Beguiling the Barrister Read online

  Beguiling the Barrister

  By Wendy Soliman

  Book two of The Forsters.

  England, 1814

  Flick—more properly known as Lady Felicity Forster—was twelve when she decided she was going to marry her handsome neighbor Darius Grantley. Now, embarking on her second season, she’s no nearer to that lofty ambition. She commits to making Darius fall in love with her, if only he’d take a break from pleading the case of the common criminal as a barrister at the Old Bailey.

  Darius adores the lovely, high-spirited younger sister of the Marquess of Denby, but he’s all too aware that Flick is far above him in social status, not to mention fortune. Winning the high-profile Cuthbert case will earn him a promised appointment to King’s Counsel and just enough income to provide a home for his well-born lady.

  But the cards are stacked against him. Not only do the newspapers trumpet his clients’ guilt, but a powerful peer bribes the witnesses and threatens Flick unless Darius sabotages his own case...

  For more of the Forsters, check out Compromising the Marquess, available now!

  71,000 words

  Dear Reader,

  I’m writing this just after having returned from Disney World. It wasn’t my first trip to Disney and it won’t be my last. Even though I’m not fond of big crowds, I get sick if I even look at a twisty ride (though I still like to ride a few) and by the end of our visit we’re all invariably cranky, I still love it there. Disney truly has created something magical.

  Luckily, for those of you who don’t have a trip to Disney in your future, they’re not the only ones who can create something magical. Every month, Carina Press authors deliver us books that transport us to new times, new places and new adventures. This month is no different!

  I’m pleased to introduce New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Tyler’s new series, launching this month. This romance, set in post-apocalypse America, centers around the survival of the fittest: the motorcycle gangs of the future. Dark, edgy and steamy, Defiance is the first in this can’t-miss new series.

  Another New York Times bestselling author, Marie Force, is back with the next installment in her bestselling romantic suspense series. An error on the baseball field leads to murder in Fatal Mistake.

  And I’m happy to welcome Victoria Davies to Carina Press with her newest paranormal romance, Seducing the Demon Huntress.

  Joining these three is a lineup of fantastic authors returning to Carina Press. Don’t miss the latest installment of Love Letters Volume 3: Wicked Whispers. Verbal foreplay goes a long way in these four steamy stories. From author Christine d’Abo comes Sexcapades. Sparks fly between two rival internet bloggers in this erotic contemporary romance.

  Our last erotic offering for the month of June is the long-awaited sequel to Dana Marie Bell’s Blood of the Maple. In Throne of Oak, dark forces are converging on Maggie’s Grove, and a horde of hunters stalk supernaturals from the shadows.

  If you’re looking for more paranormal romances, Sheryl Nantus, PJ Schnyder, and Eleri Stone all have releases this month. Check out the new installments from Sheryl and Eleri respectively, Family Pride and Witch Bound. Meanwhile, join PJ on a new adventure as she kicks off her London Undead series with Bite Me. Zombies have taken over London and a werewolf finds himself protecting a woman who seems determined to put herself in harm’s way.

  Still in the “other world” genres, we have two releases: Fae Sutherland’s Sky Runners, a delicious male/male space opera; and the conclusion to Vivi Anna’s steampunk romance trilogy. The League of Illusion: Destiny wraps up with sorcerer Sebastian Davenport’s story.

  If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, you’ll want to make sure you’re not missing out on Julie Rowe’s War Girls books. World War I generated many heroes—only some of them were men. Check out Enticing the Spymaster, her newest release, and go back and catch up with Saving the Rifleman, the first in this series. And while you’re in the past, why not stay there? Wendy Soliman’s Beguiling the Barrister also transports readers to a past time in this regency romance.

  Last but not least, two powerhouse authors have new releases to center you in the here and now. HelenKay Dimon explores love and lust in her return to Holloway with contemporary romance Just What He Wanted. Sexy Travis is the story we’ve all been waiting for!

  Adrienne Giordano rounds out our month of magical releases with Opposing Forces. In this romantic suspense, when a pharmaceutical distribution manager uncovers secret drug shipments at work, she and a savvy executive with political ties must risk everything—including their hearts—to stop the criminals and stay alive.

  No matter where your reading tastes take you, whether it’s the past, the future, or an alternate world, we’ve got an extensive catalog to help give you a magical experience without ever leaving the comfort of your own house (or needing to stand in line!).

  We love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to [email protected]. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Executive Editor, Carina Press

  www.carinapress.com

  www.twitter.com/carinapress

  www.facebook.com/carinapress

  Dedication

  For my friend, Gabrielle Fraaije-Poulson, with love.

  Acknowledgements

  As always, I’m indebted to my talented editor, Deborah Nemeth, for her insight and skill. My thanks go also to the entire Carina team.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  November 1814

  “Are you telling the court that Mr. Fuller called on you to take tea?” Darius Grantley elevated his brows, an expression of incredulity gracing his handsome face. “Nothing more sinister than that?”

  “Well, he does enjoy a nice biscuit an’ all.”

  “No money changed hands in return for the supposed services you provide in the establishment where you reside?”

  “Ain’t no supposed about it,” muttered some wit in the public gallery. “Been there meself so I know about what I speak.”

  Laughter erupted and was as quickly extinguished when the judge banged his gavel, a mask of impatience and considerable ill-humour flitting across his countenance.

  Flick suppressed a smile. She and her sister-in-law were observing the proceedings from the public gallery. “I don’t think the judge approves of Miss Adams,” she whispered to Beth.

  “I shall clear the courtroom if there are any more interruptions,” his lordship boomed. “Pray, continue, Mr. Grantley.”

  “I’m obliged to your lordship.” Darius Grantley, barrister at law, straightened his shoulders and turned his attention to the woman in the dock. “Please answer the question, Miss Adams.”

  “What was the question again, sir? What with all the excitement, it clear went out of my head.”

  “Did you do it for money, love?” the same heckler yelled out.

  “Absolutely not!” Miss Adams’s ha
nd fluttered against her breast. “The very idea. I’m a respectable woman, and that’s the truth.”

  “He’s good, isn’t he?” Flick said.

  “He seems to know what he’s doing,” Beth conceded. “But why is he defending a woman of...well, a woman of such questionable morals?”

  “Darius believes that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law,” Flick responded loftily. “He’s very liberally minded that way.”

  Darius Grantley’s star was very much in the ascendancy at the Old Bailey since he’d chosen to defend wretched creatures often forced by desperation into committing crimes. The great and good in the legal profession generally agreed that his talents were wasted on, and went largely unappreciated by, his motley collection of clients. Perhaps that was true, but Darius appeared determined to serve them regardless of the fact that principles and conscience alone singularly failed to pay the rent.

  “From the evidence already presented, it seems his client is as guilty as sin, in spite of your Darius’s best efforts to confuse the jury,” Beth said.

  “Shush!” Flick pressed a finger to her lips. “This is very interesting. I don’t want to miss anything.”

  “Not much chance of that,” Beth whispered back. “Your eyes have barely left Mr. Grantley’s person since we got here.”

  The object of Flick’s affections grasped the edges of his black flowing robe and affected an air of astonishment. “Are you asking the court to believe that the gentleman who complained about being overcharged was a personal acquaintance who stopped by for a cup of tea and stimulating...er, conversation?”

  “That’s right, ducks. He’s a sprightly old gent. He can still manage to get it—”

  “Thank you, Miss Adams,” the judge intervened, much to Flick’s irritation. She’d very much like to know what it was that old Mr. Fuller could still manage to do. With three overprotective brothers to contend with, her education in that respect was woefully incomplete. “Confine yourself to answering counsel’s questions.”

  “I was doing until you interrupted me, wasn’t I? Mr. Fuller gets confused sometimes, bless his heart. Well, at his age, what else can you expect?”

  Darius glanced up, as though seeking inspiration from the four brass chandeliers overhead, and his gaze alighted on Flick and Beth. His expression showed surprise, quickly followed by irritation.

  “Blast, he’s seen us!” Flick, her features hidden behind her veiled hat, had hoped their presence would go undetected.

  “I don’t know why you’re so surprised,” Beth said, smiling. “You don’t have it in you to blend in.”

  “Nonsense, I’d make a first-class wallflower.”

  “You!” Beth covered a splutter of laughter with her hand. “Hardly, my dear. Apart from being so much better dressed than everyone here, you’re so lovely that you naturally attract attention wherever you go. You don’t bear even a passing resemblance to a humble wallflower.”

  Flick wrinkled her nose. “What you mean is that I never did learn to impersonate a statue. Miss Archer quite despaired of me but I told her that all that rigid etiquette—pretending not to listen to interesting conversations that aren’t supposed to be for one’s ears—is pointless. I mean, how else is one supposed to know what’s happening in the world?” She waved her fingers at Darius. He glowered back at her and returned to the questioning of his client. “Oh dear, he doesn’t look too happy to see us, does he?”

  “What else did you expect?”

  Flick glanced at the motley assortment of people watching the proceedings. Beth was right. The two of them really didn’t belong here, especially given the nature of the trial in question, and they were attracting considerable unwanted attention. It didn’t bother her but she could see that Beth felt quiet discomposed by it.

  “Sorry,” she said, covering Beth’s gloved hand with one of her own. “We shouldn’t have come.”

  “Never mind, we’re here now. Let’s see how your Mr. Grantley gets his client out of this one. Not that I think he will but you keep telling me he’s clever enough to achieve anything he sets his mind to. It will be interesting to see if you’re right.”

  “You still have doubts about him?” Flick pouted. “How could you? He’s truly magnificent.”

  The magnificent Mr. Grantley appeared to have lost his thread and passed his client over to counsel for the crown without asking any more questions.

  “Oh, hello, Mr. Harris,” Miss Adams said when the man stood up. “I didn’t realize it was you sitting down there. How are you, ducks? Haven’t seen you for...er, a cup of tea, for a while.”

  The courtroom erupted into guffaws of laughter.

  “Do you think Mr. Grantley knew they were acquainted?” Beth asked.

  “Oh, I would imagine so.” Flick watched Darius sit back with arms folded across his lovely broad chest, trying to look impervious to the chaos he’d created. “He’s very thorough.”

  “Well, I’m not sure I approve of his methods but I imagine that horrible, blowsy woman will walk free now.”

  “It is the oldest profession and will never go out of style. After all, someone has to cater to the needs of the populace.”

  Mr. Harris, red-faced, posed ridiculously vague and very brief questions to Miss Adams. Darius didn’t call anyone else. The jury faced one another, conferred briefly and took mere seconds to acquit the defendant.

  “Told you so!” Flick stood up. “I think we’d better make a hasty exit before Darius scolds me for coming.”

  Beth followed her out of the gallery. “He can’t actually scold you. It’s not as if you’re related.”

  “No, but he could tell my brothers, which would amount to the same thing.”

  “He wouldn’t, surely?”

  “I shall never speak to him again if he does.” She grabbed Beth’s arm. “Come on, quick, this way.”

  “Flick.” At the bottom of the stairs, Darius blocked their path, looming over them like a predatory demon in his black robe and horsehair wig. “In a hurry?”

  “The proceedings are over. We didn’t wish to detain you.”

  “Ah, but I have every wish to detain you.” His smile wasn’t intended to make her comfortable, of that she was absolutely certain, and it succeeded, wretched man. Flick squirmed beneath his stern gaze. “Good morning, Miss Elliott.” He turned to Beth and bowed over her hand. “I trust I find you well?”

  “Thank you, yes.” Her smile eased the tension simmering between Flick and Darius. “That was quite impressive.”

  “Don’t allow your opinion of the law to be coloured by that charade.”

  “I’m not sure that I actually have a clear opinion of the law,” Beth said.

  “Just as well.” He removed his wig and gown and handed them to the clerk scurrying at his heels. Flick thought he looked rather intimidating and very intelligent when wearing the wig but infinitely preferred to see his soft brown curls tumbling free round his face. He placed a hand beneath each lady’s elbow and steered the party towards the entrance. “It wasn’t an example of the wheels of justice that I would have you carry in your mind.”

  “Was justice not served, Darius?” Flick asked.

  “Yes, insofar as the case never should have been brought to court. And certainly not a court of the calibre of the Old Bailey.”

  “Then why was it?” Beth asked as they stepped out of the gloomy halls. Suddenly emerging into the morning sunshine, weak though it was as it played hide-and-seek with dark clouds, made both ladies blink. “Mr. Fuller had a right to feel aggrieved if he was treated dishonestly. Besides, prostitution is against the law.”

  Darius smiled at her. “Indeed it is, in which case the customers ought to be prosecuted along with the purveyors of such services.”

  “I see what you mean, I think.” Flick wrinkled her brow. “For the likes of Miss Adams to endure, they must be sure of a steady stream of customers.”

  “Precisely, and half the officers of the court probably knew her by name, not to mentio
n the members of the jury, which makes the presentation of the case all the more baffling.” He appeared to recall whom he was addressing. “I’m sorry, ladies, this is hardly a suitable topic of conversation for your ears but since you sat through the trial, it seems pointless trying to re-establish the proprieties.”

  “Oh tosh, Darius, it’s me you’re talking to.” Flick waved a hand airily in his direction. “Since when did we concern ourselves with proprieties?”

  “Since the occasion when I rescued you from an oak tree and saved you from breaking your neck, I would imagine,” Darius said. Was it wishful thinking on Flick’s part or did his features soften at the memory?

  “What is this place?” Beth asked as he led them to a nearby building that appeared to be doing a roaring trade.

  “It’s a public house that has a room suitable for ladies. Since you’re here, I shall buy you refreshments.” He escorted them through the heaving taproom. “Tea for my guests, if you please,” he called to the landlord.

  “Right away, Mr. Grantley.”

  Acknowledging greetings from fellow members of the court, he ushered them into a small parlour and closed the door against inquisitive faces.

  “This establishment is convenient for the Bailey,” Flick said, lifting her veil and fixing it to the top of her hat. “No wonder you know so many people here.”

  “It used to act as waiting room for witnesses until the court was reconstructed forty odd years ago. Now they have their own room in the Bailey. I imagine that was done in a misguided effort to keep witnesses sober.”

  “Misguided?” Beth asked.

  “Alas, Miss Elliott.” He offered her a smile that lit up his entire face and made Flick quite weak at the knees. She tried not to resent the fact that he hadn’t chosen to favour her with that smile. Just because he was out of charity with her, there was no occasion to be mean. “Most witnesses still prefer to wait in here.”

  They were still laughing when tea arrived and Flick poured for them all.

  Flick nodded. “I can quite understand why witnesses would prefer this establishment. That judge was quite mean-spirited, and not pleasant to be near at all. I shouldn’t be able to help telling him so if I were you, Darius.”