Page 7 of Enchanted By the Lyon
Cassandra nodded. “Yes. He said Rupert was heavily in debt, but I never saw any signs that this was the case. My husband was very attentive, and we spent as much time together as we could. It was a love match, although his brother said I coerced his brother into the marriage. I’m not sure why he thought it was to my advantage to marry someone without a title when my father was a baron. In fact, it was why my parents disowned me. They thought I could do better. He knew this. Everyone did.”
“It sounds like this man resented you for some reason. Maybe he had some sort of grudge against you and wanted to get even. Maybe he only told you about the debts as a ruse to get his way, and they were fake.”
Cassandra shrugged. “They could have been for all I know. I was never given the opportunity to inspect them, and I had no one to confide in since my parents were no longer alive. Even if they were, I don’t know if they would have assisted me. And, since I was an only child, I didn’t have any other relatives to turn to for advice either. Plus, I was very young at the time and naïve.”
“Which could very well explain why your brother-in-law took advantage of you and the grief you were dealing with when you lost your husband,” Moriah said, scowling. “Besides him, who else holds something against you?”
“A couple of ex-lovers who I ended up calling the constables on after aroughnight, if you take my meaning. One is Viscount Hollingsworth. You remember him, don’t you, Moriah?”
A sour look flashed across Moriah’s features. “He is one foul human being and calling him that is being generous. What the devil did you ever see in him anyway?”
Cassandra sighed heavily. “A momentary lapse in sound reasoning. Plus, I was desperate at the time to make ends meet.”
Moriah reached over for the teapot to refill their cups. “Until I can consult with Vincent, and for the time being, let’s forget about the past and concentrate on the future.”
Cassandra nodded and reached for her cup, but stopped when she noticed her hand was trembling. She fisted it into the fabric of her gown over her thighs and folded her other hand over it. “Yes.”
Moriah seemed to be choosing to ignore Cassandra’s nerves. She leaned back in her chair and gave her a bright, encouraging smile. “What do you need from me?”
Deep breath. “A place to stay until I can purchase a new townhouse in a better part of town, for starters.”
“Done! Pick any room of your choosing,” Moriah said with a big grin and a wave toward the open doorway. “What else?”
“I suppose to just beseenin the company of those accepted within Society will also be a good beginning. Mrs. Dove-Lyon has suggested I throw myself into charity work,” Cassandra said but couldn’t help the grimace that swept across her face.
Moriah nodded. “Very acceptable amongst theton, although think how hypocritical it can be for the vipers of society pretending to be virtuous by caring for the needy, poor, and indigent when the cost of just one of their gowns would feel a starving family for a week.” She tapped her chin as if contemplating their next move. “I can enlist the help of my mother-in-law. She has a wealth of information when it comes to charity work and will know just where to concentrate our efforts.”
A snort left Cassandra. “The Duchess of Montague will never help a nobody like me.”
Moriah wagged her finger in her direction. “Don’t ever talk about yourself like that. Why, if it wasn’t for you, Josephine, Patience, and I would still be considered members of theWicked Widows Club! I won’t stand for you talking down about yourself!”
“Your friendship means the world to me, Moriah,” Cassandra whispered in gratitude.
Moriah set down her teacup. “So, we’ve checked off the task of your living arrangements and throwing yourself into charity work.” A grin slipped across her mouth. “Tell me who you’ve set your eyes on… or maybe I should ask who Mrs. Dove-Lyon has chosen for your husband-to-be?”
“I’m not sure I should say anything in the event that the Black Widow is unable to get the man to conform and cometo terms with whatever she might demand,” Cassandra replied with a grimace. She didn’t particularly like the idea of forcing Lucius, or any man for that matter, into an arrangement they detested.
“Come now, Cassie darling… you’ve never kept secrets from me before,” Moriah coaxed with a warm smile. “Who is he?”
Cassandra took another sip of her tea for the strength to finally say his name aloud. “Lucius Ford.”
Moriah’s cup rattled in her saucer before she placed the china down on the table. “The Earl of Blackthorn?” she asked with wide eyes.
“Is there any other?”
Her friend blinked, swiped at her forehead, and turned those knowing blue eyes in Cassandra’s direction. “Although he is a dear friend of my husband, I don’t think he is hardly marriage material. Rumor has it he just recently took a new mistress after dismissing his previous one. Why I wouldn’t be surprised if he hasn’t slept his way through every lady in your neighborhood.”
Cassandra grimaced, knowing Moriah had been correct in her assumption. “I’m certain he has some redeeming qualities.”
“I suppose he does,” Moriah surmised, shaking her head. “Honestly, Cassie, you could do much better. I highly doubt a rake like him would ever be faithful to his wife, and I would hate for you to be hurt by one of the worse sorts. Why him?”
Why, indeed, she thought, knowing she didn’t really have an answer for her friend that would sound even a little bit logical.
“Of course, there are his good looks, but there’s more to him than that—from what I’ve seen,” Cassandra confided softly. “Over the past year I’ve watched him playing cards at the Lyon’s Den and he certainly never becomes even the least bit upset when dealt a losing hand. Nor has he ever been anything but the perfect gentleman and that trait is important to me, given my experiences with men who displayed tempers and angrytendencies. Honestly, Moriah, how bad can he be? Other than his long line of mistresses over the years that I can overlook given my own reputation is far from exemplary, he seems…well…” she trailed off, unable to pinpoint what it was about him that she found attractive. She sighed and looked into her teacup as if it held answers. If only she knew how to read tea leaves…
“My God… Cassie… you’re in love with him,” Moriah groaned falling back into her chair. Her hand covered her eyes as though she might faint.
“I never said I loved him,” Cassandra gasped.
