His Wicked Seduction novel Chapter 24

Jonathan was a true gentleman, and it was a pity Audrey was so infatuated with him. Horatia ought to have fallen in love with a man like him. At least then she would be respected. Perhaps not loved, but she was going to have to accept that. She was doomed to never love again.

"It seems we are not the first to arrive," Jonathan observed as he joined her in the open doorway.

They were met by an unpleasant sight. Ashton had his arms about Audrey's waist, holding her back. Cedric was throttling Charles against the wall, his feet off the ground and poor Charles's face was a rather disconcerting shade of purple.

"What the devil?" Jonathan blurted out. Godric had already rushed to pull Cedric off of Charles.

"What in God's name is going on?" Lucien demanded.

Audrey delivered a sharp elbow into Ashton's ribs as she fought to free herself. When Audrey tried to deliver another such blow, Ashton spun her delicately into Jonathan's unsuspecting embrace.

"Hold her, man!" Ashton ordered. "And watch the elbows, they're like fire pokers!" Jonathan's arms locked about Audrey's waist, holding her captive. Now that Ashton was free, he sighed and rubbed a hand over his ribs.

"It seems Charles compromised Audrey this evening," Ashton said, finally answering Godric and Lucien's questions.

"What?" Emily's head whipped towards Ashton in disbelief.

Godric finally succeeded in wrenching Cedric away, and Charles collapsed to his hands and knees, wheezing.

"Cedric, we don't have time for this," Lucien cut in. "Something important has happened. Don't give me that look, it's more important that your sister's honor."

"What could be more important than that?"

"The safety of yourself and everyone you hold dear."

"What on earth are you talking about? You don't mean that note on my door, do you? I thought we'd agreed they were more idle threats?"

"I will be happy to explain, but we ought to send the women upstairs. There is much to discuss, and I haven't the time to deal with feminine hysterics," Lucien said.

His callous remark drew an arched brow from Emily and a glare from Audrey.

Godric came over, prepared for his wife to fight him. "I quite agree. It is a matter that cannot be shared with the ladies."

Emily held up a hand. "We will retire upstairs as you so politely requested. I would rather be in the company of hysterical women than ridiculous men. Ladies?" Emily indicated for Audrey and Horatia to follow her. Horatia was the first up the stairs, but Audrey still had to free herself from Jonathan.

"Let go!" she growled.

He looked down at her, holding her in his arms, as though surprised she was still there. Audrey stomped on his toes and he jumped back with a shout. She huffed and stalked up after Emily and her sister. Cedric trailed them all the way to Horatia's room and once inside he locked the the door. Audrey shouted vile curses no lady and few sailors should have known, some of it in French, ending with a hearty kick to the door. Unfortunately, her slippers were not the most effective weapons and she let out a yelp of pain. She hopped madly back and forth, clutching her bruised toes.

"Why on earth did you let them lock us away?" Audrey whined.

"Because you haven't been subjected to the indignities I have when those men downstairs don't get their way. It is most unpleasant to be manhandled, and far more undignified than this." Emily smoothed her midnight blue velvet skirts and sat down on Horatia's bed, looking at her expectantly. "Besides, I believe Horatia knows exactly what is going on."

Audrey looked to her sister as she limped over and joined Emily on the bed. "Well?"

Horatia sighed. "Very well. But you must not say a word until I'm finished. No, Audrey, not even a peep."

Audrey, whose lips had already opened up, stopped and clamped back shut.

After a brief narration of the night's events, heavily edited for propriety's sake, Horatia waited for either of her companions to speak. Worry shaded Emily's eyes, turning them a deeper shade of purple. Audrey just blinked, gaped and blinked again.

"This is more serious than I thought. There is a death threat out on your brother?"

Horatia nodded. "Lucien seems to know who is behind it, but he cannot understand why the men were discussing it in such a place."

"The Midnight Gardens are renowned for secrecy," Emily said. "Everyone seeks it and so nobody listens upon another's private matters.

Horatia pursed her lips a moment. "There is another possibility. Maybe they wanted to be overheard?"

"But why?" Audrey asked. "What advantage would that give them? We know Cedric is in danger now and we can protect him."

Horatia met Emily's gaze, reading the other woman's thoughts. "Audrey, remember when Cedric took you shooting once? He had a groundskeeper swat at the underbrush to shake the pheasants out of their hiding places. Perhaps they are shaking the bushes and waiting for them all to fly out."

Audrey paled. "Oh dear, then that would mean he has some plan in place and likely knows how Cedric and the other men will react."

"Exactly," Emily said. "Since they will not recognize the trap, nor will they know how to escape it even if we warn them, it may be left up to us to protect them from themselves."

Audrey flushed. "I...I know you said you would talk to Ashton about Jonathan, but I was having trouble waiting."

A laugh escaped from Horatia. "You always were too impulsive."

Emily pursed her lips as if bracing herself for disaster. "Audrey, what exactly did you do?"

"I convinced Charles to help me."

Horatia narrowed her eyes. "Help you how?"

"He may have introduced me to the finer points of kissing," Audrey confessed.

"Audrey!" Horatia gasped. Would her sister never learn that actions had consequences? Admittedly she wasn't one to talk, given her own night's events, but she knew Lucien would never be forced to marry her. Audrey and Charles might end up engaged if Audrey wasn't more careful.

"It was an intriguing experience, given that I have no real attraction to Charles."

"Audrey, you didn't let him kiss you?" Emily pressed. No wonder Cedric had been murderous. "I warned you about-"

"Nothing happened, except that I kissed him. He didn't even kiss me back. To get this way-" she gestured to her disheveled appearance "-he fixed my clothes and hair and told me to bite my lips a bit. I wanted Cedric to think that I'd been compromised. I'd hoped he might allow me to marry Jonathan instead..."

Horatia sucked in a breath at her sister's brash behavior. Am I the only sane Sheridan in the family? As soon as the question passed her mind she stifled a groan of embarrassment. She was no better than Audrey, really.

"And he did it to help you?" Emily sounded dubious.

"Oh yes." Audrey nodded. "But he took some convincing. He was quite angry with me, especially after I accosted him in his own drawing room. The poor man hid behind a couch to escape me."

It was simply too amusing an image, Charles scrambling over furniture to escape the kisses of a pretty debutante. Horatia had to bite down on her fist to still her urge to laugh outright.

Emily was not so restrained. "I would have given the world to see that!" she said, gasping for air, laughing.

Horatia was wiping tears from her eyes. Audrey was back to her old self, imitating Charles's fall off the couch when she'd kissed him. She made a theatrical squawk and toppled to the floor with a thud. By now Horatia was laughing so hard she could scarcely breathe.