Mistress (15 page)

The trick was to create a graceful synthesis. She called upon the skills her father had taught her, of course: perspective, architectural detail, and a knowledge of classical elements. But she also utilized some of the bold style her mother had bequeathed to her.

The secret of her success with Morning Rose Square, she knew, was that she had never allowed herself to forget that everything she created had to work against an English landscape. She was determined not to make the mistake so many architects made. She would not try to impose buildings designed for the hot, dry climates of Greece and Rome onto the English countryside. Potential purchasers needed homes that could withstand the damp weather and the chill of cold winters.

She eyed her newest design with a critical eye. All of her rooms had high ceilings and stately, well-proportioned windows. Those elements were a legacy from her father. He had been much enamored of the Palladian tradition.

Her new design incorporated classical features as well as graceful staircases and a light, airy feeling which owed nothing to the weighty antique tradition. Iphiginia’s artistic instincts told her that the mixture of effects blended well together.

She put down her pen and glanced out the window into the street.

Usually when she concentrated on her designs her thoughts became clear and organized. She often resorted to sketching a library or a drawing room whenever she
needed to think about some other, unrelated matter. But this morning the technique was not working.

Her thoughts were in a jumble.

It had been the same yesterday morning.

In fact, it irritated her to realize that she had been suffering from this inability to concentrate properly since Marcus had stridden into the Fenwicks’ ballroom and carried her off into the night.

She propped her elbow on the desk and rested her chin on her palm. She had dealt with a great many problems in her life, from those related to raising Corina to the difficulties she and Amelia had encountered on their journeys. But she had never been obliged to deal with anyone quite like Marcus.

She still burned deep inside whenever she recalled the intimate way he had touched her in Lartmore’s hall of erotic statuary. Iphiginia wondered if Marcus thought about that encounter at all or if it was such a normal event for him that he had already forgotten about it.

He certainly had not mentioned it during the past two days. Indeed, he had been a paragon of gentlemanly behavior since he had reduced her to that quivering, boneless creature who had gone limp in his arms.

Perhaps he’d had second thoughts about making love to a woman he did not trust.

She scowled at a vegetable seller’s cart that was rumbling down the street. She had absolutely no intention of allowing Marcus to touch her in that shatteringly intimate manner ever again.

Not unless he developed true trust, respect, and, yes, some degree of affection for her.

She did not think that she was asking for too much. After all, she was in love with the man. The least he could do was demonstrate some warmth of feeling.

Unfortunately, she did not think that Marcus recognized love when he saw it.

His experience of life had obviously made him too wary, too cynical, too self-controlled to enable him to surrender
easily to love. He would be extremely cautious about opening himself to any emotion that he feared would render him vulnerable.

Thus far she had not discovered the precise events in his past which had influenced his temperament, but she could not deny the facts. Marcus had been badly scarred.

She was willing to be sympathetic and understanding up to a point. She was even willing to make a few allowances. But if he thought that she would accept him as a paramour when he had made it plain that he did not even trust her, let alone love her, he was very much mistaken.

Iphiginia wondered if he recognized her determination on that point. He was a very intelligent man, after all. Perhaps that was the reason he had not attempted to press his attentions on her since the other night.

He was the sort of man who would think matters through carefully before making his next move.

The library door opened.

“Iphiginia?” Amelia, dressed in a gray high-necked gown that made her look considerably older than her twenty-six years, came into the room. “Mrs. Shaw is bringing tea.”

“I could use a cup. I need to collect my thoughts before Mr. Manwaring arrives.”

“He will be here shortly.” Amelia glanced at the clock. “He is a punctual person. By the bye, I have made a preliminary list of widows and spinsters who might be interested in participating in our new venture.”

“Are they all from the investment pool we formed for Morning Rose Square?”

“Most of them are, but two of them are new. A Miss Sanders and a Miss Crest. I met them at the museum last week. They are both paid companions who have managed to set aside a small amount to invest.”

“Excellent.” A thought struck Iphiginia. “That reminds me, I ran into Mrs. Osworth in Pall Mall the other day. She mentioned that she was interviewing a new companion. The woman was from the Wycherley
Agency
.”

Amelia grimaced. “I’m not surprised. The Wycherley Agency caters to families such as the Osworths. Very exclusive.”

“I thought the name rang a bell. That was the agency which employed you, was it not?”

“Yes.” Amelia’s mouth tightened. “It’s been in business for years.”

A discreet knock sounded on the library door. Iphiginia glanced at it. “What is it, Mrs. Shaw?”

Mrs. Shaw, as solidly built and very nearly as stately as a classical ruin, opened the door. “Mr. Manwaring to see you, Mrs. Bright.”

“Please send him in.”

Mrs. Shaw stepped aside to usher the visitor into the library. Iphiginia and Amelia greeted him with welcoming smiles.

“I did not hear your carriage, Mr. Manwaring,” Iphiginia said.

“It’s such a fine day that I chose to walk.” Adam Manwaring smiled at both women. His eyes lingered warmly on Amelia, who appeared to be oblivious.

Adam was an earnest, sober-minded man of twenty-seven years. He was the youngest son of a country squire who owned lands in the north. With no hope of inheriting his father’s property, Adam had been obliged to forge a path for himself in the world. He had an excellent head for numbers and details and it had led him to his present career as a secretary and man of affairs.

Three years ago Iphiginia and Amelia had become his exclusive employers. He was devoted to them. His allegiance had been based initially on the fact that the two had hired him after he had begun to despair of ever finding a good position. His youth and lack of connections had made it difficult for him to secure clients.

Adam’s unwavering loyalty to Iphiginia and Amelia was now cemented by considerably more than gratitude. It was also based on a solid financial interest. He had scraped together every penny he could put his hands on
to join them in the Morning Rose Square venture. A year ago Adam had taken his hefty profits together with the widows and spinsters who had formed the investment pool.

Although Iphiginia had complete trust in Adam, she had not told him about her scheme to catch a blackmailer. He had been instructed to be absolutely discreet concerning her identity. Adam assumed she merely wished to remain anonymous and to keep her connection to the investment pool a secret so that she would not be pestered by interested parties.

Adam did not move in social circles and had little interest in gossip. He was very aware of who was who in the
ton
, however, and, more important, he knew a great deal concerning their financial affairs.

“Please have a seat, Mr. Manwaring.” Iphiginia pretended not to notice the tinge of red in Adam’s cheeks as he fixed his wistful attention on Amelia.

Iphiginia wanted to give her cousin a shake. Could not Amelia see that she and Adam were perfect for each other? she wondered.

Iphiginia had recognized instantly that the two were well suited a few weeks ago, directly after she and Amelia had met Adam in person for the first time. Until then, their transactions with him had been conducted through the post.

Adam’s honest, open countenance made it easy to read his reactions. There was no doubt that he had developed a tendre for Amelia, although he had not yet worked up the courage to make an overture.

“How are things progressing with Bright Place?” Iphiginia asked as Adam sat down on the other side of her desk.

“I am happy to say that the initial plans are almost complete.” Adam’s expression became very intent. He leaned forward to spread out his neatly penned papers on Iphiginia’s desk. “Final arrangements have been made to secure the property. I have also drawn up an agreement
with the same builder that we used on Morning Rose Square. It remains only to complete our list of investors.”

“I have drawn up a preliminary list of interested people,” Amelia said.

“Excellent.” Adam’s cheeks became slightly more ruddy. “The usual names, I presume?”

“Yes, and two new ones.”

Adam glowed with admiration. “Very good. By the bye, rumors are abounding now that we have secured the property. I have had some inquiries from wealthy gentlemen who have heard about the profits that were made by the investors in Morning Rose Square. They have expressed an interest in our new venture.”

Iphiginia gave him a sharp look. “They do not know that Miss Farley and I are the principals in the venture, do they?”

“No, no, of course not,” Adam assured her swiftly. “You know that I would never abuse your confidence in that regard. Whenever I have had inquiries on the subject, I have always explained that the two people who organize the ventures prefer to remain anonymous.”

Iphiginia relaxed. “Good. I do not want to be hounded by potential investors at various social affairs. Most unpleasant.”

“I quite understand,” Adam said.

Amelia tapped a quill pen against the sheet of foolscap that she held. “Who are the gentlemen who wish to invest in our new project?”

“I have the names with me.” Adam picked up a sheet of paper from the pile he had put down on Iphiginia’s desk. “Let me see. Matthews, Conklin, Jenerette, Dodgson …”

Amelia froze.

Iphiginia stared at Adam. “Dodgson, did you say?”

Adam glanced up with a puzzled frown. “Yes. Mr. Anthony Dodgson. Rumor has it that he’s got his finances in something of a muddle and is anxious to repair them through some profitable investments. Do you know him?”

“No.” Iphiginia was careful not to look at Amelia’s white face. “I have never met him. But I have heard of him. He is not the sort of person with whom we wish to associate ourselves, is he, Miss Farley?”

“No.” Amelia’s voice was almost inaudible. She swallowed visibly and tried again. “No, indeed not.”

Iphiginia gave Adam a direct look. “You may inform Mr. Dodgson that he is not welcome to invest in our venture. We shall give some consideration to the other names on your list, but, personally, I prefer to keep wealthy and influential men out of the pool. That type has a tendency to try to take charge. We do very nicely on our own.”

“Very well.” Adam glanced at Amelia’s stricken face and then he turned back to Iphiginia with a worried expression. “May I ask why Dodgson is to be excluded? He will surely ask for an explanation.”

Iphiginia centered one of the pages containing architectural elevations for Bright Place in front of her. “You may inform Mr. Dodgson that the majority of investors involved in the project are widows and spinsters.”

“Yes, I have already told him as much,” Adam said.

“You may also remind Dodgson that many widows and spinsters have been obliged to work as paid companions and governesses. As Mr. Dodgson has a reputation for treating such female employees in a thoroughly unprincipled manner, they do not wish to do business with him.”

“I see.” Adam’s clear eyes narrowed. “I had not realized that the man was a cad. I shall take great pleasure in telling him that the members of the investment pool do not want him in their number.”

Amelia sagged slightly with evident relief. The paper she was holding trembled in her fingers.

“That is settled, then.” Iphiginia bent over her drawing. “Let us get down to work.”

•      •      •

Marcus drew the sleek black phaeton to a halt in front of Iphiginia’s town house with a stylish flourish. He tossed the reins to his groom and leaped down onto the pavement.

“I shall return in a few minutes.”

“Aye, m’lord.” The groom steadied the fresh, eager stallions.

The door of the town house opened just as Marcus started up the steps. A soberly dressed, serious-faced man emerged.

“I beg your pardon.” The man paused when he saw Marcus. He blinked once or twice in the sunlight. Then his gaze went briefly to the crest etched in gold on the black phaeton. “My lord.” He inclined his head politely and then hurried down the steps.

Marcus paused with one booted foot on the top step. He turned to watch the other man hurry off down the street. His jaw tightened.

Damnation, he thought. This was not jealousy he was experiencing. He never allowed himself to feel jealous. He was merely annoyed to find himself tripping over another man on Iphiginia’s front steps.

It was a perfectly normal reaction, Marcus assured himself. Any male in his situation would feel irritated in such circumstances. Assuming, of course that there was any other male in Town who found himself in such a unique situation.

Highly unlikely.

The odds were that he was the only man in the whole of England who possessed a mistress-in-name-only.

Marcus absently stripped off his York tan driving gloves. The only time he ever wore gloves was when he rode or drove. Otherwise he ignored the fashion. He supposed that it was a perverse streak in his nature that made him refuse to conceal his very unfashionable, work-roughened hands from the eyes of polite society.

“May I help you, sir?” the housekeeper inquired from the open doorway.

Marcus turned slowly around to face her. “Please inform Mrs. Bright that Masters has come for her.”