Last Time on Ashwood Manor: Things Best Left Alone

Last time, on Ashwood Manor.

Settling into his favorite armchair, allowing his man to remove his shoes before he rested his feet on the footstool next to the fire, Clarence let his mind drift to his evening at Ashwood Manor. Images of Rosemary flowed behind closed eyes; he felt tight muscles in his neck and shoulders relax their grip as he imagined ruby red lips, black hair in a curly bob just brushing the very edge of a delicate jawline, the smooth slope of a shoulder into a beaded black sleeve, eyes clear and pure--the color of emeralds--with a tendency toward humor, slender wrists encircled by stylish silver bracelets--a harsh hand grasping that wrist too tightly, leaving red marks on the milky skin.

Clarence's eyes opened, and he frowned in distaste. To think Rosemary would be married to such a man, someone who obviously did not know how to treat a woman--especially a woman of Rosemary's caliber--to think that she was forced to waste her vibrancy and vitality on such an unworthy husband--his cheeks reddened with the heat of his ire.

If only he could do something about it.

And yet--and yet he couldn't. He would not even consider interfering in the match. It was not his business and frankly his passion was much stronger than it should be. He'd only met her that night, been briefly introduced, watched her from a distance, shared a smile.

He wanted to see her smile more.

Clarence sighed and tousled his hair. There was no use wishing for things that could not be. At his elbow, on a table situated at a comfortable proximity to the chair, was a pile of envelopes, all unopened. The pile was neatly arranged and balanced. No envelope was out of alignment.

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Last Time on Ashwood Manor: A Mother's Love

Last time, on Ashwood Manor.

Hardly had Rosemary progressed away from Reginald and returned to Lillian before Reginald felt a pressure on his arm from behind. He stiffened. Unwelcome lips brushed his ear and a too-familiar voice whispered, "Now, darling, how can we make sure you join our household if you keep scaring my daughter away?"

Reginald steeled himself before turning around, replacing his distaste with a debonair expression. "Lady Ashwood, a pleasure, as always."

"Always so adorably formal." Painted red lips curled into something more like a snarl than a smile. "So proper. I'd almost think I'd imagined our night together."

"My Lady, I assure you, as much pleasure as that evening afforded," Reginald paused here, keeping his voice low and calm, "it was something that, alas, can never be repeated. I am engaged to your daughter."

The Lady's dark eyes narrowed. "That can be arranged differently."

Before Reginald could reply, Lord Ashwood joined them. "Wife mine, do you see our handsome son-to-be? We will have the most beautiful grandchildren in Sussex."

Lady Ashwood turned her vitriol to sweetness. "Yes. He is handsome, and he will make handsome children."

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Last Time on Ashwood Manor: The Honourable Clarence Maugham

Last time, on Ashwood Manor.

Rosemary pretended not to notice the eyes on her as she did her best to pay attention to the conversation she and Lillian were engaged in.  Lillian was a friend, inasmuch as Rosemary had friends.  Her social superiority to nearly all those she and her parents associated with made it difficult to form bonds with others that did not include an imbalance of power, and, though she treated Lillian as an equal, underneath the giggles the girls shared was a strain on their relationship that would forever prevent Lillian from becoming a true confidant.

Feeling the gaze again, Rosemary could not help looking back and directly into the eyes of The Honourable Clarence Maugham, known only to her in name before this night.  Dark eyes--almost black--were trained on her own.  He smiled, a smile that took his dangerous eyes and transformed them into something kind and welcoming.  She smiled back, and returned her awareness to Lillian.  After all, she was not the type to pretend interest in a man when there was no option to pursue anything further.  And there was no option.

Feeling a sudden uncomfortable pressure on her elbow, the girl turned to find her fiancee.  Rosemary yanked her arm away, only to have her wrist captured with even more pressure.  "Stop that.  Let me go."

Reginald instead tightened his grasp. "Let me remind you that you are engaged to me.  You should not be flirting with strange men."

Attempting not to create a scene, Rosemary extracted her hand as gracefully as she could. "Let me remind you that you are not my husband yet. And a smile hardly counts as a flirtation."

From across the room, Clarence watched the exchange through narrowed eyes.

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Last Time on Ashwood Manor: Rosemary's Choice

Last time, on Ashwood Manor.

Rosemary's beauty was greatly reputed and delivered on every rumor.  Clarence was not able to stop himself from staring at her, watching her across the room as she tucked a curl from her short bob behind her ear and laughed at something her girlfriend said with genuine laughter; red lips framed straight, white teeth and green eyes sparkled under dark, thick lashes and striking eyebrows.  The glitter of the beads in her very modern dress could not compete with those eyes.

Reginald noticed Clarence watching Rosemary through narrowed eyes.  Normally her many admirers barely caught his attention--they were no match for him socially or financially.  However, Clarence was the son of a Baron, and his baronage was well-known as a particularly prosperous one.  This one would be worth watching closely.  He motioned his man over and whispered in his ear.  A quick nod and knowing glance later, he had complete faith that Carl would serve him well.  The man was the best he'd ever met at opening closets and finding skeletons there.  He was even talented at placing skeletons where they did not yet exist.  No, if Clarence became a problem, Reginald would soon have all the ammunition he would need to remove the threat.

To get the whole story of Ashwood Manor, the collection is here.