Ten Ways to Ruin

“What does it look like, Duchess,” he snapped, unsure why he felt a pinch of anger. He wasn’t angry with Louisa or Emma. His ire stemmed from Emma’s answer at the pond. The idea that she felt it didn’t matter what she wanted bothered him. And he had no idea why. It was the norm for young ladies. They were only supposed to do what their parents expected. Their wishes did not matter.

“Riding, Louisa. Mr. Kingsley offered to accompany me since I am not an experienced horsewoman. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

Louisa arched a brow. “I suppose it will have to.”

As he sidestepped his sister-in-law, he heard her whisper to Emma, “What happened out there?”

“Nothing,” he said harshly to her. “Believe it or not, I am not that much of a scoundrel that I would take advantage of your sister, Duchess.”

“I apologize, Simon. It is just that Emma looks close to tears, and that is very unlike her.” Louisa took Emma’s elbow and led her away.

“Hide the angel from the devil,” he muttered, earning him a sharp glance from Louisa.

Chapter 10

After breakfast, Louisa finally caught her. Emma had been saved earlier by a hungry infant after returning from her ride with Kingsley. Not her best idea, she’d realized. It would have been far better to have ridden with a stableboy than accept Kingsley as her escort.

He asked probing questions to which she had no answers. Why did she go to Hell? What did she want?

“Emma, I asked you a question.”

Emma blinked, trying to remember her sister’s question. With no idea what the query was, how could she answer? Instead, she looked askance toward Louisa.

Her sister sighed. “I asked why you rode off with Simon.”

“I needed someone to accompany me,” she replied with a shrug.

“We have plenty of grooms to accompany you on a ride. Simon is not the sort of man you ask to go anywhere with.”

Emma wondered at that. While he tended to frighten her sometimes, lately, she wasn’t so fearful of him. “Why?”

Louisa sat in the brocade chair next to her. “Why? He’s....”

“Yes?” she inquired as her sister’s voice trailed off.

“He’s a rogue, Emma,” she said with a frown. “Have you forgotten the first time you want to Hell with me? What he was doing with that?”

Emma knew she would never forget that sight. Nor would she forget the uncomfortable sensation in her belly as she watched his face while they fucked. Where did she learn that word? Louisa rarely apologized for swearing, and yet, Emma was certain she’d never heard that word from her. How did she know it, and more importantly, what it meant?

She rubbed her temple with her fingers.

“Emma! Where are you today?” Louisa reached over and clasped her hand. “Please tell me nothing happened between you and Simon.”

“Of course not.” She wondered if she could ask Louisa about that word. No, then her sister would believe Kingsley had said something improper. “But what else, Louisa? Every man does what he was doing with that woman. What makes Mr. Kingsley so terrible?”

Louisa withdrew her hand. “He killed a man once.”

Emma’s mouth almost gaped until she remembered the rumors about that duel. “You mean the duel with Lord Winston?”

“Yes.”

“But I thought Kingsley shot him in the right shoulder. Nowhere near his heart. Winston died from a shoddy surgeon, not the gunshot wound.”

Louisa’s blue eyes widened. “The man is still dead,” she said harshly.

“Yes, and if I recollect, Lord Winston instigated the entire thing. What else?”

“He’s a bastard and owns a gaming hell,” her sister replied impatiently. “You are an innocent and should stay as far away from him as possible.”