Page 2 of To Break the Rules

“Do you mind, very much, Alice?” she asked, wishing the girl had been nowhere near Edgar Bindley.

Matilda had confided that Alice had almost been violated by Edgar during a visit to Vauxhall Gardens. If not for the Marquess of Montagu’s intervention, things could have ended very badly. Mr Bindley had also pursued Lucia over the past weeks, and she could feel nothing but revulsion for him. She’d taken care never to be alone with him, though he was a pale imitation of his father.

“Oh, no,” Alice said in a rush, shaking her head. “Not in the least, only Lord Bindley is not a nice man, and… do watch out for his son, Edgar Bindley. He’s a spiteful cad.”

“With a broken nose,” Matilda murmured before taking a sip of her tea. Alice glanced at her and grinned.

“I know,” Lucia said. She’d only been too pleased to discover Mr Hunt had broken Edgar’s nose. Her own retribution would be bloodless, but far more devastating. “That is why I chose them. I should not like to steal anything, even as silly as a cigar and a drink, from a man I esteemed.”

“Do you esteem any man?” Matilda asked, the direct question rather shocking the group as everyone stilled.

Lucia considered her answer, unsurprised by Matilda’s directness; it was a quality she valued highly in the woman from whom she had recently rented rooms. “No,” she said.

Everyone laughed, assuming she was being amusing again, though Lucia saw nothing to laugh about. Men would use her if she let them, so she would use them before they got the chance.

“Will you go to Ulceby’s ball?” Alice said, clearly a little discomposed by Lucia’s answer as she turned her attention to Matilda.

“I suppose so, to keep Lucia company and out of too much trouble if nothing else,” she said with a wry laugh. “I assume they won’t banish me at the door for being related to Nate, as the earl owes him too much money.”

Lucia’s ears pricked, noting Alice lowering her voice, unaware Lucia was still listening to the conversation.

“The earl owes everyone money,” Alice said. “I can’t understand how he can possibly afford to hold such a lavish ball.”

Lucia listened them talk, wondering about how a man on the verge of bankruptcy could continue to throw a fortune away.

“It’s a sickness, I think,” Matilda said, her voice soft. “I was angry with my father, for a very long time but… but he was so sorry for what he’d done. So full of remorse. He said demons had possessed him, and… I can almost believe it.”

“It is a sickness for some,” Lucia said, watching both women startle as they realised she’d been listening. “But not for Lord Bindley. He is a cruel, greedy man, and one day he will pay the price for it.”

She could not keep the venom from her words and cursed herself. Alice and Matilda were staring at her.

Hold your tongue, you fool.

Heat prickled down her back and Lucia realised she must try harder to hide her animosity for the earl.

“Well, then,” Ruth said, breaking the strange atmosphere with her cheery, no-nonsense voice. “These cakes will not eat themselves. For heaven’s sake, tuck in, ladies.”

Oohs of pleasure murmured around the group as various trays of delicate pastries passed back and forth.

“You know,” Prue said, giving Lucia and Kitty a sly glance, “both Alice and I are married because of our dares. So, I think you two ladies should prepare yourselves.”

The group laughed and made sounds of encouragement, but Lucia folded her arms, a scowl darkening her face.

“I would never give a man such power over me,” she said, unheeding of her own advice to watch her blasted tongue. The idea was too unsettling for her to hold her tongue as she ought. “I shall never marry. Never.”

Kitty, the other young lady with a dare to complete, blinked hard and scrambled to her feet. “Would… would you excuse me, please?”

She rushed from the room, leaving the other girls gaping in her wake

“Whatever did I say?” Prue asked, perplexed. “I know I’m good at putting my foot in my mouth, but—”

“I’ll go after her,” Harriet said, putting down her plate and following Kitty out the door.

“I suppose we all have our secrets,” Matilda said softly, turning to look at Lucia and smiling a little.

Lucia swallowed and forced a smile to her own lips, reminding herself once more to keep her mouth shut.

***