Who Wants a Brawling Baron (Romancing the Rake 6)

She looked over at him. “Thank you. I appreciate that.” Then her mouth twisted a bit. Should she ask what was troubling him?

He looked down at his eggs. “Cordelia is going to marry Lord Dashlane.”

“I see.”

“I’m going to be rumbling about in this great house all alone,” he said, indicating the vast space with a wave.

“Oh dear. That does sound dreadful.” Her chest squeezed as she recognized the loneliness in his words. “When I lost my parents, I felt terribly adrift. Only my brother anchored me and now he’s…” She hadn’t said these words out loud to anyone. Somehow, it felt good to share them.

He nodded, still patting her hand. “I understand completely.” He propped his chin on his other hand. “Just know that you can always call Moorish Manor home.” Then he pushed his chair back. “I’m off to the office but enjoy your breakfast, my dear.”

Charlie nodded, glanced at her plate, then dipped her fork into some eggs but didn’t bring them to her mouth. Instead, she continued to stare at her plate.

Her bargain with Lord Balstead would fill her summer. Matching his friend actually sounded delightful.

And spending time with him…. Her breath caught as she pictured him before her. The way he’d kissed, the power in his every move.

But then what? Once Cassandra was matched, he’d leave again.

In the meantime, he’d promised to educate her on rakes. The truth was that simpering lords had become tiresome and doing a more dangerous dance with a rake had sounded…exciting. She sighed. Always filling the void with excitement.

Balstead had been right. It was a foolish pursuit, dallying with rakes. She was liable to be ruined, or hurt, or…. She thought of Balstead. In his case, she lost all sense of reason, which made him the most dangerous man of all and the most intriguing one too.

“Good morning,” her cousin, Chase, the Duke of Rathmore, called from behind her. “Here alone?”

She turned to smile at Chase. “Good morning. Mr. Moorish just left. Went off to the docks.”

Chase scratched his chin. “Makes him an excellent businessman.” Then he winked. “But a terrible chaperone.”

Charlie raised a brow. “Is there a story here?”

He crossed to the buffet but didn’t look at her as he answered. “Not for your ears.”

Another person entered the dining room, heavy footfalls signaling his entrance as goose pimples erupted on her flesh. She knew that it was Balstead even before she saw him. Chase filled his plate as Balstead came up behind her, leaning over to whisper in her ear. “I begin to understand why you want an education.”

A flush heated her cheeks as she turned to look at him. His face was just inches from hers, his square jaw and full lips within her reach. If she just leaned over a bit, she could graze a kiss along his skin to his mouth…

But then he pulled away, straightening, and crossed to the buffet. Disappointment slumped her shoulders. She gave her head a little shake. Balstead brought out the absolute worst in her.

Ophelia entered the dining room, flashing Chase a grin. “Did you just arrive to breakfast? What a coincidence.”

Balstead turned back to her then, quirking a brow. Silently, he mouthed, not a coincidence.

Charlie stifled a giggle. Bad or no, he had another side that appeared…playful and she was most interested in learning more about that part of him. Her worries and fears melted away. “What’s everyone going to do with the day?”

Ophelia shrugged. “Wedding plans, correspondence, the usual.” Then she slid next to Charlie. “Why? Did you have something you wished to do?”

Charlie nodded, eyeing Balstead. “The four of us should take a nice long walk on the beach. I, for one, could use the exercise.”

“Splendid idea,” Chase said, turning toward Balstead. “Care to join us?”

“How can I refuse?” Balstead replied to Chase, but his intense gaze was trained on Charlie.

Raithe wished to refuse. Spending time with his little minx was stirring up far more trouble than it was likely worth.

But then he thought of Cassandra. Charlie would have all the best invitations, all the connections to help his friend get an excellent match. If Mr. Moorish was the businessman that everyone claimed he was, perhaps they could figure out a way for Raithe to provide Cassandra with a dowry without sullying her name.

He scratched his chin. He was most definitely going to have to stay here for a bit, which meant going for a walk on the beach.