Lydia Dare - A Certain Wolfish Charm

"Welcome home, Your Grace," Billings said as he stepped through the threshold. Simon didn't even respond as he turned toward his study, anxious to get as far as he could from Lily Rutledge as quickly as possible.

***

"Well played there, Lily," Will said quietly to her, as the duke stalked away from them. Lily worried her bottom lip as she watched Blackmoor throw his hat and coat at Billings, who barely caught them before the force of the items nearly knocked him from his feet.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Lily said sweetly, smiling at Will.

He used one crooked finger to tip her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. His blue eyes, so unlike the duke's, sparkled with mirth. "You know exactly what I mean," he chuckled. "You would do him a better service if you had him strung between two horses and pulled limb from limb. Poor fellow."

Lily sighed. That suggestion had merit. It would certainly make her feel better, easing some of the ache around her heart.

"Careful how you play him, Lily," Will warned quietly, his gaze penetrating hers. "It may not be a game you enjoy."

"What am I going to do, Will?" she asked. "I can't just let him take my life from me without even asking my opinion or giving me a choice in the matter. He wants to

marry me off

, for heaven's sake!" She nearly shrieked the last but quieted her voice when Will glanced toward the duke's study.

"Lily, there are some things you don't understand," Will sighed.

"Then explain them to me! Please!

You

don't understand. I…" She stopped when he took her shoulders in his hands.

"The next card is Simon's to play, dear. You laid down the first card. Now it's time to see if he picks it up." He flicked her nose before passing his hat to the butler.

"Billings, can you be sure Miss Rutledge is comfortable, while we wait for the Earl of Maberley to arrive?"

"Yes, my lord." Billings simply nodded.

"I'll leave you to it, then. There's some whisky in Simon's study that needs to be tested. For quality, you know," he added. Then he winked at her and walked away.

***

Simon was already absorbed in the ledgers Billings had left for him to check. He needed something to focus on besides the pain in his chest, to keep him from foolishly searching out Lily and begging for forgiveness.

He dropped his head into his hands, wondering how in the world he was going to handle his present situation.

"You won't find redemption for your latest sins in that book, Simon." Will broke him from his reverie.

Without speaking or even looking up, Simon tossed the open ledger at Will's head. His aim was deadly, but the man was agile and fast enough to duck before it could strike him.

Undaunted, Will poured himself a glass of Simon's best whisky from a sideboard and took the chair across from him. He dangled one leg over the arm of the chair in a supremely relaxed male pose.

"So, what are you planning?" Will asked congenially. "And how long will you torture yourself before you give in and take Lily to bed? The full moon is nearly upon us, yet you have her secured here at Westfield Hall, right in the path of danger."

"I

know

!" Simon roared, standing up so fast that his chair toppled over behind him. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, hoping to push back some of the confusion that wracked his brain.

Will took a deep breath. "You know, Simon," he said calmly. "Our parents had a wonderful relationship." He let that thought trail off.

Simon raised his head and glared at his brother. Will simply shrugged. "You know it's true. Father was one of us. He faced the same beast we face every day, and Mother loved him."

"Lily

can't know

!" Simon groaned. "She simply can't."

"Why not?" Will asked, as though he'd asked what was for dinner. But, to Simon, he might as well have been pondering the makings of the universe.

"You saw the way her sister was with Daniel. She married him, and then she became a fearful little waif. She was scared of her own shadow."

"Daniel never had anyone to teach him to be a man," Will said quietly. "You are a very different person than he was."

"I am the same

type of person

he was, Will. You seem to have forgotten. All it took was one full moon. He shared himself with her on one full moon, and she would never let him come near her again, not in that way. I wouldn't be able to stand it, to see Lily hurt the way Emma was." And he couldn't. It would kill him for Lily to fear him or, worse, to pity him.

"Tell her, Simon. And let her make the choice," Will said before he extricated himself from his slouch in the chair and started for the door.

Simon flung his inkwell at Will, and it crashed against the now closed door, splattering black liquid all over. He had to fight the urge to give chase and throttle the man when he heard Will's laughter from the hallway.

***

Lily sighed, running her fingers along the book spines in the Westfield library. With the weather simply horrid, she hadn't left the manor house, though she desperately wanted to do so. She felt trapped and dismissed all at once.

How could she possibly get Blackmoor to change his mind about Oliver? She didn't think begging would work. She wished she had something to barter or wager. The duke did a fair amount of gambling, after all. But she had nothing even to tempt him with. Even if she had something of value, she didn't know the first thing about gambling.

"Ah, there you are," Will's voice came from the doorway. "Looking for a good book?"

Lily turned around and graced him with a smile. "I'd much rather be out of doors, but in this weather…"

He strode further into the room. "How are you holding up?" he asked quietly.

Lily wished Lord William had been made Oliver's guardian. He'd be so much easier to work with. Blast Daniel for leaving the boy to that obstinate ox instead! She shook her head. "What is the easiest card game to cheat at?"

His blue eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. "Cheat?" he echoed.

Lily shrugged. "I need to find some way to keep Oliver. I thought a game of chance…"

"Where you held all the cards, so to speak?" he chuckled. "Simon will definitely have his hands full with you."

"Have you a better idea?"

A feminine giggle from somewhere close caught Will's attention, and he winced, his usual smile faded away. His reaction immediately piqued Lily's interest. "What's wrong?"

"Not what. Who," he grumbled.

With a world-weary sigh, he turned back toward the door and looked down the hallway, like a child checking for an escape route. Lily couldn't help but laugh. "Who then?"

"A neighbor." A second later, he groaned. "It's too late. We could hide, but she'd still find us."

Lily couldn't imagine Lord William Westfield hiding from anyone. She brushed past him and peeked around the corner of the door. The most beautiful woman Lily had ever seen was just a few feet away. Ebony hair, knotted at the base of her neck, draped over one shoulder. Violet eyes twinkled beneath a pair of slender brows. An expensive day dress peeked out from beneath a long coat.

The striking woman smiled. "You must be Miss Rutledge. Please tell me William is cowering behind a bookcase."

Lily choked on a laugh. Her guess was fairly close to accurate.

Will stepped into the hallway, glowering. "My dear Prisca, you do suffer such delusions of grandeur."

The beautiful woman's eyes narrowed to little violet slits. Then she stepped forward, focusing on Lily. "Uncivilized beast. Since his lordship is either incapable or unwilling to introduce us, allow me, Miss Rutledge. Prisca Hawthorne of Langley Downs."

She unbuttoned her coat and then thrust it in Will's hands.