My Dangerous Rogue, Paula Wong [best books to read for self improvement TXT] 📗

club with her?”
“The popular members of the ton of course.”
“How many are there?”
“Six,”
“Where do they meet?”
“They meet in the Sapphire Roses Club. It’s in Town,”
“Alright.” He turned around and headed back toward the entrance door.
“Wait, I thought you were going to see Lord Peter and Lady Joanna?”
He stopped to put on his gloves and hat. “I am. But there seemed to be a change of plans. But trust me, when I come back, Loretta will be with me. That’s my message,” Richard opened the door and closed it behind him, heading back toward the carriage. “Where off to my lord?”
“Sapphire Roses Club,” Richard stated looking outside of the window, as the carriage lurched forward.


“In Scotland?” Jane whispered looking at Loretta. “That is too far away,”
“I’m sorry but that’s the only place I can think of at the moment.”
“What about England?” she asked stating the obvious. “You cannot possibly think to leave.”
It seemed like Christine, Savanna, and Avery had a business elsewhere. Something about a charity foundation in Cambridge. Vivian is off with Edgar. Loretta is left with Jane and her husband, King William.
“I have to leave. I am sorry.” She stood up and gathered her overcoat and shawl.
“Because you do not want to marry O’Conner,” William replied softly, deep concern in his eyes.
“No, it’s not just that. It’s about everything else.” Loretta stopped over her fumbling and sighed. “If I know my parents and servants, they would know where to look for me. This is the only place I could go to that they would know.”
“I hope you know what you are doing,” Jane said standing up as well, William following along. “You are running away from your responsibilities Loretta. You of all people should know better.”
“I know.” She replied her gaze cold.
“Could you wait until the snow stops falling? The road will be dangerous and you would freeze to death out there.”
“I am sure Desmond can take care of himself, and we brought lots of thick blankets.”
“He will die freezing out there, along with Wilhelmina and you. I can’t stop you Loretta but I can prevent you from making an irrational decision. You have to consider the facts,”
“I already did.” She sighed. “I won’t be taking the carriage. That would just be a decoy. I purchased three tickets for the train. Desmond, Wilhelmina, and I will be taking the train to Scotland.”
“I see.” Jane let out a relief sigh, leaning against her husband. “Please be careful.”
“I will. Say goodbye to the others for me.”
Loretta gave Jane a tight hug and the same with William.
“Where are you going Aunt Loretta?” Jeanette, Jane’s little daughter asked.
She smiled. “I’m going to Scotland,”
“How long are you going to be there?” she asked in a soft voice.
“I am not sure, for a while maybe.”
“But why?” she whispered.
“Because I need to get away for a while,” Loretta smiled and picked her up. “Do not worry, I’ll be back to visit. And additionally, I’ll be writing letters to you. So always ask for them from your mother alright?”
Jeanette nodded in response. “I hope you won’t be long,”
“Do not worry my sweet. I won’t be.” She gave her a peck on the cheek and handed her over to Jane, who happily took her. “Please be careful Loretta.”
“I will. And additionally, I would prefer you not to tell anyone that I will be heading over to Scotland.”
Jane nodded in agreement. “I promise.”
Loretta smiled. “Good. I guess I better be going. Goodbye,” She waved and exited out of the club and onto the carriage, Wilhelmina was sitting there with her brown dress, it did look unattractive exactly of what she had expected. Right before they all left, She had asked for them to dress as much as unnoticed as possible. Including dressing dully, so they would not attract attention to them, even Loretta. She was wearing a plain traveling gown. The color of pure brown and black boots, along with a cape that is tied on her neck with a hood. Her hair was tied into a high bun, as always, the curls secured and held firmly by pins.
As the carriage lurched forward, Loretta let out a content sigh and leaned back against the seat. It will take approximately thirty minutes till they arrive at the train station. The positive thing though is that she doesn’t have to wait in line to purchase her tickets, she already bought them from a friend. She has William to thank for that. Hopefully, he wouldn’t say anything to Jane about it.
“Are you comfortable mistress?” she asked giving her an extra blanket.
“Of course, by dressing this way we look like merely three friends traveling on the train toward Scotland. Not running away of course. Though, we aren’t far away from home. You can back out of the trip if you want. I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can mistress, and that is why I need to look after you.”
Loretta looked up at her, slightly confused. “I don’t understand.
“I meant mistress, is that sometimes that pride of yours can get you into situations that aren’t good for you.”
“Situations that are not good for me,” She repeated looking up at Wilhelmina. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
“I don’t mean to sound rude mistress but is that how you got in this type of situation in the first place?”
Loretta smiled. “I guess you can say that.”
“So it’s your pride that made you run away and not marry Lord O’Conner,” Wilhelmina replied easily, looking out of the carriage window.
She nodded and looked outside the window as well. As much as she hate to admit it, she’s right. It’s her pride that made her run away in the first place. It is not like she is scared of the rogue- well maybe just a pint-sized.
“I cannot turn down what is right.” Loretta said smiling. “But I do not think it is all,”
“What do you mean? Is there more?”
“I want mother and father to have their own family. That is what they want, that is what they will get.”
“Your friends were worried about you though. What will happen to them?”
She hesitated. She did not want to leave her friends. In fact, she wanted to stay there with the rest of Members. But she couldn’t. They would know that she would be there. That is mostly the only place she’d go if she is not at home. If not at the club, then one of the member’s places and as much as she hates to admit it, they would all know that as well.
“I do not know,” Loretta answered truthfully. “But I am sure they can resume the club without I. Lady Jane was usually the one in charge of the whole club.”
“But do you really assume that you can leave them? Just like that?”
“Do not be ridiculous. I will visit them from time to time. I will not abandon them. The week after now, I’ll ride the train and come back to see them again.”
Wilhelmina nodded. “And do you know where we will be staying in Scotland mistress?”
She nodded. “That is another reason why I had thanked King William. He was so kind as to let us live in his villa for a while, until we can find a place to live.”
Her personal maid raised a brow and looked over at Loretta. “Why would King William do that?”
She shrugged in a reply. “Maybe because he is my friend’s husband. And I am a good friend of his as well.”
The carriage suddenly sprang into a stop as they have arrived at their destination. The train station was crowded of passengers. “Probably going home to their families as well.” She muttered out loud. “Only I am the opposite.” Loretta helped with the luggage as Stuart, her coachman and friend, took out a total of three trunks. One for herself, one for him, and one for Wilhelmina.
Loretta insisted that her old friend should just go home to the estate but he insisted to come along. It just proved how much of a good friend he was.
“Thank you, the both of you, for accompanying me. I really will take it to heart. Thank you for being by my side.” She smiled and hugged the both of them. “Are you ready?”
They both laughed and nodded.
She smiled and headed over to Cart 32 where the road to her destination awaits.


Richard arrived out of the front steps of the Sapphire Roses club. It looked like a regular club from the outside, but from the inside, it was totally different. Sofas were huddled together in the center, the sunlight illuminating through the humungous glass window. It looked lovely enough to a lady’s eye. Portraits hang around the room, different painting of the members he assume. On the other side of the room, sat a woman and what looked like her husband.
Her brown hair out of the bun and hang down her to her waist. She is beautiful, he thought simply his gaze moving toward the man. “King William,” He muttered as he recognized the both of them. “And Queen Jane.” No wonder why they had looked so familiar. Now he knew what that butler said about famous woman in the club. They stood up and looked behind them, her gaze an expression of a surprise. But the king on the other hand, was surprisingly unreadable.
“I am sorry to interlude,” he muttered bowing. “But I was informed that a woman, one of your club members, had come here.”
Lady Jane smiled and nodded, bowing in greeting, Lord William, next. “Yes, she was. You just missed her. Though only by the hour.”
Richard let out a sigh of relief. She was here. She was safe and alive. “Do you know where she had went?”
Jane bit her lip and nodded. “Yes, I know. But my apologies. I cannot tell you where her location is.”
He raised a brow and felt his temper rose instantly. “Why not?”
“Because I had given her my word Lord O’Conner.” So she knew who he was. Not any surprise there, every one of the ton knew the Earl of Kent.
“I’m sure we can make arrangements. Her family is in great grief of worrying if their daughter is still alive and well. “
“Well you can tell them that she is alive and well.” William bit out, his fists balled on his sides. Jane put a hand on his shoulder, a motion he knew too well.
“I promised that I would bring their daughter back with me. I cannot break their promise. I am a man who do not intend to break my promises. “
“Well I am afraid, this one you have to make an exception.” She gave her an apologetic glance. “Please sit,” her hand motion on the table that was on the other side of the room.
“I am afraid I have to decline my lady. I am running out of time.”
Jane nodded in agreement and took her husband’s hand leading them toward the table, sitting down on the marbled chairs. “Why do you want to know where her location is?”
“Like I had said before, her parents-.”
“Please do not make that excuse again.” She smiled looking up at him. “I have a husband who intends to do the same thing, though he knows I see he is lying every time.”
Richard raised a brow, she is just like Evangeline. Even though she does not know him well, she still knows what he is feeling and thinking. But he is not a person who approves of people knowing what he is feeling. That is why he had tried so hard to be an