Lord Seth Claxton embraced the life of a rogue: brandy, women, gambling. His luck with cards led him to establishing his own gambling den from which his wealth grew. That is, until those who usually sat at his tables started gambling at a more respectable establishment owned by his cousin.
For Miss Frances Hawthorn, the limited prospects of who she might marry were uninspiring. While many misses had a sea of gentlemen from whom they could choose, hers had always been limited due to a lack of dowry. Thus, Frances retired to the side of the ballroom, happy to claim her wallflower status, and was determined to forge her own path.
What she had not counted on was a gentleman from her past upsetting the balance of her perfect world. Now she fully intends to have her revenge by beating the rogue at his own game.
Chapter One
London, England – Autumn, 1817
It is an unusual occurrence that I find myself in Town this time of year. Previously my visits had lasted only so long as the Season. However, as members of my family had reason to be in London, I asked to join them in anticipation of a quiet visit.
Sometimes the Season is simply too much, even if all I do is stand by a wall and observe. It is impossible to escape the crowds, even in such large venues as Hyde Park, therefore, I was quite looking forward to strolling Bond Street, visiting Hatchards, the British Museum, and even the theatre without having to endure large groups of people.
Unfortunately, my assumptions of a practically abandoned London had not been accurate.
Though, in truth, it is not nearly as crowded as the Season, but entertainments certainly did not stop and there are still far more people present than is comfortable. Once it was known my family was present, invitations to various events began to arrive and I once again began observing, and often listening, as I did when Mrs. Edmund Hawthorn despaired as to her niece’s behavior, which I could not understand. Miss Frances Hawthorn is not only a wallflower like myself, but a spinster at the mature age of eight and twenty. However, that is not what was troubling the aunt. It is Miss Frances’ association with Athena’s Salon.
I have yet to step foot in the establishment simply because I have not received an invitation, though I would like one. I am certain that it is a far more interesting place to be than standing off to the side of a ballroom.
Athena’s Salon opened only four months ago and became a success over the summer months when most of society was in the country. Not only is it a gathering place for intellectual discussion but possesses a gaming room as well. Further, it is owned and operated by two women, one of them being the Duchess of Ellings who established the salon as a place for women to gather as gentlemen do at White’s. However, His Grace convinced her that gentlemen should be allowed as well. She agreed but only if those gentlemen crossing the threshold treated the women with the same respect as they did gentlemen and that their equal intelligence be acknowledged.
Given how many gentlemen consider a woman’s worth little more than a broodmare, I am truly surprised by the success. Perhaps not all is lost and gentlemen will finally begin to see that women have more value than providing a dowry and producing heirs.
Of further interest, quite a stir was caused when Lord Seth Claxton stepped into the Lady Heath’s ball. From what I understand, he has not been seen at a Society event in nearly five years, which was before I was ever presented. They say that once his gaming den, The Emerald Garter, became a success, he ceased attending polite functions and chose to spend his time at his club.
There is much speculation as to why he was making an appearance now. Some claim that he has decided to take a wife and wished to have it out of the way before next spring. No doubt many mothers of eligible misses will want to know if he has changed before allowing the likes of Lord Seth near their innocent daughters. Though, they do say that a reformed rake makes the best husband. The question remains—is it even possible for Lord Seth to have reformed? From what I understand, he is quite happy with his life of debauchery.
Lord Seth could also have decided to make an appearance after such a long absence for reasons nobody could possibly comprehend, but no doubt I will learn soon enough.
Observations of a Wallflower
***
If anyone were to ask, Seth Claxton could not be happier. In the five years since he had opened The Emerald Garter, a gentlemen’s gaming establishment, he had achieved his dreams. Seth was not only financially stable, but he was rich. However, he would only remain as such so long as The Emerald Garter continued to be a success.
Privately, and only to himself, Seth admitted that something was missing. A small bit of emptiness in the pit of his stomach, which he did his best to ignore. He suspected the cause as it had begun five years ago and grew just a little larger with each passing year.
When he had first come to London, Seth had enjoyed all the benefits and privilege of the second son of a duke. His evenings were spent at balls where he danced and took turns about the room with pretty misses and beautiful ladies. He would then venture into the card rooms, gentlemen’s clubs or gaming hells with many nights ending at his favorite brothel for more intimate pleasures.
By the time he was five and twenty, he had also earned the reputation of rake, a rogue and eventually been called a scoundrel because supposedly he had broken many hearts, which was quite unintentional if it were even true. Seth still couldn’t understand how it could have even happened since he’d not even kissed an innocent, let alone confessed to any deeper emotion.
There was only one broken heart that he would take responsibility for, and it was the one that continued to haunt him.
Regardless of decisions made in the past, Seth still missed Miss Frances Hawthorn and likely always would.
Perhaps that was the reason he’d been suffering from melancholy of late and in need of something to lift his spirits. But, as nothing could be done for his current state, Seth rose from his desk and made his way into the gaming room of The Emerald Garter and wondered where half the usual players were.
He anticipated a decrease in attendance during the summer months because many of those who sat at his tables retired to the country following the Season. But several also returned in the autumn, especially those gentlemen who lived in London and did not own country estates. Thus, there should be more players at his tables but there was hardly anyone. Some had even stopped paying their dues.
If business did not increase, he might need to close.
“Have gentlemen given up gambling?” he asked his barkeep, Jonathan, as he settled onto a stool.
“It is early,” Jonathan said. “Most have not sat down to dinner yet.”
That could be a reason for low attendance today, though places like White’s did not lack patrons in the afternoon.
“Did you meet anyone new when you attended Lady Heath’s ball?”
“No,” Seth answered. It had been the first ball he had attended in five years and had not been at all comfortable, especially with those present whispering behind open fans, speculating as to his appearance. He had not remained long, especially after he learned that there was no cardroom and that Lady Heath expected everyone to remain in the ballroom dancing. For that reason, he greeted the gentlemen he knew, exchanged pleasantries, then left.
“I still think it is wise that you return to Society.”
While Seth was saving to open The Emerald Garter, he had attended balls and other entertainments because he needed to be friends with the gentlemen who liked to gamble and would likely want to become a member of his gaming establishment. He had also become a regular at the darkest of gaming hells, befriending those who would rather visit a respectable and fair establishment, but did not have the ranking to be allowed entrance. Anyone could be a member of The Emerald Garter so long as they could pay the membership fee, no matter if they were a duke or a tailor.
After his club had become successful, Seth never attended another ball nor participated in the Season again.
“I do not want to return to Society,” Seth grumbled.
“How else do you plan on increasing membership and meet those new to London?”
“I meet gentlemen at White’s,” Seth reminded him.
“Not those who have been blackballed,” Jonathan reminded him. “Were they not the very patrons you were hoping to attract because you hated the idea that one voting member, by dropping a black ball into a bag instead of a white one, meant that membership would be denied?”
“It is the reason I do not hold such a practice.”
“Then how can you meet those who wish to be part of your gaming den if you cannot meet them at a similar establishment.”
Blast, his barkeep may be correct, but he would not face Society alone as he had at Lady Heath’s ball and he knew the perfect woman to accompany him.
***
“Think of your family. Think of your sisters and how your actions may affect them,” Aunt Mae implored.
That is all Miss Frances Hawthorn thought about.
When her Uncle Edmund had become the guardian of Frances, her younger siblings, and a cousin fifteen years ago, he had been quite lost since he had been a bachelor of two and thirty with no intention of marrying. In fact, he had left his nieces to reside in Frances’ family estate for ten years with only a governess and servants while he lived in Yorkshire, the estate inherited by Frances’ brother, Miles, only six-years-old at the time.
Uncle Stuart, the former Earl of Albany, had not been the best decision maker and always looked for the easiest and quickest way to riches. He had also been a fool! Or maybe he just had the worst luck of anyone who had ever lived, but no matter what Uncle Stuart had touched or invested in, it had failed and when he died, he was so far in debt that Uncle Edmund had not been able to recover. In a panic the year Frances was to turn eighteen, he had married a spinster, Lady Mae Wilson.
“Your youngest sister will be brought out next year. How will Society judge Adina when you are not even living with your family, but at a…above Athena’s Salon.”
“The salon takes place in the home where I will be living, and only four nights a week. It is not as if I have taken rooms above a tavern,” she reminded her aunt. “It is a salon for the discussion of arts, sciences and politics and I have the opportunity to earn wages by managing the gaming room.”
Aunt Mae grasped the back of the chair. “This is even worse than I thought.” She fanned herself in a manner that one assumed she might soon have a fit of the vapors. “Employed! Living at the salon! Neither of your sisters will make a good match when you carry on in such a way.”
“I disagree. My association with Her Grace, niece to another duke, can only benefit my family, especially Adina, whom no one has yet met,” Frances argued. Her employer had offered to see that her younger sisters and cousin were introduced to all the best people in Society and receive coveted invitations, all in hope that they’d make successful matches.
“Yes, well, I am certain that His Grace will soon put a stop to his wife’s little hobby and have her concentrate on the business of producing an heir.”
One could do both. From what Frances understood, it did not take so long to go about making an heir, not even an hour, she supposed. Not that she had any experience in such, but she’d overheard enough discussions to know that the act does not take so very long.
“Adina will already have to face speculation with you being eight and twenty, wallflower and spinster.”
“Were you not eight and twenty, also a spinster, when my uncle married you?”
“My circumstances were quite different.”
Aunt Mae likely remained unwed because she was quite restrained and judgmental of others in Society. More so than any gossiping matron that Frances had ever encountered.
“Those other gentlemen only wanted my wealth but tried to convince me that they had tender affection for me when I knew differently. Only your uncle was honest enough to admit the truth when he called on me. He also confessed that he needed my assistance to guide his nieces, which I fully embraced. I think the only reason you are a failure is that when we met you were already eight and ten, no longer influenced while your sisters were thirteen and nine—young enough for me to mold.”
Frances nearly snorted. The only molding that Aunt Mae had accomplished was that her sisters and cousin wanted to be nothing like their aunt.
“Though, I cannot understand why neither Hope nor Bryn have married.”
“I believe they only wish to wed for love.”
“Yes, well, such does not last, even if one is silly enough to believe that it existed in the first place.”
Frances did not argue. She had foolishly believed herself in love once and it had nearly destroyed her soul. Lord Seth Claxton had rejected not only her heart but the friendship they had shared for ten years. She was much wiser now. “Hope and Bryn are intelligent women and can decide their own future without influence of me or anyone else. If they choose to wait for love, then I applaud them. If they decide to settle, it does not matter to me so long as they are happy. And, if they become spinsters, then I certainly will not judge them because life is far too short to suffer through unpleasant circumstances.”
Frances pulled on her gloves, then tied the bow of her bonnet beneath her chin. “I shall be going now. My trunks have been packed and they are loaded onto the carriage and I do not wish to delay my move any longer than necessary.”
Aunt Mae’s grey eyes hardened. She did not approve of Frances and would likely give her the cut direct next Season.
“I do not believe that you can fully appreciate the damage this will do to your sister.”
Frances nearly rolled her eyes, but such disrespect would only anger Aunt Mae further and she had grown tired of this argument. “Hope does very well in Society and my status has not affected her in the past nor will it in the future.”
“You were not employed previously. You simply enjoyed cardrooms when you were not holding up a wall at any gathering.”
It had not been Frances’ intention to be a wallflower when she first came to London, but Society had decided such for her, likely because of her age when she had finally enjoyed a Season and the fact that she was poor and would bring no dowry into a marriage. By the following Season, Frances had fully embraced her standing in Society. “Then advise them to limit their association with me and tell Adina to stay by Hope or Bryn’s side and to ignore me completely,” Frances said as she turned for the door.
“I am not finished, Frances.”
“I am,” were her parting words as she stepped toward the door. “Give everyone my love when you return to Yorkshire.”
“I do not understand why you are so bitter when we have done everything that we could for you.”
“I am not bitter, Aunt Mae, simply pragmatic,” Frances answered. “But I really must be going. Good day.”
She quickly hurried from the townhome her uncle still retained despite their lack of funds before Aunt Mae could say another word and blew out a sigh once she settled into the hackney.
Love indeed!
She knew that is what her sisters and cousin hoped for, and Frances had not discouraged them. Just because love had failed her did not mean they may not find it for themselves. Besides, if she cautioned them, they may ask why and those reasons would never be revealed. To this day, the relationship that she had once shared with Seth remained a secret. She would hide it from herself if that were possible.
However, he had taught her a very valuable lesson. Love cannot be trusted. Never again would she give her heart to anyone and thankfully there was no need for her to ever wed.
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