All the Things You Never Knew (8 page)

* * *
Lansing Villa

“I don’t think Heartily would approve of this, Laguna,” Gareth Coleridge said as the Duke of Hargate slightly approached the villa of the Marquess of Lansing.

“C’mon, Longsword. Heartily’s not here now. The cards are in our hands and we are to play it well and trump the enemy.”
“You know he places Rose’s feelings highly above everything.”
“Yes,” Laguna said. “But he isn’t here to consider that now. He’s back in Bridlington to deal with his family. We must go with my game to succeed.”
“Are you really sure of this?”
“Gareth, you’re rather wimpish today,” Hargate pointed out. “I know you’re rather an honorable earl but perhaps you can go to Lady Rose now and tell her that her fiancé is at the brothel tonight.”
“Why ever would I do that?”
Laguna put a hand on Longsword’s shoulder and sighed. “Gareth, Gareth. Why are you being such a half-wit? We’re doing this to help Leon gain back his love. He should have Lady Rose back by nightfall tomorrow when he returns. If not so, then before her wedding takes place–though I highly doubt it would after this.”
“You are completely daft, Hargate,” Gareth contradicted. “That is not a proper way to–”
“Trust me. We rather get her to let this marquess go than let her be engaged and suffer from his death that is about to come after everything is approved.”
Gareth still thinks it’s a sin to break an engagement in this way, but somewhat Hargate is right. Leon might not like to gain a love like this, but it seems the only way to make things run smoothly like before.
“Ready?” Hargate asked as they walk up the steps to the door of the Lansing Villa.
“If you are,” Longsword answered.
Hargate gave a knock and the door open within seconds with a maid glaring at them
“Hello, Miss,” Hargate greeted with a flash of his perfect teeth. “Don’t you look lovely today or what? I’m His Grace, the Duke of Hargate. Is his lordship home at the moment?”
The maid suddenly mused at Hargate’s response and fluttered her eyelashes swiftly. “Yes,” she answered sweetly. “His lordship’s home. Come right this way.”
Hargate flashed Longsword a grin and gestured for him to enter first and followed behind.
“I’d rather not be here,” Longsword said lowly, as they follow the maid down the hall.
“Go to Lady Rose and inform her of what I have said earlier then,” Hargate replied.
“Seriously, now?”
“Yes. I’ll get Lansing to Phillipa’s House of Pleasure by dusk,” Hargate said briskly since the maid has brought them up to a door. “You hurry and make sure to come at the right time.”
“Will do,” Longsword said, and turn back down the hall to where they’ve came from.

* * *

This is totally wrong.
The moment Rose step out of the house and decided to seek out Hargate Inn she knew she was in for ruin. But the thought of seeing, or even meeting Leon again was irresistible. She just can’t let it go. And she has to get back the invitation.
Yes, that’s the real reason she’s here.
Leon. Leon. Leon.
She just couldn’t seem to clear it out of her head.
She figured now that perhaps seeing him just once again could ease the feeling.
Yes.
It certainly would.
Only one glance at that liar’s face and surely she could wipe him off clean and shine. After all, she would never forget what he’d done to her. Nor would she forget.
Never!
How she just wanted to strangle him at the thought.
Never had she ever been so…so…
Her heart seems to have stopped as she spotted a familiar face glancing her way, though not necessarily seeing her since dusk had fallen when she arrived, and bush of wild shrubs conceal her path.
“Leon,” she whispered out into the wind.
That has got to be him. She will know him anywhere, not that she wants to, mind you.
He had just jump out of a curricle–his curricle, she assumed, and was strolling towards the inn.
His hair was of a golden brown in the limited light and tousled from the riding. He was still… as charming as she had remembered, though he had aged and look more…manly. If he had not betrayed her from before she will admit that she would still fall back into his arms. Too bad she had given him the chance and he blew it away. There’s no way she will grant him the opportunity again to let history repeat itself. She would be a fool to.
Rose watches as Leon finally made his way inside the inn and sighed.
She has to get in there somehow and talk to him.
Before she could react, two heavy hands came down and grab her arms from either sides and spun her around.
“Oh ho. What have we here?”
Rose’s eyes widened in terror as she saw who it was.
A hideous man of six foot, big and broad as a giant with a heavy beard of dark curls and a wicked, wicked grin playing across his face, towered before her.
“Hello, lassie,” he said in a lazy intoxicated tone.
He was drunk and she can smell it on his breath.
Rose tries to push him off, but his hands still tighten on her and didn’t budge.
“Ah. You want to play rough tonight, don’t you? Well, darling, I can grant you that.”
Before Rose could protest, the giant threw her over his shoulder and sway heavily as he carries her…
towards the inn!
Oh, God!
“Let me go!” Rose cried, punching his back with all her might.
Still, he didn’t give a damn.
“Let me go!” she cried again. “Help! Somebody help me!”
Yet, no one was around to help her no matter how much she yells.
“Shut up, you chit,” the man replied. “I’ll help you once we get to my room.”
That was the last thing on Rose’s mind. Getting carried off by a hideous man and ravish. The thought disgusted her. Someone in the inn has got to help her.
Leon?
Perhaps inside she could call out his name and get him to help her.
But no. That was also one of the last things on her mind. Someone else has got to do it.
But who?
The hideous giant pushes the door open and finally threw Rose down on the ground, closing the door behind him.
“Ow!” she cried out as she landed hard on her bottom. But despite that, she quickly stood up and back away, scanning for a person that could save her.
She lost all hopes when she saw that the inn was full of wild men and laughter of drunken arses.
One of them was swaying towards her with a bottle of cognac in his hands.
“Bruno,” he said, who Rose presumes to be the hideous giant behind her. “What have you got here for us tonight?”
He was looking at her with a hungry stare, terrorizing Rose even more.
She has got to get out of here.
“Oh no, you don’t,” said the giant Bruno man as Rose turns for the door. “I meant to pleasure you tonight as promised. Kentle, help me take her to my room,” he said to the man that had approached.
Kentle did so obediently and grabbed Rose’s arms.
“Let me go!” Rose shouted again. “Let me go!”
“Upstairs with her!” Bruno demanded.
“Would she be a share?” Kentle asked, which sickened Rose more than ever to think of the possible fate lying ahead of her.
Bruno grinned lazily. “After I’m through with her, yes.”
Ugh! Despicable!
Rose tries to free herself, but was still too weak to break the hold.
Kentle threw her over his shoulders and up the steps they went with that grotesque Bruno following after and cooing at her.
“Help me!” Rose cried over and over again, kicking and shoving.
The giant Bruno struck her across the face and snatches her over from Kentle, almost sending them backward off the steps.
But luckily for that little sway, Rose spotted
him
, again.
Leon.
He was passing by on the level above them across the hall.
Relief passed over her.
Should she shout? Scream? Holler?
There seems to be no other choice. It’s either him or the two despicable men.
In that case, she chooses…
Leon had never felt this tire in his life. After arriving at Hargate Inn, he came to find the fancy room of Hargate empty with only a small lighted candle burning.
Where had he gone to? They were supposed to meet by nightfall. Perhaps he arrived earlier than expected. He did force his curricle a little roughly to get to London faster. The horses must have hated him.
Leon threw down his sack and walked over to brighten up the room with more light. Something caught his eyes on the desk as he struck the matches and stop to pick it up.

~*~
The Honor of Your Presence is Requested At the Marriage of
Lady Rose Caralina Dawson, To
Marcus Lewis Dent,
The Marquess of Lansing, On Thursday,
The Thirtieth of September, 1817 At Noon
St. Gabriel Church
Upper Holloway
~*~

A wedding invitation?
Leon read it more clearly.
It was not just any old wedding invitation.
It was Rose’s wedding invitation.
Who sent it here anyway?
He turned the envelop that laid underneath it and saw his name

printed out in smooth slanted calligraphy.
Who could be so kind as to invite him to Rose’s wedding? He just thought it ridiculous. Is this some trick of Hargate’s? For

sure Rose would never invite him.

He hadn’t even seen her since the ball, nor did she see him. Whoever sent this must have known he’s here.
The marquess maybe? That’s impossible. They’ve never even

met.

Leon took the invitation and stuck it in his coat pocket. He decided that he’ll go take a drink below with the other men until Hargate returns.

Little did he expect the little surprise that was about to come as he crosses the hall to the stairs and heard that voice.
That scared familiar voice.

“Leon!” Rose screamed from the top of her lungs, waving up at him to get his attention. “Leon, help me!”
Thank God, he stopped and glanced down.
He looked confused at first, but then there was a flicker of sudden realization in his eyes and he came running down to her
“Leon!” she cried once more as he pushes down the drunken Kentle.
“Why you–” Bruno threw Rose down and started swinging at Leon.
“Move, Rose,” Leon said, pushing her back as he dodged and tackle Bruno down on top of Kentle. He ran back to grab her hand. “Come.”
Before Rose knew it, they were running up and down the hall as a group of men came running to the scene.
They flew up another flight of stairs before Leon finally push open the nearest door to a darken room and pull Rose in, shutting it behind him. They both slipped onto the floor panting in exhaustion.
Rose could hear both their hearts beating loudly as they took a moment to catch their breath. Then she remembers who she’s with and all the weariness she felt vanished.
“Rose.”
She quickly stood up and moved away as Leon said her name.
He chuckled and stood as well.
“Are you all right?” he asked, reaching over to touch her arm.
“Don’t touch me!” Rose said rather too loudly, stepping away.
“I would have expected a word of gratitude or two,” Leon replied, also taking a step back.
She’d forgotten about that. But then of course, she forgets everything when she…sees him.
“Thank you,” she said briskly.
He just stood there for a moment without a word, and then move to what seems like a desk in the moonlight and lit up a lamp.
“So–” He blew out the match and settled down on the bed next to it, examining her thoroughly. “Such a surprise to see you again.” He sounded so nonchalant and easy, bothering the nerves out of Rose. “Why are you here?”
She could have asked him the same but ceased from it.
Rose turned away from his gaze and stare at the wall. She has to think of an answer to his question. Surely she can’t do that with his eyes…burning at her.
“Why are you here?” he asked again.
To see you again.
“None of your concern,” Rose managed, though her words were shakily spoken.
“Is it not?”
She could hear him move off the bed behind her and walking back to her.
How she regretted coming here. It was the biggest mistake ever. All her senses had seemed to shut down and her sanity’s lost.
“Tell me why you’re here, Rose,” he said to her once more.
His hand was on her shoulder and slowly he step in front of her. Their eyes met for a brief second before Rose turn away again.
“I…” God help her. She can’t think of a single excuse.
“You do know that this is not a place for a proper lady like you to wander around so late at night, right?”
“Yes,” she murmured, her eyes still lowered to the ground.
She couldn’t look at him. She just can’t.
The emotion that is building up inside of her now as they stood were too strong. She can’t look at him or surely she will explode and lose all control.
“Rose.”
Now both his hands were on her shoulders and she didn’t know how much longer she can take this.
With a sigh, she finally looks up and pushes his arms away, turning her back to him once more.
“I…I came here to look for Lord Lansing,” she had to lie. It was the only thing she can think of.
“Lansing?” He sounded bewilder at the answer.
Rose turned to him and nodded.
“The marquess.”
“Yes,” Rose answered, though it wasn’t a question and thought to add, “My fiancé.”
“I know.”
Of course he does. Thanks to that Susannah.
“I came to look for him.”
Leon merely raised an eyebrow and looked at her. “You thought to find him here?”
“I was…hoping to, yes.” She was looking at him to see if there was any flicker of emotion, but he appeared indifferent.
“Well, you shouldn’t have. It’s late. You should know of the dangers,” he said, walking back to grab something out of a drawer.
It was a comb of some sort as Rose can see. He brought it back and handed it to her.
“Fix your hair,” he said. “I’m taking you back.”
“What?” He can’t be serious. It would ruin her.
He just handed her the comb and went to sit down in a chair by the table at the corner of the room with his arms folded across his chest.
He was charming as ever with his navy waistcoat over his white dress shirt and black breeches that fitted him perfectly showing all the masculine features, except for–
Rose directed her eyes away and looked around for a mirror to dress her hair.
“Have you a looking glass?” she asked when she fail to locate one.
“No,” he answered, tipping his chair back against the wall.
Great!
“Then how do you expect me to dress my hair without seeing myself?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “Is there something I can do?”
“No,” she said hastily.
She couldn’t fend back the effect of his gaze on her to stay calm. “Are you sure?”
Why who does he think she is?
“I’m capable of managing it with whatever I can,” she said, feigning a pat on her hair.
She heard him sigh and stood up from his chair.
“Don’t be absurd,” he said, strolling towards her.
“I’m not,” she answered, trying to hide the fear in her voice.
He came down next to her and took the comb from her hand.
“What are you–”
“I’ll help you with it,” he answered.
He was behind her with the comb running through her hair and untangling the knots with his hand before she can protest.
Oh, how it brings back the memories. She can’t believe she’s really here with him again–the man that she would forever despise.