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When Rory arrived at Lady Ratcliff’s townhome, Shaw delivered him to a private chamber in the back of the house. He stood near the doors leading out into the gardens, waiting for Dallis. Lady Ratcliff entered the room instead. She gave him a stern look, settling into the chair behind her small writing desk. A sense of foreboding filled the air as she regarded him. Dallis’s grandmother didn’t make him wait long before she spoke.
“I thought over time you would appreciate the special gift of Dallis. She is a treasure to be handled with care. Yet, you break her time and time again. I first thought you were a fortune hunter after her inheritance. Then I met your mother and realized you were too proud to be that kind of man. I began to see how deeply you cared for Dallis. Now I sit here and ponder, perhaps he does not care for her at all? Was he only trying to toy with her emotions, so that she would lower her guard for his pleasure?”
“You are mistaken.”
“Am I? I may be old, but I remember what transpires when a gentleman lures you into a darkened corner. But when said gentleman does not call on my granddaughter the next day, I doubt his intentions. Every time you are alone with Dallis, you lead her down a path of indiscretions and then do not call to court her.”
The lecture from Dallis’s grandmother was worse than any Rory ever received from his own mother. Perhaps because Lady Ratcliff spoke the truth. Any explanation he might have had for yesterday did not excuse his earlier behavior. He'd treated Dallis in a most reprehensible way. How could he convince Lady Ratcliff of his intentions when his actions had spoken otherwise? Rory figured he would need to grovel at Dallis’s feet this morning. Instead, he may not be given the opportunity. Still, he needed to try.
“There was a family matter of grave importance which needed my attention yesterday. The day ended before I had a chance to send Dallis an apology. I never meant not to contact her. That is why I am here today. To begin a proper courtship, with your permission.”
“No.”
“Will you at least give me a chance to defend myself? Ask Dallis if she even wants to see me, then decide.”
“My granddaughter came to breakfast with dark circles underneath her eyes. Do you know why?”
“She did not sleep?”
“No, she did not. Dallis cried all night. How is it, that I know this? Because I stood outside her bedroom door and listened to her sorrow. It was then I decided I will not allow you near her again. I will continue to push the courtship with Lord Holdenburg.”
“No!” Rory’s temper hovered on the edge of exploding.
“You, young man have no opinion in this matter. Now, you need to take your leave. Shaw will escort you to the door. Please do not press this issue. I do not want to involve your mother. I have taken to her friendship and do not wish to offend her. However, I will if you continue to hurt Dallis with your actions.”
Rory could do nothing more than honor her request. It didn’t mean he would stop his pursuit of Dallis. It only meant he would retreat and use reinforcements. He'd wanted to pursue this relationship on his own, but it would appear he now needed his friends to help him. On his departure from the Ratcliff home he glanced in each room along the hallway for any sign of Dallis. Rory breathed in the fragrance of strawberries floating in the air. Dallis was near. However, his search was useless, for he didn’t catch a glimpse of her before Shaw showed him out the door.
~~~~~
“THERE YOU ARE, NANNA. I have searched the house for you. Why are you sitting alone in here?”
“I needed to write some correspondence. Since you were in the garden reading, I thought to write to your mama.”
“Please do not tell her, Nanna.”
“I won’t, my dear. However, I will need to inform her of your progress this season. She will be most impressed to learn that Lord Holdenburg calls on you.”
“We are only friends.”
“Yes, but your mama has no knowledge of that, only I.”
Dallis trusted her grandmother to only tell Mama what she wanted to hear. Nanna was a grand storyteller in her own right. She would regale Mama with stories to make it appear as if Dallis was the belle of the ton. Which was far from true. Before long, Mama would catch wind of her ruination at the hands of Lord Roderick Beckwith. The rumors always reached Inverness. They took a few weeks, but nonetheless they were heard. For now Dallis was safe from her mother’s wrath, but soon Mother would order her home and force her to wed a local boy. All because Lord Roderick Beckwith found entertainment in trifling with Dallis's emotions.
Tears came to her eyes as she fought her sadness. Dallis told herself that she would forget Rory and that he no longer held her heart. Try as she might Dallis had found it enormously difficult to erase him from her mind let alone her heart. But as each minute ticked by and he didn’t show, it became easier. Before long Lord Rory Beckwith would be but a faint memory. Dallis sniffed and wiped at the tears, trying to avoid Nanna’s gaze.
Her eyes landed on a jar of fruit on her grandmother’s desk. A peculiar place for it to be. As Dallis drifted closer, she saw a note tied around the top. Before she could reach for the jar, her grandmother grabbed it and hid it behind her back. Nanna’s actions triggered her curiosity.
“Nanna, why is there a fruit jar in here?”
“A gift from an acquaintance.”
“Which acquaintance?”
“Nobody I have introduced you to. Can you call Shaw? I need help to my room. The pain of one of my headaches is coming on.”
Her nanna groaned, closing her eyes in agony. If Dallis didn’t know any better, she would think her grandmother faked her illness. But when she noticed the redness of her cheeks, and the pinch around her lips, Dallis felt poorly of her thoughts. She rushed from the room, calling for Shaw.
Soon the servants helped Nanna to bed. When Dallis offered to sit with her, her grandma assured her that she only needed to rest. Feeling a sense of rejection and not knowing what to do with herself, Dallis headed into the kitchen to bake. Perhaps Nanna would enjoy eating some cake when she awakened. When Dallis’s moods were troubled, cooking helped to relax her. She could think of no better time to cook than now. The cook helped Dallis to gather the ingredients and utensils. Soon they were baking and the cook shared secrets on how to make the cake moist. Before long Dallis’s troubles melted away as she mixed the batter. Each stroke settled her emotions and she focused on enjoying the moment. Forgotten were the tender kisses, the gentle touch, and the passion that simmered beneath the surface when they were together.
It was when Cook and Dallis relaxed, drinking their tea, that Dallis remembered those moments. When reaching for the sugar bowl, Dallis noticed the jar from Nanna’s desk. It wasn’t just any jar of fruit, but a jar of strawberries. When the cook checked on the cake, Dallis slid the note from the jar and opened the small piece of paper.
Dallis,
I stole these from our garden. I hope they bring you pleasure.
Rory
He came. When? Dallis lifted the jar and turned it over and over in her hand, a smile gracing her lips, realizing the gift was meant for her and held proof of his true intentions. He came with a gift to court her and Nanna sent him away. Dallis couldn’t be cross with her grandmother, because she'd only meant to guard Dallis from any more heartache. But Rory came. It was enough for Dallis.
She slid the note inside her shoe before the cook returned to the table. Dallis then convinced the cook to make a strawberry glaze for the cake. They prepared a scrumptious cake to share with her grandmother—minus the strawberries for her, because Dallis detested them. She liked the scent for her soap, but the taste was one she could do without. After the cake finished baking and cooled off, Dallis cut a slice and wrapped it in some cloth. When Cook wasn’t watching, Dallis directed a footman to deliver the gift to Lord Beckwith. Then she waited for her nanna to awake to serve her the delicious treat.
It was time for everybody to stop interfering. It was her life and who she decided to love was her own choice. Not those of others. And she chose Rory Beckwith.
~~~~~
DALLIS WAITED FOR NANNA to wake from her nap before she went to her room. She carried in their afternoon tea. The cake with the strawberry glaze rested on the tray, the strawberries sliding off as she walked toward the bed. Still, the effect was all that mattered.
“Does your head still ache?”
Dallis put the tray on the bedside table and poured a cup, adding two spoons of sugar. As she stirred the tea, she watched Nanna eye the cake in suspicion. When her grandmother didn’t comment on the strawberries, Dallis realized she would need to say something.
“I made your favorite cake. Cook had those strawberries on the table, so I convinced her to teach me how to make the strawberry glaze you love.”
Dallis slid the plate on the bed for her grandmother to enjoy the cake. Nanna watched her, waiting for a reaction, but so did Dallis. When Nanna took a bite of cake, Dallis said her piece.
“You had no right to keep Rory’s gift from me. Also, I talked to Shaw. He told me Rory arrived earlier this morning wishing to call on me, but you spoke to him instead. From what I gather, you ran him off. Am I correct in this assumption?”
Lady Ratcliff kept eating her cake, feeling only slightly guilty with the truth. Dallis was correct, but she didn’t regret sending the boy away. Since Dallis arrived in town and laid her eyes upon Roderick Beckwith, the girl’s moods had been nothing but highs and lows. First she was optimistic that the lord would call on her, and every time he didn’t show, she watched Dallis’s heart break. Yesterday was the final draw. If Lord Beckwith wouldn’t be man enough to court Dallis properly, then he wouldn’t step foot in this house again. Lady Ratcliff continued to eat the cake, down to the last bite. The boy did deliver worthy strawberries. She would have to hand it to him for that sake alone.
“Well, do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“You are correct, my dear.”
“Well?”
“Well what, Dallis? He does not deserve you. Lord Beckwith has had ample enough time to court you, but has yet to make an attempt. Instead he involves your name in multiple scandals. Both of you are very lucky nobody saw your antics at the theater.”
“You saw?” Horrified, Dallis sat in the chair near the window.
“No, I saw nothing. But you have confirmed my suspicions with that blush across your cheeks. I will tell you the same as I told your young man—I was young once myself and I know what happens in darkened corners.”
“Still Nanna, why did you send him away?”
“Every tear you shed breaks my heart. I convinced your mama to send you here for a season with the intention of finding you a husband worthy of you. Not for a scoundrel to embroil you in a scandal and to send you back home in shame.”
“Those are my tears to experience. My heartache to live. I have faith in Rory. He must have his own reasons for his absences.”
“Humph.”
“I am giving you the courtesy of knowing that I will visit Lady Beckwith this afternoon with the intention of seeing Rory. I will take my maid, Helen, as a chaperone. But you will not come with me. There have been enough distractions between Rory and myself, and no longer will there be.”
“Dear, there is much you do not know of your beau. Tread carefully, for you might not like what you discover of him. There are secrets he harbors to protect his mother and sister.”
“His secrets will be for him to share with me in his own time. All I know is how he makes me feel and I trust him to do right by me. Your support is all that I seek, not your hindrance.”
“I only stopped him out of love for you.”
“I understand, Nanna, and I love you for it. However, it is my life to live.”
~~~~~
RORY ONLY VISITED THE Scuffle in the evenings for a good fight. However, after his discussion with Lady Ratcliff, he decided the only way to vent his anger was to beat the living hell out of an opponent. Also, with the dilemma that he was forced to deal with yesterday, he need the extra blunt. Would life ever work to his advantage?
He strolled through the brothel and down the stairs into the fighting area. He walked into the office and sat across from the owner, Madame Bellerose. Most men only knew of the brothel above. But Belle granted other patrons with deeper pockets access to place bets on the outcome of the fights. He first heard of the fighting arena through the Duke of Sheffield one afternoon at Lord Hartridge’s. Sheffield knew of the scandal involving his father and his low funds. He'd suggested Belle’s out of respect to Rory's opinions on some research projects he funded for Lord Hartridge.
The first time Rory met Belle, she tried to persuade him to visit one of her girls, but he didn’t frequent brothels for sport. Rory only carried on relationships with widows, or ladies who had been ruined and preferred to stay unmarried. Belle herself could tempt any man, but she never took part in the profession that made her a profit. Rumor was she carried a torch for a lost love. Whoever the bloke may be, he was a fool for letting her go. She was a beauty with a grace that intensified her attractions. Once again she draped her body in a creation to make men drool. Spilled into a midnight blue gown, her every curve was on display. Belle winked at him while directing Ned to take bets on the next fight.
“You are earlier than usual, Beckwith.”
“I need to release some frustration.”
“A girl or your father’s mess?”
Rory’s laugh held a bitter edge. “Both.”
“Who is she? Anybody I know?”
“Lady Dallis MacPherson.”
“A real beauty, I’m told. Also, there is a rumor about how you have already fought over her name.”
“I was defending my sister and Lady Dallis’s honor.”
“Are the other rumors true?”
Rory slumped further in the chair. “Perhaps.”
“When will you men learn? First Wildeburg, then Sheffield, and now you. Who is next?”
“What do we need to learn?”
“How not to ruin perfectly innocent ladies with your prowess. What has frustrated you today that brings you here to fight?”
“Her grandmother Lady Ratcliff warned me away.”
“Oh, a dragon she is. I understand. Who do you want, Brutus or Magnus?”
“Magnus.”
“Are you sure? The last time he nearly ripped you in two.”
“Definitely.”
Belle sighed, regarding Lord Roderick Beckwith. The first time they met, her heart gave a flitter-flutter. Her devotion stayed strong to her lost love, but Rory warmed her insides with his sweet smile. He was a cut above the men who frequented her establishment. Most of her customers were jaded rascals who only wanted a good time. However, Rory wanted no part of the underbelly of London’s society. He only visited her place to fight. And he only fought because his father left his family broke when he died. Not only broke, but bill collectors beat at his door daily, if the rumors were true. Rory tried his best to shield his mother and sister from their dire circumstances. But when you don’t have enough money to pay your servants, women always found out.
Sheffield had vouched for Rory’s character and the doll could fight with the best of them. Rory was never one to lose. Sometimes he even took rough beatings, other times he would knock them out with one punch. He was profitable to her business. Belle never turned away money, and she welcomed him whenever he wanted to fight.
She could tell this time Rory wasn’t here for the money, but to burn off some steam. And if she wasn’t mistaken, perhaps a little sexual frustration. There was much talk about the lovely lady from Scotland. However, before the girl could make a splash amongst the ton, Rory had been attached to her name in the most scandalous of acts. First there was a punch to Lord Phipps for attempting to kiss her. Then there was the drunken kiss on the stoop of her grandparent’s townhome. And the last rumor was that while a guest of Lord Holdenburg at the theater, Rory sat with Lady Dallis in a darkened corner. Everybody knew what happens in those darkened seats in a box. Scandalous things to make any woman blush.
Belle nodded. “Good luck. And Rory ...”
“Yes?”
“If you need any assistance with Lady Dallis, perhaps I can help.”
Rory laughed. “I have had all the help I can get. No, I will win her hand on my own. Plus, I heard of the fiasco with Sheffield and Sophia. While I have ruined Lady Dallis, no offense, I will not sully her name by bringing her to a brothel.”
“None taken, dear.”
Rory headed toward the boxing ring and watched the fight taking place. The two men were battling over the bed of a courtesan upstairs. Each young pup wanted exclusive rights to her boudoir. He wanted to laugh, for Belle allowed no man those rights. After the fight ended, both men would end up a loser. Belle would collect her winnings from the bout before she disappointed the victor. Rory disrobed to where he only wore his trousers, and sitting on the bench he discarded his boots and socks. He liked to fight in his bare feet. He could grip the floor better this way. Also, it gave him a more primitive feel to the sport.
Ned called his name, then Magnus. The crowd erupted when they found out who fought next. Rory loosened his muscles, stretching and bouncing on his feet as Magnus walked the ring glaring at him. The Scottish brute wanted revenge from their previous fight. Magnus almost beat him, Rory's body left bruised and beaten where he couldn’t fight for two weeks. But at the end of the fight Rory elbowed him in the back in the right spot before punching Magnus in the side. It dropped the giant to his knees, which gave Rory the advantage. Then Rory proceeded to pound him in the face over and over until Magnus dropped. Ever since, the man wanted to fight him again, but Belle kept them apart. Today, though, Rory needed to fight Magnus. Rory bristled with an anger he never felt before. Dallis was out of his grasp after this morning. Plus, Rory's mother discovered the true depths of her husband's infidelity and Kathleen was in a mood ever since the theater. His mother knew of his father’s demise in the bed of his mistress. But she had been unaware of the countless string of mistresses his father kept throughout their marriage. And to top off his women troubles, Sheffield sent word of a delay in payment. Rory was ready to bash in some heads. Once he finished with Magnus, perhaps he could convince Belle to let him fight Brutus too.
“Ye dead.”
“You can try, you Scottish heathen.”
Never call a six-foot-five giant a heathen, especially a Scot. Before Rory was aware what happened he was lying flat on his back. Stars flitted across his eyes and his head pounded. The roar of the crowd cleared his head as they chanted his name. Then he heard the big beast laughing. Rory rose to lean on his elbows, shaking his head to clear the stars away. He watched Magnus strutting around the ring in victory. Lifting his hands above his head in a winning salute. Rory glared at the brute, rising to his feet. The knock onto his ass infuriated him. Not only at his opponent, but with himself. The crowd cheered when they noticed he wasn’t down for the count. Magnus turned to see for himself and growled. Rory only smiled at him, holding his hands out and motioning for Magnus to come closer.
Magnus came after him swinging. Rory ducked the punch and landed one in Magnus’s side right under the rib cage. Rory knew where to hit an opponent to render them helpless. However, Magnus held more muscle on him than most fighters and would take longer to knock down. Rory took swings at the giant, beating out his frustrations one punch after another. Each time Magnus tried to punch him, Rory would sway and duck out of the way. His energy was intensified by all the injustices handed his way lately. Before long Magnus was weakened by the brute force of Rory’s punches. Blood poured from Rory's knuckles mixed with Magnus’s blood from the open wounds Rory inflected. Out of nowhere Magnus threw a punch knocking and pinning Rory against the ropes, the beast growling trying to repay him with the same brute force. Rory had enough of being pushed around by everybody in his life and used that as incentive to shove Magnus away. He swung back his arm and leveled a punch to the side of Magnus’s head, dropping him to the floor. Magnus lay still, not moving. Rory leaned on the ropes and gasped for breath with sweat dripping down his face. Still the brute didn’t move, the only thing coming from him were deep moans. After a minute, Ned lifted Rory's arm declaring him the winner. There were more groans than cheers—the spectators didn’t bet in his favor, wanting him to lose. Which was fine with Rory, earning more of a cut from Belle’s profit. Ned dragged Magnus from the ring with help from Belle’s guards.
As Rory laced his boots, Belle offered him a towel.
“Do you feel any better, Rory?”
“No.”
“Do you want another fight?”
“No, they will not solve my problems.”
“Then what?”
“I try again tomorrow, then the next, until I can see her.”
“And your other problems?”
“One day at a time, Belle.”
He finished getting dressed, then collected his winnings and left the seedier side of London to the vultures who thrived in it. A life that had ruined his family and one he never wanted a part of, but he would endure for the time being to help them survive.
And so that his sister never had to know about their father’s disgrace.