Page 6 of Just About a Rake (Ladies Who Dare #5)

T he newspaper slammed onto the dining room table, and a furious finger jabbed at the bold print sprawled over the paper. “ Lady Leonora and the Infamous Earl of Dare Caught in a Bird Scuffle ,” Heart growled with eight parts fury and two parts disgust.

Well... Leonora bit her lip to keep amusement from spilling over. She had expected some version of events to make the gossip rags. She should probably be less delighted, but her moment with a rake and a bird was now immortalized in ink. How marvelous.

Another paper slammed over that one.

“ Feathered Fiasco: A Lady, a Rake, and a Parrot Pique !”

Dear me.

Another paper slammed down.

“ Plumage Pandemonium .”

Honestly . . .

Another paper.

“ Beak Versus Brocade .”

Leonora grimaced as her brother’s fury rose with every paper. “I understand, Heart.”

“Do you?” Another paper. “ Winged Warfare .”

What could she say? “They are certainly witty with their headlines.”

“Witty?” Heart’s face had thunder on it. “What about this is witty? It’s a damn disaster.” He stabbed the latest paper with a finger. “ A Lady and a Rake Embroiled in an Unlikely Avian Affair !”

Avian affair? She bit back a laugh. “Honestly, Heart, no person in England will take this seriously.”

“Do you imagine anyone cares if it’s true or not? This will ruin you, Leonora. You are ruined .”

She scoffed. “Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not ruined. I’m fodder for entertainment, that is all.”

“How the hell can you say that with a smile?”

She locked eyes with Heart’s stony gaze. “Because it’s all rather amusing. Besides, I’m only ruined if I act ruined. Then people will respond accordingly. If I don’t act ruined, I won’t be ruined.”

“What horrifying logic is that?”

“Weren’t you there?” Leonora countered with a smile. “It’s not like Dare and I were caught in some indiscreet act. We were in a ballroom crowded with people.”

“That doesn’t matter. It says you were entangled with each other.”

“Now that is utter nonsense. At most, I used the earl as a crutch when I lost my footing.” Though in truth, she had never lost any footing. Maybe one or two heartbeats, though. “I suppose we shall see soon enough.”

His eyes narrowed. “See how?”

“There is an event at Brimfield Park at the lake. Unless it’s raining, it should still be on.”

“You cannot be serious,” he growled. “You plan to attend this event?”

“Why not? It’s the perfect place to act normally.”

He shoved the papers to her. “Do you need more reason than these papers? It’s a bad plan. I forbid it.”

“Your anger is clouding your head, Heart.” She picked up a paper. “This is exactly why I should attend. To show the world how unaffected I am.”

“Yes, you seem quite so.” His eyes bore into her. “ Are you unaffected?”

Well, if amusement counted as affected, then no. But looking at Heart’s red-patched face, it was probably better not to mention that or he truly would bar her from attending. She settled for a question. “What reaction are you looking for, Heart?”

“A normal lady would be in tears.”

“What can I say?” She grinned at him. “I am not normal.” It was hardly surprising—the whole family was not normal. And honestly, it was hard enough not to burst into peals of giggles just thinking of that parrot and Dare’s soiled jacket without having to pretend to be normal on top of it.

“I’d be so much happier if you were.”

“Why?” Leonora challenged calmly. “If you focused more on your own life, you wouldn’t need to pin your happiness on mine.”

“You are my sister.”

“I am your family ,” she countered meaningfully. Not that he would ever catch onto the meaning, daft man. “I’m also a woman, which means if I marry, I leave this house. And guess what, Heart, you would still be here—alone with no one to fuss over. Which is rather distressing for a man your age. Hence, you should focus on yourself and pay less attention to me.”

“When you marry, I shall too.”

And he questioned her logic. “Why wait?”

“You need me to answer that?”

She shrugged. “In any event, there are no suitable matches for me at this time.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at her. “What constitutes someone suitable for you?”

“Someone more like me than not.”

His gaze turned dull. “What the blazes do you mean by that?”

“You truly are hopeless, Heart,” Leonora said exasperatedly. “Should I spell it out? I want a man who is more like me character-wise than he is the exact opposite. I am afraid there are not many prospects this season.”

“Because you are being difficult.”

She shrugged again. “I am what I am.”

“Words no man wants to hear.” He gave her a vexed look. “What about Lord Turnberry? He asked you to dance the other evening. A waltz, as well.”

She curled her lip in distaste. “He is the exact opposite of me.”

“Mandeville?”

“Too opposite.”

“I saw you laughing with the Duke of Calstone.”

“ Polar opposites.” Well, not exactly, but Heart didn’t need to know that.

His look turned sour. “Look inside yourself, Leonora. Do you truly believe there is a man the same as you?”

One did come to mind. A certain earl who was so handsome even the parrots flocked around him. But while it was true they were similar in many ways, he didn’t count. Not in terms of marriage—a topic she wanted to nip in the bud. She regarded her brother and smiled sweetly. “Why, yes, dear brother. You.”

His face slackened. “What?”

“I wish to marry a man,” her smile widened, “ just . . . like . . . you .”

“No.”

No hesitation whatsoever. How intriguing. “No?”

“You can’t marry a man like me.”

“Why ever not?” She cocked her head to the side. “Is there something wrong with you? Are you not the quintessential man about town? Normal lord of the realm? Also, aren’t we so alike?”

“No, no, and no. And don’t ask questions you are not prepared to hear the answers for.”

She propped her chin on her hands. “I am very prepared or I would not have asked. Unless you are the one not prepared to answer.”

“Your impudence is not appreciated.”

“Well, that is certainly nothing new. It also won’t stop me from giving it.”

“ Well , I shall give you something in return: a warning. Stay away from Dare.”

“And what if I don’t want to?” She definitely didn’t.

His jaw clenched, and she swore his eyes turned darker. “Then are you saying he is the same as you? Dare? A libertine with a reputation black as night?”

“He wasn’t born that way,” Leonora pointed out. “But he is closer to being the same as me than Mandeville, Turnberry, or Calstone.”

“Horseshit.”

“Such foul language.” Her gaze lowered to the dark circles beneath Heart’s eyes. He didn’t seem to be sleeping well these days. And he’d appeared no more well-rested when she’d glimpsed his face last evening as he caught sight of the duchess right before he dragged Leonora from the bird spectacle. She’d also seen the way he did not look at the duchess, which had seemed more obvious—at least to Leonora’s eyes—than the moment when he had looked at her.

Heart . . .

The duchess . . .

What story was between these two people?

Leonora wanted to question him but refrained. She’d heard the rumors about her brother, noticed the looks some women cast him. Heart had been a rake in the past. She could be wrong, but it could explain his harsh aversion to Dare—he could simply dislike the man as a visible reminder of his own checkered past.

“In any event,” she pushed back her chair and rose to her feet, “I must get ready for the park. Harriet will pick me up later. Shall you be joining us?” Heart at a picnic in a park. The idea seemed so wholly out of place it brought a smile to her face. Probably because she’d never witnessed such a thing in all her life.

“Saints, no.”

Leonora lifted a brow. “Not even to chaperone me?”

He waved her comment aside. “Go and prove your unaffectedness to the ton with your friends. Send for me when it blows up in your in that pretty face of yours. I shall be waiting on pins and needles.”

Leonora chuckled.

The duchess would be there. Another chance to observe her and their supposed mutual likeness. “In any case, I am also attending in hopes of being introduced to someone,” she murmured to her brother.

He glanced at her curiously. “Who?”

“Oh, no one you’d know.” According to you.

“Why am I feeling suspicious all of a sudden?”

“Perhaps your conscience is bothering you.”

His eyes narrowed. “My conscience? What the hell would give it cause to, pray tell?”

“I don’t know, Heart. Perhaps you can tell me?” Confess all the secrets you’ve been keeping from me.

His gaze narrowed to two slits. “You are hiding something from me, aren’t you? What are you up to?”

She had to applaud his sixth sense. “Nothing too nefarious, I assure you. I am merely doing what I do best—enjoying each moment life has to offer. And, in a sense, I am also trying to find my place in this world.”

“You already have a place.”

Yes, but that place was rather precarious. “I do not expect you to understand.”

Heart gave her a flat look. “I might understand more than you can imagine. I also don’t understand many things. Oh, this is driving me mad. You are doing it on purpose to vex me, are you not?”

She chuckled, observing the fine lines marring his temple. What burdens did those lines carry? She didn’t want to add to them, but she continued to find herself more and more curious, especially after Heart’s reaction last night. It couldn’t be a coincidence that Heart and the marchioness had become so restless so suddenly after the duchess returned to London. Leonora was twenty this year—a good age to be entrusted with the family secrets, no?

“Not on purpose, no,” she told him. “And I’m not up to anything much, though I do have a secret,” she admitted.

“Is it about a man?”

Both her brows sprung up. “No.”

“Well then, I’ll pass on whatever little female secret you are harboring.”

Honestly! “I wasn’t offering to tell you, you beast! I was merely being reassuring.”

He gave her a knowing look. “Well, be that as it may, it’s fine. We all have things we keep close to our hearts.”

“True.” She raked a glance over him. “So long as whatever you are keeping so close to your heart doesn’t blacken it.”

He inclined his head. “Valuable insight.”

“In any event, I hope to see you at the picnic.” Perhaps she could observe the duchess’s reaction to Heart this time.

“Don’t count on it.”

*

“ Who is here?” Dare lifted his gaze from the ledger before him, frowning at his footman. He must not have heard the man right. After that damn parrot had shat all over his jacket last night, he had found it prudent to pour over account ledgers this morning to shake free from the damn horror that had befallen him.

Now, another potential horror awaited him in the form of this unexpected caller.

“The Duchess of Crane, my lord.”

Why the devil was she here? He glanced at the clock. Did this have something to do with Drake? Did that warrant a visit?

“Where is she now?”

“The receiving room, my lord.”

Dare rose from behind his desk and strode from his study. He drew to a halt in the doorway of the receiving room as the duchess entered his line of sight. She wore a day dress of black silk covered by a black coat, and light-blue eyes stared back at him when she turned, a look that very much reminded him of a certain flirt.

He considered the woman.

It wasn’t just her eyes. It was the slight arch of her lip, the soft outline of her face. She could have been the very image of Leonora in her youth had her hair been light brown instead of black woven with strands of gray.

This woman . . .

She must be connected to the Hearts.

“My lady,” Dare spoke up, striding into the room. “What brings you to the halls of my humble home?”

She rose from the sofa and he motioned for her to sit back down, taking a seat of his own. She inclined her head and settled in again. “Humble? Not notorious?”

Dare half-heartedly hooked up the corner of his lips. “If you are looking for a quick tussle, I’m not in the mood.”

Her eyes flashed, unimpressed. “Does common courtesy not mean a thing to you?”

Dare shrugged. “Are you showing me any by calling on me when we’ve not even been introduced?”

“A fair point,” she said, lifting her chin. “I suppose I cannot expect much, given my uninvited presence. So I shall try to match your bluntness.”

“Please do.” Her presence in his house didn’t sit well with him. Any person could draw the wrong conclusion if this visit ever got out.

“Judging from your earlier comment, I presume I’m not the sort of woman you prefer.”

Why the hell would she ask that? “It’s true, I prefer a woman with a bit more color.”

She gave a thoughtful nod. “Like the lady in your scuffle with the bird?”

Mentioning Lady Leonora... interesting. “Quite right. She is the colorful type of bird I prefer.”

The duchess stared at him. “She is an innocent lady.”

“I’m sure she will be ecstatic at your concern.” Dare cocked his head. “Why are you concerned over that lady?”

“My concern is for a young woman who still needs to find a good match, and nothing good will come of Lady Leonora consorting with you.”

How damn presumptuous, madam. Interesting, though, that she knew who Lady Leonora was. Just when he thought the plot couldn’t thicken any more. “Consorting? We are friends.”

A small brow arched. “Friends? You must think I’m a fool.”

“You must think I’m a fool as well, calling on me to warn me off a lady I am well aware you have not met.”

Her jaw flexed, but she remained silent.

“Is this the only reason you are here?”

She lifted her chin. “I believe you are also acquainted with Drake Fury.”

Dare crossed one leg over the other. “You already know this.”

She stared him down, and he could not begin to fathom what she might be thinking. The only thing she might not be certain about was whether Drake had his backing or not.

“Yes,” she finally answered. “He is your cousin.”

Dare inclined his head. “Has he done something to offend you?”

“That is between me and him. To put it bluntly, my lord, I’m here to caution you against stepping into my family matters.”

“Is that so?” Dare sat back and rested his hands on his legs. Since Drake hadn’t informed him of the finer details of his strife with the duchess, and Leonora hadn’t informed him of her connection at all, he had only half the knowledge he needed to be carrying on this conversation. It was quite annoying, but he was also intrigued by this visit.

“I trust you understand what I’m asking.”

Not a bloody clue. Was she warning him against the deed Drake wanted or warning him against getting involved with Lady Leonora? “Of course.”

The footman appeared by the door. “My lord, you have another caller.”

Dare glanced at the man. “Who is it this time, Graves?” The pope? Prinny? At this point nothing would surprise him.

“Lord Heart.”

Well, now. He took that back . This was interesting. And deuced surprising.

The duchess’s head whipped to the door, visibly flustered, and Dare’s grin lifted from ear to ear. “Send the good Heart in.” He looked at the duchess, arching a brow. “Seems I am to receive an earful of warnings this morning.”

The duchess rose to her feet. “I shall take me my leave.”

“Why?” Dare asked. “You and the good fellow seem to have something in common—your concern for his sister, Lady Leonora.”

Heart strode into the drawing room and jerked to an abrupt halt when his gaze fell on the female occupant. Dare settled back more comfortably, observing the two. “I gather there is no need to introduce you.”

Heart’s usual scowl didn’t form.

“We’ve met,” the duchess said. “A long time ago. Twenty-one years ago, I believe.”

Heart said nothing, just stared at her.

“Heart.” Dare’s gaze drifted to the newspapers in the man’s hand. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

Heart seemed to break out of his reverie and marched over to slam the papers into the table. “I am here to warn you.”

Dare wanted to laugh. “Away from your sister, I presume?”

“Yes,” Heart grit out. “Who the hell else?”

“Why? It’s not my intention to harm her.”

“No? Every word you engage in with her harms her.”

His thumbs twitched. “Tell me, Heart. Are you sure you aren’t looking at me and seeing everything you loathe in yourself?”

The man’s face drained of color before heat rushed back. He hesitated, his gaze flicking between him and the duchess, his jaw clenching hard. “I see your preferences haven’t changed over the years.”

Dare’s eyes grew wide. Was he talking to the duchess?

“How apt of you to notice,” she returned, unnaturally calm.

Heart’s face darkened before he swung that dark look over to Dare. “Leonora has a bright future ahead. You will do nothing but ruin it for her.” His gaze flicked to the duchess again before reverting. “I don’t have to spell out the reasons why.”

“You don’t.”

“Good, I’m glad you’re not playing the simpleton with me. A man like you should know to stay far away from a girl like her.”

It was a good point. A point Dare had been questioning himself on quite a lot lately, but not one he was willing to dissect with her brother and a woman whose identity was shrouded in mystery. Even so, it rather went against his nature to simply agree, didn’t it?

“Lady Leonora is no longer a girl.” Dare slowly rose to his feet.

“Compared to you, she is.” Heart stepped up to him, his face full of contempt, and uncomfortably close. They were about the same height, so they stood eye to eye, nose to nose. “Stay away from Leonora.”

Dare flashed him a smile. “Wouldn’t it just be easier to demand this from your sister? Tell her to stay away from me?”

At Heart’s contorted face, Dare’s smile turned knowing. “Unless she doesn’t want to stay away, does she?”

“You damn blackguard. Don’t provoke me” Heart’s voice was low, tight with barely controlled rage.

“I’m not doing anything.”

“Not doing anything? Is it your intention to ruin my sister?” Heart bit out through clenched teeth.

“That’s never been the case.” Ever.

“Then what the hell is the case?”

Dare shrugged, slow and deliberate, his eyes never leaving Heart’s. “Like I said before, her presence brings a bright light to dreary balls. Neither of us has any wish beyond that.”

“How can you claim such a thing with a straight face?” Heart jabbed a finger at the newspaper. “Have you read those titles?”

“I have not,” Dare admitted. Knox, however, had taken much joy in reading them to him first thing this morning.

“Then read them,” Heart growled. “And if you don’t stay away from my sister, I won’t hesitate to step in.”

“Like you are stepping in now?”

“Correct, only you won’t like what I do next.”

A throat cleared, and both men turned to the duchess they had forgotten about. “Violence is rarely the answer. That being said, I shall take my leave.”

Heart took a step back and dusted off his jacket. “No. I was the one that interrupted your”—his disapproving gaze flicked over them—“whatever this is. I shall take my leave.”

Dare arched a brow.

“You didn’t interrupt anything,” the duchess hissed like a cat that had encountered a big, burly dog.

“It’s none of my business,” Heart said, casting one last warning glance in Dare’s direction before striding from the room. The duchess stared after the man, before she too marched from the room without a by your leave.

Dare had only three words for this damn encounter.

What the hell?