Red Cloak of Abandon (3 page)

single individual, yet all of the working class or lower knew of this

symbol and name. The symbol was a circle with a cross directly beneath

it. Some proclaimed it was a symbol for women, and others just shook in

relief at the chances of being saved from the life of prostitution, just as

Anne was with her face glowing in hope.

“I cannot say more about it,” Anne said. “I know you understand,

Miss Affinity, but I had to tell you. To let you know that I will be all

right.”

Affinity nodded mutely, embracing Anne once again. Part of the

Benefactor’s price was secrecy. The woman being so sponsored, such as

Anne, must not speak of the details, and as much as Affinity wanted to

ask Anne who, a man or a woman, had given her the card, she did not.

She also realized that she might never know what would become of Anne

and that was the hardest part. However, many before had trusted the

Benefactor and she did as well, realizing this was in effect saving dear

Anne’s life.

“Be well,” Affinity said, with feeling and a few tears. “You will be

in my thoughts and prayers, dear Anne.”

“Oh
, Miss,” Anne sniffled. “Oh and here, my lady,” Anne said as

she stepped back from their embrace, then she pulled a hand linen from

her pocket, opening it. “The ring, Miss, I won’t be needing it now.”

“Oh, Anne!” Affinity exclaimed at the clear evidence of Anne’s

honesty. “Are you sure, Anne, it is yours you know? Perhaps, you

should keep it a while, just in case. You can always return it to me if you

do not need to use it.”

Anne kept the ring and they said their rather tearful goodbyes, then

Affinity watched Anne leave from her sight, before she looked down at

the setter. “Well, Beauty, so many adventures this morning, and all that

turned out well.”

The setter’s expressive brown eyes looked exactly as though he

agreed as he sat patiently by her side. Then, a whistle sounded off in the

distance and the setter immediately rose and pounced to the end of his

leash. It was the setter’s master calling him, Affinity knew, as her

heartbeat quickened unaccountably. She could take the setter to him

personally, it might not be stretching etiquette too far, if they were to be

introduced that way for the first time. Nevertheless, she hesitated, some-

thing inside her unsure and speaking to her that this was much too

important to leave to chance. She had been on the receiving end of

chance for far to long now and it had not once gotten her a gentleman

caller or even asked to dance. Somehow, she needed to be in more

control. Perhaps, she needed to try to shape events herself?

Affinity let go of the setter’s leash, watching him bound through the

trees, then the large meadow further on. She immediately started forward

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at a brisk walk this time and not a run as she wondered briefly at the

timing of the setter’s master calling him back. Well, to begin with, the

setter providentially coming to the rescue was rather odd. The setter’s

master did not appear to be the type of man to lose his dog’s leash twice.

Then, Affinity saw him, well truthfully just the outline of him in the

distance as he and the setter were reunited once again. Affinity moved

closer, yet not near enough to be seen, as she watched the gentleman turn

to leave the park with the setter.

Affinity quickly followed at a discreet distance. She was determined

to find out the gentleman’s name and rank, in this her first foray into

shaping events. Yes, she really did like the sound of that, “shaping events

to her desires.”

12

His name was Lawrence Fabier and he was a duke. Affinity had

heard little about him before. He was the Duke of St. Martin and in

hushed tones people spoke of him being rather reclusive and mysterious.

She had caught the topic twice being speculated on in quiet tones by a

few mothers noting his marriageable eligibility and his candid absence at

all the seasons events.

The aura of his mystic behavior livened her immediately, while at

the same moment the title he carried of duke served to make her feel

daunted. That was surprising to her and very irritating.
What?
Did she

believe she was not worthy enough for an exalted duke? My-My the

difficulties of this London season and the undesirable category that they

had slotted her into had taken more of a toll on her than she had realized.

It was probably her anger then that set her onto her next course of

indescribably bold action. Affinity saw what looked to be a pantry maid

leaving the duke’s well-maintained townhouse. The maid was very

young and possibly on her way to the market for the cook, because she

carried a basket. Affinity fell into step behind the maid. She was quite

determined that she was going to bribe the Duke of St. Martin’s pantry

maid for information about her employer.

Oh,
and it had worked! Hours later, Affinity could not believe her

brashness as she unpinned her veiled bonnet and tossed it on the bed in

her bedchamber. She immediately took to pacing briskly across her

room, unable to contain her excitement. It felt wondrous, this thrum of

excitement. It felt as though she finally had a small piece of her life back

in her hands and she was controlling it.

“Oh and I
want
more,” Affinity exclaimed.

She had successfully bribed the Duke of St. Martin’s pantry maid

and the young woman had been a wealth of information. The pantry

maid’s name was Nell and she had seemed at once worldly for all her

youthful appearance. However, Nell was not completely disloyal to her

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employer, there were certain things she would not discuss, such as the

timing of the duke’s comings and goings.

“It wouldn’t be proper to tell you that,” Nell had exclaimed. “But, a

nice lady such as yourself wanting to know if he is married, that’s another

thing all together.”

So, Nell had told her that the Duke of St. Martin was not married,

and they all, meaning the household staff, really thought he should be. It

was here that Affinity realized that Nell, and it seemed all of the duke’s

staff, adored him. Nell spoke of the duke with the fondness of a family

member and not an employer, and Affinity instantly felt drawn closer to

him in spirit. It was also revealed that “Law” as Affinity had secretly

been calling him, did not have a mistress, nor the presence of any steady

lady friends that he called upon. He was a bachelor living alone with only

one elderly aunt still living, but she resided in the country.

Affinity sorely wondered what the mysterious Duke of St. Martin

did with his time. However, on these subjects Nell was vague or mute and

that only fueled Affinity’s curiosity. She was smart enough to realize that

Nell gave out this information to a lady she perceived as interested in the

duke.

In fact, Affinity considered, given Law’s apparent semi-reclusive-

ness, other ladies might have inquired after him in this same fashion. The

thought of that left Affinity feeling slightly deflated. She did not wish to

be one among many, because that had already proven unsuccessful. No,

if she were to set her sights on Lawrence Fabier, the Duke of St. Martin,

she would have to be much more original and aggressive.

So, she wondered, how did a woman, a creative, intelligent, and

witty woman, catch a man? Certainly not the way the ladies of the ton

went about it. She must think outside the normal. Affinity wondered if

the question were, could she do it or was she brave enough to do it?

†

“The young lady’s name was Lady Affinity Redgrift, your grace.”

Law gazed at Nell thoughtfully. “Did she have straight long hair,

pulled back, yet falling to her waist? Brown hair with red highlights in

the sunlight.”

“Could have been her,” Nell paused expectantly.

“Did she possess rather large . . . ?” Law found his hands mimicking

mounds on his chest and he quickly dropped them, as Nell exclaimed,

“Boobies! Yes she did, your grace, and she wore a plum colored

walking dress like the ladies wear. So you’ve met her then?”

Law nodded absently. “I have seen her.”

“Well the young miss did not realize how much she told me of

herself you see. But, I’m positive she was a real lady and not a prostitute

pretending to be one. That one could not lie well if she tried.”

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That should be the end of it,
Law thought. He shouldn’t have further

reason to ask anymore questions or be curious. This Lady Affinity was

not a prostitute seeking his help. He had no need to inquire further on her

behalf. However, the image of her in the park had not left his thoughts.

That was odd.

He had barely been able to see her, veiled as she was, only her long

hair and the constrained outline of those breasts. He remembered think-

ing upon seeing the shape of those healthy mounds, that they were

certainly held back by a corset or such and they would be that much

larger if freed. The thought had not startled him overly, because he had

fleeting lustful thoughts most days. He would catch sight of something

that would strike him, then set his mind turning. A ripe peach in the

marketplace, a glimpse of a lady’s bare ankle as she stepped up into her

coach, or a mare that was sleek and sweating after a long gallop.

But Lady Affinity had asked after him
. . . And she was
not
a

prostitute. “I would not care for her to find out my secret profession, Nell.”

“Oh
, I would never tell, your grace. You know that.”

“I could not do what I do, if they found out . . . you understand?”

“I only told her that you weren’t married.”

“She asked such a thing?” Law was immediately surprised, even as

he wondered, just what is was he thought she had asked Nell then.

Ladies, he had assumed, did not really ask after gentlemen, except in

social circles.

“Yes, it was her first question, your grace.”

He really should let this go.
“And, her second question, Nell?”

“Did ye have a mistress or a lady friend?”

Law swiveled in his study chair to look directly at Nell, because he

had been gazing out the windows into the gardens at the rear of his

property.

“Aye, your grace, interesting isn’t it,” Nell pronounced with a

gregarious smile that showed a few missing teeth.

That was an understatement,
Law thought. A lady asking intimate

questions about him was singularly unique. He strictly stayed out of

social gatherings just because of his glaring eligibility. His mission in life

was not to find a wife. He knew to well he did not deserve that. However,

he could not help longing for the touch of a woman and he wondered if

he was damned from ever having the pleasure again. So Lady Affinity’s

curiosity and interest excited him slightly and he took his pleasures,

small as they were, wherever he could savor them.

He had been out of touch too long and he had not realized that young

ladies had become so emboldened. Of course with what he now knew

about womens natures, he should not be at all surprised. He had long

pondered that some ladies must have the feelings of a prostitute beneath

their soft veneers, and that was either his long-felt and foolish hope or

possibly a truth.

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“If she should approach you again, Nell, please tell her that you have

spoken to me, out of your undying loyalty.”

Nell snorted, bobbing her short black hair. “Undying loyalty is it,

gov’? I
would
go to hell for you.”

“Well then say that,” Law replied quietly. “And I would for you also,

Nell.”

“Yer bating her, I see!” Nell grinned. “ Oh I like that, yer grace.”

16

Affinity nibbled at her bottom lip and her one crooked front tooth

made the effort more rewarding, and she supposed because of it that she

did it more often then most. She knew that she did it especially industri-

ously when she was worried or anxious as she was now.

It was eight o’clock in the evening and dark outside. A moonless

night that she specifically picked for the absence of the moon. Aunt

Fuchsia had long since gone to bed after hearing Affinity was not feeling

well and would be spending the evening in her room.
A small white lie
,

Affinity thought looking at her attire in the full length mirror once more.

It was an odd menagerie of clothing that she had managed to piece

together.

She wore brown twill breeches. They were the darkest color she

could find, when she had rummaged through her uncle’s old clothing in