The Lady's Forbidden Love: Langley Sisters Series Read online

  The Lady's Forbidden Love

  Langley Sisters Series

  Wendy Vella

  Contents

  The Lady’s Forbidden Love

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Sensing Danger

  Other Books By Wendy

  About the Author

  The Lady’s Forbidden Love

  By Wendy Vella

  A lady in disguise

  Betrayal is the one sin businessman Daniel Dillinger will not tolerate, so when sweet governess Abigail Wright reveals herself to be Lady Abigail Deville, sister of an earl, he vows to never cross her path again. However, he soon learns what led to Abby’s deception, and when he saves her from a knife-wielding villain, Daniel realizes he can no longer deny what is in his heart. Can he keep her safe? Losing her is not something he can contemplate.

  One night of forbidden temptation

  Living with four protective brothers and society’s restrictions forced Abby to sneak out of the house one night. Just one night of freedom would be enough, she’d believed, and that night had given her Daniel. When her lie is revealed, as eventually they always are, he keeps her secret, but she sees the anger smoldering in his eyes. When he is forced to protect her, Abby vows to make him look at her like he did that night once more, but to do that she must live long enough to ensnare his heart.

  THE LANGLEY SISTERS SERIES

  Lady In Disguise

  Lady In Demand

  Lady In Distress

  The Lady Plays Her Ace

  The Lady Seals Her Fate

  The Lady’s Dangerous Love

  The Lady’s Forbidden Love

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  For

  Riley, Rosie, Ari, and Mia

  Love you always

  Nana xx

  How do you spell love, Pooh?

  You don’t spell it, Piglet, you feel it.

  -Winnie The Pooh.

  Chapter 1

  “Why are we walking past this place again?”

  “We haven’t walked by here lately, have we?” Daniel Dillinger schooled his features to appear confused as he looked at his sister.

  “How can you not remember walking by the Duck and Goose Tavern three times in the last week?” Kate looked annoyed. “It may be dark, but I am intelligent enough to be aware that this is familiar.”

  Daniel made a scoffing sound as he looked at the tavern. Is she in there? “You are not intelligent, just an excellent actress. You may have others fooled as to your knowledge; I, however, am not one of them. And it’s on our way home, so I fail to see what the issue is.”

  “It’s not the direct route,” she muttered, not in the least offended by his slur on her character. With eight siblings it was likely that you would be insulted twice before midday, and taking umbrage really was too much effort.

  “Are you hungry, Kate? You’re usually only this grumpy when you are.”

  Kate was one half of the twins in the Dillinger family. Dark-haired like him, she sometimes came to assist his clerk when he was busy. Lately he had been inundated with clients, mainly foolish noblemen who had no idea how to manage their failing finances, so he had been collecting her daily to take her with him to work. The fact she usually came with baked goods from his mother was simply an added bonus. Today they’d had treacle cake.

  “It’s true I am hungry, and there is always the matter of Peter eating the majority of the food before I get a chance. Plus, tonight we are having custard pudding, and it’s my favorite.”

  Daniel’s mouth watered at the prospect, but as he’d chosen to move out of his family’s home some time ago, custard pudding was not in his immediate future.

  “There is plenty of food to go around now, Kate. I’m sure they will save you a sliver.” There hadn’t always been, Daniel remembered. He’d been born hungry, and his belly had been empty for many years thereafter.

  She huffed out a breath, then made a small choking sound.

  “What?” He looked at her, ready to hit her on the back should it be required, yet she appeared all right.

  “Sssh.” She elbowed him hard enough in the ribs to make him grunt. “It’s Bernard.”

  His sister had recently become engaged to Bernard Simpkin, the man walking toward them with a silly look on his face that matched Kate’s. A doctor and good man, it had to be noted, but his sister came completely undone and giggly when he was near—which was always something of a surprise to her family, as Kate rarely lost her composure.

  “Oh, no, not the beauteous Bernard,” he whispered in her ear. “La, how will we cope in the face of his magnificence.” Daniel stepped out of his sister’s reach as she tried to elbow him again.

  “I’m going to make you extremely sorry if you keep that up, Daniel.” The words were spoken from the side of her mouth.

  “Surely not? Me, your favorite brother? What could you possibly do to me?”

  She smiled slyly. “I will tell Mother you’ve not been eating and look pale and sickly.”

  He had to concede that as far as threats went, that was a good one.

  “Then I’ll say I think you need to come home to us, your family who misses you,” she added in a pious tone. “Home where she can monitor every mouthful you eat and woman you—”

  “All right, I’ll be quiet,” Daniel said quickly.

  “I thought I’d win.”

  “You didn’t win.” No one got a rise out of him quicker than a sibling. “I just don’t want the bedazzling Bernard to see your true self. Then where would we be? Back to the start of our long and extensive search to secure you a husband. No, indeed, we do not want to go through that again.”

  “Lord, you are annoying.” Kate was smiling now, although her teeth were gritted.

  “I do my best.” Daniel smiled too.

  Bernard was indeed a good man, friendly and intelligent. Both Daniel and their eldest brother, Oliver, had had him investigated. The man had not made one misstep in his life.

  “Do you and Oliver research words starting with B to annoy me?”

  “For my part, I have a list I carry in my pocket,” Daniel whispered. “Would you like to hear some more?”

  Kate stepped sideways and stomped onto his foot.

  “Bernard.” Daniel held out his hand with only a slight wince. “How are you?”

  Not overly tall, Bernard only had an inch or two on Kate. In fact, he was a fairly plain-looking fellow until he smiled, and then he looked completely different. He was smiling now as he looked at Daniel’s sister in that sickening way people in the first throes of love often did. Suddenly he was the interloper.

  “I have business this way, so if you don’t mind, Bernard, you would be doing me a favor if you could
escort Kate home. Perhaps there may even be a helping of custard pudding for you when you arrive?”

  “Of course!” The smile grew.

  “Goodbye, my favorite brother.” Kate kissed his cheek as her fingers pinched his arm. Daniel returned the gesture by hugging her hard enough to make her ribs creak.

  “Sweet dreams, sister. I shall call by in the morning to collect you.”

  He watched them walk off, now oblivious to all but each other, then turned and retraced his steps.

  The streets were narrow, and not many were about. Most, he was sure, were like him, heading home after a day’s work. Of course, he wasn’t exactly heading home; he was going to the Duck and Goose.

  He didn’t see the man until he was directly in front of Daniel, because he’d been hidden in the shadows.

  “Good evening.” He kept his words calm as he readied himself for the attack that was surely coming.

  “I want you to come with me.”

  “I’m not sure why I would?” Daniel balanced his weight onto the balls of his feet.

  “You need to come with me.”

  He saw the pistol as it came out of the pocket and reacted. Lunging forward, he grabbed the hand holding the weapon. The man grunted as they wrestled, but Daniel had two things in his favor. He was fitter, and he was used to fighting dirty. In seconds he had the man disarmed. Staggering back, his attacker then fled.

  “Well.” Daniel exhaled slowly as he tried to catch his breath. “That was unexpected.”

  Pocketing the pistol, he took a minute to get his breath back. How odd the man had said Daniel needed come with him somewhere. Perhaps he had feared someone would intervene and stop the robbery.

  Shrugging, Daniel began walking once more. Clearly he’d been about to be robbed. Foolish man, he would have been far better to attack from the rear, thereby gaining the element of surprise.

  Dismissing the incident, Daniel made for the Duck and Goose. Light spilled from the windows as he walked up the narrow path.

  Is she here?

  Opening the door, noise bombarded him as he stepped inside. On the bar sat a young man, long hair flopping over his face as he played the fiddle and sang. His voice was soulful, and the music he coaxed from the little instrument was many miles from the screeching he’d had to endure from his niece yesterday.

  Daniel let his eyes swing from left to right as he moved through the patrons. Smoke from the fireplace and those puffing on pipes hung in the air. People danced and clapped, others sang, the atmosphere was joyful.

  Is she here?

  Disappointment arrowed through him as he continued to search but found no sight of Abby. He’d spent a single evening with the woman. A single evening here, not more than two hours, and every minute was etched in his memory. They’d laughed and sung, and for the first time he’d felt a need for more.

  That night too, the room had been crowded, but Daniel had squeezed into a space at the rear, and there she’d been, right beside him, smiling. That smile had made something inside him clench.

  Abby had a sweet smile and a voice better suited to a ballroom than a tavern but felt no shame in singing as loudly as the other patrons.

  He’d learned she had a family she loved, and that her laugh came from the belly. He’d wanted to know more about her, but when he’d gone to the bar to get her a drink, she’d disappeared, and Daniel had returned every single night since in the hopes of seeing her again.

  His family would be shocked. He rarely behaved in such an impulsive manner. He was the Dillinger most likely to not inflame an already volatile situation, of which there were plenty in a family the size of his. He could tease his siblings, but that was different. When it came to serious issues or separating squabbling siblings, he was the man called to do so. The calm, rational Dillinger.

  He’d been inflamed that night with Abby. Her scent had managed to slip into his head, even here, where so many others permeated the air.

  “Good evening, Gus.” He and the barman now knew each other well enough to pass a few words, as he’d come to the Duck and Goose every night since meeting Abby.

  “He’s back, Eros,” Gus told him.

  “I see that.” Daniel looked at the lute-playing man. His songs would have the women sighing.

  “I’d make him a rich man if he played here more, but he’s the kind who don’t count wealth in financial terms,” the barman said, pointing to the singer.

  Daniel didn’t understand why anyone would not want to increase their coffers if the opportunity presented itself. When you were born into poverty, you certainly understood the benefits of having money when you obtained it, which he and his family had.

  “You’ll not get a seat at the rear again, but there’s likely a spot to lean against the wall.”

  “Thank you.”

  He took the drink Gus handed him and walked slowly through the people, searching the rear wall as the people there came into view. The breath whooshed from his lungs when he saw her.

  She stood on a chair, hair in a long dark braid hanging over one shoulder, face alive as she clapped and sang along with Eros. Her heart-shaped face was flushed with excitement and perhaps exertion, the ridges of her cheekbones colored. She was captivating, even more so to him as the anticipation had been building for nights, just for this moment.

  He kept his eyes on her as he moved closer, almost like she was pulling him toward her, which was foolish, but he couldn’t seem to either look away or move in the opposite direction. She had yet to see him. Would she feel the same way? They’d shared a connection; he was sure of it.

  “Excuse me.” He passed an elderly couple who were attempting to spin in a circle with arms entwined, then a young man who was dancing a jig.

  “More!” The crowd roared as the song stopped. Abby clutched her hands to her chest, and Daniel just bet she sighed. He couldn’t wipe the smile from his face at seeing her again.

  “Mr. Dillinger!”

  “Toddy.” He acknowledged the man to his right and the others with him, reluctantly dragging his eyes from her. They worked for Daniel’s family often on building projects. “Are you enjoying the performance?”

  “We are. Will you sit?”

  “I’ll just stand at the rear as I cannot stay long, but thank you all the same, Toddy.”

  He heard Toddy say Daniel was a good fair man for one of his standing, and it almost made him laugh, but he swallowed it down. When you were a coal miner’s son, you didn’t have “standing,” but you straddled several different worlds as if they were made of broken glass, fearing at any time you may slip. You also didn’t always fight fair to get to where you wanted to be, like a gentleman would.

  Before he could reach Abby, a man approached her. His hands gripped her waist. A beau, perhaps? The thought was not a happy one. Looking at her face, he revised that. She wasn’t pleased to be in his clutches. Daniel’s anger was swift. Lowering his drink to the nearest table, he moved closer.

  “Unhand me at once, sir!” Even in anger, her voice was like his sister-in-law’s, who was the daughter of a duke. That too had intrigued him. Why did she speak like nobility?

  “Come and dance with me.” The man was pulling her off the chair. Abby was struggling to get his hands off her. “I like a snooty woman in my arms.”

  “No!”

  No one was looking their way, even though Abby had raised her voice. Those nearby were caught up in the entertainment and likely the alcohol they’d consumed.

  “Aw, come on now. I just want to dance with you, and maybe a wee kiss.”

  “No!” She was struggling.

  “Remove your hands,” Daniel said, reaching the man’s side. He carried more weight, but that was mainly in his belly. Daniel was taller and fitter.

  “Daniel!” He didn’t look at Abby as she said his name. Never turn away from your enemy. He’d learned that lesson early in life.

  “Who are you to tell me what to do?” The man glared at him.

  “The lady wou
ld like you to release her. Do it now, or I will make you.” Daniel pitched his voice so the man could hear, but he kept calm.

  “This isn’t your business. Me and her, we’re going to dance.”

  “I don’t want to dance with you. Unhand me.” Abby pushed against the man’s shoulders. He didn’t release her, and Daniel’s anger turned to rage that the man was upsetting her.

  “Unhand her now.”

  “Get lost.”

  He didn’t want to make a scene, because it was likely others would join in, and he had no wish for a brawl to erupt in here. People would get hurt and Gus’s interior damaged.

  “We can do this here, or outside, but you will release her, either alone or by my hand.”

  The man let her go and faced him, leaning in, trying to intimidate Daniel. If only this man knew who his brother was, he’d understand any form of intimidation was useless.

  “Make me.”

  “Outside then.” Daniel nodded toward the door.

  The man jutted out his jaw, unwilling to leave yet happy to start something. Sighing, Daniel punched him hard in the jaw. The man swayed. Daniel caught his arm, lowering him to the floor where he could rest against the wall.

  “Oh, dear.”

  He looked up at Abby. She didn’t look hysterical, just mildly concerned. Clearly it took a great deal to fluster her, which Daniel found he liked.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that, but I fear it was necessary, as he would have made a scene, and with so many people in here that could have been disastrous.”