Lady In Disguise (The Langley Sisters) (23 page)

She looked disgruntled at his words and he wanted to lift her up on to one of the benches then step between her legs and kiss her until she could form no other thought but those that included him.

“You have done so much for us already, brought us to London, helped us secure lodgings, and now want to offer us more. I’m sorry, Lord Ryder, it would not be right to accept.”

“She’s right as usual,” Phoebe said, deflating.

“Would you excuse us, Phoebe?” Will took Livvy’s arm and urged her down the row and into a small office at the end. Closing the door he kept hold of her arm as she tried to free herself.

“What are you doing? I cannot be alone in here with you, what will Phoebe be thinking?”

Nudging her back a few feet, until she reached the bench, he then caged her in with his arms. “I have lots of money, Livvy, lots and lots, and if I choose to spend some of it on you and your sister then so be it.”

Her mouth formed a perfect circle as she stared at him. The big, floppy cream bow of her bonnet was tied to one side and the ends trailed onto her breasts. Will’s fingers itched to stroke them.
 

“A few bolts of material or spices will not ruin me, Livvy, now be a good girl and stop fighting me at every turn.”

“You’re rich? I… I mean you were always wealthy as the Duke’s son but… oh dear, that didn’t sound right.”

He didn’t make it easy on her; in fact Will enjoyed seeing her flustered because Livvy was usually in complete control. She was either taking charge of her sisters or a situation. In fact, it seemed only when he got too close that she became flustered.

“What I meant to say, my lord, is that it is not right for you to give us so much.”

She recovered quickly; he’d give her that, although she was looking at his necktie rather than his eyes and her pulse was still fluttering.
 

“This,” he said, touching the curve of her upper lip. “Is the greatest temptation.”

“Don’t kiss me,” she whispered trying to back up, but she had nowhere to go.

“Take my gifts and I won’t kiss you, Livvy.”

She tried to push him but he didn’t move.

“You can’t kiss me here! Not with Phoebe and Luke so close.”

“Say you’ll take my gifts, Livvy.”

“I will not!” she declared defiantly as she pushed harder. “And you are no gentleman to behave in such a manner.”

“Your words will not deter me as they once would have, Livvy, I am no longer the boy who left you and it would pay you to remember that fact.” She squeaked as he picked her up a sat her on the bench. “Take my gifts, Livvy.”
 

“Let me down!”

“No.” Will leaned forward. She tried to evade him by dropping her chin but he simply lifted it and kissed her. It was right and good and everything else that he knew it would be. She was perfect in his arms, her lips beneath his, even if she was putting up the pretense of struggling.
 

“Say you’ll take my gifts, sweet Olivia.” His words brushed her cheek as she tried to turn her head.

Sealing her lips so he couldn’t kiss her, he kissed her chin instead and then her cheeks, moving to the curve of her jaw. He then caught the whisper of breath as she spoke. Taking her mouth again for a slow, thorough exploration he then lifted his head, this time they were both breathing heavily.
 

“Say it again, Livvy.” His words were ragged.

“Yes.”

“Good girl.”

Before Will could react she had pushed him back a step and slipped off the bench. Will tried to catch her as she ran for the door.
 

“However, you will not manipulate me in such a manner again, my lord, or I will be forced to take action.” Chin raised, she looked defiant, however he could see the sensual heat lingering in her eyes.
 

“I shall look forward to your action, my sweet,” he drawled, following her from the room.

They toured the warehouse and then Phoebe collected two bolts of fabric—one for herself and one for Bella while Livvy got some spices for Jenny.

“Select something for yourself, Olivia,” Will urged.

“We have enough, my lord.”

She gave him a prim look which told him she thought she had won.

“You spent a long time lingering over the large satin pillows, so I shall gift you one of them. Pushing aside visions of her glorious hair spread over the emerald satin, he picked it up and lifted it high as Livvy tried to snatch it from his hands.

“Don’t be churlish, Livvy, you know you want it,” Phoebe said.

Will swallowed his smile as Livvy reluctantly thanked him and then, twitching her skirts, she followed Luke back outside towards the carriage.

The temperature seemed to have dropped again and the wind was whipping along the dock.

“Will you show us the water before we go, Lord Ryder?”

Opening the carriage Will placed their gifts inside before he spoke. “It’s dangerous for most people to linger here too long, Livvy, but for beautiful women even more so.”

“You’ll keep us safe,” she said, looking longingly to where the boats were moored.
 

Something moved in Will’s chest at the conviction in her words. She trusted him to keep them safe. He suddenly felt as if he could fell a tree with his bare hands.

“We have never been to the coast, my lord, nor touched the sea,” Phoebe added her voice for encouragement.

There was a space to the left of the ships that was free, Will could take them there briefly, they could dip their fingers and then he would get them back to the carriage before anyone noticed two beautiful women wandering around the docks.

“Luke, walk at the rear!” Will called as he held his arms out for the Langley sisters to take one each.
 

They made it there safely and he and Luke stood behind them as they pulled off their gloves then bent to touch the water. He even smiled as they gasped at the temperature and then discussed the feel of it against their skin.

“Let’s go,” he then said as they straightened.
 

“Will! Egad you have returned to us!”

“Viscount Marshall.” Will bowed to the man who approached.
 

“Excellent! It shall be like old times, the five of us together again.”

Will allowed the man to slap him on the back. They had once been friends after all, before he realized the man he once was was someone he could no longer be. He held out little hope that the Viscount had undergone any changes in his absence. In fact, the red veins in his face and plump figure told him he had not.      

“What has you in this disgusting place? For my part I’m charged with a commission for my father. Silly old fool, I keep him happy, thus the money keeps coming,” Viscount Marshall declared loudly.

Of average height, he looked as if he had stepped out of a fashionable men’s club, dressed in a great coat left open to reveal a pale blue satin, embroidered waistcoat and darker blue jacket with lemon breeches. Viscount Marshall was a man whose sole focus was himself and he never left home looking anything but the dandy he was. Will felt another wave of shame at the group he had been a part of and the drunken idle pursuits they had undertaken in the name of boredom.

He realized the moment the man saw the Langley sisters because he straightened and his eyes started moving, running over them from the top of their heads to the soles of their feet, just like he would have done had the opportunity arisen many years ago.

“Will you introduce me to your friends, Lord Ryder?”

He made to move past Will, but he and Luke simply stepped together, thus blocking the Viscount’s path.

“Come now, Will, such beauty and form,” he said the last in a manner that left Will very aware what part of their form the Viscount was discussing. Anger flooded him as he watched the man’s eyes trailing over Phoebe and Livvy. He had once been like that, but no longer.

“They are friends from the country here to visit a relative, Marshall. They have not yet entered society therefore no introductions will be made.”

“But we never gave a fig for the rules, and surely if I can get a jump on the others, especially with the beauty, Will, that bodice is filled to perfection.”

“If you wish to keep breathing I suggest you lift your eyes.”

“What!”

“Luke, take the ladies back to the carriage, please.”

Will’s words were not spoken loudly but his friend heard them clearly as well as the anger beneath. In seconds Livvy and Phoebe were being escorted back to the carriage. Neither, he was relieved to see, were questioning his orders, although Livvy sent him a look that he was sure meant she wanted a full explanation later.
 

“I find your manner insulting, Marshall, and were the ladies not watching us as we speak, you would be flat on your back with a very sore jaw.” Will kept his tone pleasant and his fists unclenched, aware that he had an audience. “But remember this warning, my lord, if I ever see you within two feet of those women, I shall be a very unhappy man, and you more so.” He then offered a quick, insultingly short, bow. “Good day to you. I shall spend no further time in your company now or in the future.”

The man’s lips curled in a snarl as he looked Will over.

“It’s hardly surprising you now have the manners of a savage considering you have spent five years in their company, Lord Ryder. Believe me it shall be no hardship to exclude you from the ranks of my friends.”

“I’m desolate of course,” Will drawled.

Viscount Marshall’s eyes widened as he noted the hostile gaze directed on him, he then spat out something vulgar and turned on his heel and fled.

One down
, Will thought, knowing this was the first in a long list of encounters he was not looking forward to.
       

“You are travelling back to the hotel with us, my lord?” Phoebe asked when he entered the carriage and closed the door behind him minutes later.

“Yes, I have another appointment not far from the Grillion,” he said, taking the seat next to Olivia.

“And all is well, my lord, with you and that man?”
 

He smiled at the concern in Livvy’s eyes. “My past is rearing its ugly head I’m afraid, and that encounter was something I knew was coming, Olivia. I’m just sorry you had to witness it.”

“We will not be overset by a few heated words, my lord.” Livvy twitched her skirts out of his way as he moved closer to her. “Indeed, our household has a conversation like that most days before breakfast.”

Phoebe nodded. “Tis true, my lord. We are not an even-tempered family; Livvy, of course, is the worst of us.”

“Oh, like anyone would fall for that obvious falsehood, sister.”

Will felt his mood lighten as the sisters started bickering. Laughing, he raised both hands. “All right, you have made your point ladies; you can cease arguing as I am now going to be your tour guide.”

“Wonderful.” Livvy smiled at him which made the last of his anger disappear.

He pointed out buildings and places of interest as they travelled and he endeavored to answer their questions; although he had been absent from London for years not much appeared to have changed.

“Why are we stopping, my lord?”

“You shall see,” Will said as he got out of the carriage after Luke had pulled to a halt in front of a small building with a curved white front door and mullioned windows.

Livvy watched as Will disappeared into the shop.
 

“What do you suppose he is getting?” Phoebe said looking out the window.

“I’m not sure.”

Minutes later he returned carrying two large cups, a man followed carrying a plate loaded with cake and another two cups clasped in a beefy hand.

“How strange,” Phoebe said, opening the door for Will as his hands were full.

He handed one cup to Phoebe and one to Livvy and then taking the third cup and plate he thanked the man who closed the door behind him as he once again seated himself.
 

“Who was the fourth cup for?” Phoebe questioned, sniffing the contents of hers.

“Luke,” he said. “Had I not given him a cup he would have moaned for days.”

“You and he have become friends since your absence, my lord?” Livvy questioned gently. He gave her a short nod and she believed that was to be his answer but then he surprised her by saying, “He is my best friend, and one I could not have survived the past five years without.”
 

For some reason the sincerity in his voice made Olivia want to cry so she quickly lifted her mug and inhaled the fragrant beverage. “It certainly smells nice,” she said and then took a small sip. Her mouth was instantly filled with the smooth, tart, chocolate drink that was sweetened with honey. It was blissful and she felt the warmth travel slowly through her body.
 

“This was the best chocolate drink in London before I left and this,” he said, holding out the plate, was the best cake and I have great hopes that has not changed.”