To Recapture a Rake: A Hephaestus Club Novella Read Online Free Page A

between him and Mary
is over. What you did to him is all over the scandal sheets. In response to it,
Lord Holden has announced that his visits are not welcome. You have made such a
fool of the poor man that he is quite likely to settle for a spinster, such as
myself. Not that I would have him, of course,” Allie added quickly. “There is
such a thing as family loyalty, after all.”
    So Vincent was not to wed Mary Holden. What
was to be made of that? Nothing, she reminded herself. It would not be long
before he chose another fresh faced thing. “It does not matter. I do not want a
man who was stupid enough to court her in the first place. Nor can I stand
being cooped here, like a dove in a cote, while he takes another woman to wife.
All the ‘I love yous ’ in the world will not console
me.”
    “You are truly that jealous?”
    Caro gave a little sniff. “It is as it was,
when he was offering marriage. I think too much of myself to accept permanent
competition for his time.  He might think we will be a happy threesome. If
that is what he wishes, he must find another mistress.” Her next sniff was
slightly louder, and she almost feared that she was about to cry. “And when he
does, I hope he will have the sense not to announce his love for her. If so, he does not understand the meaning of the word at all.”
    Her sister shook her head and opened her
mouth, as though about to explain to her the faults in her reasoning. Then she
gave up and shrugged. “In that case, I can assure you, there is nothing to
fear. There is no sign that Blackthorne is courting anyone. He spends all his
time in a brothel.”
    Caro hid a shudder of distaste. She supposed,
if she were more honest, she’d have admitted the similarity between herself and
the poor unfortunates working in such houses. But that would destroy the lies
she’d told herself while with Vincent. She had been willing to stoop to this
life because of her feelings for him. All of society might turn its back upon
her, but when had it done either of them any good? When the two of them were
alone, and the door of her house was shut to keep away the rest of the world,
Blackthorne became the one man she truly wanted: the sweet, kind Vincent that
she had met in Bath.
    But now, he was visiting a brothel. She had
not expected their separation would turn him into a monk. But even at his worst,
he had been more selective in his partners than to resort to houses of ill
fame. Perhaps her loss had affected his mind.
    And then, she remembered the source of the
information. “What would you know of such things?” she said, hoping that her
sister must be wrong.
    “It is the only explanation I can make for
his behavior. He spends all of his time at a certain house on Jermyn Street.
There is no number, no sign, and I never see anyone enter the place but men.
The windows are heavily curtained, for I have peered in them myself.”
    “Alene! You have been following him?”
    Her sister shrugged. “I can think of no
better way to discover what he has been up to, since the two of you parted.”
    “Have you lost your senses? Suppose someone
sees you trailing after him? Think of your reputation.” If her actions were
discovered, the gossips would announce that she was no better than her older
sister.
    She took a deep breath and did her best to
focus on the most part of this latest revelation. “You must stop this
immediately. Not only is it unladylike, Blackthorne’s doings are none of your
business.”
    “I know,” Allie said, with a proud smile.
“And do not fuss at me, so.” She patted her bonnet. “I wear a veil, and bring
my maid with me, just as I do when I visit you.”
    “And you tell mother…”
    “That I am doing good works,” she completed.
“Now, admit the truth: you burn with curiosity as to what he is doing. Though
you cast him off, you adore the man, and always will.”
    It was true. But it was her secret, and she
had done her best to keep it, since she’d had no