Bound by Bliss (Bound and Determined #2)
Lavinia Kent
Prologue
“There’s a lady to see you, Madame,” Mr. Simms, the porter, said after a brief tap on the parlor door.
“A lady?” Ruby, Madame Rouge, lifted her head from the sealed letter she’d been examining and stared at the door, not really seeing anything as she cleared her thoughts. “A lady?” she repeated.
“Yes, Madame, very definitely a lady,” Simms answered, his tone low and confidential.
The last lady, Lady Brookingston, to call upon Ruby had led to adventure and matrimony—for the lady, not Ruby. She was not at all sure that she wished to have another such visit. Ladies did not come to call upon Ruby very often and she rather thought she liked it that way. A brothel was not the place for ladies. Their visits were always messy and normally involved odd and difficult requests that she had no wish to fulfill. It was true that sometimes ladies of particular needs made use of some of the more unusual upstairs rooms along with their desired partners, but they rarely called upon her first. The matters were handled strictly as business.
“Please tell her that I am not receiving visitors.”
Simms paled a little, but retreated.
Ruby bent her head back to the missive from Manchester. She really should open it. There must be a reason that he was writing her after all these months. Even without ever having seen his writing, she knew it was from him. Her index finger traced the sealing wax and then dropped again to the table. Something so simple should not be so difficult. It was only a letter, a letter from a man she’d known barely a day.
A tap. Simms reappeared. “The lady said to tell you that Lady Perse is calling and she will not be turned away.”
It was Ruby’s turn to pale. Hand shaking slightly, she focused on the cup of tea, which sat unfinished upon her desk. Picking up the rapidly cooling beverage, she took a large sip.
Lady Perse, a woman known for matchmaking and her iron fist. Lady Perse, a woman she had never met and yet was still far too connected to. Why would the society matron be visiting her?
Madame took another gulp of the tea.
It had been strange enough when Louisa Brookingston—now Lady Swanston, the widow of one of her clients—had sought her out. Having Lady Perse visit was beyond any dream—or nightmare—she had ever imagined.
“Give me a moment and then send her in.” There was clearly no way to get rid of the lady other than meeting with her if half of what she’d heard was true. “And have a fresh pot of tea and another cup brought in—and cherry tarts.”
She’d hardly finished the words before Lady Perse stalked into the room. Or, at least, she assumed it was Lady Perse. It was hard to tell beneath the heavy veiling. Lady Brookingston had also come veiled, but her light covering in no way compared to the heavy pile of black draping that confronted her now.
“You know who I am?” The lady spoke without bothering with introduction.
“Lady Perse, I presume.”
“Good.” Without another word, the woman pulled off her veils and dropped them on the settee, revealing a very narrow figure beneath the most amazing head of hair Ruby had ever seen. It was as if someone had set a very large puff of swan’s down upon her head.
What did one say to that? “May I offer you some refreshment?” she said, gesturing to a comfortable chair.
Lady Perse stared at the chair a moment, her nose wrinkling slightly, and then sat on the very edge. “Tea. You do have tea? I am not quite sure what to expect in such a place.”
Ruby straightened in her chair, imitating Lady Perse’s straight posture. “Yes, I have tea. It will be here in a moment.”
Lady Perse pulled a fan from her reticule and vigorously waved it in the air. “Those veils are quite stifling. I will have to be sure my dear Lord Perse lives a long life. I could not bear to wear them daily.”
Ruby merely nodded. It was important to find out why Lady Perse was calling. “And how may I help you? I assume there is a reason for your call.” There were times when it was best to be direct.
Lady Perse removed her gloves. “I need to talk to you about my nephew.”
“Your nephew? I was not aware you had a nephew.” And Ruby knew all about Lady Perse’s relations.
“By marriage. My husband’s sister’s son, Stephan Perth, Lord Duldon.”
Duldon. That explained much. Her mind flashed to the tall stiff man with the startling eyes, dark gold curls, and a face that rarely smiled, but when it did…Yes, Ruby could understand why there might be questions in regard to Lord Duldon. He had been a frequent visitor over the years, a visitor of very particular tastes. “I rarely speak of patrons—assuming he even is one of my guests. What exactly would you like to know?” she asked.
Lady Perse shut her lips tight for a moment. It was clear she did not wish to say the words she knew she must. She glanced down at her hands for a moment and then raised her eyes to Ruby. “I have heard certain rumors about the boy. Rumors that he has rather unusual tastes. Rumors I would expect you to know the truth of.”
Ruby would never have referred to Duldon as a boy. The man was well over six foot and could out-glare the best of them. “I really cannot speak of such things.” And that was true. What a patron did was always held in the highest of confidences. And she certainly could not imagine discussing Duldon’s preferences with Lady Perse.