Yuletide Happily Ever Afters; A Merry Little Set Of Regency Romances

by Jenna Jaxon

  Still, he hadn’t looked as if he was overjoyed with Lady Lavinia’s company. He’d looked…not miserable, precisely, but uncomfortable. Not at all like the cheerful, carefree gentleman she recalled from the Pandemonium.

  Oh, how she’d stared at him then! How she’d admired his mesmerizing blue eyes, and the ready smile on his perfect lips. She’d spent more than one otherwise torturous moment on the stage admiring those alluring high cheekbones andhis full, sensuous mouth.

  There hadn’t been much to admire about his lips this morning. They’d been pulled into a hard, thin line. He was still as handsome as ever, though, even without the smile. The fine blue coat he was wearing this morning was the exact dark shade of his eyes, and the bright winter sun had been toying with the strands of gold in his chestnut hair.

  Lord Archer could never look anything less than strikingly handsome, but there’d been a hardness to his jaw this morning, a lack of the warmth she’d grown accustomed to seeing in his face. He’d had a grim cast to his lips she’d never noticed before.

  Penelope rose from the bench with a sigh. Well, it was none of her concern what Lord Archer did. God knew she had plenty of her own troubles without borrowing any of his.

  She started down the path toward the house, the ten pounds she owed Silas once again uppermost in her mind. She darted around a hedge, intending to go in search of Dinah, but before she could take another step, she slammed into something solid. “Oh!” She raised her hands instinctively and they landed on something hard, warm, and wrapped in a thick layer of fine, soft wool.

  It was so soft and fine Penelope instinctively curled her chilled fingers around it and stroked it with her fingertips.

  “What’s your rush, Miss Hervey? You’re not running away from me, I hope?”

  Penelope felt the vibration of his deep voice against her palms. She raised her gaze, blinking in the bright sun. Lord Archer was staring down at her, a faint smile curving his lips.

  Dear God, I’m stroking Lord Archer’s chest.

  She snatched her hands away, her cheeks exploding with heat. For pity’s sake, where had he come from so suddenly? “I…no. No, of course not, my lord. Why should I run away?”

  Foolish question, really. He’d come back here to find her so he could throw her out of his house. That was reason enough to avoid him.

  “It’s fortunate you rose early this morning, Miss Hervey. I’ve secured a hired carriage for you. It’s waiting in the drive. One of my footmen will accompany you and Miss Bishop back to London.”

  Anger rose in Penelope’s breast at his cool tone. After all, wasn’t he to blame for this entire mess? If he hadn’t spoken to her the night of the fire, she never would have attracted Florentina’s attention, and Silas never would have sent her to Lord Snedley’s house party. Why, even now she could be on the Pandemonium’s stage, dressed as a whore, and dodging rotten tomatoes.

  Instead, she owed Silas ten pounds. If she returned to London empty-handed, there was no question he’d dismiss her, and Dinah right along with her. They’d end their days on the London streets, starved to death, with crows picking over their bones.

  And it would be all Lord Archer’s fault.

  He let out an impatient sigh. “Miss Hervey? I believe I made it clear you and Miss Bishop could stay for one night only. Come, you only delay the inevitable.”

  I can’t let this happen…

  Penelope clenched the folds of her cloak in her fists. He’d gotten her into this predicament, and now he would get her out of it.

  There had to be something she could do, something she could say to stop the inevitable—to change their fate.

  If ever there was a time for a Christmas miracle, this was it.

  A Christmas miracle…

  Of course! Why, she’d said herself it was too fantastical to credit they should have stumbled onto Lord Archer here, in this remote part of Essex. There could be only one explanation for such a coincidence.

  A Christmas miracle had fallen right into her lap.

  The only logical thing to do was to seize it with both hands. “No. You can’t send us away, my lord.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “I can, and I will. Fetch your things, Miss Hervey.”

  He took her arm to lead her back to the house, but Penelope was truly in a panic now, and she snatched it out of his grip. “No! You owe me twenty pounds, Lord Archer, and I’m not leaving until I get it!”

  *****

  Will stared down at her, too surprised to say a word. Twenty pounds? For the life of him, he couldn’t think of a single reason why Miss Hervey would think he owed her twenty pounds, unless…

  “Is that why Silas sent you here? To get twenty pounds out of me?” It didn’t seem likely. Will would pay a good deal more than twenty pounds to be left in peace, and Silas Bragg knew it well. If Silas had somehow found out where he was, he would demand more than twenty pounds to keep quiet about it.

  “No!” She threw her hands up in the air, thoroughly aggravated. “Silas didn’t send us here at all! That is, he did send us to Essex, but not for you. He doesn’t have any idea you’re here, as far as I know.”

  Will’s eyes narrowed. For God’s sake, she must think him an utter half-wit. “It’s simply a coincidence I found you sneaking about so near Cliff’s Edge, then?”

  “I don’t deny sending a couple of actresses to bedevil you at your house party is just the sort of scheme Silas would come up with, but in this instance, he’s innocent.”

  “Oh, come now, Miss Hervey. What’s Silas’s scheme? Did he send you and Miss Bishop here to seduce one of my brothers?”

  “To seduce your…no!” Color flooded her cheeks. “I told you, this has nothing to do with—”

  “If you intend to become an accomplished liar, Miss Hervey, you’ll need to learn to control that blush. I assume you do intend it, being an actress. What is acting, after all, but a more artistic form of lying?”

  “I’m not ly—”

  “A clever plan, I’ll give Silas that, but when you get back to London, you may tell him he’s wasting his time. I won’t tolerate either of my brothers taking up with a London actress.”

  Will towered over her, but somehow she still managed to give the impression she was looking down her nose at him. “You took up with an actress. A Pandemonium Playhouse actress, no less.”

  “I’m aware of that, Miss Hervey. That’s how I know it isn’t a good idea.” He regretted his liaison with Florentina. He’d initially been attracted to her vivaciousness, but it hadn’t taken long before her seductive charms had worn off, and her venality and greed were revealed.

  “I see. One wonders, Lord Archer, what prompted this sudden attack of morality. Forgive me, but you appeared content enough to indulge in wicked actresses a mere few weeks ago. Not just any actress, either, but Florentina. It doesn’t get any wickeder than her.”

  To Will’s surprise, a laugh escaped him. “You don’t care for Florentina, Miss Hervey?”

  She let out a short laugh. “Of course, I don’t. Did you know she demands every actress who shares the stage with her be placed far at the back, so no one will notice us?”

  “I noticed you.”

  Penelope snorted. “Only because I nearly caught fire.”

  No, before that.

  Will bit back the words. He’d noticed her, and once he had, he’d sought her out on the stage every time he’d gone to the Pandemonium. There was no point in telling her this, however. She’d be on her way back to London within an hour, and they’d likely never cross paths again.

  She plopped down on a nearby bench. “I don’t blame you for being suspicious of us, Lord Archer. I’d feel the same in your place, but the truth is, Silas sent us here for Lord Snedley, not you.”

  “Lord Snedley? That old roué? What’s he got to do with this?”

  She let her chin fall into her hand. “Miss Bishop and I were meant to perform a Christmas theatrical at Lord Snedley’s house party, but we, ah…failed to provide the
services his lordship expected, so he tossed us out the door without a shilling.”

  Will’s lips tightened. He could just imagine what sort of services Snedley had demanded. The man was the worst kind of lecher, and Silas Bragg was a scoundrel for indulging him without a care for Miss Hervey’s and Miss Bishop’s safety. “Ah, now we come to it. Silas is expecting you to return to London with Snedley’s twenty pounds in your pocket?”

  She gave a glum nod. “Yes, and when we don’t, we’ll both lose our places.”

  He sighed and joined her on the bench. “Forgive me, Miss Hervey, but I still don’t see why this means I owe you twenty pounds.”

  Will glanced at her. Her head was bowed, and her shoulders hunched into her chest. She looked very young and defenseless sitting there, with the pale, fragile nape of her neck exposed, and the wind tossing fiery locks of hair around her face.

  If Silas did dismiss her, what would she do? Where would she go?

  Her chin lifted. “Silas sent me off to Lord Snedley’s party to get me out of Florentina’s way. She’s demanding he dismiss me.”

  Will jerked his gaze toward her. “Why should Florentina want you dismissed?”

  “Because of you, Lord Archer. She claims I’m the reason you broke off your liaison with her.”

  “You? But that’s ridiculous!” That is, as far as Florentina knew, it was. He’d been careful to hide his attraction to Miss Hervey from her, for this very reason.

  She shrugged. “Of course, it is, but it hardly matters. You never came back to the Pandemonium after the night we spoke, and then you left London altogether. Florentina has to blame someone for it, so she blames me. Silas told me he’d give me a second chance if I pleased Lord Snedley, but…well, I didn’t please him.”

  Will stared at her, incredulous. “I left London because one of my brothers was shot in a duel, the other one nearly broke his neck in a carriage accident, and my sister…” He dragged his hand down his face. “My sister came within a hair’s breadth of being compromised by a worthless rake intent on getting his hands on her fortune.”

  She turned wide dark eyes on him. “Oh, dear. How awful. I’m sorry for it, my lord. Is that why you’ve dragged your siblings out of London? To save them from the brothels and gaming hells? The wicked, demoralized actresses and conscienceless rakes?”

  Will hadn’t come back out to the garden to unburden himself to Miss Hervey, but he was a good deal distressed over Maddy’s flight last night, and to his shock, the truth fell from his lips. “I haven’t taught my brothers any restraint. I’ve let them drink and whore and gamble their way through London, and my sister Madeline was almost ruined because of my negligence.”

  “You blame yourself,” she murmured.

  “I’m the eldest. It’s my responsibility to see my sister safely wed, and to see to it my brothers learn to behave like proper gentlemen.”

  “Your sister is your responsibility, perhaps, but your brothers are adults, Lord Archer. They’re responsible for their own behavior. If they don’t wish to become proper gentlemen, I don’t see what you can do about it.”

  “Even if they wished to, they don’t have the first idea how to go about it. None of us do. We weren’t raised as aristocrats, Miss Hervey. Our father was fifth in line for the title. We never expected he’d actually inherit. We didn’t grow up with tutors or governesses or nursemaids to teach us to behave respectably. Our mother died when we were young, and our father let us run wild.”

  She was quiet for a moment. “How long do you intend to stay in Essex?”

  “Until the season begins. Madeline will debut, and I intend for her to be wed to a respectable gentleman by the end of it.”

  He didn’t mention his own intention to wed Lady Lavinia well before the season began. The prospect didn’t precisely fill him with joy, but she was just the sort of modest, genteel lady he needed to usher Madeline through her season.

  Lady Lavinia was attractive, titled, and respectable. Most importantly, she was here. She’d come with her cousin, Lord Notley, one of the few of Will’s friends with any claim to respectability. Lady Lavinia had ended her third season without an offer, and she seemed to be encouraging Will’s attentions.

  Will was well aware Lady Lavinia cared far more for his piles of English pounds than she did for him, but his money for her respectability seemed a fair enough trade. He didn’t have the first idea how to launch his sister into proper society, and God knew Madeline’s prospects were gloomy enough already, despite her fortune.

  After all, the Tainted Angels were her brothers.

  “Does Lady Madeline look forward to her debut?”

  Will let out a humorless laugh. “Hardly. My sister fancies herself madly in love with the scoundrel intent on ruining her. Last night she tried to escape Cliff’s Edge to go to him. We were chasing her when we came upon you.”

  “Ah. I did wonder if it was something like that.”

  “She’s sure to make another attempt, and short of locking her in her room for the next few months, I don’t know how to stop her.” Will’s shoulders hunched. “I care very much for my sister, Miss Hervey, but she’s a mystery to me.”

  “Well, of course she is, my lord. She’s a young girl in the throes of her first infatuation. It’s enough to throw any brother into a panic, isn’t it?” She nibbled on her lip for a moment, thinking, then said, “It’s not my place to say so, Lord Archer, but I expect your sister feels very alone right now. Perhaps it would help if she had a friend, or at least another lady to talk to.”

  Will thought of Lady Lavinia, but immediately dismissed the idea. Madeline hadn’t warmed to Lady Lavinia the way he’d hoped she would. “I’m rather short of ladies at the moment.”

  “Indeed, you’re not. Two ladies fell right into your path last night. It seems to me, Lord Archer, we’re in a perfect position to help each other.”

  Will quirked a brow at her. “I doubt that.”

  “Listen, will you? An amateur theatrical might be just the thing to cheer Lady Madeline, and reconcile her to a stay at Cliff’s Edge, at least throughout the holidays. Miss Bishop and I would be pleased to stage one, for a small fee, of course.”

  Will’s lips gave an unwilling twitch. The lady had spirit, and he couldn’t help but admire her pluck. “How small is this small fee? Twenty pounds?”

  “No. Six pounds, for an evening’s entertainment. Nothing improper, of course. I could even write in a part for Lady Madeline, if you like.”

  Will stretched his legs out in front of him as he considered Miss Hervey’s offer. He was tempted to accept, but he didn’t think Lady Lavinia would like it. The season was nearly upon them, and it wasn’t as if he had dozens of proper, respectable ladies lying about, breathlessly awaiting his offer of marriage. He couldn’t afford to offend her, and he didn’t trust that he could hide his attraction to Miss Hervey from her.

  After all, if Florentina had noticed it, anyone could.

  “Thank you, Miss Hervey, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline.” He rose from the bench and held out his arm to her. “Come. The carriage is waiting to take you back to London.”

  She didn’t argue, but her face went so pale Will hesitated. She looked so forlorn, so defeated that when she took his arm, he instinctively covered her hand with his. Hers was small and cold under his palm, her frayed gloves offering little warmth.

  An image of her groveling at Silas Bragg’s feet flew through his mind, and Christ, it was so disturbing he opened his mouth to tell her he’d give her the bloody twenty pounds—

  “Penelope!”

  Will stopped on the path, and he and Miss Hervey turned to find Miss Bishop waving at them from the long drive that led toward the estate’s entrance. Oliver and Christopher were with her, and beside her, holding her arm…

  Maddy.

  Will’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. Maddy hadn’t willingly left her bedchamber for a month, since the day they’d arrived at Cliff’s Edge.

  “We’re on
a search for holly berries, to freshen the greenery in the drawing room,” Miss Bishop called, with another wave. “Come with us!”

  Miss Hervey turned to him with an innocent smile. “Well, my lord, your sister seems content enough to remain at Cliff’s Edge for the time being. It’s curious, isn’t it? I wonder what could have happened to change her mind.”

  Will gaped at his sister, stunned. Maddy’s arm was wrapped snugly around Miss Bishop’s. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, and a shy smile lit her face.

  He had no idea what Miss Bishop had said to coax Maddy from her melancholy, and he didn’t care. The bleak cloud had lifted, and that was all that mattered to him. He turned to Miss Hervey, his jaw set in a stern line. “Very well. One more night only. No foolishness, no tricks, and you leave tomorrow morning without further argument.”

  He’d find some way to excuse it to Lady Lavinia.

  “Oh, yes! Of course, my lord. Whatever you like.” She gave his arm a quick squeeze

  He glanced down at her, admiring the way the sun turned her hair to a halo of red and gold, and then, before he knew what was happening, before he could prepare for it…

  Penelope Hervey offered him a smile that made his breath catch, and his heart pound in his chest.

  Dear God. How was he going to resist her for another day?

  Will tore his gaze from her face, looked up into the blue sky, and sent up a quick prayer for a Christmas miracle.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “You make a lovely angel, Lady Madeline.”

  Penelope settled the makeshift crown of rosebuds she’d made over Maddy’s curls, then stood back to study the effect. Maddy was wearing a gauzy white gown they’d found in the trunk of costumes they’d brought to Lord Snedley’s party. With her golden curls and big blue eyes, Maddy looked every inch the divine celestial being she was meant to be.

  “Be thankful you get to play an angel,” Dinah grumbled, tugging at the seat of her breeches. “I’d like to wear a pretty gown now and again. Why do I always have to play the gentleman?”