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Chapter 40
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The League of Rogues Chapter 41
Jim Tanner lingered in the alley just off Curzon Street, and bided his time. A blade lay in his palm, which he kept in the pocket of his long black coat, ready to sink it into the flesh of those pompous lords across the street if they interfered with his mission.Soon, he promised himself.His employer had urged him to wait, to snatch the girl without a fight. The order had been issued not out of any need to prevent violence, but to give Tanner time to get away before the alarm was raised. Bloodshed would shorten his exit strategy.Blankenship was a fool to want nothing more than the little chit. The house he stared at now was probably filled with expensive items he could fetch a fair price for on Shoe Lane or Saffron Hill. The nouveau riche were only too happy to buy aristocratic items that would fool the ton into thinking they weren't the descendants of lower or middleclass men.He'd been only too eager to steal the Parr girl away from Essex when Blankenship agreed to his hefty p
The League of Rogues Chapter 42
Heaven. It was warm and light, the soft murmur of a low masculine voice spoke to her No, read to her. The Iliad in Greek. She tried to open her mouth but nothing moved.I want to see you, whoever you are.Did she have a body?She managed a small strangled whimper. The voice halted, then spoke, more eagerly."Emily." The voice sounded like Godric, but that made sense. Heaven was wherever he was. She tried to speak again, but only yielded another pathetic whimper."Shh. Rest, my darling. You've been through so much." A large hand clasped hers, its grip warm, strong, and perfect.Lips brushed over her forehead, leaving a trail of tender fire in their wake. She forced her eyes open. Even though Godric's face was pale and his hair hung limp around it, he was still everything she'd wanted, craved. Loved. The sight of him. That was Heaven.Emily's long lashes fanned as she squeezed his hand. She gave a weak smile. Godric choked back a sob, ghostly reflections of her own pain shimmered
The League of Rogues Chapter 43: Epilogue
Lucien sat at the table in Cedric's dining room, reading the morning paper. Cedric fed Penelope scraps from his chair next to him. The dining room was large for a London home, furnished with walnut chairs and a table, all gilded with scrollwork. Lucien looked over to Ashton and Charles, who were speaking near the large wood, glass-paned window overlooking the gardens.The lords were enjoying themselves, having successfully seen Godric and Emily off on their honeymoon, and were now resting at Cedric's townhouse after the adventures of the last few weeks."Well, Lucien? Anything interesting?" Ashton asked as he took a seat, leaving Charles alone to gaze out the window, lost in thought."There's an interesting tidbit in the society pages.""Not Lady Society again?" Cedric chuckled. Penelope barked sharply at him. He reached down and picked her up, setting the foxhound on his lap. She was no longer a puppy.All things grow up some day, Lucien thought to himself."Are you going to rea
The League of Rogues Chapter 44
BOOK TWO: His Wicked SeductionLeague Rule 2One must never seduce another member's sister. should this rule be broken, the member whose sister was seduced has the right to demand satisfaction.Excerpt from The Quizzing Glass Gazette, September 30, 1820, The Lady Society Column:Lady Society has turned her eye this week to one of London's most notorious paramours, the Marquess of Rochester. Member of the infamous League of Rogues, the marquess is rumored by ladies of the ton as a fiery-haired devil capable of shocking delights behind closed doors.It has come to Lady Society's attention that no lady has held Rochester's interest for long. Does he secretly pine for someone of good breeding and good sense, perhaps?Lady Society would like to learn the answer to this most fascinating question. Perhaps Rochester indulges himself to ease the pangs of unrequited love for some mystery woman. Should one hazard a guess as to the unluckyor perhaps luckymaiden who has stolen our dark
The League of Rogues Chapter 45
Horatia pressed two slim fingers to her temples as the bouncing form of her younger sister flitted past, distracting her from her latest book. It was not the way a young lady ought to behave, but trying to stop Audrey was like trying to command a storm. Horatia attempted to concentrate on the words, but between Audrey's chaotic squirming and memories of this morning's incident, she couldn't. The remnants of her fear tasted bitter in her mouth. She despised herself for being so weak as to let such anxieties rule her. One minute she'd been enjoying a walk, and the next there were horses screaming, curricle wheels spinning and icy cold water soaking her to the bone as she hit the pavement.It was like her childhood all over again. Death had struck out at her without warning, and like last time, she'd been spared. But the event had awakened old fears. As before, Lucien had saved her life. He would never know how alive she'd felt when he'd knocked her back into the snow in the alley or how
The League of Rogues Chapter 46
Horatia still hadn't changed into her nightclothes. Restlessness had her up well past midnight. Knowing Lucien was somewhere in the house was unsettling, and she worried about that blasted cat. Muff should have been curled up on the extra pillow in her bed, but he was conspicuously absent. There was a chance a passing footman or maid had closed the grates around the fireplace and he hadn't been able to get back down.Unwilling to let him stay in the cold chimney all night, Horatia abandoned her room and went in search of the cat. She tried to think of all of the other places he could be, and not the one place she wished she could be at that moment. In Lucien's arms.It had been months since he'd last spent the night, and her brother was delighted to have him and Charles there. If not for the League, Cedric would have been exceedingly lonely. She knew he loved her and Audrey, but he'd always longed for brothers. It was hard to miss the way he brightened whenever his friends came over
The League of Rogues Chapter 47
When Lucien came down to breakfast late the next morning, he noticed both Horatia and Charles were missing."Where is Charles?" he asked, stopping himself short from asking about Horatia as well.Cedric glanced up from his plate. "He's taken Horatia riding in Hyde Park to exercise my Arabians.""Oh?" A stab of jealousy lanced through him like a hot poker. The idea of Horatia with someone elseespecially Charlesmade his vision turn crimson.Audrey was quieter than usual. Her youthful gaiety, which so often amused him when he was over, seemed to be absent.Cedric seemed to have noticed it as well. "I say, what's gotten into you, my dear? First Horatia is in a fit of the blue-devils, and now you are quite Friday-faced."It was no secret that Cedric didn't like to see his sisters unhappy. It was something Lucien understood all too well. He had a sister of his own, and seeing her upset always set his teeth on edge."I wished to go shopping today, but Horatia went riding and you've bus
The League of Rogues Chapter 48
Lucien entered his townhouse on Half Moon Street in a rage, his jaw clenched and aching. Today had been a disaster. He'd let himself lose control, get too close, and he'd enjoyed every minute of it.If it hadn't been for those warm brown eyes of hers, pleading for his kissesThe door to the servants' quarters opened and his valet, Felix, emerged with a stack of freshly pressed white shirts in his arms."Felix, I'm going out tonight. Ready my things."The valet nodded and hurried to Lucien's room. Lucien's hands twitched, feeling the urge to break something. He stormed into the drawing room and grabbed the first thing within reach, an expensive oriental vase. He arced his arm and"I say, Lucien, you all right?"He spied his brother, Lawrence, a few feet behind him in the open doorway. Except for the fact he was five years younger, he was a mirror image of Lucien. Anger still boiling deep inside him like a dormant volcano, Lucien now aimed the vase at his meddlesome brother.Lawre
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