Chivalrous Captain, Rebel Mistress (18 page)

‘Perhaps around two.’

The visit was her attempt to improve her attendance at social events, as Yost had suggested, but Edwin coming along made it all the worse.

‘I’ll come back at two.’ His voice was muffled with another mouthful of ham.

Allan walked into the Home Office in the late morning, still battling with guilt and indecision.

Sidmouth accosted him right away. ‘I hope your tardiness means you have some information for me. Did you discover anything about Yost?’

Too much. But he was not ready to report it, even if his sworn duty to Sidmouth was to tell him what he knew.

‘I have discovered nothing of consequence,’ he said.

Except that the leader of the movement he was sworn to thwart was a friend of the woman whose bed he shared the night before, the woman he was determined to marry.

Sidmouth looked disapproving. ‘Did you question Miss Pallant’s servants?’

‘I never had the opportunity,’ he answered honestly. Good God. He did not want to involve Reilly in this.

Sidmouth frowned. ‘Make opportunities, my boy. I have a new fellow in my employ who has discovered a great deal more than you have in half the time.’

‘A new fellow?’ This was a surprise to Allan. ‘Who is it?’

‘Hah!’ Sidmouth laughed. ‘A fellow who knows what he is about. Used him before. Makes things happen. Does what needs to be done and then some.’ He clapped Allan on the shoulder. ‘You need not know his name.’

Allan’s eyes narrowed. Why keep the man’s name from him?

He had heard the rumour that the man giving testimony about the Spa Field Riots had been a provocateur in Sidmouth’s employ. He had not believed it at the time.

He’d accepted employment with Sidmouth because it meant protecting the government and enforcing the laws, but it seemed to him that much of what Sidmouth wished him to do skirted the boundaries of honourable behaviour. Spying on people, trespassing, betraying people who trusted him.

‘Did you even see Yost last night?’ Sidmouth demanded. ‘Talk to him like before?’

‘He was Miss Pallant’s dinner guest, as was I,’ Allan told him.

‘Again?’ Sidmouth leaned forwards in interest. ‘What does this mean?’

Allan tried to maintain his composure. ‘He is a single man in need of feeding.’

Sidmouth’s face fell. ‘That cannot be all.’

Allan’s gaze remained steady. ‘I believe Miss Pallant and her companion enjoy company and conversation at dinner.’

Sidmouth’s brows rose. ‘What do we know of this companion?’

‘She is an impoverished widow quite grateful for employment.’ And Allan could curse himself for even mentioning her to Sidmouth.

‘A war widow? She could have connections.’ Sidmouth stroked his chin.

‘Or not.’ Good God. Allan could not allow Sidmouth’s suspicions to fall on Marian’s companion.

‘There’s the pity, Landon.’ Sidmouth clucked. ‘You see only what people want you to see. You need to develop a more suspicious nature. Not going to succeed, if you do not. Remember, the crown depends upon this office to thwart any threats to the sovereignty and the peace of the citizenry.’

Allan believed in those duties of the Home Office wholeheartedly. He’d agreed to use the woman he loved to get information, had he not?

And now Sidmouth had hired someone who
does what needs to be done and then some.

Allan flexed his fingers into a fist. ‘What did this man of yours discover?’

Sidmouth gestured for Allan to come in to his office and have a seat. He lowered himself in the chair behind his desk and folded his hands in front of him. ‘Someone—and I suspect Yost—is organising unemployed soldiers to march upon Parliament. The organisation is spreading around the country, and my man says it is imminent.’

‘To what end? What are they seeking?’ Allan asked. This all rang true. Yost had spoken of his concern for the plight of the soldiers.

‘Jobs. Food. Compensation for their injuries in the war.’ Sidmouth spoke as if these were unreasonable requests.

Of course his fellow soldiers needed such things. ‘Are they advocating force?’

Sidmouth pursed his lips. ‘Would you expect soldiers to be peaceful? Come on now. Been one yourself. Who else would take what they want by force?’

Allan gave him an even stare. ‘Do you have evidence that they advocate violence against the Crown?’

Sidmouth restacked the papers on his desk. ‘Not as yet, but I will.’

Edwin slouched in his chair, bored to tears with Domina’s incessant chatter about Lady So-and-so’s breakfast or ball or the latest play at Drury Lane. At least Ariana Blane—Vernon, he meant; she’d married Jack, for God’s sake—was not performing. Word was she’d had a baby. Lawd.

He munched on a tray of raspberry tarts and sipped tea when his thirst demanded a more robust beverage.

Marian made a more successful show of appearing interested in Domina’s drivel. In fact, she gave Domina a great deal more of her attention than she had him. Just because he’d arrived at her town house a little drunk. Well,
very
drunk, he had to admit.

He touched his cheek. He often drank a great deal, but he did not often lose the ability to remember where he’d been and what he’d done. Like the time he’d awoken with a gash across his face. He’d gone into Badajoz during the sacking, his father had told him, and Landon had carried him out. Landon.

He wondered if Landon had told Marian about Badajoz. He might not remember what happened in that city, but it would certainly make him look bad and Landon look good, if she were told he’d needed rescuing. Having Landon look good was nothing he could desire.

He detested that Landon was back. Courting her, no doubt. Edwin thought he’d convinced Marian to rebuff Landon entirely with the little story he’d created, but now she was wavering again, he could tell. He’d be damned if he let Landon make a fool of him.

Edwin gazed over at his cousin. The ladies had begun discussing gowns and that was enough to make Edwin wish for a pistol to shoot himself, the talk was so tedious. Having
neglected to carry his firearm, Edwin regarded his cousin instead. She was a handsome enough woman, but more so, she could be depended upon to take care of him, no matter what. He liked the certainty of that. He did not want Landon around to change things. See how she’d cosseted him, even after he’d apparently broken her table in his drunken state.

He did not mind so much that she did not want to marry him as long as she did not marry Landon.

Just once he would like to show Marian, his father and everyone else that he could do better than Landon.

The door opened and Lord Ullman walked in.

‘Ullie!’ Domina cried, jumping up from her seat and into his arms.

Edwin almost choked on his tart. Finally Ullman recognised Marian and then him. ‘Edwin, my boy, good to see you.’

Domina still held on to her husband’s arm. ‘Ullie, my love, would you mind entertaining Edwin for a while? I want to show Marian the new gowns you purchased for me.’ She nuzzled Ullman’s nose in apparent gratitude for his anticipated generosity.

‘Of course, I do not mind, my dear.’ He reached in his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. ‘Show her this as well.’

Domina opened the box. Its contents sparkled with some kind of jewels. ‘Ullie!’ She wrapped her arms around him again, then skipped over to Marian. ‘Look, Marian. Is it not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?’

‘Dazzling,’ Marian said.

‘Come!’ Domina took her hand. ‘I want to show you all the wonderful things Ullie has given me.’

The two ladies swept out of the room.

Ullman watched his wife’s retreat. ‘I love to indulge her.’ He clapped his hands and turned to Edwin. ‘How about some brandy, eh?’

‘I would be delighted,’ Edwin responded. Brandy was preferable to shooting himself in the head.

They chatted over various things, finishing one glass and pouring another. Edwin savoured how the brandy burned going down his throat, how it spread warmth even to his extremities.

‘So tell me,’ Ullman said, pouring Edwin a third glass. ‘Is anything happening between my nephew and your cousin? I say, when last I saw them together, I was certain he would court her.’

Edwin pressed his fingers tightly around the stem of his glass. ‘I know nothing of it.’

‘Allan would be a good catch for her,’ Ullman went on. ‘My nephew is a man who can rise high. His work with Lord Sidmouth—’

‘The Home Secretary?’ This was news to Edwin. ‘What the devil does he do for Sidmouth?’

‘Important work.’ Ullman beamed. ‘He’s investigating possible sedition. His job is to stop it before trouble erupts and to arrest those responsible for inciting riots.’ He took a sip of his brandy. ‘I dare say this will get him a seat in the Commons some day.’

‘Lawd. Is that what he wants?’ Such high aspirations. Some day Edwin would have to sit in the Lords, though he looked forward to that tedium as much as Domina’s conversation. With his luck Landon would rise to be Prime Minister by that time and he’d still look bad.

Edwin no longer listened to Ullman. He was hatching a plan to call upon Lord Sidmouth and show everybody he could do the job a great deal better than Landon, whatever it was. Then he’d get the glory. Maybe he’d even stand for an election for M.P. instead of Landon.

This time he’d show them all.

M
arian saw him from a distance.

She and Edwin strode down South Audley Street coming from their visit to Domina. He was standing there, waiting for them, and she could feel his eyes upon her even at this distance. She felt a flush of excitement and imagined her face was filled with colour, betraying some of the confused emotions inside her.

It was clear to her that she must not marry the captain, no matter how her body and soul yearned for him. She could not tolerate marriage to a man who worked to imprison men fighting for what was due them. Eventually he would imprison her spirit, if not herself, as well. She needed to be free to prevent suffering wherever she could. Who could not feel that way after witnessing men dying, burning in flames?

All her lofty ideals were vital to her, but ever since she’d confronted Edwin, what nagged at her the most was the matter of the Frenchwoman. She’d feel completely duped if the captain had lied to her about having a mistress in Paris. If she must ultimately part from him, she at least wanted to believe he was really the man she thought he was.

She’d stopped listening to the drone of Edwin’s voice as her cousin approached him, closer and closer.

‘Lawd,’ Edwin muttered in a disgusted voice, when he, too, noticed who waited for them.

When they reached him, the captain removed his hat and bowed. ‘Good afternoon, Marian.’ His voice was warm, as if he, also, savoured the memory of their night together. He straightened again and nodded coldly to her cousin. ‘Edwin.’

‘Captain.’ Marian’s tone was shriller than she’d intended it to be.

The Captain ignored Edwin and spoke directly to Marian. ‘I came to call upon you and learned you were at my uncle’s.’

She had difficulty looking at him. ‘We just came from there.’

‘Dreadful bore,’ Edwin drawled.

‘Be quiet, Edwin,’ Marian said sharply. She’d reached the limits of her patience with her cousin.

The captain frowned at Edwin. ‘Have you been drinking?’

Edwin gave him a disdainful look. ‘Is it any concern of yours?’

Marian answered for her cousin. ‘Yes, he has been drinking. And he promised me he would not.’

One corner of Edwin’s mouth lifted in an attempt at a smile. His scar merely made the effort look distorted. ‘As I have explained to you, Marian, I promised I would not drink before calling upon Domina. I did not promise to refuse a drink when there. Ullman offered brandy and it would have been inhospitable to refuse.’

Marian turned away from him. This was what plagued her. Edwin’s explanations always sounded reasonable, whether about his drinking or about the captain in Paris.

The captain spoke, ‘May I speak with you alone, Marian?’

Edwin held up a hand. ‘Have no fear of offending me,
Landon.’ His tone was sarcastic. ‘I actually have an important matter that requires my attention.’

Allan ignored him and waited for her answer.

She nodded and turned to her cousin. ‘Do not come to my house if you have been drinking. I mean it. I will turn you away.’

Edwin made an exaggerated bow. ‘I have learned from my one mistake.’

He sauntered away and the captain turned back to her. ‘I am glad you remember my warning about his drinking.’

‘Indeed,’ she said stiffly.

Her disordered emotions about him made it difficult for her to even think.

He looked at her with concern. ‘Marian, what distresses you?’

She wanted to believe in the captain, but both he and Edwin had been so convincing. ‘Edwin has tried my patience. He has confused me, but I cannot discuss it now.’ She forced herself to meet his gaze. ‘What did you wish to say to me?’

She could see flecks of brown in his hazel eyes as he searched her face. Suddenly his expression relaxed and the ghost of a smile lit his lips.

‘Do you have some time?’ he asked.

She felt breathless. ‘I am not expected anywhere, if that is what you mean.’

He took her hand. ‘Come with me. I will take you to see an old friend.’

He led her to a line of hackney coaches on Oxford Street. He helped her into one and she heard him tell the jarvey to take them to somewhere on Knightsbridge Street. The hack left them off a short distance from Hyde Park Corner in front of a stable.

Marian seized his arm in excitement. ‘You are taking me to see Valour!’

‘An old friend, I said.’ He smiled.

They walked into a large, well-kept stable with lines of stalls housing beautiful riding horses.

A stable lad greeted them. ‘Saddle your horse, sir?’

‘No need,’ the captain replied. ‘We are merely making a social call.’

The man gave him a bewildered look, but went on with his chores.

The captain led her to Valour’s stall. The mare bobbed her head and shuffled in excitement.

‘Oh, Valour!’ Marian pressed her face against the horse’s neck and stroked her. ‘How I have missed you.’

For the moment all Marian’s worries fled in the pleasure of seeing the horse again.

‘There is a yard nearby,’ the Captain said. ‘We could give her a little walk.’

She beamed at him. ‘Oh, yes. Let’s do.’

He held the string to her bridle as they led her around the yard.

Marian turned to gaze at the mare. ‘I feel sorry for her being so confined.’

The Captain nodded. ‘I try to ride her as often as possible.’

‘Do you ride in Hyde Park?’ she asked, wanting desperately to merely enjoy the moment, the three of them together again.

‘In the early morning mostly. Hyde Park gives her a good run.’

She felt wistful. ‘I have never ridden much, but that sounds lovely.’

‘You have not ridden much?’ He sounded surprised.

‘Not living in Bath.’

He continued to lead Valour around the small yard. ‘You rode well enough in Belgium,’ he remarked.

She shook her head. ‘If I had been any kind of horsewoman, I would never have fallen off the horse I shared with Domina. I think Valour deserves most of the credit for me remaining on
her back.’ She lowered her gaze. ‘Valour and you, of course. You held on to me.’

He glanced back at her. ‘We made a good team, you, Valour and I.’

She almost smiled. ‘We did.’ She held back to pat Valour’s muzzle.

Marian relished the memory of their days together, though they were fraught with hardship and danger. In many ways it had been as if no one else in the world existed but her, the captain and Valour. As they took another turn in the yard, the memories of Belgium returned. None of the memories fitted with Edwin’s version of him in Paris.

She took a breath. ‘I must ask you something, Captain.’

‘Of course.’

All her distressed nerves returned. ‘And you must tell me the truth.’

‘I will.’ He looked tentative, as if he was wary of what she would ask.

The clip-clop of Valour’s hooves echoed in the yard before she could speak. ‘Did you have an affair in Paris?’

He halted and it seemed as if his entire body tensed.

She went on, ‘Because Edwin still claims you did, and I cannot determine which of you to believe.’

He seemed to glare at her. ‘Are you asking me to prove it to you?’

She watched him, suddenly fearful of what he might say.

‘I cannot prove it.’ Pain flashed through his eyes. ‘If I produced witnesses, Edwin would merely say they were lying for me. I can prove nothing.’ His voice turned low. ‘Upon my honour—’ he touched her arm ‘—upon my
honour
, since meeting you there has been no other woman. I want to marry you, Marian. I want only you.’

She drew in a breath and felt tears sting her eyes. ‘Oh, Captain.’ It was the answer for which she’d hoped, but it only brought back the other barriers between them. Perhaps
it would have been easier after all, if he’d been a man who’d deceived her all along.

‘Believe me, Marian.’ He touched her cheek and slid his fingers down to gently lift her chin.

Her heart pounded within her chest. Before she knew it, she closed the distance between them, twining her arms around his neck and pulling his head down into a kiss that overtook her senses, made her feel lighthearted, made her want more. He held her against him and she cared not one whit if someone walked into the yard and saw them.

Valour trotted up and nuzzled them, nickering low. They broke apart.

‘Valour is jealous, I think,’ he said.

Marian still clung to his arm. ‘Come home with me.’

They returned a disappointed Valour to her stable and fussed over her a bit before Marian gave the horse one last goodbye hug.

‘You will see her again, Marian,’ Allan promised. ‘In fact, you can ride her one morning.’

‘I would like that.’ But she knew that would never happen. She’d follow Yost’s advice and continue to allow him to court her to deflect any suspicion of her, but after the march she must release him.

Arm in arm, they walked to Hyde Park Corner where they caught a hackney coach to carry them back to Marian’s house. He held her as they rode.

‘What saddens you?’ he asked as the swaying of the coach and his arms lulled her.

‘I am not sad,’ she said.

He frowned and she knew she’d not convinced him.

The coach delivered them to her door, and Marian pulled her key from her reticule and handed it to him. She could make an excuse and bid him goodbye on her doorstep.

Instead she said, ‘Reilly is still away and I suspect the other servants are busy.’

His eyes darkened. ‘And Blanche?’

She whispered, ‘With Mr Yost, of course.’

His expression changed for a moment, as if he’d had an upsetting thought, but he turned the key in the lock and swept her into an embrace as soon as they entered and closed the door behind them. His kiss sent her senses reeling and filled her with a desire she had no intention of denying.

He must have had the same thought, because he lifted her into his arms and carried her above stairs to her bedchamber. Before he even set her on her feet, she pulled off her hat and tossed it away. He sat her upon the bed and kissed her again as his hat, too, came off and he unbuttoned his coat.

As the captain stepped away to pull off his boots, Marian kicked off her shoes and took off her pelisse. She undid the bodice of her dress and slid the garment off, letting it fall to the floor. She turned her back to him, and without her asking, he loosened the laces of her corset.

Soon she was clad only in her shift and he in his shirt. She lifted the garment over her head and let the sunlight in the room reveal her nakedness.

He stilled and his eyes seemed to drink her in.

Perhaps if she were very lucky this would not be the last time with him. She could not be certain, however. She took a deep breath and resolved to remember every tiny detail. His glorious masculine body. The feel of his hands and lips against her skin. The incandescent pleasure she knew would come.

Allan let his gaze touch every part of her, from the luxurious blonde tresses escaping their pins, to her kiss-reddened lips, the graceful curve of her neck.

The fullness of her breasts.

Her skin was smooth as cream and seemed to shimmer from the sunlight pouring in the room. He was glad they made love in the light, as if there were no secrets between them.

He should have guessed her change in mood had been Edwin’s doing. Would he always have to battle the doubt
Edwin seemed to know how to plant in her mind? If so, he would fight valiantly for her to believe him.

There was no woman but her for him.

His gaze continued, feeling reverent as he savoured her narrow waist and perfect navel. She remained boldly still, even when he took in the dark hair between her legs.

She became shy then, moving back upon the bed, lying against the pillows. He tore off his shirt and joined her, taking her head in his hands and leaning down to again taste her lips.

When he released her mouth, she sighed. ‘I wish—’ She broke off.

He tasted the tender skin beneath her ear. ‘What do you wish?’

‘You and I,’ she murmured, not finishing her sentence.

He remembered then, the secrets he was hiding from her and felt ashamed after she’d exposed herself so openly to him.

He tensed. ‘Marian, I have something to tell you—’

A tiny line formed between her brows. ‘Then tell me later.’ She reached for him and pulled him down upon her again.

He wanted to soothe her, to reassure her all would be well, but he knew his news of Yost would cause problems between them.

He stroked her skin, trying to calm her and himself, as well. He felt her desire grow under his touch. He kissed her again, one long, needful kiss, full of both promise and regret.

She opened to him and he entered her, savouring the warmth of her against him, of how they fit together with such perfection. To move inside her felt staggeringly wonderful. He moved slowly, wanting this sensation of joining with her to last as long as possible.

Desire overtook him and control fled. He drove into her with intense need. She met his pace, as if she responded to some inexplicable urgency. The sound of their joining and their breathing filled his ears until he was no longer able to
compose a coherent thought. He was aware only of her. The pleasure of her. The intense need of her, a need that would never cease.

She cried out, and he felt her release spasm around him. She pushed him over the edge, shattering him with pleasure as he spilled his seed inside her.

She whimpered and tears shimmered in her eyes. He lifted his weight from her and rolled to her side. ‘My God, did I hurt you?’

She covered her face with her arm. ‘No. No. It was all I could desire.’ She rose on an elbow and slid herself on top of him, her mouth finding his.

She quickly aroused him again with heated kisses and he showed her that he could enter her while she straddled him. She was a quick pupil because once more they moved in perfect accord, this time without the strange intensity of before. This time was quieter, a solace where before had been urgency. Together they again climbed to the pinnacle, slow and steady, until the end which was every bit a frenzy of bliss as before.

She collapsed on top of him and Allan felt awash in perfect contentment. Perfect union.