Tempted By The Roguish Lord

‘I’m afraid I’m going to be a spoilsport. I’ve got a headache now so won’t be much fun.’ Emma’s temples had started throbbing, but she blamed her brother for it rather than Mrs Gresham. She took a peek over a shoulder, guessing the coal cart might be following them. It was. Whatever Robin had on his mind she’d sooner know about it straight away. She was glad he’d located her in Regent Street rather than risk dawdling close to their house in case their father had spotted him.

* * *

‘I saw you go off with a man last night. Who was he?’

‘What?’ Emma bristled at her brother’s curt interrogation. ‘Have you risked breaking cover just to ask me that?’

‘I told you to come alone last night,’ he scolded. ‘I thought I could trust you, Em. Who was he? Did you tell him about me? Does he know where I lodge?’

‘Well, if you were close enough to have seen him you must know that two robbers set about me.’ Emma gave her brother a blameful glare. ‘Why did you not come to my rescue, then I might not have needed a stranger’s assistance.’

‘He was a stranger?’ Robin sounded relieved. ‘You don’t know him, then, Em?’

‘Well, I do know him now,’ Emma said flatly. ‘I had no alternative but to make his acquaintance after he saw off those two villains and delivered me safely home.’

Emma watched her brother restlessly pacing to and fro over the grass. Instinctively, she had known that he would wait for her to join him where they’d talked before. As a girl she had been allowed to go to the local heath in her twin brother’s care to play with bat and ball. Unbeknown to her father—who would have banned further trips had he known—she’d climb the trees with Robin and on one occasion had torn her elbows falling off a low branch. The greensward, dotted with oaks, was isolated enough to allow them to talk unobserved, but not so remote than she might arouse suspicion walking to and from it on her own. A few scamps were at play, darting in and out of the woods, whooping and hollering. The boys were too young to bother to pay attention to the odd sight of a lady deep in conversation with a rough-looking fellow.

‘You told me you were studying law.’ The speaking look that travelled over Robin from top to toe needed no explanation.

‘I am studying at night, but I have to earn a living as well. Lawyers ask their apprentices for references. I have none to give and must in time set up my own business as Charles Perkins. My boss, Milligan, doesn’t want to know more from Charlie than whether he finished his rounds and got payment for all of the sacks he delivered.’ He spoke sourly of his alter ego, but hadn’t been sidetracked from having an answer to what really interested him. ‘Who was your Good Samaritan? That high flyer looked as though it cost a pretty penny.’

His sister didn’t answer immediately and he guessed she was still indignant that he’d not rescued her. ‘After we parted last night I came after you because I should have owned up to something important,’ he started to explain. ‘I would have knocked those ruffians down for you, Em, but I was too late to be of help.’ He’d been glad of that, having been loath to bring himself to the attention of a passing parish constable by brawling. ‘I caught a glimpse of your rescuer’s face and...’ He tailed off into silence.

‘And?’ Emma prompted. ‘Who did you believe him to be?’

‘The Earl of Houndsmere, but then I thought I must be seeing things.’ Robin sounded bashful.

‘Well, you weren’t. It was him,’ Emma said shortly.

Robin took a step back, then another, looking dazed. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes, of course, although I only found out he was an earl this afternoon.’

Robin gripped her shoulders, giving her a little shake. ‘You didn’t tell him you’d seen me, did you?’

‘Why...he doesn’t know you, does he?’ That question was met by silence so she demanded, ‘Did you come into contact with him years ago?’

Robin vigorously shook his head. ‘I know him by sight, but I’ve never spoken to him before in my life. But he’s not a man to cross, Em.’ He dropped his face to his palms. ‘Hell’s teeth! Why did it have to be him?’

Emma roughly dragged his hands from his face to study his tortured expression. Increased uneasiness was curdling her stomach. There was something she didn’t know about and perhaps whatever it was had made Houndsmere persistently question her earlier.

‘You’d better tell me everything, Robin. The Earl delivered me home and our father saw him. I had to explain my absence to Papa. He knows you are alive and in England. He is naturally overjoyed and wants to see you.’

‘You didn’t relate all of it in front of Houndsmere?’ Robin had turned ashen.

‘Of course not. But he did me a good turn and now believes he has the right to question why I risked being out late at night. He’s shown more interest than is normal for a man in his position.’

‘God in heaven! He knows! I’m done for! I’ve returned to England just for him to kill me.’

‘Don’t be so melodramatic!’ Emma sounded cross, although her twin’s reaction had greatly alarmed her. ‘Why would an earl be interested in you if you’ve never even met?’

‘Because I’ve been living with his stepsister as man and wife,’ Robin croaked out.

Dumbfounded, Emma stared at her brother, then sank down to sit on the grass. He immediately kneeled beside her.

‘Augusta told me she was a shopkeeper’s daughter. I’d never have got involved with her if I’d known she’d also got connections in the aristocracy. Such people are too powerful for me to tangle with.’ He swung his head in despair. ‘Her mother was a milliner and the old Earl’s mistress. He went on to marry her and they lived at Houndsmere Hall in Hertfordshire. Augusta truly is the Earl’s stepsister. It’s not a fantasy she has concocted.’

Emma pushed back her bonnet to hang on its strings, then raked her fingers through her dusky hair. ‘This can’t be true! Are we so beset by bad luck that such a bizarre coincidence can really be?’ she wailed.

‘It seems so,’ Robin replied bleakly. ‘Her stepbrother will search for her to take her home. I wouldn’t be surprised if he puts her in a convent. She has run away so often that he threatened to severely punish her next time. God knows what he’ll do to me. I didn’t seduce her...if anything, she chased after me. But if he finds us together that’ll count for nought. There’ll be an uproar. I’ll be exposed, Em. What then? I think I’d sooner Houndsmere put me out of my misery with a clean bullet than risk a noose round my neck.’

‘Don’t talk rot!’ Emma cried. ‘Would you break our father’s heart all over again?’

Robin appeared not to have heard that emotional plea. He leapt up, enlightenment straining his features. ‘Houndsmere is closing in on us. He was out searching for her last night when he happened upon you. Did he state his business there?’

‘Lance Harley isn’t the sort of man to explain himself,’ Emma replied tartly. ‘He was not searching for you, I’m sure of it,’ she reassured. ‘He had been drinking although he wasn’t drunk. He seemed to be on his way home after a night of revelry.’

Robin looked a mite relieved as he prowled about on the turf. ‘Augusta said she believed the same. He has a chère amie living in the district. He must have visited her.’

Emma couldn’t understand why hearing her brother confirm something the Earl himself had half-admitted should niggle at her. Lance Harley was nothing to her and neither was the woman who left a hint of rose perfume clinging to his clothes. She put him from her mind, noticing that a couple were strolling their way. ‘You should go now, Robin, before we arouse suspicion.’

Robin hastily turned his back to the onlookers.

‘Will you give me a message to pass to Papa?’ Emma got to her feet, brushing down her skirts. ‘I know he will ask me if I’ve seen you. He is so happy to know you are back. Please don’t do anything to hurt him again.’

‘I imagine our father knows I need some money if you have told him how I am living.’

‘He has bankrupted himself once for you, Robin. He mustn’t get deeper into debt or he will end up in the Fleet again.’

Robin looked disappointed. ‘What about you? Why haven’t you married? A brother-in-law might have been of help to me.’

‘A dowry might have been of help to me,’ Emma returned shortly. ‘Gentlemen who fancy a wife who is poor, ruined and past her prime are few and far between.’

Robin had the grace to blush. ‘Well, don’t blame me for everything. It’s not my fault your portion has been spent. You started all the trouble in any case.’

‘I pleaded with you not to call Simon out!’ Emma felt hurt by her brother’s attitude, but knew it wasn’t the time or place for bickering and apportioning blame. What was done was done and, if not forgotten, was best left alone. ‘I have to go now. Papa will be wondering where I am.’ After a few steps she turned back to him. ‘You said you came after me last night because you had something important to tell me. What was it? To say you had a woman in your life?’

He strode closer. ‘Partly it was about Augusta. Also I had changed my mind about you not telling our father. I cannot stay in that hovel. Augusta is increasing. She is constantly crying and saying we must move somewhere nice.’ He paused to make a hopeless gesture. ‘I do love her, you know, and don’t want to see her suffer. We should marry or the child will be born a bastard. Our father will want to assist me in finding a decent home, for his first grandchild’s sake.’

Dismayed by that news, Emma swallowed her questions and quickly took her leave of her brother as the strolling couple looked their way. ‘I will do what I can and get word to you at your lodgings,’ she rattled off.

‘Worse and worse...’ she groaned to herself as she hurried on towards home. But something else had occurred to her. Augusta hadn’t shown herself last night, but must have been close by to send Robin after her. Now Emma knew who her brother’s woman was she felt a rather vulgar desire to meet Augusta and get to know a bit about Lance Harley’s family, just as he seemed keen to know all about hers.

Chapter Five (#u598b4571-bfbc-5163-b575-c756f25f93d8)

‘Get dressed and meet me downstairs. I’ll wait no more than ten minutes before I head back to London.’

The Earl of Houndsmere had spoken dispassionately while surveying rumpled bedding and entangled limbs. The chamber occupied space in a tavern that was situated far too close to his Hertfordshire estates for his comfort. The blonde had received the brunt of his flint-eyed contempt. She extricated herself from the covers and her lover and levered herself up on an elbow.