The Lady and the Vixen Read online

  She braced for Aidan’s answer. For years Aidan wanted revenge on Geoff Daugherty, the rich businessman who’d seduced Aidan’s mother, gotten her pregnant with Aidan, then left her when he married a more fitting woman, acceptable to society and the Daugherty name.

  “I threatened to finally go public about our relationship to his friends and business associates.”

  Da snorted. “And how would you do that? You have no proof. Daugherty’s high-society toffs wouldn’t believe a word from an Irish-Jew commoner. You’re courting danger. Isn’t it enough you have Daugherty’s youngest under your thumb—”

  Something like a loud bang came from within the room. She peeked through the door and saw Aidan knocking on the top of Da’s cherrywood desk. Da removed his cigar from his mouth and sent his son a displeased look.

  “But, Teague, I do have proof! I have Ma’s letters, the ones she kept from that bastard where he promised to love and protect her.” Aidan’s voice rose, and he clutched Da by the arms. “I attached one of the letters to the note I sent him. Maybe it caused his attack. Serves the fucker right.”

  She sighed and tugged on the edge of her braid. Aidan was too full of himself, ruled by emotion. One of her earliest memories of her stepbrother was his anger and resentment toward the man who took part in conceiving him but then dropped him for his new family. Nothing good would come of this. She had told him many times before, but he didn’t want to listen.

  Another door opened, along with footsteps and voices down the hall. Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, she took a few steps back, and, as Da started talking, she knocked on the door.

  He bid her enter. Aidan crossed his arms and stared at the rug while Da stroked his ginger-tinged beard.

  “H’llo you two.” She curtsied and gave Da a hug.

  “You’re looking mighty fine, darlin’.” He kissed the top of her head, and she sniffed the front of his shirt. The scent of starch and cloves filled her nostrils.

  “You’re looking dapper as always.” She kissed his cheek and turned to face Aidan.

  “Why does he always get hugs from you first?” Aidan’s mouth twisted in frustration, but at odds with his green eyes that sparkled in humor.

  “I always save the best for last.” She wrapped her arms around him, and he lifted her in the air. She giggled and presented her cheek for him to kiss. She ruffled his thick black hair, wishing she could do more to lift his spirits. For a short while, he would be cheerful and amiable, but soon enough he would lose his smile and become quiet or brooding. The only other person who made him smile was Abbie. Their lips were always locked together, or they ended up snuggling when they thought no one was looking. The majority of the time, she caught them in one of the empty rooms with their clothes wrinkled or their hair messed.

  “You’re my best girl.” He tapped her chin.

  “Don’t let Abbie hear that. She may get jealous. Speaking of which, where is your woman?” She felt no shame in asking. It was well known they were a couple. She hoped he would do the right thing and marry his sweetheart before it was too late and Abbie ended up in the family way.

  “She’s cleaning my bedroom.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and she rolled her eyes.

  “I can only imagine what she’s cleaning. Perhaps the sheets? Hmm?” She poked his side where he was ticklish.

  Da clapped. “Children, this is a place of business. Aidan, the wine delivery should be here soon. Go check for it. I want to chat with my beautiful daughter before I head to the bank.”

  “Right.” Aidan nodded. “We’ll continue our discussion later.”

  “Discussion? What are you two talking about?” she asked.

  He tweaked her nose. “Nothing to concern yourself with, brat.”

  She swiped his hand away, and he jumped back. With a salute, he left the room.

  She settled against the desk next to her father, who lit his cigar and puffed. She scraped the toe of her shoe on the floor.

  “Something’s on your mind?” He curved an arm around her waist.

  “I overheard you and Aidan talking before I came in.” She rubbed the edge of her braid under her nose. “He needs to stop with his revenge. It will eat him alive.”

  “It already has.” He inhaled and stared up at the ceiling. “He wants to destroy Daugherty by any means necessary. He might finally accomplish it.” He released a ring of smoke.

  “How? By threatening to tell the world he’s the bastard son of one of the most respected men in all of London? Would the scandal really ruin Daugherty? There are hundreds of men like him all over England who have children on the wrong side of the blanket.”

  “Try thousands.” He squeezed her shoulder and sat in his leather chair.

  She sat across from him with her hands folded in her lap and her ankles crossed as her governess taught her before she became the head hostess at Pythos.

  His stare grew inquisitive then softened. She’d witnessed it many times when they talked.

  “You look like her now.”

  “Mama?” She knew his answer, but she always loved hearing him talk about her.

  “You have her smile.”

  She had only fleeting memories of a woman singing to her before she put her to bed. “Do you still miss her?”

  He nodded, puffing on his cigar. “I cared for your mother deeply. She gave me you, my most precious gift.”

  She preened at his compliment. “I should hope I’m your most precious gift.”

  He started coughing. She rose to slap him on the back, but he waved her away and she settled back in her chair. “One day those cigars are going to kill you.”

  “When I meet my maker, I’ll have two in my pocket—one for me and the other for the fellow at the pearly gates who will let me in.”

  She giggled, sharing a smile with him. She loved her father’s honesty. Some thought he was a charlatan and a swindler, but he did what he had to do to get by. He had made his own way in the world and proved so many wrong.

  “What can I do for you, darlin’?” His entire demeanor shifted as his stare changed to a more shrewd, aloof one.

  Ah, now it’s to be business between us. She didn’t squirm like she wanted to under his scrutiny but remained perfectly still and poised. “I finished La Donna’s dress for tonight. The men won’t be able to keep their eyes off of her.”

  He nodded, pleased. “What about the gals? They have their costumes and masks?”

  “Yes, the girls are ready. The house will rake in a nice amount of bluff tonight.” She rubbed her palms together at the thought of all the money the rich gentlemen, and some of the ladies, would spend at the gambling tables and at the bars. Some of the more secret deals in the back rooms and in shadowy corners between the girls and the toffs would occur as usual.

  “Good, good.” He crossed his arms over the wide expanse of his chest. “I’m counting on you to watch the main floor and make sure there are no problems tonight.”

  She’d never taken control of the main floor before. “What about Aidan? That’s his domain—”

  He held up his palm. “Aidan has other things on his mind. I expect him to lose himself in a bottle or two of my finest whiskey. It might be for the best,” he added, frowning.

  “Why? Is it because of Daugherty—”

  “Part of it is.” He stubbed out his cigar and opened his drawer, plucking out a silver flask.

  The engraving caught her eye, one she knew by heart: “To Teague, my friend and loving companion. Yours, Maire.”

  He took some gulps. “Today is the anniversary of Maire’s death. Aidan’s taking it hard this year.”

  She barely remembered the woman both Aidan and Da adored. Da had asked Maire to marry him right after Daugherty had left her. They only had a few years together before her life ended because of her broken heart. Da had cared for her mother, but Maire had been his one true love.

  “How are you handling it?” she asked.

  “Like I do every year. I’ll visit her grave
and drink in her honor.” He saluted with his flask.

  There was much she wanted to say about Aidan and his anguish over his mother and biological father, and Da’s role in it, but it wasn’t her place. The one time she’d confronted both men about it, they’d had a huge argument.

  The air in the room thickened, and the lightheartedness between them vanished. The grandfather clock in the corner reached the top of the hour and chimed four times.

  She rose from her chair. “I should have a bite to eat before I meet with the staff. Would you like to join me for an early dinner?”

  “I’m not hungry right now. I’ll have something later on.” He folded his hands on his stomach.

  She wanted to comfort him but stayed where she was. When he shut himself off like this, there was no use in trying to bring him out of it.

  “I’m off, then. I have a busy night ahead.”

  “That you do, my girl.” He ran a finger over the engraving on the flask.

  She opened the door and glanced over her shoulder at the man who’d given her so much in her life.

  “Love you, Da,” she whispered.

  He finally looked up from the flask and winked.

  Winking back, she left the room.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The carriage swayed back and forth, making Lucy’s stomach toss. It was most likely due to her nerves and not knowing what to expect. Or it could be the dress she wore, which showed off a great deal of skin, more so than she was used to.

  She’d selected one of the most daring dresses in Rue’s wardrobe, a royal-green taffeta with black lace trim and off-the-shoulder sleeves with a bustle in the back. No ribbons adorned the hem or the bodice. She felt completely bare, her chest on display with nothing to cover it. She didn’t even have a necklace to adorn her throat since she didn’t own any jewelry except for her wedding ring hidden underneath the ivory elbow-length gloves she wore. She inhaled, her corset pinching. She’d abandoned a chemise and wore only two petticoats under the gown because it was just too tight.

  “You look beautiful, Luce. Green suits you.” Approval lined Chase’s tone.

  He looked dashing in his dark-gray jacket and trousers with a green vest to match her dress. He’d planned it after she told him what she was going to wear. She had expected some sort of complaint over the lack of fabric covering her bosom, but he didn’t have any. For some reason, he wanted her to style her hair better. She had tried to pretty it up with the aid of a maid, but it was no use. Her hair was one of the banes of her existence. She kept it back in a chignon, with a few tendrils framing her face.

  “Thank you, little brother. I hope this plan of yours works. I still don’t understand why you think I can help.”

  “Colby won’t listen to me if I come alone. I couldn’t ask Rue for obvious reasons, and she would kill Freddy if he took one step near the club. Colby would never expect you to visit Pythos.”

  “I hope it’s the case because I don’t want us to stay any longer than we have to. We find Colby, and then leave.” She swallowed back her anxiety as the carriage came to a halt in front of a brightly lit brick building with two massive double doors. Men in top hats and dressed as if they were going to the theater or a ball strolled up the front steps.

  “And here we are.” He slapped his knees. “We’ll be in and out in two hours at the most. We’re early, so there shouldn’t be too much of a crush.”

  From the number of people, she doubted it. Several groups of men and women entered the building. The women wore masks, but the men none at all.

  “This is a masquerade, correct? Why are women wearing masks and not the men?”

  “Some of the men wait until they’re inside to wear one. Oh, before I forget, here’s yours.” He presented her with a white satin mask with a gold-tipped ostrich feather attached to the right side.

  It was quite lovely and unlike anything she had ever worn. She drew it over her face and righted it. She could see clearly, even though when she blinked, the inside of the mask rubbed her cheeks and forehead.

  “How do I look?” She patted her hair and fixed her gloves. She was trying to ignore the tugging sensation in her stomach and the rubbing of her bodice on her bosom where the fabric chafed her nipples, causing them to tighten. She grabbed her shawl from her seat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

  “Beautiful, like always.” He nodded in approval.

  She smiled in gratitude. Not many thought her beautiful, not her parents or even her husband. But Chase always had.

  “And you’re handsome,” she complimented back, and he gave her a huge grin.

  He opened the door and stepped out ahead of her. She climbed out of the carriage and, taking her brother’s arm, walked into the unknown.

  * * *

  The Pythos Club was unlike anything Lucy had ever seen, not that she had much to go on since she had never been inside such a place. It looked like a combination of a ballroom and theater, with walls lined with red velvet and the ceiling a bright-white marble. People were dressed to the nines, the majority of the men in tails or suits one would wear to a ball. The women wore a wide array of gowns in different colors and styles. Most wore masks, but the men in the vicinity didn’t. Chase was one of the many who had abstained. To her surprise, he was greeted many times as they made their way to the main room where there was music and dancing. There was conversation all around her, and the press of the bodies soon became overwhelming.

  Chase escorted her to the immense ballroom where a woman dressed in purple sang far too loud on stage with men playing various instruments behind her. Lucy winced when the singer hit a high note.

  She clutched Chase, her head swiveling from left to right, taking in everything around her and almost losing her footing on the waxed floor. An older man with salt-and-pepper hair walked past and leered at her. She shuddered and held her brother tighter.

  “Are you all right?” He stopped near a grouping of potted plants. A waiter passed with a tray of drinks, and he took two.

  “Now I am.” She fanned her face, using her gloved hands since she didn’t have a fan. She wanted to blend in, and in order to do it, she had to be like any other woman here, showing off her assets. She sipped the sweet-tasting liquid. Bubbles tickled her nose, and she held back a sneeze.

  “Don’t drink too fast. The champagne has a kick to it.” He drank and surveyed the area.

  She peered over his shoulder at the crowd that had grown quite large in the last few minutes. Other than people talking and drinking, it was far from as offensive as she’d expected it to be.

  “Where does everyone gamble or play card games?” She lifted up onto her toes to get a better look.

  “There are rooms for specific types of gambling. Here is where the dancing takes place and La Donna sings.” He tipped his glass back and finished his drink.

  She did the same and blinked when she suddenly grew dizzy. It wasn’t often she had spirits, usually a glass of wine at dinner. But how could something like champagne be so strong?

  Another waiter passed by and she reached out for a second glass. Chase opened his mouth, most likely to remind her to take care. Before he could advise her, two men wearing black masks called out his name and approached them.

  Chase groaned but then presented both men with a congenial smile. He shifted to stand in front of her, but she moved to his side instead. She appreciated her brother trying to protect her, but she refused to cower.

  “Chase! It’s been forever since we last saw you. How have you been?” The taller and slimmer of the two held out his hand.

  He shook the offered hand and nodded at his companion, a short, stout man with a large nose and small chin.

  “I’m well. Thank you for asking, Melton.” He clapped him on the back. “Nice masks. Did you match on purpose?”

  Melton grinned and nudged his partner. “Gilbert and I got a great deal on them. And the ladies love mysterious men in black.” He stared straight at Lucy. “Don’t you agree, Miss….” />
  She covered a laugh by drinking more champagne. These two were harmless. Perhaps a little too jolly from their imbibing, based on their red faces and the way they swayed.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend, Daugherty?” Gilbert bowed and almost pitched forward.

  Chase sighed and patted her hand. “The lady prefers to remain anonymous. I hope you’ll respect her wishes.” He brought her up against his side. “These two are Mr. Gilbert and Melton Percivile, brothers. They’re regulars here at Pythos.”

  She curtseyed and briefly smiled. “Perhaps you know Chase’s brother, Colby? We’ve been trying to locate him.”

  Chase glared at her, and she mouthed, “What?” She’d rather get to the point than stand around making pleasantries, not knowing if Colby was in some sort of trouble or throwing away all his money.

  Melton snapped his fingers then hiccupped. He smacked Gilbert’s arm. “Gil, didn’t we see Colby in the high-stakes-poker room an hour ago?”

  Gilbert bopped his head. “Yes. I believe so. Colby just sat down with five other gents. The table is too rich for my blood. Instead, Melton and I enjoyed the buffet and the well-stocked bar. Did you know they have an 1846 Meur—”

  Chase snagged Gilbert and Melton. Lucy moved forward, but he waved her back. She huffed and started to cross her arms, but another server appeared. She replaced her empty glass with a new one. This time, it wasn’t champagne but ruby-red wine. She drank while Chase talked to the men. She didn’t catch what they were saying, due to their low whispers and the loud music playing from the front of the room.

  Chase broke away and came to her. He frowned when he noticed her new glass.

  “What is this now? Your third? You must be care—”

  “Oh, pish posh.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m a grown woman who can handle her drink. It will be my last one, I promise. Now, tell me what you and the Percivile brothers talked about that you didn’t want me to hear.”

  He squeezed the back of his neck and glared at the two men who held not one but two glasses each. They drank and laughed, eyeing a group of women wearing low-cut gowns and masks.