Page 6 of Beauty and the Rake (Endless Love #1)

Roxanne focused her attention away from Graham to the scenery outside.

She had forgotten what a gorgeous man he had become.

Not that he wasn’t always handsome. Now he had the maturity he lacked all those years ago.

And like a long time ago, she still found herself drawn to him.

Like there was some force at work. She would have to be careful.

She didn’t need a broken heart, and she didn’t need to be involved with any man.

She needed to enjoy life as a widow because a whole new world had opened up to her the moment Casper died.

Being friends with Graham was all she needed now.

He’d always been kind and caring to her, and she could trust him with some of her secrets.

He kept them to himself, not even revealing them to Arthur.

There were some things better off not being told to her brother.

After all, a lady needed an air of mysteriousness.

“Where are you, Rox? You’re deep in thought and haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”

“I’m sorry. I was just woolgathering. Since I’ve returned, I find myself doing that quite a bit.”

“A lot has changed since you were gone, and your life isn’t as it was when you left for France.”

“I want to do something productive. Not that overseeing the house for Arthur isn’t, but there has to be more. I just can’t figure out what it should be.”

“Don’t be in a hurry. Just take your time to settle in. You have a unique opportunity to do so. Allow yourself time. I’m sure if you do, a plan will emerge to you.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Graham. That is very sage advice.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” he said with a lop-sided grin.

She felt her heart melt just a little. What was this?

She’d never remotely thought of Graham as anything but her brother’s closest friend.

That wasn’t entirely true, but she would never let the world know of that little fact.

She may have enjoyed his company today, but it went no further.

No further at all. He was still the rake she remembered him to be.

At least Arthur had settled some since he inherited his title.

Graham seemed to still have that coltish, I-can-do-no-wrong attitude.

Not as bad as he used to be, but it was still there.

*

The drawing room was warm and inviting on such a wretched, gloomy afternoon.

As they waited on tea to arrive, Roxanne padded towards the hearth and sat down in her favorite chair, a cream and blue damask high-back.

She motioned to Graham to join her. He sat down in the other high-back and stretched his legs in front of the hearth.

She pulled a letter the butler had given her upon their arrival. A long-expected letter from Georgiana.

“Feel free to read it if you wish,” Graham said. His eyes were closed as though he were napping. Obviously, his hearing was in perfect working order.

“Thank you. I just want to see where Georgiana might be. I would love to go for a visit. We haven’t seen each other for several years now.”

Graham grunted.

She carefully unfolded the letter. Georgiana and her husband, Jeremy, were spending the summer at his family estate on the Isle of Wight. Georgiana invited her to join them. The pair had a lot of catching up to do.

That was as far as she read. She didn’t want to be rude. She had a guest. Even if it was Graham.

The correspondence was returned to the pocket in her dress just as tea was being brought into the drawing room.

The footman brought the trolley and stopped it in front of them.

Just as stealthily, the young man in red and gold livery left the room, closing the door behind him.

Roxanne eyed the cart closely. There was cake, sandwiches, and more cake.

She recognized the latter as being seedcake, which she remembered was Graham’s favorite.

Obviously Cook remembered his fondness for her cakes.

She poured tea for both of them and handed the cup and saucer to Graham who was now sitting straight in his chair. He accepted the tea and set it down on the table in between them. She passed him a small plate with a piece of the seedcake, which he immediately began to eat.

“Your cook is to be commended. Her seedcake is the best I’ve ever tasted.”

“I remembered you liked it, and I’m sure she did as well. She used to give us a piece of whatever she might have baked that day. Always looking out for us. You and Arthur were growing young men, you know.”

“I’m sure,” he said, his mouth half full of cake. Instantly he reminded her of the boy from a long time ago.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door opening and Arthur walking in.

“Horrid day for a concert,” Arthur said as he stood next to the hearth to warm himself.

“It never happened,” Roxanne said. “We were rained out before it was time.”

“She’s right. It seemed anyone who was anybody was there. Even that old dragon, Lady Mulbury,” Graham added.

“I would love to know if she made it to her carriage or if she got rained on,” Arthur said with a cheeky grin.

“There were a lot of people scrambling to get out of the rain as we departed,” Roxanne said.

“Sounds like you two were the wisest, leaving as quickly as you did.”

“Yes, we were. Now, would you gentlemen excuse me while I go upstairs and change into something dry?” She eyed Graham. “Don’t dare leave before I return.”

“Yes, milady,” he said.

She hurried across the room and up the stairs to her rooms. She wanted to read Georgiana’s letter in detail in quiet.

She wasn’t damp in the least, but it offered a good excuse for her.

She’d not be found out either. She would change regardless.

First, the letter beckoned her. Roxanne sat at her dressing table and began reading.

Georgiana gave her a rundown on what was happening on the tiny island.

She invited her to come visit if it was possible.

Roxanne was sure that unless Arthur had something for her to help him host, she could go visit Georgiana.

Further into the letter, her friend shocked her with the news that they were expecting a child.

Travel this summer would be on a daily basis as she was miserable from being sick every morning, though she was hoping it would pass as quickly as it began.

Roxanne refolded the letter and placed it in a drawer until she could answer it.

She changed into a moss-colored cotton day dress.

Immediately she felt better, having to admit she may have been damper than she let on.

Returning downstairs, she found the drawing room empty.

Not to be deterred, she turned and made her way to Arthur’s study.

Knocking lightly on the door, she was summoned to enter.

Arthur sat behind his desk reading a paper. He looked up. “Graham said to apologize to you, but he had an appointment he completely forgot about. He’ll be in touch.”

“He said all that? Funny, he never mentioned having an appointment. He led me to believe he was free all afternoon.” She shook her head and sat down in the leather chair. “Of course, we’re talking about Graham, so this shouldn’t surprise me.”

“Must you always be so hard on him?”

“I haven’t even gotten started being hard on him. A gentleman would have waited or at least written a short note explaining the situation. Or he could have mentioned his so-called appointment before I went upstairs. He’ll never change. He’s still the arrogant prig I remember.”

“It must have been important because his valet came, handed Graham a letter, mentioned something to Graham. He left as soon as he finished reading the letter. So try and ease up on him.”

“I shall try,” she said.

What was it about the male sex that made them so insensitive to others? The aristocracy was the worst.