How To Build The Perfect Rake (4 page)

He grinned at that. That was the thing about
her; it was almost impossible to remain cross at her. She had a way
of making a fellow smile just when you least expected it. ‘You said
that Miss Houghton preferred rakes.’

‘I did. And for that, I apologize. There is
no way her mama is going to let the girl do anything of the kind so
if you’re worried on that score -’

‘No, no. That’s not what I mean at all. My
main problem, everybody seems to think, is that I’m too nice.’

‘That’s
a problem?’ Olympia said doubtfully.

‘It is if a girl likes a little bit of
danger in her romance. So I decided to do something about it. I am
going to take lessons in how to become a rake.’ He looked at her,
waiting for her reaction. She stared at him for a moment then threw
back her head and laughed, a delightful burst of merriment that
startled a few of the birds in the tree they were standing by.

‘Oh Luc!’ she gasped, after a time. ‘That is
delightful!’

Luc was frowning at her, completely put out.
‘What do you mean? Why are you laughing?’

‘Why do you think? A rake!’ she gurgled.
‘You of all people.’

‘I’m serious,’ he said shortly, ‘and I’ll
have you know that I’ve already organized an instructor.’

That got her attention. She wiped her damp
eyes and fixed them on his face, the merriment momentarily
contained. ‘Excuse me?’

‘I have hired somebody to teach me how to do
it. Lord Howe. He is going to show me how to become a rake.’

‘Good heavens!’ she gasped, on a hiccup,
‘you’re not joking!’

‘Well of course I’m not. Why would I want to
go and joke about something like that?’

Olympia blinked. ‘Well… I just thought… Good
God Luc, have you really asked Howe to teach you?’

‘I certain have. We go down to Barstock
tomorrow.’ It had seemed rather a good idea to leave town while his
training was taking place and he had settled on one of his houses
in Warwickshire in which to undergo his tutelage. For one thing,
leaving London would keep him out of the way of the usual social
round while he was in training and for another, it would give Luc
time to deal with Lord Howe’s creditors in peace. He really didn’t
fancy having them camped on the man’s doorstep while their lessons
were on.

Olympia had become quite sober now. She
regarded him, head tilting to one side in that way that was so
familiar. She looked rather like a very pretty robin when she did
so. ‘I hadn’t realized that you would give my suggestion another
thought. I only meant that you should be a little less… less…’

‘Wholesome?’

‘Well, perhaps. But did Lord Howe really say
he would do it? It seems exactly the sort of thing he would refuse
to countenance. Too lazy by half.’

‘He is keen to start immediately,’ he didn’t
think he should mention the financial arrangement he had made. Best
to keep that quiet anyway. ‘I don’t see why you think it so funny.
How else am I going to impress Carisse?’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ she said slowly. ‘Slay a
dragon? Fight a duel in her honor? Discover a new land and name it
after her?’

‘You’re not being in the least bit serious
about this!’

‘I know,’ she admitted. ‘I’m sorry. It’s
just that Lucien St James is a jolly nice fellow just as he is. If
the girl is to bird witted to see that, then surely that is her
problem.’

‘That’s not it at all,’ he
protested. ‘Good Lord, she’s
surrounded
by men, all of which try
to attract her attention. How is she possibly going to notice me in
amongst such a crowd?’

‘Because you’re you?’
Olympia suggested, suddenly exasperated. ‘You know what might
help?
If you talked to her.
For I don’t believe you’ve even had one
conversation with the girl. Just talk to her. Dance with her. Pay a
morning call and make pointless polite conversation with her
mother. The usual stuff that males do when they are eager to secure
the interests of a female.’

Luc snorted in disbelief.
‘Oh yes,
that’s
going to work. I can’t get two words out in front of her
without making a cake of myself. Whenever I’m in Miss Houghton’s
presence I find that my feet have suddenly grown too big for my
body. I have sprouted extra thumbs and frankly, if there is any
liquid within arms length, it will likely end up on my waistcoat
because I’ve missed my mouth!’

‘Oh,’ his companion said, after a moment,
‘is it really that bad?’

‘It really is.’

She sighed and patted his arm. ‘Then of
course I understand completely. And I will help you in any way I
can. If you think that going off to learn how to become a rake will
further your cause then that is exactly what you must do. If you
like, when you return you can make me swoon in public, to advance
your status. I will fan myself -’

‘Doing it too brown!’

‘ –
and swear that I don’t
know what it is about Mr. St James that makes my heart race
so.’

‘Wretch,’ he said with a grin. ‘Don’t you
dare.’

Olympia gave a small smile. ‘I am sorry. I
did not realize quite how you felt. But I do mean it. If I can help
convince Carisse Houghton that you are God’s gift to the female of
the species then I shall certainly do so.’

He shook his head. ‘I do not know where you
get such stuff. But you are a very good friend to me.’

‘Yes,’ Olympia murmured wryly. ‘I rather
think I am.’

Olympia watched Luc stride
away to organize his sudden trip into Warwickshire with a frown and
reflected that a
really
good friend would have hit him over the head with
a piece of wood and dragged him off somewhere until he saw sense.
But it was a tricky thing to do in a public park and she rather
doubted her ability to drag an unconscious body anywhere. In the
face of his determination she had yielded, accepting that she would
not be able to distract him with more amiable women. Besides, his
plan was… Well, quite frankly, his plan was ridiculous. He was
going to become a rake? Honestly!

‘What a fool the man is!’ she muttered,
turning back to the party, her humor no more improved that it had
been before her friend’s arrival. On the contrary, it was
distinctly worse. So much so that she was forced to plaster a smile
on her face when she saw Evangeline Gaffney and Helena Monkhouse,
who were also enjoying their first Season, walk towards her.

‘Do you know,’ Evangeline observed, tone
teasing as soon as she was in earshot, ‘I do believe that Mr. St
James is rather partial to your company, Miss Grayson.’ She was a
thin, gangly redhead with an unfortunate spray of freckles but
Olympia liked the girl. At least she didn’t primp endlessly. ‘He is
forever turning up where you are!’

‘Of course he turns up. We grew up together
and are old friends.’

‘Oh?’ Helena, a rather silly blonde with a
delightful complexion and a plump figure, glanced at the retreating
figure with interest. ‘So he is not your beau, then?’

‘No. We merely share a
friendship.’ A very good friendship. The idea of him going off to
do some sort of ‘rake training’ was extremely irksome for he might
be gone for some time. Although it
would
get him out of the Houghton’s
orbit…

‘I suppose he’s after the celestial
Carisse,’ Evangeline said, rather regretfully.

‘Unfortunately. So ridiculous,’ Olympia
frowned. ‘She’s dreadfully dim.’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Helena said sadly,
‘she’s so horribly pretty she doesn’t need to be witty. Or smart or
entertaining or agreeable. She just has to sit there and have men
fawn all over her. I wish I were that pretty. It would be most
agreeable.’

‘It is rather sickening,’ Evangeline agreed,
‘but hopefully she’ll accept some poor fool’s offer and then the
rest of us can have our chance. Not that you don’t have you’re
admirers already,’ she added, giving Olympia a smile that was quite
genuine. Miss Gaffney was a very nice girl beneath those freckles.
‘And why shouldn’t you? You’re far and away more agreeable than the
Houghton.’

Olympia gave herself a shake and took both
young ladies arms and they began to walk back to the gathering on
the grass. ‘Thank you, Evangeline. And you are quite right,’ she
said cheerfully. ‘Some lucky fellow will make an offer for Carisse
and the whole silly affair will be done with. And I, for one, will
be very glad of it.’

She would be, too, for then the foolish Miss
Houghton would be spoken for and the speculation and fuss go away.
The Season’s Incomparable would soon become the Season’s Bride.
After that she would be just another married woman destined to
produce some gentleman’s heir. One of life’s great levelers, the
expectations of Society. Olympia just hoped that it wasn’t going to
be Lucien who was the lucky fellow for, much as she wanted him to
be happy it would be a shameful waste of a man’s life to be leg
shackled to a vain, shallow creature. Once again, she thought of
his dubious plan. And to have obtained Lord Howe, of all men to be
his guide! Could he really educate Lucien St James in such a matter
when surely becoming a rake was more evolutionary than
manufactured? But if he did succeed… she remembered the way
Carisse’s interest was piqued when she had seen Howe the evening
before. Olympia had learned since coming to London that there was a
certain sort of girl that found a bad man irresistible. But surely
Carisse would be able to see through Luc’s façade? Olympia recalled
how dense the girl was. She also recalled how very rich Luc was. It
would mean the end of her friendship with Luc. Or, at the very
least it would be changed out of all recognition for Carisse would
not welcome female friend’s of her husband’s hovering around the
place.

It was all most depressing.

As it happened, that evening Olympia had her
first opportunity to put her resolve to the test and prove what a
good friend she was. That evening, at Lady Pellman’s rout, the
object of all the fuss crossed Olympia’s path. Having once again
proved to be exceedingly popular as a dance partner, Miss Houghton
had taken refuge on the terrace, accompanied by her mother and
several other older ladies. It was a warm night and the double
doors from the ballroom had been left open to let in the fragrant
evening air. Olympia had already escaped the idle eyes of her Aunt
Flora to cool off outside and was leaning against the balustrade
wondering if she dare venture into the pleasant dimness of the
garden. Young ladies were not supposed to go off by themselves but
this seemed to be one of those arbitrary rules that were created by
those determined to stop people from following their inclinations.
Olympia was craving some time alone. In the country it was a simple
enough thing to achieve but in London, time alone was a rare and
wonderful commodity.

The peace and quite was abruptly shattered.
She heard Mrs. Houghton a moment after she set foot on the terrace
for the woman had one of those curiously penetrating voices that
could cut through a crowded room like a well-honed blade and was a
veritable clarion call in the relative quiet out of doors.

‘Let us take a turn around the terrace, my
dear. Your cheeks are flushed. It is not becoming.’

‘I was about to dance with Mr. Willbury.’
The Season’s Beauty sounded miffed.

‘Mr. Willbury is not one of our preferred
suitors.’

‘But I like him. He is amusing.’

‘Penniless men are often amusing. They have
to be.’

‘I don’t think you wish me to have any
fun!’

‘Of course I do,’ Mrs. Houghton replied
comfortably, ‘with the right kind of male you may have any amount
of fun you like, within reason.’

Olympia grinned at this. It more or less
summed up most of a debutante’s life. Fun was certainly to be had,
as long as the man offering it was husband material. Turning, she
began to walk back towards the double doors leading into the
ballroom, a route that would necessarily take her past the Houghton
ensemble. Just before reaching them Olympia artfully lost her hold
on her reticule, which fell neatly at Mrs. Houghton’s feet. Olympia
shook her head in mortification.

‘Excuse
me
! I am so
clumsy.’

Mrs. Houghton, who had
recognized her (inevitably, she would recognize
all
of the competition, for the
marriage mart was not to be taken lightly and the opposition would
have been sized up long since), gave Olympia a gracious smile after
she bent to retrieve the small silk bag. ‘It’s Miss Grayson, is it
not?’

‘Indeed it is Ma’am. And you, of course, are
Mrs. Houghton. How delightful to make your acquaintance.’ She
smiled at the woman, making sure to include Carisse who was looking
at her without any discernible interest in those celestial blue
eyes, and dropped a curtsy.

Mrs. Houghton, having run the necessary
information through her head, would have probably come to the
conclusion that Miss Grayson was an acceptable person to know. All
the world knew that the Grayson’s were well off. Why, even the
younger sons were provided for, which was rather miraculous as it
meant that there were still two Grayson males available, each of
them an excellent catch. Add that to the fact that Olympia was a
brunette – and so an excellent foil for her daughter’s own golden
good looks – and Mrs. Houghton’s seal of approval was assured. ‘Are
you enjoying yourself, my dear?’

‘Oh yes, it is all wonderfully amusing,’
Olympia replied mendaciously, for the truth would not serve. There
were some people one could express oneself to freely but the
Houghton ensemble was probably not one of them. ‘And you, Miss
Houghton? Are you having an agreeable time?’