Page 66 of Wicked Rivals
With a vicious growl, Hugo crumpled up the stained report and tossed it into the fireplace.
“Sheffield, we must ride for Scotland immediately. We may not be able to delay the wedding, but wecandisrupt the League long enough to finish our West Indies operation if we can buy ourselves more time. The necessity of obtaining those items we discussed is even more paramount.” He folded his hands pensively. “Blast. I was a blind fool. When Lady Melbourne left London, her letter indicated that it was to fight to get her property back. But if he’s somehow wooed her and won her, then those properties will be exposed to his scrutiny.”
Hugo dragged his hands through his hair, his eyes a bit wild and his face a mask of ferocity, causing Nelson to take a small step back. “We cannot delay. If she has the cipher, our efforts should be focused on getting to the letters before her. Kincade would not have sent those letters to London in case they were lost en route. No, he’s too cautious for that. I would bet my life he has them somewhere in his castle tucked under a floorboard or behind some loose stone. I will find them and retrieve them and then collect the cipher from Lady Melbourne as time allows.”
Sheffield nodded. “Suppose we approach the lady’s brothers? You mentioned a falling out with her and their father. They might be willing to do our work for us and retrieve Lady Melbourne from Lennox’s clutches and bring her home to Scotland, especially if they thought she was in some sort of danger.”
“Excellent idea. Better to have them tangle with the League than us. Kidnapping can be a messy endeavor.” Hugo began rifling through the papers on his desk. He and Sheffield were seemingly unaware that Lewis was still watching them as they made plans.
Without raising his head, Hugo said, “You may go, Lewis. Send reports here if there’s any change. Sheffield will have a man waiting to see you. You will know him as the Black Boar.”
“Understood, sir.” Lewis turned and fled the room. Waverly paid well, but there was something dark in that room that disturbed Lewis. Better to be back at the Sheridan house where he was out of sight and out of mind until he received his next orders.
*****
Lips burned with desire, whispered words, the imprisonment of her hands, those blazing blue eyes…
Rosalind woke from the hazy dream that replayed last night. The other side of the bed was cold. Ashton was long gone. She sat up and hugged the sheet around her. Last night she and Ashton had made love, passionately, wildly, and then tenderly. It had been unexpected and wonderful, yet now regret weighed heavily upon her.
What have I agreed to?
There was no way to escape this. She was going to marry Ashton, and he’d own her. She’d cease to be, all over again.
Breathe, just breathe.
She covered her face with her hands and drew slow breaths to steady her heart. It would have been easier to hate the man if he hadn’t been such a wonderful, giving lover the night before. He always seemed to find a way to draw her in, seduce her into trusting him.
But he couldn’t be trusted. His motives for marrying her had nothing to do with love and everything to do with giving him control of her properties. It did not matter that he claimed he would restore them to her later. Once he had her, he would be under no obligation to honor those words. She hadn’t worked so hard the last few years to build her business up just to hand it over to her biggest rival. How would she puzzle her way out of this?
A servant knocked on the door.
She flopped back onto the bed, pulling the coverlet over her head to hide herself. “Enter.”
“Your Ladyship, you should get up. I’ve drawn a hot bath and laid out a gown for you.” Claire’s voice came from somewhere above her.
Rosalind pulled the covers back down. “Fine.”
Claire stood beside the bed, a blue dressing gown held up for her. Her maid’s eyes critically assessed her, as though to check for damage.
“I must say, you look well, Your Ladyship. No harm done?” Claire’s question was carefully worded.
“No. No harm done.” What had occurred last night had been entirely consensual, and she wouldn’t play as though she hadn’t wanted or agreed to bedding Ashton. Rosalind slipped out of the bed and donned the dressing gown. After a long night, she was unprepared for what she knew would be a long day.
“His Lordship will be back this afternoon to tour the church with you. Lady Lennox will take you to town with Miss Lennox to select a wedding trousseau.” Claire was smiling, pleased as punch.
“Claire, I’ve sworn to despise Lennox, and you’re grinning like a cat who has fed on too much cream. You’remyservant, not his.”
“Oh, but I am, Your Ladyship. I know how clever you are, and it’s only a matter of time before you have him eating out of your hand. That is what you want, isn’t it? To take control back from him?”
Rosalind didn’t reply as she approached Ashton’s copper tub. Steam curled up from the hot water, warming her skin as she slipped out of the dressing gown and laid it over Claire’s outstretched arm.
“Is everyone else up?” She squinted at the pale light through the window.
“Aye. You’ve slept ‘til close to noon. You were fast asleep the last few times I checked on you.” Claire bustled around the table by the bath, setting out a hairbrush and some pins.
Rosalind groaned. “Noon?” How had she slept so late? She had always been a light sleeper, waking at dawn—if not before then—to start her day. She rarely slept all the way through the night. Those nights she did, demons from her past tended to emerge in nightmares that haunted her through to morning. Yet she’d slept like a babe last night in Ashton’s bed.
“If it’s not too forward of me to say, sometimes a man in your bed can help a lady sleep.” Claire had her back turned as she folded a towel, but Rosalind knew her maid was smiling. She could hear it in her voice.
