Lord Rakehell

by Virginia Henley

  Breathless with anticipation, Anne pressed against the rail as the horses lunged from the starting gate. As they thundered past, she realized she knew neither the colors nor the numbers of the horses they’d chosen. She glanced up over her shoulder at James. “Damnation, there’s so much I have to learn. Are we winning?”

  He grinned down at her. “I know I am.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “I’m talking about the horses!”

  “The number is on your ticket.”

  “Oh, so it is! How clever.”

  “Ingenious,” he teased.

  The winners’ names were announced. “Oh, both our horses lost. I was going to take the money I won and bet it on the next race. I had such high hopes for Black Irish.”

  He handed her the racing form. “This time choose with your head, not your heart.”

  She ran her finger down the list of names for the thousand-guinea race. “Who on earth would name their horse Repulse?”

  “It’s owned by the Marquis of Hastings.”

  “He must have been drunk when he named it.”

  James nodded. “Hastings is seldom sober.”

  “I urged Florence to follow her heart. Now I think she regrets going against her family’s wishes and marrying Henry Hastings.”

  “Don’t feel guilty, Anne. You didn’t choose him—she did. We are all responsible for our own decisions. This time use your head to pick a horse.”

  She studied the names on the racing form. “James, I can’t. I’m simply not made that way. I’ll always choose with my heart. Lady Augusta is a pretty name, and she’s a filly.”

  “Come on, then, let’s place our bets so we can come back and watch the race. My head tells me to bet on the favorite.”

  The betting windows were crowded, since it was an important race, and the pair amused themselves by people-watching as they joined a long line. Anne had to press her lips together to keep herself from laughing out loud, and James egged her on by indicating one outlandish punter after another.

  At the window when James took out his wallet, she shook her head. “I want to bet my own money. The risk is what makes it fun,” she asserted.

  When she put down five pounds, James rolled his eyes. “Risk indeed,” he teased.

  “I don’t have money to burn, and I’m not playing it safe by betting on the favorite, you craven devil.”

  “Craven, am I?” He turned to the window. “Fifty pounds to win on Lady Augusta.”

  They made their way down to the rail and used their elbows to persuade the crowd to make room. The anticipation for the thousand-guinea race was palpable, and a collective shout went up from the crush of spectators when the horses lunged from the starting gate.

  The Thoroughbreds came thundering down the Rowley Mile. “Our horse is number six,” she informed him in case he had forgotten to look at his ticket.

  James glanced at the track a couple of times, but watching Anne’s face gave him far more pleasure. Her look of anticipation was quickly replaced by excitement, then hope, then disbelief as Lady Augusta took the lead. An air of dread crossed her face as two other horses caught up and threatened to overtake her. James watched as she held her breath, then screamed, “Go, go, go!” as Lady Augusta pulled ahead and won by a nose.

  Anne jumped up and down with happiness. Then she flung her arms around James and almost squeezed the breath out of him. “We won, we won! Oh, isn’t it marvelous?” she cried. “We followed our hearts and we won!”

  He gazed down at her and saw she was engulfed in triumph. She exuded an aura of pure joy, and in that moment James realized he had fallen in love.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “I have the most wonderful news to share.” Princess Alexandra’s face glowed with happiness. She sat across from Anne and Frances as the carriage pulled away from Apethorpe Hall on its return journey to London.

  “You’ve had a change of heart about attending the races?” Frances ventured.

  “Even better.” Her mouth curved in a smile. “My husband has had a change of heart about my attending the races.”

  “His Highness has agreed to go with his friends, and let you stay at home?” Anne was surprised that Teddy was suddenly being considerate.

  “He’s leased a villa on the Thames where I may spend the summer.”

  “Did you confide that you might be in a delicate condition?” Anne asked.

  “No, I didn’t mention it. He told me his conscience wouldn’t let him leave me behind in London during the summer months, and since I don’t share his interest in racing, he has decided to lease me a house on the river. It’s at a place called Chiswick.”

  “Doesn’t the Duke of Devonshire own a palatial villa at Chiswick on Thames with lovely Italian gardens? Anne, you must know the one I mean,” Frances prompted.

  “Indeed, I do.” Anne smiled her secret smile. So that was the business that James arranged with Hartington before the races. He never even hinted about it. He wanted it to be a special surprise for Alix from her husband.

  “Bless Edward. It will be so much easier to keep Queen Victoria from learning my secret if I live at Chiswick all summer.”

  “I’ll design you some lovely new dresses.”

  “The weather here is so much warmer than in Denmark. I’d love some dresses that are light and loose.”

  “Muslin is exceedingly cool. It comes in elegant white and pastel shades, and for every day there is sprig muslin. I’ll order some silk parasols too, and some fans.”

  “I can’t wait to see the gardens. We’ll start packing tomorrow,” Alix declared. “Oh dear, I just remembered. . . . The queen informed Edward that we are to represent her at the opening exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts on Wednesday. It marks the official opening of the London Season, so I’ve been told.”

  “It does,” Anne confirmed. “Our families go every year, and for the Prince and Princess of Wales, it will be a command performance.”

  “We will get it out of the way and fervently hope we will be at Chiswick by the weekend. I am so looking forward to it.”

  “Your nausea seems to have abated,” Anne remarked.

  “Strangely, it began to disappear the moment Edward told me about the summerhouse.” Her eyes twinkled. “Happiness seems to be a miracle cure.”

  • • •

  The moment everyone returned to London from Newmarket, Emily made a point of visiting her sister Adelaide to see if her weekend entertaining the royal couple had been successful. She particularly wanted to know how close their half sister, Anne, was to Princess Alexandra.

  “The weekend was a great success. Fane is sponsoring the Prince of Wales for membership in the Jockey Club. Regarding Anne, I was quite surprised that Princess Alexandra treats her more like a friend than a lady-in-waiting. There was another thing about Anne that raised my eyebrows.”

  “Do tell!” Emily waited with bated breath for any untoward behavior that she could relay to their father.

  “At the reception at Marlborough House, John Claud Hamilton told me he was courting Anne, and that once he won the election, he intended to propose marriage. For a lady who was practically engaged, Anne spent an inordinate amount of time with James Hamilton, who’s a known libertine.”

  Emily’s stomach knotted with envy. “I’ve always believed she was willful and impulsive, and quite capable of scandalous behavior. Heaven only knows what goes on behind the closed doors of Marlborough House.”

  • • •

  “I don’t know very much about art,” Princess Alexandra said by way of apology to her husband.

  The Prince of Wales helped his bride alight from their carriage in Piccadilly as they joined the fashionable throng gathered at the Academy of Arts. “I warrant that most of the people here have come to see you, not look at the paintings.”

  “Large crowds make me nervous,
” Alix murmured as she took Edward’s arm.

  “Nonsense. Everyone we know will be here. All we have to do is stroll about and mingle with our friends.”

  When Alexandra saw Anne and Frances arrive, she felt immeasurably better. Their mere presence gave her confidence and she was able to relax and smile.

  Anne, on the other hand, could not relax. Frances had told her that her family was back from Ireland, and as expected, John Claud had been elected member of Parliament for Londonderry.

  Without a doubt Anne knew that the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn and John Claud, flush with his victory, would be here tonight. She had decided that if he even hinted at a proposal of marriage, it was only fair to make it plain, once and for all time, that they could never be more than friends.

  “There they are,” Frances declared, moving toward a large group gathered about the Hamiltons.

  Anne was disconcerted to see her own parents were part of the gathering, offering their congratulations to John Claud on his victory in Ireland. Her face felt stiff as she smiled and greeted them.

  “Here’s Anne, come to congratulate you. I’m sure she’s delighted at your achievement, though there was never any doubt that you would win the seat,” Earl Howe declared.

  John Claud stepped forward and raised Anne’s fingers to his lips. His eyes were filled with triumph as he murmured, “The rude awakening you predicted never came to pass.”

  Not yet. “I am sincerely happy for you, John Claud.”

  “Thank you. Would you permit the youngest member of Parliament to escort you through the gallery?”

  Anne licked her lips and looked at the smiling faces of both sets of parents. She realized it would be churlish to refuse. “Of course.” He held out his arm and she had no option but to take it.

  John Claud had a destination in mind, and guided her to the section that displayed the paintings of her favorite artist, Sir Thomas Gainsborough. He paused before the famous portrait of Georgiana Cavendish, the fifth Duchess of Devonshire.

  “I am finally in a position to offer you a formal proposal of marriage. Will you marry me, Anne?”

  Standing beneath the portrait of the beautiful, red-haired duchess gave her the courage she needed. Georgiana married the wrong man and doomed herself to a lifetime of unhappiness. “John Claud, my answer is no, as you knew it would be. I have told you many times that we can never be more than friends.”

  He sighed deeply, but seemed to accept her refusal calmly.

  Anne was greatly relieved that John Claud didn’t appear overly upset, and seemed to take it in his stride. She smiled up at him. “As one friend to another, I couldn’t be happier that you won your seat in Parliament.”

  “It’s a family tradition.”

  “Yes. They must be very proud that you have achieved your goal.”

  “This is just a first step. My ambition is insatiable.”

  “I believe you. When you set your mind on something, you are positively tenacious.”

  “There’s Father, with the Prince of Wales. Let’s join them.”

  As Anne and John Claud approached, the prince hailed him. “My dear fellow, I hear congratulations are in order. James told me your splendid news.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness.”

  “You couldn’t do better than follow in your brother’s footsteps. James is invaluable to me. No matter the task, he does it superbly.”

  Anne knew that John Claud would take no pleasure in hearing the prince sing his brother’s praises, so she turned aside and joined Princess Alexandra, who was conversing with Lady Lu about Chiswick.

  “You’ll simply love the Palladian villa, Your Highness. The Devonshires threw garden parties there, until the duke became obsessed with making Eastbourne the most fashionable summer watering hole in England. The grounds are magnificent. There’s an ornamental lake with grebes and swans. In June the gardens are ablaze with flowers, and the velvet lawns are shaded with lovely weeping willows.”

  “Perhaps I could have a garden party,” Alix suggested.

  “If you do, I predict invitations to Chiswick will be worth their weight in gold.”

  “Your Grace, did you happen to see which way my parents went? I want to tell Mother that we’re moving to Chiswick for June and July.”

  “When I last saw them, they were heading in the direction of the Joshua Reynolds gallery. The Beauforts and your other sister, Emily, were with them.”

  Beaufort House is so close to the Royal Academy, I should have known Georgiana would be here. Normally, I’d avoid my half sisters, but I can’t wait to see their faces when they learn I’ll be spending the summer at Chiswick.

  Anne excused herself and made her way through the crowd, seeing the look of relief on her mother’s face when she found them. She greeted Georgiana and Emily, and without a hint of smugness in her voice said, “Mother, I didn’t get a chance to tell you before. I shall be moving to Chiswick on Thames for the summer with the Princess of Wales while His Highness enjoys the racing season.”

  “And a damn good thing too!” Earl Howe declared harshly. “The prince has surrounded himself with dissolute friends. I hear the things that go on at Marlborough House are nothing short of scandalous. I am greatly relieved to hear that Princess Alexandra and her ladies will be spending the summer apart from Prince Edward and his racy friends.”

  Anne was taken off guard. Emily has been filling Father’s ears with gossip. “You must have been listening to rumors that aren’t true.”

  The Duke of Beaufort said, “Your father is right. The gossip about the prince is rife, to an increasing degree. I understand your father’s concern about your living at Marlborough House.”

  Anne tried to control her anger. If she lost her temper, they would blame it on her Irish blood. In a cool voice she said, “Princess Alexandra’s household is above reproach. Her moral standards are every bit as high as Queen Victoria’s.”

  “I’m sure they are, darling,” her mother agreed. “I’m delighted the princess will be spending the summer at Chiswick.”

  Anne smiled at her mother. “I believe plans are afoot for a June garden party. I’ll make sure your name is on the invitation list.” She turned to her half sister. “Georgiana, I won’t put your name on the list, since you and Beaufort usually spend the summer in Gloucester.” She gave Emily a pitying glance. “And of course, you’ll be on duty to Her Gracious Majesty.”

  Anne made her way back to the Prince and Princess of Wales. She felt relieved when she saw that John Claud was no longer among the men surrounding Teddy.

  Frances asked, “Did you find your parents in the Reynolds gallery?”

  “Yes, but I predict they won’t be there long. Georgiana and Emily were with them and I wager my mother made an excuse to get away from them the moment I left.”

  “John Claud was looking for you.”

  Anne winked at her friend. “Thankfully, he didn’t find me.”

  John Claud, however, had found her. He stopped a short distance away, watching as she spoke with her family. And as he waited for her, he saw an opportunity to further his own interests. When she left, he did not follow her. Instead, he waited until she was out of sight. As the earl and his family strolled in the other direction, John Claud caught up with them.

  “I was looking for Lady Anne.”

  “She just left, my dear fellow.”

  “I think she returned to the Princess of Wales,” Lady Howe told him. “I don’t know how you missed her.”

  He grinned boyishly. “My head is in the clouds.” He lowered his voice confidentially. “A short time ago, I asked Anne to marry me.”

  “Well done!” Earl Howe declared. “Congratulations, John Claud.”

  “I must confess that she didn’t say yes, at least not yet. But I have high hopes.”

  • • •

  “J
ames, it’s so kind of you to take charge of our move to Chiswick.” Alexandra stepped up into the carriage and sat down beside Anne. “I’m always nervous when I have to meet new people.”

  James took the seat beside his sister Frances. “The staff at the villa is overjoyed that you will be spending the summer there. Devonshire servants are well trained to be reliable and will most likely anticipate your every need.” He reached into his pocket. “Here is a list of their names. The head housekeeper is Mrs. Bailey, the cook is Mrs. Gilbert, and the head gardener is Harry Hargrave.”

  “You think of everything.” Alix smiled gratefully.

  Sitting across from Anne gave James a chance to feast his eyes on her. Those high-heeled kid slippers make her ankles look sensually delicate. He imagined removing a silk stocking, raising her foot to his lips, and kissing her instep. It took a great deal of willpower to withdraw his attention from the object of his desire and address the princess.

  “Your rooms have all been prepared, your luggage was dispatched earlier, and I brought your sewing ladies first thing this morning.”

  Frances asked, “Was there room in the stable for our horses?”

  James nodded. “There were a dozen empty stalls and grooms aplenty to care for your mounts.” He imagined taking Anne up before him on his saddle, felt her warm body between his thighs, and shuddered with longing when he envisioned her hair blowing in the wind and brushing against his throat. His fantasy dissolved as he heard Alexandra’s voice. He focused on her words.

  “My husband has promised to visit the villa frequently, but I don’t honestly expect him to travel to Chiswick often.”

  “I think that’s a wise assumption. The prince will be attending the Oaks at Epsom next weekend, and he’s accepted an invitation to Yorkshire in the middle of June. He asked me to come to Chiswick and check on your welfare in his absence.”

  “That’s very kind of you, James. You will receive a warm welcome whenever your duties in Parliament permit you to spend time with us,” Alexandra assured him.