The Rake's Vow

by Ruth Ann Nordin

  Candace shook her head. “Oh, I most definitely won’t be taking another husband.”

  Loretta was afraid she was going to say that. Poor Brad. He’d been talking of little else but having Candace over this evening. Despite what Stephen thought, there was more to Brad’s inviting Candace to the dinner party than simply not having to escort Celia to dinner. While it was true both didn’t care for Celia, neither were in any danger of marrying her. So Brad had hoped that by inviting Candace, he’d get a chance to know her better—as she would get to know him better—and things might develop from there.

  “What if you fall in love with someone?” Celia asked. “Won’t you want to marry him then?”

  “I have no intention of falling in love,” Candace replied.

  “Yes, but love can happen when one least expects it,” Celia insisted after she took a sip of her tea. “Take my brother, for instance. He was betrothed to Loretta, and on his way to the country estate, he came across a lady, fell in love, and married her. He didn’t plan for it.”

  Loretta’s cheeks warmed at the reminder. Why would Celia come out and say that? Did she really think Loretta wanted everyone in London to know about how he jilted her?

  “I’ve been married before,” Candace replied. “Lord Hedwrett might have been good with money, but he wasn’t good to me. There’s no way I’m going to fall in love with anyone.”

  “I had no idea he was a bad husband,” Celia said in interest. “Exactly what did he do to you?”

  “Celia,” Loretta interrupted. When her friend looked at her, she continued, “That’s a private matter. I don’t think we should pry into it.”

  “I don’t mind answering the question,” Candace said. “My father arranged the marriage, and my father was a controlling gentleman. Lord Hedwrett was the same way. Everything I said or did had to be exactly as he wished. If I failed to do my part, then I suffered for it.”

  “Suffered how?”

  “Celia,” Loretta whispered. “Stop.”

  The conversation was getting much too personal, and Loretta didn’t wish to know any more than what she had already learned. Just the suspicion of what had happened to Candace was enough to twist her stomach into knots.

  Candace, seeming to have picked up on Loretta’s unease, said, “I suffered enough to know that I should avoid saying or doing things he didn’t want. I understand that most gentlemen aren’t like him, to which you two should be grateful. Just keep in mind the way a gentleman treats others before you marry is a good indication of how he’ll be when you’re his wife.”

  “In that case, I will do very well with Corin,” Celia told Loretta.

  Loretta tapped the edge of her cup, wondering if she should share the observation Tad and her brother had made while at the Duke of Silverton’s ball when both insisted Corin didn’t have the same interest in Celia that she had in him. Celia could be headstrong when she wanted something. Just hearing it from her or them wouldn’t be enough to dissuade her.

  And who knew? They could have been wrong. Neither were friends with Corin. The only person who would know for certain was Anthony. But did she dare ask him about it?

  She didn’t relish the thought of talking to him any time soon, but if it would prevent Celia from going through the same humiliating experience she had, then maybe the surge of heartache would be worth it. Celia was her dearest friend, after all. She owed it to her to do everything possible to keep her from getting hurt.

  “Well, it’s a shame you don’t want to be a part of Lady Eloise’s group,” Celia told Candace, breaking Loretta out of her thoughts. “I like talking to you. I’m sure Loretta feels the same way.” She glanced at Loretta.

  “Yes, I do,” Loretta hurried to assure Candace. Though, to be fair, she hadn’t participated much in the conversation at dinner or even now. She smiled at Candace. “You seem like a very nice lady.”

  “Thank you,” Candace replied. “I’ve enjoyed talking to both of you as well. It’s been a lovely evening.”

  The doors opened, and an exasperated looking Tad came into the room, followed by an apologetic Brad.

  “If I had any idea Stephen would persist in making you uncomfortable, I never would have allowed him to be at the dinner party,” Brad was telling Tad. “I would have just told him to leave this townhouse right after dinner.”

  It was then that Loretta noticed Stephen heading out the front door, looking very happy as he did so. Her eyebrows furrowed. Had Stephen been bothering Tad with the intent of being relieved of being at this dinner party?

  She glanced at Tad, hoping he wasn’t reconsidering the marriage because of her younger brother. Celia moved to a chair so that Tad could sit on the settee. He thanked Celia and settled beside Loretta. Loretta studied his expression. She hadn’t seen him frustrated before, and that worried her. Maybe he was going to jilt her just like Anthony had. Except this time, it wouldn’t be because of another lady. It would be because of her idiotic brother who couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

  Brad sat in the chair closest to Candace. “We’re sorry for interrupting you ladies. Things didn’t go very well in the den.”

  “I don’t mind not having an escort for dinner when you have a dinner party,” Celia told Brad. “Having none is better than having Stephen.”

  “I didn’t want things to be uneven,” he replied.

  “It would be better if they were uneven than for people to be subjected to his childish tactics,” Celia countered.

  “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

  Tad glanced over at Loretta, and as if he noticed her apprehension, he offered her a smile and patted the small of her back. “I’m glad I don’t have to bring him to my townhouse after we marry.”

  All at once, Loretta relaxed. What a relief! He was still going to go through with the marriage.

  “Why don’t we play a game?” Candace asked.

  “That’s a good idea,” Brad replied. “What would you like to play?”

  When no one offered any suggestions, Candace said, “I like charades.”

  “Charades sounds like fun,” Celia replied.

  “Yes, let’s do that,” Tad agreed.

  They ended up playing the game for the next hour and a half, and Loretta couldn’t recall a time when she had enjoyed a dinner party more. When it came time for the guests to leave, she asked Tad if she might speak with him after everyone else left. Brad consented to letting her and Tad have the drawing room to themselves, and after she closed the doors, she went back to the settee.

  “I want to apologize for the way Stephen’s been this evening,” she said. “I didn’t think he would cause you so much frustration.”

  With a smile, he replied, “I’m glad he left. The evening was enjoyable once he was gone.”

  “After the wedding, you won’t have to be in the same room with him again if you don’t want to. I’m not going to be one of those wives who insists her husband go to social engagements with people he’s not comfortable with.”

  “I appreciate that.” After a moment, he added, “I can’t imagine you deserved everything he’s been saying about you. I think there’s more to it than that. I suspect he was either trying to get out of the dinner party or he was trying to get attention.”

  “Well, he is the youngest, and he’s a boy. Growing up, Brad was the favorite child because he was going to inherit the title. Stephen is the spare son just in case something happens to Brad.”

  “And what about you?”

  “I was the only girl, so my mother doted on me. My childhood was much better than some ladies’. Celia, for instance, didn’t really know her parents. They were always in London, and she was raised by her grandparents. I think that’s why she can be,” searching for the right word, she finally settled on, “determined to get what she wants. It makes her feel secure when she gets it.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I wanted to make sure you understand that you won’t have to deal with Stephen as much as you have been up to now.”

  “It�
��s really that important to you that we get married, isn’t it?”

  Surprised by the question, she hesitated. Even with the money she was offering, he probably would have been just fine without her. “My life has greatly improved ever since we announced our engagement,” she admitted. “Yesterday Lady Eloise paid me a visit. She’s never done that before. And she wants to attend our wedding. I don’t know if you can appreciate what an honor that is, but she doesn’t go anywhere unless it’s worth going to.”

  Recalling the paper she’d paid Stephen to bring her earlier that day, she went to the desk and pulled open the drawer. The edition Lady Eloise had showed her and Celia wasn’t due to come out for another day, so the only way she’d been able to secure a copy this early was by paying him to get it for her.

  She wasn’t sure what his connections were to an influential person in London, and he didn’t bother telling her when she’d asked. All he’d said was that he would get the copy for her as long as she gave him some money, so she had dug up the coins she’d been saving. It hadn’t been a lot, but it had been enough to get him to say yes, and that was all that mattered.

  “I kept this in here so I could show this to you.” She retrieved it and returned to him. “I don’t know how you do it, but you attract so many people. It’s a gift. I don’t have it. I can enter a room, and people don’t even know I’m there. But when you enter it, people notice you. This article in here is only because of you.” She unfolded the paper and showed him the article that had mentioned her, Tad, Lady Eloise, and the Duke of Silverton. “Do you want to read it? It features us.”

  Tad shook his head. “I don’t bother with gossip anymore.”

  “It’s not gossip. Well, not really.” Since he didn’t take the paper, she folded it back up. “I mean, it’s not like the Tittletattle. That seeks to ruin reputations. Social Propriety, on the other hand, seeks to establish them. It’s a good thing to be mentioned in it.”

  “Yes, I know that. Still, I’m not interested. I gave up caring about my reputation when I gave up being a rake.”

  She bit her lower lip. Maybe he wished she wouldn’t worry so much about her reputation, too. And more than that, maybe she should have asked him if it was all right with him if she invited the members of Ladies of Grace to their wedding.

  “Tad,” she began, hoping she would be able to say the right words, “I’m still learning how to be a better person. In the past, I did whatever I wanted without thinking of how others were affected. But I am trying to change all of that. Will you please tell me the truth? Are you upset with me because I didn’t ask if you wanted Lady Eloise and the other members of the group at the wedding?”

  He leaned toward her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Though he couldn’t have anticipated it, the feel of his hand sent a pleasant tingle through her body. She shouldn’t have been surprised. He had a tendency to render ladies weak whenever he was near.

  “I’m not upset with you,” he assured her. “I don’t mind that Lady Eloise or the others are at the wedding. This is going to be your special day, and I want it to be everything you want it to be.”

  “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?” Maybe she shouldn’t press her luck, but she needed to know for sure.

  He gave her a smile that caused the strange fluttering sensation to return to her stomach. “No, I’m not just saying that.”

  He released her shoulder, and she ignored her disappointment. A lady could get addicted to his touches.

  “I’m glad Lady Eloise and the rest of the group will be there. It’s wonderful news. This is exactly what you wanted from this marriage.”

  “It is. Tad, ever since you agreed to marry me, my life has been so much better. I don’t know how I can properly thank you for everything.”

  “There’s no need to thank me.”

  One of the doors opened, and Brad poked his head into the room. “It’s getting late, and we have an early day tomorrow.”

  Tad winked at her. “I think he’s afraid I’m going to take advantage of our time alone,” he whispered. “You should take that as a compliment. He cares for you very much.”

  If only Brad knew theirs wasn’t the kind of relationship that was going to involve physical intimacy, then he wouldn’t worry at all. But she’d rather die than tell her brother about the arrangement she’d made with him.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” she told Tad.

  The two rose from the settee, and she walked beside him as he headed for the door.

  Just shy of reaching it, Tad turned to her. “Loretta,” he began in a voice so low that Brad couldn’t hear him, “you’re not the only one who’s getting something they want out of this marriage. I am, too. I needed the money your dowry is going to give me.”

  “I know that.”

  He paused for a long moment, and she was beginning to think there was no more to say when he added, “You tend to underestimate your importance. Your role in this marriage is much more important than anything I can provide.”

  She didn’t know why the comment should strike her as odd, but she wasn’t sure how to respond to that. There seemed to be a hidden meaning somewhere in his words.

  After he left, Brad smiled at her. “Everything went well tonight, don’t you think? Well, once Stephen left.”

  She chuckled. “Stephen didn’t want to be here. We should have expected him to do something to embarrass us.”

  “At least our guests didn’t run out of here because of it.”

  “Brad, you don’t have your hopes set on being Candace’s suitor, do you?” she asked as the two headed for the staircase.

  “Why? Don’t you like her?”

  “I like her. She has a lively spirit and is easy to talk to.”

  “So what’s wrong with her?”

  “Well, before you and Tad came to the drawing room, she made it clear that she has no interest in marrying again. It seems that her first husband was so awful that it tainted her view of marriage. All she wants is the freedom to do whatever she wants.”

  “And she doesn’t think another husband will let her have that kind of freedom?”

  She shook her head. “No, she doesn’t, and I’m not sure if anyone can convince her otherwise.”

  He sighed in disappointment but shrugged. “There are plenty of ladies in London. At least we had an enjoyable evening.”

  “You’ll find the right one, Brad.”

  In silence, they went to their respective bedchambers.

  Chapter Thirteen

  After the wedding breakfast, Loretta, her brothers, and the members of Ladies of Grace were gathered in the drawing room of Tad’s townhouse.

  Tad never thought he’d see the day when he was officially a married gentleman. Even when he was a rake, he had no inclination to marry anyone. He’d made that clear to every lady he got involved with. All of them said they understood, and for the most part, he hadn’t had any trouble when it came time to move on to another lady.

  The only one who’d been unable to move on had been Ellen. He should have paid attention when one of his acquaintances had warned him she was falling in love with him. But she had assured him she wasn’t, and like a fool, he had believed her.

  He had to keep forcing the memories of her aside so he wouldn’t regret this marriage. He meant what he’d told Loretta. He needed the money. She was helping him out in ways she could never imagine. He just hoped that he wasn’t unwittingly setting her up for disaster. But he hadn’t been aware he’d done that to Ellen. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt another person.

  “You’re being unusually quiet this morning,” Brad said as he approached him.

  Thankfully, Stephen wasn’t nearby, or else he’d probably spout off some comment about Tad regretting his vows already. But Tad wasn’t. He liked Loretta. She was sincere. She meant what she said. It was a rare quality. She was the first person he’d come across in a long time who didn’t make him feel like he had to put on a pretense
of being someone he wasn’t.

  “I’m just thinking of the marriage. I’m a fortunate gentleman to be married to your sister,” Tad said.

  “She’s done a lot of changing over the past couple of months,” Brad replied. “I hardly even recognize her. I mean that as a good thing, of course.”

  “I know you do.”

  Not too far from them, Loretta was standing with Celia, Lady Eloise, and the other ladies who belonged to the group. If he was right, they were discussing one of their upcoming social engagements.

  He didn’t know if it was because Loretta was secure in her standing in the group or if it was because this was her special day—and brides typically looked their best at their weddings—but he thought there was a certain radiance in her face that hadn’t been there before.

  “We can go to the bank and transfer the rest of Loretta’s dowry to your account whenever you’re ready,” Brad said.

  Tad turned his attention back to her brother. “You’re every bit a businessman, aren’t you?”

  “I like to keep my word, and the sooner we do the transfer, the sooner I will have followed through on my promise,” Brad replied.

  “Tomorrow will be soon enough. Today is the wedding. It’s a festive occasion. Everyone should be enjoying themselves.”

  “I could say the same thing about you. You seem like something is troubling you. I thought it was the matter of her dowry.”

  “No. It’s not that. I’m just not sure I’ll make a good husband.” He shot her brother a pointed look. “I used to be a rake.”

  “Just because you used to be something, it doesn’t mean you’ll always be that person. Like I said, Loretta’s not the same person she was a short time ago.” He gave him a pat on the shoulder. “I’ll come by tomorrow around one. We’ll go to the bank then. I don’t feel right holding onto the money any longer than a day. Enjoyment has its place, but so does honoring one’s word.”

  While Brad went over to Stephen, Tad approached Loretta, and since he was in mind to keep up the pretense of being the devoted groom, he stood close to her.