The Rake and The Rose (A Rake's Mistake) (11 page)

Stumbling upon them, they realized that Charles and Lady Deirdre were rather smitten with each other. Charlotte laughed under her breath. "I think we each have been replaced."

Indeed, Charles was listening to Lady Deirdre intently, but once he spotted Charlotte, his eyes seemed to hone in on a target. She inwardly sighed. "So much for getting rid of him." Her whisper reached Alexander and he moved his hand discreetly against the small of her back pushing her forward.

"Don't fear…I won't let anything happen." the low growl in his chest vibrated down his whole being. Charlotte had a feeling he truly meant it

C
hapter
08

When Charles had rejoined them and Lady Deirdre had reattached her body to Alexander's arm. They walked down the street together. Charlotte did not even really hear Charles's talking, as her mind was so befuddled by what had happened in the bookstore. She glanced sideways and Alexander caught her eye, their gazes collided for mere seconds before breaking away. Suddenly Charlotte realized that she was very, very hungry.

"Mightn’t we stop for tea? I feel a bit peckish." Actually, she felt faint, she had hardly eaten anything and that fright caused her stomach to turn.

Lady Deirdre looked as if to really faint at the idea she was so happy.
 “I am as well, come Charlotte walk with me." She took Charlotte by the arm and the men followed. She did not like walking near Lady Deirdre. It annoyed her to no end to have her quacking in her ear like a twitching duck. 

"Lord Cromwell, you said there was a tea house nearby?"  Charlotte asked, timidly looking back at him.

"Yes Charlotte." He smiled at her genuinely "Right there." He pointed to where an awning of cream with chairs outside and a blue door was open.

"How lovely!" she whispered. Soon though she was being steered, not by the large hand of Lord Cromwell, but by a smaller one that belonged to Charles. It made her spine cringe.

Alexander wanted to knock Charles in the jaw, when he put his hand across her back. He guided Lady Deirdre into the warm teahouse and the host walked up. "Hello Gentlemen, Ladies. How may I be of assistance?"

Charles had spoken up, "Table for two."  Her arm linked through his shuddered slightly, but her back remained straight.

"The same." Alexander said, but when another host took Charles to their table, he leaned forward and murmured to set them close together.  He wasn't about to let Charles get his claws into her.

Charlotte sat down in the comfortable chair sighing. "So, Lady Charlotte." Charles smiled at her "How was your bookstore venture?"

"Very nice. Alexander bought me some books." it was out before she could even stop it, and she saw a strange look pass across Charles’ face. "Is something wrong?" she asked softly as a waiter came over.

"No, nothing I've just never heard anyone call him by his first name."

"Forgive me, I spoke out of turn." she fluffed her napkin on her lap and crossed her ankles. For some reason, she felt as if there were things she must do about her posture, so she shifted and found a comfortable place.

Alexander was amazed at how proper she looked. She held her head held at a beautiful, straight angle. Her ankles were daintily crossed and her hands demurely in her lap, one cradling the other. He looked at Lady Deirdre and realized that Charlotte actually appeared to be better bred than she did at the moment! It baffled him.

"Will you please stop staring at her?" Lady Devon's voice was ice. 

"I beg your pardon?"

"Every moment you get, you are staring at her, why?" The green eyes bore into him. "Is she of more interest than I?"

"I do not know what you mean." 
Of course she is, you are a flicker compared to her flame.

Lady Deirdre thought for a moment, "…Or…is it because you are sampling the wares?" The coy glance turned sharp. "That's it isn't it?"

"Again, Lady Deirdre, you have no idea what you're talking-" Suddenly, he noticed Charlotte’s expression change as someone came to give
them  their order.

Charlotte sat daintily on her seat, her hands folded gently in her lap, as a scone and teacup were brought to her. "My Lady? We have an array of tea. Which would you like?"

"I think you should try the fruit tea, Lady Charlotte. It is very lovely." Charles said in a coaxing tone. 

She grimaced slightly.
He drinks...fruit tea? That seems something a Lady would drink.
Alexander drank dark...rich, sinful tea. She knew. He had plenty in stock and she had made a point of trying each and every one.

"Is there anything darker?" her eyes widened hopefully. Alexander also had an array of a type of tea called Assam from India- a special gift from Kade.  It was dark and she loved to steep three bags at a time to get an overpowering taste with honey and cream.

"We do have that." the server seemed surprised at her request.

"Charles?" she asked turning her head to him and batting her gaze, she had him hooked.

 "Whatever my Lady desires." he smiled at her warmly.

Perhaps he was not so bad of a man.

"So, you and Lord Cromwell seem good friends," he said slowly as she started to sip her tea. The pleasure that rolled through her with the sharp taste made her entire body clench… If she imagined, perhaps she could taste him again… She stealthily swept her gaze across the room and noticed him not far, eyeing her as well. Her breath caught and she coughed slightly on her tea.

"Are you alright?" he asked reaching across the small table.

"Yes,"
cough
, "Forgive me Charles I accidently swallowed wrong." She dabbed her lips with a napkin and was thankful she coughed a dainty and not a horrendous deep chested cough. 

She suddenly felt something trail up her leg, it was warm, and it burned. It scalded her. And it belonged to the man sitting across the very small-very reachable- table. 

"Just checking my shoes." the sly grin of 'play along' made her see red.

Alexander had been watching her through the entire meal.  He watched how she sipped her tea, and how she held her teacup in her tiny fingers.  The small table   would have made most women look large, but it simply made her long limbs appear even more graceful. Her hair winding down her shoulders and back made his groin ache, as he remembered diving his fingertips into the flames and honey.

Suddenly, she went pale. Charles was saying something. He watched her face contort into an expression he had never seen on her sweet face.  It was rage pure, and unbridled rage.

"How dare you!" With one swift move, she had slapped him, hard, the teacup spilling onto the floor and smashing. 

"Don't you even dare touch me ever again! And, as for my relationship with Lord Cromwell, I assure you he has never taken the courtesies with me that you assumed you could. How dare you say such things you- you-you!" it seemed she was inspired momentarily and she growled the last words "…sodding bastard!"

Her teeth were bared in a savage snarl of feminine outrage. Charlotte’s spine was stiff as an iron pole, as she stood there glaring down at her attacker. Everyone in the teahouse- thankfully not many- was wide-eyed and staring.

Alexander moved without even thinking when Charles' seemingly sweet expression had gone into anger. Before his body could even bolt up from the table, his hand partially raised, Alexander had him by his cravat.

Deirdre shrieked.

Alexander snarled at him. "You. Out. Now." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Charlotte's face go into an expression of shock.

"Alexander…"

"What did you do to her?" He growled, dragging him out toward the street. He couldn't even believe what he was doing. He had to control himself, but he simply couldn’t. One glance at the red haired siren behind him caused the rage to explode yet again. "I will ask again. What. Did. You. Do?"

He flung the man into the dirt and stood over him legs braced apart in a defensive boxing stance. His blood slammed through his veins and the relish for a brawl was like alcohol releasing in his body. It had been a while since he had boxed with anyone, though with how scrawny Whitmore was, this would be simple. It rather vexed him even more.   

He was drunk on repression, which was far worse than liquor. He could hardly control this urge to defend what was his.

His… Alexander suddenly realized he could not bear seeing Charlotte with another man, not ever. Never again could he handle it.

Suddenly Charlotte was, there.  She clung to his arm and he looked down at her. "My Lord, please, can we just leave?" Her fingers felt like ice against his wrist.

"What did he do?" The bright pink that scattered across her face had his rage boiling near breaking point.

The words were muttered, "He tried to run his hand along my legs." She wouldn't look at him. Shame crossed her face.

It was too much. He broke from the tiny grasp and both men were locked in a fight.

Charlotte exhaled sharply "Goodness!" she waited, knowing it was dangerous to step in now. But she was startled when Alexander hoisted Charles up and threw him upright into the wall of the teahouse.

"Alexander!" He had Charles by the throat and suddenly a magistrate was there. 

"Pardon me, gentlemen, are we having an issue?" He separated them. Alexander stepped back, exhaling, his hair unruly and falling in his face, his broad chest heaving. "Come on men, move along,” the policeman hollered, as he leisurely strode away, hardly bothered.

Charlotte was unsure of what to do. The thrill that had lit through her felt completely barbaric, and she knew whom she wanted to win. Lady Deirdre was pale and glancing back and forth between the men.

It seemed as though the disturbance was over, until Charles lunged forward and punched Alexander in the stomach. Her hand flew to her lips, when Alexander didn't even flinch. Instead, he grinned a terrifying smile, doubled back and knocked Charles straight across the jaw. He promptly dropped out cold.

Lady Deirdre rushed forward and tried to go to Alexander, who brushed her aside with a wave of his arm. His collar was ruffled, his neatly pressed demeanor rumpled.  It wasn't just his appearance. When his eyes found Charlotte, she felt like she was being engulfed with flames. "You" was all he said.

"My Lord?" He stood arms across his chest glaring down at her when he stopped close enough where their bodies nearly touched. "I didn't- this is very inappropriate, my Lord, I did nothi-"

"Which is why I won't take you over my knee. Get Lady Deirdre. We are leaving immediately."

"Take me over-what? My Lord! Surely you cannot say things like that!" She turned a deep shade of rose across her face and she saw satisfaction in his grim smile.

"Now!" The voice held no second thoughts.

"Yes, my Lord," she whispered, a wobbled fake smile on her face as she took Lady Deirdre by the arm and steered her to the carriage.

"I cannot believe he brushed me off like that!" Lady Deirdre sputtered, but Charlotte was much too upset to really respond. "It's all because of you," she spat.  She narrowed her glare at Charlotte who simply sighed.

"I haven't the time Deirdre, do hush up."

"That! See that is why you could never hope to be fit enough for him," she sniffed. Charlotte got her into the carriage and sat down by her. Alexander sat opposite. 

"Did you really have to knock him out?" Charlotte asked when they started moving.

"Don't…" she was lucky he didn't bend her over his knee in the carriage and blister her hide. His rage was not towards her, but at what could have happened.

"Do not what, get upset?" she crossed her arms across her breasts.

"And what is your damn reason for being upset? Your fop took a dive?" He snarled jealousy coursing at full tilt.

"Alexander you could have gotten seriously hurt!" Her eyes pleaded with him and he gritted his teeth, realizing he had made himself look a fool. And she had been worried about him, not Charles. It made him feel just a tad bit better.

"I am fine…"

He watched her and Lady Deirdre, who glared between them.