The Tempting Minx, page 6
“Then, to show your love, you must allow me to be your confidant,” Evelyn urged.
Maggie shook her head. “Oh no. Anything I tell you, you will snitch to Reese.”
Evelyn sniffed. “I would never betray a sister’s confidence.”
Maggie cringed. She didn’t set out to offend Evelyn. She hated to think she made Evelyn cry because of her own insecurity. “He wanted to know if I enjoyed his kiss,” Maggie blurted.
A secretive smile lit Evelyn’s face, and her mood changed dramatically. “His kiss? And when, pray tell, did this kiss occur? Because you never left Reese’s sight since we set out for today’s outing.”
Maggie blew out a breath at her gullibility. She’d fallen for Evelyn’s trick. “Two nights ago at the Kendrick Ball, I wandered outside and got lost in the woods. Crispin—”
“Crispin?” Evelyn interrupted with a raised eyebrow.
Maggie stayed silent. The more she tried to explain, the deeper she only dug herself in. If she refused to say anything else, then Evelyn wouldn’t have any information to share with Reese.
Evelyn regarded Maggie as she remained quiet. It wasn’t her place to reprimand her behavior, especially with how she had pursued Reese. However, she could offer her advice and hope Maggie would proceed with caution. While Evelyn thought Lord Dracott an excellent match for Maggie, her husband wasn’t convinced yet. He thought the viscount had ulterior motives for his pursuit of Maggie, and she wasn’t one to ignore her husband’s opinions.
Evelyn drew Maggie’s hands between hers. “I will not press you for any more details. Nor will I share what I learned with another soul. However, I warn you to proceed with caution. Only offer Lord Dracott what you do because your heart wishes to, not because of any pressure he applies to act differently.”
“Oh, but he did not,” Maggie protested.
Evelyn peered into Maggie’s eyes and made her judgement that Maggie spoke the truth. “I believe you. May I ask for a promise?”
Maggie nodded.
“Please do not cause a scandal. I fear your brother cannot take on any more added stress.” Evelyn winked.
“Whoop!” Maggie shouted with excitement. “I knew it.”
Evelyn laughed. “Shh. ‘Tis a secret I expect you to keep. We will announce our news after your ball and not until then. We do not wish to take away from your excitement.”
“You understand I do not care about that ridiculous ball. Mama is more excited than I am.”
“She only wants you to succeed. We all do.”
“I promise. No scandal from me this season.” Maggie shrugged. “However, I cannot make the same promise for my other siblings.”
Maggie stood and helped Evelyn to her feet. They hooked arms and strolled through the park on their return home. When Reese married Evelyn, they had suffered their own tribulations and their marriage survived stronger than ever. They were role models she wanted to replicate with her own marriage, unlike the one of her parents. Oh, her Mama wasn’t the one to lay the blame on. That fault lay with her father alone. Reese had walked along the same path until he married Evelyn. The love they held for each other had won in the end.
Maggie wanted someone to love her as deeply and profoundly. Was Lord Dracott the gentleman to capture her heart? Or did he have an ulterior motive he had yet to reveal?
Only a few more kisses would tell.
Chapter Six
Dracott allowed no one to intimidate him. However, he desired Maggie like no other woman before, and he couldn’t allow Worthington to withdraw his approval. So he parted ways with the Worthingtons and continued to the office. He would bide his time until tomorrow evening. At the theatre, he would find a way for them to be alone together.
Too caught up in his musings, he almost missed seeing Ravencroft stepping into an unmarked carriage in the alley before he reached the office. When the carriage never departed, Dracott snuck closer. Who did his brother meet with? Ravencroft had yet to contact him about a new plan.
Dracott pressed himself against the building, ducking behind some discarded crates. Two men were standing guard on both sides of the carriage. He recognized one of them as Lady L’s henchmen. Which meant another guard stood at the front of the carriage, covering both directions. It appeared as if she had gained some new recruits. The one he recognized was a brutal bastard. The brute had beaten Dracott at every opportunity while he grew up.
He gritted his teeth, tightening his fists. Dracott longed to retaliate by knocking the bloke around with a few punches of his own. But he held back, not wanting to give himself away. As far as Lady L knew, he stayed hidden at Ravencroft’s estate in southern England. Nor did he want to interfere with whatever dangerous game of deceit Ravencroft played. It would ruin any chance of a future he may hold with the Worthingtons. Lady L would ruin Ravencroft and make an enemy of Reese Worthington with his involvement. Dracott had much to lose, too.
Ravencroft didn’t stay inside the carriage for long before disembarking, which only meant he had received his next order.
After the carriage left, Dracott stepped out from behind the crates, blocking Ravencroft’s path. “Why in the hell are you meeting with her in broad daylight?”
Ravencroft looked around before answering. “She did not leave me much choice.”
Dracott spotted the bruise forming on his brother’s cheek. Ravencroft kept looking over his shoulder. Lady L didn’t play nicely. That meant her plan wasn’t coming together like she wanted. She usually ordered brute force to make everyone follow her orders when she became desperate.
“What does she want you to do?” Dracott asked.
“Nothing,” Ravencroft denied.
“The swelling on your cheek speaks otherwise.”
Ravencroft brought his hand to his cheek, wincing. “Damn.”
A group of gentlemen strolled past them. Dracott pulled Ravencroft behind the crates to hide their meeting.
When no one called attention to them, Dracott tried once again to get answers. “Why have you not made contact?”
Ravencroft leaned his head back against the building. “Because I have yet to formulate a plan that will protect your identity and also destroy that bitch.”
“Why did she stick her brutes on you to manhandle today?”
“Because I have ignored her other messages to meet. When you sent me the warning that you witnessed our exchange at the Kendrick Ball, I feared she discovered you were in London. Then, when I saw Lady Margaret with you after I parted from Lady L, I realized how I risked the Worthington ladies with my deceit.”
“I kept Maggie away. I do not believe anyone saw her.”
Ravencroft scoffed. “You cannot be that naïve. Lady L had eyes watching our exchange. They might not have known it was you, but they knew Lady Margaret stood nearby watching.”
“How?” Dracott snarled.
“Because Lady L has made it her mission to know everything there is about Lady Margaret. Even down to her behavior to wander away at balls. She is no longer safe. I fear her life might be at stake for witnessing our meeting.”
Dracott advanced on Ravencroft, yanking him by his cravat. “Did she threaten Maggie?”
Ravencroft nodded. He didn’t pull away and allowed Dracott his frustration. “If I do not get her the blueprints for the Worthingtons’ townhome in a fortnight, then she plans to kidnap Maggie.”
Dracott stepped back, running his hand through his hair. “We must confess our involvement to the Worthingtons this instant.”
Ravencroft shook his head. “We cannot.”
“There must be a way.”
“Give me more time. I promise to figure a way out of this mess. In the meantime, Lady Margaret needs protected at all times. Especially at the entertainments the family accepts invitations to. I will try my best to guard her when I can and send word to you of the functions the family plan to attend. You can meet us there. I am owed a few favors that will guarantee your acceptance.”
Dracott sighed. “One slight problem with your plan already.”
Ravencroft frowned. “What is that?”
“Maggie does not like you.”
“Nonsense. She is always polite to me.”
Dracott smirked. “Because her mother has taught her to keep her true opinion hidden and to herself. She believes you cover up your true character with lies.”
“Damn.”
“Do not fret, dear brother. I convinced her to allow me to look into your character to see if I can discover your hidden secrets. Oh, the information I can lay at her feet,” Dracott threatened.
“However, you won’t because you will not betray your own kin.”
Dracott shrugged. “For the love of a good woman, who knows what I might do?”
“You bastard.”
Dracott pulled down the sleeves of his suit coat. “Yes. We have already established that fact of my birth. Now I must arrive at work. I am already behind schedule after taking a walk with Maggie and the Worthingtons this morning. You see, I have received Lord Worthington’s permission to court Lady Margaret. It appears both of our lives are now financially set for the future.”
“You will ruin us with that move.”
“’Tis too late. I already set it in motion.”
Dracott turned and walked away, leaving his brother to mull over his actions. With his bit of news, Dracott hoped it would prompt his brother to think of a plan for them to survive Lady L’s wrath and secure them a future with the Worthington ladies. Because after this morning, he refused to allow Margaret Worthington to be anything other than his wife.
MAGGIE STROLLED INSIDE their box at the theater with a calmness far from what she felt. However, she didn’t want her family to guess how eagerly she wanted to see Crispin. She kept saying his name over and over in her thoughts. It rolled off her tongue like a verse to a song and wrapped her in an intimacy she wanted to share with him. She had only walked a few steps inside when she noticed him waiting for them to arrive.
He leaned against the railing, holding a flute of champagne. Graham rattled on, probably discussing their latest case. Her brother struggled to break away from obsessing over his work. Their mother worried he would never find a nice girl to marry. If so, his business would be an unwelcome mistress.
However, it would appear Lord Dracott didn’t hold the same obsession. His attention had gravitated toward her ever since she entered the theatre box. He lifted his glass in a toast, acknowledging her presence, and his gaze stayed focused on her. Maggie beamed a smile at him, and he returned her smile. Then he walked away from Graham without a word and sauntered over to her.
Maggie laughed at her brother’s dumbfounded expression, and Graham scowled at her. However, it didn’t take long for someone else to snag Graham’s attention. Maggie followed his gaze to see a stunning lady dressed in a revealing midnight-blue gown across the way from them. The lady stood too far away to make out her features, but she had captured Graham’s attention. When the lady slipped out of the box, Graham pushed past Dracott on his way out, knocking him into Maggie.
Cool liquid splashed Maggie in the chest and trickled between her breasts. She gasped and tried pulling the fabric away from her body.
“I am terribly sorry, Lady Margaret,” Dracott apologized.
He tried not to stare, but the wetness seeped into Maggie’s dress and drew his attention to her breasts. The champagne trailed a path down the valley of her chest, and the wetness spread out across her nipples, hardening them into tight buds. He groaned at the sight—and his inconvenient thought of acting on his desire by drawing them between his lips. Dracott pulled out his handkerchief and thrust it into Maggie’s hand.
Maggie gasped when Dracott’s hand brushed across her nipples. The handkerchief barely covered her chest. She glanced around, mortified, to see if anyone noticed how her body reacted to Dracott’s touch. When her family continued to talk amongst one another and paid them no attention, she twisted around so no one would notice.
Dracott tugged off his suit coat and wrapped it around Maggie’s shoulders before anyone became aware of her dilemma. However, his gentlemanly attempt brought them more attention than her wet gown ever would.
“Step back from my sister,” Worthington ordered. “You have overstepped your bounds with your impropriety.”
Maggie turned around, holding the suit coat in front of her chest. “Reese! Apologize immediately. If it were not for Lord Dracott’s consideration, the entire theater would witness my disgrace.”
Dracott backed away. “My apologies. I did not intend to cause any disrespect.”
Worthington snarled. “Your actions speak otherwise.”
Maggie stepped between Dracott and Reese. “You misunderstand. Lord Dracott only intended to protect me from any prying eyes.”
“It appears he staked his claim on your innocence by marking you as his property,” Worthington accused.
Maggie stomped her foot. “Your overprotectiveness is the only act drawing attention to my innocence.”
Lady Worthington stepped between her children. “Both of you calm down. You have gained the other patrons’ attention with your quarrel. Let me take this coat from you, Maggie, to return to Lord Dracott.” She pulled the coat away from her daughter.
“No!” Maggie tried to keep the coat around her shoulders, but her mother’s grasp was stronger. She yanked away the coat, drawing everyone’s attention to Maggie’s dress.
Lady Worthington gasped at her daughter’s appearance and swiftly covered her back up again. She fixed her glare on Dracott. “What did you hope to achieve by this act?”
“Mama! As I am trying to explain, Lord Dracott is not to blame,” Maggie whined.
Lady Worthington glanced around and saw the patrons in the boxes on both sides of them focusing their attention on the scene. “Explain yourself at once,” she whispered.
Maggie nodded. “On Graham’s rush to chase after a lady who caught his eye, he shoved Lord Dracott into me. Before Lord Dracott recovered, he accidentally spilled his drink on my dress. Once he saw how the champagne damaged my dress and how it would garner people’s interest, he graciously offered me his suit coat. The only one to blame in this incident is Graham. If anything, we owe Lord Dracott an apology for the slander you directed at him that he does not deserve.”
Maggie drew in a deep breath from her long tirade and fixed a glare on Reese and her mother. They were too quick to lay the blame on the wrong person, which only led Maggie to wonder if they supported Lord Dracott’s courtship. Evelyn and her sisters expressed their delight at the charming gentleman courting her, and Graham never voiced his dislike. However, her mother and older brother’s reaction pointed out how they didn’t accept his suit. Then why had Reese given his permission for Dracott to court her?
“You have our gratitude for your humble assistance. We shall return your suit coat to you shortly,” Lady Worthington apologized.
Before Dracott could accept the apology, Lady Worthington ushered Maggie out of the theater box. Evelyn Worthington stood undecided if she should follow or stay to calm her husband. But her need to see to Maggie’s welfare won out. With a whispered warning to her husband, she followed the ladies to the retiring room. Worthington continued with his glare, and Dracott stood tall, not relenting his stance. He kept a neutral expression on his face, not giving away his need to react to the false accusations. He wished to defend himself, but the warning Ravencroft shot at him from behind Worthington kept him silent.
Ravencroft stepped forward and stood next to Worthington. “Very gentlemanly of you, Dracott, to see to Lady Margaret’s dilemma.”
Dracott nodded and bit his tongue to refrain from calling out Worthington’s insensitive reaction to Maggie. While trying to protect her virtue, Worthington only drew speculation about their relationship. Rumors would spread about Maggie’s reputation on how free she was with her favors because of this incident. Nothing untoward would be whispered of his name, but Maggie’s reputation would become tarnished because she wore proof of her indiscretion, one that had never happened, but the gossipmongers were unaffected by the truth. They loved to tear a lady’s name to shame. The longer Worthington stayed silent regarding Dracott in this manner only fueled the rumors to start. If the earl didn’t speak soon, it would force Dracott to offer for Maggie this evening.
Worthington must have sensed the urgency to voice his acceptance of the situation. Dracott didn’t know if it was because the theatre grew to an eerie silence or if the earl felt a hundred pairs of eyes staring at their box. Either way, it prompted him to step forward and offer his hand.
“Much appreciation for offering your suit coat on my sister’s behalf, Lord Dracott. Your kind gesture only proves your honorable character. Our family will forever be grateful for your swift attention.” Worthington’s voice boomed, causing his words to echo in the vast space.
How Dracott reacted next would set the stage for how the incident would proceed. If he didn’t shake Worthington’s hand, it would declare he had nefarious attentions and tear Maggie’s reputation to shreds, even if that was never the case. However, if he returned the gesture, it gave the earl the power to direct how he wished Dracott and Maggie’s courtship to lead, with the earl scrutinizing him more closely than he wanted him to. But it was the only reaction that would guarantee how closely he guarded Maggie. Also, if Worthington withdrew his support, it would put his employment with Worth and Ralston in jeopardy. His entire livelihood depended on him shaking Worthington’s hand.
He reached out, and his handshake was firm, relaying to Worthington how he couldn’t intimidate him. “No need for your gratitude, my lord. I only stepped in to help, as any gentleman would do for a lady in distress. After all, I am courting the miss, and if I didn’t show how much I care for her comfort, how would that appear to Lady Margaret and her family?”
Worthington tightened his grip, snarling behind the smile he portrayed to the watching audience. “A valid point, Lord Dracott.” Worthington surprised him with his next remark. “If all gentlemen acted with such attention to courting, it would ease many parents’ and guardians’ minds.”
