Angel of Ash Read online

  Angel of Ash

  By

  Josephine Law

  Copyright 2012 Josephine Law/ss

  Chapter 1

  Asher knew without a shadow of a doubt that when he saw his sister, Hunter again, he would strangle her within an inch of her life. How she had managed to get him to come to this mess, for it really couldn’t be called anything else, was beyond his lowly human comprehension.

  Unbelievable.

  He, he of all people standing, no squeezed in between debutantes and mamas and old dames and widows and actresses and every other kind of female known to man and he wasn’t even making love to any of them. Didn’t even know their names, who they were and he didn’t, couldn’t even bring himself to care.

  Please, he thought praying frantically, save me. But there was no one or nothing which could save him from this torment, the high pitched voices, and the simpering looks.

  Ow! Someone pinched his arse!

  He looked around for the culprit, but all the ladies looked so innocent, a look they had practiced since the cradle and he could see no telltale blush of any of the debutantes.

  They were like sharks, baiting him and soon, soon they would go in for the kill. And the kill was him walking down an aisle in a church with a simpering chit beside him.

  Not, bloody likely.

  He had to escape now, before he was consumed in a midst of perfume and flowers and jewelry and makeup powder. And all that would be left of him would be his clothes and his brothers would stand over his eaten form and scratch their heads in confusion and say, ‘What a shame, what a shame.’ And his dear mama would weep over his skeleton form and say, ‘If only he had married first’ and his father would hold her to his chest while Hunter, his blood thirsty sister and her husband would laugh with glee.

  After all this was their fault.

  Damn them.

  Damn them.

  Damn them.

  Feeling somewhat better after the third swear he started backing away ever so slowly, but every step he took the women took two more.

  All right, slow and easy, Asher thought, moving an inch back every five seconds, or every time the gaggle of women all laughed liked crazed circus performers which was less then every five seconds.

  He kept his smile pasted on his face, laughed at whatever they said even if they spoke of a past death or family illness and slowly, slowly, ever so slowly kept retreating back. And they kept attacking him.

  Ben didn’t want to hurt their feelings, his mother had taught him better than that, but he felt those acid words begin in his throat and knew if he didn’t escape within the next two seconds someone, someone would run away crying.

  Maybe all of them, the thought bringing a surprising glee to his otherwise dismal outlook on life right now.

  “Excuse me please!” Asher heard a cry from the back of the large herd of females and saw the crowd part like the Red Sea for Moses. Only it wasn’t Moses, it was his petite, black haired sister who would soon meet her Maker if she didn’t get him out of this place.

  It was after all her fault.

  Hunter seemed to recognize his anger and the large amount of anxiety in his golden eyes. Shouldering past the two remaining women who failed to move out of her way in time she turned to the group at large, exclaiming in shock looking past the women to something unseen. “My gracious, is that Caleb and Michael just coming off the dance floor with nary a partner.”

  Half of the women started murmuring excuses and left behind a sea of perfume and musk. The other half weren’t budging an inch. A new tactic. Hunter smiled serenely, placed a hand on her flat stomach and whispered co-conspirator to a widow and matron beside her, even though the rest of the flock heard her overly exaggerated whispered words. “I just must have Asher escort me outside from the crush, my delicate condition, you do realize,” she said and the ladies nodded in sympathy and ushered the last remaining women away.

  Delicate condition his arse, Asher thought, his sister might be quite pregnant but she was as healthy as a horse.

  “I don’t much like you,” Asher said as he escorted Hunter out of the crush of the ballroom, ignoring everyone and shouldering past people, a lot easier for Asher to do since he was six foot two inches and quite broad.

  Hunter laughed at his anger, wrapping her hands tighter around his arm as if about to faint. “Dear, brother, if only you would give in like the others and dance the night away, that way you can deal with only one woman at a time.”

  “I don’t think so,” Asher said. He did not dance, had never danced, and would never dance. Nothing on God’s green earth would get him to dance. Not even his stubborn, bull headed, manipulating sister whom he loved with all of his heart. Well, half of it, the other half was reserved for his mother.

  They were the only two women he could put up with. Whom he loved and cherished. There wasn’t room for any other female.

  There were two types of females, his family females and the females you treated with respect but were headed straight for your bed. Those females didn’t have any place in his heart. He had neither nary the time nor the attention to give to them and even though Asher had many lovers in his lifetime, only one had he loved, and would never forgive.

  It was pretty much assumed by the entire family that of all the brothers Asher would never marry, never fall in love, and never give his heart. It wasn’t just assumed, it was a known fact. And even though Asher had just turned twenty eight and their mother was filled with despair on ever getting her sons to marry, she was most worried about Asher. And so it was Hunter and the Lady Maria –their mother- co-conspirator to make Asher meet as many women as possible. There had to be someone in the civilized world who caught the rake’s eye.

  The two made their way outside, receiving stares from both women and men. Even though Hunter was two years married and expecting her first child this winter, she was still undeniably beautiful, her golden brown skin astonishing compared to the pale faces of the ton. So like Asher’s and the rest of their brothers, bestowed upon them by their mother who was from Morocco and carried African and Spanish blood. Hunter’s eyes a perfect golden, while Asher’s’ were more feline, green specks in the golden color, making them astonishing and as one experienced widow had whispered to another, ‘Those eyes can make love to a woman from across a room.’ It was met with general agreement from the other woman.

  The air outside was perfect in the darkness. Warm with a cooling breeze in the July heat, scented with the various flowers of the garden.

  “Where is your husband?” Asher asked.

  “Speaking of nothing to a bunch of lords who want him for something or the other, I grew tremendously bored listening and searched for you, I knew you would not be upon the dance floor.”

  Asher grunted, he could do no more, he was still more then mildly irritated at his sister, but as long as she got him away from the crush he could forgive her, only slightly of course.

  “Hunter!” a voice yelled as the two stood upon the balcony. It was Gabe, Hunter’s husband striding out to them with a foreboding look upon his face. “Why did you leave, one moment you were there the next gone,” he said and even though he scowled slightly it was for the entire world to see the love upon his face for his wife.

  Asher wanted to bring up his accounts and retch over the two lovebirds; it really was quite disgusting to see his sister make goo-goo faces at her husband.

  The two blatantly ignored Asher as they whispered mush in each other’s ear, sighing melodramatic sighs until Asher could take no more. With a growl he walked down the balcony’s steps into the deep recess of the garden, blind hope that maybe he could hide out here for the remainder of the night.

  The air was warm, the moon full and it hadn’t rain in a full three da
ys, a miracle in England. The grass was semi-dry, scented with whatever flowers women found it necessary to ruin a perfectly good lawn with. All too soon, Asher found himself in the furthest part of the lawn where woods started encroaching upon the manicured lawn, and thankfully far away enough that not a single couple dared to come. The lights of the mansion were dim twinkles, the roar of voices mere hums. Perfect.

  Sitting upon a cut trunk, Ben spread his long legs in front of him, leaning against a tree right beside his fallen trunk and began wool gathering.

  About what, everything.

  The fact that his little sister was married was mind boggling, even though it had been two years and expecting her first child, his first niece or nephew. He still couldn’t believe it. And with unbelief came his very reason for being here at this ball of all things.

  How his sister and mother had managed to wrap him around their little golden fingers was beyond his knowledge, but one look at their wide sad eyes and he’s turned to mush, like a limp grass spade in a torrential downpour.

  Oh, how they’d pleaded and begged, the two of them, as his father had just looked at him with a face that said, ‘for the love of God give in’ and as his brothers had stared stupefied at their feet for actually ascending to come to this shindig. It was Asher who took the longest to wear down. A full three hours until so upset at their sad faces he would have wished the two the world if it would have gotten them to stop. But Hunter and Maria hadn’t wanted the world just for the five brothers to attend a ball.

  A ball of all things.

  He shuddered once again. Asher did not go to balls, preferring gaming halls and the quiet of his London town home or the house of whichever mistress he was currently bedding. Sad thing was he hadn’t bedded anyone for the past seventeen months. His last mistress having actually married of all things and moving to Devonshire to live a respectable life. Last he’d heard she was eight months pregnant and as happy as a stuffed chicken.

  That definitely deserved no contemplation. Marriage was definitely not for him. Even though his own parents had the model marriage, he simply did not want to be tied down for any reason whatsoever. Reason why he stayed as far away from balls and the likes where mama’s and daughters wheedled him out. He had no use for them, only the more experienced ladies of the ton. And that was the question that kept rising in his mind. Why hadn’t he made an honest effort to find another suitable lady to spend some quality time with?

  He couldn’t honestly answer it, only knowing that he wanted something different, something new. In the meantime he could wait. It was all a matter of mind over body and Asher quite believed that his mind was far superior enough to tell his body what to do.

  Waking from his musings he stared at the fullness of the moon, taking his pocket watch out and noticing only a very, very short eleven minutes had passed. My God, what was he to do with himself?

  Suddenly his body sprang to attention, hearing a muffled noise from deeper in the woods. His rational mind told him it was nothing but a small animal but the noise seemed human somehow. Anything to get his mind off the dead bore of waiting out this simpleton ball was enough to get him moving in the direction of the noise on silent feet, gliding over the leaves like a wild cat.

  As silent as a great cat, Asher stood, the grass making barely a rustle beneath his feet, as he turned around the tree. “What the hell are you doing here?” He asked fiercely, seeing one of his many brothers wandering to his private part of the lawn.

  Caleb snorted a laugh. “Damn, Asher, can I not get away from you everlasting brothers?” He asked hotly, golden eyes burning with fire.

  “Look, here now, this is my own private section of the lawn, go find your own,” Asher retorted hotly, hands fisted on his hips. “And why the hell are you out here, last I saw of you a herd of mama’s and debutantes were swooning at your feet?” He asked.

  Caleb managed a small smile, sitting on Asher’s fallen tree. “I kept inching away. It took me all of twenty minutes before I made it to the balcony doors. When they started following me there I told them I thought I saw a wild animal race through the lawn. Half of the women fled the other half ran for cover when I told them I felt raindrops.”

  Asher laughed; he had too, joining his oldest brother on the fallen tree. “Damn, how did Hunter and mother managed to get us here?” Asher asked still in disbelief that he was attending a ball. “Three balls in three years. This should be written down in the history books.”

  “The first two didn’t count, seeing as how they were for Hunter. This one…well, they are our sister and our mother, we cannot say no to them,” Caleb said gloomily. “How you managed to hold out for three hours is beyond me, as soon as Hunter turned those big, golden eyes my way, I knew it was all over,” Caleb added, smiling slightly, he knew Hunter had him wrapped around her finger, and yet he’d have it no other way, at least not for his baby sister.

  Asher shook his head, still not believing that they were attending a ball, and all for the future hopes of the brothers marrying. As far as he was concerned the only who need marry was Caleb, seeing as how he was the heir. “If you would just race along, and do some debutante the justice of standing before the priest, Hunter and mother will be so enraptured with plans for your wedding and you future child, I will get at least two years rest.”

  “I think not, brother, knowing the two, they would enjoy it greatly if we all fell before the priest in one fell swoop. It matters not who the lady is, as long as we march down the dreaded aisle.”

  “Well damn that,” Asher said. He refused marching down any aisle unless he was attending church with his parents in the country.

  “Well, damn it to hell, we thought you two were in some private corner with a beautiful young debutante,” a voice said in amazement before Caleb and Asher turned to see two more of their brothers stepping into the dark clearing.

  The twins, Michael and Luke, looked thoroughly aggravated and it was with some notice that Caleb and Ben both saw the two bottles of wine Michael had sneaked out of the party.

  “Just who I wanted to see, my favorite brother,” Asher said holding out one hand for a wine bottle.

  Michael obligingly gave him a bottle, before taking a swig from the other one he carried. “Not bad at all, a little too sweet,” he commented before passing the bottle to Luke.

  Luke gratefully took a swig and then two more before passing the bottle along to Caleb who gratefully took it. “How did you two manage to sneak out before us?” He asked.

  Caleb paused from drinking, swiping his mouth with one golden hand. “Told the chits I saw a wild animal and a threat of rain,” He said, passing the bottle back to Michael.

  Asher snorted; he’d not wanted to share his bottle and stingily cupped it in his arms. “Hunter threatened to faint in her delicate condition if I wasn’t the one to escort her out doors. Once there, Gabe and she started smooching while I slithered away.”

  They laughed; they had too, Asher sounding so disgusted in discussing Hunter and their brother-in-law kissing.

  “Better than ours, Michael pretended to have whooping cough, so I of course, obligingly escorted him outdoors where we ran for our very lives.”

  Michael laughed. “Even though, I must admit, the last one I danced with had a body like a goddess, did you see her, Luke?” He asked, smiling in appreciation.

  “The red?” Luke asked and started smiling at Michael’s nod.

  “Yes, her, I hadn’t seen breasts that large in a long while,” Michael said, the brothers in general agreement upon the red head who’d they all had the pleasure of dancing with. All except, Asher who was graced with two left feet and had never made motions to make a fool of himself by dancing in front of a large crowd of people.

  Luke and Michael settled down on opposite trees in the grass, Michael sighing gratefully. “Damn, brothers, it has been nearly a year since the family has managed to group us together. Asher, how was London, any new beauties there?”

  Michael was fast wal
king in Asher’s step as the next rake of the family. More quiet then his twin, Luke; he instead spent his many hours in London from one beauty’s bed to the next. At twenty six, he’d had his fair share of women.

  “No one interesting,” Asher countered taking another swig of wine, before regretfully passing the bottle to Luke. “Are all the women in our fair country exactly the same? I’ve had no interest in any of the ladies of the ton for far too long. Perhaps I shall go to the continent, see what awaits me there.”

  Caleb snorted. “Same women, different accents,” He said, laughing at his own joke. “No, brother, what you need is a woman who shows you absolutely no interest. I believe you have grown quite jaded at the fair amount of beauties who throw their selves at your two left feet.”

  The wine was affecting the brothers. They laughed loudly, settling deeper into the grass and trees of their seats. “Perhaps so, old man. I don’t understand your own will power; you’ve had what, two women in your entire life?” Asher said sarcastically, grinning when his pun hit home. Caleb was reserved around women, and only gave his intentions to the most beautiful and interesting of England’s various widows.

  “At least I am not in the chance of getting the pox,” Caleb countered before laughing.

  “Perhaps the pox, but at least he’ll die happy,” Luke said as the brothers roaring with laughter as they each talked about the others escapades with the fairer sex.

  “Where is that Dave?” Michael asked, speaking of their youngest brother, who at twenty three was the only virgin and most thoughtful of the five.

  Asher snorted. “More than likely boxed in with some freckled face young ms I’ve seen him dance with twice. Told the brother not too, but the young fool wouldn’t listen.”

  “I’ll have you know that freckled face young ms is perhaps the only interesting female in the entire ball,” A deep voice said from the shadows before David, the youngest of the five brothers stepped out of the shadows.

  Asher nearly choked on his just swallowed wine and with a hard beating from Caleb managed to swallow the rest. “Damn, boy, don’t go sneaking up on me like that, I thought you were mama,” he said, aggravated at David who could walk with all the stealth of a mouse stealing a piece of cheese from a cat no more than one foot away.