James rolled his eyes. “I’m sure it’s a need only you can provide too.”
“That’s correct.” Dominic said, with a cocky smile fast forming on his too perfect face. “I believe in delivering whatever they need—and they do need a lot. Pleasure, my friend, is one of life’s greatest gifts. You deny yourself too much.”
“I’ll pass.” James shrugged. “I’d much rather have pleasures that last a lifetime than fleeting moments that never amount to anything real.”
“Your loss.” Dominic smirked. “My gain.”
“All in how you look at it.” James sat back and took a swig of his brandy. “I’m content with my choices.”
“Speaking of your choice—tell me about Alys.”
James considered his words carefully. He didn’t want to peak Dom’s interest too much. He’d dig deeper if James hinted there was a mystery to solve. “She has pretty blonde hair and eyes that sparkle brighter than emeralds.”
Dominic yawned. “Sounds ordinary—and boring. What’s she like? You describe her beauty, but to be honest you appear mildly interested by that mundane description.”
James tapped his fingers lightly on the table. Then he picked up his drink and swallowed it down. He hadn’t wanted to get into any details. Dom was well known as a rake. He didn’t want to encourage him. What if Alys preferred his friend? The Marquess of Seabrook was even less likely to settle down than he had been. Dom wouldn’t stand by her. James knew his friend enjoyed pursuing ladies and remaining unencumbered. The idea of her choosing Dom over him left a bad taste in his mouth. So he did the only thing he could think of. He downplayed her attributes and made her sound as ordinary as possible. James sighed. “She’s outspoken, a harridan, intelligent…and can drop a man to his knees in less than a minute.”
“Now, I have to meet her.” Dominic’s grin spread wide. “When do you go back to Weston Manor?”
Bloody hell… Exactly what he didn’t want. He couldn’t tell his friend he forbade him from meeting Alys. That would make things even worse.
SEARCHING FOR MY ROGUE
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Probably early in the morning. Depends on the Archbishop.”
Dominic raised an eyebrow. “Do you really doubt he didn’t grant you the license?”
“No,” James said. “I fully expect to find it waiting for me when I return to my townhouse.”
“Good. I will meet you at dawn to start the journey to Dover. This Alys must be amazing if you’re giving up your freedom to spend the rest of your life with her.” Dominic stood and gazed down at James. “And man, you need to consider how you feel about her. A man doesn’t describe a woman like you did Alys and not feel anything for her.”
With those words Dominic strolled out of the room. James’s mouth fell open as his words sank in. What did he feel for Alys? He couldn’t really say. Dominic did make a valid argument—protection aside, he did admire the lady. Maybe he should figure out what it meant. No, it didn’t matter. He was going to marry her and give her the protection of his name. Wasn’t that enough? Most marriages were based on far less.
“Alys, how do you feel about going for a stroll with me?” Rosanna practically bounced into her room. “I’m finding it difficult to sit still. Please, say you’ll come with me.”
Alys shrugged. What else did she have to do? The maid had altered a couple of dresses for her so she had appropriate attire. Besides, she was bored, so spending some time with Rosanna appealed to her. Country life was not for her. She was used to action, and since she’d fallen through time it was sadly lacking in that department.
“Sure, why not?” Alys hopped to her feet. “Lead the way, Lady Rosanna.”
“Rose, please.” She grinned, cheekily. “I’ve told you we’re not to be so formal. We’re to be sisters after all.”
Alys rolled her eyes. “I’m not having this argument with you again.”
“You’ll see. James will be back any day, and he will verify my prediction.” A gamine smiled filled her heart-shaped face. Her violet eyes nearly twinkled in excitement. “I know my brother rather well. Trust me, he intends to make you his duchess.”
“Again...” Alys glared. “I’m not discussing this. Let’s go outside for that walk you wanted. The sun is shining and it appears to be a lovely day. Let’s go enjoy it.”
Rosanna laughed and fluttered out the door. Alys followed behind her. When they reached the staircase, Rosanna skipped down the stairs in an unladylike fashion. Alys wished she could follow suit, but knew better. If she hopped down the stairs she’d end up on her backside. Skirts and slippers were not her friends. She tripped over them every time—if only she could get away with jeans or even a short skirt. Why had she thought this time to be romantic? The reality of it was anything but.
“Must you go so fast?”
Rosanna’s giggles echoed through the hall. “Oh, don’t be so stodgy. You need a little fun, and I am going to see you get some.” She grabbed her hand and pulled her along out the door. Alys almost tripped over her own feet several times in the process.
“Please, I’m not used to moving at such a fast pace in a skirt.”
The girl paused and studied her. “That implies you are used to it in something other than a skirt.”
Damn it. She’d dug a hole for herself. Alys had managed to downplay the ibuprofen by answering her questions with non-answers. Rosanna had wanted to sample them. It took every ounce of her intelligence to talk her out of it. Still, if given the opportunity, she didn’t doubt Rosanna would nab them and give them a go. As long as she didn’t take too many she’d be fine—but Alys wasn’t about to risk her health on a maybe. She hoped Rosanna heeded her warnings.
“You caught me. I’ve worn pants in the past. They are so—freeing. Much easier to get around in.”
“You’re so progressive. I wish I was as brave as you.” Rosanna stared off, a dreamy expression filling her face.
“You can be if you wish too. Sometimes being brave is just accepting who you are and not changing it to fit a mold someone else set for you.” Alys studied Rosanna. “I like to think I broke it and tossed it into a hole so deep no one will ever be able to find it. You have to forge your own path.”
Rosanna nodded. “Is that what you did?”
“In a sense. My mother expected me to be the usual debutante. Find a husband, run charities, have the required amount of children. You know a predictable, dull, life.” She looked Rosanna in the eyes. “It’s not a bad life if it’s what you want. I wanted so much more.”
Regina was content to be that. Being a Dewitt had requirements. They were as blue blood as Americans could get. The Dewitts were old money and had the snobbishness to carry it off too. Alys, being the black sheep of the family, had chosen to study medicine. Her life would have a purpose, much to her mother’s discontent.
“You don’t want to marry and have children?”
Alys shook her head. “Not right away. I’d like to have a husband, a family, I wanted my life to have meaning first. I wanted to leave my mark on the world, so people would remember my name.” She smiled softly. “So when I was gone from it they would know I was here. Everything I did would be so profound that when they uttered, ‘Alys,’ it would be with awe and respect.” Her smile faded. “I doubt it will happen now. I’ve lost that opportunity by coming here. As long as I’m relegated to the status of wife and mother, a mere duchess, my name will mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.”
“That’s…sad.” Rosanna frowned. “You don’t believe in love? That it is what would make it all worthwhile?”
Alys stopped and considered the young woman’s question. How should she explain her thought process? Rosanna grew up in a different era. How she was raised was different. They were worlds apart in comparison. Bradford had scoffed at the idea of love and appeared so cynical. Alys wasn’t in the same league, but at the same time she wasn’t so naïve either. Love, as much as some liked to believe, didn’t make everything better. I
t helped, certainly. It just didn’t cure all the ills or evil that surrounded them. It didn’t stop her from craving a love of her own. To feel wrapped up in its warmth. Love was something she sought and hoped to one day have.
“Oh, I do. I absolutely do. Love is beautiful, profound, and all-encompassing.” Alys nodded. “I want it so much my chest tightens at the very thought. If I could find someone to love me as much as I love them, it would be a dream come true. But merely having love in your life isn’t enough for a happy ending. There is no such thing. To have true happiness, you need to look beyond finding a man to fill that void. You need a purpose. Love is only one aspect in getting that fulfillment.”
Rosanna chewed on her bottom lip, contemplating her words. “I think I understand. You want love, but you also want your life to have meaning beyond that. You don’t think you could have that with James?”
They started walking again. Could she have something more with James? How was she supposed to know that answer so soon? She had so many questions. He wasn’t here to answer any of them. The foolish man had galloped away without discussing anything with her. Men were quick to make decisions and just thought a woman would follow blindly along. Alys was not one of those women. James He would see that upon his return. If she was truly stuck in the past, she’d have to figure out what to do. Marrying James shouldn’t be her only option.
Alys shook her head and stared off in the distance. She continued toward the cliff. They’d been strolling for several minutes and were now almost to the edge of the cliff. In the very spot she’d been standing after her sister’s wedding. Ironic that she was thinking about everything she’d wanted out of life and how it hadn’t seemed possible then. Standing at the perimeter of what sent her tumbling through time made anything seem achievable, and also very much plausible. What it all meant though was lost to Alys. Why had she ended up there? What was she supposed to do? She’d never been so confused in her life.
“James is…nice. Very handsome and even chivalrous,” Alys began. “But I barely know him. How am I to know if I could love him when I’ve only had a couple of conversations with him? One of them doesn’t even count. I wasn’t coherent and I believed him to be someone else.”
“Many marriages have been built on less.”
Alys laughed. “I suppose that is true. I want more than that.” She shook her head. “No, I won’t marry James. It wouldn’t be fair to me or him.”
“I wish you would reconsider.” Rosanna pulled Alys’s hand into hers. “James is a good man, and he would treat you well. He could use someone like you in his life. He’s not had an easy one. Being the second born, Father ignored him.”
Alys could relate to that a little bit. Her mother doted on Regina, called her princess. It gave her sister a big head and built up her selfishness to extraordinary heights. It was one of the reasons why she had decided to do more with her life. She didn’t want to be selfish; all right, she could be when warranted, but for the most part she did her best to give back. Being two hundred years in the past, she’d have to re-evaluate that goal and find a new purpose. Whatever that might be, she would be ready for it. Fates—challenge accepted—do your worst.
Alys chuckled under her breath. Not too long ago she’d uttered those words to James. He’d learned not to take her at face value. No one who spent time with her long did. She was a peacekeeper most of the time, until she was pushed too far. Sometimes snapping was the only course of action left. That’s when all hell broke loose and all the inner crazy being bottled up exploded. She tried not to let it loose to often—the world had to forgive her though. This was not a normal situation, and holding it back would be worse.
She turned to Rosanna. “Is there a way to get down to the beach below?”
“Oh, yes,” she nodded. “There are some caves that wind down to the bottom. Would you like to see them?”
That must be how James got her from the beach to the manor. Alys had wondered how he’d managed it. She never did get around to asking him for details. The beach was vague in her recollection.
“Please, show me.”
Rosanna grabbed her hand and lead the way. “Now be careful where you step and follow my every step. The caves are crude. They were cut to deal with the French if they happened to attack by way of Calais. It is also a smuggler haven. I know Edward had problems with smugglers before he died.”
How interesting…
“So there are a lot of smugglers around here?”
She nodded. “I suppose so. I don’t know much. The little I know I overheard Edward talking about with Dominic, The Marquess of Seabrook.” She paused and turned to face Rosanna. “Do you know him?”
Alys didn’t know anyone in her current time period, but she couldn’t tell Rosanna that. “No, I’m not acquainted with him.”
“Oh! He’s James’s best friend. I’m sure you’ll meet him.”
Something in her tone made Alys wonder if she was smitten with him. Her cheeks pinkened a little bit when she said his name. “Do you have feelings for him?”
“What?” She waved her hand and started walking again, dragging Alys with her. “Don’t be silly, of course not.”
“I see.” Alys stumbled. “Rosanna, slow down, I’m having trouble keeping up.”
“Right, sorry. I get rather excited sometimes.”
Alys figured that much out on her own. “Anyway. Tell me what you overheard.”
They got to the end of the cave and sunlight gleamed from above them. The beach was breathtaking from the viewpoint of the cliff—it was even more so up close.
“They were discussing the smugglers. Edward was explaining them to Dominic.” She paused. “They were making plans to stop them. Not long after that, Edward died in a carriage accident.”
“So you don’t think they were stopped?”
Rosanna remained quiet. Her gaze fixated on the waves hitting the shore. Alys didn’t want to push her. When she was ready to speak, she’d explain what was on her mind. She’d only known the girl for a few days, but she’d learned rather fast she didn’t hold back. Words floated out her as quickly as they entered her mind—but these might be harder for her because they involved her deceased brother.
“Edward spent a lot of time here at Weston Manor. He loved it more than London. I was actually quite surprised to see him. I was there because it was my duty to land a husband, to make an advantageous match. Edward had given my care to my elderly aunt. She chaperoned me to all the necessary soirees, balls, picnics, musicals…whatever we were invited to. There was no reason for him to come to London.”
Where is she going with this?
“When Dominic came to see him shortly after his arrival, I knew something was wrong. They didn’t know I was listening outside the door. Dom came to see him because of what he does, who he works for. They believed the smugglers had another function.”
Her gaze met Rosanna’s. “What did they believe they were doing?”
“Spying. They were smuggling more valuable information than brandy. They were trading sensitive information to the French.”
“So if they are still operating here...” Alys gasped.
“Then we could very well be in danger and not know it.” Rosanna paused and looked her in the eyes. “I don’t believe Edward’s death was an accident.”
If her supposition was correct what did that mean for their safety? Wasn’t the war over? Did it matter still if there were spies? Alys had a bad feeling about the whole thing. James fought in the war. He’d want to punish those responsible, and if Edward’s death wasn’t an accident…he’d want to see them punished.
“What do you think I should do?” Rosanna frowned. “I wanted to tell James, but I’m afraid. I’ve already lost one brother.”
“What about the Marquess?” she asked. “Can you contact him?”
“I considered that before I left London. He was nowhere to be found. I’m afraid he found a bad end too.”
Alys grimaced. More and more bad news�
��how was she supposed to give advice when there was no easy solution?
“I think, as much as you want to protect him, James wouldn’t thank you for it. Sometimes telling the truth is the hardest thing you can do. You’re going to have to talk to him when he gets home.”
Rosanna nodded. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” She sighed. “All right. I will tell him immediately upon his return.”
It looked like James was going to have to deal with quite a bit when he deigned to grace them with his presence. A sad story filled with intrigue from his sister—and Alys’s wrath at his high-handedness.
SEARCHING FOR MY ROGUE
CHAPTER EIGHT
James and Dominic traveled on horseback along the path toward Weston Manor. They’d been on the road for many hours heading to the ducal estate. All James wanted to do was relax and have a drink by a warm fire. He was bone tired.
“James,” Dominic called. “Isn’t that your sister walking along the cliff? Who’s the blonde chit she’s with?”
James scrunched up his eyes and stared at the two figures. Bloody hell, it was Alys and Rosanna. What had possessed them to walk along the cliff? Alys especially—she’d explained what had happened to her in her time. Falling to uncertain death should be a major deterrent, yet there she was strolling along the edge without a care in the world. What if she fell off again? Would it take her home, or would he find her body crumpled and broken at the bottom? James shuddered at the image passing through his mind. No, it wouldn’t happen—ever. He’d have a discussion with her. He would make it clear she wasn’t to put herself into danger of any kind. It was for her own safety. She’d understand his reservations.
He couldn’t lose her. Not when there was so much he still had to learn about her. James couldn’t watch her leave him. When he looked toward the future, he saw her clearly at his side. Fate hadn’t dropped her into his life only to snatch her away.
Once Upon A Regency Page 58
