Page 14 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)

A sked to wait in the garden by one of the Lyon’s Den bouncers, Lucius paced an area near a fountain with a marble statue of what he envisioned as a goddess.

Otherwise, he was alone with his thoughts with only the bouncer, Puck, standing at the entrance to the area to guard against unwanted visitors.

That Lucius was to have this entire area to himself made him wonder what Mrs. Dove-Lyon wanted from his next.

There shouldn’t have been any further stipulations to their original agreement.

He was in a foul mood, much to his regret.

Seeing Cassandra tonight in that deep green gown that matched her eyes even under her gold mask had stirred something in him that Lucius wished he could easily dismiss.

And when she had called herself the Green Fairy…

my God, how his heart had thumped in his chest. It was as if his previous words to his brother about catching the Green Fairy had come back to haunt him.

He certainly felt as though she had enchanted him.

If the Green Fairy truly was a symbol of liberation, then Lucius was on the edge of breaking free from his constraints.

He had never even had the opportunity to mention how lovely she looked before his so called “friend” Valentine swooped in to whisk the lady to the dance floor.

Lucius supposed it was for the best, especially if the Black Widow of Whitehall had plans for the two of them to marry, but still… for whatever reason which made absolutely no sense, he was jealous that Val had been the one to waltz with the woman.

Her light tinkling laughter at the entryway to the garden broke the spell of misery that was affecting his mood.

She excused herself from Val and gave a nod to Puck.

And then, there she stood not ten feet away, coming to an abrupt halt when she saw him.

He realized it must have appeared as though he was standing there as if waiting for her.

Perhaps he was, even as he told himself he wasn’t.

But then she gracefully strode closer and he bowed.

“Lord Blackthorn… I didn’t expect to see you here when I was summoned to the garden,” she said softly, tilting her head to one side as though inspecting him.

“Nor did I expect you, Mrs. Vaughn,” he answered, stepping forward to take her hand and kissing the air between her gloved fingertips. A totally proper thing to do when encountering a lady, but how he wished he could pull the fabric from her hand and feel her skin.

She looked around him to see if anyone else was present. “We’re alone?” she whispered, showing her concern.

“So, it would appear, but have no fear. You are safe with me,” he said, stepping back to give her space. And to keep himself from reaching to touch her again. “Mrs. Dove-Lyon sent you here, and she sent me,” Lucius announced, determined not to fall into the obvious trap.

Cassandra nodded and her mouth tightened under her domino mask as she looked past him to the far part of the garden. She pointed with her chin. “And she’s provided refreshments, apparently.”

Lucius turned to see a seating area where two rustic wooden chairs where arranged.

A round wooden table sat between them, holding two champagne flutes and a silver bucket where a bottle of champagne chilled.

Beyond that, there was a sort of chimney on legs in which a small fire was kindled merrily blazed.

A tiny whisp of smoke curled from its top.

It was enchanting and rather clever. A portable hearth!

“I’ve never seen one of those before. What is it?” he murmured.

“It’s a chiminea,” Cassandra answered, moving toward the little chimney as if entranced. “Rupert—my husband—told me about them. His family was in trade, you know…he had traveled and seen and sold many things. He’d always wanted one for our garden, but then…”

Her voice trailed off, and then she turned to him. “Sit with me? I mean… if you think it’s safe.”

“Safe?” He had no idea what she meant.

“For us. To just…well. I know it might cause a scandal, but there’s champagne.

If she called us both to be here, obviously she…

well. I think it would be all right. No one will see us to cause a scandal.

” She bit her lip. “It’s just… honestly, my lord, I feel like I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t at least sit in front of the chiminea.

For Rupert.” She paused, and then said in a cracked-sounding voice, “He would have liked this.”

Since she put it that way, he supposed it would be all right. Even as he knew Mrs. Dove-Lyon had summoned them and was clearly up to her matchmaking tricks, if the sole reason they sat together here was to honor the memory of her dead husband, then who was he to say no, but a cad?

After all, he couldn’t leave her alone. Anyone could come along and accost her. Like… Valentine. That settled it. “Very well, madam. Let’s.” He gestured to the chairs.

As she moved toward them, he realized perhaps Mrs. Dove-Lyon was providing them not with an opportunity for a triste but one for him to find out more about her past—and her husband’s brother.

What better way to do so than by providing the exact opportunity with an unexpected object from Rupert’s family’s past?

He wondered how she knew about it. She has spies everywhere, he decided. It was just like her to know everything. Even the tiny details of a person…

Cassandra settled into her chair with grace, like a queen ascending her throne.

The thought made a smile dance at the edges of his lips as he moved to stand before the table.

The heat from the little hearth warmed the backs of his calves as he reached for the champagne and proceeded to pop the cork.

“You’re very good at that, my lord,” she noted.

He decided now was not the time to tell her that he was good at many things.

Perhaps if he played his cards right, he’d be able to show her of his skills—in bed—at the end of this game.

But for now, his usual tendency to flirt was the wrong one.

He wanted to know more about her, not make her race away from him.

So, he silently nodded and filled their glasses.

He handed her one, then lifted his and moved to his chair.

As he seated himself, she raised her champagne in a toast. “To… old memories of people past, and new beginnings with people present,” she said.

He lifted his glass in turn. “Hear, hear,” he said, then sipped from his flute.

She set hers down and reached to remove her mask with a mutter about it being scratchy. He had to agree with her about that and removed his. They each placed them on the table next to the bucket holding the bottle.

Then they sat, she staring into the flames, probably lost in her memories, with him staring at her not sure how to proceed.

She was so lovely to look upon. It was hard not to reach for her.

Instead, he lifted his glass from the table and clutched it instead, as he wondered what Mrs. Dove-Lyon had thought might happen between them here.

Perhaps he should just be honest with her about mending her past.

“Were you informed that Mrs. Dove-Lyon has assigned me a task where you are concerned, Mrs. Vaughn?” he began, figuring he should get straight to the point.

“She did?” she gasped but there could be no mistaking the apparent look of interest sparkling in her green eyes. He hated the thought of snuffing out such excitement. She seemed to glow like a fairy working her magic.

“Yes. A business matter, nothing more,” Lucius replied and watched her face fall.

“I see,” she finally murmured before reaching for her glass again and taking another sip of her champagne. “And what, exactly, did Mrs. Dove-Lyon hire you for?”

At that moment, the lady in question entered the garden area and Lucius and Cassandra came to a stand after returning their flutes to the table. “I hired him to right the wrong where your inheritance is concerned,” Mrs. Dove-Lyon replied as she joined them by the fire.

Lucius offered the lady his seat and when both women had taken their chairs, he went to stand across from them with legs spread and his hands linked behind his back. “Mrs. Dove-Lyon is under the impression that your brother-in-law may have swindled you out of your husband’s money.”

Cassandra frowned. “That was a long time ago,” she declared softly.

The veiled head of the Black Widow of Whitehall nodded. “But still can be rectified after all these years if we can prove the matter.”

“Barlow said that Rupert had substantial debts,” she answered, gazing back and forth between the pair.

“Did you see the receipts?” Lucius asked.

“No. He didn’t give me time to look them over before he was tossing me out of my own home. If we were debt ridden, you would think I would have been aware that times were hard, but we never lacked for money that I can recall,” she answered thoughtfully.

Lucius nodded. “There may not be any money left for you to inherit then. Barlow could have also squandered it all. You had no one to turn to for advice?”

“I was very young and had no one to look into the matter, nor the funds to hire an attorney,” Cassandra said reaching again for her glass.

“Well, you have someone now and with the Earl of Blackthorn’s connections, he will be able to find out whatever may be buried in your past,” Mrs. Dove-Lyon proclaimed.

Cassandra shook her head. “Sometimes the past is better to remain buried.”

Lucius frowned. “If Barton Vaughn was executor of her husband’s will—”

Her head snapped up. “Oh, no,” Cassandra interjected with a worried frown. “Rupert never trusted Barton and would have never made him executor of his will.”

Mrs. Dove-Lyon stood. “That gives us enough suspicion for you to begin your inquiry, my lord. I will leave the two of you to continue to figure out the details, together.”

They watched the widow leave as quickly as she’d arrived before Lucius moved to stand before Cassandra.

“Since we were just toasting to our new beginnings, perhaps you would permit me to accompany you to the dance floor… unless you would like me to return you to Lord Carrington.” He held out his hand for her to take and when her gloved fingers slipped gently into his palm, he made every attempt not to bring her completely against his body.

The urge to do so was almost unbearable.

“I believe, Lord Blackthorn, I would like very much to dance with you,” she murmured softly as he tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow.

“And perhaps I may call upon you at the Saxton’s when I learn more details of your husband’s past,” he said as they moved out of their secluded grotto and toward the rear entrance.

“I should be there for some time still until I find a new residence. I will look forward to hearing what you may find out,” she replied as they entered the interior of the Lyon’s Den.

As luck would have it, another waltz began to play.

As Lucius swept Cassandra into the patterns of the dance, he began to rethink what he wanted in life and all because of a woman with sparkling green eyes who looked at him with such trust. He couldn’t stop himself from imagining the possibilities of what if …