To Refuse a Rake (5 page)

“As are you. Tell me, Miss Kingsly. I’m curious as to what you found humorous. After such a somber topic as my father’s death, I’d love to laugh.” His lips thinned as if suppressing the mirth twinkling in his eyes.

Emma felt herself blush and she began to stammer. “It was… well, I’m not sure that I—”

“Oh Emma, do share!” Sadie spoke up quickly. “You do come up with the most interesting insights at times. She will make me laugh quite often, Lord Daventry. Her humor is quite unparalleled.” Was she trying to entice Lord Daventry’s interest? Or save the situation?

Emma shot her sister a glare when Hudson turned away for a moment.

“I don’t think that it was all that humorous… but…” She glanced around furiously, searching for something to speak about that would seem even remotely amusing. She felt the gaze of her sister and Hudson as they waited.

“Perhaps your sister’s thoughts were more of a… personal nature?” Hudson offered after a moment.

Emma’s gaze shot to him before she glanced back at the serpentine. She glanced at her sister.

“Oh…”Sadie blushed and then bit her lip, a sure sign of her trying to not laugh at Emma’s expense.

“Perhaps your sister’s thoughts are like her desire to observe nature… she likes to keep them in solitude,” Hudson teased with a playful expression.

More than anything, Emma wanted to smack his arm and then tell him what she really had been laughing at.

“If you must know, I was laughing at you, Lord Daventry. But I felt it impolite to speak so. But I fear that you will think the worst of me if I don’t admit to the truth.” Emma spoke with a false sweetness and then nodded. She glanced to her sister and saw her eyes narrow in suspicion.

“Me? I’m thrilled to be the source of your entertainment, Miss Kinglsy.” Hudson gave a mock bow, unaffected by her intentional barb.

“Now, since you are being honest, will you please let me know why I cause you such amusement? I’ll endeavor to maintain that particular action or trait if only to hear your lovely laugh.” He raised an eyebrow. His eyes were calculating and full of mirth, as if he knew he had effectively backed her into a corner. He waited like a tiger about to pounce but waiting patiently for his prey to make a false move.

Emma’s heart increased its rhythm. Her idea had utterly backfired. She could not say, ever, that she had been thinking about him in any state of undress. The scandal!

“If you wish to continue to amuse me… you needn’t change anything, Lord Daventry.” Emma spoke carefully, checking each word to make sure they couldn’t be mistaken or taken for a double meaning.

Hudson studied her for a moment.

“Well done, Miss Kingsly.” Hudson nodded in acknowledgement and held her gaze, conveying a respect. “You are as… wise as you are beautiful.”

Emma held his gaze, wondering what type of man Hudson had become over the years. His eyes were honest and didn’t hold back his emotions but there was an underlying intelligence that seemed to always filter through his gaze.

“So… will you be attending the Williams’ ball tonight?” Sadie asked after a moment, breaking the spell.

“That depends. Will you be there, Miss Kingsly?” His chocolate-colored gaze seemed to melt as he studied her, awaiting her answer.

“Will you be going, Lord Daventry?” Emma asked with a wry grin, fully implying that she wouldn’t be there if he chose to attend.

“What a lovely invitation! I’ll send my carriage to escort you two lovely ladies. I’ll see you at nine.” He nodded with a triumphant expression and walked away, briskly.

Emma felt her mouth moving, but no sound came out.

“You, sister dear, have met your match.” Sadie quipped with an amused expression, then turned to walk home.

Emma stared at Hudson’s back as he swaggered off and earnestly prayed he’d slip on something and fall on his arse, humbling his arrogant pride. Lord Daventry, indeed. A shiver raced through her. Had Sadie been correct? Had she, indeed, met her match? Oh, how she hoped dear Sadie was wrong. The last thing she needed was a man who could break down the wall she’d effectively built. But Hudson wasn’t trying to break it down; he just simply kept climbing over it.

****

Hudson whistled a merry tune as he walked away. The temptation to turn and watch Miss Emma Kingsly’s expression was almost overwhelming, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment of triumph. The way her sea blue eyes always ignited when he baited her gave him the most delicious sensation. Truly, it was his new favorite thing to do. Already he was thinking up ways to provoke her tonight when he arrived to escort them to the Williams’ ball.

Lady Hodge seemed to be recovering from the scandal, if her ready smile was any indicator. She was, indeed, everything he remembered. Only Emma could outshine her sister’s beauty. He didn’t think it would be long before Sadie found another suitor. Clearly, after the death of her husband, society had welcomed her back, but he wondered what had happened to the baroness? Shaking his head, he continued on until he reached the edge of the park.

When he arrived at home, he found his mother waiting for callers in the blue parlor. He paused mid-step and turned back toward the door.

“Curtis?” He addressed their aging butler, a few memories of the older man’s kindness flickered through his mind.

“Yes, sir?” The gray-haired man nodded and gazed at him blandly.

“I need to speak with my mother, so please maintain that privacy and do not let any callers in to visit.”

“Of course, sir.” Curtis nodded.

Striding away, Hudson made a direct route to the blue parlor and his unsuspecting mother. She had been out shopping earlier when he’d finally awakened, but now he could ask her about his brother and the scandal, and hopefully make sense of the whole mess told to him by Hewett.

“Mother?” Hudson called as he entered the room.

Lady Daventry glanced up from her embroidery and gave him a small smile.

“Yes, dear?” She dropped her gaze and continued to work on her project.

“I need to speak with you.”

“Of course. But first, would you be a dear and ring for tea? This pot has grown far too cool. Thank you.” She spared him a small glance and then went back to her embroidery.

Hudson expelled an impatient breath and rang for tea. He strode over to the settee across from his mother and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “As I said, I need to speak with you, Mother. Perhaps you could pause in your handiwork?”

His mother gave him a wary gaze then slowly set down her needle. Hudson’s impatience grew.

She folded her hands demurely on her lap and gave her full attention, though her expression was a bit patronizing.

Hudson worked his jaw, then relaxed, reminding himself to proceed carefully. ”I’m needing some details.”

“Details are my specialty.” Her eyes lit up and she leaned slightly forward.

“In this case, I have no doubt,” Hudson responded. “Why was I told to remain in India after Emmett’s death?” He watched the sparkle drain from his mother’s eyes and her smile disappeared. Though it pained him to clearly cause his mother distress, he needed the answers that had been denied him far too long.

“This is my at-home day. This is not the time for this type of discussion.” She began to rise to leave but Hudson reached out gently and halted her retreat.

“I already spoke with Curtis. We will not be interrupted. Please, sit.” He motioned to her chair and she glanced down at it, then back at Hudson with a tortured expression. Slowly she sat.

“It was your father’s decision.” She spoke as she glanced down to her lap. A single tear rolled down her nose and dripped onto her skirt. “It would seem that Emmett hadn’t ever gotten over his… attraction to the former Miss Kingsly, the new Lady Hodge. When Lord Hodge’s duplicity and treachery was made public, Emmett was immediately there to console her. But only after it was apparent that her husband wouldn’t be providing any comfort.” She glanced back up at Hudson with intensity in her gaze that came from desperation to be believed.

Hudson nodded and she continued.

“Lady Hodge welcomed his company, as a friend. I’m assuming that she didn’t want to create even more of a scandal by taking a lover so soon after being scorned. I’m not sure, however. But what I do know is that Emmett was determined to be the one she turned to. I do believe he loved her. One night, he arrived to the house quite upset because of a quarrel with Lady Hodge. He didn’t say what the argument was about, but he did drink quite a bit of your father’s brandy. He fell asleep on the couch and I went to bed myself, hoping he’d simply sleep it off.”

His mother was beginning to shake as more tears began to trail down her cheeks. Hudson reached out and placed his warm hand over her chilly one, hoping to offer her comfort. She gave him a weak smile and then nodded.

“I was awakened by my lady’s maid a few hours later, letting me know that the constable wished to speak with me. At first I thought that perhaps there had been a duel between Emmett and Lord Hodge over Lady Hodge’s honor. Emmett would have done something like that, you know.” She sniffed and Hudson pulled out his own handkerchief and gave it to his mother. She dabbed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“When they told me Emmett had been killed, I could scarcely believe it. Then, to find out that his carriage was the one to run over Lord Hodge, it seemed rather ironic. I don’t think your brother did it intentionally, yet part of me wonders why he was going to that part of town. Your brother wasn’t one to give up his current obsession for some sort of… imitation. While he was known for his roguish ways, I find it hard to believe that he would have risked the chance at Lady Hodge’s affections by soliciting another lady’s charms. He wanted Lady Hodge. I don’t think he would have settled for anyone less, however temporary. But you can’t explain that to the ton. So poor Lady Hodge, who had already suffered through enough, was faced with the murmurs and gossip about her husband and supposed lover both meeting their death outside a whorehouse.” She hiccupped and struggled to compose herself.

Hudson strove for patience while she gathered her wits. He knew all of that already! He needed more, so much more. Finally she drew a deep breath and began speaking again, her voice strained and low.

“Your father wanted to protect you from all that gossip about your brother. It would do no good to have you here, when you could easily be excused and not partake in the madness because you were in India. Whenever you did return, you wouldn’t be touched by the scandal because you weren’t even around. We did it to protect you.” She dropped her gaze back to her lap and sighed heavily. “Forgive me for not telling you sooner, but you can understand that it’s quite difficult for me to speak of it.”

“Thank you for finally telling me now.” Hudson reached out and patted his mother’s hand. “I’m sorry to cause you such distress but I needed to know.”

His mother nodded and took another deep breath. A soft knock on the door signaled their refreshments, and a maid entered with a fresh tea service. She took the old one and nodded, closing the door behind her as she exited.

“I believe I need tea. Quite a bit of tea, actually,” his mother commented and then gave Hudson a weak smile.

His mind spun. As he went over all that his mother had disclosed, he realized that Emma truly did have reason to have such a poor opinion of marriage. Not only had her sister been lied to by someone she thought loved her, but also she surely believed that his brother had also deceived her and had been seeking pleasure elsewhere while trying to court her sister. He heaved a large sigh. No wonder she was known as cold-hearted!

Though it was known that gentlemen often strayed from their wives, and vice versa, it wasn’t publicized. Yet, even if Lady Hodge’s late husband hadn’t publically disgraced her, Hudson suspected that Emma’s reaction would have been the same had he done the very same thing in private. Emma didn’t strike him as the type to…accept a man’s wanderings. No. She would be faithful and would fully expect that faithfulness reciprocated in a spouse. With that understanding, she had a good reason to look down on all men.

It wasn’t as if she could have suspected Lord Hodge to be so deceptive. Hudson had known Lord Hodge for years and the revelation of his duplicity still shocked even him! If he desired to change Emma’s opinion concerning marriage, he certainly had work ahead. He had a larger chance at winning the bet at White’s! Was she worth it? To win her would be the most difficult undertaking of his life, no doubt. And he had no guarantee that she’d return any of his affection. But even as he thought it, the truth struck him. Only a man willing to risk it all, had any chance to capture even a portion of her heart, because a man giving so much could only accomplish the most important thing, prove her wrong.

Chapter Four

Emma stared at herself in the mirror. A rainbow of color cascaded from every surface in her room as she had spread the entire contents of her wardrobe out in search of the perfect gown for her outing.

“Ugh!” She blew out a frustrated breath and sank into the chair by the fire. What was wrong with her? Why was she trying so hard? That miserable Hudson… Lord Daventry. It was all his doing. Waltzing into her life, stealing every shred of her peace, and irritating her with his witty remarks and alluring grin. She could not let him frustrate her so! She would not. She leaned back and closed her eyes, but when she did, a picture of his chocolate gaze and handsome face stared back at her. That was it! She stood and went to her closet and pulled out her oldest yet still mostly acceptable dress and rang for help. Her maid entered and glanced about the room warily.

“I believe I’ll wear this tonight. Assist me please?” Emma gave her a sweet smile. The maid’s eyes widened when she took in the plain dress that Emma held up, but obeyed without a word. Once Emma was dressed, she sat at the vanity and the maid began to brush and style her hair. “Please keep it simple. And pull it back tightly.”

“Tightly, Miss?” The maid’s brushing strokes paused as she gave Emma a curious glance in the mirror.

She must think I’ve gone mad.
After all, only spinsters and governesses would wear their hair in such a severe fashion.