Rogue for a Night (11 page)

Nicholas smiled as he and his wife parted. “Why don’t we go for a picnic since we have the day free?”

“Oh what a lovely idea,” Jane agreed. “The weather is perfect for such an outing.”

Ronan glanced once more at Lucinda and then gave a short bow. “Have a good time.”

He moved to step from the room, but Nicholas stopped him. “Great God, man, I meant all of us.”

Ronan turned back with surprise on his face. “All of us?”

“Of course, you oaf,” Nicholas said as he crossed the room and clapped his friend on the back. “Why in the world wouldn’t you be invited? Poor Lucinda would be bored out of her mind if it were only Jane and me. You must save her.”

Lucinda swallowed hard. Oh, if only Nicholas knew what was really happening with them, she doubted he would feel she was being saved. Even though in so many ways, she was.

“Do come,” she said softly. “Not because I am bored by Jane and Nicholas, but because I would enjoy your company.”

Ronan stared at her for a long moment and then he nodded with a small smile twitching up the corners of his lips. “How could I refuse when asked by a lady? Of course I will attend.”

“Wonderful,” Jane said as she patted Nicholas on the arm and moved for the door. “I shall make the arrangements for a luncheon to be packed for us.”

As Jane departed the room, Lucinda gave the two men what she hoped was not a nervous smile. “While Jane arranges for the food, I shall take a moment to prepare myself. I’ll meet you all in the foyer in a few moments.”

Nicholas nodded and began to talk to Ronan about… something. Lucinda should have been aware of what, but when Ronan stared at her, his bright gaze snagging hers and holding it with an intensity that was highly inappropriate, everything in the room faded but him. She found herself holding her breath as she moved for the door, almost tripped over the edge of the carpeting and then staggered into the hallway.

Only when she was halfway up the stairs did she find her breath again. She walked to her room and closed the door behind her, leaning against it as she sucked air into her lungs. Her heart was throbbing as she waited for calm to come. But every time she thought of spending a whole day with Ronan… a day where they could almost pretend to be a normal couple, courting like any other couple, her breath slipped away again.

She stepped forward and took a seat at her dressing table. She looked at her pale reflection.

“Stop it,” she murmured out loud to the image of herself in the mirror. “You are being utterly foolish. We are not courting. Ronan is not the man to
court
. This is merely a day out with friends. Do not pretend it is anything else.”

There was a light knock on her door and Lucinda jumped. She lifted her hands to her chest, drew a deep, heavy breath and then said, “Yes?”

The door cracked behind her and Jane put her head into the room.

“Jane,” she said, her voice strained as she got to her feet and turned to look at her sister-in-law. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, Mrs. Pottington is putting the finishing touches on what is sure to be a magnificent feast and the gentlemen are waiting for us on the drive.” Jane tilted her head. “Are you certain you are well? You are very pale.”

“Oh yes,” Lucinda said with a dismissive wave of her hand that she hoped would end the line of questioning. “Let us be off, then.”

Jane opened her mouth as though she was going to ask more, but then shut it again and smiled as she took Lucinda’s arm and the two women walked back downstairs and out the front door to the drive where the two best friends waited for them.

Lucinda forced a bright smile on her face as they began to walk, she and Jane behind Ronan and Nicholas. Jane chattered at her side, but all Lucinda could do was stare at the man in front of her. At his broad shoulders, his muscled back… his very handsome backside.

She blushed as Nicholas peeked over his shoulder and smiled at the two women. At her side, Lucinda felt Jane become lighter, as if just her husband’s smile could lift her.

“You two should walk together,” Lucinda said as she released Jane.

Ronan nodded in silent agreement and he fell back to Lucinda’s side. The couple did not argue, but Jane took Nicholas’s hand with a soft smile and they fell into step before Ronan and Lucinda. Lucinda let out what she hoped was an imperceptible sigh and gave him a side glance. His hand stirred at his side, almost as if he wanted to mimic the couple in front of them, but instead he motioned for her to walk and shortened his stride to match hers.

For a while, they were quiet, but despite the awkwardness of the situation, the quiet was anything but uncomfortable. After a few moments, Lucinda settled into the walk and began to appreciate the green of the rolling hills, the sound of the birds in the trees around them.

Ronan cleared his throat gently. “Have you enjoyed your time here?”

She shot him a side glance to see if he was being serious or not. After all, they shared a daring secret about her ‘time here’. But he looked perfectly sincere, though not exactly comfortable.

She nodded. “I admit, I resisted the idea of coming to the country, but it has been exactly what I needed. In many ways.”

He looked at her and a spark of desire lit in his stare. Lucinda stifled a wicked little smile. She actually liked the idea that she could cause such a strong and experienced man to want her. It made her feel womanly and desirable in a way she hadn’t for a long time.

Nicholas and Jane turned back to look at them and Lucinda’s cheeks heated with embarrassed color. Luckily neither of them seemed to notice the emotion snapping between Ronan and herself.

“Here is a good spot,” Nicholas said, motioning to a lake that now spread out before them at the bottom of the hill. A few tall trees shaded areas of the grass and once they had moved down the hill together, Nicholas and Ronan spread the blanket out beneath one of them.

Jane sank down on her knees on the blanket and Lucinda joined her, helping her remove the items of food and drink from the basket Jane and Nicholas’s cook had prepared for them. There were a variety of sandwiches, cold chicken, biscuits and a carafe of tea, as well as a bottle of wine and glasses.

“A feast, indeed,” Nicholas said as she took a place beside Jane on the blanket.

Ronan hesitated, then knelt beside Lucinda. She felt his presence next to her even as she tried not to stare at him like a besotted girl in her debut year.

Plates were filled, wine was poured and after the group had settled into their lunch, Jane smiled at Lucinda.

“I saw you had a letter from our mother-in-law this morning. How are the girls?”

Lucinda’s discomfort at sitting beside her lover faded with the mention of her children.

“I think very well. Marianne writes of many activities. Margaret even wrote a few words and someone gave Georgiana a pencil and let her scribble all over the paper.” She laughed. “I do miss them terribly. I have never been away from them since-”

She brought her words to a sudden halt, for everyone in the small group knew exactly the event of which she spoke. Nicholas’s smile faltered slightly but he nodded.

“I’m pleased to hear they are doing well. I think taking care of them is as good for my mother as it is for them and for you.”

She laughed. “They are being utterly spoiled by toys and cakes, though. Surely I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Ronan glanced at her. “They are only eighteen months and four years old, yes?”

Lucinda blinked and couldn’t help but stare at Ronan. She had no idea he had kept such track of her life. It was rather thrilling to know that her girls, who were the most important things in her life, meant enough to him that he knew their ages.

 “Y-yes, that is correct.”

He smiled, a very gentle expression. “Don’t worry, Lucinda, I don’t believe they can be spoiled so young.”

Lucinda nodded, knowing they were both thinking about the troubled childhood Ronan had suffered. The very idea of her girls being treated so callously made her heart break.

“You are right, and if anyone deserves to be spoiled it is those girls,” she said with a gentle smile.

He leaned a fraction closer. “As does their mother.”

Lucinda felt the blush pinken her cheeks and a thrill moved through her body.

Until she remembered that Nicholas and Jane were sitting inches away and had just seen that intimate exchange. She slowly let her gaze move to them and found they were both staring, concern and perhaps a touch of confusion in their eyes.

She slid away from Ronan and fidgeted with the food that was left on her plate. He stiffened at her reaction and pushed to his feet in one smooth motion.

“I think I’ll take a walk around the lake,” he said.

His voice was tight and rough. Lucinda wished she didn’t hear the touch of hurt and anger in the tone, but she knew him well enough by now to recognize both. He nodded to the very quiet group and started off toward the water’s edge. His shoulders were stiff and his gait was not as smooth and comfortable as usual.

Lucinda wanted to fling herself from the blanket, run to him, hold him and try to fix whatever pain she’d caused by flinching away. But Jane was staring at her. Focused and intense and with far too much knowledge in her eyes. And Nicholas was giving a very similar look in Ronan’s direction.

Yes, this was trouble.

Lucinda cleared her throat and searched desperately for a new topic of conversation. Something,
anything
that would distract her friends from the embarrassing exchange they’d just witnessed. Of course, nothing would come to her mind. All she could think of was Ronan, Ronan, Ronan.

She glanced in his direction again. He was walking along the water’s edge and now his body revealed no hint of any distress. She wasn’t certain whether to be pleased with that or not.

“Lucinda-” Nicholas began.

She pivoted her head back to her brother-in-law. His lips were a thin line of displeasure and his eyes were narrowed. She held her breath as she waited for his questions and judgments to come, but Jane prevented that by interrupting him.

“Lucinda, do you think you might want to go to the village tomorrow to shop for a new hat? There’s a very nice milliner with lovely things.”

Lucinda gave a grateful smile to Jane. “Yes, I would like that very much.”

“But-” Nicholas began.

Jane reached out and gently touched his arm. “Dearest, you know you do not want to interrupt a woman when she’s discussing something as important as a hat. Why don’t you follow Rage’s lead and take a walk?”

His lips pursed and he gave Lucinda one more intense look before he got to his feet and strolled to the lake with his friend. Lucinda shuddered to think of the conversation they were about to have, but when he caught up with Ronan, they did not exchange any words.

She turned her attention back to Jane. Her sister-in-law was watching her and unlike Nicholas, who had been very grave, she only looked concerned.

“Should I ask you anything?” Jane asked softly.

Lucinda shook her head. “I wish you wouldn’t.”

“Then I won’t.” Jane glanced down to the lake. “But perhaps you’d walk with me back to the house.”

“You think they should be left alone?” Lucinda bit her lip as she stared at the two men. They still weren’t talking.

Jane arched a brow. “What do you think they’ll do?”

“I shudder to think of what they could do. They boxed in the underground.”

“If they were going to kill each other, I think they would have done so already.” Jane got to her feet and offered a hand to Lucinda. She took it and stood up. With a final look toward the two men, she followed Jane up the hill and back toward the house.

And hoped that her brother-in-law and her lover would
both
survive whatever conversation would eventually happen between them.

~~~

“They’re gone,” Rage said without even looking over his shoulder or at his friend. “So what is it you want to say?”

Stone folded his arms and Rage almost laughed. He knew that look well. It was his friend’s motion of intimidation and it worked on most men.

“Do you want to tell me what that comment was about?” Stone asked. He was clenching his teeth.

Rage did the same. “Comment?”

Stone glared at him. “What you said to Lucinda. About her needing to be spoiled. It was very…
intimate
.”

Rage stared across the water as he tried to control his emotions. “Perhaps,” he finally growled.

“And inappropriate,” Stone added, as if somehow Rage didn’t understand that. Like he was a child who needed training by some kind of older brother.

“You know that, do you?”

“Of course!” Stone shook his head.

“You know what she needs. What she wants.”

Now his friend fisted his hands at his sides and the gesture was threatening.

“Rage-”

“No.” He spun on Stone. “It isn’t your place to be her watchdog.”

“Like hell it isn’t.” His friend stepped closer. “She is my brother’s wife.”

“His
widow
,” Rage said as calmly as he could muster. “She is his widow and a grown woman who can make her own decisions.”

He expected Stone to swing on him at that point. He welcomed it, actually, for at least with the physical pain would come some peace from these other unwelcome feelings.

Instead, his friend stepped back a long step and stared at him. With disbelief. With shock. With pity.

“You… you have a
tendre
for her.”

Rage stared at him. “No. No, of course not.”

But his friend’s headshake told Rage that he hadn’t been convincing enough. “You do. Why didn’t I see it before? Is this why you left in such a rush last week?”

Rage folded his arms. What his friend was saying was crazy. He desired Lucinda, he even liked her… but a
tendre
? That was pure madness. He refused to give it any weight by arguing it.

“My life is my affair,” he snapped. “You own my time as estate manager, no more.”

Stone rubbed his eyes and for a long time he was quiet. “You know that under any other circumstances, I would agree with your statement. But Lucinda is my family. Her girls are my family. If you have some kind of interest in her, I have a right to an opinion on that matter.”