Taming the Wicked Wulfe (The Rogue Agents) (18 page)

She took a moment to look in the cheval mirror that stood in a corner of her room.
 
She worried her bottom lip as she turned this way and that taking in her image.
 
Did it cover her scars?
 
Barely, but yes, she thought with relief.
 
This was the first time in her life that she had ever dressed up like this.
 
Was it too much?
 
Not enough?
 
Only one way to find out.
 
She gathered up the pelisse and the gloves and opened the door.
 
She entered the twin’s room a few minutes later.

“Oh, Aunt Bekah, you’re beautiful,” Ivy said in awe.

How sad was it that a four-year-old’s opinion mattered so much to her?

“Oh, my lady, you look beyond beautiful,” Mary said.

“She looks like she always does,” Zachary said, unable to understand the difference the others saw, including his sister.

“You’ll understand one day, Your Grace,” the other maid said with a giggle.

“That he will,” a deep voice said from the hallway.
 
“You are breathtaking, my lady,” Thorn stepped into the room, captured her bare hand in his, and brought it to his lips.

Rebekah’s stomach flipped at his touch and the smoldering look in his eyes.
 
The throbbing low in her pelvis returned and her knees felt weak.
 
No
, she told herself and pulled her hand free of his.
 
Instead of looking angry, he merely gave her a lopsided grin that almost made her think he was promising more.
 
She turned her attention to the children, “Are you two ready?”
 
The children nodded eagerly.
 

“Shall we?” Thorn held his arm out indicating they should precede him.

Rebekah tugged on her gloves as she descended the stairs.
 
When she reached the bottom she struggled with her pelisse until she felt large hands join hers.

“Allow me.”

“Thank you.”

“You truly are breathtaking.”

Rebekah could not make herself meet his eyes.
 

“You should have jewels adorning you.”

“Like your mistress?” she asked tartly.

“Some day I am going to find out what has caused you to be so bitter.”

“Never.”

“We’ll see,” he said.
 

Then to her utter dismay he brushed a kiss across her lips, a gentle caress that had her wanting more.
 
When did I become such a wanton?
she thought worriedly.
 
“We’re going to be late.”
 
She led her family outside to the waiting carriage.

The children enjoyed the journey to Gertie’s, getting to see sights of London they had not yet seen.
 
Rebekah did not.
 
The closer they got to their destination, the more she worried.
 
She worried about the people that would be present.
 
Did they know of Thorn’s reputation?
 
What would they think?
 
She had never been to a large dinner party.
 
Could she do it?
 
Would the children enjoy themselves?
 
Would she be engulfed by memories?
 

So wrapped up in her own worries, she missed most of the trip.
 
It was not until the carriage lurched to a stop and the children jumped up that she realized they had reached Gertie’s house.
 
Wulfe exited the carriage and turned to help the children.
 
Then he held his hand out to her.
 
Her hand trembled as she placed it in his.
 
She nearly fell out of the carriage as her knees buckled.
 
If he had not caught her to him, she would be lying in a heap on the ground.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“You don’t appear so.
 
We can return home.
 
Just say the word.”

“No, I want to stay.”

“You are to tell me, if at any time, you want to leave.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Believe what you will, Rebekah, I have always cared for you.
 
Now you are my wife and it is my duty to protect you.
 
I take my duty very seriously.”

She looked up at him unsure as to whether she should be hurt that he considered her a duty he had to carry out, or exuberant that he cared for her.
 
And when had it begun to matter to her?
 
Isn’t this the man that had ruined her life?
 
It took both of you to do that
, she reminded herself.
 
“Thank you,” she said.

“Come, let me show you off,” he said and brushed her lips with another teasingly soft kiss.
 
He turned and guided her into her cousin’s home before she could berate him for his actions.

Chapter 10

It turned out that they were only beaten by one other couple, Gertrude’s niece and her husband, Lord and Lady Southerby.
 
Upon seeing Lady Southerby, Rebekah rushed across the room and hugged the other woman tightly.
 

“Oh, Clarissa, it is so wonderful to see you.”

Clarissa hugged her back.
 
“It is so good to see you, Rebekah.
 
It has been too long.”

“Much too long.”

“Come, you must meet my husband, Viscount Southerby,” Clarissa said, pulling Rebekah across the parlor.
 
“Justin, I want you to meet my dear cousin, Rebekah Johnson.”

“Wulfe now,” a deep voice corrected over her right shoulder.

Clarissa’s head turned sharply to Rebekah.
 
“But, Wulfe, isn’t that…”

“It is wonderful to meet you, Lord Southerby,” Rebekah broke in.
 
She saw the odd look that Clarissa gave her and tried to indicated nonverbally that she would explain everything later.

“Please, you must call me Justin.
 
I hate to stand on formality, besides you’re family.
 
Justin Southerby,” he held out a hand to Wulfe.

“Thorn Wulfe.”
 

Rebekah did not realize she was holding her breath until after the two men finished shaking hands.
 
If Clarissa’s husband recognized the name, he did an excellent job of hiding the fact.
 
At that moment, Gertie entered the room with a little boy in her arms that could not be much more than two or three years of age.
 

“Mama,” the little boy reached towards Clarissa fisting his hands repeatedly in a grasping motion.

“What has Aunt Gertie been giving you?” Clarissa asked her son as Lord Southerby took out his handkerchief and cleaned up the tell-tale signs of a child having had a treat.

“Cake,” the little boy said, clapping his hands.

“Gertie, you will spoil him rotten.”

“It is my prerogative, love.”

“Rebekah, this rapscallion is our son, Jace.
 
Jace, this is your cousin Rebekah.”
 
The little boy waved shyly before burying his head in his mother’s neck.
 
“Our daughter, Holly, is upstairs asleep.
 
She will be four months old in two days.”

“She’s boring,” Jace said.

“Jace thought she would be born as big as he is and ready to play.”

“All she does is sleep and cry.”

“That’s all you did too, little man,” Clarissa said, hugging him tightly.
 
He squirmed to get out of her arms.

Rebekah found herself feeling envious of this family that stood before her.
 
She felt jealous that her cousin was getting to truly experience motherhood and every aspect of it, not just as a surrogate for two orphaned children.
 
She loved her niece and nephew, but she could not help wanting more, craving more.
 
Yet, she would have to be satisfied with what she had, because that was all she would have.
 
“Hello, Jace.
 
I have two people I would love for you to meet, as well.”
 
She turned to look for the twins and saw them in her husb…in Wulfe’s arms.
 
They looked equally as shy as little Jace did.
 
Rebekah held out her arms to Ivy and the girl went willingly to her much loved aunt.
 
“Jace, this is my niece, Ivy, and my nephew, Zachary.
 
Ivy, Zachary, this is your cousin Jace.”

The adults humorously watched as the children eyed each other.
 
After a few minutes, Zachary and Jace squirmed out of the arms of the adults holding them.
 
The boys began chattering back and forth.

“Down,” Ivy told her aunt not wanting to be left out.
 

A maid waited in the corner until Gertie gave her a nod.
 
“She’s going to take the children to the nursery.
 
I have two maids watching the children tonight.”

“Two for three children?”

“There are to be two more, another set of twins,” Clarissa said.
 
“They are the children of Derek and Tessa Simmons, the Earl and Countess of Blackburn.
 
Their twins are just a little older than Jace.
 
Unfortunately, you will not get to meet Mikala and Gabe this time.”

“Mikala and Gabe?” Wulfe questioned, a tenseness in his voice.

“The Duke and Duchess of Hawkescliffe,” Justin interjected.
 
“They are good friends of ours.”

“Yes, and they just had a daughter, which is why they will not be here.”
 
Rebekah noticed how Wulfe seemed to relax at this information.
 
She tried to look at him before Clarissa garnered her attention once more.
 
“Papa will be here with his wife, Lady Jocelyn.
 
She is a wonderful woman, and she has a niece, Beverly, that is staying with them for her season.
 
Upon Jocelyn’s insistence, I have invited Gabe’s brother.
 
She believes they would be a wonderful match, but I’m not so sure.”

“Sir Graham and his daughter are coming as well.”

“Sir Graham?” Clarissa spun on her aunt.
 
“Just who is Sir Graham, Aunt Gertie, and why am I just now hearing about him?”

“Cassie and I met attending lectures on Egypt and archaeology.
 
I do find it so exciting and goodness knows what is out there.
 
We made quick friends.
 
Sir Graham is an inventor, a brilliant man, and has been knighted for his service to the King,” Gertrude could not hide the twinkle in her eye as she talked about the man.

“And why am I just now hearing about Sir Graham?”
 

“Because it is none of your business, love,” Gertrude said, patting the younger girl’s arm.

Justin threw his head back in laughter.
 
Clarissa spun and cocked her eye at him.
 
“Oh, you’re not mad, love.
 
You’re just upset that you are the last to know.”

“You knew?”

“I have some knowledge of Sir Graham,” he said cryptically.

“Oh, dear.”

“Don’t worry, love,” he pulled her to his side and dropped a kiss on her head.
 
“They’re watching him and those around him carefully,” he whispered in Clarissa’s ear, but Thorn still overheard what he said.

Thorn noticed that his wife no longer stood beside him.
 
He looked around the room and saw that she had discreetly moved to the far side of the room.
 
She stood at the window looking outside.
 
He crossed to her and stood with his right arm braced against the window frame, effectively blocking Rebekah from the others.
 
“What’s wrong?”
 
He observed her shake her head, but he could see the stiffness about her.
 
“Come now, you can tell me.”

“Too many people, too many names to remember.
 
I’ve never done this before.
 
I can’t do this.
 
They’ll know I am a fraud.
 
I don’t belong among them, I am only a reverend’s daughter.”

“No, you are so much more,” he tenderly gripped her chin and turned her to face him.
 
“You were the sister of a duchess.
 
You are the aunt of a duke.
 
You and I might not have a title attached to our name, but that does not mean that any of these people are in any way better than we are.”

“You own a gaming hell, of course they are better than us!” she hissed angrily.

“One of these days you will forgive me for the
Lady Luck
.”

“I doubt that.”
 
The noise level in the room grew louder as more people began to enter the large parlor.

“I believe we are being summoned for introductions,” Wulfe said nodding toward a couple that had entered the room.
 
Each held a child in their arms, a boy and girl.