Taffeta & Hotspur (6 page)

“
By Jove, yes,” agreed
Nigel. “And Seth … did you see the way he managed Taffy’s horse? He
kept it between us the entire time while he held onto Taffy!” He
shook his head. “We were in a damnable fix, and it wasn’t your
fault ‘ole girl,” he said to Taffy. “I mean—what could you
do?”

She thought of her promise to the
Hotspur. She had done what she could do, may the fates save her.
Would he call in his debt? Or would he simply choose to humiliate
her to amuse himself?

She sighed. “Right then. No time to do
more than ride to the meeting now and tell them there shall be no
more of the Rogues Three. They are retiring.” She stared through
the darkness, noticed their shoulders slumped, and smiled to
herself. It was time they all grew up a bit and began handling
their political points of view in a different manner. She started
off toward the small cabin where the Luddites had chosen to hold
their meeting this night. Every week it was a different
location.

As their horses weaved their way
through the woods to the small clearing that housed a farmer’s
cottage, her brother and uncle were still babbling on about
‘Hotspur this … and Hotspur that…’ She rolled her eyes and went
deep into thought. Her future now had a black cloud hanging over
it, and its name was the rakehell Hotspur!

“
Well, we are done playing
Robin Hood,” said Nigel. “It has been good fun … but can’t risk it
anymore.”

“
More than fun. There has
been a certain amount of justice robbing the worst of the mill
owners in the name of the movement—calling out their sins against
them while they stand there and hand over their money.” Taffeta
added with a sigh as she dismounted.

“
Aye, but ‘tis at an end
now…” said her brother, adding his own heavy sigh.

“
The thing is…” said Nigel.
“What end does it accomplish? It simply hasn’t served to help their
situation, has it?”

“
We need to tell King Lud he
needs a new approach,” said Taffy thoughtfully.

Her brother and uncle looked at her
and then at each other, and Nigel said, “She is a knowing
one.”

“
Aye,” agreed her brother
with a proud tone. “That she is.”

It was later, much later that the
‘knowing one’ lay in bed telling herself she wasn’t very ‘knowing’
at all. Hotspur was bound to call in her debt to him, and soon, and
then what would she do? Would she go to his bed willy nilly? Was
that why she had the vision of him naked?

He was reputed to be a connoisseur of
women, a rogue of hearts, and would no doubt subject her to …
to…

She closed her eyes, thought about his
kiss, and licked her lips in spite of herself. Faith! She was going
to have to add tart to the list of names she was compiling against
herself. However, this name did not really make her close her eyes
in shame. Indeed, when she thought of being a tart in Hotspur’s
arms, she wasn’t ashamed at all.

~*~

It was the end of April in the year
1813, and London was in a convulsion of activity. Jane Austin had
captivated the Prince Regent with her Pride and Prejudice, which so
very closely mirrored the Regency society.

Lord Byron amused his peers with his
scandals. And Lady Caroline Lamb added to those scandals by taking
his book, his ring, and copies of his letters, as she couldn’t bear
to part with the originals, and burning them in the public
square.

London’s haute ton lived for these
things, and tittered gleefully over every new escapade anyone who
was anyone managed to become embroiled in as fodder for
gossip.

As sister of a duke and niece to a
lord, Taffeta should have been prepared for such flurries and
wayward talk, but the sorry truth was that she was, in spite of her
class, only used to country ways, country hours, and country
manners.

She found the haute monde a shallow
group of fashion mongers bent on entertaining themselves at the
misfortunes of others, and was heartily wishing she could turn on
her heel and return home.

However, her aunt Sissy had plans for
her, and her uncle and brother were busy taking their idealistic
causes to Parliament.

Her male relatives had taken lodgings
in Duke Street, and she was no longer constantly in their charge.
But even so, her aunt allowed her a great deal of license, saying
only that she must do her proud and align herself with the match of
the season.

“
And who would that
be?”

“
There is only one, but no
one, not even you with your style, name, and fortune stands a
chance of catching him…” Her aunt sighed.

“
And he is?”

“
Why, Lord Tarrant of
course,” said Sissy, waving her hand in dismissal. “But forget that
… there are others, many others…” her aunt declared as she led her
out of the dressmaker’s and then down the street.

“
Really?” Taffy rolled her
eyes. “As though I would want such as him!”

“
What? Don’t be absurd, any
young maid would want him … faith, I want him…” Her aunt Sissy
laughed like a schoolgirl and made her smile.

A friend called to Sissy and after
introducing her, she fell into conversation with her friend. Taffy
wandered away to look at the park across the avenue with longing.
If only I could just go for a walk alone…

She turned and bumped right into the
rakehell Hotspur himself. He held her in place while she looked up
and found his twinkling dark eyes perusing her from her bonnet to
her toes.

“
Well, well…” he said
softly, and his voice went right through her, all of her, like a
caress. “If it isn’t the little high toby in the flesh…”

“
Oh do hush,” cried Taffy
with a desperate note. It didn’t occur to her to pull out of his
hold, but he dropped his gloved hands and laughed.

“
Blushing? No need, never
fear sunbeam, I don’t mean to give you away. I have a better way to
call in my debt than to torture you with threats of
disclosure.”

“
I am certain you do,” she
said ruefully.

He smirked, “Are you trying to find a
way out of your promise?”

“
If I could, I
would.”

He laughed again and touched her nose,
“Then I must call in my debt soon, very soon.”

“
You are a scoundrel!” she
breathed.

“
How astute of you to
realize it, though as yet, you have no cause to say it.” he snapped
with a frown, his expression turning dark.

“
Taffy!” called Nigel from
across the avenue, rushing toward her and Tarrant with a worried
look flitting over his face.

Tarrant’s eyes twinkled again, and she
wondered at it. What did he find so very amusing? She had just
called him a scoundrel.

“
Glad I found you…” said
Nigel, nodding a quick hello to Tarrant and trying to catch his
aunt’s attention.

“
Why were you looking for
me?” Taffy was surprised.

“
Well wasn’t, but all the
same … need to talk to you…” He turned an apologetic look toward
Tarrant, who inclined his head and excused himself to saunter away
and down the curbing.

“
Whew, what did he
want?”

“
Never mind him…”

“
Never mind him!” said her
aunt Sissy, suddenly joining them. “I purposely kept Gertie in
conversation so Taffeta could have a private word with Tarrant, and
what must you do, Nigel, but burst in on them! How could you? And
dearest,” she looked to Taffy, “I did not realize you were
acquainted with Tarrant. Of all the good fortune … with all the
world watching, his lordship showed a decided preference for you.
Oh … this will make your season.”

“
What did he want?” Ignoring
his aunt, who went on babbling about the number of passersby who
noticed the Hotspur smiling and laughing with Taffeta.

Her aunt paused to look at her with
some interest, obviously also wondering what Lord Tarrant had
wanted. Taffy waved it off. “Oh just the usual…”

Nigel snorted, “I sincerely hope not.
Hotspur’s usual is not yours!”

“
Stuff!” snapped Lady
Taffeta. She had had enough for one morning of everything and
everyone.

~*~

Lord Tarrant moved off, rounded the
corner, and entered the hallowed halls of the famous men’s club
known as White’s. Lady Taffeta, the blonde beauty, was driving him
mad with her pouty cherry lips, her bright gray eyes, and a body
that promised sweet passion. Was she innocent or jade? Had she
played with the lads when she was away at school? Was that why
giving herself away came so easily? Why did it matter?

It mattered. If she were jade, it
would be amusing to wrap her around his finger and make her his
own. But, if she was innocent, he could not—would not—ruin
her.

He sighed over the problem. She
certainly did not like him, and yet she made the bargain, knowing
full well what the payment would mean. Where was the innocent
there? Also, she rode like a man with the intent to rob the rich
mill owners—no innocent there … and yet, there was something in her
eyes and face that told him otherwise.

One way or another, he was going to
find out soon! He was going to call in his debt and see just what
she did about it. If she were innocent, she would renege before she
climbed into his bed…

The notion of getting her into his bed
immediately gave him a hard-on, and he was barely able to respond
when a group of his friends hailed him as he entered the club’s
main room.

A quick survey of the room found
Taffeta’s brother at the card table. Tarrant casually walked into
the elegant green card room furnished for a man’s comfort and came
near the young duke. In his unhurried fashion, he watched him as he
laughed and pushed his cards away.

“
Well then, lads, I own
myself fairly fleeced.” He began to rise, though his young friends
entreated him to stay, and one called out merrily. “Come on, green
‘un, if you leave, where is the use? There ain’t another who will
lose his blunt as readily.”

Seth gave the lad an amiable slap
across his shoulder setting up a chorus of laughter, and the duke
turned to find himself looking at Lord Tarrant.

Tarrant smiled to himself for he saw
that Seth eyed him uncomfortably for a moment, and he could guess
the boy was remembering the last circumstances when they had eyed
one another.

“
My lord,” said Seth
sounding uneasy.

“
Duke,” said Tarrant
amiably—damn if the lad wasn’t blushing. “I have been hearing
things about you in the House of Lords. Mean to have a go at them,
do you?”

“
Well … someone must. Nigel
and I are staunch believers in change.” He waited a brief moment
and added,” Our system is addle-brained if it will not accept
change with the modern world. We are overwhelmed with the
injustices dished out to English subjects…” he grinned looking
sheepish. “Do stop me … I know I go on and on, ‘tis a pet peeve of
mine.”

“
Not at all. I agree with
you, but it won’t be an easy or quick thing, you know.”

“
What won’t be an easy
thing?” cried a large casually dressed man. He walked up and put a
friendly hand on Tarrant’s shoulder and gave him an affectionate
shake. “Easy? That isn’t a word to describe anything you do, you
old devil you!”

“
Jimmy!” Tarrant’s said
boyishly as he greeted his friend. “When did you get back from
Leeds?”

“
Last night, and I head
about you and Bruton. Beat him again, eh?” He shook his head.
“Don’t know why you let him egg you into these things, Thurston.
Dangerous man…”

“
Oh, and I suppose you think
I am a puppy at his mercy?” His brow lifted.

James Fenmore laughed easily. “Take a
damper. You know I meant no such thing, but that one doesn’t play
by the rules…” He immediately changed the subject by turning to
Seth and asking, “Now who is this young pup?”

Tarrant made the introductions, and
soon the three fell into easy camaraderie. It was not long before
they went off together to Jackson’s saloon for a bit of ‘sparring’
with the champion.

All the while, and in his own fashion,
the he was taking the young duke’s measure and liking what he
found. It didn’t fit with the game they had been playing in
Nottingham. He still could not understand how or why they had
allowed Taffeta to join in their prank.

He could see the lad was full of fire
and brimstone and plans to change the world for the better. It was
all so very intriguing.

Chapter Four

Thurston Tarrant watched the entrance
Lady Taffeta made with Nigel on one arm and her brother on the
other. She was a diamond of the first water, and he heard the
remarks of both men and women all around him. Her aunt, the Lady
Sissy Marble had launched three daughters in years past and knew
the knack of throwing a ‘coming-out’ ball.

Lord Tarrant bent to Sarah Jersey, the
regent’s favorite and present mistress, and whispered in her ear.
“A favor…”