Genie’s Scandalous Spinster’s Society Read online

  “Let’s go inside,” Sophia told her.

  Genie nodded and followed.

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  CHAPTER TWO

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  Genie walked into the house and was greeted by all her friends. There was happiness reflected on their faces but she could also see the worry.

  Lorena took her arm and steered her toward the drawing room. “You must be tired after such a long journey. You could rest if you wish it. You and Sophia will share a room since space is limited but the room is quite beautiful. Of course, not as beautiful as the room I lend you at my house in London but you know my aunt enjoys pretty things.” Lorena loved her house and after everything she’d endured, Genie thought she deserved it. But whatever she’d imagined Maura’s home to look like, this was far from what her mind could have come up with.

  Genie looked around the house and was amazed at the sights before her. It looked like an exhibit one would see on display in London. The artwork was not of English pastures or family portraits. Instead, there were scenes from far off places, miniature sculptures of exotic animals, and rugs with hues and patterns she’d never seen before.

  Maura’s father was an explorer, which explained where all the treasures had come from.

  Genie grinned at Lorena. “I’m quite awake.”

  Lorena smiled and her blue eyes shined. They were like Francis’ but where her brother had dark hair, hers was the golden color of light. “Of course you are. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you tired.”

  It was true, Genie was rarely tired. In all the years she and Lorena had known each other, Lorena had always fallen asleep first, at dull parties, at dull plays, at dull musicals. It was either that or they would find themselves in trouble so their parents usually allowed their impromptu naps.

  Lorena was her oldest friend, since Genie’s mother and her mother had been friends and after Genie’s mother died, the Duchess of Valdeston had taken over. Genie had felt loved even by Lorena’s father. The Cullips had always been a loving home that Genie had envied as much as she’d been thankful to be a part of and she’d mourned when the duchess and duke died in a boating accident last year.

  Since then, their little family had grown by the addition of friends.

  Genie took a seat in the blush pink drawing room and looked at her friends Maura, Sophia, and Alice. “What have I missed?”

  Miss Alice Wilkin said, “We’re planning the events of your being compromised.”

  Genie became suddenly alert. “Finally.” There had been a plan for Francis to compromise her earlier that year at Lorena’s engagement ball but circumstance had prevented it being carried out. For instance, Alice, a stranger at the time, had been shot by the crazed Albina Steen, who wrongfully blamed Alice’s father Ralph Wilkins for her father’s death. The bullet had only grazed her arm but the commotion that came after had led to Alice being one of the Spinster Sisters.

  Hopefully, this time there would be no bullets to hinder their mission.

  “What is the plan?”

  “We’re inviting the local vicar over for dinner in a week along with the Nashwood Men,” Lorena said. “Then, in front of the vicar, you’ll kiss Francis. Of course, he’ll kiss you back and the vicar will have no choice but to see that you are wed.”

  Genie thought the plan wonderful. She’d never kissed Francis before and was looking forward to it. “Are all the Nashwood Men here?”

  Lorena nodded. “They’re training at Morris’ estate.”

  “Training?” Sophia asked.

  Alice was sitting next to Sophia and answered, “They believe we’ll continue to get in trouble, so have decided it's best that they all know how to use a handgun and fight.”

  Sophia smiled. “How wise of them.”

  The women laughed. It was no secret to London that the Spinster’s Society was drawn to trouble. It all started when everyone believed Lorena the culprit for the Earl of Ashwick’s home being burned to the ground. That night, the Spinster’s Society was born with Lorena’s embarrassment leading her to swear off men. However, Ashwick, whose name was Emmett Starr, had other plans for Lorena and somewhere along the way had convinced Lorena of his love, which prompted her to share her own feelings. This set the whole of London into a frenzy, which only grew worse when Alice was shot at their engagement party.

  As Sophia had stated, it was very wise for the men to take on training themselves to protect their female counterparts. Alice’s fiancé, Mr. Calvin Lockwood, was also one of the Men of Nashwood, along with Emmett.

  Genie asked, “Besides William, do any of them actually know how to use a handgun?” Sir William Tift was a knight who’d assisted against Napoleon, an ongoing struggle that continued in France.

  “Julius does,” Alice said. “He told me he is never without it.” Lord Julius Hext was the Marquess of Darvess and a rumored murderer, though no one seemed to know the details of that story.

  “As you know, the rest are very good with a rifle,” Lorena told her.

  Genie tried to imagine the men fighting and wielding guns with valor. A shiver went through her. The men were already titled or wealthy and every last one of them could compete for the position of England’s most gorgeous gentleman. The thought of them all becoming dangerous was almost too much to bear. She caught Sophia’s sly grin and knew Sophia was thinking the same.

  “Why must we wait an entire week for this dinner?” Genie asked.

  “Because Sophia’s father is making you a lavishly daring mourning costume,” Alice told her with a grin.

  Sophia laughed. “Oh, you’ve already involved my father? Splendid. You know how much he enjoys these sorts of plots.” Sophia’s father, Lord Taylor, was the twin brother to the Viscount of Dovehaven and was known to create women’s apparel that could make a woman’s mouth water. The entire Taylor family was also quite unconventional, which allowed Sophia to fit into the Spinster’s Society easily. Sophia herself was a writer and usually wrote any story that the Spinsters wished the public to read.

  Genie closed her eyes and envisioned what would occur in the matter of a week. “What if the new Lord Buckley finds where I am and comes for me?” When she opened her eyes, she found four pairs of eyes on her.

  Lorena frowned. “Yes, we’ve wondered what prompted you to leave London. What has your cousin done? The men said they checked Lord Archie out and all seemed right with him where you were concerned.”

  Genie shook her head. “Archie has done nothing wrong except that I believe he wishes me to marry his friend, Mr. Levander Cross.” The room fell into silence as Genie continued her story. “Archie never says anything about it of course, since I am in mourning, but Mr. Cross has been over almost every day and at every meal. It’s quite inappropriate with my being in mourning but Archie believes it perfectly fine so long as he and Mr. Cross are having business meetings in between.”

  “Do they?” Lorena asked.

  Genie nodded. “I suppose. They are business partners. Levander owns an ice company and has mentioned on more than one occasion that I would enjoy the air in Canada or Norway, which is where the ice is from.”

  Lorena grabbed her arm. “He’s not trying to take you away, is he?”

  Genie sighed. “I believe he is. He’s made it very clear that he lives in Norway and needs a wife.”

  “Oh, dear,” Maura whispered. Maura was Lorena’s cousin and had Lorena’s coloring though she was a slimmer woman. She was also usually quiet.

  “But your father left you an allowance,” Alice said. “Doesn’t that mean you’re free to live your life however you wish?”

  Genie nodded. “But there seems to be something in my father’s will that could make it so I never receive a shilling. Archie told me so. Though he did it with kindness at the time, it still frightened me. If I’m left with nothing, what will happen to me?”
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  “You could live with any of us,” Sophia told her. “You know we’d never let anything happen to you.”

  “Yes,” Lorena agreed with a smile.

  Alice said, “But I’m sure she rather live with Francis.”

  Genie blushed and bit her lip.

  “And now that Francis runs his own club, he can afford to keep you,” Sophia added. Francis and the men had started a new gentlemen’s club called Nashwood London. The club’s popularity was rooted in the fact that every man secretly wished they were one of the Men of Nashwood and thus hurried to become a member of the exclusive establishment.

  Genie had known in her heart that Francis’ earlier lack of funds had been the reason he’d not proposed but now that he was a man of means, there was no point in waiting anymore. She felt no guilt about trapping him because she had no doubt that they would be happy together. Being compromised only hurried the inevitable.

  “We must set this plan into motion immediately.” Lorena held her eyes. “No interruptions this time.”

  Genie agreed. “No interruptions.” She’d have Francis or no one at all.

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  CHAPTER THREE

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  Francis awoke to the low scraping of china being placed on the table in his bedchamber and watched as a maid set out a small vase with a single purple perennial. The sun had yet to fully rise but Francis was an early riser, which Genie knew. To ensure that he received her morning gift, she had to have woken early herself.

  When the giving of the perennial had first begun, nearly a decade ago, Francis had tried to stop Genie from doing it because he’d not enjoyed the thought of her waking early to ensure he had a flower while he consumed breakfast. His concerns had been waved away, and he’d grown to enjoy seeing the symbol of her love every day.

  Until Lord Buckley had forbidden him from taking her as his wife. Had circumstances been different, Francis would have married Genie after completing Oxford two years ago. Had his father been a better man where money was concerned, he and Genie would already have their first child.

  Francis could only hope that Genie married a very old man who died just in time for Francis to be her second husband. Until then, his future seemed dim. The opening of Nashwood London had given Francis a separate income from his estate and was helping him to pay off his debt to Buckley quicker than he’d originally thought possible but he still had years to go until the debt was paid in full.

  He stretched, dressed in his robe, enjoyed his meal of toast, ham, coddled eggs, and coffee and spent his time between reading the paper from London dated a few days ago and staring at the flower on the table.

  He imagined the day when the flowers would stop coming and he turned away from the pain in his chest. He washed, dressed, and started from the house toward the stables.

  The stableman was there with Francis’ horse Prince at the ready and Francis took the Australian Thoroughbred’s reins and started walking the horse at a slow pace. Prince was the very last thing of value Francis had and the only thing he’d kept since his father’s death. Everything that hadn’t been attached to his title had been sold. In London, he’d boarded up his windows and let his staff go in order to avoid paying taxes on either. Every coin he’d received from the estate’s earnings had gone toward freeing him from Lord Buckley’s contract. The London residence was only now seeing the light of day because the gentlemen’s club had run out of it. Emmett, who was an investor, was paying the taxes on it. Otherwise, Francis would have left the windows boarded up.

  “I’ll sell you as well, if it comes down to it,” Francis told Prince, as he’d done plenty over the years. Though with Assize-week approaching, he hoped to have the horse then.

  Assize-week was the time when the Assize, court officials, traveled to different shires to oversee criminal cases. They would arrive in Newmarket in a few days’ time and gentlemen and ladies from all around England would gather in Suffolk to hire more servants while participating in races. Women were allowed to participate as well, though their races were always held separately from the men. Francis and the other men would make their drive there soon.

  He stroked Prince’s brown coat before climbing on his back. He loved Prince, he loved to ride, but he would give it all away for a chance at Genie’s hand tomorrow.

  He started Prince at a gallop toward the clearing in the woods that surrounded Morris’ estate. Dew made the air moist and the cover of the oak trees made the room even colder as it stung his cheeks. He allowed Prince to go where he pleased since the horse knew his way, taking Francis away from his thoughts and worries. The sky was just turning a pale pink with the sun rising. Morris had the best lands for hunting and usually held a party for the hunting season, with enough birds and a flat landscape that could hold an army. At this hour in the past, the forest would be full of men, horses, and dogs as they ran after their prey but this year he was only hosting the Men of Nashwood, as they were doing much more than shooting at fowls.

  Lorena had a way of attracting trouble and the men who’d become her brothers since the day Francis had brought them home from Eton were all dedicated to her safety. Lorena had grown up knowing all of Francis’ friends from the country parties his mother would allow him to have, except for Emmett. Emmett’s father had not allowed his son to go to any of the parties and thus Lorena had not met Emmett until his father had died three years ago. Now they were engaged and Emmett had a greater reason than the rest to see that Lorena lived. He loved her.

  Francis loved his sister as well. They’d always been close. He was also invested in Genie’s safety as well, for where Lorena went, so did Genie.

  They made it to the clearing and Francis looked down at the river that ran through a small village. Just beyond, he could make out the home that Maura and her parents lived in. As if knowing where his heart was, Prince turned and started down the leveled path that would lead him to Genie. There was the possibility that she’d gone back to sleep after seeing to his perennial but there was also the possibility that she hadn’t and he wished to see her desperately. They’d already made arrangements to meet in a few hours but Francis couldn’t wait. He’d come up with an excuse to push their appointment up, yet remain mindful of hiding his true feelings for her.

  Doing so grew harder every day but Francis kept in mind the horrible outcome of breaking his oath to Buckley and allowed that to censor his words and even the amount of time he spent looking at her, touching her, speaking directly to her. Every moment with her was a temptation of the sweetest kind but his heart would not deny him even the smallest pleasure and Francis was sure it was the only reason the organ continued to beat. There was still a chance that he’d have Genie. He just needed patience.

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  CHAPTER FOUR

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  Genie sat across from Maura at breakfast since they were the only two awake in the entire home. Maura’s mother, who everyone called Aunt Tilda at her insistence, returned late as she’d been visiting a sick friend.

  “I love your home,” she told her friend.

  Maura sipped her tea and smiled. “Yes, it’s growing on me as well.”

  Genie’s smile fell away as she remembered that Maura had not lived in her home in ten years. For the last decade, Maura had been locked away at Bedlam for her claims of seeing ghosts. It was only after her father had left for his latest voyage that Aunt Tilda had gone to fetch her daughter and, from all reports, she’d taken Maura just in time. “Where’s your father now?”

  Maura pressed her pale pink lips together as her eyes brightened. “Mother says he’s at the Gold Coast. That’s in Africa.” She smiled. “He’ll most likely bring me back a gift. He alw
ays does, though I was never allowed to keep them at Bedlam. Now I’m surrounded by ten years of them in my room.”

  Genie had seen Maura’s room. It was crowded with feminine artifacts from around the world with something to see at every turn. Genie had loved it and, out of all the girls, Genie believed her the only one who understood Maura’s continued love for a man who’d locked her away. Genie also loved her father, who’d been unkind. Maura’s father, when he was in England, visited Maura often and always at Christmas.

  “I’ve received my first allowance,” Genie told her. “Now all I must do is select the place I wish to buy.”

  “There are a few homes for sale in this area,” Maura told her. “Why not start looking here? That way, you can see what it is you want.”

  Genie liked that idea and together they planned a trip to the village and promised to include the other women.

  The sight of motion made Genie turn toward the window and her heart stopped at the sight of Francis. She stood. “I’m going to—”

  “Have fun,” Maura told her with a small laugh.

  Genie rushed from the room and nearly knocked the butler over to open the door. She ignored the cold as she stepped outside and watched Francis dismount.

  He took long strides to get to her, nodding as he did so. “Morning, Evie.”

  She smiled. “You’re early.”

  His face held no expression. He turned his eyes away to look at the ground. “I’ve much to do today. I hope you don’t mind.”