Page 48 of Her Wicked Highwayman
“Oh yes,” Rosalind continued. “I forgot to tell you about him. You don’t remember ever meeting him?”
“No. I only ever met Joanna. I know that the eldest Lennox is Ashton’s elder sister. She married before I came out in society. Thomasina, I think it was... But as for Rafe, the name is familiar, but?—”
“He’s Ashton’s younger brother. He’s older than Joanna by seven years, but younger than Ash by five.”
“So he’s thirty?” The other woman chuckled as though she found it amusing that Rosalind would speak of a man’s age with such delicacy. “I quite forgot Joanna had another brother. She never talks about him. I met her and Regina in town just recently. And I never had the pleasure of meeting your husband until last night. Despite living nearby, my family wasn’t much for dinner parties or balls. The Mertons are the only neighbors I know well.”
Rafe was both irritated and amused to think that his little thief didn’t know him as his true self, yet she’d been a beautiful, brazen siren in his arms last night.
“Well, I must warn you, he’s a determined flirt,” Rosalind said. “But he has given up his rakehell ways. Ever since Isla came along, he’s been a devoted father.”
Diana gave a short gasp. “Oh! Isla ishischild?”
“Oh yes,” Rosalind replied.
“I thought she was one of your brothers’ children. She’s Scottish, isn’t she?”
“Isla was born in Scotland, yes. She only came to England a year ago.”
“Oh... I see. How very silly of me.”
“Nonsense,” Rosalind chuckled. “It was quite a rational assumption.”
Rafe heard the gravel shift on the path as the two women resumed walking. Then, when he was certain they were coming his way, he sped up, taking the corner at a brisk pace, determined to collide with them. And he did. His body smacked into the nearest woman, and he caught her in his arms, holding on to her.
“Oh! I’m terribly sorry.” He now stood face-to-face with none other than his little thief. Her honey-brown eyes were lit with shock, and for an instant he thought he saw a flash of recognition in them. But then it was replaced with confusion and embarrassment.
“Rafe!” Rosalind cried out, forcing him to remember he was playing the polite gentleman. He released Diana and stepped back to a proper distance.
Rosalind rushed to make an introduction. “Diana, this is Mr. Rafe Lennox. Rafe, this is Miss Diana Fox.”
“Diana?” He watched her eyes closely but saw none of that first sign of recognition there. Of course, when he used Tyburn’sbrogue, he didn’t sound like himself at all. What a difference an accent could make.
“A pleasure to meet you.” Diana ducked her face slightly.
His little fire drake was shy? How interesting. He decided in that moment he didn’t want her to know who he was, not yet. Tyburn was her dark shadow lover, but what would she think of Rafe? A gentleman, a father, a former rakehell who was utterly polite to the ladies? Would she like him for who he was, or would she lose interest? It was torture to test her interest, but he needed to know that what existed between them wasn’t simply the stuff of midnight dreams and the thrill of danger.
“It is a pleasure to meet you as well. Are you one of Rosalind’s friends from London?” he asked. How different she looked now, almost sweetly demure, her cheeks pink, her lashes downcast, when at night she came alive with challenge, her gaze unflinching, her lips insistent, her hands hungry. He wanted to peel off this layer of politeness along with her clothing and carry his little hellion off into the gardens and slake their mutual lust upon the manicured lawns.
“No, I live at Foxglove Hall, the estate just beyond the Merton lands. Do you know it?”
“I believe I heard it mentioned, but I have not visited there.”
Rosalind smiled warmly at Diana. “We’ve only just met, but Diana is certainly a friend.”
Diana blushed at the compliment, and Rafe adored the sight of her flushed skin. She was even more beautiful in daylight. The dark fall of her hair was pulled back with ribbons in a tangled tumble of rich color, and her eyes were so bright and warm. Candlelight had adorned her last evening, but sunlight was enraptured by her and made her glow. His lungs suddenly burned as he forgot to breathe. When he realized Rosalind was watching him with wide eyes, he cleared his throat.
“Any friend of Rosalind’s can be counted among mine,” he said, unable to keep the pleasure out of his voice.
Diana’s eyes locked on his as she spoke, her voice slightly airy. “Rosalind said that you have a daughter?”
He nodded. “Ah. Have you met my little kitten?”
“Yes, a short while ago. She is an adorable child.”
“She takes after me, winning hearts at every turn,” he teased, and Rosalind snorted a laugh.
“She’s a better gambler than you, Rafe,” Rosalind said, then winked. “At least in winning hearts.”
