My Lady Series Bundle (12 page)

"Perhaps your second also," Drummond mused as he walked behind his desk to sit. Now that he had a moment to contemplate, Drummond thought that he had a pretty fair idea of why Samuel might be here. It should prove interesting, to say the least, Drummond decided, settling back as Samuel took a seat in front of the desk.

"I imagine that I deserve this unfair advantage which I have cornered myself into," Samuel said tightly, looking for all the world like he was the reproving patriarch, instead of sitting in front of said patriarch. "But really, your grace, now that I discovered all of these sordid rumors I have been hearing are true. I just cannot believe ..."

Samuel paused, leaning forward from his chair to pin Drummond with and intense look. Here it comes, Drummond thought, stiffening and not a little disappointed. "What on earth has taken you so long? Good god, father, you've lived like a monk these past twelve years since mother's death. Unless the stories you've related to me about your spying ventures were not complete and I missed something?"

Drummond tilted his head to one side, rubbing his bottom lip with two fingers . . . really to hide his surprise. "No-no," Drummond managed to say, while trying to recover beneath the enigmatic facade of his features. "I was most detailed to you in everything."

Samuel, still looking quite serious, leaned over the edge of the desk, resting his elbows there. "I applaud you, sir, and back you one hundred percent. It is just that I realized, I could better negotiate the scandal brewing, if I, um – had more information. That and I thought I should tell you that Tabitha sends her love and support also. In fact, sir, she has suggested a ball."

"You're both so certain that I have been honorable in all of this?" Drummond asked quietly.

Samuel smiled then, an immoral grin, with his dark eyes a bit sardonic. "Honorable, of course, sir, however I believe I shall neglect to tell Tabby how, um– honorably you have been addressing the situation."

"Scoundrel," Drummond reproached as he took a sip of his brandy. "However, in light of your unfailing support, Samuel, and I must say here, how much your good wishes mean to me." Drummond paused and leaned forward a bit, before he continued, "That I fully intend to marry Lady St. John when circumstances right themselves to allow me to do so."

"Then, it is just as I told Tabby," Samuel replied. "You have a plan."

"I am in the midst of creating one, you can be sure," Drummond replied sublimely.

Samuel chuckled. "Of course, father. Tabby and I always knew that Napoleon never stood a chance. And, I should tell you, up until now I have answered the rumors with a monumental amount of throwing your impeccable duke's title about."

"Mmm," Drummond murmured. "From this point forward I would ask that you rave, to anyone who will listen, the complete truth." Drummond paused. "Such as we see it, of course."

"Of course, father," Samuel said expectantly.

"And our truth you will receive from Radford," Drummond said.

"So you are treating this as a venture then?" Samuel asked.

"Exactly," Drummond replied.

"I certainly would not wish to be this St. John then," Samuel said. "The man does not stand a chance."

"Nor should he," Drummond replied ruthlessly, then he collected himself. "Nevertheless, tell Tabby that I believe a ball should be just the thing and tell her we shall hold it in London at Kittridge house."

"It shall be done, father," Samuel answered, then said a bit hesitantly for him. "Ah, do you think I should try and apologize to Lady St. John now or at some later date?"

"Later," Drummond replied. Much-much later, he thought, wondering how he would right this situation. Ah, well he supposed he would just have to fall back on being imperious.

G
abriella clutched her arms around herself, standing in the middle of Drummond's bedchamber. She was utterly mortified. Tears, scalded her cheeks as she moved her head from side to side in denial.
His son-his son
kept pounding in her thoughts just as the words,
mistress . . . tramp . . . unworthy
kept slamming through her with each distraught breath.

"They were right!" she cried, running to the armoire with no more thought than to escape as she grabbed her mink cloak. Not thinking of anything else in her emotional state except that she could not be Drummond's mistress, nor ever face his son again!

A long time later, while she sat shuddering in one of Drummond's coaches, on the road halfway to London, she wondered how she had accomplished so much. How had she managed to escape undetected from Drummond's manor? But, it was all a blur, the last hour or more. She had been so emotional, too emotional, but the pain of believing that she would not be allowed to spend her life loving Drummond, was akin to a mortal wound. It had unnerved her completely, made her hysterical and unthinking about anything but achieving her goal and that goal had been to escape.

So she had ordered a coach brought around saying that she wished to travel to the village and she had made certain that the hood of her mink wrap was pulled low to cover her tear-stained face. However, once at the village, she had imperiously ordered the driver to take her onto London. What could the driver do? He had to obey a lady of the realm. A guest of Drummond's.

Lord Kittridge's whore— Gabriella sniffled, wondering how she could have any tears left, then just as easily, she broke down crying again. When next she woke, having cried herself into literal exhaustion, it was near dark and the driver told her they were close to London, and then he asked where she wished to go.

"Take me to Lyndfall House on Mayfair," Gabriella told the driver, then she settled back on the carriage seat clutching her mink cloak around her. She could not seem to stop shivering. What was she doing?

Gabriella leaned forward again and tapped the roof of the coach, until the driver opened the small trap top. "I have changed my mind driver, please take me to, um – Lord Kittridge's residence here in London." She paused, "Y-Yes– that is where I will go."

Gabriella sat back after the driver closed the door, and she exclaimed, "Oh, what am I doing?" She clutched her hands over her cheeks and shook her head. She could not go to Lyndfall House, Reginald could be there and she could not go to Drummond's because it was not proper and what if some of his family resided there. That thought horrified her as she imagined herself saying, "Oh yes, you must allow me to stay, I am simply Lord Kittridge's mistress and he would wish it."

But, where could she go, Gabriella wondered miserably and now that she was calmer, after being so emotionally hysterical for most of the day, she wondered if she really should have left Drummond in the first place?

"That is just your heart speaking," she exclaimed, but of course it was, because she loved him with all her heart. Perhaps she should try a hotel? Except it would be truly unspeakable for a lady alone and unchaperoned to do such a thing. Only that meant that she had no place at all to go, for it was too dangerous for a woman alone to try to return to Drummond's estate at night. Oh why had she not stopped and thought! Why had she left Drummond at all?

Gabriella was so near to tears again that she had to mentally reproof herself. Tears and overly panicked emotions had gotten her into this mess to begin with. Being in love was just so emotional! Nay, having the only son of the man you love catch you ‘en flagrant delicto ' was-was. Oh, what Samuel must have seen-!

"No," Gabriella exclaimed. "I will not proceed there again. I cannot bear it!" With determination, Gabriella brought herself around to her predicament and with shaky resolve she tapped the roof of the coach and said, "The Carlton Hotel, driver, take me to the Carlton Hotel."

Gabriella sat back reasoning that her reputation was long past existence, so it no longer mattered where or with whom she resided and tomorrow she decided, she would send a messenger to Drummond. Drummond would then help her, even if she could no longer stay with him, she was certain that he would. Drummond was the only person who truly would help her if only she had realized this earlier.

It really was not as terrible as she envisioned, to acquire a room at the Carlton. She simply had Drummond's driver procure it for her. He had been most kind, even concerned, saying that there was no way on God's green earth he was leaving her and he would be ready with the carriage in the morning to take her wherever she wished to go. His name was Bebington and he did gently suggest that she ought to return to Lord Kittridge's estate in the morning, where he proclaimed she would be much safer.

Bebington escorted her to her room, then he asked that she promise not to go anywhere without him. Gabriella did this faithfully before shutting the door to the room and locking it just as Bebington had shown her how to do. Once inside the room, Gabriella turned to explore because she had never been in a hotel room before. The fact was in twenty-five years of marriage, she had never been to anyplace but the townhouse in London on occasion, very few occasions, and the country estate at Lyndfall.

Gabriella realized immediately that hotel rooms were very lonely places and she found herself yearning for Drummond's warmth, his kisses and his lovemaking. She plopped onto the bed wondering what she could do, wondering how she could ever leave Drummond permanently or perhaps she might simply acquire a thicker skin. She certainly was much too sensitive. Or perhaps, Gabriella considered, she simply must develop a thicker skin concerning certain things . . . such as an annulment!

If she truly wished to be with Drummond that was the only way it was going to happen legally. And being barren, she did have the perfect grounds for annulment if only Reginald would agree. Gabriella decided that she must think this through very carefully and calmly. She must think this through until she could speak to Drummond about it. Yes, that was it. She would speak to Drummond about it. Of course it would not solve the problem with Samuel, but she thought perhaps she could face Samuel better if she were sometime in the future going to be Drummond's wife. That is of course, if Drummond wished her to be his wife?

G
abriella felt nearly human again an hour later, after a long bath and wrapped in one of the Carlton Hotel's fluffy oversized robes, and twice as foolish over what she had done. Then, she walked out of the large ornate bathing chamber, and right into Reginald! Reginald?

"Oh, my god!" Gabriella exclaimed, and she would have stumbled backwards, away from Reginald, had he not grabbed her upper arms. "W-What are you doing here?" Gabriella finished in a stunned shriek.

"Of all the luck," Reginald slurred. He was drunk! "To find me wife waiting for me. Ah-."

Gabriella pushed Reginald hard and he stumbled backward finding the wall, as she edged further away from him. Further into the room. "I am not waiting for you, Reginald! This is my room and I want you gone from here!" Gabriella paused, expelling a nervous breath as she watched Reginald unsuccessfully trying to tug down his atrocious green and yellow striped vest that reeked of perfume. Then, Gabriella cried, "I do not know how or why you are here, Reginald, but you must leave immediately!"

"Oh, no, no," Reginald, slurred, "Tis fate. You want me." He stumbled. "And, came to me. The very same hotel. I found out when I came in."

So that was how, Gabriella thought, wondering at the luck of picking the very same hotel where her husband was staying. He must have mentioned the hotel to her sometime in passing for her to even think of the name and he must be quite serious about the lawyers not allowing him into Lyndfall. Or should she say her home, as obviously now appeared to be the case. However, none of this explained how Reginald had gotten the key to this room! And, the very persistent fact that this seemed ominously reminiscent of the past was enough to give Gabriella a healthy shiver of apprehension.

Ohno! Reginald was tromping toward her! Gabriella drew away, backing up immediately, only that left her further into the room with no way out.

"Reginald, you must leave," she ordered sharply, holding out her hands as if to ward him away, which she desperately wished to do. "You-You, must not be here w-when Drummond returns!" That was it! A perfect lie, only now Gabriella saw that Reginald was shaking his head with an over bright leer in his eyes.

"He's not here, I asked!" Reginald sneered.

"R-Reginald, you must remember that you do not want me! You sold me . . . remember!" Gabriella tried anxiously, wondering what happened at the Carlton Hotel when a woman screamed, because she was going to this time.

Reginald suddenly lunged at her, and it was then that Gabriella realized how very close the bed was behind her retreat. She landed on it hard with Reginald's heavy and breath-snatching weight on top of her. She tried to catch her breath and did beat on Reginald's shoulders as he levered himself on top of her trying to wedge her knees open!

"I want an annulment!" Gabriella screamed. "An annulment, do you hear me!"

"No!" Reginald snarled, grabbing at her flaying hands, pushing them aside. He clutched the edges of her robe and wrenched the top open. Gabriella screamed then, shrilly and with terror, but it did not stop Reginald. "You are going to give me what you gave Kittridge!" Reginald thundered.

Gabriella struggled, tossing her body from side to side, because her arms were caught helplessly in the robe sleeves. She thought frantically to somehow unbalance Reginald. Anything to get away! She would not let this happen again. She would not!

"No-noo," Gabriella screamed as Reginald used one hand to grope her breast roughly, while he tried to kiss her, which she avoided by frantic twists of her head. Gabriella could feel Reginald fumbling with the buttons of his pants!

"You are my wife! And you will submit!" Reginald snarled in a horrific slobber over her lips.

Gabriella's mind splintered then, it was all happening just as it had twenty-five years before and there was no one to stop Reginald, just as there had been no one before. Except herself! Embolden, angry, and more defiant then she had been in her entire life, Gabriella groped down between their twisting bodies, and then she nearly laughed hysterically when Reginald thought she meant to stroke his cock.