Page 28 of Wicked Rivals
“Mother?” Rosalind gasped. “Heavens, put me down Lennox,please!”
Ashton backed up a few steps, turned around and walked over his bed. He dropped Rosalind down on top of it.
“Joanna informed me that we are entertaining an important guest. Lady Melbourne, I believe?” She stared pointedly around Ashton’s shoulder at Rosalind.
When Ashton glanced her way, he saw she was now clutching the bed coverlet around her.
“I apologize, Lady Lennox, to meet you in this fashion.” Her words were awkward and strangely shy, something he unexpectedly found charming.
“A simple misunderstanding, I’m sure. It’s lovely to meet you, dear. I hope my son is…behaving himself.” Regina glared at Ashton. “He should have brought you down from London earlier today so you could have dinner with the family and our neighbors.” Now she was smiling again, and Ashton couldn’t help but stare.
What on earth was his mother doing? Did she plan to take Rosalind to an afternoon tea? Lord…that thought gave him an upset stomach. He didn’t want his mother anywhere near this woman. The two of them could plot a coup and overthrow him.
“Mother, why don’t you go on to bed? I’m sure Rosalind would be much happier to meet you properly in the morning.”
His mother raised a brow. “The morning? After she spends tonight in your bedchamber? How interesting.” By her cool tone he realized she was being facetious.
“On the contrary, I…” Ashton paused, sensing an opportunity might be presenting itself. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt if his mother assumed a few things. “I’m sorry. You were saying?”
Lady Lennox continued. “You failed to mention to me this afternoon that you finally decided to settle down. I’m thrilled, of course. She’s lovely. That will mean beautiful grandchildren.”
Ashton was unsure of what shocked him more, that his mother seemed genuinely pleased to meet Rosalind, or that she was already talking about grandbabies. He did not want his mother planninghisfuture.
An idea suddenly clicked into place. If his mother believed he was courting Rosalind with an intent to marry, she would cease her endless parade of eligible ladies through his front door. He’d be left in peace to handle matters on the estate, at least until he figured out what to do with Rosalind.
What if he could entice her to play along with him? She wouldn’t agree to an actual relationship, he knew that much, but if he offered her control of her companies back once his mother successfully believed they were courting… Yes, that might work. And in the end, if things progressed, he might even end up with a wife.
Marrying Rosalind would solve a number of his problems. He’d have full control of her companies and could monitor Waverly’s involvement and movements much more easily.
“Oh, we’re not—” Rosalind started.
Ashton interrupted. “We haven’t set a date yet, Mother. Rosalind is still debating whether she wants to marry me.” He could feel the invisible daggers being thrown at his back. Too late, though—he’d made up his mind. He was going to convince his mother he was planning to marry his Scottish hellion. She need never know his real intention was to stop her from marrying him off to the neighbor’s daughter.
“Debating? It’s a wee bit hard to debate when ye’ve not even asked me!” Rosalind’s brogue thickened in her anger.
Regina cleared her throat, silencing them both. “Well, that’s certainly not what I expected from you, Ashton. Taking a woman to bed without a proposal. I’m not going to have this family’s name blackened by scandal, not again.”
His mother glared at him. The look of anger, hurt and determination hit him hard when she said those words. Already today she had thrown the past in his face, and now a second time. His hands curled into fists, and he bottled his anger as he’d always done.
“No more, Ashton. I cannot bear it.” His mother’s voice shook. “No more scandal.” The word was uttered softly, yet it threw him headlong into memories that carved deep gouges into his soul.
His father stumbling out of a brothel and Ashton, a boy of fifteen, chasing after him, crying out for him to stop and come home. The sound of hooves and men screaming.
Scandal. His father’s drunken death and the mountains of debt that followed. Ashton had grown up very fast and saved his family by the skin of his teeth.
Years later he’d embraced scandal as part of the League, but it wasn’t the sort his father had accomplished. He and his friends had pushed the boundaries of acceptable behavior for years. But their scandals were those of seductions and stolen hearts, and they had earned their fortunes rather than lost them. It was a different sort of scandal, one that teased the minds of society in ways they secretly wished for themselves, even if they would not admit it.
His mother’s eyes narrowed as if she were reading his thoughts.
“Have you ever wondered why no man has offered for your sister?” Behind his mother, Joanna bit her lip and looked away. “You and Rafe arecompletelyirresponsible with your lives. It’s destroyed her chances because no one will take a woman whose brothers lack a basic sense of responsibility.”
Joanna’s face turned crimson. “Mama, it has nothing to do with Ashton or Rafe. Gentlemen simply aren’t—”
“Nonsense, Joanna,” Regina snapped. “I’ve seen a number of less lovely ladies married off this past year with dowries far smaller than yours. This is Ashton’s fault, and he will see to it that he becomes respectable so as to provide you with a suitable match.” With a determined set to her lips, she dared him to disagree.
“I plan to do that, Mother. But it seems my bride-to-be is the one who needs convincing.”
A hand curled around his arm, and he looked down once again at Rosalind. She was biting her lip hard enough that he feared she’d draw blood.
