Page 3 of A Rogue to Cherish

Knowing he had to reply, he went to the desk and pulled out a piece of paper, then dipped the quill into the ink and found he could not formulate any words.

Finally, he wrote one single sentence:

Lucinda,

I will visit today.

Grant

He stared at the single line. How had his life come to this? As much as he claimed to wish for an independent woman, he was no better than Lucinda. His lovers fed him, dressed him, and ensured that he had all that a gentleman required. Without any money of his own, he depended on finding wealthy lovers in exchange for the luxurious lifestyle to which he’d become accustomed.

“Sir?” Norman came to the door. “Did ye forget about the lass? Should I offer her a refreshment?”

“Grand idea, Norman,” Grant said. “Bring tea out to the garden. I will eat with the young lady who is here to deliver a message that I am not sure how to reply to.”

The butler gave him a puzzled look. “You do realize she is a servant?”

“Is she?” Grant had not thought about it. “Ah, yes, you are probably right.”

“So would you prefer to have your tea indoors?” Norman asked, his face a study in how to not express what one thinks.

Grant shrugged. “No, I will have my tea in the garden with the little maid. I have questions for her, and I am quite hungry.”

“As you wish.” Norman walked away, and Grant followed. Instead of taking the note with him, he placed it on a side table. For some reason, he was anxious to get outside to discover what the maid’s reaction to the garden was. There would be time to return inside and retrieve the note to give to her. For the moment, he preferred to pretend a young woman had come to call on him and that they would have a delightful meal together. After all, there was nothing else to do with his time.

However, if he was to procure the money from Lucinda, he had to ensure he was not to be seen with anyone else. As it was, since his full attention was being taken by Lucinda, his other lovers were growing impatient at his lack of time for them. So soon, he’d start doing less with her. Very soon.

The two women that he visited regularly, twice monthly, had both sent invitations that he’d been forced to not accept. In truth, it was becoming annoying; it was as if he was indeed losing as much of his freedom as Evan and Henry in spite of the fact he was still unmarried.

Although Grant wished to do as he pleased, at the moment, the most important thing was the money for the ship. Therefore, Lucinda had to be his priority.

He caught his reflection in a large mirror and leaned in closer. His eyes were clear despite staying up late the night before. His hair was a bit disheveled, and his cravat was loose. A true rogue depended on his looks, which combined with impeccable grooming were a perfect enticement to a possible lover.

At the moment, however, there was no seduction planned and no need to be looking his best. All it would be was tea with a young woman, one who didn’t aspire to anything more than the chance to enjoy the garden.

His lips curved in a smile. For the first time in a long time, he looked forward to time spent with a woman, one who would not demand anything from him. Instead, she would in all probability, be more interested in the surroundings than in flirting with him.

It was a liberating feeling.