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Rufus had no interest in the pittance that had been stolen, but the previous estate manager’s sudden disappearance was now of deep interest to him after what he had learnt from his cousin Zachary a week or so ago.
It transpired that just weeks before the battle of Waterloo there had been a plot afoot to assassinate the Prince Regent, and so throw the country into chaos. It had been discovered that several government secretaries along with servants in prominent households in England had been involved in that plot.
Rufus had decided it was now incumbent upon him to look more closely into why his previous estate manager had absconded so suddenly and, if possible, ascertain as to whether or not he had been part of the ring of spies working against the Crown.
That being so, Rufus had risen very early yesterday morning, instructed his valet to pack up enough of his clothes for months, just in case, and to then travel to Northamptonshire by coach. Then Rufus had set off alone on horseback for his ducal estate.
He had travelled a long way yesterday, and the inn he had stayed at the previous night had been passable at best. After another overly warm morning of travel he had been tempted, upon arrival at his estate, to take a dip in the pool he remembered so affectionately from his visits there as a child.
This delay was partly because of the need to refresh himself, but also, he admitted, to a reluctance on his part to actually make his presence known at Banbury Hall for a while longer.
Was it possible the enticing nymph in the tree was the daughter of his new estate manager? He vaguely recalled that Turner had told him that he was widowed but had a daughter. Although what the age of that daughter might be, Rufus had not enquired; a month ago he had merely been relieved to pass on the onerous task of running Banbury Hall to someone other than himself.
The young lady perched so prettily above him certainly looked as if she might be that worthy gentleman’s daughter; whilst her gown was not of the finest quality, it was nevertheless modish in style, as was the set of her golden curls, and the cream leather boots were surely too fine to belong to a daughter of one of his tenants.
“May I enquire as to your name, miss?” he prompted huskily.
She looked slightly taken aback. “Are you not going to dress yourself first?”
Rufus held back a grin at her persistence in wishing to avoid looking at the nakedness of his chest. “Your name, miss?”
“I— It is— You may call me Juliet,” she announced grandly.
Rufus knew instinctively that there was something not quite right with that statement. Admittedly, the name was fitting, considering her place above him in the tree. But he was certainly not her, nor any woman’s, doting Romeo! “And is that actually your name?” he drawled sceptically.
“Well, not exactly,” she conceded. “But it is my middle name, and comes from—”
“I am well aware of where it comes from,” Rufus assured dryly. He was not a complete ignoramus; as the grandson of two dukes he had suffered through the requisite years at Eton and Oxford. The fact that this young lady also appeared to have received some education would seem to confirm Rufus’s earlier assumption that she might very well be the daughter of his new estate manager. “I would simply prefer to address you by your given name.”
She gave a heavy sigh. “It is nowhere near as pretty as Juliet.”
Rufus held back a smile, finding himself exceedingly—and surprisingly—diverted by this young woman. The long years he had spent in London, and just a month of holding the title of duke, had rendered him more than a little jaded where the female sex was concerned. “Nevertheless...”
“It is Anna.” She grimaced. “Plain, uninteresting Anna.”
There was nothing in the least plain or uninteresting about this woman. The opposite, in fact. She was beautiful, diverting, and her state of dishabille was having the most delicious effect upon Rufus’s libido.
“And might I also know your name, sir?”
Rufus had been grandly named after his two ducal grandfathers, his father and his mother’s brother, as Harold Algernon Edward Rufus Drake, but from birth had been known to the family and friends alike by the last of his illustrious names.
“Rufus.” He saw no sign of recognition of his name in her candid blue eyes. “Would you care to explain, Anna, why is it you are currently sitting up in that tree sans your stockings and boots if you were just strolling through the woods?”
* * *
Anna frowned her dismay, sensing, despite his politely enquiring expression, that he was somehow mocking her. And possibly with good reason, when she was indeed so scantily clad. He was also, Anna conceded, a gentleman more disturbing and handsome than she had ever encountered before.
Disturbing, because as an unmarried lady she had never before engaged in a conversation with a gentleman whilst he was dressed only his drawers. Indeed, she had never before seen a gentleman wearing only his drawers.
The skin of his bared torso was a warm olive-brown. His shoulders were broad, his chest and arms muscled. She observed with fascination the silky down of dark ebony that tapered down over his chest and stomach to disappear into the waistband of his drawers. She noted that his waist was lean and narrow above muscled thighs and legs.
From her position above him, Anna was also able to recognise that he was at least ten years older than her own twenty years, as well as exceedingly tall. True, most people were taller than her five feet, but this gentleman would surely tower over her by a foot or more.
He was a gentleman with fashionably overlong and tousled hair as black as midnight, and eyes the green of sparkling emeralds surrounded by thick, lush dark lashes, his nose long and aristocratic, with high cheekbones beneath taut flesh, and his mouth—
Oh dear me, his mouth!
This man had the most wickedly sensual and mocking mouth, the bottom lip slightly fuller than the top, set above a square and arrogant jaw.
As for the reason why she was currently sitting up in this tree, with her gown unfastened down her back and her stockings and boots upon her knees?
Propriety dictated she should not have been walking alone in the woods at all, of course. Nor did she, as she had claimed earlier, have an acquaintance with the new Duke of Northamptonshire.
But the duke was safely in London, and Anna had not considered it would matter, once she reached this secluded pond amongst the woods of Banbury Hall, if she were to take a cooling dip.
Consequently, she had been happily indulging when she had heard the approach of a horse wending its way through the trees. She’d been left with no choice but to hastily wade out of the water and pull her gown on over the dampness of her chemise before hurriedly picking up the rest of her belongings and giving a hunted look about her surroundings.
She had hoped only to need to hide up in the tree until the horse and its rider had passed by, but had instead watched in horror as the man had halted and dismounted when he’d reached the pond.
He had then removed his hat and sat down on the grass to remove his black Hessians. He followed swiftly with his jacket, waistcoat, cravat and shirt, the latter revealing that magnificently muscled chest.
Anna’s heart had begun to pound in her chest when he had proceeded to unfasten and remove his pantaloons. Allowing him to see her own state of dress was completely scandalous, but watching this handsome gentleman undress was surely even more so.
Except Anna had been unable to stop herself enjoying the experience.
Chapter Two (#u6dc3a30a-29a3-5b98-9167-147d94a8b035)
“Anna? I asked why you are currently sitting up in that tree….”
Guilty tears filled her eyes as she desperately sought for some explanation other than the truth. Her brother Mark would not be displeased but disappointed if he were to learn of her impetuous actions.
Perhaps if her mother had lived, Anna might have been able to talk to her of the terrible restlessness that sometimes overcame her. The aching need inside her for adventure and excitement, and the desire she felt to break free of the shackles her lowly station in life had placed upon her.
She had once talked to her papa about those feelings, and she had thought he understood, but not Mark. Her brother was so good and kind, and perfectly content with his life as parson of the parish. Which was, of course, to be commended.
Except...
Anna’s own feelings of restlessness had become greater of late rather than less. So much so that she now often escaped the parsonage to be on her own, to pretend that she was not herself at all but was instead a lady of the world, and that she could travel to London if she cared to. To Cairo. The Americas. That she might go anywhere she chose.
But in none of those daydreams had Anna ever envisaged finding herself in such a scandalous situation, and with a gentleman as rakishly handsome as the one standing in front of her.
Everything about him spoke of wealth and privilege, from the beautiful black stallion he rode to the perfectly tailored clothes he had so carelessly dropped onto the grass as he undressed. He possessed that air of bored cynicism so many of the gentlemen seemed to wear about them like a mantle.
Could he not see, could none of them see, how lucky they were just to be men? To have the freedom to do what they wanted, and go where they wanted, whenever they wanted?
“I am still waiting, Anna.”
She cast off the feelings of melancholy, raising her chin determinedly, even as she inwardly asked for forgiveness for the untruths she was about to tell. “As I have said, I was strolling through the woods—”
“Trespassing.”
Anna ignored the jibe as she continued with her tale. “When I heard a poor little kitten meowing for help from up in a tree—”
“This very tree?”
“And being a good Samaritan,” Anna continued doggedly, despite his mockery, “I, of course, had no choice but to climb the tree and offer my help.”
“Would you not have climbed the tree more comfortably if you had continued to wear your boots?” her tormentor taunted as he leaned comfortably against the trunk and looked up at her, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes almost on a level with her bared limbs.
Anna tried again to pull her gown down—to no avail; it really was stuck fast on the branch slightly above and behind her. “I had to take off my boots so that I might remove my stockings. They are both expensive, you see, and I did not wish to damage them.”
“Very commendable of you,” he drawled.
“Unfortunately,” she continued determinedly, “once I had climbed up here, the kitten decided it did not need my help after all and it jumped nimbly to the ground before running off.”
“Very ungrateful of it,” her tormentor nodded with a gravity that was completely nullified by the humour she could see glittering in his mocking eyes.
“Whereas I,” Anna stated firmly, “appear to have caught my gown on a branch and am now stuck fast.”
Rufus could see that, and he could recognise the blush of guilt colouring her creamy cheeks for exactly what it was. He had been a major in the king’s army, and in charge of dozens of mostly reluctant soldiers, and as such he was certainly capable of identifying a lie when he was told one. “Tell me, Anna,” he drawled as he straightened, “was there even one word of truth in that pretty story?”
That guilty flush deepened in her cheeks. “Are you calling me a liar, sir?”
“Oh yes,” Rufus confirmed without hesitation. “As I said, it was a pretty tale, and very well narrated, but all a lie, nonetheless.”
Blue eyes warred with his unwavering green ones for several long seconds before she lowered her lashes and gave a defeated sigh. “I really was strolling through the woods initially,” she murmured softly.
“And latterly?”
She grimaced. “It has been so hot these past few days, and the pool looked so inviting.” She gave another sigh. “But then I heard your horse approaching through the trees, causing me to leave the water wearing only my chemise. I gathered up my things, and hoped by climbing the tree you would not see me as you rode past.”
Rufus glanced across to where his horse, Caesar, was unconcernedly cropping grass, and inwardly cursed the black stallion for having made so much noise on their approach. Seeing this beautiful and outspoken young woman dressed only in her wet undergarments would no doubt have been extremely pleasurable.
Almost as pleasurable as when she had looked her fill of his bare chest.
“Except I did not ride past,” he stated the obvious.
“No,” she accepted heavily.
He nodded. “Your gown is stuck fast, you said?”
“Yes.” She gave another ineffectual tug on the offending garment.
“Perhaps you might behave the gentleman and help me to become unstuck?” She added with what was no doubt intended to be a charming flutter of her long and silky eyelashes.
It was an affectation that had quite the opposite effect on Rufus as he was sure it was intended to have. He could no longer hold back his humour at the situation, as he first began to chuckle and then to laugh outright.
Anna did not see anything in the least amusing about her current dilemma, doubly offended as the gentleman rested his hands on his muscled thighs to bend over at the waist, completely overcome with laughter.
At her expense.
Which was not at all flattering when her intention had been to charm.
“I am glad you find this situation amusing, sir,” she finally snapped frostily.
He continued to chuckle for several more moments before finally straightening. “I find you entertaining, Anna,” he corrected gruffly. “Tell me, does the helpless fluttering of your eyelashes usually work on unsuspecting gentlemen?”
Anna gave a disgruntled frown as she admitted, “Always.”
“Utter fools, all of them!” He gave a bemused shake of his head. “And what makes you think I might be a gentleman?”
Anna swallowed warily as she saw there was now a predatory edge to his gaze as he looked up at her in challenge, again making her aware of the depth of the danger she had placed herself in with her impulsiveness.
After all, she knew nothing about this man, other than he was obviously wealthy and that his name was Rufus. And that she was currently vulnerable to his every whim.
Anna moistened the dryness of her lips with the tip of her tongue.
“One must have faith in human nature, sir.”
“Must one?” Rufus murmured as he watched the movements of that little pink tongue and imagined how its soft heat would feel running the length of him. Imagery which instantly sent his libido up another notch.
“Yes, of course one must,” she answered him firmly. “As such, I would very much appreciate your assistance in disentangling me from this branch.”
Rufus ran his tongue across his lips. “How much?”
She gave him a startled glance. “Pardon me?”
“How much would you appreciate my assistance in untangling you?” Rufus prompted huskily.
She blinked her long lashes, not with the intention of flirting this time, but out of nervousness. “I do not understand,” she finally murmured uncertainly.
Rufus could see the truth of that in her gaze, and was reminded that this young woman was at least ten years his junior, and possibly also the innocent daughter of his new estate manager at Banbury Hall.
But no one could ever accuse Rufus of behaving sensibly.
At least, they had never accused Mr Rufus Drake of behaving sensibly.
Nor, Rufus decided impatiently, did he intend for the Duke of Northamptonshire to become so inured in that role he allowed himself to become staid and stuffy.
“It is quite simple, Miss Anna,” he drawled mockingly. “What will you give me if I help to unhook your gown from the branch above you?”
Her slender throat moved as she gave another swallow. “I— As you can see only too well, I have nothing on my person I might give you.”
“Except for yourself.”
Her eyes widened in alarm. “I— How dare you!” she gasped in outrage. “I have not— I do not— I am not that type of woman.”
Rufus could see by her indignation that she certainly had not. “I am only requesting a kiss, Anna, not marriage,” he assured dryly, having discovered since inheriting the Drake title that a duke was a far more marriageable commodity than a mere mister, even one as independently wealthy as he was.
