"Aye!" the trio exclaimed with one voice.
"And, my lords, will the one she chooses be content knowing the other two have had her publicly before most of their friends, the cream of society? Or does the lucky gentleman intend keeping the lady down in the country forever? And if her first child is born within the first year of the marriage, can the lucky gentleman be certain that the baby is his?"
"You have had her," the Duke of Rexford said. He sounded a bit irritated.
"That is true, my lord; but you do not know who I am, and the proper precautions were taken. Only one man among you knows who I am. If you met me at White"s, or at a ball, you would not recognize me as The Master. None of you would, but for the one gentleman. But you all recognize each other, and know who holds membership in the Devil"s Disciples, or the h.e.l.lfire. If you three publicly ravish Lady Lucinda tonight before your peers, you cannot stop the gossip that will ensue. The lady"s reputation will be ruined, as will that of her husband. I know you do not want that.
"Allow me to suggest another way. The lady has been mastered by me, and you have had your revenge in part. On November fifteenth the Countess of Whitley holds her end of hunting season ball in London. We shall all be there. Lady Lucinda has promised me that at that ball her brother, George, will announce her betrothal. In the meantime she has agreed to receive you all as callers in her home at Number Three Traleigh Square, London. I am willing to accept the lady"s word, so I am certain that the rest of you must. No one will be embarra.s.sed by this. No one but the Devil"s Disciples will know she has been with me these past three months and not in Ireland with her sister. As for you gentlemen, you will certainly not tell for fear your wives, daughters, sisters, mothers and mistresses learn of your l.u.s.tful little peccadillos."
He looked to the duke, the marquess, and Lord Bertram. "Will you forgo your immediate pleasure, my lords, for all of our sakes?"
"I want to hear the lady agree to this," Lord Bertram said.
"My pet," The Master said, "will you give your suitors your word that you will announce your betrothal at the Countess of Whitley"s ball in November?"
"You have my word on it, my lords, and I will indeed welcome you to Traleigh Square when I return to London. It will be my pleasure, I a.s.sure you," she purred seductively, and then she curtsied to them.
"I trust you have arranged suitable entertainment in place of Lady Lucinda?" the Duke of Rexford grumbled. Then he waved his hand. "I will agree to The Master"s proposal. I certainly don"t want it said that Bertram got to b.u.g.g.e.r my wife before I did."
"I agree as well," the Marquess of Hargrave said.
"And I," Lord Bertram responded.
"Very well, my lords, then it is settled. John! Escort Lady Lucinda back to the house at once. As for you, my lords, when did you ever visit me that I did not provide suitable entertainment for you?" He clapped his hands, and at once a troupe of bare-legged gypsy girls ran into the arena and began to dance, flinging their skirts in the air to display rounded brown b.u.t.tocks and dark-furred quims. "For starters, my lords," The Master said with a grin. "And later we will be auctioning off a most willing young virgin from the village. You all know her sisters quite well. We will auction both of her virginities, her c.u.n.t and her a.r.s.e. And, of course, we have both village lads and la.s.ses available for your pleasure. The wine barrels are filled with the finest of aphrodisiacs. I shall rejoin you as soon as I have ascertained Lady Lucinda is safely within the house and my randy footmen are not f.u.c.king her poor young maid, Polly, a final time."
He hurried off, leaving the Devil"s Disciples to their l.u.s.tful and baccha.n.a.lian revels. He reached the house just behind Lucinda and John.
She flung herself into his arms and kissed him most pa.s.sionately. "Thank you, my lord," Lucinda told him happily.
"I must attend to my guests," he said. "I shall not see you again, Lucinda. You will leave at first light tomorrow for London. All has been arranged for your journey. I understand that John will go with you. We shall not meet again." He gently removed her arms from about his neck.
"We shall meet at the Countess of Whitley"s ball, sir. You have promised me, and I know you will keep your promise."
He kissed her hand, smiling almost ruefully. "I will," he agreed.
"Then, we shall meet again, for I shall find you there," she told him.
Chapter Five.
Lady Lucinda Harrington"s traveling carriage drew up before the well-scrubbed white marble steps of Three Traleigh Square, on a bright September afternoon. The coach had barely drawn to a stop when the door to the house opened, and several footmen, clad in dark blue and silver livery, ran out to greet it. John, seated with the coachman on the box, raised an inquiring eyebrow, for he had been told Lady Lucinda would be hiring new servants herself. The door to the vehicle was opened, the steps pulled down, and a footman"s hand steadying hers, Lady Lucinda descended from the coach, shaking her skirts free of wrinkles.
"Who are you?" she demanded of the footman.
"James, m"lady. The bishop and his wife are awaiting you inside." He led the way.
So, Lucinda thought, George and his better half are here. I certainly hope they are not thinking of remaining. I am hardly ready to receive visitors, and certainly do not want house-guests while I entertain my eager suitors. She hurried up the two marble steps, and into the bright hallway of her house.
"Luci, m"dear!" Her brother came forward smiling. "How was Ireland, and how is darling Julia?" He beamed approvingly at her.
"My summer was quite enlightening, Georgie," Lucinda responded coolly, moving past her brother to embrace her sister-in-law. "Caro, you are blooming, dearest. How kind of you to come up from Wellington. Where are you staying? At your sister"s? And should you be traveling at this late date in your confinement?"
"Why, Luci, we are staying here," her sister-in-law said nervously.
"You cannot," Lucinda said. "I have not yet hired any servants. I have just my Polly and her intended, John, who acts as my footman." She turned to her brother again. "Georgie, can you get a license for Polly and John so they can be married right away? They will be returning to the country after the Whitley ball. John is to take over his father"s smithy. Isn"t it lovely for our Polly?" She smiled brightly at her brother, who was beginning to look confused.
"But, Luci, m"dear, the duke sent over enough servants for your little house," he said. "There is no need for you to be bothered interviewing and employing any others."
"George, I am shocked at you. I cannot take such a generous gift from Rexford. Why, Hargrave and Bertram would think I had made a decision without giving them a fair hearing. No! No! No! No! Rexford"s servants must leave my house this very day and return to their master." She turned again, and pinned the attending footman with a sharp look. "James, gather your people up and return to your master"s house immediately."
"Ohh, Lucinda," her sister-in-law wailed, "you will insult the duke, I fear."
"It is he who has insulted me by suggesting I would accept such a gift, generous as it was meant to be," Lucinda responded. "I shall make my own decisions as I always have."
"You do not seem much changed, Luci," her brother said suspiciously.
"Why on earth would a summer at Julia"s change me, Georgie?" she replied innocently. "I am the same woman as ever." She smiled wickedly at him, pleased to see him pale.
"Your promise, Luci. You do mean to keep your promise, don"t you?" He was definitely distressed now.
"What promise?" her sister-in-law inquired.
"I promised Georgie before I left London in June that I would reconsider the possibility of remarrying, and I have. Georgie will announce my betrothal at the Countess of Whitley"s ball in November, Caro. I would never break a promise to my dearest and most favorite brother."
"Ohh, how exciting!" her sister-in-law cried. "Who have you chosen, Lucinda? Is it Rexford, Hargrave, or Bertram? Do tell us!"
Lucinda laughed, and shook her head. "I shall tell no one until the night of the ball," she said. "Besides, I have not yet decided. You and Georgie may remain the night, Caro, but tomorrow you must return home to Wellington. I am a respectable widow about to be courted again, and I don"t want a family about inhibiting my suitors."
Caroline Worth giggled. "Lucinda, you are truly dreadful! Will you try them all, and make your decision by those means?"
"Why, Caro, what on earth do you mean?" Lucinda said primly, but her eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with merriment.
"If you send Rexford"s servants away, who is to cook dinner?" the portly bishop demanded "Dinner is probably already prepared," Lucinda said. "Polly and John can serve us. Caro, you and Georgie have your servants with you, I"m certain. So we shall muddle through nicely. I will write a note to Rexford, thanking him for his generosity, but explaining why I cannot possibly accept it. John, is the luggage unloaded?"
"Yes, m"lady," the footman said.
"Polly, fetch my writing box, and tell James he is not to depart without my note to the duke, his master."
"Yes, m"lady," Polly replied with a curtsey.
"Now," Lucinda said, "let us adjourn into the salon."
In the morning her brother and his wife departed much to Lucinda"s relief. "We need servants," Lucinda told John and Polly. "Not a great staff, but a good one."
"What will you need?" John asked her. He had worked in Lord Bowen"s London house for six years prior to going to The Master.
"It"s a small household," Lucinda considered. "A butler, perferably one who can read, write and keep the accounts," she began. "Six footmen, two footboys, a cook, a housekeeper, two chambermaids, three housemaids, a laundry maid, two scullery maids. Where will you find them?"
"I know plenty of servants in many of the big houses. There"s always someone looking to move up the ladder, or unhappy with their position. I"ll have us staffed in just a few days, m"lady. I"ll pick only the best and bring "em to you to interview."
John was as good as his word, but her lack of a staff that first week in London allowed Lucinda to avoid her eager suit-ors for several days, although they all called upon her the very next day after George had departed back to Wellington. Her footman showed the trio into Lucinda"s morning room, for they had all arrived at her door at practically the same moment, their carriages drawing up one behind the other. Lucinda greeted them in an embroidered, rose-colored, sack-back dress with lace edging about the neckline. They tumbled into the room like a group of unruly puppies in their eagerness to see her, and gain her favor.
"My lords!" Lucinda"s hand went to her throat as if surprised. "You take me unawares! I am hardly ready to receive visitors, even such distinguished gentlemen as yourselves. Please do be seated. May I offer you some sherry? John, please pour for our guests." She smiled at them and shrugged prettily. "I fear I am practically servantless at the moment and not able to properly entertain you."
"You should not be without servants if you had accepted the staff I sent you," the Duke of Rexford said sharply.
"You sent Lady Lucinda a staff?" Lord Bertram sounded quite offended by the knowledge.
"She sent them back," the duke grumbled.
"As she should have," the Marquess of Hargrave spoke up. "It was extremely cheeky of you, Rexford. Lady Lucinda has not yet, to my knowledge, made her decision."
"No, my lords, I have not," Lucinda told them sweetly. "Instead of judging you so harshly as I did last spring, I am going to give you all an equal chance to win both my hand and my heart. But I must beg you to accept a few little ground rules I think may help us avoid any dissension or confusion. To begin with, I thank you for coming to welcome me back to London." She smiled, and they all beamed back, each convinced that her smile was directed more at him than at his rivals. "I do not, however, wish to see any of you again until next week. I need time to hire my staff and get my house in order. Why, several of the dinner plates from Dr. Wall"s pottery in Worcester arrived broken!"
"How dreadful," Lord Bertram said.
"Allow me to replace them," the duke said.
"Do you think you can purchase Lady Lucinda"s favor?" the marquess demanded angrily of the duke.
"My lords! My lords! Please, I beg you, do not quarrel," Lucinda pleaded prettily, "but as you seem unable to be civil with one another, you will understand my next request of you. Each of you will call upon me twice a week. The duke on Mondays and Thursdays. The marquess on Tuesdays and Fridays. Lord Bertram on Wednesdays and Sat.u.r.days. Sunday I reserve for myself to attend church and rest. We will begin with a morning call. Then we shall move to afternoon tea, and then, perhaps, an evening party. That way you shall each have an equal chance with me. We shall be seen in public enough so that when my brother announces my betrothal none will think it strange, for they will have seen that we have resolved our former differences of last season." She smiled again at them. "I do think it is a most sensible plan, my lords."
"Very sensible!" the duke agreed.
"Capital." The marquess nodded.
"Practical," Lord Bertram approved.
Lucinda arose from the settee where she had been sitting. "Then, my lords, until next week when we begin anew." She held out her hand to them, and each kissed it as she murmured, "Good day, my lord duke. Good day, my lord marquess. Good day, Lord Bertram." And they were gone.
As Lucinda had come up to town in her brother"s traveling carriage, she was now without transport. She purchased a beautiful little town coach that could seat four. It was not new, but had been previously owned by a gentleman who had recently retired to the country. It was in excellent condition. Four matching gray horses were included in the sale, as was the former owner"s coachman. The coach and horses were stabled two streets away with the coachman, who lived above the stables. By the end of her first week back in London, her household was in order, and she had even found a fashionable modiste to make her some new gowns. Lucinda was ready to receive her suitors. It was six weeks until the Countess of Whitely"s ball.
On Sunday evening Lucinda called John and Polly to her. "I promised you when we arrived in London I should tell you the ident.i.ty of The Master. It will be our secret. The gentleman in question is Lucian Robert Charles Phillips, the Earl of Stanton."
"But what good does it do you, m"lady," Polly said, "if you are never to see him again and must marry another?"
"Polly, did I not say I would not have that trio of villains? You must trust me. I promised my brother he would announce my betrothal at the Whitley ball. I did not say to whom that betrothal would be."
"And will his lordship be agreeable?" John asked, suddenly understanding his mistress"s plan.
Lucinda chuckled. "Do you think he won"t be, John?" she replied.
Now it was the footman who chuckled. "He"ll be surprised, m"lady, he will. You"ll forgive me if I say that you"re a deep one. But I don"t think he"ll be unhappy about such a turn of events."
"This does not go beyond this room," Lucinda told them, and they both nodded. "Now, the first banns for your marriage were read this morning in church. Two more Sundays, then you will marry, my dears, and you shall have a hundred pounds from me as a wedding gift."
The two servants thanked her profusely. A hundred pounds was a very, very generous gift.
The following morning the Duke of Rexford arrived at eleven to be ushered into Lucinda"s bedchamber. She was sitting up in her bed, a lacy shawl about her shoulders, having her breakfast. She smiled, and held out her hand to him. "Richard, good morning! Is it that late already? I have had such a busy week last week and am exhausted."
He kissed her hand, his eyes lingering at the spot where the shawl"s two sides met. He was certain her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were bare beneath. "You look as fresh as a daisy, my dear," he said, sitting on the edge of her bed, but careful not to tilt her breakfast tray.
"Polly, get his lordship a saucer of tea. I keep an excellent stock of leaf that my brother William sends from India."
"When are you going to cease this game and agree to marry me, Lucinda?" he said.
"Now, Richard, you must not press me. I shall not make my decision until the very night of the Whitley ball." She smiled seductively.
"Yer tea, yer lordship," Polly said, pushing the fragile cup and its deep saucer into his hand.
On Tuesday Lucinda entertained the Marquess of Hargrave in her back garden as she cut roses, the dew still upon them.
On Wednesday Lord Bertram arrived to take her for a ride through the park in his open carriage.
Thursday the duke cornered her in her morning room and, pushing her to the yellow settee, fondled her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She scolded him prettily.
Friday the marquess stole a kiss.
Sat.u.r.day Lord Bertram attempted to put his hand beneath her skirts and was slapped lightly for his trouble, but she gave him a kiss on the cheek to a.s.sure him there were no hard feelings.
Sunday Lucinda arrived at church to discover her three suitors waiting for her in her pew. She did, however, go home alone.
The next week was much the same, but Lucinda did manage to get the gentlemen to appear in public with her more, a.s.suring them it was better that they did. The third week afternoon visits began, and Lucinda liked it a great deal more, for she was able to convince her suitors to take her riding in the park which kept them out of the house. The fourth week, however, each was insistent upon staying for tea after they returned Lucinda home. Only the presence of the footmen serving, and Polly hovering, kept her from their l.u.s.tful advances.
Four weeks into this most public courtship, Lucinda began appearing at parties with her suitors in tow. Now it was impossible to keep them separated, and she was only able to keep to her schedule by allowing one of them to escort her home each evening.
The carriage rides back to Traleigh Square were pa.s.sionate. Cooped within the closed coach with the duke, the marquess, or Lord Bertram, Lucinda had no choice but to yield to their overtures. She did so coyly, sighing deeply when she was kissed, murmuring as her bosom was fondled hotly by eager hands. The marquess surprised her one night, getting his hand beneath her gown and its petticoats to frig her quite enthusiastically until she came. Then, despite his portly figure, he managed to kneel before her and, sticking his head beneath her gown, licked and sucked at her until she came again. Lucinda did not hold back or demur. She enjoyed the release he gave her and told him so.
"When we are wed, my dear," the marquess a.s.sured her, "I shall give you even greater pleasure."
It was obvious he could not keep his little triumph to himself. Several days later on their journey home from a delightful evening of card playing, the duke directed his coachman to drive through the park. In the darkness of the carriage, he lifted her voluminous skirts, then putting her, spread-legged, upon his lap, f.u.c.ked her with vigor even as he tongued her nipples. Afterward he praised her excitement as quite stimulating to him and, handing her out of the vehicle, escorted her to her door, kissing her hand chastely.
It was obvious now that Lord Bertram would certainly accost her next, and he did not disappoint. This time in the darkened carriage she was set down on her knees before her swane and instructed to suck his c.o.c.k until it was dry. She did so, and was praised by the gentleman for her stellar performance. "The Master has trained you admirably," he declared.
To spare herself any more of these evening onslaughts from her suitors, Lucinda began inviting them to dinner. In her din-ing room, surrounded by the servants, they could not a.s.sault her. But she could not always remain at home as it was very necessary she be seen in public with them.
She took to devising ways of avoiding their l.u.s.t. One evening she insisted they all accompany her home. Another evening she cried off with the headache and remained home. A third she grew ill early on in the evening and, loudly insisting her escort remain at the gambling tables, went home alone. And all the while she smiled, and twinkled, and flirted with each of them until each was convinced he would be the winner of her hand.
The banns having been read the required number of times, Polly and John were married on a Monday morning by a local vicar. Lucinda had given them both the day off. She stood as one of their witnesses, afterward walking back to Traleigh Square with two footmen in attendance, leaving the newly-weds to themselves for the day. Her household was all agog with her generosity and her kindness to the two servants.
"She"s a real lady," the cook said that evening in the servants" hall. "We"re lucky, we are!"
Several days before the Whitley ball, John told his mistress that the Earl of Stanton had arrived at Lord Bowen"s house. They would be at the musicale at Lord Carstairs" this evening. Now was her chance to see what he really looked like, Lucinda thought happily. She had missed him, and she had missed his pa.s.sion. She dressed carefully that evening, her gown in the latest fashionable hue, a flame color called "Burnt Opera House." With her pale skin and her rich, dark chestnut hair, she was quite striking.