Saved by a Rake (2 page)

“
Rebecca, I tell your father everything. I can’t keep from him the fact that a man we trusted has hurt his daughter. Besides, he is the head of the family and he must know.”

Rebecca nodded slowly. She had probably already known that this would be the case. No doubt her brother James would have to be informed too. She just hoped that neither her father nor her brother did anything stupid.
The countess stood, smoothed out her gown and was about to step towards the door.

“
Mama!”

“
Yes?”

“
I was so terribly frightened.” Tears welled in her eyes as she fought to regain he composure. She had already left a large wet stain on the shoulder of her mother’s dark green Spencer.

“
I am sure you were. No one should have to go through such an ordeal. But you are strong, Rebecca. And you must hold on to your inner strength and use it to fight the pain and hurt.”

“
Mama.”

“
Yes?”

“
It was not Betty’s fault.”

“
We will discuss it later. But before I go, when did you last have your courses?”

Rebecca
’s jaw slackened as the consequences of what her mother was asking slipped into her consciousness.

“
I finished three days ago.”

H
er mother closed her eyes and let out a slow breath—clearly relieved.

“
That is good.”

“
So I will not be with child?”

“
I suspect not, but I have some tea that will make certain it is the case. At least, I hope it makes certain.”

She heaved a sigh.

“Go and get your bath.”

“
Yes, Mama.” Rebecca stood and considered her mother for a moment. The woman was like a rod of iron, and she was her daughter. Margaret, Countess Chapelbrooke would have survived if the same thing had happened to her. She would expect no less of her own daughter.

Swinging her cloak around her in order to cross the hallway, she pushed her chin into the air, bade her mother goodbye and hurried across the hall to clean herself of the filth that was the Earl of Newthorpe.

****

An hour later, Rebecca sat under
the pink satin sheets of her bed. A maid appeared with a cup of tea.

“
Lady Chapelbrooke says that you must drink this, m’ lady.”

“
Tea?”

“
It has laudanum and other things in it. She said it will help you sleep.”

Rebecca accepted the cup and drank the tea quickly. It must have been cooling for a while.

“Thank you.” Betty then came in, fussing around her, pulling up the coverlet and fluffing her pillows.

“
Can I get you anything else, m’ lady?”

“
No thank you, Betty.” The maid hesitated, biting her lip. “What is it?”

“
I am so sorry. I should never have left you.” Tears welled in the big brown eyes of the young woman, who could not have been much older than Rebecca herself.

“
Oh, Betty, what is done is done. I suspect he would have done it at some other time. At least I am not married to him. Please do not take the blame for this on yourself. He was the one in the wrong. You…” She quickly covered her yawn with the back of her hand. “You are a wonderful lady’s maid, and you did the right thing. So stop blaming yourself.”

She really should have told Betty the truth. She did not know how her mother and father would view Betty
’s abandoning of her, even if she had only obeyed a direct order. It seemed that life was going to be hideously unfair to both her and her maid.

As she turned onto her side, Betty bobbed a curtsey, pulled the covers over Rebecca
’s shoulders and left.

Just as memories started to overpower her again, they became fuzzy, disjointed and eventually they disappeared into sleep
—at least until
he
appeared in her nightmares.

Chapter Three

“
Are you telling me that Newthorpe raped Rebecca?”

The Countess of Chapelbrooke blanched at the word
‘rape’. It had not been the term she had used to explain the attack on her daughter to her husband, but unfortunately, it was exactly what had happened to the poor girl.

“
Yes. It appears so. She is terribly upset. I sent her to bed with some laudanum.”

There was silence for a minute as the
earl stalked the length of the library then sat on one of the large, brown wing-backed chairs. He directed his wife, without uttering a word, to take the other. She perched herself genteelly on the chair and placed her hands on her lap. For what must have been the fiftieth time since Rebecca had returned home, Margaret had a vision of herself thrusting a large kitchen knife into the heart of the Earl of Newthorpe. What she would not do to be a man at this moment.

“
Well, there is nothing else for it. The blaggard will have to marry her.” His shaggy greying eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Margaret. She blanched again.

“
No, William, please. Or at least, let us give Rebecca the choice. She has been hurt, physically and emotionally.”

He waved his hand dismissively, took a slug from his whisky glass and stared into the crackling fire.
She would not mind a good glassful of the amber nectar herself. Unfortunately, strong spirits were just not lady-like.

“
Every woman has pain at the tearing of her maidenhead. She will get over it. Newthorpe is a good match, and he doesn’t care that her dowry is somewhat paltry.”

“
I do not believe she will get over it. Being forced to have intimate relations with a man is very different from doing it willingly. Do you not remember our wedding night?”

He looked up at her and smiled—a faraway look in his eyes. He had been so handsome then—still was. She had been almost faint with nerves and excitement.

“Yes, I do.”

“
Then you will remember that you took your time with me. You made love to me—made absolutely sure that I was ready for the consummation. Then you came into me slowly, with just a bit of an extra push to finish the deed. The pain was gone in seconds, to be exchanged for loving. Rebecca had a very different experience. I spoke to her maid after Rebecca had bathed and made her tell me about her injuries. She has teeth marks and bruises on her breasts, bruises on her thighs and welt marks on her wrists where he tied her up.”

William stood up and started to pace again.
“Devil take it, Margaret. What are we to do? The girl will be ruined. Even if her lack of innocence is not widely known, when she breaks off their courtship, she will still be the talk of the
Ton
drawing rooms. And God help her if she is with child.”

“
We will arrange to go back to Chapelbrooke the day after tomorrow. It is the only thing we can do. James, of course, can stay if he prefers. Young men are never affected much by the indiscretions of their sisters and mamas. Maybe we can find a nice young gentleman or clergyman who would be able to overlook her lack of innocence and marry her anyway. As for a child—I think it is unlikely, given that her courses have just finished. I hope so, at least.”

The
earl harrumphed.

“
I will write to Newthorpe in the morning and withdraw my permission for him to pay his addresses to Rebecca. With luck he will not show his face here or at any of the gentleman’s clubs for some time to come. Perhaps he will retreat to the country himself.”

“
I do not care what that man chooses to do as long as I do not have to be in company with him. I will leave you to tell James. I think it best that he is made aware of the situation. And I will go and dismiss the maid. I cannot believe that silly girl left Rebecca alone with him.”

“
Good.” The earl sighed and sat down at his desk. Then he picked up a piece of paper and dipped his pen in the ink well.

As Margaret got up to leave, the scratch of the pen nib on paper reassured her that Rebecca would not come onto contact with Newthorpe in the near future. At least
that was one problem dealt with. Now for Betty.

****

Daniel buttoned up the placket of his breeches and shrugged on his waistcoat. The fire had died, and he dressed by the light of a solitary candle on the bedside table.

He had bent to pull on his boots when a warm, soft and very feminine body pressed against his back.
Marie’s nipples were like tiny hot coals burning into his flesh as she slipped her hands around his waist and started to undo the buttons he had just fastened. It would be so easy to sink back into her arms and take her willing, pliant body all over again. But bedding her had been a very bad idea.

Usually, he visited
a lover after a ball or soiree and announced his intention to finish their liaison before swiftly departing. However, most of them had not been quite as skilful as the woman now wrapping herself around him.

“
I have to go. I had intended simply to come here, tell you my news and finish our acquaintance as quickly and easily as possible. I should not have allowed you to seduce me.”

“
You were very easily seduced, my lord.”

“
I apologise for my weakness and for giving you hope that our liaison may continue.”

“
Daniel, you disappoint me. You are not worthy of the honour of being called a rake. What rake gives up his mistress before he even has a prospective lady to marry? Even then, most continue their dalliances well into their marriages.”

“
Did the Duke of Wilmslow commit adultery?”

“
Indeed he did not.” She looked shocked, and her dark eyes flashed with anger at the very idea.

“
From this night on, I would hope to live up to the duke’s example. When I do wed, I plan to be faithful until the day one of us dies. Would you have me be less than your late husband?”

“
You will always be unfit to polish His Grace’s boots, Ramsey.”

He stood, moving away from her before turning and bowing.
“I have little doubt of that, Your Grace. I have enjoyed our time together.” He picked up his cravat and pulled on his coat. “But now it is over, and I must take my leave.” He bowed again—a low bow to show that he respected her position in society.

Her lips curved slowly
, and she pulled the white satin sheet up to cover her naked body.

“
I do believe you will make an excellent husband, Lord Ramsey, for you are a gentleman and an excellent lover. I wish you well.”

“
Thank you, Your Grace.” She held out her hand to him, and he clasped it gently before bowing over it and pressing the lightest kiss to her flesh.

“
Goodbye, Daniel.”

“
Goodbye, Marie.”

And the deed was done.

As he stepped out onto Grosvenor Square, he took a deep breath before turning and heading towards his own house. And now, it was time to start his new life, as a respectable, marriageable gentleman.

****

Rebecca glanced over her tea cup and caught another furtive glance from James. He was trying to hide it, but failing miserably. They were sitting across from each other in the breakfast room and had been waiting for the servants to leave after having served them. The room was light and airy, and weak sunlight stretched the pattern of the window across the dark wood table.

“
Mama told you what happened with the Earl of Newthorpe.” It was a statement. She did not need to ask. It was clear for all the world to see.

“
Papa, actually. But yes, I know.”

“
I see. I am sorry.”

“
What do you have to be sorry for?”

“
Well, I suppose my ruination may reduce your chances of a good marriage.”

“
I believe that the ruination of a woman causes little damage to the opportunities of her brother, only any sisters that she may have. Besides, Becky, it is you I care about. You look pale and tired.” James twirled the handle of his quizzing glass between his fingers, looking pensive.

“
Mama gave me laudanum to sleep. I may still be suffering from the after-effects.”

“
I hope so. When I come up to Chapelbrooke in late summer, I expect to see you happy and as beautiful as ever.”

Late summer? Was James saying what she thought he was? She narrowed her gaze at him.

“Is Mama planning to drag me off to the country in the dead of night? Does she think that I should be ashamed of what has happened?”

“
Becky.” His tone was soothing but had a steel edge to it. It was obvious he did not want her to make a scene. “Mama is trying to do what is best for all of us. Papa sent word to Newthorpe this morning to say that his attentions towards you were no longer welcome. I think Mama wants to get him to the country to calm down as much as she wants to get you there to protect your reputation. If the threats he was making last night were to come true, our dear papa’s neck would be in a noose.”

Rebecca blanched at his words.
A slightly smug smile curved his lips, and she knew he had seen her discomfiture. Concern for her father and the sheer injustice of the situation warred within her. Why should she flee to the country? She did not believe that she had been at fault.

“
I do not want to go to the country. I want to stay in town for the season.”

“
We must go, Rebecca. Please see reason.” Rebecca looked up at the sound of her mother’s voice. The countess stood in the doorway, her lavender day dress set off beautifully with a dark purple Spencer, white gloves and a straw bonnet decorated with white flowers.

“
No. I will stay here. I will stay with Aunt Matilda if I must.” Her father’s sister was a bubbly woman who did not always fit in at
Ton
entertainments due to her propensity to laugh rather raucously. While her position as the dowager Duchess of Fordmaine meant she always received plenty of invitations, the hostesses usually hoped that she would be too busy to attend. Rebecca knew that her mother would never leave her in the care of her aunt.

“
We will talk about it later. Was your new maid to your satisfaction this morning?”

“
Yes… but what about Betty?”

“
I dismissed her.”

“
Why?”

“
She left you alone with the earl.”

“
After she was given a direct order, one with which I did not argue. She did no wrong. It was I who allowed her to be dismissed. Please reinstate her. I will not be able to live with myself if I think she may be starving and homeless because of my actions.”

The countess frowned
, but Rebecca felt hope rise within her. If her mother was thinking, it was a good sign. She knew that Betty had a good, if poor, family and they would not allow her to starve. However, the countess did not know that. “Please, Mother.”

“
I will reinstate her as a kitchen maid. But, if she so much as makes one mistake, she will be out of this house forever.”

Rebecca sighed with relief. One less thing for which to blame herself.
Later she would work on her mother to be allowed to stay on in London for the rest of the Season.