Hunting the Hero (The Wild Randalls 4)

Arabella glanced toward the door to check that no one lingered and then clutched his arm. “She would never want your misery to last forever. You have mourned her deeply, everyone knows how much, but it is time to look ahead to the future. Taking a mistress is an excellent first step. It’s just a shame you didn’t meet her sooner. Now you will have to go to Romsey for the wedding alone and hope she is not offended that you cannot take her with you for your sisters to meet.”

Constantine winced. The timing for taking a lover was the absolute worst and Calista did not fit with his sisters’ set. Given that, he wasn’t keen to depart Wiltshire for Romsey. Surely there was plenty of time to meet the men his sisters intended to marry. The wedding wasn’t for another week or so. He took a long sip of his brandy. He would stay and see where this affair headed. If an affair it was, then he’d need to set Calista up in a residence far away from the bawdy house. “Are you headed to Romsey soon?”

“I could not possibly miss this. London will be abuzz when the season starts and likely is already. I want all the details so I can be Her Grace’s staunchest supporter when the knives come out. I’ll be yours, too, when the time comes and you take another bride to give you the son you need.”

Guilt tore into Constantine’s gut and twisted the knife already lodged there. He never wanted to risk getting a woman pregnant again. It was selfish, but he might have no choice because he would need an heir someday.

Arabella patted his arm. “I see that look and I’ve told you time and again Augusta’s death wasn’t your fault. Stop blaming yourself.”

“It’s hard not to.” He pressed the heel of his hand to his temple. “I pushed the issue.”

“Nonsense. Augusta was determined to give you a son despite the risks.” Arabella released him. “Please—she knew the odds were against her from the beginning. Now think of that remarkable new friend of yours and find a reason to smile again. Make her your mistress as quick as you can, spend enough time in her arms to lay your ghosts to rest, and begin again. I’m certain you could convince this woman to love you if you set your mind to it. If you love her, too, you’ll have my complete support.”

Constantine didn’t know if that was wise. Calista lived behind a thick wall of secrets and lies. The lack of her real name really wasn’t acceptable. Before any permanent arrangement could be considered, he’d have to have her name so he could be sure who her connections might be and if there was likely to be trouble from a long-term association.

Arabella excused herself to say a brief goodbye to his daughters while Constantine mulled over his reactions to Calista and whether it was wise to become more involved with such an honest liar. His lover, and he couldn’t think of Calista in any other way, wasn’t his alone. The bawd had hinted Calista was very important to the House when he’d paid for a week of her time in advance.

If he wanted Calista to be his beyond that, he would have to meet with the bawd and Calista again to negotiate terms. He’d do more talking than kissing this time and offer an enticing arrangement that would remove her from the brothel immediately. He almost laughed. There would have to be jewels involved in the negotiations. A house somewhat closer to Stanton Harold Hall to ensure he wasn’t far from his daughters at night. He wasn’t fool enough to believe that if Calista became his mistress he wouldn’t wish to be in her bed every night.

Arabella’s sultry laugh jerked his thoughts back to the present.

Shamefaced, he apologized for not noticing her return. “Forgive me.”

“Oh, no. This is completely diverting. I’ve been gone half an hour and you’re still standing in the same spot.” Arabella wagged her finger at him. “Now I simply must meet her.”

CHAPTER 7

MEREDITH PERCHED ON a chair before the desk in Linnie’s sitting room, curious about her curt summons and cool greeting. Usually they got along well. Meredith accommodated the clients’ needs with little fuss and a welcoming smile. She couldn’t fathom what was so urgent as to drag her away from her last-minute tutelage of the newest initiate of the House. Tonight was Oralia’s debut. The girl was remarkably nervous.

Linnie focused on Meredith, and her steely-gray eyes, set in a face many a young girl would kill for at that age, bored through Meredith’s head. “Are you sure Oralia is ready?”

Meredith nodded. “I’ve done all I can with her. Her behavior is still atrocious when she’s weary, but her gait is smooth and her attention to her appearance improving. She should attract the gentlemen easily enough. She’ll be an asset to the House, I assure you.”

“She needs to be.” The madam picked up a letter and tapped it on the desk. “This business thrives on being agreeable and available to any who come.” Her lips pursed. “When I have one girl unavailable for a long period of time, it is bad for business. Very bad.”

Unease straightened her spine. “It is my understanding that Grayling has paid handsomely for my time this past week?”

Linnie dropped the note and picked up another. She tapped it on the desk, too. “You, my dear, are as close to an exclusive arrangement as you have ever come with any gentleman caller in the past year. I have a note here from Lord Grayling. He’s requesting your company for the next week exclusively

. I also have one from Squires. It’s time to make some difficult decisions.”

Meredith frowned at the news that she had two gentlemen competing for her time. Grayling might be a fine lover, his appetite for touch as voracious as it was for conversation, but she had done little to encourage him toward a permanent arrangement. As for Squires, she was honestly not too concerned that she hadn’t needed to entertain him.

She didn’t want to belong to a man as if she were a horse to ride when he could spare a moment. As a mistress, she would be expected to entertain only one man. Meredith would rather it be Grayling in her bed, but she was aware that during the height of the season she could go months without seeing him. Meredith enjoyed intimacies far too much to remain faithful should a protector become distracted and not call.

She met Linnie’s gaze. “I had suspected Grayling was starting to tire of visiting.”

Linnie picked up the first note. “He’s not.”

A foolish burst of happiness filled Meredith. They’d made love only once last night and although he’d left her very late, he’d done so without waking her to say goodbye. They had talked for most of the evening. “If he’s requested my company, then you know I will do everything I can to make him happy.”

“T’is not just him that has to be made happy.” Linnie’s lips curved in distaste. “Someone must make Lord Squires happy, as well. Besides this letter, he’s asked for you every night this week and was far from happy to be told you were claimed again.”

Meredith looked at the madam squarely. “What would you have me do? Break with Grayling?”

The idea didn’t appeal, but perhaps it would be best to avoid forming an unwise attachment to the man. She’d caught herself thinking of him far too often and planning for their next encounter. He seemed to know just what she needed to be happy in his bed. Out of it, he’d become a dab-hand at fueling the fires just to keep her fingers and toes toasty warm.

The madam’s face grew pinched. “Grayling cannot be dismissed. He has paid a pretty penny to keep you solely for his pleasure, but Lord Squires is in danger of taking his patronage elsewhere. I cannot stand to have him tup a streetwalker when he should have the best the House has to offer.”