With Love in Their Corner (The Boxers of Brook Street #1)

Chapter Twelve

June 30, 1817

Stapleton House

Marylebone, Mayfair

London, England

L ewis stared out one of the windows in the drawing room, for once more he and his brother intended to have dinner at their club tonight, but if he were honest, he wished he could spend that time in Cecilia’s company.

And that knowledge left him at sixes and sevens.

“What the devil ails you, Lethbridge?”

The annoyance in his brother Alexander’s voice made him frown. Slowly, he turned about to face the man. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve asked you a question two times, and you’ve ignored me.” He crossed the room to the sideboard, and once there, held up the decanter of brandy with an eyebrow raised in question.

Lewis nodded. “I beg your pardon. It seems I’m falling into woolgathering more frequently these days.”

“Ah.” The clink of crystal on crystal rang in the air as his brother poured out two glasses of the amber-colored liquor. “In other words, your brain is being eaten up by a woman.”

Before Lewis had the opportunity to respond, Duncan came into the room. Clearly, he’d caught the end of the comment, for he hooted with laughter.

“You could be correct, Alex. Current gossip indicates our dear earl has been seen in the company of a woman not of the beau monde .”

Heat creeped up the back of his neck. “Is that so?”

“Get off it, man. I’m one of those people who saw you out driving with her,” Duncan continued with a laugh. “And unless I miss my guess, the mystery woman is Miss Dawson, the woman you’ve been giving boxing lessons to.” One of his eyebrows rose. “Am I right?”

Was there any point in lying? If anyone within society could ferret out secrets, it was his youngest brother. “You are.” As soon as he accepted the glass of brandy from Alexander, he took a large swallow and welcomed the burn in his throat. He might as well admit to it and tell them how it came about lest they contribute to the gossip. “About a week after the lessons started, I decided that I might wish to pay her my addresses.”

Both brothers wore matching expressions of shock.

It was Duncan who spoke first. “Why? She isn’t titled, nor is she an heiress.”

“Why should that be the only thing to recommend her?”

“Of course they shouldn’t but—”

“He apparently finds her interesting,” Alex interrupted as he deposited himself into a chair. “And to be fair, she’s a looker. Got enough curves to tempt a saint.”

Heated annoyance rose in Lewis’ chest. He took refuge in taking another swallow of brandy. “That is not your concern.” If he were honest with himself, he didn’t want his brothers leering at Cecilia.

Alex ignored him to focus on Duncan, who was pouring out his own glass of brandy. “I’ll wager he’s bedded her and that has put a maggot in his brain, making him think he has a responsibility toward her.”

“If it were me, I would have taken her to bed from the first introduction,” Duncan said with a cavalier shrug as he came near with his glass. “I mean, those lips alone are enough to reduce a man to a puddle. Imagine them wrapped around my c—”

“That’s enough!” Lewis’ roar echoed in the sudden silence of the room. He refused to have the image of Cecilia with either of his brothers. “Lia is not up for discussion.”

“Lia, is it?” Alex’s eyebrows soared into his hairline. “Now that is a good indication the two of you are rather more intimate than you’re letting on.”

He fought off another round of embarrassed heat. After a sip of brandy, Lewis blew out a breath. “I am not discussing any of that with you.”

Duncan hooted with laughter. “He’s bedded her.” When he lifted his glass, he shot Alexander a knowing look. “Cheers, brother.”

“God, the two of you are insufferable.” After finishing his own brandy, Lewis set the glass on a small round table nearby. Then he moved back to the window. “What Miss Dawson and I do is our own business. Drop the subject.”

“Oh, but we can’t do that.” Of course Duncan would pursue it. He was like a dog with a bone. “For years you’ve evaded any sort of attachment. Even before Papa died, you took mistresses, but when he left this mortal coil, it was almost as if you retreated into yourself, and you took no notice of anything. Now we hear that you’re paying your addresses to a woman you are supposed to only be teaching boxing to? You did this to yourself.”

“I quite agree,” Alex said with a nod. “Especially because you promised Mama that you would seek out an heiress at the very least.”

“Actually, no.” Lewis blew out a breath. “I promised her I would think about finding an eligible woman, not that I would make inroads into it.” Why did this conversation make him so angry? Did he secretly think his family would prove disappointed in Cecilia? Perhaps that was it, and he rather hoped she would make a good impression. “Regardless, Miss Dawson is a solid choice. She is a captain’s daughter, and from what she’s told me, there is a fair dowry on her head. Additionally, she is clever, intelligent, humorous, and quite down to earth.”

“Who is?”

As if the evening couldn’t get worse, his mother came into the drawing room with curiosity stamped through her expression.

Lewis rubbed a hand along the side of his face. “Miss Cecilia Dawson.”

She frowned. “I don’t recognize the name. Who are her people?”

He cast a glance at his brothers. Both of who grinned like the idiots they were. Clearly, no help would come from that quarter. Then he heaved a sigh. “She is the daughter of Captain Dawson. He runs a shipping outfit where we source some of the things we need in the boxing salon.” The muscles in his gut pulled tight. How would his mother react?

As his mother sat on one of the low sofas, she arranged her skirting about her legs. “Why are you boys talking about her?”

“Well, Mama, because Lewis has decided to pay his addresses to her.” Duncan shot him a sly look as he sat beside her. “This is significant, because when was the last time he showed any interest in a woman beyond anything fleeting?”

Surprise jumped into her eyes as she pinned him with her gaze. “This Miss Dawson is the woman you are courting?”

Since the floor didn’t swallow him whole, Lewis nodded. “She is. I’ve already spent more than a week with her, and everything I am learning about her has impressed me. I asked a few days ago if I could pay my addresses to her, and she gave permission.”

Duncan’s grin was this side of cheeky. “He has also been giving her boxing lessons.”

“Oh, Lewis.” His mother’s lips curved into a frown. “She’s that sort of woman?”

Hot annoyance flared once more in his chest. “What sort, Mama? The kind who wishes to protect herself from bounders and rogues? The kind who is tired of being molested by unwanted attention from men?”

Alex snorted with laughter from his position across the low table. “To be fair, Miss Dawson has quite the talent for fisticuffs.”

“So then your whole relationship thus far is steeped and rooted in scandal.” It wasn’t a question as she continued to frown at him. “Is this your way of having revenge on me for demanding that you marry?”

Bloody hell.

“Of course not.” How did life become such hell all of a sudden? “In fact, I had no intention of doing anything with her except teach her how to box.” He turned to the window and stared unseeing out of the glass, went so far as to open one of the panels and let a bit of fresh air into the room. “After spending time with Miss Dawson, however, she and I became friends.”

“And then some,” Duncan interrupted with another chuckle.

Damn the man’s eyes.

Lewis ignored him. “There is something about her that has impressed the hell out of me. She’s from good stock; the captain is a pillar in society, and from all accounts, he and his daughter are issued many invitations throughout the year.”

“Yet she isn’t an heiress.” This was also not a question. His mother shook her head. “You know how desperately we need an influx of coin to prevent an interruption of our lifestyle.”

“I am aware, of course, but the captain is offering a sizable dowry.” With a sigh, he turned to face her. “I don’t know the exact number, but then, I am nowhere near making an offer for the woman. We have only just begun a courtship of sorts.”

Was that even what their relationship could be called at this point? Lovers, surely, but was she his mistress or merely a friend? It was too complicated for further reflection just now.

“Regardless of the number, it likely won’t be enough.” She waved away his comment. “She’s not even from a titled family.”

“No, she isn’t, but that doesn’t make her incompatible.” When did his family become a group of snobs? Had they always been like this, or was it merely the stress of looming financial difficulties that brought it out? “Miss Dawson is a lovely woman.”

“Have you met her father?” His mother narrowed her eyes. “You were raised within society’s rules, Lewis, and it seems as if you are doing your level best to break every one of them.” Before he could speak, she continued. “You might think I’m immune to gossip, but I have heard the most recent rumors. Imagine my surprise when they weren’t about Duncan this time.”

The disappointment in her eyes nearly leveled him. But he wasn’t about to go down without a fight. “Of course I’ve lived my life by rules; I couldn’t escape them as the eldest son. My life has been mapped out for me since birth. Hell, I wasn’t allowed to serve in the military like Alex or Duncan because of the damned responsibility of the title.” Ordinarily, that wouldn’t bother him. That was simply how life was, but for whatever reason, the thought that his mother—or his brothers—would reject Cecilia merely on her pedigree soured him to his core. “However, your dictate to me was to find an eligible woman. I believe I have done that, and what is more, I’m intrigued by her. Why isn’t that enough?”

“Because it is your responsibility to make this family solvent again.” At least she didn’t dance about the issue. “You know that.”

Some of the anger he’d always had to tamp down came rising to the surface in a heated, strong wave, and this time he couldn’t contain it. “Except I wasn’t the one who put us all in this position to begin with!” With the roar, he encompassed his family in his gaze. “As much as we all loved Papa, he had his problems and struggles. The man was addicted to gambling and got in over his head, but not one of us stepped in to stop him.”

Duncan frowned. “How could we? He wouldn’t have listened in any event.”

“We don’t know that. It’s all assumption at this point.” Shaking his head, Lewis moved toward the grouping of furniture. “Regardless, we are all left with the mess he made, me especially. I understand that my holding the title now leaves me responsible for all of you, but damn, it’s a difficult truth to swallow.” He bounced his gaze between his brothers. “I love the both of you, but you need to step up and help as well. It’s your name that might hit the gutter just as much as it is mine.”

“Haven’t we done that by fighting in bouts?” Alex asked, with doubt reflecting in his eyes. “We are doing our best.”

“With love, no you are not.” His pulse rushed so hard in his ears he wondered if they could hear the wild beat of his heart. “Duncan spends coin indiscriminately, always thinking I’ll be able to pay his creditors with each new invoice.” When he leveled his attention on his youngest brother, the man paled slightly. “I’m cutting you off; should have done it months ago, but I’d hoped you might change your ways knowing what we faced.”

“But—”

“No.” Lewis chopped the air with a hand. “The decision is final. If you want pocket money, if you want to continue to pay for your rooms at The Albany, you find a way to do it yourself. I’m done aiding your careless lifestyle. You will need to figure out how to make a living.”

“We have the boxing salon. I am content with taking the reins of running the business if you promise to let me experiment with new things and different sorts of lessons.”

It was a large ask, and without being in control, the salon might flounder, yet at some point, he needed to trust that his brothers would do the right thing. Hadn’t he learned that from Cecilia’s strength and determination? “Very well. I’ll step back from the salon, and will only conduct lessons if they are privately booked. I will also pay you a salary. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes.” A light of interest lit Duncan’s eyes. “Have your man-of-affairs put it in writing so we can both sign it.”

“I will.” With every word he uttered, a degree of calm crept in to steal some of his anger. Perhaps all he’d needed to do was stand up for himself. None of it was unreasonable. “I can’t do this alone, and truly appreciate the assistance.” Then he looked at Alexander. “You are not as wasteful as Duncan, and you live here. I don’t mind that and would never pitch you into the gutter. However, as the second son, I am asking that you find a way of making a private income to alleviate some of the strain. I understand that you keep the books for the salon, but I also know you despise it. I can easily find someone else, but unless you start bringing in a financial contribution, I will be forced to sell some of our holdings.”

“I appreciate the honesty.” Alex nodded. “Yes, please find someone else to do the accounting. I’m rubbish at it and much prefer to enter into bouts for coin even though I’m not as skilled as you or Duncan.” Then he heaved a sigh. “But I promise to find something interesting I can use to generate funding.”

“Good.” With a nod of gratitude, Lewis drew in a deep breath and let it ease out slowly. “We make a decent team, and I think that together we will see our way through this.”

The silence in the room was overwhelming as all three of them stared at him.

Yet his confidence continued to build. Pride in himself rose. What would Cecilia say once he told her of the stand he’d made? Then he moved toward his mother, sat on her other side on the sofa. “You must trust that I’m capable of making the right decisions for my own life. One of those decisions is going forward with a courtship of Miss Dawson. If she isn’t what you envisioned for me, so be it, but it isn’t as if I’m going to ask for her hand tomorrow. We are nowhere near that.” He forced a swallow into his suddenly tight throat. “However, I refuse to marry and not have love. I can’t imagine being leg-shackled to a woman with whom I can’t share every aspect of my life with. Not even for you.”

A sheen of tears made her eyes luminous, but she nodded and rested a palm against his cheek. “I’ve only wanted the best for you, for all my sons.” With a nod, she gave him a tremulous smile. “And I want you to find happiness, Lewis. I know none of this is fair to you, but consider who you are aligning yourself with. The woman you take to wife needs to be strong, for she will not only be your countess, but she will need to contend with everything society will throw at her. I’m not certain that a woman not raised within those sorts of strictures will make a wise choice for you.”

Fair enough, but the words sent doubt twisting down his spine. “Let me worry about that, hmm? In the meantime, the boys and I are late for the club.” Good God, but he needed to be out of the house and away from the unrelenting pressure for a time.

“Of course.” When she rose to her feet, the three of them scrambled to theirs. “I will talk to you tomorrow.”

As she left the room, Lewis heaved a sigh. “Shall I ring for the carriage?”

Duncan nodded. “Yes, but I have a bit of news you might find of interest.”

“Oh?” He strode across the room and then yanked at the blue velvet bell pull. “What is it?”

“There is a bout to be held in three days. One of the prize fighters fell ill and had to withdraw from consideration. The organizer dropped by the salon yesterday and asked if I could convince you to stand in.”

“The same night as Mama’s ball?”

“So it appears.”

Damn, she would be livid if he ducked out early, but the call of earning coin was strong. “Who will I fight against?”

His brother shrugged. “The man’s name is Derrickson. Don’t know his Christian name, but he’s apparently an emerging name in the bare-knuckle community in a greater weight and strength than you. Brings in big numbers of spectators which means the prize purse is always large.”

Bloody, bloody hell. That was the name of the man who continued to bully Cecilia at the docks. Hadn’t he said he was a boxer the other day? “I’ll do it,” he said without thinking. “Perhaps I’ll make a better showing in front of Lia than my last bout.”

And this was personal.

Alex frowned as he joined them at the door. “What of your shoulder? You still favor it.”

“It will always be an issue, but I need to do this out of principle.” His brothers didn’t need to know why. “Tell the organizer I’m in.”

And he would hope for the best, in all aspects of his life.