Page 78 of Ruthless with a Rogue
Livy closed her eyes.The Dowager Duchess of Ironcrest.She’d done it.She, a poor lowly baron’s daughter, someone nobody had ever heard of, just received a voucher to Almack’s.
“What is it, Livy, dear?”Her aunt waved her hands wildly at Livy, like she could hurry Livy up with the movement alone.
Livy turned the voucher toward her aunt.
Her aunt scanned over the letter, and then Aunt Mellie was bouncing in her seat.“Oh, Olivia!I knew you’d succeed.Iknewit.You’re brilliant and beautiful inside and out, and you so very much deserve this.”She crushed Livy in a hug and whispered, “I’m so very proud of you, my dear.”
Livy swallowed hard.If only her mother could see her now.
She’d only bring me embarrassment.
Not anymore, Mother.
Livy looked back at the letter accompanying the voucher, instantly recognizing the tiny, precise scrawl as Derek’s.In her excitement, she hadn’t noticed who’d sent the letter.She flipped it over and traced her finger fondly over the Dunmore crest.
“I will arrive with my carriage to escort you and Lady Elliot to Almack’s Wednesday next.It will do well for your pup to see you walk in on a man’s arm.”
M of D
Aunt Mellie hummed by Livy’s ear, clearly reading over her shoulder.“Well, isn’t that something?It looks like we start Wednesday next.”
Livy’s brows pinched, and she turned to meet her aunt’s mischievous eyes.“Start what?”
“Your new plan.You have a rogue to conquer.”
Livy bit her lip against a smile.Her aunt was right.Derek may have fled last night, but this voucher, this letter, spoke volumes.Perhaps he wasn’t ready yet.But had she ever backed down from a challenge?Equations didn’t solve themselves, after all.And yes, a new variable had just been thrown into the mix with the foundling home, but goodness, was there anything more exhilarating than a multivariable equation?
If Derek thought he’d be an equation she couldn’t crack, he was in for a surprise.
39
Derek
Somethingwaswrongwithhim.
What in the bloody fuck was wrong with him?
“Stop pacing, Derek.You’re makingmenervous.And that’s truly a feat,” Dorothea murmured.
Derek sat.Dropped into the armchair closest to him and let his elbows fall to his knees.It was done.The letter posted, probably already in Livy’s hand.Voucher to Almack’s and all.
Fuck.
His head landed in his hands, and he stared at the carpet of the Ironcrest House library.Dorothea had casually mentioned over breakfast that morning she wanted to extend a voucher to Miss Forester.It was everything Livy had hoped for—her ultimate goal achieved.Because then herMr.Thortonwould see what an advantageous match she’d be.Derek’s lips curled back.Idiotic dandy prat.
It had been on the tip of Derek’s tongue to say a big “Abso-fucking-lutley not”.To make Dorothea promise she wouldn’t extend an invitation.Why?If Livy didn’t get into Almack’s, there’d be less of a chance she impressed upon the idiot.And more of a chance that Derek could spend more time in bed with her.
He needed more time with her.
His heart rattled in his chest.It was probably as shocked and discomfited by that thought as his brain was.
So, instead, he did the sensible thing and agreed it was a great idea, a bloody lovely idea.The fucking best.Miss Forester would be with her Mr.Thorton, and Derek could go back to his ribald ways.Back to normalcy.Where he was perfectly content and completely happy.
Mocking laughter filled the room.He glanced at Dorothea, but she was quietly sipping her tea.Just in his head then.Lovely.He was going insane.
Dorotheawaslooking at him, though.He didn’t like how scrutinizing it was.She was picking him apart.Assessing.
Bloody hell.
