To tame an Earl (four hoydens #2)

Chapter 6

"My Lord, a missive arrived for you this morning. I believe it's from Lady Fortescue," Johnson, his butler said, standing by the door of Ralph's study.

It was unlike Rosalyn to send missives.

He took it from Johnson's hands and scanned the contents quickly.

Ralph, I'm  joining Theodore in Derbyshire and I'll be gone for a week. I'd promised to take the girls to the Opera tonight. They'll be disappointed and not to mention, furious with me if they miss it. The famous singer Vitoria Ludovica is performing. Be and darling and take them, will you? I owe you.

Love,
Rosa.

Ralph groaned.

He didn't want to go the bloody Opera. He wanted to get this case over with and put an end to his days in espionage.

He reread the name of the Opera singer.

Vitoria Ludovica.

While she'd mesmerised all the Ladies of the ton with her voice, she'd mesmerised all the men with her voluptuous body.

If his memory served him right, she'd also had an affair with Bates. He'd paid an enormous amount of money to win her a few years back. But their tryst had come to an abrupt halt and no one had seen Vitoria for several weeks.

Maybe he wouldn't mind going to the Opera, after all, Ralph thought slyly.

That night.

"Don't you think that it's a bit too much? Or I'd rather say, too less..." Lady Woodbury said to her daughter who was checking her appearance in the mirror.

"Mother, it's unlike you to be prudish. Besides, no matter what I wear, I couldn't outdo Petal," Alice grinned.
She thought she looked splendid in the cream coloured gown she wore. While the colour was virginal, the gown was not. It certainly wasn't indecent, but the bodice was such that it exposed just a hint of what was inside. It might make her look like a tease. But Alice had selected this gown intentionally.

Ever since this season has begun, she'd been feeling as though she'd lost some of her edge. She was going to use this occasion to regain her confidence. And something about leaving her peers vulnerable to her charms made her feel stronger, as twisted as it was.

"You do look stunning," her mother sighed happily and left the chamber.

Once Alice had donned her cloak, her father knocked on her door.

"Ralph is here, my love," he said.

Ralph? Wasn't Rosalyn going to take them?

Good god, she wasn't ready to face Ralph yet again. She was still confused about his credibility.

She made her way down, seeing no other alternative.

"You look lovely as ever, Alice," he said politely, bowing over her hand.

Alice only grinned. He was going to flip and possibly explode with anger when he saw what she was wearing underneath that cloak.

"What happened to Rosalyn?" She asked him.

"She had to join Theo in Derbyshire," Ralph shrugged.

The traitor.

"You're not very excited about this, are you?"

"No," he said simply, sounding very much like a petulant child being forced into doing something dreadful.

Alice chuckled. Ralph had always hated the Opera.