The Taming of a Wicked Rogue (The Lords of Scandal Row Book 1) Read online

  He still made her heart skip. Even after all these years. It shouldn’t have surprised her that it did. He always did that to her, and the years had been kind to him, hardening his jaw and filling out his shoulders.

  He wore a shirt, slightly untucked and rolled up at the sleeves, revealing muscular forearms dusted with hair. He murmured something to the horse, and her stomach did a tumble. If she closed her eyes, she would be six and ten again, listening to him speak to his horses whilst perched on a milking stool and watching him with such admiration. Their love of animals had brought them together but that had swiftly turned into something else.

  Sometimes, she suspected Leonard Moncrieff would be the only man she ever loved.

  However, just because he was still kind to animals did not mean he was the same man. It pained her to read every column devoted to him and his dalliances, yet she could not help herself. They had not spoken in nearly ten years and she could not help but want to know every element to his life, even while it stabbed at her heart to read of the rake he had become.

  He stilled and turned, the golden light dappling over his face. She sucked in a breath. No wonder women swarmed to him. The attractive young man she had known had grown into the most handsome man she had ever seen.

  She clapped a hand over her mouth when his brow furrowed. He lifted the lamp and peered at the shadows. She waited, her heart pounding against her chest so loudly that she feared he would hear it.

  Then he shook his head, returned the lamp to the plinth and turned back to the horse, smoothing strong hands down the animal’s flanks.

  Rebecca inhaled a shaky breath through her nostrils. And regretted it. Instantly. The brick dust and hay combined made her nose tickle and her eyes water. She pressed a finger under her nose but to no avail. A sneeze burst from her, cracking through the stillness.

  She jolted away from the wall with the intention of escaping but too late. Leo descended upon her and grabbed her arm. “Who are you?” he demanded.

  She tried to wriggle free of his strong grip, but he grabbed her other arm. When she went to push past him, he shoved back, and she lost her footing and tumbled onto a pile of hay. He fell with her, the sudden tumble dragging him down. The breath left her lungs at the impact of his body atop hers, his strength and height utterly apparent.

  “Get off me,” she grunted, struggling against his hold.

  “What are you doing here, boy?”

  She stilled at the word. He hadn’t recognized her. She supposed the shadows were too dark. And that meant her disguise had worked. With any luck, she could make her excuses, leave, and he would be none the wiser of her presence here.

  “Just seeking shelter,” she murmured, keeping her voice low.

  He kept her pinned, fingers curled around both wrists. The awareness of his hard body atop hers sizzled through her despite herself. She squirmed once more and he cocked his head, releasing her arms suddenly. “You’re no boy.”

  Rebecca thrust out a fist, connecting with his chest. Her knuckles stung at the contact and she yelped. Leo snatched her wrists again in response and pinned her back down, apparently scarcely noticing the hit.

  “Let me go,” she said through gritted teeth. “I wasn’t doing any harm.”

  “Keep wriggling like that and you will regret it.”

  “I...” She swallowed hard, suddenly understanding his meaning. She relented, giving herself up to his hold and letting her head loll to one side. “What are you going to do with me?”

  “Well, I can think of a few—” He paused, put a hand to her chin and urged her to face him. “Rebecca?”

  Denial burned on her tongue, but it was no good. Her disguise hadn’t worked and her plan to hide out in the stable at Eastwick had been for nothing. She would have to flee and find shelter somewhere else.

  “What the devil are you doing here?” He eased off her and rose to his feet and then offered a hand.

  She ignored it and rose to standing. She swept the straw from her borrowed breeches. Poor Mrs. Smith was going to wonder where her son’s clothes had gone in the morning. She rubbed her wrists.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, you hurt me too.” He rubbed his chest with a quick grin. A grin that she recalled all too well. The signature Leo grin that always made her heart race. No doubt it made many other women’s hearts race too, she thought grimly.

  “I am sorry, but you were not even meant to be here,” she blurted.

  “At my house.”

  “Yes! You are never here. I know that from—” She looked to her feet and kicked aside a small pile of hay. “I just know that.”

  She glanced up to see his mouth slant. “You have been keeping an eye on me then?”

  “No.” She shook her head vigorously.

  He closed the gap between them, so she had to crane her neck to look up at him. Sweet Mary, why did he have to grow so handsome? Why was he still able to affect her after all these years?

  “Where have you been, Rebecca? And why are you here? Hell, it’s been ten years—”

  “Nine.”

  “What happened to you? We were going to—” He shook his head. “And then you just...”

  “We had to leave suddenly but please believe me that I am sorry.”

  “And you could not send word?” He shook his head. “For a while, I thought you dead.”

  A knot gathered in her throat when his voice cracked. Could it be he had been truly hurt? She had convinced herself that her disappearance had done nothing to him. How could it when he had pursued a life of pleasure? But what if...

  She glanced at the open door of the stables. She wasn’t here for this and she could not let herself be distracted by thoughts of what could have been. They were two entirely different people now.

  “I am sorry. Truly,” she repeated, then darted past him, ducking past an outstretched arm and speeding into the night. She heard him call her name but refused to look back.

  Their love was in the past and there it would stay.

  Chapter Three

  Leo ignored the simpering smile of an attractive young woman but offered a curt dip of his head. So far, ignoring the pretty offerings of Langmere’s new residents had been relatively easy.

  Mostly because he was looking for her.

  He grimaced to himself. He shouldn’t be.

  Clearly, Rebecca wanted nothing to do with him but, damn it, he at least deserved an explanation as to why she never came back or why she did not even pen a brief missive to tell him she was safe.

  He drew in a long breath and strode along the path that led adjacent to the lakeside. The chances were she had fled, likely never to be seen again. After all, that was her usual technique. Tell a man she loved him then vanish, leaving said man to wonder what the bloody hell had happened.

  He shook his head to himself. With Rebecca he had imagined so many things for them. Marriage, children, a long life together. What a fool he had been. Apparently their plans had meant a lot less to her than they had to him. Didn’t she realize he could have protected her from whatever it was they were running from?

  Yes, they were young then, but he still had power and privilege behind him. Whatever her father had done—and there were many, many things he had done it seemed—he could have helped Rebecca.

  Blasted stubborn woman. He shouldn’t even be thinking of her. And he most certainly shouldn’t be scanning all the faces of all the boys in the town lest she make another appearance. He might not be able to touch a woman as per his promise but surely he could at least be enjoying the sight of pretty young ladies promenading along the lakeside and flitting in and out of the few shops that clung to the lake’s edge?

  It seemed not. His gaze snared on a young boy in a floppy hat. The dim light in the stables hadn’t allowed him to pay full attention to what Rebecca had been wearing, but he’d been on top of her long enough to know she filled out the boy’s garments in all the wrong ways.

  There
was no doubting Rebecca had grown into womanhood in all the ways he admired, and he suspected he was going to struggle to forget the feel of her soft breasts beneath him.

  That did not aid her foolish disguise, however. Standing awkwardly by the side of the smithy’s, her arms folded, and drawing his attention to forementioned curves, her gaze darted about. Why had she returned and why the devil had she returned dressed as a boy?

  Oh yes, not to mention, why had she taken to hiding in the stables at Eastwick? He had to assume from the rumpled state of her, she had nowhere to stay.

  Most of the lodgings were booked up and even those who did not normally take in guests, had opened their doors to the visitors, sensing a fine opportunity to earn some coin. However, Rebecca had grown up here. Surely she could find someone to take her in?

  He paused by Mr. Beaumont’s Bazaar, feigning picking up a book from the outside stall to peruse the first few pages.

  He ignored the text and eyed Rebecca out of the periphery of his vision. He could not fathom what she had in mind nor could he understand why she lingered in her spot by the blacksmith’s. She took a step forward and then stepped back again, pressing herself up against the once white wall of the building. Passing carts and the nature of the smith’s work had stained the walls to a grey that gradually faded toward the top story of the building, revealing its pristine white color.

  A dog approached her, and he saw her expression soften. He smiled, despite himself. Nothing changed there then. Rebecca had never been able to resist animals of any kind. Her mother had been nearly driven out of her wits with her need to take in every stray in Cumbria. He still recalled the moment she’d brought home a grass snake and her mother had screamed to the rafters at the sight of it.

  She bent to fuss the dog but stilled when Mr. Cooper, the smithy, emerged from his building, looked left and right and finally motioned for the dog to return inside. The dog obediently skulked inside, and Mr. Cooper paused, hands to his hips while he eyed Rebecca.

  Leo had little idea of the conversation that passed, but the smithy was no fool and Leo doubted the disguise dampened his curiosity, especially given Rebecca lurked outside his building.

  Rebecca said something to him, turned hastily away and then stopped when the smithy said something else. Her eyes widened and she cast her gaze down.

  Leo sighed and strode over. He owed her nothing. Not one thing. No one would blame him for leaving her up to her fate after what she did to him.

  “What’s your name, boy?” asked the smithy. “I recognize you.”

  Rebecca affected a low voice that made Leo wince. “Uh...my name...” She glanced around. “Uh...”

  “You can’t remember your own name now?” The smithy moved closer. “What are you up to?” He folded his arms. “If you are here to make trouble...”

  Leo stepped to Rebecca’s side. “Forgive me, Mr. Cooper, this is Frederick. He’s a new groom at Eastwick.”

  The man narrowed his gaze. “I see.” He eased his arms down by his sides. “You had better warn your boy not to linger, my lord. He looks suspicious.” The smithy moved past him and leaned in. “And be careful. The boy seems a little addled.”

  Leo pressed his lips together to prevent himself from chuckling and nodded sincerely. “I shall indeed, Mr. Cooper, thank you.”

  Snatching Rebecca’s arm, he led her away from the building. “Come with me, Frederick. Let’s get you back to Eastwick.”

  She tugged against him, but he didn’t stop until they were some distance away from the blacksmith’s and toward the far end of the town, where the crowds of people thinned.

  “There was no need for that.”

  He eyed her determined expression and laughed. “You make a terrible boy, Rebecca.”

  “I was fine until you came along.”

  “Mr. Cooper thought you were mad.”

  “Well...I would have been fine,” she insisted.

  “You do not look fine.” He cast his gaze over her filthy, creased appearance. “You look as though you are in need of rest and a wash. No wonder Mr. Cooper thought you to be a troublemaker.” He rubbed a hand across his face, not quite willing to believe what he was about to do. So many times, he’d pictured her return and how he’d behave. He’d scold her, maybe even shout at her. Or just take one glance at her and walk away.

  Never, not once, did he think he’d offer her sanctuary.

  ∞∞∞

  “COME WITH ME.”

  She stared at him for a few moments. “No.”

  It was unfeasible. Impossible. Utterly, completely unacceptable for her to go with him. But some small part of her exhausted mind wanted to reach for the outstretched hand.

  Two days of searching and she’d found nothing. She’d made do with sleeping in a sheep pen of all places last night. She smelled and her stomach grumbled, not being able to set foot in the inn or the tea room in such a state.

  The large, capable outstretched hand tempted and lured. How easy it would be to take it and relive those beautiful moments of romance they had shared when they were young.

  How easy and how foolish.

  “Come with me, Rebecca,” he said tightly.

  “No.”

  The temptation clawed at her like a wild animal trying to escape its cage. What harm would it be? a rebellious voice muttered.

  That same temptation pushed her to take a step back. She had no plans to stay. Even if she wanted to, she could not. This place had not been her home since her father had ruined that for her. If she gave in, it would be agonizing to leave—once again.

  Leo stepped forward, shadowing her backstep. He towered over her, her head coming just to his shoulders. The broadness of him was even more apparent in the daylight.

  She craned her neck to view him, squinting in the bright sunlight. It silhouetted him, masking his features slightly, but she had seen enough. The years had been more than kind to him, increasing the breadth of his jaw, adding little golden touches to the chestnut curls of his hair and widening his mouth a touch. The dimple in his chin remained, and her fingers twitched with remembrance. How she’d loved to press a finger to that dimple before he would swoop in and kiss her breathless.

  His blue eyes had an intensity she did not recall, however. A sort of lingering fire behind them that made her want to search his gaze until she discovered why.

  No. She took another step back.

  “I’m not coming with you,” she insisted.

  “Rebecca, you stink.”

  “Well, that’s charming.”

  He shrugged and grinned. Her stomach did that topsy-turvy tumble she recalled from the previous night, and she inhaled deeply. Leo always had a charming smile and he used it to his advantage. No doubt, he’d flashed it at many a woman of late, and she would be foolish to fall for it.

  “It’s the truth.”

  Rebecca lifted her chin. “If I stink so badly, then I suggest you go away, my lord.”

  “Oh, so it’s lord now.”

  “It’s always been lord.”

  “Hmm, I’m not so certain. A while ago I used to be Leo.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “In fact, I believe I used to be most specifically Your Leo.”

  A painful twist pulled at her stomach. “That was a long time ago.”

  His expression shuttered. “It was.”

  “Yes.” She folded her arms. “Well...anyway. I should be...”

  He snatched her upper arm, curling his fingers firmly around it. “You are not going anywhere. Come with me and at least damn well bathe.”

  “I said no.”

  “And I said come with me.”

  She yanked her arm away from his hold. “I am sure you are used to ordering ladies around, getting them to do whatever you bid, but you might recall that I was never one of those.” She met his gaze head-on. “That has not changed.”

  The grin returned. “So I see.”

  “So if you will excuse me.” She made to step around him, but he moved in front of her
.

  “Come with me or I shall reveal you.”

  She peered around him, eyeing the many visitors milling around the lake and the locals making the most of things in a bid to earn additional coin. If they knew who she was, she would never get a chance to find the diamond. They would most likely run her out of town.

  She looked to Leo, keeping her arms folded. “You would not.”

  “I have little idea why you feel the need for this...disguise.” He waved a hand up and down her. “But if you do not come, I shall confess to the blacksmith that Frederick is in fact Miss Rebecca Fortescue, returned from goodness knows where after nearly ten years.”

  “No.”

  He nodded. “I feel certain Mr. Cooper will waste no time in telling the others. He does have a penchant for gossip after all.”

  Grinding her teeth together, she considered her options. The fatigue worked so deep, she swore she felt it in her bones. The smell was not much better either nor the feel of the grime upon her skin, making her itch. Mr. Cooper was indeed a gossip and it would take mere hours for the whole town to know of her return. Even if she evaded them now, they would be on the lookout for her, making her hunt all the more difficult, if not impossible.

  “You are a cad,” she muttered.

  “Oh yes, a terrible cad, wanting to see you rested and bathed.”

  She rolled her eyes. He had not lost his sarcastic touch either it seemed. She thrust a finger in his direction. “I shall have you know this is blackmail.”

  His responding tilted grin made the butterflies dance in her stomach. She pressed her lips together in case her own mouth decided to curve in response. The man was too charming, irresistible and handsome, and he well knew it.

  So she would have to keep her guard especially high because goodness, if anyone could get through her carefully crafted shield, it would be Leo.

  Chapter Four

  Rebecca stilled when the tips of the chimneys of Eastwick came into sight. Her skin visibly paled and she shook her head. “I cannot be seen here. I should leave.” She twisted on a heel, but Leo stepped in front of her, arms folded.