The Rake and the Recluse REDUX (a time travel romance) (96 page)

“My sweet Lilly, you are the most stunning woman I have ever laid eyes upon.”

Once outside he leaned against the balustrade and took her hand, unbuttoning the row of tiny pearls at the inside of her wrist. He placed a gentle kiss inside the loosed fabric, then pinching the tips of her fingers to loosen her glove. He pulled it off slowly, sparking the nerves in her skin. Then he kissed the tips of each finger, stroking the inside of her wrist with his thumb.

“You have stolen my heart. I’ve no idea how you’ve done so. You must be a sprite, sent to bewitch me.”

Lilly laughed. “I don’t know anything of that.”

Perry held her hand, slowly running his fingers up her arm and back again. “I was concerned about you holding your own in a venue of this sort. Clearly, there was no reason to be.”

“I am still shaking. But now that you’re here, I’m feeling much better.”

“We must go back inside. The duchess will be wondering where I’ve taken you.” He smoothed the glove back up her arm, straightening out the creases as he went.

“Must we?”

“I’m afraid we must.” He straightened from the balustrade and tried to button the tiny pearls on her glove, but his fingers were too wide. He gave up and took her hand and placed it on his sleeve, leading her back through the French doors.

Perry was watching her face as they navigated the ballroom. As quickly as frost melts in sunlight, her features shifted to confusion and then to anger. He stopped and turned to face her, blocking the rest of the room. “Lilly,” he said, taking her hands in his as he scanned the guests above her head.

“He’s here.” She paled.

“He.” Perry shifted them, watching the room, scanning the faces. He caught the attention of his cousins, who weren’t far away.

Perry surrounded her with his broad shoulders and strong arms, and walked toward the main entry. “I will get you out of here, I will keep you safe.” What he should have done was insist she and his aunt leave the moment he saw them. But he’d been so taken with her, had wanted only one waltz. But at what price?

They left the ballroom without looking back. Once they crossed the threshold he swept Lilly from her feet, carrying her through the entry toward a parlor on the opposite side. They were followed closely by his cousins, his aunt, and the lady of the house.

Perry set Lilly on a long chaise and turned on Warrick. “He’s here.”

“I’m aware.” Warrick held his hands up to stave off the rant. “We caught sight of him when you went out to the terrace.”

“Where is he now?” Perry asked.

Warrick shook his head. “He was in the ballroom, but we lost him after he saw you and Lilly.”

“Damn him. I should have removed them. This is my fault.” Perry started to turn for the door, but Lilly held him.

“Let
them
call for the carriage, please. You can’t walk away from me now.” Her hands were shaking like autumn leaves from trees.

“As you wish.” He turned to Calder. “We need to get them away from here.”

“Mama, you are to stay with Warrick and Perry. Do not leave.” Calder strode from the room.

“Someone needs to explain what’s happening,” Lady Grenville said.

“Oh, Sarah Jane, I do beg your pardon. It appears you have an unwelcome guest,” Auberry said. “But not to worry—Calder and Warrick will handle it and none will be the wiser.

Calder came back into the room and spoke in Warrick’s ear. Warrick went to Perry and Lilly. His large hand came down on Lilly’s shoulder so very delicately, like an elephant on a spider’s web. “He’s out front, and demanding an audience.”

She stood suddenly. “If you go, I go.”

“Lilly, I—”

“If you go, I go.”

Warrick led Perry while Lilly and Calder followed. They found Perry’s men guarding the door, Hepplewort pacing at the base of the steps in front of his carriage, his horses shifting nervously.

“Hepplewort, you are supposed to have left London. Why are you here?” Warrick asked.

“I am here for reparations.”

“You are due no further reparations from me, or anyone here,” Perry said.

“He’s well into his cups, that one is.” Auberry looked down her nose at the earl. Perry scowled when he realized his aunt had followed them out as well.

“Perhaps I’ve had a drink or two, but that is irrelevant.”

Perry shifted and Hepplewort caught a glimpse of Lilly. “What’s this, then?” He stopped his pacing. “Here’s a girl. Do you know we’ve made quite the rounds in an attempt to find one girl to return home with? And here’s one right now, tucked safely behind the man who helped to steal my bride.”

Calder and Warrick flanked Lilly, and she stepped forward, her other hand holding tightly to Perry’s. “And why would you be looking for me? I thought I was just a passing fancy, a bit of fun you picked up.”

Hepplewort sent her a confused glare. “What are you talking about? I only want to steal his bit of tail.”

“You’ve no idea who I am, then?”

Perry squeezed her hand. “Lilly.”

“Who you are? You’re nobody, you’re irrelevant, just a tool I wish to use.”

Lilly stepped forward, her grip on Perry loosening while his grip on her tightened. “I see, but you don’t. You’ve already used me, and quite thoroughly I might add, to sate your
need
.” She took another step as he glared at her, allowing the light to strike her face.

“There is something about your— Oh.” A devilish grin broke a crooked line across his pudgy face. “Why, I thought you were dead.”

Lilly’s jaw dropped and Perry stepped forward, taking him up by the collar and throwing him to the ground. “You son of a bitch! How dare you! You have no right to even address her! Much less to behave in such a callous manner.”

Hepplewort scooted back, then sat up. “Well, she wasn’t so brave and powerful when last we met, were you, chit?”

Perry lunged. Warrick reached out and caught him, pulling him back to the stairs.

“You have no right to even look on her, much less speak with her!” Perry roared.

“And what of you here, a viscount putting out for a ruined scullery maid? Ridiculous. At least I used her in her place and left her there. You— What? Look to pull her up to your station? You ignorant twap. I cannot even imagine what your family must think of that sort of thing.”

Perry turned and glanced up at Lilly, who stood straight and tall on the top step.

She spoke so quietly that only Perry could hear. “This lesson, while the one I feared the most, has been quite possibly one of the most valuable. There is no cause to fear that man. He is not at all terrifying.”

Perry forgot the man behind him, lost in Lilly’s peaceful expression.

“Time for you to quit the ball, Hepplewort,” Perry said without turning back.

Kerrigan and Gardner pulled Hepplewort up by the shoulders and shoved him at the carriage.

“You don’t tell me when to leave!” he squawked.

Perry turned. “Don’t I?” He walked toward the carriage, and with every step closer it seemed Hepplewort shrank further into his collar. “Get in your carriage and quit London tonight, or by God you will not live another day.” He felt Warrick’s hand on his shoulder, but shook him off. “You are not welcome here. You are not welcome anywhere. I believed you understood us when we told you this the first time, or even the second, but it is apparent you do not. I will not tell you again. Be gone.”

Hepplewort fell backward into the carriage as Kerrigan swept the door open behind him, and Perry walked to the driver.

“Morgan, I believe you have been warned as well. I’ll see you hanged before I see you near my family again. Don’t think I won’t.” The man’s eyes narrowed but Perry dismissed him, turning away and returning to Lilly.

He heard Kerrigan slam the carriage door, then Warrick crack the harness on the rear end of one of the horses “Ha!” The startled beasts took off down the street, and everyone walked back to the front of the house. Where he stood with Lilly. He still didn’t take his eyes from her.

“Warrick. Inform Her Grace that Lilly will accompany me to my town house tonight. She may consider my offer official. Let her know that if she were to come and attempt to collect her, she’ll be turned away, as we have much to accomplish. She may continue to try, but will be consistently turned down.” He raised a brow. Lilly blanched when he used the very words his aunt had used against him.

“And Warrick—”

“Yes, Perry?”

“My stick?”

Warrick grumbled and handed it to him. Perry finally broke his hold on Lilly’s gaze and turned down the steps, bringing Lilly with him when Gardner brought the carriage up to the curb. Perry handed Lilly in, then followed. He felt Kerrigan’s weight on the back of the carriage and tapped the roof. “Home, Gardner, swiftly.”

Perry turned to Lilly. “I told you my intentions were to court you, with the intention of taking you to wife.”

Lilly looked at him in the dark, light from the gas lamps on the street crossing his features as the carriage rocked down the cobbled and dirt streets toward Grosvenor. “Yes, you informed me of such. You also informed me that you had not yet proposed, and that when you did, I would know.”

“Lilly, that time is now. I cannot wait, I will not survive another day not knowing. I won’t have you attending balls without me on your arm. I will not let you out of my sight without first putting my ring on your hand for everyone to see.” He grasped that hand, pulling it up to his mouth. “Lilly, will you be my wife, in name and deed? Will you take up honorable residence in my house? Will you bear my children and raise them as you see fit? Will you spend the rest of my days making me the happiest man in all of Great Britain? In all of the United Kingdom? Even if it means we live a happily ostracized life in the country?”

“No, milord, I will not,” she said quietly.

“Lilly, I—” His heart skipped. He gazed at her solemn expression as the lights flashed over her face.

“Milord, I cannot take this lightly. It is beyond me to be more than I am—”

“I’m not asking for—”

“Hush.” She lifted her hand to his mouth to quiet him. “You have asked that I be your wife and said that if we are not accepted by the
ton
, that we will hide at your estate, live out our days happily never to be heard from again. I refuse to rob London of such a beautiful force. It would not be fair of me.” She pressed harder on his lips when he tried to plead again. “What I mean to say is, I will never leave. I will never hide. I will be your wife in all things for as long as I shall live, be it with you or without you. You have stolen my heart, my very life, there is no living for me where you are not concerned. I will fight. I will stand tall and proud. I will endure whatever is sent my way. I will be strong. I will not hide. I will do as you wish. And I will spend the balance of
my
days doing so.”