Seducing the Ruthless Rogue (49 page)

“Now, young ladies, and let me make it clear that I only call you that because of your gender and no other reason.
 
That ‘
Scottish Bastard
’ you so freely refer to is my husband, and he has a name—Stuart McKenzie.
 
You, however, may only call him Director McKenzie.
 
You see, while you have been in here slandering his name, it strikes me that you do not fully comprehend the power he wields.
 
He is singlehandedly keeping this little island that you reside on free of Bonaparte and his machinations.
 
He makes it safe enough that you can come to parties like this and talk about people as if they have no feelings at all.

“And you, Meredith,” two of the girls took a step back leaving a beautiful brunette standing alone.
 
“I can only hope that your parents find out what you are doing behind their back.
 
Don’t worry, I won’t tell them, I’m sure it will come out on its own,” Cassie said at the girl’s temporary look of worry.
 
“Do you know the meaning of the word ‘karma’?”
 
The girl kept her mouth shut, refusing to comment.
 
“Basically, Buddhists believe it is a system of cause and effect.
 
I have found it to be a pretty good rule to live by.
 
You might want to take that into consideration in the future.”
 
Cassie studied the girls.
 
“And by the way, if I were to throw any parties in the future, you and your families will not be invited.”

“That is no loss,” Meredith said.

“No?” Mikala asked from the door.
 
“Well, I have a few more names to add to that list of where you are not welcome,
 
the Duke of Hawkescliffe’s house.”

“And who are you to make such a statement for Hawkescliffe?” Meredith demanded to know.

“Have we not met?
 
I am the
Duchess
of Hawkescliffe.
 
I wish I could say it was a pleasure.”
 
The three girls visibly paled.

“You may add me to the list as well,
Your Grace
, for they will not be allowed across the threshold of the Earl of Blackburn’s house.”

“My, it seems your enemies are mounting quicker than you expected,” Cassie said.

“I believe we can also add Viscount Southerby, the Duke of Hamilton, the Countess Greenwood, and the Duke of Thornbrook,” Mikala ticked off the names, using her fingers to keep track of them.
 
“Did I leave anyone off the list, Tessa?”

“The Duke of Wulfecrest,” Tessa added.

“Oh, yes, and you know, His Highness, the Prince of Wales, took quite a liking to me the other night, and he thinks very highly of Mack.
 
I’m sure a well-placed word would not be remiss,” Cassie finished.
 
She studied the girls who had gone from pale to a putrid shade of green.
 
“Remember girls, if you are going to speak ill of someone, make certain the room is empty, or better yet, speak not at all.”
 
Cassie crossed the room to join Mikala and Tessa by the door.
 
“Meredith, if I ever hear one whisper that you might have even looked at my husband with lust in your eyes, rest assured it will be the last thing you ever do.”
 
She reached for the doorknob and paused to look back at the trio once more, “And yes, I do have a rather large bosom, it is how the men easily differentiate the women from the girls.
 
Shall we, ladies?”

The three women left the girls behind in the room. There were several women waiting to enter.
 
A little ways down the hall, they heard a shriek of, “The
Duke of Hamilton
, what have you done to us?” closely followed by a wail.
 
This time Cassie, Mikala, and Tessa were the ones giggling.
 
Cassie was in the middle of the other two women.
 

“Well done!” Mikala exclaimed softly.

“Yes, I believe you will do just fine amongst the
ton
.”

“I didn’t care when they were talking about me, but when they started speaking ill of Mack and making sexual references to him, I just could not let it go on a moment more.
 
Do you really know all of those people?”

“Yes, but don’t tell them the Duke of Wulfecrest is barely out of his leading strings.”

Cassie tried to laugh but stopped when it intensified the throbbing in her head.

“You love him, don’t you?” Tessa asked, taking her mind off her head momentarily.
 
Her Scottish lilt reminded her so easily of Mack.

“Desperately.”
 
She weaved slightly and felt each woman hook an arm with one of hers.

“Are you all right?”
 
Mikala queried.

“My head is pounding.
 
I had gone in there to seek solitude, but you know how that turned out.” She squinted against the bright light of the room.
 
“I believe I am coming down with a migraine.
 
I’m beginning to see spots and my stomach has been upset on and off all day.”

“Oh, dear.
 
I hear they can be quite debilitating,” Tessa said.
 

“I’ve had a handful, and they are not pleasant.
 
I need to go home.”

“I’ll find Mack,” Mikala said.

“No,” Cassie stopped her.
 
“This is part of his business, even I can tell that.
 
Please, help me to our coach and I will have the driver return for Mack.”
 
It was becoming difficult to put sentences together.

“I think Mack would want to go with you, Cassie,” Mikala insisted.

She started to shake her head and groaned as the pounding intensified.
 
“No.
 
Work.
 
Besides…doesn’t love me.
 
Won’t miss me.”

“Cassie, he sent us to find you.”

“Please, don’t lie.”
 
Her words were becoming even more stilted and slurred.
 
“Carriage, please.”

“All right,” Mikala said.

“Why’re you here?” Cassie asked, attempting to get Mikala to understand her.
 
“Parties stop baby,” she managed to string words together.

“Oh, Mack sent a note around begging us to come tonight since it would be your first foray at a stranger’s house.
 
He thought you might need the support.”

“Sweet.”

“Yes.
 
Especially for someone who doesn’t love his wife.
 
I hope we find her carriage soon, she can barely walk with our help.”

“There,” Cassie managed to point out the carriage to the two women.
 
The driver and a Bathurst footman helped her enter the carriage.
 
“Thank you,” she managed before the footman shut the door.
 
She took deep breaths, attempting to manage the pain, but found it extremely difficult.
 
Silent tears streamed down her cheeks from the pain.
 
If she could just make it home, Chang would know what to do.
 
The noise of the wheels on the road intensified the throbbing which in turn intensified the churning of her stomach.
 

She shifted and heard the crinkle of paper beneath her.
 
Cassie squinted in the darkness and saw her name scrawled across the envelope.
 
She ripped it open and pulled out the paper inside.
 
Between the pain and the tears, the letters swam on the paper and she blinked trying to bring them into focus.
 
Tic Toc
, it read.
 
Hear that?
 
It’s not a clock.
 
It’s the very last beats of your husband’s heart.
 
Enjoy what time you have left
.
 
Her stomach roiled.
 
Cassie crushed the paper and stuffed it between the seat cushion and the wall.
 
Dammit, she could not deal with this right now.
 

She moaned when one wheel hit a hole in the road, and swallowed convulsively as she felt the bile rise up the back of her throat.
 
I will not be sick in the carriage.
 
I will not be sick in the carriage.
Cassie repeated the mantra over and over, determined that it would be true.
 
Finally, the coach rolled to a stop in front of her new house.

She heard the driver yell as she felt him jump down from the coach, causing it to sway sickeningly.
 
Soon there were several men looking in the carriage, but Cassie had difficulty making out who it was between the spots swimming before her eyes and the darkness.

“Missy Cassie, what wrong?” Chang asked.

“Head.”

“Ah.
 
Take her to room.
 
I be back soon.”

“Step aside,” someone said.
 

Cassie thought it might be John.
 
She tried to help him, but eventually felt herself floating in air.
 
The sensation combined with the headache made the world spin.
 
She clapped a hand over her mouth and pursed her lips firmly together.
 
Cassie felt the movement stop and then something placed in one hand.
 

“There you go, ma’am.”

She would have smiled her thanks to Mack’s man servant if not for the fact she was currently trying to keep her stomach from leaving her body.
 
Soon she felt a pair of feminine hands holding her upright while she continued heaving.
 
Finally, her stomach stopped rebelling.
 
Cassie flopped back on the bed.

“Mack.
 
Danger,” she managed before her eyes closed and darkness overtook her.

***

“Where’s Cassie?” Mack asked his sister-in-law when he saw her approaching.
 
“I have some people I want her to meet.”

“She left.
 
Tessa and I managed to get her in the coach with the assistance of a footman and your driver.”

“Good lord!
 
Who saw her?
 
I can’t believe she would get herself drunk at an important function like this.
 
Doesn’t she know who these people are?
 
Does she not understand the influence they could have on my career?
 
On our future?
 
Damn her for doing this to me!
 
When I get my hands on her—”

“Outside.” Her natural husky voice sounded even huskier as she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door that led to a garden.

“Where are we going?”
 
She kept dragging him until they were in a far corner, away from prying eyes and curious ears.
 
“What are we doing out here?
 
I think this babe has addled your brain.”

“Is that what you think?”

“Aye.
 
What’s going on, Mikala?”

“And you have so little opinion of your wife that your first inclination is that she left because she was tipsy?”

A gasp filled the air and they looked to see Tessa standing there, her hand over her mouth.

“Oh, wonderful,” Mack said.
 
“It’s the wife brigade and their protective husbands.
 
Look, I’ll deal with my wife the way in which I choose, ken?”

“What I
ken
is that you are a miserable son of a bitch that does not deserve his wife.”

“Mikala,” Gabe said.

“No,” Tessa interceded.
 
“He deserves this.”

“What did you do, man?” Derek asked, knowing the extent of his wife’s kind heart.

“You do not deserve to have her as a wife,” Mikala added angrily.

“Why do I not deserve her?
 
Because I don’t give in to her every whim as your husbands do the two of you?
 
I brought her here to meet associates.
 
I wanted her to know the people that will aid me and advance my career.
 
Do you think I want to be the Director of the War Office my entire life?
 
If I have enough backing, some day I might be a member of parliament or even prime minister.”

“This is the first I heard of this,” Gabe said.

“You have everything.
 
You’re a bloody duke.
 
And you,” he turned and pointed at Derek, “fell backwards into an earldom.
 
What am I?
 
Just a bloody bastard that no one ever wanted.”

“Father wanted you.
 
He did his best by you.
 
Don’t take out what a bunch of boys, myself included, did to you over twenty years ago.
 
You’re the one that ran,” Gabe fought back, anger suffusing him.

“I’m done dredging up old memories.
 
I’m going home to take care of my drunk wife.”

“You lay one hand on her and I swear by all that is holy, I will shoot your bollocks off,” Mikala whispered through gritted teeth, but all four heard her.