Don't Bargain with the Devil (26 page)

 

“Thank you, sir.” She let out a pained sigh. “Though after what has happened today, I doubt Lord Kirkwood
will be grateful to me. His family will have a difficult scandal to weather now.”

 

“You can’t blame yourself for that,” Anthony said kindly. “Sarah brought her troubles upon herself.” He offered her his hand to help her rise. “Come, then, let’s go talk to Tessa. With luck, we’ll catch up to them before they get too far, and we’ll nip this thing in the bud before it turns into a raging scandal, too.”

 

Charlotte prayed he was right. She would hate to see the school destroyed by this onslaught of troubles. And if any harm came to Lucy, she would never forgive herself.

 

 

 

ďťż

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seventeen

 

 

 

 

Dear Cousin,

 

I told you of the elopement, but the news grows worse by the day. We now believe it was
not
an elopement. Tessa is certain that Lucy did not write the note. I pray she is wrong, but I begin to fear the worst. I will know more as soon as I hear from Lord Stoneville, who has gone north to fetch the colonel.

 

Your alarmed relation,

 

Charlotte

 

 

T
wo hours passed before Diego headed belowdecks with Rafael in tow. He had to put a swift end to Lucy’s foolish ideas about returning, and showing her that Rafael was firmly behind him ought to do it.

 

He still could not believe how she had reacted upon waking. He had expected some anger over his handling of the matter; he had not expected her to turn into a raging virago.

 

He had not expected heartbreaking sobs.

 

Dios mio,
why had he tortured himself by listening to her rage at him through the door? But he had been too shaken to leave. Never had he imagined she would go on so. Never had he imagined her crying herself sick. It had
taken every ounce of his will not to go in, sweep her up in his arms, and promise to do whatever she wished. Even now, he was tempted.

 

But that was madness. He had taken this step for a reason, and once she could consider it rationally, she would see he was right. He was offering her what she said she wanted—the chance to know her family. He was opening up a world of the highest society to her, a status she could never attain in England. He was offering escape from the villainous English colonel who had helped to steal her.

 

He set his shoulders grimly. He did not regret what he had done. And once she was calm, she would not regret it, either.

 

Outside the cabin, he paused, alarmed by the mysterious silence. Taking out the key, he said to Rafael in a low voice, “I should warn you, she is very angry. I have no idea what we will find, besides pieces of the crockery she hurled at me as I left. She went a little wild when she realized where the ship was headed. She could have done anything to your cabin after I went on deck—you might find your mattress torn to ribbons.”

 

“Broken crockery? Torn mattresses? Ah, Diego, you do have a way with women,” Rafael said dryly.

 

Not this woman. This woman tied him in knots—when she wasn’t tempting him into madness. “I will reimburse you for any damage.”

 

“Open the door, for God’s sake,” Rafael said with a laugh. “Let me see this wild woman for myself.”

 

With a nod, Diego unlocked the door and opened it wide.

 

Then he stood gaping at the scene before him. The broken dishes and remnants of meat pie were gone, and
Lucy and Nettie sat at the table drinking tea as they played cards. Diego marvelled at the change in Lucy’s demeanor. When had she gone from enraged spitfire to placid tea-drinking female?

 

She looked different, too. For one thing, her hair fell unfettered to her waist. And she had changed her gown.

 

When she stood to face him, he nearly choked on his tongue. From the side, the gown looked perfectly respectable, but as she headed toward him, he could see it lacked something essential. Like half the bodice.

 

The two parts of the wrap gown crossed at a point well below decency, revealing the top of her stays and the lacy border of her shift. He could swear he had seen her in this gown before, but something had covered her exposed undergarments and the upper swells of her lovely breasts, which drew his gaze like a pair of beacons.

 

God preserve his soul. And was that rouge on her cheeks? She looked like a more ravishing version of Nettie.
That
did not bode well.

 

“It’s about time you returned.” Lucy sashayed up to him, hips swinging. “Nettie and I were getting very bored.”

 

Lucy did not sashay, and she did not get bored. She barely flirted. Some part of his mind registered that. But mostly he stood gawking at her, unable to breathe, unable to tear his eyes from the vision of loveliness that was Lucy with her hair down and her bosom half exposed. All he would have to do was slide his hand into the gown, and he could be fondling her breast.

 

“Where’s the rest of your clothes?” he ground out.

 

“The chemisette, you mean?” She shrugged. “It wasn’t in the bag. I had to make do.” She gave a pretty pout. “Why? Don’t you like it this way?”

 

Like it! He wanted to rip it open, toss her down on the bed, and take her like a ravening beast.
Por Dios!
How would he survive the voyage if she dressed like that the whole time?

 

This was all Gaspar’s fault, for hiring that damnable tavern wench to attend her. Lucy would never have considered such attire without Nettie’s encouragement. And when had they become such fast friends, anyway?

 

“. like it,” Rafael said in his seducer’s voice. Diego looked over to find his friend scouring Lucy’s body with lascivious interest. “Diego, when you said she was a wild woman, you didn’t say she was a…
wild
woman.”

 

Diego barely restrained the urge to toss Rafael out the nearest porthole. Especially after Lucy smiled coquettishly and offered the man her hand. “You must be the captain. We really do need to talk.”

 

As Rafael took her hand and pressed a lingering kiss to it, a red haze formed in Diego’s vision. “Enough of that,” he warned in Spanish. “Let go of her before I hang you from the nearest yardarm by your ballocks.”

 

With a smirk for Diego’s benefit, Rafael released her hand. “I’m happy to talk to
you,
Miss Seton, whenever you please. Perhaps you should join me for dinner. You’re already in my cabin, after all.”

 

“You gave up your cabin for
me?
” Lucy pressed her hand to her flagrantly exposed bosom, making both pairs of male eyes swing right to it. “Oh, how sweet. But I don’t want to put you out. To be truthful, I’d rather remain in England. So if you could just weigh anchor while we’re still on the Thames, I’ll hail a passing waterman and be out of your hair before we even reach the coast.”

 

Even Rafael wasn’t fool enough to fall for
that.
“I wouldn’t dream of keeping you from your relations,
seńorita. Besides, I’ve already delayed my journey too long. I’m eager to be home again with my cargo.”

 

Lucy’s smile grew steely. “And what if I offered you a substantial financial compensation?” She jerked her head toward Diego. “More than
he
offered. My papa has a number of friends who would be happy to reward you for my safe return.” Her eyes glittered. “Otherwise, the next time you come this way for a cargo, you might find yourself delayed in an English gaol.”

 

Diego stifled his smile. Rafael took to threats about as well as
he
did.

 

“You were wrong, Diego,” Rafael said in a silky voice that his men knew to beware. “She’s not wild; she’s reckless. And on
my
ship, recklessness is generally rewarded with a stay in the hold and rations of bread and water.”

 

When Lucy paled, Diego stepped between them. “You made your point, Rafael. We will not keep you.”

 

Lucy darted around Diego to clasp Rafael’s arm. “Please, Captain, is there nothing I can say or do to persuade you to return me to my family?”

 

Rafael frowned at her. Then his eyes trailed downward to her exposed bosom, and a wolfish expression darkened his face. “There might be one thing—”

 

“Out!” Diego shoved his friend. “Now! Lucy and I need a word.”

 

With a chuckle, Rafael left the cabin, his good humor restored.

 

Diego’s had vanished entirely.

 

Lucy sniffed. “I see that your friend is just as willing to take advantage of a woman as you are, Seńor Montalvo.”

 

Her return to calling him Seńor Montalvo was the last straw.

 

“Nettie,” he bit out, jerking his head toward the door, “go fetch more food for your mistress, will you?”

 

With a bob of her head, Nettie left.

 

“Some chaperone
she
is,” Lucy said.

 

“She is here for appearance’s sake only. And she knows who pays her salary.” Diego stalked toward Lucy with grim intent. “Listen to me,
carińo,
and listen well. We are going to Spain. You are going to be reunited with your family, and I will make sure you reach there unharmed if I have to lock you up in this cabin the entire trip to do it!”

 

As she backed away, he cornered her, taking some satisfaction from the sudden flare of alarm on her face. “So I suggest you be careful about flaunting your feminine assets to all and sundry. Aside from the fact that Rafael would bed you if you gave him the slightest encouragement, there are thirty men on this ship who wouldn’t require encouragement. And I cannot fight them all off.”

 

She crossed her arms over her chest like a woman determined to brazen it out. “Why should you care if I take a lover or two?” she snapped, eyes blazing at him. “Just because my grandfather said
you
weren’t to lay a hand on me doesn’t mean no one can. And how would he know, anyway?”

 

The word “lover” sent a shaft of jealous fury through him so powerful that he forgot to be cautious. “He might not, but your future husband would. And your grandfather will skin me alive if you embarrass him by losing your innocence out of anger at
me.
”

 

Her mouth dropped open. “H-husband? That’s what this is about? The
marqués
wants to marry me off to someone?” Hurt spread over her features. “And you…you agreed to offer me up like some sacrificial lamb?”

 

Hostias,
him and his quick tongue. She was making him insane. “It is not what you think. He has not arranged a marriage. But he does hope to see you married soon. He wants to bring you out in Spanish society, so you can find a rich and titled husband deserving of you. He needs an heir, after all.”

 

“An heir.” She swallowed, her expression crumbling. “I knew there was a reason he was suddenly so interested in me after years of silence.”

 

“He was not ‘suddenly’ interested,” he said tersely. “He did not know about the regiment’s connection to your mother’s nurse until recently.”

 

“Right around the time his son died. How very convenient. So since he now has no other chance for an heir, he wants
me
to produce one.”

 

Her remark struck him hard. He had been too caught up in the idea that he would be reuniting her with her family and regaining Arboleda to consider how much the death of the
marqués
’s son might be connected to all this. Until now.

 

Diego could not believe the
marqués
had such calculating motives. He was dying, for God’s sake. One wanted one’s family near at such a time. “That is not the reason he wants you back. You are his only granddaughter.”

 

“And thus the only one who can produce his heir.” A troubled frown appeared on her brow. “That’s why he didn’t want you to touch me. He has to ensure the purity of his line.”

 

“That is not the point.”

 

“That is the whole point, isn’t it? If I tumble into his emissary’s bed, I am ruined for whomever he chooses to sire his precious heir.” She stared at him, her eyes shim
mering with tears. “Tell me something, Diego. Why didn’t you volunteer for that part of the scheme, too? You’re titled and Spanish. Or are you just not interested in acquiring my millions?”

 

He glared at her, furious that she believed he would marry her for her money. “If you think the
marqués
would consider a penniless and landless count as an appropriate suitor for you, you are more naive than I thought.”

 

“Oh, right.” Her lower lip trembled. “You would be considered a fortune hunter.”

 

“He chose me to bring you back precisely because he knew I was a man of honor,” Diego clipped out. “He knew I would not betray his trust.”

 

“Odd, then, that you’ve already done so by ‘touching’ me several times.”

 

Diego felt heat rise in his cheeks. She
would
remind him of that. “I suppose you mean to tell him that, too. Since you seem eager to punish me for trying to reunite you with your family.”

 

“Perhaps I should just lie and tell him that you took my innocence. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about being sold off to some stranger in marriage.”

 

His temper got the better of him at the thought of his honor being impugned. “Even if he believed you, I would demand proof, which you cannot give.”

 

She paled. “You mean you’d have some doctor confirm my chastity.”

 

Dios mio,
that would be appalling. “No, I didn’t mean—”

 

“You would go that far to gain whatever reward he is offering you for bringing me to Spain? He
is
offering you a reward, isn’t he?” When he winced, she scowled. “How
much is he paying you to procure the prospective mother of his precious heir?”

 

“Damn it, Lucy—”

 

“How much?” she demanded.

 

“It is not about money.”

 

“Mrs. Harris says it is always about money.” Her voice shook. “I only wish I had paid better attention.”