoof in a nearby stall. Lucy smiled and turned and walked to Zeus's stall. Zeus nuzzled her hand, and she hugged him. "I've misse
d you too, Zeus. Have they been riding you enough? I promise I'll ride you more now that I'm back."
Lucy then moved to Heather Mist's stall and rubbed the pretty filly's sensitive nose. Heather Mist had a deceptively sweet disposition. She could be as fierce a competitor as Thor or Zeus. "Hello, darling girl. You don’t know it yet, but you're going to help us salvage ourselves." Lucy stroked the glossy fur along the horse's graceful neck.
Chapter Eighteen
Rather than dwelling on the questions which plagued him since Lucy's departure early Saturday morning, Chalifour busied himself making the final arrangements to move the mares to the Goodwin estate and to relocate into Town for Season. His sister was positively ecstatic at the turn of events. Chalifour typically drug his feet about leaving for Town for Season. It meant he would spend the next few months evading determined mothers and grasping young women seeking a suitable match. Naturally, he was a prime target for all of these female machinations.
Chalifour’s thoughts were preoccupied with paying Lady Monique a visit and how best to approach her. He had questions about Lucy and Lucien. Chalifour was sure Monique had at least some of the answers. Chalifour was determined to have Monique tell him what he needed to know.
Chalifour sighed. He was being selfish. He needed to attend to his sister's needs too. As a young lady, Season was Elizabeth’s best opportunity find a suitable husband and Chalifour knew she was ready to begin the hunt in earnest now. Since his parents had passed, he had not given much thought to the fact Elizabeth was now a grown woman and prepared to seek a life on her own. It would be a strange emptiness when she left, Chalifour mused.
After reaching Town on Sunday, Chalifour had turned the reigns of the townhouse over to Elizabeth. She saw to the staff and whatever arrangements were necessary to ensure they were comfortable during their stay. Administering a household this size was a large job and Chalifour had always happily left it to his sister to oversee. Chalifour had instead organized his desk and readied himself for his upcoming meetings and introductions.
