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Chapter 241
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The League of Rogues Chapter 242
I am a bloody fool.Charles sighed heavily as he walked up the steps to his townhouse. He had spent nearly two hours scouring Vauxhall Gardens, hoping to see the woman in the red gown again. It was a silly notion to think he could find her there simply because that was where she had been when those brutes from Lewis Street had taken her, but he had no idea where else to look. He had only her first name to go by, and no one he'd met remembered seeing anyone of her description with that name. She was an enigma he feared he would never unravel.Was she a gentle-born lady? The conservative cut of her fine red silk gown suggested so, but her defiance and bravery were not traits often found in a gentle-born woman. Certainly, he had known brave women, the wives of his friends were excellent examples, but their bravery had been tempered by their positions in life, even when they dared to reach beyond it.Lily had been different. When she broke free of her captors, something about her remind
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 243
Lily slipped out of the guest bedchamber a few hours before dawn, after Charles ordered her to go to bed. She was happy to obey; she was dead on her feet by this point.As she reached her room, she saw Davis leaving his. He froze when he saw her. Something flashed in his eyes that put her on her guard."Tom, a word, please."She followed him into her room, heart pounding. Davis closed the door. Kat was still asleep in her crib.Davis crossed his arms over his chest. "I know."Lily had to fight to conceal her panic. "Know what?""You want me to say it?" His voice softened, but she remained mute. He sighed. "You are a woman." He kept his voice quiet, aware that his words would carry through the hall if he spoke much louder."I'm not?"Davis jerked the cap off her head and pulled at her hair. She winced as the pins keeping the wig tight to her scalp pulled free. She felt naked and covered her head where her long blonde hair was tightly pinned down. Hugo had considered having her c
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 244
"How are you feeling?" Charles carried a tray of food into the guest bedchamber for Graham. His younger brother sat up in bed, his face still a messy mix of blue and purple bruises. One eye was almost swollen shut.Graham winced as he reached for the toast on the tray Charles placed on his lap. "I feel like the devil himself trod all over me with his cloven hooves.""Eat, even if it hurts. Food will help you heal." Charles pulled the chair up to the side of the bed and watched as Graham ate. It'd been so long since he and Graham had talked, let alone been in the same room like this.Graham paused in his breakfast to look at him. "You don't have to stay and watch me eat.""I know. I suppose I am just glad you came to me." He didn't have the courage to confess how much it meant to him that his brother had sought him out."I didn't plan on coming here," Graham said a bit gruffly. "But I knew I couldn't go home to Mother and Ella." Graham put his hand to his chest in obvious pain. Cha
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 245
Lily carried Katherine out of the servants' quarters, saying her goodbyes to the staff. It took every bit of her self-control not to cry. These men and women were good, loyal people who had helped her settle into a life here, a life that had become a happy dream, at least when she was wasn't reminded that she was the cuckoo in their nest.She looked back upon the house before she summoned a coach. The beautiful townhouse looked much like the other houses on the street, but the red door with a lion's head knocker would always be home for her, and leaving it made her heart ache."Mama?" Katherine whispered drowsily and burrowed closer to her.She stroked a hand up and down Katherine's head before she climbed into the coach. "Sleep, love."When they reached the gambling hell, it was late afternoon. Lily carried her daughter up the back stairs and slipped out a brass key to unlock the door. This time she was careful to check the shadows in the room, half expecting to find Hugo lurking
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 246
"How is he?" Charles asked the doctor.Dr. Shreve shut the door to the bedchamber where Phillip had been settled and removed his spectacles, folding them carefully and tucking them away in a slender leather case before he met Charles's gaze."He has several broken ribs, and his left leg is fractured in two places, but I'm most concerned about the injuries inflicted to his skull. I reset the leg and bound it, but the rest?" He shook his head. "If he survives the next week, he may well yet recover, but it is in God's hands now."Charles released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Thank you, Doctor. I'm certain you've done everything you can." He shook Shreve's hand, and then Ramsey escorted him to the door."Phillip is a tough man," Ashton said, placing a hand on Charles's shoulder. "He may surprise us all.""I hope you're right." Charles leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. God, would this nightmare ever end? Was there no crevice Hugo's tentacles could not reac
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 247
"Good God," someone muttered. Lucien, perhaps.Charles held his breath, unable to focus, waiting for his friends to judge him, knowing he would deserve it if any of them walked out of this room. An inner torment twisted sharply inside him, because part of him wanted them to. At least then he'd know he was right all along, that he didn't deserve them."I have regretted that decision every day of my life," he said at last. "And I will understand if any of you wish to leave.""Leave?" Jonathan spoke up. "Why would we leave?"Charles finally managed to look at the faces of his friends. There was no derision there, no disgust, no outrage. Only understanding."You challenged a man who beat his wife," Godric said slowly. "That is not something to be ashamed of.""There are other ways to handle men like him," Charles countered."Sometimes I wonder," Cedric said. "But you didn't kill him, your father did.""No, I killed him. If I had kept my temper, none of this would have happened." Ch
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 248
Charles's heart began to race as he started walking toward the woman in the midnight-blue dress, like a man lost in a most exquisite dream.She'd told him her name was Lily, but had that been the truth? He tried to think of all the ladies who might be acquainted with Lord Sanderson, and yet he knew of no woman like her. A haunting vision, a woman built by God just for him. The crowd thinned as he moved through it, ignoring every call of his name as he tried to catch sight of the woman again. When he reached the veranda, she was gone.Vanished again, as though she had slipped into another realm through a beam of moonlight. Charles opened the veranda door, shivering as he walked out onto the terrace overlooking the gardens. The tall hedges that formed a labyrinth were covered in frost, and the moon rose high above him as he stepped down onto the garden path. Had she come out here? He kept his steps light as he traversed the winding path.Snap! He froze at the sound of a twig breaking
Last Updated : 2022-06-15The League of Rogues Chapter 249
"Quite a night, eh?" Cedric clapped Charles on the shoulder as they left the Sanderson home. "Far less painful than I feared.""Quite a night indeed," Charles agreed. He hadn't thought his spirits could be buoyed after the attacks on Phillip and Graham. But coming here tonight and finding Lily Even her name made his blood hum and his head dizzy, as though he'd drunk too much whisky. She had given him a glimpse of hope again."It seems to have pulled you out of your black mood for a while, at least. I saw you danced with a number of fine ladies. I don't suppose any of them caught your fancy?""One flower," he admitted. "Lily Wycliff.""Emily's cousin from the country?" Cedric chuckled. "Well, Godric forbade you from wooing her, so I guess it was only natural that you would. That must have been the blonde beauty you were with during the last waltz."Charles smiled to himself. "That she was." He'd seen stunning women before, that was nothing new. But there was something more to Lily
Last Updated : 2022-06-15
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The League of Rogues Chapter 311
The roads proved to be quite passable as sunlight melted much of the last evening's snowfall. Ella leaned against the side of the coach, watching sunlight glint off the snow like diamonds scattered on the surface of a white sheet. The rocking rhythm of the coach and the thudding sounds of the hooves lulled her into a numb state somewhere between wakefulness and slumber. She tried not to let her mind drift back to this morning, but it seemed determined to replay flashes of their lovemaking.The way Phillip's eyes lit up between slow kisses, how it felt to thread her fingers through his hair, the sighs he made as they embraced after coming apart. The way it felt to have his fingertips brush against her cheek. Even the way he spoke her name as she walked away. She would remember every little thing, the bursts of light and heat, and the cold sting of her breaking heart. Perhaps in time the memories would fade, but she doubted it. If only he was brave enough to come after her, to fight for
The League of Rogues Chapter 310
Ella awoke to the smell of porridge, eggs, and ham. She moved languidly, stretching her limbs, feeling sore between her thighs and a slight dampness in the sheets. Her face flushed as she sat up in bed. Phillip was seated by the fire, reading a novel. A tray of food sat on the table beside him, untouched."You should eat."He looked over his shoulder at her, his mouth quirking into a grin. "I was waiting for you. Come." He patted his lap, and the invitation was too much for her to resist. She slipped out of bed and joined him. He curled an arm around her waist as she eased down on his lap."How do you feel?" he asked, his eyes tender as he looked at her."A little sore," she admitted. "But wonderful too. I fear you've given me a taste for sin.""Have I now?" His delighted chuckle pleased her so much that her heart hurt. She loved his laugh, his smile, everything. She wanted only happiness for him because he had suffered so much."Yes, most definitely. Where did you learn such a u
The League of Rogues Chapter 309
Phillip woke before dawn, feeling more rested than he had in a long time. A beautiful woman lay beside him, and memories of how sweet the previous night had been made him want to burst into song like a lovestruck fool. He'd given her pleasure and she'd returned it, and it had been going so damned well until he'd fallen asleep. Yet his body didn't ache, and his leg didn't hurt as he was used to first thing in the morning. He moved slightly, expecting pain, but the usual stiffness in his thigh and lower calf and shin weren't there.He stared down at Ella's scantily clad body lying beside him. Had she truly rubbed his body last night, or had it been a sweet dream? He'd gotten so used to that, dreaming she was there to heal everything with her love and sweetness, that he didn't quite trust the reality.No, it hadn't been a dream. She had pleasured him with her mouth and almost brought him to his knees. Then she'd shown tenderness in helping him with his leg. God, the woman was exquisite
The League of Rogues Chapter 308
The night was full of magic. Ella couldn't stop smiling as she left the dancers and returned to the table with Bridget.Warwick poured them wine from a bottle a barmaid delivered to them. "Well done, ladies, well done."The wine was sweet on Ella's tongue and went straight to her head as she ate dinner. Phillip kept a hand on her waist, so deliciously scandalous, even though they were pretending to be married. She could have floated away without a care in the world."Well, it's getting late. I think we'll turn in," Phillip said at last. "It was a pleasure to meet you both."Bridget smiled. "As it was for us, my lord."Phillip collected his cane, and Ella slipped her arm in his as they headed for the stairs."You were stunning tonight," Phillip said as they climbed the steps together."Was I?" She couldn't resist preening a little. She rarely received compliments from men who weren't her brothers."You were most enchanting." Phillip leaned against the wall as he unlocked their d
The League of Rogues Chapter 307
Phillip was damned, but he couldn't stop what he was doing. She was so tender, so full of warmth and youthful excitement. Her kiss made him feel like the man he'd once been long ago. Like the man who'd danced with her in that ballroom ages ago, feeling her spin and twirl back into his arms. How she'd looked up at him when he'd kissed her beneath that starry night sky, and he'd thought in that moment they could have held the entire world between them.Now he was kissing her again, and it was different. She was not a young, teasing debutante. She was a woman now, one who'd learned disappointments and heartache and clung to happiness that much stronger whenever she found it. He wanted to make sure their time together now was everything she'd dreamed of.Her eager response to the touch of his lips or the flick of his tongue against hers brought back a flood of excitement. He'd thought he was incapable of feeling like this again, but he'd been blissfully wrong. A sweet melody echoed about
The League of Rogues Chapter 306
The following morning, Ella stepped out into the courtyard between the two gatehouses and blinked in surprise to find Phillip dressed and ready to leave. She'd thought perhaps after last night he wouldn't come. Yet there he was, eyes glinting with amusement at her astonishment.He looked dashing in buff trousers and an indigo waistcoat. A greatcoat hung around his shoulders, only adding to the handsome picture he presented. Beyond him a large traveling coach stood ready. Marcus and Cora were helping the driver secure several valises to the back of the coach. The morning sky was still a watery gray as the sun failed to penetrate the heavy snow clouds that had gathered above them.Phillip greeted her with a smile as she reached him. "Good morning."She smiled back, but a sudden bout of nerves made her tremble. Had she really asked him to tutor her in seduction last night? The reality of that moment was now a little daunting in the cold light of day."Come now, don't be shy," Phillip
The League of Rogues Chapter 305
Ella followed Mr. Boucher through the house as he escorted her to her chambers for the night. Most of the furniture was covered in cloth to protect from sunlight and dust. Many of the tall paned windows throughout the house were shuttered, effectively sealing off the rooms from light and life. This beautiful house had been emptied of people. Closed off, just like its master.They passed into one of the few more well-lit rooms, a long hall with paintings of fine-faced men and women. She glanced up at more than one of the portraits, seeing Phillip's eyes or chin, even his nose in several of the ancestors upon the walls."Mr. Boucher.""Yes, Lady Ella?""Is he in much pain?" She was perhaps indelicate to inquire about Phillip's injuries in such a way, but she needed answers.Boucher paused to look at her in the moonlight. Whatever he seemed to be looking for he must have found."Yes. In the beginning, he couldn't walk. He lay in bed for several weeks, only moving with the aid of oth
The League of Rogues Chapter 304
Phillip sat in the faded armchair in his study, staring into the crackling fire in the fireplace. His left leg ached, especially during the damp winter months. He rubbed his thigh, squeezing the muscles, and then farther down to his shin and calf. The muscles were still weak from the lack of use. But it hurt too much to walk, so he did so only when necessary.A sound from the hall below caught his attention. Voices. Who the devil could Boucher be talking to? They'd reduced the staff over the last year, mainly because he had shut up most of the house since he remained close to his bedchamber and never entertained. He sat up a little in his chair, listening to the sounds of a woman. The pair of maids he still employed were likely on the first floor of the house at the farthest end where the other bedchambers were or in the kitchens."Boucher?" he called out, but his voice was hoarse since he hadn't used it in what felt like days. He hadn't had occasion to see anyone or truly talk to an
The League of Rogues Chapter 303
One year later"If I have to listen to one more man explain to me that business and politics are not things to concern myself with," Ella growled over the rim of her teacup."It is most frustrating," her friend, Audrey St. Laurent, agreed. "I often say some men need a good whack to the heador between their legs, depending on the man."Ella snickered but then sighed as her mood deflated again."What's truly bothering you?" Audrey inquired.Ella glanced about Audrey's morning room, seeking a distraction from her mortification, but they were alone. A fire crackled in the hearth, and sunlight glinted off the snow outside. It was a perfectly lovely day, which made her black mood all the worse."At one and twenty, it seems I'm now to attract the worst sort of men. I was at Lady Hearst's ball last evening, and every single man I danced with lectured me about how fortunate I was to even be dancing at my age. To make it worse, the younger ladies have taken offense at my being there. More
