The Lyon’s Legacy (The Lyon’s Den Connected World)

Chapter Twenty

Meanwhile, not far away…

J ohn sat tall on his beloved black mare, feeling the gentle rhythm of his gait beneath him. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of dew-kissed grass and the earthy aroma of the estate grounds. He tilted his head back, letting the cool breeze brush against his face, savoring the quiet moments before the estate came alive with its usual bustle.

As he rode, John took in the familiar sights: the meticulously kept hedges, the sprawling fields that stretched out like an emerald sea, and the occasional chirp of a bird flitting from branch to branch. The horse’s hooves made soft thuds against the dirt path, a comforting sound that grounded him.

His routine morning rounds were a cherished ritual. The solitude gave him time to think, to clear his mind before the day’s demands took over.

But John’s mind wandered to Melissa as he rode through the estate. He recalled their night together, the memory vivid and intense. He could almost feel the warmth of her body pressed against his, her skin soft beneath his fingers. The way she fit against him felt like the most natural thing in the world, their bodies moving in perfect harmony. The scent of her hair, a mixture of lavender and something uniquely her, lingered in his nostrils. His heart quickened at the thought, a rush of desire and tenderness flooding him. He remembered the quiet gasps, the shared breaths, the connection that went beyond mere physicality.

John’s grip on the reins tightened as he pushed the memories aside, focusing on the path ahead. His love for her drove every beat of his heart. The desire to marry her surged within him. He didn’t know how to extricate her from Prinny’s grasp, but he knew he must. His hand instinctively brushed against the pocket where he kept the ruby ring. He wanted to see that ring on Melissa’s finger, then kiss her hand, her arm, and every inch of her gorgeous body.

He pictured her beautiful face, the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled. Every time he remembered her yelp of surprise when he had playfully thrown her over his shoulder, carrying her just beyond the hedges after she had fallen from a tree in the rain. The memory of her gasps as he entered her for the first time and her scream of pleasure when he gave her her first orgasm made his pulse quicken.

Herbert would understand one day.

It was just that John couldn’t get enough of Melissa, and a life together would barely suffice to show her how much he loved her. His vision grew blurry with desire, the need to be with her overwhelming his senses. He had to go back to the castle to find her, to hold her in his arms.

Just then, something out of the ordinary caught his eye. On the horizon, from the path leading to the main road, he saw a stately carriage approaching. A black landau with something painted on its door he couldn’t make out from the distance. Its polished exterior gleamed faintly in the morning light, standing out against the rural backdrop.

John frowned. Such carriages were a common sight in London, but farmers’ carriages were more typical here in the countryside, and he couldn’t recall any reason for this carriage to be there. As the steward, he would know. Curiosity piqued, he gently urged his mare forward, her pace quickening.

As he approached, the carriage rolled slowly down the road, a cloud of dust rising in its wake. John raised a hand to shield his eyes, squinting through the haze. The wheels creaked and groaned, clearly not made for the uneven country roads.

His heart gave a slight jolt as he noticed a figure by the window. A woman, her face partially obscured by a cloak, stared out at the passing landscape.

John’s breath hitched. Something about her posture, the way she looked away when their eyes almost met, sent a pang of worry through him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear the dust from his vision. When he looked again, the carriage was moving past him, the woman’s face still hidden beneath the cloak’s shadow.

He caught a fleeting glimpse of a painted head on the carriage door—a lion, perhaps. The emblem seemed familiar, stirring a vague memory. But before he could place it, the carriage disappeared down the road, swallowed by the distance.

John sat motionless for a moment, the image of the cloaked woman imprinted in his mind. Why did she seem familiar yet so elusive? With a determined set to his jaw, he guided his mare home. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Inside the black carriage rumbling along the dirt road toward the village, Melissa felt as though something terrible was about to happen.

“So,” Mrs. Dove-Lyon started as soon as the carriage began to roll along the dirt road. Starcliff Castle was large behind them but quickly became smaller as they put more distance between them. The further Melissa ventured from it, the lower her heart sank. She sighed.

“You love him truly, then?” Mrs. Dove-Lyon pressed on.

Melissa nodded, for there were no words. How could she begin to take something tiny as strings of letters to even begin to explain the magnitude of feelings John evoked within her? She loved him so much more than words could say.

“Lady Thumbridge, it won’t take long, and my carriage shall return you to him. You will be free—”

“Why are you doing this, Mrs. Dove-Lyon?”

“You asked me to. You paid the fee.”

“But this is not a match with an aristocrat, and it’s breaking a match for Prinny. You said so yourself, and yet you’re here. You came all this way from London for me?”

The older woman inhaled audibly and lifted her veil. “You know the doctors on Harley Street?”

“Yes, my brother-in-law, the Duke—”

“At 87 Harley Street, yes. But there are more at number 91.”

“I met them.”

“Ada Stein and her husband, Dr. Alfred Stein.” Mrs. Dove-Lyon spoke with the pride of a grandmother, and Melissa remembered that Lexi had told her Mrs. Ada Stein must be very dear to the older woman. “She had twins…” She sighed in a content sort of way. “I’ve known Ada and looked after her; now it is my privilege to look after all of them. Dr. Phil Rosen is also at 91 Harley Street. They are… oh, what can I say?”

“Family?”

“Not by blood.”

“That often doesn’t need to be a factor in how close you truly are to a person,” Melissa said. And Herbert came to her mind. He would never be her son, of course. But he’d be family, and she’d look after him no matter how little he wished to have her in his life. She’d earn his friendship over time, perhaps more.

Then Mrs. Dove-Lyon smacked her lips. “Anyhow, it is paramount to ensure that the doctors on Harley Street, and all of them, receive the Royal Warrant.”

Melissa nodded.

“You are rather instrumental in ensuring this.”

Melissa frowned. “Why me? I only made the connection.”

“Because you’ve become a bit of a bargaining chip, as much as it pains me to admit it, dear. When I saw your note from the regent, I put certain things into motion to ensure you get the match your heart desires. But it came at a price.”

Melissa felt a tightness in her chest. She didn’t dare ask, and the Black Widow of Whitehall continued her explanation without requiring another nudge. “Ada Stein is heavily invested in the clinic at 91 Harley Street. I shall spare you the details, but suffice it to say that the Royal Warrant that your brother-in-law can secure for the doctors at 87 Harley Street now that he’s the Duke of Duncan will indirectly extend to Ada’s husband, Dr. Alfred Stein, and the others there.”

Understood. She was important because she was useful. A tool in a fight between the prince regent and Princess Caroline. She’d take on the task the princes didn’t want, and, in return, Prinny would grant her freedom. If she failed to oblige, the scandal could be rampant. But if she did, then she’d be free.