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Chapter 133
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The League of Rogues Chapter 134
"You're serious about this marriage business?" Charles asked as he, Jonathan and Ashton lifted yet another charred beam away from the foundations where the Higgins farmhouse had once been. They set the beam in the back of a large cart. Several other men from the village and surrounding lands were busy assisting in the clearing away of the destroyed houses."Yes, I am." Ashton paused to wipe his sleeve across his brow. It was too damned hot for this sort of work. If anything, he should be supervising the others. It was not fitting for a man of his station to perform manual labor, but he could not sit idly by, not when he was flooded with frustrated sexual energy. If he couldn't take Rosalind to bed, he needed to use that pent-up passion for something productive."But why?" Charles repeated. "I thought you swore off marriage.""It's complicated, Charles. Mother is pushing me to marry for Joanna's sake, and I am tired of fighting her. If she believes Rosalind and I are courting, it wil
The League of Rogues Chapter 135
Mr. Pevensly took pride in being Lady Melbourne's butler and seeing to the duties which helped him care for Her Ladyship's residence. Holding his head high, he descended the stairs, white gloves running the length of the banister. When he reached the bottom stair he lifted his gloved fingers, examining them for dust. They came away clean. With a satisfied smile, he proceeded through the rest of the house, checking on each room. The last door he came to before he was to join the staff downstairs for supper was Her Ladyship's study.Pevensly opened the door and glanced inside, assuming all would be in order. But before he closed the door a breeze drifted through the room from an open window facing the mew below. Papers on the desk rustled, and the curtains slowly lifted and fell.Frowning, Pevensly walked over to the window and slid it shut. A maid must have left it open, for what purpose he could not fathom, but he would speak to the maids and remind them not to leave open windows in
The League of Rogues Chapter 136
Lord Pembroke was as good as his word. By the time the waltz had ended, with Pembroke pressing himself as close to Rosalind as he could for every turn, Ashton had pushed away from his wall and was stalking toward her, eyes blazing. But before he could speak to her, Rafe slipped in between them."Sorry, brother, but I am next." Rafe flashed a wolfish smile at his brother.Ashton attempted to take Rosalind's other hand to pull her away. "Surely you should not be dancing after your fall.""Nonsense," Rafe replied. "I've been resting too long. Some activity will do me good."Rosalind bit her lip to hide a smug smile as she walked past Ashton to follow Rafe out onto the dance floor. "I'm sorry you shan't have what you desire, Lord Lennox."Ashton visibly clenched his fists.Rafe glanced at his brother with a chuckle. "So, Lady Melbourne, tell me, are you going to marry my brother? The talk of the house is that you will, which makes little sense to me. I noticed a tension between you t
The League of Rogues Chapter 137
This night was hell on Ashton's control.Watching Rosalind, his Rosalind, going around the dance floor from one man to the nextit was going to kill him. Every time someone touched her hand or made her smile, he flinched."Two more dances. That's all I have to endure." He forced his attention to the rest of the room. His mother was laughing as she huddled in a corner with the other married ladies. A dozen or so ostrich plumes bounced as the ladies bent their heads to gossip. It was his mother's element: the social scene.She was the daughter of an earl, one with a vast fortune, and despite having had her pick of eligible bachelors had married his father out of foolish notions of love. His father's decline had hurt his mother by association. It was only in the last few years that she had entered back into society.He'd helped arrange that, of course, using the fortune he'd built for their family to buy their way back in with wealth and influence. Not that his mother had any notion of
The League of Rogues Chapter 138
Rosalind clutched her shawl tightly about her shoulders as Ashton offered to lift her down from the coach."Come on, darling," he teased. "Don't be frightened.""I'm not." She held out her hand, but he stepped closer and caught her waist, lifting her down. Beyond him the lights of the house bathed the front lawn in a soft golden hue, a lovely contrast to the heavy darkness of the midnight hour."I'll have a footman bring us a bottle of wine. By the looks of it, we'll need it." He was chuckling as he helped her up the steps. The butler opened the door for them, and Ashton took him aside to speak to him while a footman collected her shawl."Ready?" Ashton asked as he returned to her."With you I doubt I'll ever be truly ready," she said as Ashton led her up the grand stairs. Risking her future on a game of chess? It was madness, but it was a risk worth taking if she could free herself from Lennox's manipulative agenda, and it was not much of a risk at that, if Rafe was to be believe
The League of Rogues Chapter 139
Her dressRosalind suppressed a shiver as Ashton stood behind her, his warm breath fanning across her neck. Once she removed her dress, they would both be completely indecent.Exposed.Ashton's hands moved to the laces of her gown, and he began to pull the threads out. His touch made her jump."What about my slippers?"His lips twitched and a devilish gleam settled in his eyes. "I don't want your slippers.""This is entirely unfair.""Steady on, darling." His chuckle was bedroom soft and deliciously dark."Just take it off," she muttered, her temper sparking.His fingertips stroked her bare shoulders, teasing patterns over her all-too-sensitive skin."And ruin the delight of the moment? Not a chance." The heat from his body enveloped her from behind, and she fought the part of her that wanted this infuriating, seductive man.The movements of his hands were slow and methodical. The fabric gaped slightly when he'd undone all the laces. She clutched her hands at her sides as he
The League of Rogues Chapter 140
Ashton stood on the steps of the Sheridan townhouse on Curzon Street and tried to quell the sudden bout of nerves in his stomach. He'd risen well before dawn at his estate and slipped out of bed, pressing a light kiss to Rosalind's lips before leaving. It had taken two hours of hard riding to reach London, and his horse was lathered and exhausted. But it was important that he arrive in time to catch Cedric before he left his house for the day. He and Anne were likely to be selecting new mares at Tattersall's this afternoon.For the mission he had this morning, he only trusted Cedric. Today he was acquiring a special license to marry Rosalind. In the past, he'd always been the one to accompany the others to the Doctors' Commons, but it was strange to think today was his turn.He couldn't ask Godric or Lucien. They had married for love alone and would challenge him for marrying Rosalind for mercenary reasons. He could, perhaps, admit that he was marrying her because he wanted to, becau
The League of Rogues Chapter 141
Nelson Lewis, a footman in the Sheridan household, lingered in the doorway to the servants' quarters, straining to pick up any bits of conversation from the three ladies still standing in the hall."Emily, why did you stop pestering once he admitted Rosalind was wonderful?" Lady Sheridan asked.The Duchess of Essex played with the pearls around her neck. "I don't believe Ashton has ever said that about any woman. I believe he has stronger feelings for her than he admits, even to himself."Nelson nudged the door an inch further, studying the well-bred ladies as they walked back into the parlor. But before they disappeared inside he heard Lady Rochester speak."A wedding in Hampshire. It will be lovely."Lennox was to be married? He shut the door and came down the stairs to find the butler, careful to appear as though he was about his normal duties. The older man was standing in the servants' corridor, speaking to the housekeeper."Ah, Nelson, there you are. We have a few errands f
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