Notorious Deception (25 page)

Diana had no clear recollection of returning to the ballroom. It was odd, but after she had escaped from Marlow's menacing presence, she felt trapped and helpless. Derek was across the room, still searching for the already departed Tristan, and she suppressed an almost overwhelming desire to rush to him. It was all she could do not to burst into sobs. She felt a flood of fierce protectiveness toward Derek, sensing Jonathan Marlow also returned to the ballroom and was most likely observing them both at this very moment.

Only the knowledge that Marlow could be watching prevented Diana from running to her husband's side. Derek would immediately notice her agitation, and she was too frightened and unsteady not to tell him what had just occurred. She did not doubt for a moment Marlow's intent or his ability to carry out his threat to kill Derek, if she informed her husband of her distressing meeting.

No. She wouldn't tell Derek. Not yet. That discussion could only take place in absolute privacy. Reluctantly, Diana tore her eyes away from her husband. Schooling her features into a bland expression, she rejoined the dowager duchess in their corner of the ballroom.

Unfortunately, the older woman was not alone. Hovering next to her was Lord Bennington, Henriette's older brother.

“Lord Bennington informs me you are already acquainted,” the dowager duchess said, as Diana sat down.

“We have met,” Diana said noncommittally. She could hardly forget the chance meeting with Henriette's brother in Chippenham only a few days before.

“I am flattered you remembered me, Lady Diana,” Lord Bennington replied with a smug grin. “I do hope you will be free for a dance.”

“Perhaps later,” Diana said, and Lord Bennington settled himself on an unoccupied chair and stared rather boldly at Diana.

She sighed loudly and attempted to ignore him. He was the least of her problems. The enjoyment she'd experienced at the start of the evening was gone. She sat silently next to the dowager duchess while the older woman engaged in idle chatter with Lord Bennington. Diana felt skittish and preoccupied as she kept a vigilant watch on Derek's every move, her eyes uncontrollably drawn to her husband's broad, muscular shoulders.

“I assume Tristan was successful in locating Caroline?”

Diana jumped guiltily when the dowager duchess spoke to her. She was so absorbed in her worries over Derek's safety she had forgotten the promise she'd made to Tristan to explain their early departure to the members of his family and their host.

“I am sorry. I forgot to tell you,” Diana muttered hastily. “Caroline was not feeling well, so Tristan decided to take her home. I told him I would make their excuses to Lord and Lady Harrington.”

“Poor Caroline,” the dowager duchess said, a hint of worry evident in her voice. “I hope it is nothing serious. ”

“I do not believe Caroline's illness is serious,” Diana said distractedly.

The dowager duchess leaned closer to Diana and whispered gently in her ear, “Has anything happened to distress you, my dear?”

Diana's eyes flew wide open in alarm. “No,” she said vehemently. “No, of course not, everything is fine.”

The dowager duchess was not convinced, but she dropped the matter. She did note, however, the unconscious wringing of Diana's hands, which ceased the moment Derek's eyes met hers and he began crossing the room toward them.

Derek's physical presence calmed Diana, but obviously made Lord Bennington uncomfortable because he quickly took his leave.

“Has Caroline recovered?” Derek asked.

“She is feeling a little better,” Diana said evenly, pleased to feel her breathing finally begin to slow down. “Tristan has taken her home.”

“Good. Perhaps we can take our leave also?”

“No!” Diana said desperately. Both the dowager duchess and the earl stared at her. “I should like to stay until supper is served, Derek. Everyone has been talking all evening about the fabulous table Lady Harrington sets. And her new French chef is touted as a culinary genius of unequaled skill. We certainly would not want to miss this meal.”

Diana knew she must sound like a half-wit, babbling on about the soon-to-be-served supper, but she could not stop herself. Terrifying images of Derek broken and bleeding filled her mind. At all costs she wanted to avoid a hasty retreat, thinking Marlow would suspect her intentions to inform the earl of his demands.

Derek reluctantly consented to his wife's wishes, but sitting next to Diana during the sumptuous meal, he noticed her thoughts were anywhere but on the food. She spoke very little and ate even less. Mostly, Diana pushed the food around her plate in an abstract, brooding manner.

Derek waited patiently for another hour before insisting they leave. The dowager duchess, Morgan, and Alyssa also decided to depart, and after amiable good-byes were exchanged, the group split up for the journey to their respective homes. Derek was anxious to question his wife in the seclusion of their carriage, but the streets were not crowded at this hour of the night, and they quickly reached their residence.

Once inside the house, Derek suggested they adjourn to the drawing room for a drink. Diana declined the offer of a brandy, but followed him dutifully into the drawing room. He poured himself a generous portion of the fragrant amber liquid and waited with quiet calm for his wife to tell him what was bothering her.

Diana stood in front of the large fireplace, the crackling glow of the embers heating her already warm skin. Now that the moment was at hand, she felt her courage begin to falter. She had been so preoccupied with her fears for Derek's safety she failed to take into account her husband's occasionally volatile temper. She had already provoked him once this evening, albeit unintentionally, with her low-cut evening gown. That incident would surly pale in comparison to the news she would soon impart.

She observed Derek idly swirling the fine French brandy in his glass. She offered up a silent prayer, hoping Derek would find the strength to control his anger when she related her conversation with Jonathan Marlow. Mustering her courage, she plunged ahead.

“I met Jonathan Marlow this evening.” Her voice was low and soft. She did not wait for Derek's reaction as she quickly continued. “He knows everything about me, including all the sordid details of my marriage to Giles.”

“Jonathan Marlow! What are you talking about, Diana? Are you saying Marlow was at the ball this evening?” Derek spoke to her in a tight, unnaturally calm voice. Diana did not take that as a good sign.

“Please don't be angry with me, Derek,” she whispered. “I honestly don't think I could bear it.”

Her eyes were luminous in her pale face, and Derek could feel her anxiety. Her obvious distress aided him in keeping a tight rein on his explosive anger. Marlow with Diana—it was nearly unthinkable. Derek slapped down his brandy snifter, fearing the increasing pressure of his grip would shatter the fragile glass. He took a deep breath, swearing colorfully underneath it, and turned to confront his wife.

“Why did you not tell me this sooner, Diana?” Derek asked slowly, trying valiantly to maintain his self-control.

“Marlow threatened to kill you Derek, if I told you about my meeting him.”

Derek scowled, not the least bit intimidated by the threat. “I am not all that easy to dispose of, madam.” Derek's scowl turned into a questioning frown. “Do you think I am incapable of defending myself, Diana?”

In spite of her distress, Diana smiled. Derek sounded almost insulted. She stared intently at her husband, the man she loved with every fiber of her being, and her fears began to slowly diminish. Even at this distance she could feel the controlled strength in his broad, powerful frame. The directness of his piercing blue eyes bespoke his intelligence. Derek was clearly a formidable opponent, a man not easily bested in a fight, no matter how unfairly challenged.

“Marlow is not an honorable adversary, Derek,” Diana said softly.

“I suspect Marlow is indeed a man devoid of honor. That is why he is so very dangerous,” Derek said very slowly. “He could have hurt you, my love. And I would have been unaware of it and unable to protect you.” His eyes were filled with pain. “I could never live with myself, Diana, knowing I had failed to keep you safe.”

“Oh, God, Derek!” The sight of his obvious pain caused her to lose her fortitude completely. She flew across the room, her stomach in tight knots. Derek caught her up in his arms, and she clutched him tightly around the neck and buried her face in his broad shoulder.

“It's been Marlow from the very beginning, Derek. He hired the men who shot at us in the park and he is responsible for burning down Snowshill Manor. He even sent my crushed black bonnet to Tris and Caroline's so I would know he was watching me. He seems to be everywhere, know everything. He makes me feel so helpless, so powerless. Marlow is toying with me, Derek, and enjoying himself while he does it.”

“He will never harm you, my love,” Derek said with determination. “Not while there is a breath within my body.”

His words comforted her. But there was more to tell him. “I believe Marlow may have been responsible for Giles's death,” Diana whispered in quiet horror.

“I have long suspected Marlow's involvement in Giles's murder,” Derek said. “Something must have happened between the two men for Marlow to suddenly turn against Giles. Apparently they had several profitable and illegal business dealings together until something went wrong.” Derek's face was shadowed. “Were you able to discover anything that might explain a feud between them?”

“‘Yes.” Diana nodded her head enthusiastically. “Giles stole something from Marlow. A book. That is the reason Marlow contacted me this evening. He expects me to find and return this book to him.”

Derek frowned in puzzlement. “What sort of book?”

Diana shrugged her shoulders. “I don't really know. He said I would know the book when I found it by the list of names written inside, some of them members of the ton. Marlow claims the book is of no value to anyone but himself.”

Derek rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I doubt this book is a social listing. It is most likely connected to some devious scheme of Marlow's—perhaps even a blackmail plot.”

Diana gave an unladylike snort at her husband's comments. “Oh, yes, Marlow harbors a proven talent for blackmail. He claims to have in his possession the missing church register page we sought in Chippenham—the page verifying my marriage to Giles. Marlow threatened to publicly disgrace us by sending the page to the newspapers for publication if I don't find this book of his and return it.”

Derek's rigid expression softened slightly, and he gently smoothed back her hair. “You still have not explained how you met Marlow, Diana.”

Diana pulled back out of his arms and gazed with trepidation into his brilliant blue eyes. “I did not exactly meet Marlow, Derek.”

He slid his strong fingertips down the length of her arms and they came to rest on her hips. His big hands flexed carefully around her waist in a show of comfort and support.

“What happened, sweetheart?”

“As I said before, Derek, I did not formally meet Marlow. He waylaid me outside when I was alone on the balcony after Tristan and Caroline had departed. He seemed to materialize out of nowhere. He did not identify himself at first, and in the shadowy darkness I was unable to clearly see his face. When I attempted to leave, he blocked my path.”

Derek's powerful grip on her waist tightened noticeably. “Did he touch you, Diana? Did he harm you in any way?”

“He did not harm me.” Diana struggled and failed to release herself from her husband's crushing grip. “Derek, please, you are crushing the very breath from me.”

“sorry.” He instantly relaxed his hands. “When I think of the danger you were in, it makes my head spin. If that bastard had hurt you—” Derek's voice, tight with fury, trailed off.

Diana leaned forward earnestly, hoping to reassure him. “Marlow will not harm me, Derek. I am too valuable to him, at least for the time being. He needs me to find this mysterious book of his.”

Derek arched his brows in sudden understanding. “And he threatened to kill me if you did not comply with his demands?”

“Not precisely,” Diana said. “He threatened to make public my marriage to Giles if I did not cooperate. He said he would kill you if I told you about meeting with him.”

“Not a very likable chap, our Mr. Marlow.” Derek's attempt at lightness eased a bit of the tension.

Diana made a noise that was half laugh, half groan. “He is a very unusual man. He actually seemed pleased when I deduced his identity. But what frightens me the most is that I never saw his face. He was very, very careful to make sure I did not get a clear view of his features. It forces me to conclude Jonathan Marlow might be someone who is already known to me, or perhaps someone I might have an opportunity to meet in the future. He obviously was a guest at the ball, so he is someone accepted in society, I presume under a different name.”

“No wonder Mr. Marlow is so difficult to locate,” Derek said in amazement. “He is leading a double life.”

“Yet another charming facet of Marlow's character he shared with Giles,” Diana murmured.

“Tell me, Diana, was there anything even remotely familiar about the man?”

Diana thought long and hard before answering. “Nothing,” she replied, shaking her head in dismay.

“I am ashamed to admit I could very well have spoken with him again before we left Lord and Lady Harrington's party and not known it was he.”