Ladies of Disgrace Box Set

by Vicki Hopkins

  Chapter One

  Born Scandalous

  The ability to contain one’s boredom had not been Lady Charlotte’s forte. A woman could only hide so many yawns behind a gloved hand. She blamed the repetitive score of the moaning cello as its player drew the bow slowly across the strings, back and forth. The longer she stared at the movement, she feared falling into a hypnotic state.

  Convinced there had to be entertainment elsewhere in the room, her eyes roved over the attendees. Charlotte snickered and stifled a giggle because the audience appeared like dead stiffs in their chairs—posture perfect and rigid. The only movement came from Baroness Stockton, who fanned herself repeatedly as if she was having another episode that ladies complain about during midlife. The crimson-red blush on the back of her neck confirmed Charlotte’s suspicions.

  To add to the comedic moment, the breeze from the baroness’s fan sent strands of the horsehair toupee worn by Lord Grafton dancing on his head. Charlotte pondered how funny it would be if it fell off his shiny bald spot and landed next to him in Lady Prudence’s lap. Undoubtedly that orchestrated movement would cause a stir among the social elite and wake them up from their stupor.

  The seating arrangement held entertainment value as Sir Walton sat next to his plump wife, who could have taken up two chairs. Countess Eaton sat to his left, whom rumor had it was his latest mistress, unbeknown to his wife. Sir Walton had played a slightly dangerous game, sitting the two women so close to one another, and Charlotte inwardly congratulated him on his brazen display.

  A few other unfamiliar heads exhibited a variety of hairstyles and colors. All the ladies wore their expensive, modest garments, except Charlotte, who had donned a vulgar, off-the-shoulder-style evening gown in brilliant red. The smartness and color were necessary to maintain her scandalous reputation, regardless of the prudish Victorians who filled the gallery.

  Unable to control her yawns any longer, Charlotte released a noticeable, sleepy moan. A few heads turned in her direction, including Cedric’s, her elder cousin. He gave her a sharp jab with his elbow, which Charlotte found annoying.

  “What was that for?” she loudly whispered as she shot him an irritated glare.

  “Behave yourself,” he heatedly replied, breathing hot air into her ear.

  Behave. The perplexing word did not reside in Charlotte’s vocabulary of the English language. No fun existed in behaving in a stuffy universe. She needed to toy with something or someone to find an ounce of joy in life. Suddenly it dawned on her that Cedric had hidden her in the back row for that reason—her inability to comply with the norms of prudent conduct. She rolled her eyes at his maneuver.

  As far as Charlotte was concerned, there were many types of ladies in England. A few women were born with proper character and remained as such throughout their lives. Most were the boring type of submissive women who lacked initiative and spirit. Usually they were churchgoing, obedient, and polite ladies with no backbones in the presence of a male.

  Other women possessed a weak character, which made them susceptible to seduction. As their just reward for ignorance, they usually ended up pregnant and thrown away by society.

  Then there were women like Charlotte who were fallen the moment they came into this world. After all, didn’t the Bible say all are born in sin? She readily accepted her lack of scruples and could be as shrewd as any male. God had endowed her with exceptional beauty, which was her greatest asset in controlling the opposite sex. Also, her mother had married well into the aristocracy, being an intelligent female who pursued what she wanted. She passed onto Charlotte her knowledge of manipulation and remained forever grateful to have been born a fallen lady. It suited her personality to perfection.

  The music came to a crescendo, and the composer’s score concluded. Even though Charlotte had studied the musical arts, she didn’t embrace classical music as a favorite pastime. The compositions of Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven bored her to death. A night at the casino would be far more entertaining, but Cedric had refused to give in to her desire to run wild, having plans up his sleeve.

  Gloved hands from the audience clapped a muffled sound as the cellist bowed. Charlotte complied with the gesture as a polite reaction and leaned into Cedric.

  “Is that it, or are we going to be tortured with a performance from a screeching soprano?”

  He glanced at her in return with a peeved look in his eye. “You know, I went to a lot of trouble getting you an invitation to this affair. The least you can do is attempt to be civil.”

  “Oh fiddlesticks,” she protested. “I can be as civil as the next lady when I put my mind to it.”

  They got to their feet as other guests vacated their chairs and mingled with the crowd. A footman came toward them with a tray of fluted crystal glasses filled with champagne. It didn’t take long to pluck one like a ripe cherry and bring it to her lips. The bubbles from the freshly poured bottle tingled on her tongue. It tasted delightfully refreshing as it quenched her parched throat.

  “Go easy on the spirits,” Cedric warned her as she drank from her glass.

  “Your tactics to reform me are ill-advised, cousin. I’m a lost cause,” she teasingly replied.

  “What you need is a good man to put you in your place,” he countered.

  “Oh really?” she drawled with a raised brow. “There isn’t a man on this earth who will ever put me in my place as you say it. Males are feeble creatures in my hands.” Charlotte tugged her bodice, showing the rounding of her plump breasts.

  “Good Lord, woman, you are incorrigible.” He eyed her endowed flesh.

  “I suppose I am. You know cousins do marry, Cedric,” Charlotte replied. “If you were not already attached to your wife, I could show you a thing or two given the opportunity.”

  His mouth gaped open at her suggestion, and Cedric let out a husky laugh. “You think me daft enough to marry you of all people? You’ve already been through one husband who is cold in the grave. I won’t be your second.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” she scoffed. “I purposely married the old man because I surmised he wouldn’t live long. Without heirs and desperately lonely, he was easy prey at father’s suggestion.”

  “You wore Rutherford out more like it.”

  “Can I help it if he couldn’t keep up with my youth and sexual expertise? That wrinkled codger was lucky to have me in his bed. Frankly, I was surprised he could perform at all, but once he saw my ample assets, he rose to the occasion.” Charlotte took a sip of her drink.

  Cedric leaned in toward Charlotte’s ear, speaking a private word. “Now that you have his money, are you looking for someone younger, pray tell?”

  “Being an heiress does help matters. Society loves money, you know,” she said, batting her long eyelashes. “Besides, I could use a younger man to share my bed. I do have needs and miss a good romp with a young stud who possesses the means to satisfy.”

  “Good God, keep your voice down,” Cedric growled. “Can you please act a little more respectable while in public?”

  Charlotte chuckled mischievously. “Oh calm down. Nobody heard me.”

  “I heard you. My thoughts are poisoned with scandalous images.”

  Charlotte rubbed his forearm, giving Cedric a sexy wink. “You love it,” she cooed. Gulping the remainder of alcohol in her glass, she set the empty crystal on a nearby table. “Now that you have me here at this dreadfully boring affair, will you not introduce me to somebody of interest?”

  She patiently waited as Cedric’s eyes scanned the room, taking far too long for her taste. As he hesitated, Charlotte thought he would forgo introducing her to anyone.

  “Follow me,” he ordered. “We might as well start with the host and hostess of this affair.”

  “If you insist,” she remarked. As they meandered through the crowded room, Charlotte took note of the eyes that followed her movements. Not caring what they thought, she demurely smiled as if she were an angel with wings, floating across the parquet wood floors. C
edric halted before a couple.

  “Lord and Lady Davenport,” he said in greeting. “May I introduce you to my cousin, Lady Rutherford?”

  When their eyes shifted in Charlotte’s direction, she smiled, showing her pearly white teeth, which were far straighter than most English ladies. She was about to open her mouth and speak when Lord Davenport’s eyes landed on her breasts. His bushy brows rose a half inch up his forehead, and a drooling grin spread across his face. Lady Davenport instantly noted her husband’s sexual appetite focused on Charlotte’s bosom.

  “Well, Roland, aren’t you going to greet the lady?” She poked him in the arm.

  He shook his head as if to shake off the disgraceful stare and opened his mouth. “Pleasure... a pleasure to meet you, Lady Rutherford.”

  “The pleasure is all mine,” Charlotte answered in a sweet tone.

  “Your cousin tells me,” Lady Davenport said, “your husband passed away a mere six months ago.” She eyed Charlotte’s red dress with a distinct distaste for the color while making her comment.

  “Yes, the poor dear had a heart attack,” Charlotte replied. She lowered her voice for effect as she continued. “I do appreciate your invitation this evening as it has given me the opportunity to rid myself of the doldrums over my widowed state.”

  “Oh, I doubt you will have the doldrums for long,” Lord Davenport responded with a smirk. “You’re far too pretty to be wearing black the remainder of your life.” His wife shot him an angry glare.

  “Well, as you can see, Lord Davenport, red is my chosen color for my skin tone. It brings out the best in me.” Her eyes shifted over to Lady Davenport, who glared at her in disgust.

  “Well, I do appreciate your kind invitation to my cousin,” Cedric interjected. “She does need to get out more often.”

  “Indeed, I do,” Charlotte agreed.

  “If you’ll excuse us, I’ll be introducing my cousin to a few interesting individuals I have in mind.”

  Lord Davenport flashed a silly grin as his eyes gave one last lecherous stare at Charlotte’s plump beauties. As she turned to go, she gave him a teasing wink, which instantly sparked a disgruntled comment meant for Charlotte’s ears.

  “Well, I never. The nerve of that woman wearing red when her husband isn’t even cold in the grave,” Lady Davenport spewed.

  While chuckling at her response, Cedric led Charlotte through the crowd toward the refreshments. She could use another drink and eyed the crystal glasses with champagne sitting on the tabletop.

  “I have someone I want you to meet,” Cedric announced. “It will no doubt be the most important introduction of your entire unrestrained life.”

  “What do you mean?” Charlotte balked. “Unrestrained. I have plenty of restraint when needed.”

  Before Cedric could answer, Charlotte suddenly halted near a man who was speaking intently to another gentleman. Charlotte eyed him up and down, noting his broad shoulders and tall stature. He had a full head of thick brown hair she found enticing. After living with a partially bald old man for far too long, nothing could be more attractive than gorgeous hair on a male form. Since she hadn’t seen the stranger’s face, Charlotte curbed her excitement. Attractive looks were few and far between, so she braced herself for the average Anglo-Saxon male.

  “Albert.” Her cousin greeted him by name.

  “Excuse me a moment.” He spoke to the unknown companion standing across from him. Afterward he turned his attention to her cousin. “Cedric. It’s good to see you.”

  Charlotte looked at the domineering male specimen standing before her and locked her eyes on him with an incredulous stare. She had ceased breathing for a moment until his gaze shifted in her direction. He was undoubtedly the most handsomely chiseled male in all of London. Oozing with sexual charisma and possessing deep-brown eyes with gold specks in his irises, Charlotte’s mood elevated. The man had doused himself with a male cologne that made her want to ravage him on the refreshment table.

  “Albert, I’d like you to meet my cousin, Lady Rutherford.” Cedric flashed Charlotte a cheeky, mischievous smile. “Charlotte, may I introduce you to Albert Beckett.”

  An uncontrollable nervous giggle gurgled in her throat. Slightly miffed at her silly response, she spoke. “May I inquire whether it is Mister Beckett, Lord Beckett, Sir Beckett, or something else Beckett?”

  His eyes shifted to Cedric and then back to Charlotte. “Why don’t we do away with titles altogether? I find they produce suppositions about a person before character is ascertained through genteel conversation.”

  Speculating what he meant by the cryptic proclamation, Charlotte’s defenses rose. The picture-perfect first impression shattered like a broken mirror when he opened his mouth. His tone oozed with condescending arrogance.

  “Cedric, grab me another glass of champagne,” she ordered. “I think I’m going to need one.”

  Chapter Two

  A Plan Unfolds

  Feeling quite pleased with himself, Cedric suppressed the urge to celebrate. It had taken ingenious plotting and absolute secrecy to set up the situation unfolding before him. His cousin had no one to blame but herself.

  Charlotte had in many ways been a thorn in the extended family’s side. Her mother and father never cared for society’s opinion. Nevertheless, Charlotte’s relations went far and wide with three uncles and numerous cousins. If the family ranked their members by social acceptance, Charlotte would be at the bottom of the list. The woman was incorrigible though wealthy, thanks to her expired spouse.

  The fact that Cedric had brought her to a reputable gathering this evening was a feat of victory. Ever since her elderly husband, Louis, passed away, she had returned to her out-of-control social lifestyle. The woman barely mourned a month before throwing away black and clothing herself in outrageously bright colors.

  Charlotte frequented the casino and lewd music halls alone and unescorted. If that were not enough to taint her respectability, rumors floated about London she had been seen with less-than-stellar personalities during privately held card games. Cedric shuttered to think where his cousin would end up next if he did not intervene.

  In an effort to rescue Charlotte, Cedric knew someone needed to save her from her destructive behavior. Unfortunately, he was not that man. When asking his circle of friends who might be a good match for the task, the name of Albert Beckett rose to the surface. He had frequented the gentlemen’s club during the London season, making new acquaintances among the gentry.

  At first glance, it was evident Albert had been cut from a different mold. Society hailed him as highly educated, respectable, moral, and an honorable individual. The nephew of a viscount, he had a blue-blooded background going back centuries. To add to his extraordinary personality, his status as an eligible bachelor did not go unnoticed by females who clamored for his attention. But alas, Albert had been unable to find a woman who shared his moral tenacity.

  After arranging a meeting with him and discussing the dilemma at hand, Cedric soon learned Albert never failed to take on a challenge with a purpose. The man exuded savior-like qualities Cedric thought a bit ridiculous. Nevertheless, if Lord Beckett were indeed the knight in shining armor to save Charlotte, it would be worth putting up with his periodic displays of egotism.

  The moment had arrived, and Cedric glanced at Charlotte as she gawked at Albert’s good looks. It didn’t take long for her to realize he wasn’t quite what she predicted once his mouth opened. Slightly miffed, her usual reaction to take a drink came to the forefront.

  “One moment, Charlotte.” Cedric halted her edict to fetch like a dog. He turned his attention back to Albert. “Are our plans for dinner still on?”

  “Yes, of course,” Albert said. “Give me a moment.” Albert turned to the gentleman he had been speaking with, expressing his apologies.

  “Dinner?” Charlotte squawked. “Are you abandoning me to go to dinner with him?”

  “No abandonment,” Cedric replied. “Let’s just say the three
of us will be dining together to discuss business.”

  Charlotte narrowed her gaze in his direction. “What are you up to, Cedric?” She shoved one hand on her hip and tilted her head like an incensed youngster.

  “I’m ready,” Albert announced.

  “Ready for what?” Charlotte quipped irritably.

  “Well, dinner, of course,” he replied with a crinkled brow. “Have you not spoken to your cousin about our arrangement, Cedric?”

  “The opportunity has not presented itself, but now that the three of us are together we can proceed.” Cedric faced Charlotte and spoke in a gentle tone of voice. “Charlotte, dear, it’s a simple dinner between your cousin and a new acquaintance. Surely you are as famished as I am after the performance.”

  A slight grin curled Charlotte’s lips. “Now that you mention it, my stomach has rumbled, reminding me I missed lunch.”

  “That’s settled,” Albert announced. “We’ll go in my carriage if that is convenient.” Right on cue, Albert offered Charlotte his arm. “Might I escort you, Lady Rutherford?”

  Charlotte eyed Albert’s sleeve suspiciously. “I’d prefer Lady Charlotte if you don’t mind.”

  “Lady.”

  Cedric chuckled under his breath because Albert knew Charlotte fell far short of the title. “If you insist.”

  “Now isn’t he a gentleman,” Charlotte cooed, accepting his offer of an escort. “You should take notes, Cedric; it would do you well.”

  As he followed behind the two, heading for the outdoors, Cedric shook his head. If she only knew what devious plan he had forged, she would thrust her fist into his lower jaw out of spite. Hopefully, Albert would ease her into the proposal, bringing about her acceptance to participate.

  When the three of them climbed into the carriage and proceeded to their destination, he glanced at Charlotte. She continued to act intrigued over Albert, who returned her stare with equal enthusiasm.

  “I understand your husband passed away six months ago,” he solemnly began. “May I offer my sincere condolences for your loss?”