Page 1 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)

London, England

L ucius Ford, Earl of Blackthorn, stared at this reflection in the long, oval mirror as he tied his cravat for the remainder of his evening.

His valet, Horace, had done a better job of the task when Lucius had originally left his townhouse earlier, but this attempt would have to suffice.

He ran his fingers through his deep black hair to tame the locks into place, gave one last tug at the neckcloth to straighten the fabric, then reached over to a stool to pick up his jacket.

Satisfied he appeared presentable, he turned to gaze upon the woman who lounged seductively in her bed.

Mrs. Virtue Darling was just that… a darling of a woman and one who certainly knew what Lucius liked in bed.

She had been the perfect replacement for his previous mistress who had become demanding of his time, forcing him to end their association.

Virtue’s only desire was to please him, or so she said while lounging in his arms each time he came to see her.

She knew how to play the game well and he respected the fact that she didn’t spew flowery words of love and devotion.

Lucius had no patience for romance of any kind and certainly not for a mistress he had only just acquired.

Virtue gave him a smile of pure sin and if he didn’t have other commitments, Lucius just might have given in to her silent offer.

This woman knew what enticed him as she positioned her body in a provocative display of desire.

The sheet only covered her from the hip down while her blond hair cascaded forward over one shoulder in a pleasing wave of golden silk to hide one of her full, perfect breasts.

Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously in the candlelight of the room as if they spoke to him to rejoin her between the sheets.

She patted the empty space on the bed in an open invitation.

“Come back to bed, my lord,” she whispered, pulling back the sheet. “I promise I can keep you entertained far better than anything going on at your club tonight.”

He returned her grin as he strode closer to the bed. But instead of once again removing his clothing, he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “You tempt me, my dear, but alas I am bound to meet my brother this evening and I can no longer be delayed. I’m late as it is.”

He watched her pout as she quickly threw back the rest of the sheet in what he assumed was her attempt to change his mind.

His arms were soon filled with Virtue’s naked body.

He had to admit, he was again tempted by what she willingly offered.

She tossed back her hair and rose on the tips of her toes to press her lips against his own.

Before Lucius knew what she was about, she’d slipped her hand between their bodies to gently grasp his manhood.

“Your body tells me differently, my lord. Surely you can spare a few more minutes with me,” she whispered as she then molded her body into his own as the evidence grew to prove her point that he did indeed want her again.

Those expert fingers certainly knew how to gain his attention and for another second, he reconsidered.

No… He shook his head knowing he was late. Taking hold of her hand that was attempting to seduce him, he brought her fingertips to his lips. “Another time, Virtue,” he whispered, watching the flare of disappointment flash in her eyes.

She stepped back, clearly aware she should not push the matter.

Yes… she was that good. If her eyes had been green, she would have been the perfect woman for his tastes.

“Tell me you’ll be back soon so I will not languish here alone without you,” she purred sweetly as she looked over her shoulder to find a discarded silken robe that she slowly donned to draw his attention once more to that lush body.

He strode across the room heading toward the door. “I’ll send word in the usual manner,” he declared, without promising anything further before turning the knob and swinging back the door to exit.

“And I shall be here waiting, with open arms,” she answered in a rush as he left the room. Lucius had to appreciate that Virtue didn’t call boldly and loudly from room to room like some kind of bawdy house trollop but composed herself like a lady. He mused on it as he made his way downstairs.

He waited while the butler sent word for his carriage to be brought around.

When Lucius was handed his coat, he left Virtue’s townhouse and saw that his carriage was a couple of doors down as the curb was occupied with other vehicles awaiting their occupants.

The owners of these particular townhouses were well known with the men of the ton and the ladies were basically in the same situation as Virtue: widows who had fallen on hard times and needed a benefactor to fill the void of a husband who had at one time provided for them.

He began making his way down the walkway when another lady left her residence a few doors away and for a moment, Lucius admired the view after she left the porch that lit her silhouette.

Damn . Another blonde catching his eyes as usual.

He chuckled to himself, knowing he had a type .

Blonde hair and green eyes generally continued to be his downfall where his mistresses were concerned.

For the briefest instant, he wondered if his future wife—whoever she might be—might one day too, be another blonde.

Although there had been plenty of Society ladies after his title, none of them had held any interest beyond polite conversation. Marrying one of them was beyond his reasoning. But Lucius could certainly admire a beautiful woman who kept herself in the height of fashion.

His brow furrowed when he finally recognized the woman as none other than Mrs. Cassandra Vaughn.

While never formally introduced, Lucius thought it prudent to, at the very least, offer his thanks for the assistance the woman had provided when his friend Asher Tyler, Earl of Rowley, had become injured after a scuffle outside of the Lyon’s Den.

Now she appeared preoccupied with her attempts to put something in her reticule and apparently didn’t see his approach until she bumped right into him. He reached out to steady her even while she took hold of the lapels of his jacket to keep from falling.

“Good heavens,” she murmured, and her eyes went wide when she stared up into his face. “My lord! My apologies, my lord, for being so clumsy.”

He continued to hold her and although he couldn’t make out the color of her eyes in the darkness of the night, he had the notion they were green.

He shouldn’t be so aware of the woman he held close, not after being completely satisfied by another.

Yet still… something stirred within him that he certainly didn’t wish to acknowledge.

“My apologies for startling you, Mrs. Vaughn,” Lucius declared as he finally stepped back after reluctantly letting go of her trim waist. “I only wished to convey my thanks for your recent help with a friend of mine.”

She tilted her head to one side. “And who is your friend?” she asked softly.

“Asher Tyler.”

A small smile lit her face. “Ah, yes. The Earl of Rowley.”

He nodded. “You performed a great service to my friend by taking him in and ensuring he was seen to quickly by a doctor when he was injured.”

“I could hardly do otherwise, given he was beloved by my own dear friend, Patience.”

He should have remembered the details of her association with Asher’s wife.

He couldn’t help the furrow that formed on his brow.

Now that he thought of it, Cassandra Vaughn was also friends with Saxton and Wickes’s wives as well.

A brief thought flashed in his mind, wondering if their situations were all coincidental.

He shook off his thoughts of such a strange quirk before he tipped his head. “We haven’t been properly introduced. I am—”

“This little… interlude is hardly a socially acceptable introduction,” she began before continuing. “But I am well aware of who you are, Lord Blackthorn.”

“I suppose my name is well known to most everyone,” he said with a deliberately wicked grin.

“And your reputation, my lord,” she teased with a knowing smile as she nodded toward Virtue’s townhouse. “You’ve been well-known to frequent some of these townhouses in the past.”

He couldn’t help but groan in embarrassment. “I hope you’re not one to judge a man for his… taste in women,” he dared to say.

“Hardly, my lord, given that I, too, have made several mistakes in my past that I would like very much to put behind me,” she said as her expression changed to what appeared as sorrowful.

Despite the look of sadness briefly flashing across her face, he was more concerned with her words about her past. “You think I’ve made a… mistake … with Mrs. Darling?” he asked, unsure why this woman’s opinion of him mattered.

She gave a light laugh that sounded somewhat strained. “I am hardly one to cast judgement over another, my lord. Your personal life is none of my business.”

“And yet you still voiced an opinion—”

“About my own past,” she finished.

“I would not wish for you to think ill of me, Mrs. Vaughn,” he declared, wondering again why he was even bothering to justify himself to the lady.

“I cannot think ill of someone that I don’t know, Lord Blackthorn. That certainly wouldn’t be fair, now, would it?” she said with another small smile. She appeared to shake herself and gesture to the waiting carriages. “If you’ll excuse me, I was just about to join a friend for an evening out.”

With a bob of her head, she started to walk toward the carriage waiting for her. It looked oddly familiar. He followed her with the goal of assisting her in as a gentleman should, but when he opened the door, a gasp from inside drew his attention.

“Why, Lord Blackthorn. What a pleasant surprise,” a woman’s voice he knew all too well said from inside the darkness. The lady leaned forward, and Lucius knew any further private conversations with the lovely Mrs. Vaughn were at an end.

“Good evening, Mrs. Yates,” he said with a nod. What were the odds of him running into his ex-mistress? Emily appeared amused as she looked between him and the lady waiting to enter the carriage.

He cleared his throat and finally remembered himself and offered his hand to help her up onto the step. “If you’ll permit me, Mrs. Vaughn.” As she stepped up, he once again admired her. She was a lovely woman in form and face.

Even so, she said, “I appreciate your assistance and thank you, Lord Blackthorn, for keeping me from a very undignified fall.”

He couldn’t imagine a woman of such graceful movement could fall. “I could hardly consider myself a gentleman if I allowed such a happening.”

Once Mrs. Vaughn was seated, he shut the carriage door and watched as she nodded to him through the window, and lifted her gloved hand in a genteel wave.

He heard Emily call out to her driver. As the carriage rolled away into the night, Lucius went to his own conveyance to make his way to meet his brother at the Lyon’s Den.

He had a sudden feeling he was going to lose every bit of coin he had with him tonight.

Considering how the evening had changed with his brief meeting with Mrs. Vaughn and Emily, he should be listening to his inner voice and head home instead of continuing onward to the Lyon’s Den.

At least if he did, his purse might be heavier come the end of the evening.