How To Build The Perfect Rake (16 page)

‘I do indeed. Thank you for calling.’ She
watched him stalk from the room.

‘There now! He’s gone off without his coffee
and in a dreadful huff,’ Aunt Flora sighed. ‘Honestly, my pet, what
was all that about? You’ve upset the poor boy dreadfully.’

‘The poor boy should keep his nose out of my
business,’ Olympia returned bitterly.

‘But he was only trying to help.’

‘I don’t need help. I have brothers for that
kind of nonsense.’

‘I’ve always thought that Lucien was very
like a brother to you.’

Yes, Olympia reflected unhappily. So had
she. But it seemed that she had been deluding herself. She thought
about that for a moment, before deciding that no, that wasn’t
entirely true. She had always shared an easy, open relationship
with him based on genuine liking and a very real affection. But
somewhere along the way that affection had deepened into something
more. She wasn’t even sure when it had happened, only that it
had.

And now she was stuck, loving the wrong man
when she should be looking for the right one. ‘Why did I ever
suggest this silly rake business? He isn’t even very good at it,’
she muttered, deciding to ignore his small demonstration the
evening before. The look in his eyes and the tone of his voice had
suggested that Luc was becoming something of an unlikely master in
the art of female seduction. Her aunt’s next words only confirmed
this.

‘I’ve heard differently and from more than
one source. I know we both find the whole thing incredible, but
apparently our Mr. St James is a very smooth charmer indeed.’

‘Oh really, that’s not who he is!’ Olympia
said, annoyed. ‘Underneath it all he’s just Luc, after all. I mean,
he can pretend to be one thing but can he keep in up? I very much
doubt it!’

‘Hmm,’ Aunt Flora said with a shrug, ‘I
suppose he doesn’t have to. When his pursuit of the girl is secure
and they are married, he can revert to being a rather pleasant
young man with a good heart and a generous nature.’

A kind heart and a generous nature… yes,
that did rather sum up Luc. Olympia knew he deplored his amiable
reputation but she liked it. His good-humored outlook, his innate
consideration of others. He might not care for these traits but
Olympia could only wish that more men would emulate them.

That evening she and Aunt
Flora were escorted to the Colchester ball by her brother. Olympia
had not really wanted to go out but she had found the courage to
tell her aunt that she was thinking of returning to Warwickshire
with Jasper, an announcement which had immediately thrown her aunt
into a fit of the vapors. Aunt Flora had demanded to know where she
had failed her niece that she would want to abandon the Season
without so much as
one
proposal of marriage. Olympia had been quick to reassure
her.

‘It is nothing you have done, dearest aunt!
It’s just… I don’t think I’m a… a very good debutante. I don’t much
care for balls and suppers and picnics with a bunch of ninny-headed
girls. And while I like the theatre, I’ve been several times which
should comfortably hold me over for at least a year.’

‘But I promised your mother that I would
find you a husband!’

‘Oh, truly, she doesn’t really care one way
or the other. She will have grandchildren from the boys if I don’t
make a match of it.’

‘Not make a match of it?’ Aunt Flora had
stared at her with anguished eyes. ‘But my dear, of course you will
make a match of it! Why, I’ve already turned away several
possibilities that you said were unsuitable but there are any
number of men who wish to court you.’

‘Yes,’ Olympia had sighed, ‘but I don’t wish
to be courted. Not just yet, anyway. I find that I am not ready for
marriage. Perhaps next Season.’

‘Next Season,’ her aunt had repeated in
failing accents, pressing a laced edged handkerchief over her
trembling lips, ‘oh my poor heart!’

Olympia had rarely been subjected to Aunt
Flora’s dubious heart as there had been very few things to ruffle
their placid relationship but she had been warned by her mother to
expect a bout of high emotion if Flora did not get her way.
Apparently, it was true.

Agreeing to go to the ball had temporarily
placated Aunt Flora but she had still heaved copious sighs in the
carriage on the way, so much so that Jasper had quirked a quizzical
glance at her.

‘Is there insufficient air in here for you
Aunt?’

‘Your sister is breaking my heart!’

This emotionally fraught statement did not
make Jasper flinch, for he had been warned to expect dramatics. ‘Oh
surely not. Your heart is made of more robust material. Gold, at
the very least.’

Aunt Flora glanced at him
dolefully. ‘Do you know what she said to me?’ She apparently was
oblivious to Olympia’s presence beside her. ‘She said that she
might consider marriage
next
Season.’

‘Shocking, I know but where’s the harm?’
Jasper asked reasonably. ‘Believe me when I say that Mama does not
mind in the least if Olympia returns to Warwickshire without a
husband in tow. Although I might have misunderstood, what with Mama
being preoccupied with Gilford’s happy news -’

‘News?’ Aunt Flora repeated quickly, sitting
up a little, suddenly all attention. ‘What news?’

‘Oh! Oh well, I’m not supposed to mention it
but it is you, after all. I am sure that Mama would not mind.’

In her corner of the carriage, Olympia
smiled. Her brother was, rather heroically, saving her. He
shouldn’t be mentioning that Aunt Flora was to become a great-aunt
but Flora was very fond of babies and this was surely just the
distraction she needed.

‘Tell me!’ Aunt Flora quivered. ‘Is… oh I
know what it must be! Is darling Ellyn expecting?’ Flora Richmond
knew Ellyn’s family very well and was especially fond of Gilford’s
wife.

‘She is,’ Jasper replied gravely, thereby
technically saving himself from mentioning it outright.

Flora clapped her hands together. ‘But
that’s wonderful news!’

‘Isn’t it? Although you must act surprised
when Mama writes to you,’ Jasper gave her a wicked grin, a flash of
white in the dimness of the carriage. ‘So she doesn’t pin my ears
back for talking out of turn.’

‘Of course, my dear. But how wonderful!’

Olympia sighed, thankful for this heaven
sent distraction. At least she would be able to use Ellyn’s
confinement as an additional reason for returning to Warwickshire,
which she planned to do in four more days. It was the soonest she
could get Jasper to agree to go home, he having only just arrived
in town. But her brother had a singularly sunny disposition and had
been amenable enough. It was his twin Thaddeus who was prone to
brooding, although he could usually be jollied out of his ill
humors by his siblings if he was in a particular fugue.

Almost as soon as she arrived at the
Colchester’s she knew that it was going to be a difficult evening.
She saw Luc almost as soon as she arrived but he was clearly in a
sulk with her for he did not come across to greet her when he
glanced her way. That suited Olympia perfectly. She didn’t want to
talk to him just yet. She still hadn’t thought of a way of
successfully getting around the knowledge that she was in love with
him. Indeed, she could hardly think the words without surprising
herself all over again but having thought them, there was no going
back. No doubt, returned to the comforting bosom of her family her
emotions would have time to settle down. By the time Luc brought
Carisse back to Midford House as his bride, Olympia was confident
that she would be able to greet them both with equanimity. And if
her friendship with Luc underwent a disruption after that, she
could always blame it on Carisse who would neither understand nor
appreciate why her husband was so friendly with another female,
even if it was his oldest friend.

So it was that when Freddy Featherstone
appeared at her side to shyly ask for a dance, Olympia agreed
rather dolefully. It wasn’t until they were on the floor and
engaged in a rather merry country jig that he diffidently enquired
if he had offended her in some way.

She looked at him in astonishment. ‘Whatever
do you mean?’

‘Well,’ Freddy said apologetically, ‘you
seem a trifle miffed with me tonight.’

‘Oh.’ They were separated by the steps again
and she had to wait until they came together again before she could
apologize. ‘I am so sorry, Mr. Featherstone. I did not mean to be
rude. I’m afraid I was thinking of something else, which was quite
inexcusable.’

Freddy’s face lit up immediately. ‘Oh that’s
all right! Get into the blue devils m’self once in awhile.
Perfectly understandable.’

‘Thank you for excusing me,’ she said wryly,
‘but I was dreadfully rude and must apologize.’

Once again, they were separated by the steps
of the dance, shifting up to make a twirling pass at the dancer
next to their actual partner before shifting back again.

‘Have you seen Lucien with the Houghton?’
Freddy demanded when they reconnected. ‘I do believe there will be
an announcement soon.’

Oh joy
, Olympia thought bleakly. Small talk about Luc and his
soon-to-be intended. It wasn’t Mr. Featherstone’s fault, of course.
Luc was a mutual friend and a natural source of conversation but
she could have done without. And really, such a match would be
remarked about everywhere when it was announced. Once again, she
was glad that she was going home.

‘So I believe.’

‘Who would have thought it, eh? Our Luc,
flirting up a storm. For it’s not just the Houghton’s heart that
he’s got beating harder. The fellow is making half the debs swoon
with delight.’

Olympia gritted her teeth
and wondered if this was to be her lot for the night. Gossip about
Luc and his wretched talents as a Lothario. ‘It really is
extraordinary,’ she agreed, with what she hoped was creditable
indifference. ‘I can’t
imagine
how he is doing it.’

‘Nor I,’ Freddy agreed ruefully, ‘but the
young devil has no end of luck. Pots of money and he is suddenly
the most popular man in London.’

Good Lord, was it really that bad? Could Luc
really have turned his fortunes around so completely in just a week
and a half? Olympia had arrived at the Colchester ball with the
view to avoiding Luc completely but a dreadful kind of curiosity
gripped her. She found herself watching him, hanging back to better
observe the truth of the matter and it quickly became obvious that
the truth of the matter was that Lucien St James had become
dazzlingly popular. Girls, many of whom she knew quite well, seemed
to gather around him like moths to a flame. That was all well and
good but what she hadn’t anticipated was his masterly handling of
the situation. From a position of some privacy behind several
potted palms, Olympia managed to find a place close enough to
overhear what was taking place in the busy circle surrounding her
friend.

Miss Piedmont: ‘My dear Mr. St James, you
have yet to ask me for a dance. I feel dreadfully neglected!’

Luc: ‘Ah, Miss Piedmont. The night is still
young and it is always wisest to save the best till last. Don’t you
think that is sensible of me?’

Miss Piedmont, voice
dropping a little: ‘Oh, very sensible,
dear
Mr. St James.’

Luc: ‘You are too kind.’

Miss Astor: ‘Mr. St James, how well the
color blue suits you.’

Luc: ‘You make me blush. To have a vision
such as yourself say anything so kind…’

Lady Mortimer (who was married and at least
ten years older than Lucien St James): ‘I am having a party
tomorrow night, my dear boy. I think you should come.’

Luc: ‘What kind of party would that be, dear
Lady Mortimer?’

Lady Mortimer: ‘Exactly the kind of party a
fellow like you might enjoy…’

Olympia, from her place behind the foliage,
blushed at this. It was not so much the words as the way they were
spoken. Lady Mortimer was a well known female philanderer whose
“parties” were whispered about but not actually discussed openly in
polite circles. Apparently Luc had progressed enough to be invited
to naughty parties with females of dubious reputation. Should he be
congratulated on such an achievement?

More than the conversation, Olympia found
herself disturbed by the ease with which he managed it all. There
was no sign of the hesitant, almost stuttering fellow that he had
been when surrounded by females a month ago. He was assured,
self-confident and appeared completely in his element.

Damn it.

Depressed, she went in search of her brother
and found him charming Miss Houghton once again, a frustrated
Endymion Falstaff biting his knuckles to one side as he watched his
beloved in obvious anguish. She considered joining them but Carisse
was the source of far too much of her current anguish. Biting her
lip, Olympia veered to her left, heading out onto the terrace.
While the weather had become a little cooler it was still more than
warm enough to allow the outside in and she breathed in the scent
of flowers, grateful that the busy chatter behind her was suddenly
muted. The terrace was lit by several lanterns but not particularly
well, so that pools of soothing darkness were easy to find.
Couples, anxious for some time away from the prying eyes of society
or disapproving, censorious ones of companions, were taking
advantage of the discreet shadows. Olympia avoided them deftly,
moving across to lean her hands on the low parapet. It probably
said something about her that she ended up outside at so many of
these gatherings. Home, she thought with longing, was a place where
refuge could easily be found. By this time next week she should be
back at Pennimore. She could hardly wait.