Page 19 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)

L ucius paced his mother’s front parlor as he waited with his brother for her to join them.

They were to attend a ball this evening and she had asked for both men to accompany her.

But Lucius’s mind was elsewhere and attending any social event where he knew a certain woman would be only added to his frustration on how the past month had gone.

To tell himself that the last encounter he had with Cassandra at the Lyon’s Den had been a foolish blunder on his part was an understatement.

She may have been right when she had told him that his game was slipping.

He should never had asked her to become his mistress, but his better judgment had fallen away from him much like the lady herself had through his grasp.

He could hardly blame her. He had been a cad.

To imply such an offer the first time had been a huge mistake.

To repeat such a proposition was inexcusable.

Small wonder she hated him. No… not hated… was disappointed in him instead.

Perhaps that fact alone bothered him the most.

And yet, he still had a job to do in order to fulfil his debt to Mrs. Dove-Lyon.

Such an endeavor had become more difficult with the mixed emotions that consumed him each time he encountered Cassandra.

The more he had to be in her presence, the more he wanted to know more about this woman.

She was like a mystery he needed to solve as to why she held such a hold over him.

And this wasn’t just about her past and whether or not her brother-in-law had swindled her out of her inheritance.

There was a genteel grace about her that fascinated him.

Each time they met so he could learn more about her husband and brother-in-law, she handled the encounter as though nothing untoward had occurred between them.

He eyed the bottle of brandy on the sideboard wondering if he should pour himself a glass but then dismissed the idea.

He continued his pacing before he went to the window, pulled back the curtain, and stared out into the evening’s dark skies.

He hadn’t been idle this past month. There were always estate matters to see to along with his other gentlemanly pursuits.

More importantly, and after quickly coming to a decision, he had made a hefty payment to Virtue Darling and settled his accounts with his now ex-mistress.

She’d hardly seemed offended that he had ended their association so quickly.

He had then put all of his efforts and free time into learning more about Barlow Vaughn. What he had been learning about Vaughn made Lucius realize that this man would have wasted little time taking advantage of his brother’s widow.

Debts had plagued the man until he suddenly came into a substantial windfall; it was easy for Lucius to speculate on the origin of those funds.

It would still take some investigating to learn the full proof of the matter, but Lucius was committed to righting the wrong that had been done to Cassandra.

In fact, she might still be able to gain back what was taken from her, given that Barlow had certainly turned his life around after benefiting from his brother’s estate.

“Do sit down, Lucius. You’re making me dizzy with all this pacing,” his brother scolded from across the room.

Lucius hadn’t even realized he had left the window since he had been so deep in thought.

He finally gave in to the urge for a drink, went to the sideboard, and poured a small draught of brandy into a glass.

With a wave of the decanter toward his brother who shook his head no, he placed the bottle down, took up his drink, and downed it.

“Father would be appalled that you wasted a good brandy in such a manner,” Leopold said with a smirk.

Lucius shrugged. “Call it reinforcement for the coming evening.”

His brother nodded, then asked, “What has you so preoccupied of late? I’ve barely seen you at the clubs.”

Lucius took a seat opposite of his brother. “I’m working on paying off a debt.”

His brother’s laugh echoed in the room before he contained himself. “You? In debt? Is the world coming to an end?” Leopold teased with another annoying grin.

“Far from it,” Lucius muttered while thinking of the loss of losing Cassandra. “Maybe…”

“And exactly who do you owe such a debt to that has you so befuddled?”

Lucius ran his fingers along the nape of his neck before he finally answered, knowing he would never live this one down. “Mrs. Dove-Lyon.”

“Ha! I cannot believe it. And here you but recently were scolding me on my table choices while at the Lyon’s Den. Wait until our friends at White’s learn you were caught off guard.”

Lucius lifted one brow as if daring his younger sibling to actually go through with his threat. “And drugged.”

Leopold leaned forward. “Really?”

“Really,” he growled in irritation. “I am usually careful about the tables I play at and this one had been safe in the past. But there was something amiss that night. Even Valentine Pierce fell into the Black Widow of Whitehall’s clutches.”

Leopold slapped his knee in unsuppressed satisfaction.

“Glad to see I’m not the only one in this family to fall prey to the scheming going on at that unpredictable gambling establishment.

” He tilted his head. “It’s a good thing that one can win well at the Black Widow’s.

Her pots and games are better than anywhere else.

And the drinks are good—and cheap. Honestly, if it wasn’t for those amenities, I don’t know why anyone would frequent there. ”

“Still. I don’t like to be maneuvered into doing anyone’s bidding,” Lucius fumed even though in the end he hadn’t minded spending more time with Cassandra despite the reserved decorum that had formed between them.

“Even the mighty can fall,” Leopold said with another, more wicked smirk.

Lucius sighed, knowing how true his brother’s words were. “I suppose such a fall makes us human despite some of our attempts to put ourselves above others.”

“You mean those foolish mortals?” Leopold laughed.

“I am just as tempted to make mistakes as the next man, Leo. But you can remind me of my faults at a later time,” he answered honestly, before coming to a stand as he heard their mother’s approach.

“Both my boys in the same room together. Will miracles never cease?” Clara Ford said, coming into the room. She raised her cheek to receive a kiss from each of her sons.

“We could hardly ignore your summons, Mother,” Lucius drawled, feeling as though he was right out of the school room. It would never matter how old they got. In their mother’s eyes, Lucius and Leopold would always be children.

“And you’re both on time! Again… it must be a miracle,” Clara said, clapping her gloved hands. “Shall we go?”

They entered the foyer where a servant held out their mother’s cloak.

Leopold stepped forward. “Allow me, Mother.”

Once the garment was placed on her shoulders and the clasp done, she turned and patted her son’s cheek. “Such a good boy.”

Lucius rolled his eyes once his mother strode through the door and out to their waiting carriage. Once inside and on their way to the ball, their conversations turned to mundane gossip. Lucius ignored most of what was happening until his name was raised.

“Lucius! Have you not heard a word I’ve said?” Clara reprimanded him as though he were a mere child. “Pay attention.”

“My apologies, Mother. What were you saying?” Lucius replied, more out of respect for the woman who gave him life than for whatever she might have been complaining about.

“I asked if there was any woman who you were interested in this Season as a potential wife? I’m not getting any younger and Leopold can hardly marry first. I want grandchildren,” she said in a pleading manner.

And there it was … the dig that came with every conversation he had with his mother, of late, and the reason he stayed away from her as much as possible.

Her constant insistence that he wed was getting old, and he was tired of being reminded that he must eventually find a woman to make his bride.

A pair of mesmerizing green eyes came unbidden into his mind.

Lucius peered out the window. “Looks like we’ve arrived.” He stated the obvious as the carriage began to slow. Luckily, they wouldn’t have to wait for another to move from the front entrance to the manor or he’d have to listen more to his mother’s complaints.

“Are you ignoring me, Blackthorn?” she declared, already knowing his answer. The use of his title more or less set the tone of this encounter. She was more than miffed at him.

“I thought that would be evident, Mother,” Lucius declared as he opened the carriage door himself and waited for his mother to assist her as she stepped down and out.

He gave her his arm and walked to the steps.

Leopold followed. “We’re not done with this conversation yet, son,” she muttered before she plastered a fake smile on her face.

Leopold moved past Lucius and now he offered her his arm. “Leave him be for now, Mother. He has a lot on his mind of late and if you continue to pester him, you’ll find out how much he hates to be reminded he needs to marry. You won’t be seeing much of him if you continue.”

“You always side with him,” Clara whined before lifting the hem of her dress as they began climbing the stairs. “Why can’t you see my point that Lucius must marry first before you can?”

Lucius bent forward so their conversation would only be heard by the three of them.

“When I have news of who I might select for my bride, you’ll be informed.

In the meantime, I suggest we keep this conversation between ourselves unless you would like our name splattered all over the Teatime Tattler . ”