Page 46 of Her Rake Fiancé

Eight days until the wedding…

As agreed, Richard arrived at Elysium the following day to pick up Jane and to search for Reuben. He climbed out of his carriage and his boots landed in the dry, packed dirt.

Two of Thorne’s men stood by the club’s main entrance, watching him.

Knowing he needed a reason to see Jane, Richard turned to the marketplace, which teemed with life—vendors haggling, customers bartering, and children playing. A group of beggars huddled by the market stands, their eyes wary yet hopeful. Richard dropped a few coins into each of their tin cups, and their faces softened with surprise and gratitude. The scent of roasting chestnuts and the faint chords of a distant pipe and tabor filled the air.

Richard wandered through the first row of the marketplace, purchasing a bouquet of wildflowers for Jane and two dozen tantalizingly fragrant pies for the children. The plump vendor, who had sold him all her stock, packed the pies for him with gleaming eyes.

The sights of the marketplace stirred up a warmth of empathy in Richard. He understood why Jane was so keen on helping these people. And she was right—he had both the financial means and social standing to make real changes. Even Thorne Blackmore, a criminal, had done more for them than Richard. As his gaze swept over the dilapidated houses, the people in patched and grimy clothes bustling about, and the beggars clothed in barely more than rags, his mind churned. Land in this area must be inexpensive, and there seemed to be an abundance of willing workers.

Could he do something here that would benefit the community while also being a place of business?

Thinking, Richard returned to Elysium. The two guards stood their ground, regarding him with suspicious, narrowed eyes. They hadn’t been here the previous two times he’d visited. Perhaps he had been lucky, and they’d been on a break, because every time he’d come to Elysium as a patron, there’d been guards checking memberships and ensuring order. It seemed that his luck had run out. Maybe Thorne had seen to that.

“Lord Richard,” one of the men said. “Please, state your business.”

“I would like to visit Miss Grant and the children in the school. Here are some pies for the young ones and flowers for Miss Grant.”

The eyes of both guards softened. One of them nodded. “I don’t think Mr. Blackmore would object. But I will inquire what to do. Janie isn’t finished with her school anyway. Wait here.”

The man disappeared, and when he came out several minutes later, he nodded to Richard. “Mr. Blackmore doesn’t see any harm in it. However, Miss Grant isn’t to leave with you.”

A complication. Richard wondered if Thorne was growing wary of him because he’d caught him with Jane so early in the morning.

Jane had said Reuben was supposed to be home at this time of day and was hoping to talk to him in private. How would they sneak out with these two watching?

“Very well,” said Richard.

“I will open the gate for you,” the man said and walked towards the gate to the backyard, Richard on his heels.

As the guard flung open the door, a thrill of anticipation surged through Richard, causing his pulse to quicken. He stepped through, the mingled scents of horses, freshly baked bread, and the hot, forged iron strangely welcoming. He couldn’t help but hurry, even though he knew Jane’s class wouldn’t finish for another hour. His impatience surprised him; he was as eager as a boy.

The yard was alive with activity: a woman attended to the chicken coop, her movements causing the hens to erupt in raucous clucks. From the stables, a horse whickered softly as a stable boy brushed it. A melodic clanking sounded from the blacksmith’s workshop.

Approaching the small stone schoolhouse, nestled in a corner of the courtyard, he pushed the door open ever so slightly. But his stealth was quickly betrayed by Hercules’s eager barks. The door swung open, revealing Jane’s radiant smile as seven wide-eyed children stared at him.

Hercules jumped and whined, pawing at his hand, but Richard couldn’t look away from Jane. Her attire was different today, a departure from her usual gray and brown. She wore a pale blue dress, simple yet elegant, cut to flatter her figure. Embroidered patterns adorned the edge of her skirt, her spencer a rich, dark blue enlivened by golden threads.

Jane’s hair, too, appeared more groomed, the curls around her face framing it beautifully. Her posture spoke volumes, shoulders squared, back straight, a tranquil expression on her face, and a newfound brightness in her eyes. Warmth spread through him at seeing her so comfortable, so self-assured.

“My apologies,” he stammered, his eyes still riveted on her. “I didn’t mean to disrupt your class. I was hoping to…observe.”

“You’re early,” she remarked, a sweet smile gracing her lips. A smile he ached to kiss.

“I couldn’t wait to see you,” he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. His previous painful associations with Lady Brewster’s garden had now been replaced with sweet memories of Jane. It was now the place where a beautiful woman he couldn’t stop thinking about had given him a new hope and started to fill the cracks in his heart.

Jane flushed, a delicate shade of pink coloring her cheeks, her breath hitching.

The implication hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by her soft reply. “Oh, well, you will still have to wait.”

“Of course,” he replied, extending the bouquet toward her. She took it, her lips parting in surprise as she drew in the fragrance. “And these,” he continued, presenting a newspaper-wrapped package of pies, “are for the young ones.”

She accepted the pies with a grateful smile. “Thank you, for both.”

As the scent of the freshly baked dough wafted through the room, the children erupted in excited chatter. One of the girls sprang up to help Jane with the pies, while Hercules stared at the bag with keen interest.

“I’ll wait until you finish,” Richard announced, turning to leave. “Come, Hercules, time for a walk.”