Page 35 of His Wicked Embrace
But their driver was waiting for them to leave, so Lawrence helped Zehra out. It was midmorning as they climbed up the steps to his residence on Jermyn Street. As the door opened, Mr. MacTavish stared at them, eyeswide.
“My lord, I’m sorry, you have guests. I told them you weren’t here,but—”
Lawrence went rigid. “Who is it, MacTavish? Is it Avery?” The panic in his tone sent a wave of dread through Zehra. Avery was the brother who would come to collect her, the one who planned to send herhome.
“Er, not that one—it’s HisLordship.”
Lawrence frowned. “Lucien?”
“Yes, but Lord Essex, Lord Lonsdale, Lord Lennox, and Mr. St. Laurent are also here… As are theirwives.” The butler shuddered at the word, and Lawrence suddenly laughed as he turned toZehra.
“My brother’s wife and her friends are…spirited. They are known to get into a bit oftrouble.”
MacTavish nodded. “Aye,spiritedisn’t a strong enough word for the ladies. When they get together, they’re like the witches ofMacbeth, they are,” the butlergrumbled.
“Trouble?” Zehra had readMacbethand highly doubted the ladies were witches of any kind, not by the way Lawrence was fighting off asmile.
“Yes, when the ladies were last here, they spent two hours practicing lock picking on all of the cabinets in the silverroom.”
MacTavish puffed his chest out. “Those cabinets are impenetrable, no matter what Her Gracesays.”
Zehra wasn’t quite following all of this, but as they stepped inside the entryway, Lawrence leaned in to whisper in herear.
“The Duchess of Essex, Emily St. Laurent, did pick the lock, and MacTavish is too proud to admit it. All of that Highland pride makes him convinced he keeps the household silver in an impenetrablefortress.”
“A duchess was…picking locks?” Zehra asked, still puzzled. That didn’t sound like something a highborn lady should be doing. “Why?”
“Well, you see, my brother Lucien and his friends are known in London as the League ofRogues.”
“Rogues?” Zehra couldn’t help but wonder if these men were like Lawrence or if she should beworried.
“It is just a nickname certain newspapers have come to favor when talking about their exploits. And one would have thought that as they married they would have settled down, yet they keep marrying creatures who are full of just as much mischief as they are. The wives now call themselves the Society of Rebellious Ladies, and they strive to live up to thatname.”
Zehra giggled. “The Society of Rebellious Ladies?” It sounded much more like the ladies her mother had been friends with when she was young. Her mother hadn’t talked much of her days in England, but what little her mother had shared sounded like she’d had wonderful friends who got into trouble likethis.
“I asked for my brother’s wife, Horatia, to assist me in something the day before last, and I have a feeling that favor is why they are all here. I should have expected they would come. I must apologize in advance for my brother and his friends.” Lawrence paused as they reached the drawingroom.
“Oh?”Would they disapprove of her?“Should I go upstairs then? If you feel thatI—”
Lawrence raised her hands to his lips and kissed the backs of herfingers.
“I am not ashamed ofyou, nor do I wish to hide you from them for that or any reason. It’s my brother. He’s a devil and will most likely teaseyou.”
“Something you have in commonthen.”
Lawrence smiled. “I just wish for you to be prepared. They will likely badger you with questions. I am assuming Lucien found out from my mother that something is afoot and is here to question me. You do not have to tell them anything you do not wish to. I can make excuses for you if you would rather retire for the rest of theevening.”
“No, please, I would like to meet your brother and his friends.” Who wouldn’t want to meet an entire League ofRogues?
Lawrence chuckled. “Very well. Prepare yourself, and don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He opened the drawing room door, and they came face-to-face with a crowd of people. Five gentlemen stood close to the tall window facing Lawrence’s gardens, and three ladies were seated on the couches by the hearth. The animated discussions in the room ceased immediately. A redheaded man, so close in resemblance to Lawrence that it shocked Zehra, separated from the other men. This had to beLucien.
“Lawrence, you devil, who is thisbeauty?”
“Lucien,” Lawrence said with laugh. “What are you doing here? What is the bloody League doing in my house? I asked Horatia for a favor and a couple of friends, not the rest of youlot.”
Lucien grinned. “I heard you and Avery had a bit of a row. Mama was worried and asked me to stop by for a visit, as you would expect. Everyone else thought it would be fun to come along. So, is everything all right between you andAvery?”
The light in Lawrence’s eyes dimmed a little. “No, but you need notworry.”
