Page 3 of Lucien's Gamble

“And masquerading your way into my club is proper?” Remington’s brilliant gaze hardened with determination. “You’ve created an inconvenience for me, Lady Julienne. The least you can do is minimize the damage.”

Everything they said about the man was true. Single-minded. Stubborn. Relentless. She could always slip away. She was good at—

“Don’t even consider sneaking out,” he warned. “I’ve already instructed the attendant. You won’t get far.”

“Of all the—!” she sputtered.

Abruptly the wall opened, revealing a hidden passageway and a young, scantily dressed woman.

“Escort my”—he shot her an amused glance and chuckled—“lady friend to the Sapphire Room, Janice. Give her a night rail, and order her a supper tray.”

The courtesan’s eyes widened as she studied Julienne with obvious interest.

With a hand at the small of her back, Remington propelled her toward the opening. He bent low, his lips brushing her ear. “Stay in your room until I send for you in the morning. I would hate for you to be seen without your disguise.”

Julienne stared at the open portal. “Don’t you have one of these that lead out—”

“No. This goes from here to my room. Nowhere else.”

She shivered as his breath danced across her throat, the feeling so intimate as to have been almost a caress. “Mr. Remington, is there any way I could convince you of the impropriety of this arrangement? I’m truly sorry to have disturbed you.”

His blue eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth to speak. Then he shut it and shook his head. “Go on now,” he urged in a husky whisper. “I have work to do.”

Muttering under her breath, Julienne followed Janice into the secret hallway, feeling Remington’s eyes on her until she disappeared from sight. It took only moments to reach the upstairs gallery, where the courtesan ushered her into an opulent bedchamber. As soon as she stepped inside, Julienne paused, entranced.

The Sapphire Room was the loveliest room she’d ever seen. The walls were covered in deep blue-and-cream stripes of silk, the massive bed was layered in lush indigo velvet, and the parquet floors were covered with rich Aubusson rugs. She spun slowly, attempting to picture Remington here.

“My lady?”

Julienne started in surprise at the use of her courtesy title. “How did you know?”

Janice smiled. “'Tis impossible to hide good breeding. I’ll go now and fetch you something else to wear and some supper. I won’t be long.”

“Thank you. I’d be very grateful to get out of these clothes.”

After the courtesan left, Julienne tossed the wig into the coal bucket and sank into a chair, once again admiring the luxuriousness of her surroundings. Remington’s Gentleman’s Club was a pleasure den, a bastion of male comfort and iniquity. Hugh had steeped himself in the environment, surrounding himself with erotic novels and scandalous peep-show boxes, as well as a social circle made up entirely of debauched rakes. She’d been forced to study the enemy simply to know what she faced.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Julienne had to admit she was curious about carnal relations. She hated to be in the dark about anything, and Aunt Eugenia was no help at all, stuttering and stammering every time she was asked anything of a sexual nature. The books and contents of the boxes had answered many of Julienne’s questions, but in the process they had raised many more, and unfortunately they had told her nothing about how to remove Hugh from his path of self-destruction.

Standing, she crossed to the window and stared at the darkened London skyline. Remington’s was Hugh’s favorite establishment, and after seeing the inside of the famous club, Julienne could understand why. He’d been absent for a week, which was not unusual, but the hounding creditors were driving her mad. Usually Hugh dealt with them, charming them into allowing him a few more days. She, on the other hand, had no notion of what to say, and while the duns strove to be polite to her, they grew angrier by the day.

There would be hell to pay when Hugh showed his sorry hide again. But in the meantime, she was inclined to think her adventure had been worth it just for the few stolen moments she’d enjoyed of Lucien Remington’s company. The fact was, the possibility of seeing him up close, of hearing his voice, of watching him at her leisure, was what had prompted this plan. Finding Hugh would have been a bonus.

Under no other circumstances would Julienne have been allowed to make Remington’s acquaintance. She knew very little about him, since he was not a fit topic for unmarried ladies. Furtive eavesdropping in retiring rooms had only whetted her appetite to learn more. But there was one thing she knew for a certainty: Lucien Remington was a naughty man.

And she rather liked that about him.

He knew how to enjoy himself without running headlong into the poorhouse. In fact, rumor said he was one of the richest men in England. She hoped Hugh could learn similar self-restraint and financial acuity.

Releasing a deep breath, Julienne turned toward the bed. At times she truly hated being an earl’s daughter and all of the social strictures that came with that station. She wished she could be like her abigail, who was seeing the neighbor’s footman and was blissfully in love. Instead Julienne would be forced to marry for prestige and money. It really wasn’t fair. Playing the martyr didn’t suit her nature. Hugh made his own messes, and as far as she was concerned, he should clean them up himself. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the way it would be.

But her dreams were her own. And if those dreams were of Lucien Remington and his wicked smiles, no one else would ever have to know.

Lucien strode to the sideboard, poured two fingers of brandy, and tossed the fiery liquid back in one gulp.

He’d lost his damn mind. There was no other explanation for forcing Lady Julienne La Coeur to stay. His hand went to the front of his trousers and rubbed the length of his aching erection. His arousal was ridiculous. She was dressed in men’s clothing, for Christ’s sake!

Closing his eyes, he pictured the sway of her hips in those trousers as she’d left the room. His cock throbbed in response.

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