Page 57 of Saving a Scoundrel
“She was upset because her latest cicisbeo has thrown her over. And you know how mean she is when she is angry.”
“Wait, was she still keeping Lucius Grisham?”
Ellie put a hand to her mouth to muffle her gasp.
“Yes. And I said to her, what a shame to lose him because he’s reported to be a fantastic lover. And she said I could find out for myself because he works at the Birdcage on the first and third Thursday of the month. These nights the establishment is only open for women.”
“You don’t say.”
“They call him the Lord of Sin.”
The women’s fans fluttered furiously in front of their faces. “Scandalous!”
“The whole family is riddled with scandal. Don’t you remember last year when his sister ran out of her wedding and married her fiancé’s brother?”
“Oh yes! I heard Lady Markham is still too embarrassed to show her face in town this season. Tut-tut.”
Ellie felt her face flame. She wanted to jump out and shame these two gossipmongers for being so catty. But her self-preservation kicked in, and instead, Ellie bit down hard on her lower lip. She had no idea what the Birdcage was, but considering the women spoke about his prowess as a lover, she had a fair idea what kind of place it might be. They had to be wrong. Lucius would not sell himself. He had a perfectly respectable job as an accountant. Her mind reeled.
If he were that hard up for funds, he would ask his friends for help. Wouldn’t he? His disappointment at his thwarted attempt to marry his heiress made more sense now. Would he be so desperate, so stubborn that he would rather prostitute himself than ask for help?
As the two women moved back inside, Ellie straightened and took a step away from the wall. She unclenched her fists and ran her hands down her skirts. She would find out if what she overheard was true. And if it was, she was going to tear the hide off Lucius herself.
*
“Are you certainthis is what you want to do?” Susanna asked.
Ellie nodded her head. She handed the sealed note to Sam Green. “Thank you, Sam.”
He tipped his hat and strode out of the room. Ellie turned back to Susanna. “I know it is a crazy plan. But I must confront him, and he hasn’t answered any of my summons I sent this week.”
“I commend this new you. I really do. You are bold and chasing after the man you want. But I worry that you are letting love blind you, dear. It’s clear the Lucius we know is only a part of the man. What you learned is far more scandalous than anything we thought he was up to.” Susanna grimaced. “Perhaps there could be safer choices for someone to love.”
Ellie paced back and forth across the carpet in her bedroom. “It doesn’t work like that, Susanna. You can’t choose who you should love. I’m not blind to his flaws. It’s love that allows me to see his potential even when he can’t see it himself.”
“But what if he isn’t capable of being what you need? Can you love a scoundrel?” Susanna echoed her father’s words from earlier this spring.
Ellie swung around to face her friend. “I already do.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Lucius sat inhis worn leather wingback chair and stared down at the note in his hand. The missive in Ellie’s large loopy handwriting was brief.Lucius, come see me this afternoon. There are things to discuss.His lips quirked up in a half-smile. She was becoming quite bossy these days. The tone may also be due to his ignoring her first two messages. He knew he couldn’t avoid her forever, but for now, he was far too raw to be near her.
Liar.She had spoken the word with quiet, deadly accuracy. Lucius rose and crossed to the window. He loved Ellie Spencer. Tart-tongued, managing, soft-hearted, bookish, Ellie Spencer. His heart had leapt in joy in response to her declaration that she loved him.I always have.
The street outside was dark, but the two gas lamps outside the front door of the Termage cast a soft glow onto the front walk. A carriage pulled up, and three men tumbled out laughing. They weaved their way up the stairs, and the front door opened to admit the customers. There was nothing more profitable than drunk gamblers. It was almost eleven o’clock and time for him to get dressed for work.
He crushed the note in his hand. Ellie could do a hell of a lot better than a failure like him. She would get over her childhood crush on him soon enough if he just stayed away and stopped confusing them both with his inability to keep his hands off her luscious little body and his mouth from nibbling her plump bottom lip. He tossed the note into the corner.
Striding over to the cupboard, he quickly changed into his evening clothes. Using the mirror, he efficiently tied an elaborate knot in his cravat. He tilted his head to assess his work. His lips curled into an ironic half-smile. Perhaps he could get a job as a valet. He slipped on the black silk vest and fastened the fabric-covered buttons. Not bothering with a jacket, he left his room, locking the door behind him.
At the bottom of the back stairs, he nodded to Jenson. “Evening.”
“Good luck tonight. There been a lot of carriages dropping off back here this evenin’.” Jenson slapped him on the back with a grin.
Lucius grimaced. Then he crossed the alley and entered the next building through the Birdcage’s side door. He was just putting on his velvet jacket from the wardrobe when Viola walked into the back room. “Good, you’re on time tonight. The receiving room is full, but you’ve already been paid for. The lady sent a message to me this afternoon asking for the Lord of Sin for the full night. The name she gave is a fake, a Mrs. Coralie Chaton.” Viola snorted. “But she showed up tonight with the money so…”
Lucius frowned as he buttoned up his jacket. Something about that name niggled at him.
