Tempted By a Rake (Wicked Widows’ League #21)

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Lavinia suffered a second night of little sleep.

After Demetrius had kissed her in a manner that left her dizzy, he had bid her goodnight and left.

Why was it so important to come to know her better? There was really nothing else to learn, and what had he found so intriguing?

This was all so very confusing.

She had assumed that if he wished to be her lover too, and given that he was a rake, the matter would have been settled last night and she would wake up today knowing for certain if pleasure and passion existed or if it truly was a myth.

Except, his kiss had certainly contained passion that left her heated and…anxious, she supposed was an accurate description.

Well, at least she confessed what she wanted, and he had not declined, so that was out of the way. Now to find out what else he wished to know and what secrets he wanted to share with her.

She had not wanted to appear outside and walk along the beach too early because she did not want him to know how anxious she truly was. In truth, she had hoped that Demetrius would have called on her, but as it grew into the afternoon and he didn’t, she decide that she would be the one to step outside.

However, she did not walk to the beach, but simply to the edge of the terrace and stared out at the sea letting the cool breeze wash over her as she closed her eyes and listened to the waves. They were soothing, a comfort that she had not realized that she needed.

However, all too soon, that sound was interrupted by the barks of a sheepdog and Lavinia tried not to smile. Where Max led, Demetrius soon followed.

As the dog ran toward her, Lavinia gave him a stern glare and held out her arm, palm flat toward him. Max slowed and when he was close, sat at her feet and looked up, his tail wagging. Only then did she reach forward and pet him.

“Max cannot stay away,” Demetrius laughed as he drew near.

Unlike his owner, which she did not voice. “Good afternoon, Demetrius.”

“Good afternoon, Lavinia. How are you today?”

“I am well. And you?” She truly hoped that they were not now suddenly reduced to polite conversation.

“I am well also.” He then grinned. “Now that we have gotten the niceties out of the way, would you like to stroll with me along the beach?”

Lavinia returned his smile. “I would like that very much.”

He stepped back so that she could precede him down the steps and by the time they reached the beach, Demetrius had grown serious.

Had he changed his mind or reconsidered the very idea of being her lover?

Did she dare ask?

“There are things about me that I must tell you. After you learn, I will understand if you wish to return our relationship to what it was before with me as your brother’s solicitor and you his sister who questions my advice.” He shook his head. “I would also understand if you suggest to His Grace that he employ a different solicitor.”

Lavinia frowned. She could not imagine there could be anything that Demetrius could have done to make her reject him.

Except, last night he did claim to have secrets; she just hoped that he didn’t turn out to be a murderer or thief. Though, wouldn’t her investigator have discovered a nefarious past?

“I will also understand if you feel it necessary to inform His Grace so that he can make that determination for himself, but I do ask that neither of you ever tell anyone else.”

“Why?”

“Because it involves my family and I will not see them harmed by the truth.”

“Vicar Grant and his wife are not my aunt and uncle. They are not related by blood to me or my siblings.”

That was the easy part. It was the rest that Lavinia might find objectionable.

“My parents were not missionaries. None of us were in India. We came straight from Seven Dials where Vicar Grant found us living in squalor.”

“What of your parents?” she asked.

“My mother… she was the daughter of the Marquess of Wingate. She fell for the lies of a stable hand, Timothy Jones, who claimed to love her. Her father, of course, did not approve of the courtship, so they eloped. Jones assumed that once they wed that Wingate would welcome him as a son-in-law and his life would greatly improve.”

“He did not?” Lavinia even winced as she asked the question.

“No. He turned my mother out and cut off all assistance. The two traveled to London where Jones found a position in the mews. I was born, then Benedick, Orlando, Mercutio and the man who fathered me died shortly before Petrucio was born.”

“I am sorry.”

Demetrius could barely remember the man even though he had been four at the time.

“What about your sisters?”

“Viscount Perry,” he answered. Hatred filled his being. “He was the one that my mother was supposed to marry. It had been arranged. When my mother was free again, he sought her out, because he did still want her.”

“They married?”

“He punished. Mother could not find work and when she did, there was not enough money to feed us. He provided her with a home so long as she was his mistress, but none of her brats could live there with her. Mother would go to that home whenever Perry requested her presence and remain as long as he insisted, but she always returned to us to make certain we were well and did not starve. Sometimes it was a night, sometimes a sennight.”

“You were just children!” Lavinia exclaimed.

“There was a woman in our same building that would watch over us when mother was away. Mother paid her with items she had taken from the house so that they could be pawned for cash. I am certain my mother did the same for us because she did not have a position where she earned wages.”

“I am sorry, Demetrius.”

“Do not be sorry for me, but my mother.”

“How long…”

“Until she died.”

“So, Perry is the father of your sisters and Bertram.”

Demetrius nodded.

“How did Vicar Grant find you?”

“I was attempting to pick his pocket while Benedick tried to distract him.” As horrible as his life had been then, that was one memory he intentionally held onto. “I was all of nine, Benedick was eight, and we were the ones that had to make sure that our siblings were taken care of. Perdita was just an infant and the wet nurse required payment.”

“I am sorry. I am truly sorry.”

He did not want her pity but knew better than to argue.

“Vicar Grant grabbed us both by the ear and made us take him to our home. When he learned that our mother had passed and that there was no father, he was determined to find us a better place to live.” Lavinia really did not need to know how his mother’s family had rejected them again because he’d already told her the worst of his past.

“Vicar Grant and his wife took you in,” she surmised.

“They had never been blessed with children and welcomed us.”

“Where did the surname Valentine come from?”

“My aunt’s sister was married to a missionary; his surname was Valentine and they had two children. They were the ones who were in India. My aunt and uncle had received word shortly before we were discovered that the couple had been killed along with their children. As they had lived there for several years, it was easy to pass us off as the Valentine orphans.”

Lavinia was silent for the longest time and Demetrius began to worry that she was trying to find the words to distance herself from him and prepared to have his heart broken by her rejection. It was for that very reason that he turned so that they could stroll back to her cottage.

“Thank you for telling me,” she said after a moment. “I will hold your secret as Society would not approve.”

“What of your brother?”

“Leopold does not need to know anything,” she insisted. “You are a solicitor with a brilliant mind. It makes no difference who your father and mother were or your humble beginnings.”

“What of you?”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I am not worthy to touch you, let alone kiss you, or anything else that I have done.”

Lavinia stopped and turned to face him. “You are still a good man, Demetrius.”

“You are the daughter of a duke and were married to a marquess.”

“I settled on my husband because it was expected. My life, from the moment I started to prepare for my first Season, has been duty. I came to Seaford to discover something for myself. I was not happy and suffered guilt for it, and even more so now. I have everything so why am I not content?”

“Having a privileged life does not always equate to happiness,” he offered. He’d met those in Society who were wealthy, had families, no scandal and lovely homes, but were miserable.

“I have been happy here.”

His heart began to pound.

“Not just being in Seaford but coming to know you and perhaps myself.” She stared into his eyes. “I am not certain that I even want to return to London. I may not want to leave here at all.”

His life was in London and there was little he could do…unless he remained to be the solicitor for the good people of Seaford. The thought had occurred to him on more occasions than one. But that did not mean that he and Lavinia would ever be anything more than friends and possibly former lovers if he was even given the opportunity, because they could never be more.

Oddly, he had never pondered the more and assumed he’d remain a bachelor. Unfortunately, the one woman who could tempt him to the altar was out of reach.

“I have enjoyed my holiday as well, Lavinia.”

They continued down the beach and Lavinia stopped at the steps that led up to her cottage. Your sisters have married and married well,” she said after a moment.

Demetrius had wondered when she would ask.

“Their husbands…do they know?”

“They knew before the vows were ever exchanged because my sisters insisted upon it so that their husbands were given the opportunity to cry off due to the circumstances of their birth.”

Lavinia smiled. “They loved and that was all that mattered.”

“It was.”

She blew out a sigh and stared up the steps. “Would you like to come inside?”

As much as he wished to do so, Demetrius would not.

“You have much to think on, Lavinia.” He lifted her hand and placed a kiss upon the back. “I will speak with you at dinner.”

After she was inside, he turned and walked to his cottage and hoped that once Lavinia had been given a chance to think about all he had said that she did not reject him, yet Demetrius anticipated that she would.