A Scandalous Portrait (The Rose Room Rogues 1)

Once they were in Hunt’s bedchamber behind closed doors, Diana pulled off her gloves, dropped them onto the dressing table, and sat on the bed. “I had great plans to have you groveling at my feet, you know.”

“I deserve it, sweetheart. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. And yes, you can trust me.” He walked to where she sat and took her hands, kneeling in front of her.

She smirked. “Is this the grovel?”

“Whatever you want from me to make it up to you, I will do.” He kissed her knuckles. “I don’t want to lose you, Diana. I love you and have probably always loved you.”

Her brows rose. “You thought me a nuisance your whole life.”

“No. I’ve been doing some serious thinking, and I realize the reason I kept pushing you away was because I was scared. A marriage to you will not be the calm, very boring one I had imagined all my life.”

She shook her head with a slight laugh. “No, Hunt. No one has ever accused me of being boring.” She leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. “I love you too, even though you are a cad.”

He climbed up alongside her just as a tap on the door announced the arrival of their tea. Hunt hopped up and allowed Peters to enter with a tray. The butler placed the tea and small sandwiches on the table, bowed, and offered Hunt a wink.

Hunt pulled Diana up from the bed. “Come, my love. Let’s eat and then go to bed. It’s been a long day.”

Diana walked with him to the comfortable chair in front of the fire. “One thing as yet we have to decide on.”

&nbs

p; “What’s that?” Hunt said as he poured tea for them both.

She stirred her tea and took a sip. “When are we going to break into The Rose Room and steal the portrait?”

23

Again, Hunt found himself dressed in all black to steal the same damn portrait. Only this time, like Melrose’s house, Diana would be right beside him. He had a feeling she insisted on coming along to assure herself that the blasted thing was burned.

“These trousers are much too big.” Diana entered his bedchamber from the sitting room between their rooms, her hands clutching the gathered waistline. “I’ll need something to hold them up.”

One look at her fine figure outlined by the trousers was enough for him to want to forget the plan and take her to bed. “I have a pair of braces you may use.” He walked to the dresser and pulled out a pair. “Here, try this.”

She grinned and held them up, dangling from her fingers. “Um, what do I do with these?”

Hunt took them from her hand. Who would have known he would have to act as valet for his wife? But then again, he played lady’s maid to her on their honeymoon. He quickly fastened them then placed his hands on her shoulders and studied her, his eyes eating up all her curves. “You will never pass for a man, if that is your intended ploy.”

She shook her head. “No. I just don’t think a dress would be convenient attire for thievery.”

It was close to four in the morning and, since The Rose Room closed at three, they were allowing time for the last of the gamers to leave and his brothers to indulge in their nightly wind-down brandies in the office. By the time he and Diana arrived, all should be quiet and empty.

At least he would be able to enter the club using his key, instead of breaking into the place.

Even though he expected no trouble, he stopped at the library first and took one of his pistols out of the case and tucked it into his pocket.

“Surely you don’t plan to shoot one of your brothers?” Diana looked at him with horror.

“No, my love. But it is always safer when one is out and about London late at night to have protection.”

To keep from startling the servants, they left through the back door. Their carriage awaited them, since there was no reason this time to avoid his vehicle being noticed. He had every right to be at the club. Even if it was after it closed.

As they made their way to The Rose Room, he thought about the portrait and how it had brought him and Diana together. Would he have changed his mind about her had he not seen her in the nude? That had certainly put her into a whole new light.

However, for as much as he’d been obsessed with lust for her once he’d seen the painting, now that he’d viewed her in the flesh, the portrait did nothing for him. Mallory did get it all wrong and his painting did not compare to Diana in the flesh, soft and warm and cuddled next to him.

With very little traffic on the streets, the carriage arrived quickly. “Even though we’re not illegally entering the building, I still prefer to go through the back door.”

He led her down the alleyway to the rear of the building. Using his key, he opened the door and they entered. “I am going to put on a few lights to help. If anyone from the Watch sees us, there is nothing wrong with one of the owners wandering the club after it’s closed.”