Page 11 of The Villain’s Vixen (Wanton Wastrels)
CHAPTER 11
L exie woke up to the sound of her windowpanes rattling and rain lashing against the townhouse. She lay in bed, staring at the canopy over her head, and released a heavy sigh. She had passed a sleepless night, but as much as she had attempted to get some rest, her body refused to cooperate. She kept thinking about Dominic and the danger he was in.
She pondered the possible reasons that might have tempted him to put himself in such turmoil. Surely he had to have known that attempting to live a double life as he had, eventually his luck would run out. But perhaps the problem had been that he didn’t care.
Her chest ached thinking that he thought so little of his own life that he was willing to sacrifice himself to save others. Did he enjoy playing the part of the martyr, or was there another reason that had caused him to invent Avalon?
The Duke of Cuthbert was certainly turning out to be a more complicated man than she had initially envisioned. She would be better off if she forgot him completely and turned to someone like the earl, a man who didn’t crave the chaos that Dominic obviously did .
And yet…
She closed her eyes, her body turning warm and languid as she recounted the passionate events that had transpired before Amos had arrived at the cottage. Her breathing deepened as she imagined Dominic there with her, flicking his thumb over the hardened peak of her breast. She could almost feel his lips on her neck, his hot breath speaking illicit words in her ear.
And she would never forget that wicked tongue…
She moaned lightly, her hand sliding beneath the coverlet. She pressed her palm against her mound and rubbed gently, but it wasn’t enough. Dreaming of Dominic being there was not the same as his actual presence.
Her hand fell away and her eyes opened in frustration. She didn’t know when she might see him again, and she wasn’t sure her patience would be able to last until she did. She desired him with a need like nothing she’d ever felt before. She had always known something dark and delicious lurked beneath the surface of her skin, and now that she had dipped her toes into the well of those secret desires, these feelings would not abate so easily.
Throwing back the covers, she slid her legs off the edge of the bed and decided it must be time for her to rise, although there was surely not much to look forward to on such a dreary day.
The thought had just slipped through her mind when the door opened and her maid rushed in looking quite harried.
“Jane? Is something wrong?”
“No, miss. Your aunt just wanted me to make sure you were up and made ready. Your father should be here shortly.”
Immediately, everything in Lexie’s brain came to a screeching halt. “My father is coming to London? But he hates town.”
“All the same, that is what I heard.” The maid removed a pastel yellow gown from the wardrobe and held it out for her perusal. “This has always matched your coloring quite nicely, and not everyone with light hair can manage to wear yellow so beautifully. ”
As Jane chattered on, Lexie was still trying to process why her father might be making the arduous journey to London, his words, not hers. The only times he would come to the city were to consult with his solicitor or other business that could not be taken care of through his estate manager.
Something very important must have prompted this sudden visit.
All at once the fine hairs on the back of her neck started to rise on end, as if warning of a dire prediction. “Is my aunt still in residence?”
“Yes, miss. She is in the morning room. Shall I send for?—”
Lexie grabbed her wrapper and donned it over her nightdress. “No need. I shall see her myself.”
The maid cast her a horrified look before Lexie padded downstairs on bare feet. Lexie had never roamed about the townhouse in such a lax manner, as she knew it wasn’t looked upon very kindly by her aunt. She believed that no one should leave their bedchambers unless they were properly attired. She might normally agree, but with this sense of foreboding tugging at her, Lexie decided she would risk her aunt’s ire this time.
Striding into the morning room, she found the silver-haired lady just where Jane said she would be. She was reading a local periodical, but Lexie didn’t waste any time in asking, “Why is father coming here?”
The paper was lowered and a critical frown followed when her aunt took in Lexie’s state of undress. She gave a sniff of displeasure but set aside the paper. “Good morning to you too,” she admonished. A dainty brow was lifted. “I asked your father to come to London to discuss your future and the prospect that you are about to squander. After the way you went galivanting around London without a proper escort yesterday afternoon, the threat to your reputation is the next step on the road to ruin. Since I would be failing in my duties as a chaperone should that happen, I have enlisted the assistance of your sire to convince you that a match with the Earl of Lindley is a solid one and worth devoted consideration. The earl will be joining us for supper this evening at which time your father will have the chance to decide for himself.”
By the time her aunt had finished, Lexie’s ears were buzzing. She could not believe what she was hearing. “You shall force me to marry the earl?”
“I will do no such thing,” her aunt returned sourly. “But your father might. I have given you several weeks to choose a suitor, and the earl practically dropped into your lap and yet you would ignore such a handsome man in favor of a life of spinsterhood?”
Lexie wasn’t sure there was anything wrong with being a spinster. All the unmarried ladies she’d met had never appeared that distraught with their fate, and yet, she was expected to marry for the sake of merely doing so. “I don’t love the earl.”
“Affection will come in time, and if it does not, that is not what unions are based on. They are utilized as a way to populate the earth as God intended and nothing more.”
She couldn’t believe her aunt actually accepted as truth that marriage was nothing more than a tool, like a rake or a hammer. To Lexie, it was the turning point to happiness or dismay. And while she did admit she admired the earl and he had some good qualities, he did not make her heart beat fiercely, nor was he the one she wanted with every fiber of her being.
A sudden idea bloomed in her mind, and although Lexie didn’t know if her plan would work or not, she had to try. “Would you be averse if I invited another potential suitor this evening?”
Her aunt’s interest immediately rose. “I didn’t realize someone else had come to call on you.”
She didn’t want to mention the duke’s name and have her aunt reject it out of hand, so she had to make sure she presented a convincing argument to get her consent. “I have long admired the Duke of Cuthbert, and while I know you are not favorable to him, he does hold a lofty title and wealth. Surely that carries some sort of sway, regardless of his reputation.”
Her aunt’s face turned stony. “Your father may not think so.”
“But he would be welcome to come and let father decide for himself which man he prefers?”
It took a moment for her aunt’s face to relax once more, but she finally relented with an irritated sigh. “If it will silence your insistence on the matter of the duke, an invitation shall be extended to him as well. I will ensure it is delivered this afternoon.”
Relief flooded Lexie, but it was short lived. She couldn’t be assured that Dominic could make dinner this evening if he was still tied up trying to locate his attacker. But she had to have hope that he would be there, or else all might very well be lost.
And to make sure her aunt didn’t go back on her word, Lexie returned to her chamber and penned a quick missive to Amos. If there was anyone who might be able to get a message to Dominic, it was him.
“Jane.” She handed the letter to her maid who was patiently waiting to assist her mistress. “Please see that this is delivered to the Crown & Sceptre by way of a private messenger boy.” As the maid reached for the letter, Lexie closed her hands over hers. “It must go with the utmost discretion. Do you understand?”
The girl nodded. “Yes, miss.”
As she left, Lexie leaned back in her chair at the desk and prayed that her fate wasn’t sealed just yet.
Dominic was roused by the sound of a slam of his office door at the Crown & Sceptre. His head shot up as his hand reached for the pistol on his desk where he’d finally passed out from a combination of drink and boredom.
He narrowed his eyes but when his focus became clear, he eased the grip on his gun. “Amos,” he grumbled. “Must you be so damned loud?”
“I have a missive for you from Miss Givenwald.”
Immediately, any last dregs of exhaustion faded as he snapped to his feet and took the letter that was handed to him. He ripped it open, expecting to read about a ransom note or something equally disturbing. As he scanned the few lines, he realized he wasn’t that far off the mark. “Bloody hell.”
“What is it?” Amos asked, concern lacing his tone. Dominic had to snort because it appeared that Lexie had already managed to sneak her way into Amos’s regard in a short amount of time, a feat that was near impossible for most.
“She requests that I attend a dinner at her aunt’s house this evening. It seems that her father will be in attendance, as will the Earl of Lindley, as a prospective bridegroom.”
Amos nodded. “Are you going to go?”
“How can I refuse under these circumstances?” He sank back down and shoved a hand through his hair. “This couldn’t have come at a worse time.” He looked at Amos. “I suppose since I wasn’t notified that nothing of import was discovered last night?”
“I’m afraid not. We have a few leads that the Blue Boys are looking into, but the man is good at covering his tracks.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m glad that you and Devon were able to keep yourselves entertained. I met him when I came in as he was stumbling out the door and holding his head and grumbling.”
“We were able to pass the time, yes,” Dominic said without any hesitation, but then he returned to the main topic at hand. Scrubbing a hand down his face, he added, “The last thing I wanted to do is cause more trouble for Alexandra and her family, but neither can I allow them to browbeat her into forcing her hand into marriage. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to investigate the sudden resurgence of the earl properly since I’ve been focusing all our efforts on our assailant. All I know is that Lindley’s father passed, he inherited the title, and came to London, apparently, to whisk Alexandra out from under me.”
Amos snorted. “I doubt that was his objective.” He lifted a brow. “But what happens if the decision comes to pass that she has to choose between you or him?”
“Then, of course, I shall win,” Dominic said firmly. “You know I don’t take defeat lightly when it is something I consider mine.” He frowned. “I will just have to ensure I am cautious this evening. Not only will I be taunting the criminal by returning to society, but that leaves everyone here vulnerable to attack should he decide to strike again.”
“There is no need to worry about us,” Amos said confidently. “I have things controlled here.”
Dominic walked over and clapped the other man on the shoulder. “I know you do. And once Devon is recovered, offer my apologies for the headache he will surely be nursing all morning.”
With that, he departed the pub, careful to take the long way to his current lodgings, where he grabbed a change of fashionable clothes that he’d stowed there. He normally waited until he returned to his townhouse to become the “duke” again, but he considered it best if he did so on the carriage ride there.
Careful to be more aware of his surroundings than before, Dominic hailed a hackney. By the time he arrived at his townhouse, he stepped down out of the hired conveyance and gained a surprised look from the driver. He tossed a guinea in his direction. “For your discretion.”
The man quickly tucked it away. “As ye wish, guvn’r.”
As the hackney rambled away, Dominic spied a man standing on the corner and recognized one of the Runners he’d hired to keep watch of his residence while he was away. Walking toward him now, Dominic saw the man straighten and incline his head respectfully. “Your Grace. Welcome back. I’m happy to report that there have been no changes. All has been quiet in your absence. ”
Dominic decided to omit the part where he’d been shot at in Whitechapel. It was no wonder things had been calm back in Mayfair. “That is good to hear. Continue your vigilance. It is needed now more than ever now that I’ve returned.”
“Of course.”
Satisfied that he would be alerted to any sign of trouble, Dominic intended to check in with the Runners who were watching over Lexie’s residence that evening. Surely he could find an opportunity to slip away unnoticed at some point. Perhaps when he claimed to use the necessary.
Heading for his study and taking care of a few things that needed his attention, Dominic sat back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. There was a time that he would have lived for this sort of danger, but there was too much at stake now. He was attempting to recover his ruined reputation, now more so than ever because he didn’t want to drag Lexie into the title of duchess where she would immediately face strife. She might believe that she could handle all of the whispers that came along with being the Duchess of Cuthbert, but his mother had faltered under the strain, which was why no one had seen her in public for nearly a decade. Although he vowed that he would not be the sort of wastrel that his father had been, he couldn’t pretend that his sire’s personality wouldn’t resurface now and then. It was bound to happen at some point or another because the same blood flowed through their veins. As much as he might not like it, Dominic had always known that. It was why he had allowed his baser urges to lead him for so long. Ironic that as soon as he’d made the decision to leave all his sordid past behind, it dug in those wicked clutches and refused to abate.
But he would prevail as he always had. He hadn’t become the leader of the Blue Boys by giving up and allowing defeat to reign supreme.
The same could be said for Alexandra and her family. He would prove that he was the man intended for her hand.
He isn’t coming.
Lexie paced the length of the front parlor as she waited for her aunt to tell her that the duke had sent his regrets. All afternoon she’d been on pins and needles, fearing that something terrible had befallen him or all the sweet promises he’d whispered to her had been fabricated. He would not be there to save her from her father’s harsh demands.
The Marquess of Singleton had yet to arrive, and Lexie had nearly convinced herself that she had been worrying for nothing, that her sire would decide it was too much of a nuisance to try to intervene, as he normally had when she was young and the governess had approached him with one complaint or another. From an early age, she had always been a troublesome child. Perhaps that is what she learned from being the result of an older woman who could not withstand a later in life child and a man who was weary of trying to father a son and when he was finally blessed with a baby, it was not what he’d been hoping for all those years.
That was another truth Lexie had grasped from a young age. She’d been a disappointment from the beginning because she had the wrong anatomy.
Her aunt slapped down the newsprint she had been attempting to read and said crossly, “Please stop that incessant pacing back and forth. You are making me dizzy.”
Lexie reluctantly flopped down in one of the chairs near the fireplace, which earned her a chiding glare from her aunt, but thankfully the lady kept her thoughts to herself with pursed lips.
A short time later, the sound of carriage wheels stopping in front of the townhouse had Lexie jumping to her feet and crossing the room to the window. Pushing aside the heavy drapes, she spied her father’s crest on the carriage door. Her heart managed to lodge itself in her throat. After all this time he still intimidated her because she felt as though she had to continue earning his regard.
She let the drapes fall back into place. “Father is here.”
“I suspected he would be here soon. Alexander was always prompt. It was a trait I admired most about him when he was courting my sister.”
They both waited patiently for the marquess to be announced. As her father entered the parlor, Lexie couldn’t help but notice how he didn’t look altered at all. He still retained the physique of his younger days, the result of being an avid sportsman and devoted rider. His hair was still dark except for the slight hint of silver at his temples. He held himself with all the air and confidence of a seasoned aristocrat, proof that nothing had changed. She waited while Bonnie greeted him formally, and then his gaze flicked to her. She looked for any sign of affection in his regard, but there was nothing save indifference. At least he acknowledged her, which had been a difficult task to accomplish for many years. “You look well, Alexandra.”
“Thank you, Papa. As do you.”
And that was it. That was their grand exchange of affection after a few months apart. She had no doubt that had it not been for her aunt’s insistence he come to London, he would have forgotten he even had a daughter until it was time to attend the wedding and sign the dowry over to her husband.
“What time is dinner?”
“In an hour,” Bonnie replied factually. Apparently, she was aware of the marquess’s cool demeanor as well. “Would you care for some port while you wait?”
He took a seat on the settee. “No, thank you. I just want to meet the prospective suitor for my daughter and return home.”
“Are you not weary from your travels?” her aunt asked. “I had one of the guest rooms prepared?—”
“I will have to return to my estate this evening,” he returned in clipped tones. “I’m a very busy man. ”
Lexie wanted to laugh at that, but she dared not express her true opinion for fear of risking his wrath. Or worse yet, his complete intolerance. But while he was dedicated to being fully immersed in his ledgers, he always made time to visit some of the local widows. No doubt he wanted to return to ensure that his bed didn’t grow too cold.
She hated how bitter that sounded, but she wondered if he ever truly mourned her mother’s loss, or if he decided it was another aspect of a disappointment in life and ensured that he was kept well satisfied in all other matters.
“Of course.”
At the sound of more commotion outside, Lexie’s heart gave a flip, but when the earl was announced, she had to force a smile on her face as he entered the room.
He was as cordial as always, of course, and bowed over her hand in greeting. He did the same to her aunt and when he was introduced to her father, it was obvious he did not break character even when the marquess immediately set to questioning him about his family and his status in society. To some, the directness of his queries would have been construed as bold, if not downright rude, but it didn’t faze Lindley. Her aunt appeared pleased by the encounter, and Lexie could feel her stomach churning with nerves. This was not how she had wanted this evening to start.
She kept glancing at the clock and wondered if she had told the duke the correct time, but she was sure that she had done so. However, with each minute that passed, her hopes were starting to crash against the rocks like a giant wave of destruction. He really wasn’t going to come.
“The Duke of Cuthbert.”
Immediately, her spirits brightened and Lexie rose to her feet as the man who had tormented her thoughts since the previous evening strode into the parlor. He was breathtaking in his black and white finery, but she knew that he looked equally compelling in simple attire as well. He had the air of authority around him that could not be denied, the look of both predator and prey.
Her gaze was the first one he caught when he entered and he dared to give her a consolatory wink. It was quick, a simple flash, but she caught it and her heart soared.