Page 6 of Ruthless with a Rogue
That same night.
London.
Livy placed another one of her dresses—her very few dresses—in the wardrobe of her London rented rooms.She was really here.And she was really doing this.
It had taken some…clever thinking on her part.Papa, when she’d finally managed to draw his attention from his work, hadn’t thought a trip to London was necessary.
“A season?Aren’t you a bit long in the tooth for a season?How old are you now?”
She chuckled to herself even as a pang went through her chest as she smoothed out the dress and tucked it away.Twenty, she’d reminded Papa, she wastwenty.She tried not to let it hurt that he didn’t remember.And, yes, twenty might be edging toward the later side for a debut, but it wasn’t as though she was on the shelf.
Then he’d dropped very surprising news on her.
“And the barony goes to you upon my death.So, you don’t need to bother yourself with a husband.I am sure I discussed it with you at some point.”
Papa hadn’t.Though he’d probably meant to.Another common occurrence with Papa.
Her lips curled sadly.Perhaps if she dressed up as a planet, she’d have an easier time keeping her astronomy-loving Papa’s attention.She’d been grasping desperately to find a reason for them to go to London.She’d even tried to lure him with the presentations he could attend at the Royal Society.But he’d assured her he was close to a breakthrough—for certain this time—he couldn’t possibly go to London right now.And then she’d lost him to his fervent scribbling again.
She didn’t blame him for his absent-mindedness.It was who he was, and she knew he loved her, in his own way.He may have his faults, but she loved him dearly.Mother hadn’t, though.Why couldn’t individuals love one another for who they were?She’d always love Papa, oddities and all.But that wasn’t the usual way of the world; a person had to have purpose, something valuable to contribute.She wasn’t about to fade into the background and be forgotten.She would make sure she was someone worth loving.
Fortunately, the perfect idea had come to her—
“This is alldreadfullydull.”
Livy bit her lip against her grin and turned to her Aunt Mellie.Her aunt was on the far side of Livy’s bedchamber, hips swaying and generous bosom bouncing as she paced.The Mirror of Graceswas spread open in one hand, and her nose wrinkled in disgust.Her aunt was a handsome woman in her early fifties.While Papa had gone completely white early, Aunt Mellie still retained her dirty blonde locks, locks currently framing a pair of increasingly rosy cheeks.
Aunt Mellie wasn’t exactly what one would consider a perfect chaperone.She was a bit quirky, in the best way, just not in your typicalmatron of the tonway.It had been quite some time since Livy had seen her aunt with Uncle Nigel’s long illness and then passing.Oh, but spending time with her aunt was going to be amazing—for the both of them.Something Papa had agreed whole-heartedly with.Which was how Livy found herself in a set of rented rooms in London.
“Now, it says here we need to make sure you are not eating overly fatty foods, fasting for inordinate periods of time, nor drinking in excess.”Aunt Mellie blinked at her freshly refilled wineglass.“I do hope these rules don’t apply to chaperones.”
Livy bit back a chuckle.Her aunt did enjoy her wine.
“They also recommend exercising daily, specifically two to three hours a day.”
Livy’s eyes flew wide.“I beg your pardon, did you say two to three hours a day?”Livy loved spending time outdoors, riding, swimming, wandering through the countryside…buttwo to three hours a day?
A giggle escaped Aunt Mellie, followed by a hiccup.“Dear me, I read that wrong.Apologies.Exercising two to three hoursafter sunriseis recommended.”
“That seems much—”
“And clean.You must be clean.”Aunt Mellie’s gaze was locked on the book again, tapping the page.
Livy narrowed her eyes at her aunt.“Are you sure this will be helpful?Will I truly make an impression on society because I don’t overindulge in food and drink, go for walks in the morning, and take regular baths?”
“I am sure the regular baths will help.No one will want to talk to you if your person is malodorous.”Aunt Mellie looked up again, grinning, her blue eyes twinkling.“Whatever would you have done if I hadn’t rushed to your aid in the middle of the night?”
Livy’s lips twitched.“I most certainly would have gotten tosspot drunk and rolled in a pile of manure before attending my first ball.”
They shared a small smile.Aunt Mellie looked back at the book, and a frown pulled at her features.“I think the most difficult piece for you will be hiding your intelligence, dear.It notes that—with men, especially—you should be reserved on certain subjects.”Aunt Mellie looked pointedly at her.
Livy huffed.“Yes, I know.I will not speak on mathematics.”I will not speak on mathematics.She was really going to try.
Warren’s alarmed visage when she’d failed to hold her tongue flashed across her mind.She winced.She was naturally inquisitive, with a slight obsession with numbers.She always struggled to refrain from blurting out answers when someone posed a math question.But Warren really shouldn’t have asked for another hit during that game of Ving-et-Un, not with the cards that would have been left in the deck.
Numbers made sense to Livy in a way nothing else ever had.But no man wanted to marry a woman like that.Livy couldn’t wrap her head around why.Was it enjoyable speaking to someone who had feathers for brains?According to texts on deportment and what she’d learned from her governess, men wanted ninnies for wives.Seemed awfully boring.Especially when dinners could be spent discussing differential equations.
She set her shoulders.“I will do whatever it takes to be what they want me to be, Aunt Mellie.”No mathematical equation had ever stumped her.She wouldn’t let this either.
