Innocence (20 page)

“Don’t see how you can stop us,
cousin
. Or are you the only one allowed to break the rules?”

“It’s not about the bloody rules, Michael!” Nathaniel shouted. “We’re not children competing for Father’s attention any more. She’s
important
to me, damn it. You will
not
touch her!”

Lord Cahill stepped back. “But she’s a
maid
?”
 

“I don’t care what she is. If any of you go near her, I
will
call you out, do you understand?”

Nathaniel’s words were met with stunned silence.

“I’m sorry, Nate.” Lord McGivern grimaced. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I thought it would be a bit of a lark, that they’d bring you to your senses. But I can see you’re serious about the lass.”

“I know the Duke frowns on this sort of thing,” Lord Edgeley said. “But it’s been damned inconvenient not taking what’s on offer. If I’ve misunderstood, do let me know, as I think your gal’s fair-haired friend would be up for some sport.”

Lisa shuddered. While Lord Edgeley might be right about Sally’s willingness to fraternise, as she called it, she was afraid the men would turn their attention Ruth’s way. Lisa would never forgive herself if the younger girl’s safety was compromised because of her.

“The rules still apply. Lisa’s situation is
different
,” Nathaniel said, his words offering her some small comfort.

Lord Cahill snorted. “Try selling that to Uncle when he returns.”

“I’ll give you whatever you want, but you’re not to tell Father.”

“You don’t think he’ll notice you’ve set her up in the suite adjoining yours?”
 

“Lisa won’t be here when he returns,” Nathaniel said, and she sagged against his back with relief.

“Hell, Marsden, if you’re just going to pack her off to some brothel when you’re finished with her, there’s no need to be so possessive,” Lord Edgeley said. “You might not want to share, but it wouldn’t hurt to send her our way when you’re done. You’re not the only one who likes the look of her.”
 

“I won’t be
done
with Lisa. I’ll be gone before my father returns, and she’s coming with me. I’m taking her under my protection.”
 

Lord Cahill’s eyes widened in shock. “You mean to set her up as your mistress?”
 

Lord McGivern responded to Nathaniel’s sharp nod with a whistle. “I thought this was just a fleeting dalliance. You do realise the vote is planned for the end of this parliamentary sitting?”

“That’s irrelevant. This is separate.”
 

Lord Cahill laughed. “Hell and damnation, Nathaniel. You play the game without putting a foot wrong all these years, and you’re going to risk it all for a bit of skirt?
Common
skirt at that?”

“The risk is mine to take. Have I made the consequences of trespassing clear?”

“Crystal, dear cousin, though I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes when Uncle gets wind of this, not that
I’ll
be telling.” He smirked. “I like the look of that black stallion of yours. Sabre, is it? You’ll transfer him to my ownership if you want my silence
.”

Nathaniel flinched then nodded jerkily.

“Edgeley?” Nathaniel turned to his friend, though one not as close as Lord McGivern as they were not on first name basis.

“Didn’t mean to offend.” The baron spread his hands. “I just never expected you to get so territorial over one of the serving lasses. It’s not like you’re the sort to actually
fall
for a female.”

Lisa couldn’t see Nathaniel’s expression, but whatever it revealed caught the other men’s attention.

“Damn it all, Nathaniel.” Lord Cahill shook his head. “What the hell are you thinking?”

“He’s not thinking, not with his head at any rate.” Lord McGivern sighed.

“Don’t worry, Cahill,” Lord Edgeley added. “The novelty will wear off, and he might even reconsider the whole ‘no sharing’ idea just to spice things up.”

Nathaniel swore, the muscles in his back bunching tightly. If he hadn’t been shielding her so protectively, Lisa thought he might have launched himself at the other man.

“Whoa . . .”
 

Lisa glanced past Nathaniel to see Lord Edgeley raise his hands and slowly back away.
 

“It was just a jest.”

“Get out of here, all of you,” Nathaniel said, turning his back and shielding Lisa from their view as they departed. With his arm around her shoulders, he led her over to sit on the couch before striding to a sideboard. She couldn’t stop shaking, her teeth chattering so hard her jaw hurt.

Returning with a glass of amber liquid, he crouched down beside her. “Here, sip this slowly.”
 

She did as he asked, the liquid burning all the way down her throat. It wasn’t sherry. After setting it aside, he began to rub her hands.

“God, your fingers are like ice. Come, let me warm you.”

Nathaniel lifted her into what Lisa was fast deciding must be a favourite position of his—on his lap. She burrowed into his warm embrace, her thoughts oddly blank. He rocked her in his arms for a while before lifting her chin to meet his worried gaze.
 

“Sweetheart, talk to me,” he said. “You do know I’d never let anyone touch you?”

The numbness dissipated, anger and despair flooding the vacuum created by their absence, and Lisa burst into tears. Under normal circumstances, she considered herself a level-headed girl, not overly prone to weeping, but after everything she had endured, the horrid encounter with Nathaniel’s friends was too much to bear.

“
Shh
, it’s all right.” He crooned against her ear. “They just don’t understand.”

“What?” Lisa pushed away from his chest. “What don’t they understand? That you’ve
laid
with me without us being wed? Why wouldn’t they think they can take their turn when you’re ‘done with me’?”

Nathaniel flinched, but Lisa did not rescind her words. Wiping her sodden cheeks with a linen handkerchief he produced, she noisily blew her nose, not caring one iota it was considered unladylike to do so, especially in front of a gentleman.

Ha! Nathaniel was as much a gentleman as she was a member of royalty.

Grumpily shoving the handkerchief into his hand, Lisa crossed her arms. She was sick of feeling like a victim, but she couldn’t seem to find an escape from the farce her life had become.
 

“I can’t do this anymore, Nathaniel. I’m sorry, I thought I could, but I’m not the person you think I am.”

“
Please
, Lisa, don’t let my idiot cousin and friends come between us. Can’t you tell how I feel about you?”

“You find my body appealing.” She acknowledged bitterly. “You
want
me.”

“I do, more than you can imagine, but it’s more than just your beauty that draws me to you. You’re charming, intelligent, and so damned interesting. I never know what to expect from you, and I certainly never thought I’d feel this way.”

“Feel what way?” she asked, his words battering at her fragile defences.
 

“I care about you, Lisa. I
adore
you.”
 

“You do?” she whispered, the fight draining from her body.

Chapter 17

Answers

After resting in his arms for a while, Lisa insisted she be allowed to return to her room. When Nathaniel reluctantly departed, she lay on the bed and curled into a ball, staring at the wall for the longest time. “Miss Lisa, are you awake?”

Ruth’s voice startled her, and she looked up to see her friend standing in the door to the bedroom.

“What are you doing here?” Lisa sat up and pushed the hair that had come loose from her bun away from her face. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”
 

The last thing she wanted was for Ruth to get into trouble on her account.

“I am working. I’m watching over you and seeing if there’s anything you need.”

“But I thought you were only supposed to help me first thing in the morning?”
 

“That’s what Mrs Donaldson said, but Lord Marsden came down to the kitchens in person. He made such a fuss.” Ruth’s eyes widened. “And now I’m to be yer lady’s maid full time.”

“I bet that went over well,” Lisa muttered.

“Not particularly.” Ruth giggled. “Mrs Donaldson was none too pleased. She’s lost a pastry chef and a maid all in the space of a couple of days.”

“True.” Lisa allowed herself a shrug. “I was planning to keep working in the kitchen, but now, I’m not so sure.”
 

The thought of facing the staff now their assumptions about her were based in fact was far from appealing.
 

Despite all she had learned in the previous twenty-four hours, there was still a great deal she did not understand. While she couldn’t bring herself to regret having surrendered to Nathaniel or deny the pleasure she had experienced in his arms, as far as she was concerned, ignorance had brought her anything but bliss. Heaving a sigh, Lisa came to a decision.

“Ruth, where would Sally be working at the moment?”

“We were supposed to be polishing the silverware this afternoon. I guess she’ll be doing it by ’erself. Why?”

“I have some questions I’m hoping she might be able to answer for me. Do you think she’d like some help?”
 

“I’m sure she would.”
 

After straightening her skirt, Lisa took hold of Ruth’s hand and led her towards the door.

It was time to get some answers.

“Wot are ye two doin’ ’ere?” Sally looked up from where she sat all alone at a worktable, an intimidating pile of silverware in front of her. “The
lady’s maid
and the, I dunno. Wot they callin’ ye now,
Miss
Lisa?”
 

“Don’t be like that, Sally,” Ruth said. “I didn’t ask for the new position, and Lisa’s ’ere to ’elp. She ’as a favour to ask.”

“A favour? Miss ’igh and mighty wants somethin’ from the likes of me? Well that’s a nice to do.” Sally’s expression turned calculating. “What’s in it fer me?”

Lisa stared at her for a moment before an idea sprang to mind. On the way over, Ruth had stunned her with the news she had to be back at her suite in time to meet the seamstress who wanted to measure her for her new wardrobe.

“What new wardrobe?” she had asked.

“The one Lord Marsden arranged to ’ave delivered while ye wos out. He ’ad the storage rooms raided for gowns that ’is sister and mother ’ad put aside. Like
new
they are. They’re to be altered to fit ye, and not just gowns. There’s petticoats, nightgowns, slippers, shawls—ye name it—and all for ye. There must be close on two dozen gowns to choose from, and in every imaginable colour. Some of the styles are a bit outdated, or so the seamstress said when she dropped by . . .
ye was busy
,” Ruth muttered
sotto voco
. “She said she can alter them to fit ye and look like the latest fashions.”

Lisa had wanted to rush straight back to her suite and see this marvel with her own eyes, but she had stayed her course. The knowledge she would no longer be restricted to one plain gown or her drab uniform had gone some way towards lightening her mood, and she hoped it would do the same for Sally.

“What would you say to helping me in exchange for a new dress? And one for you, too, Ruth. Unless either of you would mind wearing a hand-me-down?”
 

“Mind? Ye think we’d
mind
a new dress that wos once a lady’s gown? Are ye mad?” Sally said. “And ye’ll ’elp with the polishing?”

Lisa nodded, and the chubby blond girl’s face lit with glee.
 

“Wotever ye want, it’s yers,”

Lisa smiled at the transformation.

“So, out wiv it.” Sally waved a hand after Ruth and Lisa had taken their places and set to work polishing. “Wot do I owe ye fer a new dress? Must be sumpt’in’ pretty big, I reckon.”
 

“Information, that’s all. I’m tired of not knowing what’s going on or what is expected of me. I have a myriad of questions I’m hoping you’ll be able to answer for me.”