Submitting to His Lordship (3 page)

Gradually, sessions in Parliament, a passing courtship with the daughter of a Duke, and a trip to Bath with Lucille, his younger sister, did force the memory of Miss Herwood to recede. But when he heard a friend mention the gaming hall that he knew Miss Herwood to favor, he could not resist seeing if she was still there. He wondered if she had kept the ivory elephant he had gifted her in their last and only correspondence since their affair, but Miss Herwood was not a sentimental woman. He had quickly gathered that her financial situation had not changed since last they met.

His steward interrupted his reverie. “A letter from Miss Rockwell, your lordship.”

Breaking the seal, Halsten scanned the contents of the letter. In between reprimands of his cruelty for leaving her with their Aunt Sophia and lamenting the tedium that would surely send her to an early grave, Lucille alternately scolded him and begged him to allow her to come to London.

“You treat me as you would a child,” she had complained upon his last visit.

“And I will continue to do so until you are happily married to a man who can provide for you,” he had responded without lifting his eyes from the newspaper.

“A more ruthless guardian could not be had than mine own brother!”

Shaking his head at the memory of her words, Halsten cast the letter onto his writing table. He knew he could not keep her long from London. She had already had her come-out last Season, but he knew her primary interest in London at the moment was a young man named Wilson. It was an unsuitable match, and he was quite disappointed with Sophia for having allowed the friendship between the two to occur. Distance and time would cool their interest.

If only the same could prove true for him and Miss Herwood.

* * * * *

The winnings from last night’s game of brag with Lord Rockwell remained in Deana’s purse for she had not wanted to touch them. She had no desire to keep his money, but her more frugal side would not allow her to indulge her anger by tossing the winnings. Did he think that because she had accepted his first proposition—an acceptance under duress, no less, given her need to alleviate her financial distress—that he could waltz into the gaming hall and proposition her as if she were his mistress?

But she was as indignant with herself, for a part of her
wanted
to accept his invitation. Still cross the following day, she took herself to the gaming hall once more despite her decision not to return for some time. She reasoned that another evening spent at the gaming hall meant avoiding her mother and aunt and their constant laments. It had not at all to do with one patronizing baron.

He was not at all the reason she had put on her best frock. The bright blue with lace trim at the décolletage lent color to the dullness of her hair and plain brown eyes. Though mostly parsimonious with her rouge and powder, she paid more heed to the ample use of cosmetics to draw attention to the few features she considered fine: her high cheekbones and unblemished complexion.

Her luck that evening proved unexceptional. She won at brag and lost at piquet. All the while she would glance at the entry of the card-room, wondering if Lord Rockwell would make an appearance. The bottle of port tempted her throughout the evening, but she was mindful of Lord Rockwell’s admonishment. She had no wish to provide him another opportunity to reprove her.

She was in the midst of a run at faro when Rockwell appeared. She fumbled her chips. Though Miss Walpole was quick to approach him as the page assisted him with his hat and gloves, he made no secret that the object of his gaze was one Deana Herwood. He did not look pleased. Deana wondered if she had offended him. No doubt accustomed to women flattered by his propositions, he must have taken exception to her rejection of him.

“I think I shall take a respite,” she informed the other players before taking her leave.

She went to the dining hall to gather her thoughts. Of course she could not hide from him all evening. What if he intended to frequent the gaming hall with regularity? A distressing thought indeed. What would she do then? Patronize another gaming hall? But why should she forsake her grounds to him? She would simply have to find a way to ignore him, a task she knew to be easier said than done. Picking at the food upon her plate, she wondered why she had ordered beefsteak when she knew she had no appetite?

“May I?”

As she was sitting, Lord Rockwell seemed to tower over her. He was alone with no Miss Walpole in sight. He had a hand upon the back of the chair opposite her, and she could not help but admire his long deft fingers. Those fingers had once fondled her most intimate parts in the most delectable manner...

Snapping her attention away from his hand, she replied, “As you wish, but I am nearly finished here.”

He eyed the uneaten beefsteak, potatoes and turnips. Without word, he took a seat at the small table. He ordered a Madeira. She should have rebuffed his request to join her. Alas, she had not her best wits in his presence.

“I am sorry to have offended you, Miss Herwood.”

She blinked several times. Though she merited his apology, she had not expected a man of his standing would offer it to someone like her.

“Indeed,” she answered, unsure of how to handle the surprise as she mindlessly moved the vegetables around on her plate.

“I had thought, perhaps mistakenly, there to have been favorable sentiments from our last proposition.”

She looked him square in the eyes. “My lord, that was a year ago. Do you suppose I have little more to attend than to wait for you to appear at a moment’s notice to proposition me?”

He bristled. “Of course not.”

“Hmmm. I am not entirely convinced,” she murmured.

His brows shot up, but then he met her grin. “Careful, Miss Herwood.”

There was a salacious quality to his warning, and she decided further conversation would not prove safe. She rose to her feet. “I appreciate and accept your apology, Lord Rockwell. Shall we be friends?”

She extended her hand as an olive branch. He looked at it, took it in the warm grasp of his long fingers, and brought it to his lips. She nearly gasped. The kiss was brief, but her whole body lit up. Her heart palpitated twice as fast.

“Friends, Miss Herwood.”

She smiled wanly, then left the dining hall as quick as she could for she doubted she could put two words together. She paused in a deserted hallway and forced herself to take a deep breath.

A page came up to her. “Pardon, miss, be you Miss Herwood?”

She nodded.

“This come by courier.”

He handed her a small note and left after receiving his tip. Deana opened the note. It was from her Aunt Lydia bidding her to come home for Adeline had fallen gravely ill.

Chapter Three

“NERVES,” THE DOCTOR EXPLAINED. “Has she been under strain or duress?”

Deana glanced through the open bedroom at door at her mother, who lay in bed with eyes closed, a furrow upon her brow.

“Nothing more than customary,” Deana replied. “She seemed well enough yester evening when I left. Though we did have that visit from the collector this morning, I wonder that would be all? Aunt Lydia?”

Her aunt kept her gaze lowered. “We did receive a notice by courier—just after you had left, Deana. If the rent is not received within a sennight, we must seek other accommodations.”

Deana paled. “But I thought we had been granted a stay?”

Lydia shook her head. “Your mother received a letter last week that we have exhausted the reprieve. If we do not pay all that is owed, we shall, in short, be thrown out.”

“How did I not know this?”

“Your mother wanted your attentions focused, er, elsewhere.”

“This is grave indeed,” the doctor said. “Your mother is in no condition to be moved. Have you no funds at your disposal?”

It would take an incredible streak of luck at the gaming hall to amass the amount needed. They had long since exhausted the kindness of family, mostly distant, and friends, which had grown fewer and fewer. She knew of only one man for whom the sum would be no hardship. Perhaps Lord Rockwell would take pity upon her once more, but how could she expect his generosity when she had rebuffed him the other night? She doubted she had the courage to approach him. The thought of asking for his charity made her cringe inside. Pride won over pragmatism.

“I am sorry for your circumstances,” the Doctor said, “but to keep from worsening your mother’s state, you must not cause her further distress.”

“What are we to do?” Lydia cried, wringing her hands, after the Doctor had left.

“Fear not, a solution will avail itself,” she assured her aunt.

But she very much doubted her own lie.

* * * * *

Putting down his pen, he leaned his head over the back of his chair in his study and closed his eyes. He did not like the consternation he felt. He would do well to forget Miss Herwood—as he had intended a year ago. She had made it clear she wanted nothing beyond a chaste friendship with him. And it was just as well. He had a duty to Lucille and the barony. Perhaps it was time he renewed his efforts to seek a wife.

Yes, he would forget Miss Herwood once and for all this time.

“Miss Herwood, my lord.”

Halsten sat at attention to face his steward. “Pardon?”

“A Miss Herwood is here to see you.”

“Show her in.”

He strode to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of sherry. This was most unexpected. Remembering how discreet she had been with her first visit here in the dead of night, he wondered what could have brought her to see him in the light of day?

“Lord Rockwell.”

He turned to see her standing at the threshold, the veil of her bonnet pulled low over her face, but he could make out her bottom lip. The thought of taking that mouth in his warmed his loins. He threw back the sherry.

“Miss Herwood.”

He noticed the tight manner in which she clutched her reticule.

“May I offer you a glass of port?” he asked.

Her mouth quirked to the side. “I thought you disapproved of my drinking?”

“When done to inebriation.”

“I seldom...It would seem you are witness to the moments when I have become a
little
intoxicated. A coincidence, I wonder?”

She was mocking him. The imp. He suppressed a smile.

He gestured for her to take a seat upon the settee. “To what do I owe this pleasure, Miss Herwood?”

Hesitating, she took a deep breath. Her bosom rose, and the image of her breasts trussed between his ropes flashed in his eye.

Still standing, she replied, “I came to discuss your invitation.”

He wanted to close the distance between them and lift the veil to reveal her face, which he would cup between his hands, tilting her mouth up so that he could descend upon it and cover it whole. Instead he continued to stand next to his armchair, patiently waiting for her to elaborate. He had already begged pardon for his transgression. Surely she did not come all this way to seek further apology?

“I am, perhaps, possibly,” she continued, “interested, rather, amenable, to accepting the invitation to the Chateau Faux.”

Her voice had lowered but he had strained and heard every word.

“Chateau Follet,” he corrected. What had initiated this turn of events?

“That is, if you are still extending the invitation?”

Her obvious anxiety tugged at something within him. She had a tight grasp upon that reticule of hers.

“Sit, Miss Herwood.”

She did not move.

“Please,” he added more gently.

She sat herself on the edge of the settee as if she might need to leap to her feet at any second. He seated himself across from her.

“The Chateau Follet is also known by its guests as the Chateau Debauchery,” he explained and studied her for her reaction, but it was difficult to determine whilst the veil remained over her face. She did not flinch, so he continued. “Madame Follet is the hostess. Her late husband was acquainted with the Marquis de Sade.”

“Ah,” was all she said as if to indicate that that explained everything. “Are you trying to dissuade me?”

God, no
. He would whisk her there this instant if he could.

“There are activities at the Chateau not for the faint of heart. You need not engage in the activities, but I want you to be completely aware of what you are agreeing to.”

“Do any of these activities put me in danger or harm me in any way?”

“I would ensure your safety.”

“Then I am satisfied. I place my trust and confidence in you, Lord Rockwell.”

The full weight of her gaze was upon him, as if daring him to betray that trust.

“And I have one condition,” she continued. “I agree to go with you to this Chateau for the sum of a hundred pounds.”

He sat in stunned silence, realizing she spoke with too much conviction to be jesting. She was deliberately choosing to prostitute herself? He leaned back in his chair, giving himself a moment to process the situation. How he wished she would remove that damned veil. He liked seeing her eyes. He could discern much through them.