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

Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Perhaps she truly was wicked. A Wicked Widow, just like her friends. She certainly understood why they viewed themselves as such now.

Lavinia laughed and grinned at the ceiling in her bedchamber remembering what Demetrius had done to her the evening before.

He also claimed that it was only the beginning.

With those thoughts, she rose from the bed and requested a bath and picked out her most attractive dress for the day. After she dried and curled her hair, she would enjoy a breakfast then take a walk along the beach.

And, just maybe, she would gain the attention of a sheepdog with his owner racing after him.

As she made her way down to breakfast, the voices of her servants reached her ears and Lavinia paused on the stairs to listen.

They were discussing Christmas.

“We were going to join you, Beth,” Mrs. Trenton was saying. “But that was before Lady Teviot decided to visit Sea View Cottage for the holiday.”

“But we have always shared Christmas as a family. First here, then at my home after I married,” Beth, the eldest of her three daughters, stated.

“This is also the first Christmas that we could have spent with our brothers in ten years. I was looking forward to truly being a family,” Sarah, the youngest of the daughters added.

“That is because the Tilsons never visited at Christmas. I fear we will be required to be at our posts. I am certain that Lady Teviot expects dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, though I do hope that she does not expect Christmas pudding since I did not prepare one because I did not know that she would be here.”

“I have one,” Sarah offered.

“I suppose we can do without,” Beth said with reluctance.

Well, this situation must be dealt with immediately, Lavinia thought to herself as she continued down the stairs and into the dining room where her servants had gathered.

“First of all, I do not need a Christmas pudding.”

The maids dipped into a deep curtsey.

“My apologies, Lady Teviot,” Beth murmured.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Lavinia insisted. “None of you had any warning that I would be spending my holiday here and it is unfair of me to ask you to upset your plans on my behalf.” At one time she may have expected them to remain at their duties despite the day, with only time off for Boxing Day as was tradition. But so much had changed in just a few short days. She had changed.

“All I ask is that food is prepared so that I might have meals to enjoy on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.” She then frowned. “If food can be kept for so long.”

“It is not wise to do so,” Mrs. Trenton said.

“I do not want your holiday to be upset because I am here. In fact, I prefer to be alone.”

The maids and Mrs. Trenton glanced at each other.

“Might I offer a solution, though I mean no disrespect,” Sarah said. “If we are allowed to spend the holiday together, a picnic basket with the foodstuffs can be delivered to you each day.”

“It would be no hardship to cook the extra food and I know that one of the men would not mind bringing it to you,” the cook offered, who Lavinia had not even noticed standing by the door that led to the kitchen. As she was the sister of Mrs. Trenton, no doubt she also wanted to be with family.

“I do not like the idea of you being alone,” Mrs. Trenton stated. “Especially at Christmas.”

“Yet, I wish to be. It is the reason that I came here.” Lavinia found herself smiling at the very idea of having three days in the cottage without anyone else about. She would truly be alone for the first time in her life, except for when Demetrius visited.

“Spend it as you had planned, please. Though, I am certain Mr. Valentine would welcome the meals as well because I am fairly certain that neither one of us can manage anything beyond applying jam to already baked bread and brewing tea.”

The daughters laughed quietly and Mrs. Trenton came forward. “Are you certain, Lady Teviot?”

She looked the housekeeper in the eye. “I have never been more certain of anything in my life. Please, for me, enjoy Christmas with your family as planned.”

“The plan was to leave this evening after we cleaned up from supper so that we can rise early enough tomorrow to see to putting out the greenery and begin cooking.” She smiled at her daughters. “And to share time together.”

“Then that is what you shall do,” Lavinia promised. “And I do not expect to see you until the morning of the twenty-seventh.”

“Thank you, Lady Teviot.”

And in that moment, she noted tears in the older woman’s eyes, which made Lavinia even more certain that this was what she wanted.

However, it also reminded her of something that she had failed to plan for. “Now, if you will excuse me, I must go into town. I hope not to be long.”

“What of breaking your fast?” Sarah asked.

Lavinia had completely forgotten why she had come down the stairs to begin with. “How could I have forgotten?” With that, she made her way to her place at the table then sipped tea and made plans until her breakfast was placed before her.

The next few days were going to be glorious indeed.

When Max barked and jumped at the front door, Demetrius peeked out the windows to see if he might have a visitor, though Max had not done so when any of the women seeking the position had called on him to interview. However, as soon as he saw that it was Lavinia and that she was walking down the drive, he quickly pulled on his coat and stepped outside.

Max rushed past him, and Demetrius feared that he might jump on her again, but Lavinia turned, held out a hand and arched a brow. Max immediately sat at her feet.

All he could do was shake his head because no matter how much he tried to train Max, the dog did not respond. Yet, a simple look of warning from Lavinia made him the most obedient dog.

“Are you walking into town?” he asked as he came forward.

“Yes. Would you care to join me?”

“I think I will.” He then turned to Max and pointed back to the cottage. “In.”

Instead of moving, Max looked up at Lavinia.

The bloody dog was besotted, not that Demetrius could blame him.

“Go home, Max.” This time, when Lavinia pointed, the dog behaved and returned to the cottage. Demetrius followed and closed the door so that the dog did not follow them. “Why are we going into town?”

“Because I had forgotten Boxing Day. I must purchase small gifts for the servants.”

“As I have no servants…except, I do hire a maid to clean my set of rooms…should I have gotten her something?”

“If you were in London, I would have expected you to, but as you are not, I assume it is not necessary, unless you wish to gift her with something on your return.”

“I will need to give it consideration,” Demetrius returned. “And I will rely on your advice with regard to any purchase.”

He had not anticipated shopping today, but Demetrius did not mind since he would be with her and had no other plans.

“I did come to learn that I am the cause of an unintended inconvenience, which I have rectified.”

“What would that be?” he asked with interest.

It was then that she explained the conversation she had overheard and decision that she had made. But the most important detail that he held onto was that she would be alone in that cottage and without a single servant about to know what they may be up to. And, as she still intended to share meals with him, did he dare hope that some of that time would be in her bed?

After last night, he was anxious to become even closer to Lavinia and believed that they had finally shared enough of themselves that he no longer felt as if he was simply rushing for the sake of having her. Further, she’d not set him aside when she learned the truth, and even welcomed his touch last night.

Yes, the next three days, after the servants left the cottage, were going to be very pleasant indeed.

The rest of the morning and until the afternoon, Demetrius and Lavinia visited nearly every shop in Seaford. Not only was she able to purchase small gifts for each servant, which she would present to them with her monetary gift as well, but suggested that Demetrius give to the woman who cleaned his set of rooms an amount he would have likely spent. No doubt the woman would be more appreciative of that gift over a useless item.

The two also made purchases for themselves and had a delightful time wandering in and out of each shop and through the town, often nodding to those who they had met at the assembly.

If the residents had not considered them courting previously, no doubt they did now.

There was joy in the very air, which was to be expected he supposed with it being near Christmas and he developed the sudden urge to want to decorate on Christmas Eve. But where did one go to cut greenery here?

He pondered the matter, as they wandered until he finally asked the last shopkeeper while Lavinia was looking at the various fans on display.

Laden with packages, they returned not to her cottage, but to his because Lavinia wished to hide the presents so that they were not discovered by her servants before Boxing Day. She then returned home and he promised to be there in time for dinner. Further, he could not wait for her servants to depart. Not that he said as much to Lavinia, but she would soon learn what he had planned once they were finally alone.