Redeeming a Rake (28 page)

A suffocating wave of panic momentarily made
him mute as he clenched his fists. “What have you done? If you’ve
hurt her I’ll…”

His brother theatrically put his hand on his
chest. “Your heart must be breaking after all this time…banished
from her sunlight for your thoughtless ill manners. Tell me
Geoffrey, since when do you deserve an angel?” Geoffrey felt the
words like a boot in the stomach. His hateful sneering brother
couldn’t possibly know that he called his friend an angel. “I stole
your letter. Your grovelling protests of love ended up in my
fire.”

“You bastard!”

“What have you ever done to deserve love?
You make me look like a saint.”

Neither brother saw their sister approach.
“Thomas? Are you tormenting Geoffrey? You know he’s not well.”

“Your precious Geoffrey doesn’t think I’m
good enough for his penniless ward. His own brother.”

“And he stole an important letter and ruined
my birthday!”

“Did you steal Geoffrey’s letter?” The
ballroom paused to listen.

“Don’t be angry Sophie. I wish I hadn’t
taken the blasted thing, but I did and I read it. I felt terrible
afterwards and I’ve tried to make up for it by being kind to the
worm, but he’s a heartless corpse. I’m sorry I took his blasted
love letter. I was going to send it on, but I accidentally tore it
so I threw it in the fire.”

“Geoffrey, are you going to forgive Thomas
for being jealous or snub your only brother?”

Geoffrey looked up into wary repentant pale
blue eyes and resisted the impulse to punch the larger man in the
face. What would his Sunshine want him to say? “I should have
expected the Royal Mail to lose an important letter. I should have
sent ten copies to be safe. I’m sorry I called you a bastard.
You’re probably Mother’s favourite because your birth was the least
painful.”

Sophia smiled as she linked her arm through
Thomas’s elbow and nudged him. “I’m sorry I laughed when Father had
you thrown out of the house. I thought you’d be back in a week.
After a month you looked so hungry and dirty I asked him to end
your banishment, but he threatened to throw me out of his life if I
mentioned you again. I had no money, no other family.”

Geoffrey was silent for a few minutes as he
digested his brother’s words. “I’m sorry I tried to push you out of
an upper story window. I was jealous. I thought Mother loved you
more.”

“It’s a good thing I was bigger than you.
You may be thin, but you were never a weakling. I hope you never
really challenge me to a sword fight because I’m forty-three and I
feel it. You’d probably run me through.”

“I wouldn’t kill my big brother, I doubt if
I could.”

Thomas bowed his head at the compliment and
relaxed in relief at being a fully accepted member of the family.
“If I ever learn who smashed in your head I’ll kill him.”

Geoffrey shivered as he looked up into face
like his father’s, but devoid of hatred. “I know who attacked me.
They told me. Unfortunately, I can remember why I deserved it.”

“How’s your head?”

“It hurts.”

“I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thank you.”

Sophia stood on her tiptoes and kissed
Thomas on the cheek. “Happy Birthday Geoffrey! Come with me Thomas
I have a new friend I want you to meet. She’s old like me, but she
thinks you’re handsome. Her father is an impoverished Earl who’s
going to die any day and leave her homeless. I’ve told her all
about your ruin and she thinks it sounds romantic. She’s a bit
scatterbrained, but I’m hoping you’ll fall in love with her…”
Geoffrey took a deep breath as his siblings walked away. His head
was throbbing, but his insides felt warm and pleasant. He pulled
out his watch; six minutes past nine.

Tolerance bit her lip as she rang the bell.
Her dream Geoffrey had reminded her every night for a month that
his birthday would be today and that he wanted her to come to his
birthday ball by nine. He kept insisting that he’d sent her an
invitation, but there’d been no word. The fact her dream Geoffrey
had been right, that the real Geoffrey was giving a ball was odd,
but it was probably just another strange coincidence. Fearing the
bell might not be heard over the music and chattering guests she
rang again. A few minutes later the door opened, but before she
could explain her task the maid dressed in pale blue gasped in
amazement and pulled her inside and shut the door while loudly
calling for assistance. Her bonnet, pelisse and gloves were removed
with efficient haste as servants whispered back and forth, “The
time, the time…the lady in the study…before nine, to please the
Devil!”

“I haven’t been invited to the ball. I’m
delivering a gift. I’m not expected. If you could ask His Grace…”
She was urgently ushered up the stairs too hurried to see people
staring at her dusty black travelling gown, sturdy leather boots
and the silk shawl around her shoulders emblazoned with a gleaming
image of the sun. She clutched the wrapped package tighter under
her arm as she was propelled from behind through the ballroom
doorway and into the arms of a man trying to leave. “I beg your…
Oh!” She looked up into adoring pale blue eyes and felt her lower
limbs dissolve as strong hands steadied her and then reluctantly
let go. “Forgive my dust; I look a fright.”

“You look like a goddess who’s raced her
chariot through a dust storm.”

“You’re making me blush.” The come hither
smile made her cheeks burn hotter. “I didn’t mean to intrude. The
servants pulled me inside hissing something about ‘before nine to
please the devil’.”

“I’m the devil and they’ve certainly pleased
me. I was hoping you’d come, if only for the other me.”

“I came to give you a birthday gift. I’m
sorry I hurt your feelings. It was wrong of me to talk about you as
if you weren’t standing there in the flesh.”

“Don’t apologise…”

“Really Lyndhurst, must you have a
tête-à-tête in the doorway?” An elegant young man with black hair
rudely pushed past. “I’m fit to burst and if you don’t move I’m not
going to reach a chamber pot.”

“Jackanapes!” Geoffrey’s roar drew curious
eyes. “Blasted relations, where was I? Don’t you dare apologise to
me. I was a worm, but if you’ll allow me to kiss your…”

An old woman hobbled up to Tolerance and
peered at her through a lorgnette. “Ah Mrs Spencer, we haven’t seen
you for months. Have you been travelling?”

Tolerance opened her mouth to answer, but
her pleasant reply was drowned out by her friend’s rage. “Do you
need spectacles Madam? We’re having a private conversation. Go
away!”

“Honestly! I knew you were the devil
Lyndhurst, but I didn’t think you ill bred. Your poor mother…”

The old woman hobbled away as Geoffrey
bashfully turned repentant eyes towards his friend. “I sound like a
selfish tyrant, but you can’t fault me for being upset with that
nosey witch. It feels like forever since the last time…” His pale
unhealthy skin looked drawn as if the pain in his head was somehow
stretching his face.

“Geoffrey…”

“Let me finish.” Sinking to one knee he
stared at the dusty hem of her gown as a curious silence rolled
over the room. “Those vile things I said…I was jealous and I
couldn’t give the man you loved a black eye or dig him up and sell
his corpse to a medical school. Forgive me I beg you.”

“I forgave you before you’d left my house.
Let me help you up…” He took her offered hand and reverently kissed
her fingers. “Everyone is staring at us. There was no need to
humiliate yourself.”

“The Dukes of Lyndhurst always kneel to
their superiors.”

She smiled and shook head. “I thank my
knight in pale blue velvet for the compliment, and assure him it is
a sublime privilege to wear his colours.” The ballroom exploded
with hushed speculation as Geoffrey jumped to his feet, his face
flushed with pleasure. She took his offered arm and allowed him to
lead her away from the ballroom and down the hall, but every time
he opened his mouth to speak another group of relatives would stop
and demand introductions to the Duke’s companion and then ogle her
in disbelief. Tolerance sighed in relief when he opened a door and
pulled her inside. All she could see was the fire and the lamp
light on the mantel casting shadowy shapes across numerous drawings
of her face.

“What the Devil are you doing in here?”
Tolerance turned to see two people jump up from the floor behind
the desk and dust off their clothes. “Get out! This is my study not
a barn.” The two young people hid behind their arms as they fled,
slamming the door after them. “Cursed relations!”

Tolerance laughed as she watched the man’s
reflection watching her in the mirror over the mantel. “Are you
including all relations in your curse Geoffrey? Your poor future
wife…”

“The last time I called on my chosen Duchess
she banished me. Unless she changes her mind I won’t ever have a
wife.” He glanced at her with longing and then walked away to open
the door. “I don’t want you to think I might do something
thoughtless.”

“Geoffrey, I felt perfectly safe.”

Geoffrey gulped down the aching hunger,
folded his arms and forced himself to keep breathing. After months
of deprivation his angel was within reach. “For pity sake Angel,
don’t insinuate you trust me if you don’t mean it. I know I’ve been
a heartless prat, but your good opinion means everything.” She was
watching him in the mirror, her hair shimmering silver in the
lamplight. It was odd to see her hair tightly plaited and coiled at
the back of her head. He wanted to rush to the fire, pull out her
hair pins and let it fall free to her hips, but he didn’t dare go
near the fire. He’d put his arms around her and cover her with
kisses. She might never speak to him again.

“I’ve never been afraid of you.” He gargled
on relief. “This is a charming room Geoffrey. It must be quite
pleasant in daylight.”

She turned back to face him filling his
stomach with butterflies. He’d almost forgotten how lovely she was
in the flesh. “I spend most of my time sitting in here…thinking of
you.”

She left the fire and returned to the desk.
“It would be difficult for you to think of much else considering my
plain face is all over the walls. The servants must think you’re
mad.”

“It’s the face of an angel; it inspires me
to be kind…or at least to try.”

“That’s one of the things I love about you
Geoffrey, you have a habit of saying the most flattering outrageous
sentiments which I know are quite sincere.”

“And you have a habit of warming my heart
with your sunshine and making me feel like I’ve risen from the
dead.”

Smiling, she held out a wrapped package.
“Happy birthday Geoffrey.” She moved closer until he could feel her
shoulder against his arm. He slowly opened the gift and silently
read the inscription in the front cover of the manuscript.

Beloved Geoffrey,

I’ve tried to faithfully reconstruct the
events of your missing years since we met. I have interspersed the
history with my feelings, our personal letters, and entries from my
dream diary of nights spent with you in a sunny garden. I could not
have survived all the lonely months without you if I hadn’t been
able to meet you in my dreams. I would not be surprised if I’ve
loved you forever.

Your friend,

Tolerance

“That’s so odd, I’ve been having dreams
where I…”

Geoffrey’s words were severed by his ward
running into the room holding high a lit candle and flinging
herself into her sister’s arms. “Tolerance! I knew you’d come…”

“Blast it child, you’re going to burn down
my house.” He took the candle and set it safely out of reach on the
desk. “The open door wasn’t an invitation to enter. I’m having a
private conversation in my private room.”

The two women ignored him causing
uncharitable thoughts about his ward. “Charity? What are you doing
here?”

“Hasn’t he told you? His Grace purchased my
freedom and saved me from an old Irish Lord as a present for you.
Isn’t he wonderful? I’m penniless, but he says I get to live with
you and marry whoever I please. Doesn’t it make you want to kiss
him? I’d kiss him only I know he’d hate it.” The younger woman
dropped her voice to a hush that everyone could hear. “Ever since I
arrived he’s asked endless questions about you. I swear he can talk
about you for hours without tiring of the subject.”

“Good evening Mrs Spencer, I hope you’ll
forgive me for not calling on you before you left London, I was in
Paris.”

The room turned with various expressions
towards Jonathan Grey leaning in the open door way. “Hello Mr Grey.
I see you’ve met my sister.”

“His Grace introduced us.”

“Did he?”

“Take the child away Grey, before I…”

“I’m not a child. I’m almost the same age as
Tolerance when you fell in love with her.”

Geoffrey’s cheeks were suddenly feverish as
his ward ignored his glare. “That is a piece of impertinence!”

“How can the truth be impertinent?”

“Because I’m a…” Geoffrey’s roar cut off mid
sentence as he noted the Angel’s raised eyebrow. He knew she was
silently saying the word ‘tyrant’. “Because I wanted to be the one
to tell your sister that I love her. Do you mind?”

Charity covered her mouth with her hands in
genuine distress and stared at the two lovers. “Have I ruined your
proposal?”

Geoffrey clenched teeth and decided silence
was the only sane option. The sisters embraced one more time before
the young beauty disappeared on the arm of the dazed Johnny Grey.
“I wanted to be the one to tell you that this worthless heart beats
to…”

“I’ll wager my Christmas guinea he’s going
to kiss her.”

“Ugh! She must be blind. Who’d want to kiss
the Devil?”

“My Papa told my Mamma that the Devil has to
pay ladies for kisses.”