How to Seduce a Scoundrel (11 page)

Lady Boswood, Georgette’s mother, joined them and took her daughter’s arm. “Georgette, you are wanted. Miss Hardwick, there is something I wish to discuss with you as well.”

“But, Mama—” Georgette said.

“Do as you’re told,” Lady Boswood said in a grating tone.

Julianne watched them depart. Lady Boswood’s obvious machinations spelled trouble—matchmaking trouble. But Julianne had evaded more than a few unwelcome would-be suitors and meant to do so now. “It has been a pleasure, my lord. Now, if you will excuse me, I must speak to Lady Rutledge.”

“Don’t go just yet.” He smiled at her. “I’ve waited all evening to spend a few moments with you.”

Oh, dear. She didn’t want to encourage him. Many gentlemen had pursued her over the past four years, even though she’d always teased any who grew too ardent. She’d hoped to spare their feelings, but some gentlemen were oblivious.

“You are even more beautiful than I recollected,” Ramsey said, his voice rumbling in a manner she suspected he’d practiced.

She arched her brows. “Do you often have trouble with your memory, my lord?”

He frowned. “I beg your pardon?”

“You saw me two evenings ago.”

He laughed a bit too heartily. “I meant more beautiful than the previous year.”

To the best of her knowledge, he’d not taken more than fleeting notice of her then.

“I am very glad you were able to come to London for the season,” he said. “When Georgette told me you might stay behind for the duchess’s confinement, I could not hide my disappointment.”

She’d only exchanged a few polite words with him last year when she had called on Georgette. Yet he’d claimed to be anxious for
her
presence in London. She’d dealt with more than a few smooth talkers and recognized insincerity when she heard it. “You flatter me too much, my lord.”

He regarded her through heavily lidded eyes, a rake’s trick. “That is impossible, my lady.”

She decided to make a graceful exit. “Excuse me, please.”

He looked disappointed. “Have I offended you?”

She must tread carefully because he was Georgette’s brother. “No, but I wish to—”

Ramsey’s lip curled as he looked past her. “Here comes the fool.”

Frowning, she glanced over her shoulder to find Hawk striding toward them. Then Ramsey’s insult registered. She returned her outraged gaze to him, ready to give him a blistering set-down, but he spoke before she could utter a word.

“Do not worry. I’ll not let him come between us,” Ramsey said.

“Lord Ramsey, you presume too much.”

Hawk commandeered her arm. “Julianne, come with me.”

“Well, well, it’s the court jester,” Ramsey said.

Julianne’s jaw dropped. He’d purposely goaded Hawk.

“Jealous?” Hawk said.

Ramsey scoffed. “Of a clown?”

Unnerved, Julianne glanced around the crowded dining room. Thus far, no one had taken notice of the two men staring daggers at each other. But she meant to stave off the confrontation before it went further.

“Gentlemen, may I remind you that we are Lady Morley’s guests?” she said. “I insist that you cease bickering and observe the proprieties.”

Ramsey bowed. “I beg your pardon, Lady Julianne. I did not mean to distress you.”

But he’d meant to provoke Hawk. The animosity between the two men fairly crackled in the air. Of course, there would be no dispute if Hawk had allowed her to manage her own affairs.

“Give up, Ramsey,” Hawk said. “As long as I’ve got breath in my body, you haven’t a snowball’s chance in hell with her.”

Julianne said nothing as the carriage rolled along, but Hawk could hear her harsh breathing. She was furious with him. He didn’t care what she thought. Under no circumstances would he allow her to associate with Ramsey.

His aunt remained uncharacteristically silent. Earlier, when they’d departed, Hester had raised her brows upon seeing Julianne’s splotched complexion.

The carriage rocked to a halt. Hawk opened the door and descended. After helping the ladies negotiate the steps, he turned to Julianne. “I will call on you tomorrow.”

“We will have a discussion tonight,” she said. “Hester, will you grant us privacy in the drawing room?”

“Certainly, my dear,” she said.

The devil. Julianne was in high dungeon, but he didn’t give a rat’s arse.

He followed the ladies into the house and up the stairs. When they reached the landing, his aunt regarded him through her quizzing glass. “Keep it civil, Marc.”

“I’m not the one stomping about,” he said.

Julianne glowered at him.

Hawk regarded his aunt. “Shouldn’t you join us for the sake of propriety?”

“I’m weary, and I doubt you wish my maid to witness.” After that pronouncement, his aunt ambled up the staircase.

Julianne marched off toward the Egyptian drawing room. Hawk strode ahead. When he opened the door, she whipped past him.

He’d barely shut the door when she whirled around. “You go too far,” she said.

He indicated the sofa. “Shall we be seated?”

“No.” She strode back and forth in front of the faux mummy, reminding him of her brother, who had a tendency to pace when he was agitated.

“I find it rather difficult to have a civil discussion with a moving target,” he drawled.

She halted, her skirts swirling around her ankles. “I am thoroughly put out with you.”

“Really?” he said. “What precisely is it I’ve done to warrant your anger?”

“You know very well. I thought you would engage in fisticuffs with Ramsey—in Lady Morley’s dining room!”

When he’d seen Ramsey talking to Julianne, his temper
had nearly exploded. The memory of the debaucheries Ramsey had arranged at a party long ago had flooded Hawk’s brain. He’d wanted to plant his fist in the lout’s face for daring to go near Julianne. “I will
not
allow Ramsey to pursue you,” he said.

She pointed at herself. “It is my decision, not yours.”

“Rule number six: You will stay away from Ramsey. I’ll see it done, whether you like it or not.” That recent disgusting incident at the club had only reinforced his belief that Ramsey hadn’t changed a bit.

“Hang your rules,” she said.

“You welcome his addresses?” he said, his voice rising.

“Whether I do or not does not signify.”

He strode right up to her. “It most certainly does.”

“You think because you are my guardian that you have the right to control me.”

“I have the right to protect you,” he said.
Especially from Ramsey.

“I don’t need your protection, and I most certainly do not appreciate you hovering over me like a… a jealous husband.”

He was
not
jealous. “I did not hover over you.”

“Oh, yes, you did. This is my fourth season. How do you think I turned away unwanted advances before you came along?”

“Your brother,” he said.

“He never shadowed my every move. Never.”

“You tricked me at that ball. What did you expect?”

A mirthless laugh escaped her. “You treat me as if I am a child. Open your eyes, my lord,” she said, spreading her arms. “I am a grown woman.”

Her invitation proved too enticing to ignore. His gaze
traveled slowly down her body. When he reversed his inspection, he lingered at her full breasts before meeting her eyes. “I noticed.”

She blushed. “You are impertinent.”

“You told me to look.” Clearly, she had no inkling how susceptible males were to suggestion, particularly where beautiful females were concerned. Of course, he’d never admit
that
to her. “Be wary of setting a fire you may not be able to douse,” he muttered.

She narrowed her eyes. Then she grasped his lapels. “Oh, sir, I am so frightened. Please, I am a virtuous girl. I beg you do not ravish—”

“Hush. The damned servants will hear you.”

She let go of his coat. “Mind your language.”

He huffed. “Now you complain.”

“Admit it. You wish you’d never agreed to be my guardian,” she grumbled.

They had reached an impasse. Somehow he had to make her understand. “Let us be seated so that we may talk in a rational manner.”

She joined him on the sofa, sitting as far away as possible. “I gave you reason to distrust me at the ball, but we cannot go on like this.”

“Trust is earned,” he said. “I warned you to stay away from Ramsey, and you broke my trust again tonight.”

“He cornered me, and I didn’t want to cause a scene.”

Hawk speared her with a stern look. “How am I to know you’re telling the truth?”

She put her fist to her heart. “I
am
being truthful with you. Despite what you think, I’ve plenty of experience discouraging unwanted advances. If you had allowed me to manage Ramsey, I could have dissuaded him easily.”

“I’m your guardian. It’s my duty to see to your welfare.”

“By confronting him, you only made him more determined.”

“You don’t understand. He’s a master manipulator.”
And far worse.

She studied his face. “Why do you hate Ramsey so much?”

“I’ve good reason, and that is all you need to know.”

“What has he done that is so terrible?”

He couldn’t tell her about Ramsey’s revolting history. “You’ll have to take my word for it.”

She angled her body toward him. “Do you think I am too delicate to hear the facts?”

“I won’t sully your ears.” He’d been shocked at the debauchery he’d witnessed all those years ago at that country house party. One night, he’d walked into the billiards room, only to find Ramsey swiving a woman on the billiards table in front of a crowd of men cheering him on. He’d rolled his eyes and walked away.

Julianne watched him with furrowed brows. “He is my friend’s brother. If I were to snub him, it would be a slap in Georgette’s face.”

“Stay away from him,” he gritted out.

“Do you think he would pounce on me?” she asked incredulously.

His jaw worked with frustration. “He means to lull you. He’ll gradually draw you into his web if you’re not careful.”

“You still think I’m a naïve schoolgirl.”

He looked into her beautiful blue eyes. “You are young and inexperienced.”

“Do you think I’ve learned nothing in society?”

He measured his words. “You have lived a sheltered existence. Your brother has protected you, with good reason. There are men and women who are far worldlier than you who would take advantage of your innocence.” He’d learned that lesson the hard way.

“Give me credit for having enough sense to avoid schemers,” she said.

She didn’t understand how vulnerable her lack of experience made her. Long ago, he’d paid a high price for his naïveté. He’d have to live with the consequences in silence for the rest of his life.

“Hawk, is something troubling you?”

“I am trouble,” he quipped.

“You can tell me,” she said.

He couldn’t tell her, literally could not reveal those events to anyone. “My confession would take weeks, months, perhaps years.”

“I don’t doubt it,” she said, smiling.

Even if he wished to bare his soul, he could not. Because there was someone else involved, someone he could never speak about.

She searched his eyes. He looked away, uncomfortable with her scrutiny.

“You worry something bad will happen to me,” she said.

“I promised your brother I would protect you from rakes.”

She arched her brows. “Does that include you?”

Her words pierced a bleak place inside him. He looked away, but his heart seemed to fall to his stomach as he recalled that awful day his father had confronted him.
Time rolled backward, and once again, his world shattered all around him. His chest burned anew with remembered fear and shame at his father’s disgusted denouncement. He could have withstood the remorse if not for the fear that he’d condemned an innocent to a life of misery.

“Hawk?” Julianne asked tentatively.

He drew in his breath, realizing he’d let the mask fall. Out of habit, he planted a grin on his face and wagged his brows. “Beware the big bad wolf lurking in the drawing room.”

She held her hands up. “Oh, I’m so afraid.”

You should be
. “I’d best be off.”

She rose with him. He winked and swept her a ridiculous courtly bow.

Her husky laughter reverberated all along his spine. He maintained his grin until he strode out of the drawing room. Only then did he let the clown mask fall away.

A Lady’s Secrets of Seduction: To become irresistible, you must be seemingly unattainable.

I
definitely approve of your first chapter,” Hester said the next morning as she perused Julianne’s work in the Egyptian drawing room. “Your analysis of male behavior is quite insightful.”