Chapter Thirteen

M uch to his regret, Asher could no longer deny he had growing feelings for Persephone… Patience , he quickly corrected inside his head. Although she had remained mostly silent during the carriage ride the other day, he could see for himself the natural grace the lady comported herself with. She was indeed a rare jewel compared to the ladies who had previously been thrust upon him in Society. His brother had been right… she was one of the most beautiful women Asher had ever beheld.

Which brought to mind the problem with Gideon. Clearly his own brother felt some claim upon the lady. Asher halted his thoughts and downed his drink before asking a servant to bring him another. He had to admit that he had completely forgotten all about poor Gideon once Patience had been properly introduced to him, even though in the moments before Patience had entered the room, all of his thoughts had been for Gideon, and his clear excitement.

His brother had been so happy knowing the nurse he held some affection for was about to meet his older brother. His gushing admiration for the woman had only made Asher wonder if this woman could possibly do any wrong. But when Asher had turned from the window to see for himself the lady his brother cared for, any further thoughts flew from Asher's mind. Unfortunately, that included any thoughts of consideration for the feelings Gideon clearly had for the woman.

The reality of the situation was brought to his attention after their ride when Asher had been assisting Gideon back to his room at the doctor's residence. His brother had ranted about how Patience would just be another thing that he would lose to his titled brother. The hatred that had spilled from Gideon's lips tore at Asher's heart until he left the room. His brother was dealing with enough mental anguish from his time in France. Asher didn't want to be the cause of more.

But what was the solution? To avoid Patience and allow a romance between her and Gideon to develop? No, he couldn't reconcile himself to that when after just one look into the eyes of the lady, Asher became completely besotted. The sound of her voice haunted him day and night for the past week. A flash of memory when she would gaze upon him with those mesmerizing hazel eyes would pop into his head at the most unexpected moments. And that kiss they shared… Bloody Hell! A part of him rose to the occasion whenever he thought of her in his arms too. It was as though she had been made just for him. Yes… as Patience had mentioned, there was a first time for everyone and Asher had to finally admit that he was falling completely under the lady's spell.

"Your drink, my lord," a servant said pulling Asher out of his thoughts and returning back to the present.

Asher nodded as he returned his attention to his friends who stood before him. But Lucius and Valentine were both conversing as though Asher had been listening the entire time. Even when Asher stood to tell them he would see them in the gambling room, they continued their discussion leaving Asher alone with his thoughts—including the dreaded realization that if he didn't do something quickly, he would lose the one woman he had ever met that had held his fascination. He couldn't allow her to marry some other man, not when there was any breath left in his body.

He made his way into the gambling room and went to the first bouncer he saw. "Demetrius, would you find out if Mrs. Dove-Lyon would see me?" Asher inquired. He could only imagine what the woman's face would appear like once she learned that Asher was requesting an audience with her.

"Right away, my lord," the wolf said as he went to find the widow.

She kept him waiting for a full half of an hour. When Demetrius finally returned, he informed Asher that Mrs. Dove-Lyon would see him in a private salon. He followed the bouncer to another place in the Lyon's Den Asher hadn't been before—a pleasing room filled with roses of every color. The widow must have a hot house somewhere on her property to have roses in full bloom at this time of the year.

"Lord Rowley… what a pleasant surprise. I understand you wished to have a private word with me," she cooed sweetly.

Asher could only imagine the smug look of satisfaction the lady had on her face beneath her heavy veil. "Thank you for obliging me, Mrs. Dove-Lyon."

"I do what I can for my most… wary clients," she declared raising a blood-red rose to her veil. She held the bloom there for several seconds before she dropped her hand to her side.

"And am I?" Asher inquired as politely as he could manage. He felt as though he had become trapped in a plan of this woman's making despite Asher's best attempts to remain unentangled.

"Are you what, my lord?" The woman's voice practically dripped with sweet sarcasm.

"One of your wary clients?" he finally admitted.

A light laugh emitted through her veil and she finally went to an empty chair to sit. "You tell me, my lord. You have certainly been one of the more difficult men I have dealt with. I can see for myself that you are definitely guarded."

"Can you blame me?" he asked as he took the vacant seat she pointed toward.

"You are not the first man who has refused to see that his days of being a bachelor are over, nor will you be the last. But in your case, Lord Rowley, you have been slipping through my gaming tables and somehow winning when the opposite should hold true."

"Call it gambler's luck," he said with a crooked grin knowing how often her games were rigged in her favor.

"I could call it many things, Lord Rowley, but luck isn't one of them." She remained silent for a moment, tapping one black-gloved finger on the edge of the chair's arm. When she finally spoke her mind, her words sent his world reeling. "I offered you perfection, and it was plain to see that you were charmed by her, yet you still turned your nose up at the lady who would make you the perfect wife."

He couldn't help himself when his eyes widened. There were only two women he had interacted with here at the Lyon's Den. One of them was the prostitute on the third floor so he knew Mrs. Dove-Lyon couldn't be referring to her. Could it be possible… "Are you suggesting you wished to set me up with Patience Moore?" he finally asked when he found his voice.

"Don't you mean Persephone ?" she inquired pleasantly as she waited in silence for his answer.

"But I thought—"

"Did you honestly think my wolves left their posts unattended, my lord?" she asked, laughing when Asher didn't answer immediately. "You did! How utterly delightful."

Bloody Hell ! The whole thing had been a setup from the very beginning. This woman had orchestrated their every move, down to their first meeting in the stairwell. The one consolation to this whole damn mess was that Patience was also in the dark about the fa?ade she put into place. Or was she?

A frown marred his brow as he began thinking about their every encounter. "Did she know?" he finally managed to ask through pursed lips.

Mrs. Dove-Lyon leaned forward in her chair and pointed a finger toward him. "Mrs. Moore is a kindhearted lady of the highest caliber and knows nothing about my machinations behind the scenes. If you believe her to be capable of that kind of deception, then I fear I have made a horrendous mistake with my attempts to match you two together."

He sank back into his chair while relief rushed over him. Running his fingers through his hair, he took a deep breath before he turned his attention back to the Widow of Whitehall.

"I need your help, Mrs. Dove-Lyon," he said and for the first time there was hope that maybe… just maybe this lady had found his match.

"I couldn't agree more."

"There is a complication in this whole mess. My brother has developed an attraction to Mrs. Moore," he admitted as he stood and began pacing the room.

"I was afraid this might happen when I arranged her employment with Dr. Thornberry."

Asher halted his progress across the floor. "You knew she was working as a nurse?"

He heard a sigh leave the woman. "I am certain, my lord, that you and Mrs. Moore have much to learn about one another including your lives before you met. But I stand by my decision to pair the two of you together. She may not have been born into your class, but you would have been bored within the year to have one of those Society misses meddling in your life. Patience is different and different is exactly what a man like you needs in your life."

"So, you'll help me?" he asked to stand before the lady.

"Of course, I'll help you, Lord Rowley. For a price…" she said as she came to a stand.

"I'll pay whatever you ask," he replied wondering what her fee for such a service might actually be.

"I'll have Mrs. Moore sent to meet with you. If she agrees to continue on with a possible relationship with you, I'll send an invoice for my continued services to your townhouse this afternoon. Along with it, I will also include an invitation to a charity ball next week to announce the beginning of the new Season. I will see to it that Mrs. Moore is there."

"I appreciate your help, Mrs. Dove-Lyon."

She halted with her hand on the door. "Do not disappoint me, Lord Rowley. I would hate for my track record to become tarnished because you decide to recant your decision."

She left him abruptly with her words lingering in his mind. Recant his decision regarding Patience? That was the furthest thing from his intentions toward the woman. His only thought now was if she would agree to see him outside of the Lyon's Den and her nursing position. He held his breath waiting for the lady to enter the room, calming his nerves and wondering when he had become so smitten with a lady he barely knew.