Saving a scoundrel, p.9
Saving a Scoundrel, page 9
“Oh, I see.” Danvers’s smile became positively feline. “Well, I’ll have us dock at Hampton. And you can disembark there. It is maybe another twenty or thirty minutes.”
“We’re disembarking?” Katy appeared at Lucius’s elbow.
Bollocks. He’d forgotten all about Miss Macdougal. He turned to face her. “I’m sorry, but Miss Spencer is ill, and I need to take her home by carriage.”
“I can watch over Miss Macdougal and bring her safely home,” Lady Dearborn said. “There is no use for her to miss out on this lovely afternoon.”
“Excellent!” Lucius grinned. “Would you like to stay with Lady Dearborn and Lady Susanna?”
A furrow appeared between Katy’s eyebrows. “But why must you be the one to take her home?”
Lucius took her elbow, and they moved aside to the railing. “Who else? I wouldn’t want to have all three ladies missing the boat ride if Lady Dearborn took her home. Best if it’s just me. Unless you aren’t comfortable staying?”
Katy shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I prefer to have fun this afternoon.” She spun and stalked back to the group.
Lucius returned to Lady Dearborn’s side. “Thank you.”
“No problem, dear. You just get Ellie home. She’ll feel better once she is on dry land.”
Lucius quickly procured a glass of lemonade and returned to the bow, where Ellie sat staring at the wooden mast with a glassy-eyed intensity. She had removed her wide-brimmed bonnet, and it sat strewn on the ground by her feet as though she had flung it down. He offered her the glass. But she shook her head.
“Drink some, swish, and spit it out into the water. It will rinse the foul taste from your mouth.”
She glanced up at him with startled eyes. “You want me to swish and spit…in front of you?”
He pushed the glass into her hands. “For goodness’ sake, Ellie, I’m trying to be helpful. I’ll turn around, all right?”
He twisted, so his back was to her. He heard her skirts rustle as she walked to the railing.
“I’m done,” she said quietly after a couple of moments.
Lucius took his seat next to her. She offered him a small smile. “That does feel better.”
“Good. Danvers is going to dock at Hampton. He said it would be about twenty minutes. From there, I will take you home by carriage.” She opened her mouth, and he laid a finger to her lips. “No questions. No arguing. I’ve handled it.”
Ellie nodded. “Thank you. I can’t wait to get off this blasted boat.” She set down her glass and leaned her head against his shoulder. They were mostly hidden by the mast and the row of buoys hanging from the jib. “Distract me.”
“How?” Lucius glanced down at the top of her head. Her hair shone golden in the sunlight. He wanted to brush his lips across the silky strands, but instead, he took her hand in his. She had removed her gloves, and he admired how slim and long her fingers were, the nails neatly trimmed.
She turned his hand over and brushed a finger over the ink stains on his finger and thumb. “Do these have something to do with why you were late today? Were you writing love letters to someone?” She giggled at her own joke.
“I should take offense at your laughter. I could write a brilliant love letter if I wanted.”
Ellie’s shoulders shook with suppressed mirth.
“I wish it had been such a pleasant task. Mr. Castell, my boss at the Termage, yes, my boss, he had me going through the tally books for the past few weeks. There have been discrepancies in the totals from the tables.”
“How many jobs do you have?” Ellie asked.
“Just the two.” Lucius winced a little at the lie. He certainly wasn’t ever going to tell Ellie about working for Viola. “On Thursday afternoons, I do the accounting for Gavin Macdougal at the brewery. I also work several afternoons there on the brew floor, depending on when he needs extra hands. In addition, I tally the books for Castell each morning, except Mondays.”
“Why not Mondays?”
“Because the Termage is not open on Sundays. Castell is a devout Catholic, and he thinks it’s bad luck to pedal vice on Sundays.” Lucius shrugged when she snorted softly. “What can I say? He’s a complicated man.”
“How did you come to work at the Termage?” Ellie picked her head up and turned her gaze to him. Dammit, that guileless look always had him telling the truth, even if it was embarrassing.
“Castell caught me cheating at one of his tables last fall. I was counting cards. It’s just something I can do, and I usually stay away from playing vignt-un. It’s not fair to the others. But last October, I was out of money, and I didn’t want any of my friends to know how dire my situation was, so I played vignt-un several nights in a row at the Termage.
“The third night, Mr. Mercer, who runs the floor, casually grabbed my elbow and said my presence was requested by Mr. Castell. Well, I won’t tell you all the details of that evening because it is not for a lady’s ears and it’s damn embarrassing. But he ended up offering me the job of keeping the books. He hated handling the accounting, and he trusts very few people. He said I owed him now, and that would keep me honest.”
Ellie’s eyes widened. “Do you like working there?”
Lucius stared out at the water. “Yes, actually. They have sort of taken me in as part of the family. The first day that I showed up late, maybe a week into the job, Castell told me that I could have one of the rooms upstairs. And I’d better never be late again.” He chuckled. “Castell collects lost souls. He is scary as the devil himself, but he takes care of the people in his organization.”
She squeezed his fingers. “And the brewery?”
Lucius looked back at Ellie. “The brewery is different. Hawksridge told Macdougal about my skill with numbers, and he hired me on the recommendation. I love the place. Mac always has me doing this or that to help out. One evening, he was working on brewing something new, and when I came down from the office and asked him a slew of questions about the process, he let me help. I’ve since come up with my own recipe, and the beer has been popular.”
“That’s wonderful, Lucius. I’m so proud of you.”
Seeing the truth of those words in her eyes sent his pulse scrambling. “You are?”
“Yes, of course. Lucius, Hawksridge told us you’d been cut off. And look, you’ve landed on your feet. Good for you.”
Had he landed on his feet? Many days, he still felt that he was barely surviving. He was always balancing his reputation among his friends with the sacrifices he had to make to survive. Ellie would never understand the choices he made to earn enough to keep up appearances.
The boat rocked violently as it pulled in next to the dock. Ellie gripped the edges of her crate with white-knuckled fingers. “Don’t worry; we’ve docked. Look.” He pointed to the left where a crewman had just thrown a rope to another man on the dock.
Ellie glanced over and then sighed. “Thank goodness. But now, I must walk by everyone who saw me vomit.” Her cheeks flamed, and she closed her eyes.
He picked up her bonnet and placed it on her head. Lucius watched as she automatically tied the ribbons under her chin. She reached for gloves and donned them with quiet efficiency. He took her hand and pulled her into the crook of his arm. “Come on, kitten. Let’s get you home.”
Chapter Fifteen
Back at home, Eleanor sat in the window seat of the Dearborn’s library. Outside, the wind blew furiously, whipping the branches of the cherry trees in the garden and showering the lawn with tiny white flowers petals. The sun had played peek-a-boo from behind the clouds all day but currently was streaming in through the window.
The library was a cozy room with walls lined with bookshelves. Several comfortable chairs formed a conversation area around the fireplace, and cushions filled the bay window making it the perfect spot to recover from her horrendous morning.
Ellie had pasted on a smile as they passed by the rest of the boating party to exit the boat. The pity on everyone’s faces made her almost as ill as the rocking of the ship had. Susanna had gripped her hands and leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Don’t worry, dear. I’ve got a plan to make an even bigger spectacle. No one will remember you getting sick by the end of the day.”
“No, Susanna,” she had whispered back urgently. “Don’t do anything rash. I’m fine, I promise. Remember your promise to be good.”
Susanna nodded, but the twinkle of mischief in her eye had not dimmed. Ellie sent up a quick prayer, Dear Lord, don’t let Susanna do anything that will get us sent home. Amen.
Then Miss Macdougal had sashayed up and kissed Lucius on the cheek. “I forgive you for leaving me. I can see now how terrible she looks.” She had turned to Ellie. “Isn’t my Mr. Grisham just the most thoughtful man? Feel better, dear.”
Ellie crossed her arms under her bosom. My Mr. Grisham, indeed! The more she thought about him marrying the heiress, the more her blood boiled. It wasn’t simple jealously. She was just looking out for the best interest of her friend. There must be other ways for Lucius to make his way than to sell himself into marriage to that dreadful social climber.
The door burst open, and Lucius swept into the room. “I’ve found Mrs. Huntley.” He gestured to Ellie. “Take a look at her. Will she be all right?”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “I told you, I feel fine.” She smiled at the housekeeper as the older woman approached. “Mrs. Huntley, I’m fine. I just felt ill on the boat.”
“She slept the whole way home from Hampton. Even with all the jostling in that terribly sprung carriage. That can’t be a good sign.” Lucius’s eyebrows were drawn together, with a wrinkle set between them. He hovered over Mrs. Huntley’s shoulder.
Ellie winced. She had felt impossibly tired as they settled in the carriage Lucius had rented. She must have nodded off because when Lucius nudged her awake as they arrived in Berkeley Square, she had been wrapped in his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest. She had no idea when he had moved next to her or how long he’d held her while she slept. It was all very embarrassing.
“Well, dear, what you need is some tea and perhaps some toast points. Your stomach is empty; it’s no wonder you’re feeling weak.”
At the mention of food, Lucius’s expression brightened. “Could we also get some biscuits and maybe some of those little ham sandwiches?”
“Of course, sir.” Mrs. Huntley bustled out of the room.
Lucius wandered over to poke at the fire in the grate. “Are you truly feeling better? You had me worried when you slept for two hours straight in the carriage.”
“I am, I promise. But I am hungry all of a sudden. And a bit embarrassed about sleeping on you on the way home.”
“You should be. You snore.”
“What?!” she stood up abruptly.
He grinned. “Joking. But you do make these cute little snuffling sounds while you sleep.” He walked over and took her hand. “Here, come sit by the fire.”
Ellie followed him over to the seating near the fireplace and sat in one of the deep velvet-covered chairs. Lucius settled into the one opposite. Ellie sighed. “This year of adventures is not turning out the way I expected.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, here I am in London, and I’ve hardly accomplished any of the items on my list. For a start, Susanna and I haven’t had any luck finding out who the author of the love letters is. We went to the bookshop that Mr. Buxley said he received the crate of books from, and the proprietor would not divulge the name of the family that sold the books to him. He was just as cranky as old Mr. Buxley.”
“Are you searching for more letters or just trying to discover the author?” Lucius asked.
“Both, I guess. We found three more letters in the art and architecture books. I have no idea if there are more, but the ones we have do not seem to be in order. I feel there must be other letters that fill in the couple’s story. Mr. Knight, the bookshop’s owner, did provide us a list of books that were all from that same sale. It was at least fifty or sixty books. We looked through some, but they were shelved all over the store. It will take several trips to go through all of them.”
“A puzzle. Interesting. I can offer my help.”
“Really? Aren’t you awfully busy with your two jobs and your seduction of Miss Macdougal?”
“I’m not seducing Miss Macdougal. It’s not like that. I’m courting her.” Lucius straightened in his chair.
“Why her? I’ve never seen you seriously court anyone,” Ellie challenged him. She had to know if he really had feelings for Miss Macdougal or if he was just after her money, as Hawksridge had intimated. Ellie held her breath.
Lucius looked down at the fire cracking cheerfully in the grate. “Her father offered to bring me into the business if she and I suit. He said he’d like to keep it in the family. Macdougal has been a mentor to me these past months. I’ve never had someone believe in me the way he does.”
“That’s not true. I’ve always believed in you.”
His gaze snapped up to meet hers. His green eyes startled. “Believed I was a reprobate you mean.”
She shook her head. “I’ve never thought that. I think you are witty and smart, and a good person. I think you have a lot of potential. I’ve just been waiting for you to believe that you do.”
She didn’t look away as Lucius stared at her in disbelief. She didn’t lower her eyelashes to hide how she felt as she had done so many times before. Lucius deserved to know that he had friends that believed in him. She believed in him.
The rattle of the tea tray broke the silence as Mrs. Huntley came into the room. Ellie smiled. “Thank you, Mrs. Huntley. Tea is just what I needed.”
The housekeeper set out a plate of small sandwiches and biscuits on the low table between them. Next to it, the service was laid out. “Anything else, miss?”
“No, this is perfect,” Ellie replied. Once the lady had left, she picked up a biscuit and popped it into her mouth. The buttery taste melted in her mouth, and Ellie closed her eyes to savor its sweetness.
Lucius leaned over and carefully selected a small triangle of ham and buttered bread. He bit into his sandwich with gusto. “So, what else is on this list?” he said around a mouthful of ham.
Ellie sighed. He would never let it rest unless she gave him some details. “Well, finding the author of the letters is number four. Number five is, go to the opera. Number seven is, dance a waltz with a handsome stranger.”
“You’ve done that one. We danced the waltz the other night.”
“Lucius, you are not a handsome stranger.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “But I am handsome.”
She scrunched her nose. “I knew I shouldn’t have given you any compliments.”
“Well, these all seem easy enough. Wait, are these in order of importance? Is number one your most desired?”
Ellie thought about her list. “No, I wrote the items down as I thought of them. I’ve added a few since coming to London.”
“If I am to help you to safely accomplish your goals this season, I’ll need to see this list. Hand it over.”
Not a chance. Ellie shook her head. “I can just tell you what’s on it. It’s not as though I don’t remember what I wrote.”
Lucius’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve got items on the list you don’t want to share, you minx. What naughty things do you wish to get up to?”
“What nonsense! There is nothing naughty on my list. What a thing to say.” Ellie felt her cheeks heat, and she lowered her gaze to her lap.
“You can’t fool me, kitten. I could write a treatise about the meaning behind the various shades of your blushes. Let’s see, you must keep it around here somewhere. The writing desk?”
Still reeling from his comment about her blushes, Ellie gave a small humph. “Perhaps it’s upstairs tucked under my pillow,” she countered.
But Lucius was already striding over to the writing desk. “No, too easily found by a maid. I dare say you spend most of your free time here in the library with your nose buried in a book.” He began rifling through the drawers of the desk.
“And what’s wrong with that?” Ellie crossed her arms across her chest, he would never figure out where she kept her list hidden. She certainly wouldn’t leave it in a drawer where Susanna could come upon it when retrieving writing supplies.
Lucius glanced over his shoulder with a grin. “Nothing at all, darling. I’m simply saying that if this is your preferred sanctuary, it would make sense you would keep your list tucked away…hmmm, tucked away.” His eyes grew wide, and he turned to survey the room.
Ellie began to get nervous. Lucius crossed to the library table. “What are you reading these days?” He picked up a book off its gleaming mahogany surface and flipped through the pages with his thumb before setting it down.
Ellie jumped to her feet. “What are you doing, Lucius?”
“Just that the love letters were all hidden away in the lady’s books, correct? What a romantic notion for someone, such as yourself, who loves her books.” He pivoted and headed for the long window seat on the far wall. “Yes, this is your spot. Curled up in the sun.”
Panicked, Ellie rushed across the carpet. “Lucius, I will tell you everything on the list. I promise. Just stop this silly hunt. The list is not here.”
He snatched up three books that sat on the padded cushion. This time he simply turned them upside down and shook. Ellie watched in horror as her list fell onto an embroidered pillow.
“Aha!” He turned with a wide grin. “You are a terrible liar, Ellie. Now let’s see what escapades you have planned.”
In a last attempt to save herself from utter embarrassment, she closed the distance between them and made a wild grab for the piece of paper. But Lucius simply raised it over his head with a chuckle. “Let’s see, number one—visit London, check mark. Number two—sail on a boat.” He gave her a sympathetic glance. “We know how that one turned out. Number three—drink too much champagne; now it’s getting interesting.”
