I Shall Love the Earl Read online

  Along the way he nudged Dallis's grandmother awake.

  Chapter Eight

  “Lady Dallis, Lord Holdenburg has arrived for afternoon tea.”

  “Thank you, Shaw.”

  Dallis stood and walked to greet Lord Holdenburg. “I did not think you would venture out in such horrible weather.”

  “It appears I am not the only one willing to risk a few drops of rain for your company.”

  “Yes, Lord Beckwith arrived but a few moments ago.”

  Dallis didn’t elaborate on why Rory called. It was a private moment they shared. Hopefully one that would blossom into more. She noticed Rory’s impatience, and how he kept glancing toward the door. Did he want to leave? Well, if that was the case Dallis wouldn’t make it difficult for him. She didn’t want him to remain if she was a burden to him. Rory had made his apology, and she'd accepted. While it meant a lot to her, obviously it didn’t have the same impact on him. Dallis observed how the men acknowledged each other with nods, each regarding the other with narrowed eyes assessing the situation. Her grandmother was fully awake now, smiling mischievously at Dallis’s predicament. Nanna took pleasure in the dominance radiating off the men filling the air with awkwardness for her.

  “Beckwith.”

  “Holdenburg.”

  Holdenburg drew a deck of cards out of his suit pocket. “Lady Dallis, since we cannot take our daily walk, I thought we could play cards. I promised to teach you piquet.”

  “An excellent idea to pass the time on this dreary day. Will you join us, Lord Beckwith?” She offered him a clear option to remain or not.

  “I do not play cards.” Rory glared at Holdenburg, for the man knew the reason for his hatred of card games.

  “Sorry, ol' chap, I forgot. Perhaps another time, Lady Dallis.”

  “You two play. Lord Beckwith shall keep me company,” said Lady Ratcliff.

  “Lord Beckwith?” Dallis asked him.

  “Yes, Lady Dallis, and there is no better teacher in piquet than Lord Holdenburg here.” Rory said, settling next to Lady Ratcliff on the sofa.

  Lord Holdenburg moved a small table and rotated two chairs to sit across from one another near the fire, a distance away from them. Rory understood the man’s intention. He was isolating Dallis from visiting with Rory while she learned the card game. This way Holdenburg could provide a more intimate atmosphere as their bond grew, while still in the company of others. He always was a sly one. Once a friend, now he stood as a threat.

  Holdenburg settled Dallis into the chair, leaning over to say something in her ear before he sat across from her. A compliment to her dress whispered in a husky tone, he never would have spoken loud enough for her nanna to hear. Dallis felt the blush warming her cheeks, thankful for the fire so near to excuse her complexion if questioned. He was a naughty one. Dallis would need to keep her wits around him. She sensed Rory’s eyes on her. Dallis turned her head to the side and realized he'd noticed her blush. Rory missed nothing. The intense way he regarded her caused Dallis to drop the cards Holdenburg dealt her. Why did Rory have the power to fluster her?

  Holdenburg said, “Let me show you how to hold them. There is a trick to it.”

  Holdenburg scooped the cards into his hand, fanning them out. He then moved the cards, shifting them in a different order. Once he rearranged the cards, he tapped them together on the table, making them one. Then he slowly spread them out so only Dallis could see the numbers and suit. The cards now resembled a fan. Holdenburg lifted her hands and showed her how to hold the cards. He explained how she needed to keep them close to her body, and how to curve her hand to hide them from prying eyes. When Dallis tried to copy his actions, she drew laughter from him.

  “No, more like this, Lady Dallis.” Holdenburg’s hands formed around hers, his fingers guiding her on how to hold the cards.

  Dallis felt conflicted. His touch was firm yet gentle. From any other gentleman the directions would seem straightforward, yet with him they were a seduction. From his husky drawl to the attention of his hands when he instructed her. Yet, why did Lord Holdenburg not tempt her desires? The attention he'd displayed the last few days would have most ladies swooning, but Dallis merely felt comfortable. As if they were lifelong friends, not a gentleman courting her. She wouldn’t lie, his attentions made her feel attractive. However, that was where they ended. The man who made her swoon sat behind her, not making any of the same efforts as Lord Holdenburg. Dallis wondered whether, if she displayed an interest in Holdenburg, Rory would react.

  “You are a wonderful teacher, Lord Holdenburg,” Dallis reached out to brush across his hand as he shuffled his cards.

  Dallis’s voice was low enough and her touch a gesture of affection to cause Rory to wonder if he was too late in his pursuit. He tightened his fingers into fists as Holdenburg seduced Dallis over a game of cards. Not only was he succeeding, Dallis seemed to take pleasure in Holdenburg’s acts of seduction. From the blush gracing her cheeks to the touch of her hand. Their whispered words as they played cards portrayed a courtship moving swifter than he'd thought. Rory knew the game Holdenburg played on Dallis’s affections, and the expected outcome. She would be heartbroken if Rory allowed this farce to continue. When he attempted to rise to interrupt their play, a hand stilled him. He looked at Lady Ratcliff, who shook her head, urging him to stay seated.

  She said quietly, “No, you lost your right to interfere by your absence.”

  Rory also kept his voice low. The couple playing would hear but a murmur.

  “I beg your pardon, Lady Ratcliff, but Lord Holdenburg is a scoundrel. I only wish to prevent Dallis from heartache.”

  Lady Ratcliff scoffed, “Little late for that, my boy,”

  “She has already fallen for him?”

  “I never figured you for a dense one.”

  “Another suitor?”

  “The only gentlemen who call on Dallis now are scoundrels, rogues, and rakes. No thanks to you.”

  Rory cringed at her disgust. “Then who?”

  “Were you hit too hard in the head on your last fight?”

  “What do you know of my fighting?”

  “Enough that you gain me extra pin money every week.”

  “How?” Rory scowled. He fought in the underbelly of London’s seediest clubs. How did this sweet, old innocent lady have knowledge of his bouts?

  “Don’t you worry your thick skull on how I know things. Just start making right by Dallis or I will be a fight you will not win. Are we clear?”

  “How can I, when she loves another?”

  Lady Ratcliff shook her head and rolled her eyes at the heartsick man. She liked him. He would do her Dallis good. Dallis’s parents had neglected their daughter and shipped her away somewhere at every opportunity. She needed a man like Rory Beckwith who would put her first above all others. The way he took care of his mother and sister were proof. He sacrificed much for them to keep their comfortable life, instead of the one they were dealt. At first, she suspected Rory to be a fortune hunter, like many poor men who held titles. However, as she watched him with his regard to Dallis, it was the complete opposite. It was why he stayed away. Which only endeared him in her eyes to be perfect for her granddaughter. After meeting his family, she decided he would be the one to make Dallis a bride.

  “I guess you will have to discover a creative way to capture her heart. The question is, are you the gentleman for the challenge?”

  Was he? After watching Holdenburg charm Dallis this afternoon, it set a pain in his gut. Rory could no longer stand by and see gentleman after gentleman try to win Dallis's heart. Her heart belonged to him and he no longer wanted to run away. An idea began to form. With a bit of help from his friends he would accept the challenge.

  “I believe I am, Lady Ratcliff. If you will excuse me, I have a prior commitment I must attend. Please give my regards to Lady Dallis and tell her I found my visit most pleasurable.” Rory rose and kissed Lady Ratcliff’s hand with a wink before he left.

>   He never expressed his goodbye to Dallis or Lord Holdenburg. With a plan forming in his mind, Rory left the house. He would require Sidney and Sophia’s help. Two of his friends who'd had experience in the matters of the heart lately. Rory would now listen to their advice.

  Dallis saw him leave. He graciously kissed her nanna’s hand before he left. Rory directed no words her way that he was taking his leave. His departure hurt. The game of flirting with Lord Holdenburg to make Rory jealous lost its enjoyment. When nanna released a cackle, Dallis swung to take notice of the glee on her grandmother’s face. What brought Nanna happiness out of the blue? Dallis turned back to the game with Holdenburg, who sent her a quizzical glance, and she shrugged. She no longer took pleasure with the card game even though Lord Holdenburg was a patient teacher.

  The dejected look upon Lady Dallis’s face spoke volumes to Holdenburg. He realized it to be the fact of Beckwith’s departure. He wasn’t a simpleton to have not recognized her heart wanted another. While previously he was unsure of who held her affections, he now understood. Lady Dallis was in love with Beckwith and it was plain as day. But as usual his friend was mucking up a perfect opportunity.

  Holdenburg was courting Lady Dallis as a "favor" to Lady Beckwith. She'd discovered some information regarding his past activities that he wished to be kept hidden for the time being. Lady Dallis was a lovely lady, but she wasn’t the one for him. He began to understand Lady Beckwith’s intentions. She wished to use him as a pawn to bring Rory to task. He chuckled to himself, deciding to take this courtship to a new level. The bloke deserved it for all the beatings and trouble they used to get into for their curiosity as lads. They scraped out of predicaments by the scruff of their necks many times, but through it all their friendship stood strong. Lately, that friendship had taken a turn for the worst. He only hoped he could repair it later after what he was about to do. He gathered the cards and slid them into the box.

  “Thank you for entertaining me through this dreadfully rainy day, Lady Dallis. You have been a delight as always.”

  “Thank you, Lord Holdenburg, for teaching me how to play piquet.”

  “A complete pleasure. Now, I would like to extend an invitation for you and your grandmother to be my guests at the theater tomorrow evening. I also plan to invite Lady Beckwith and her daughter to join us.”

  “And Lord Beckwith?”

  “Yes, of course. I wouldn’t want to be the only gentleman surrounded by beautiful ladies. I can hear the gossip now.”

  Dallis laughed at the picture he described. “Your own personal harem.”

  “Yes. What every man desires.”

  “Do they?” Dallis asked innocently.

  “Only the gentlemen who have not loved,” he told her, looking deep into her eyes.

  Flustered, Dallis glanced away.

  “So, will your answer be yes? Shall I send a carriage around seven?”

  Her grandmother answered for them. “We would love to go, young man.” Her grandmother answered for them.

  “Yes, it sounds delightful. I do enjoy the theater. Thank you for your kind offer.”

  “Excellent. I will be the envy of the ton with the most beautiful ladies in my box.”

  “Don't forget Lord Beckwith,” Dallis reminded him.

  “Yes, and Lord Beckwith.”

  Lord Holdenburg bid the ladies farewell and took his leave. He wanted to issue his invitation to Lady Beckwith in person. There were a few questions he needed answered before he continued with his pursuit of Lady Dallis. While the pursuit of Lady Dallis would make Rory jealous enough to stake his claim, Holdenburg didn’t want to ruin his chances with the one person who mattered the most. For years he'd patiently waited. When his courtship of Lady Dallis ended, Holdenburg would pursue the only lady he ever wanted but could never have.

  Holdenburg would play the marker he won fair and square and let the cards fall where they may.

  Chapter Nine

  “Thank you for including me in your business venture.” Rory rose and shook Sheffield’s hand.

  “With your knowledge of the financial market, you will be a great asset.”

  The two walked along the hall and discussed the procedure of the investment. They headed toward the parlor where Sophia had ordered them to join her for tea. When they entered the room, it was to find Sophia and Sidney sitting on the sofa with their heads bent together. They were probably plotting their next course of trouble. Not only were they whispering, but Wildeburg threw in a few comments of his own. Sheffield patted Rory on the shoulder as if in sympathy. Rory saw Sheffield shaking his head at the unspoken question, then turned back to the others, who had stopped their conversation once they were aware he entered the parlor.

  “Rory, what a surprise,” said Sophia.

  “You invited me for tea,” he reminded her.

  “Yes, yes. Silly me.”

  Rory settled in a chair, watching the couples with suspicion as they sat around him, smiling like cats who caught the mouse. He was doomed. Rory had come here intending to ask for their advice, but now realized they had already decided his strategy to win Dallis’s hand. Sidney and Sophia were two of his closest friends, and throughout the last few months since they had gotten married, the men in their lives accepted Rory into their circle of friendship. To be friends with these influential men of the ton meant doors now opened to him. His vote in Parliament, which in the past went unnoticed, now started having an impact. More men were listening to his viewpoints on bills.

  “What?” he finally asked them.

  “The kiss you gave Dallis ...” Sophia began.

  “Was soooo romantic,” Sidney said.

  “However your behavior following ...” Wilde began.

  “Has been atrocious,” Sheffield growled to finish for them all.

  Now the men sounded like their wives, finishing each other's sentences. Rory's head bounced back and forth between them as they berated his behavior. He was dizzy from the volley of insults directed at him. Each one of them pointing out his faults, one by one. He squirmed in his seat as they described his past actions. He held up his hands for them to cease. They all stopped in mid-sentence, waiting for him to speak.

  “You are all correct. While I had business with Sheffield, I also wanted to seek your advice on how to win Dallis’s hand. That is before Lord Holdenburg does.”

  “Lord Holdenburg is courting Dallis?” asked Sheffield.

  “Yes. My mother introduced them.”

  Wilde whistled. “That is stiff competition, my friend. He is even more scandalous than I ever was.”

  “Lord Holdenburg,” the ladies said in awe.

  “Yes,” Rory growled at their awe of the one man who stood in his way to Dallis’s heart.

  “So, what is your plan to court her?” Sidney turned serious now that they needed to establish a plan.

  “I was hoping you could help me.”

  “Oh!” Sidney said, excited that somebody actually wanted her help in matchmaking.

  Wilde and Sheffield shook their heads at Rory, mouthing to him the word no. He knew it was foolish to involve them, but he held no clue on how to repair the damage he'd done. Plus, these couples had found happiness from the hijinks of Sidney’s devious mind. Why not him?

  “I thought I would take her for a walk in the park. Perhaps feed the ducks like you enjoy, Phee.”

  “Rory, you cannot ever compare one lady to another while in the presence of said lady, even though you are only friends with the other said lady,” Sidney explained.

  “Why forever not?”

  “No lady wants to hear of another while you are in pursuit of her hand. Even the demurest lady experiences jealousy.”

  “Did either of you?”

  “Yes,” both women stated.

  “Try writing her letters,” Sophia suggested, staring at Sheffield with a tender expression.

  “Or have her visit a brothel in disguise.” Wilde’s joke was aimed toward Sheffield.

  “D
iscover her favorite candy,” said Sidney.

  “Sneak into her room at night.” Sheffield returned the poke toward Wilde.

  All their suggestions came at once. The women leaned toward romance, while the men’s ideas were more scandalous. More dangerous, but way more tempting. Turning his thoughts to the taste of her lips and the feel of Dallis in his arms, Rory was more led to the men’s suggestions. The idea of Dallis in a brothel provoked wild images, but it wasn’t a place he wanted to spend time with her. And the fear of her grandmother’s cane would keep Rory from Dallis's bedroom. Before he could even contemplate intimacy with Dallis, he needed to court her properly. Candy and letters? No, he needed to be more creative. Dallis wasn’t a woman to be won over by trinkets. No, with her, his efforts must come from the heart.

  “Thank you for your suggestions. While they might have worked on your own unorthodox courtships, I feel they would not for mine.”

  “Then what will you do?” asked Sidney.

  “I shall take a more creative approach.”

  Sheffield said, “But you will take an approach? The lady deserves nothing less. Dallis is a friend of mine, and I will not have you keep destroying her good name because you are not man enough to claim her for yourself.”

  This angered Rory enough to rise and advance toward Sheffield. Business deal or not, the man held no right to defend Dallis. She was his responsibility. Twice now he'd watched this man almost destroy his friends, and Rory would not let Sheffield harm Dallis.

  Wilde pulled Rory away from Sheffield. He knew Sheffield had only baited Rory to act. Instead Sheffield would end up beaten by the man again. Wilde sent Sidney a look asking to calm her friend. Sidney grabbed Rory’s arm and led him toward the sofa to sit beside her. Wilde sent Sheffield a warning glare, only for the man to relax in his chair, wearing a smile of satisfaction.