Regency Spymasters 01 - Spy Fall (8 page)

Mari took a deep breath and slipped into Aldridge’s private chambers. She’d left the marquess taking after-supper port and cigars with Cosmo and his guest. The marquess’s valet had the night off, so she’d seized the chance to explore this last bastion of the house, an opportunity which had eluded her until now.

She entered a dimly lit chamber decorated in aubergine velvet. Heavy curtains smothered any possible light from the windows, and a large four-poster bed dominated the space. Orderly, clean, and devoid of many personal items, the chamber felt more like a guest room than a place in which someone lived.

The faint smell of illness tinged the air. That Aldridge’s chamber would hold the scent of a sickroom made sadness pull at her chest. Moving to the dresser, she surveyed its contents. Several bottles of medicine stood on top of it. If Aldridge needed it all, he was far more ill than he liked to let on.

Moving with methodical intent, she completed her search of the bed chamber before crossing over to the marquess’s dressing room.

Something about the air changed. Mari paused; her scalp tingled. Instinct told her that someone was watching her at this moment. She’d felt the strange sensation before, when she’d searched other parts of the manor, but there had never been anyone else in the room. She’d made certain of it. And there was no one else here now. It unnerved her that her usually excellent instincts seemed to be failing her of late. Shaking off the feeling, she concentrated on the dressing room.

Here, the scent of Aldridge lingered: the bergamot shaving soap, the freshness of pressed clothes. She moved through the stacks, careful to leave the folded cravats looking undisturbed. Valets were notoriously fastidious when it came to gentlemen’s neck scarves and would notice any insult to them.

“Find anything of interest?”

Her heart froze. Turning, she found Cosmo standing on the threshold of the dressing chamber, his enormous frame blocking the light from the chamber behind him.

The air dragged cold and heavy in her lungs. How had he gotten in here? “Not really,” she said coolly, lifting her chin.

He uttered a surprised laugh. “I’ve caught you red-handed going through my father’s things. Are you really going to turn all French and haughty on me?”

Slowing her breathing, she calmed herself. She’d planned for such a situation. A professional must always be prepared. “What are you going to do?”

He clicked his tongue. “I’ll ask the questions here. What are you looking for?”

“Anything of value.”

Leaning a shoulder against the doorjamb, he crossed sizeable arms over the generous breadth of his chest. “Such as?”

“I’m a simple girl in need of blunt.” She gestured around the room. “I look for anything of value I can pinch. One of your father’s cravat pins could put food on my family’s table for months.”

His stance was deceptively relaxed, yet his dark eyes took in her every move. “So you’re out to steal some jewels, are you?”

“
Oui
.”

“You’re lying,” he said sharply. “Try again. The truth this time.”

“That is the truth. What are you going to do with me?” She loosened her stance, pushed her chest out a bit. The dress she’d worn to dinner showed her breasts to their full advantage. Normally, she found their voluptuousness to be annoying, but at the moment, they had their uses.

His forehead shot up. “That’s the way of it, then? You expect to fuck your way out of this.”

Nervous energy rocketed through her. “It seems a distinct possibility.”

Desire darkened his inky eyes. His gaze swept over her bare shoulders to the upper swells of her breasts. “You think I would stoop to extortion to get my hands on those delightful diddies of yours?”

She gave an exaggerated shrug, knowing the movement would cause the soft flesh to quiver. “We’ve wanted each other from the first. If I did not find you desirable, I would not offer myself.”

She could see he believed her. The prodigious bulge in the front of his breeches told her he was not indifferent to her proposal. Her mind raced through her options. When he got close enough, she could use her knife on him, but then the mission would be lost, likely inflicting immeasurable damage not only on her family, but on countless others.

He advanced on her, the sharp angles of his face cloaked in darkness. “Perhaps I should take a taste of what you offer before making a final decision.”

Mari forced her muscles to relax. She could bed him. Many factors—male and female—slid between the bedclothes when the mission called for it. Mari never had. She’d never even considered it before, but it would be no hardship with Cosmo.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her to him in a none-too-gentle motion. She came up against his tense body; the arousal pressing into her belly made his intent clear. The clean cedar scent of his skin mingled with notes of cheroots and port. His lips lingered at the tender outer curve of her ear, his breath warm and humid. “I’m curious to know how far you would go with this charade.”

“I desire you.” Heat suffused her skin. “It is no charade.”

“Is that so?” Tightening his arms around her, his voice turned icy. “If I demand it, will you get down on your knees right here and let me shove my cock into your mouth?”

Stiffening, she said, “Perhaps,” and felt his hard, unyielding body go tense against hers.

“And then I shall flip you over and bare that sweet little arse of yours.” The words were devoid of emotion. “I’ll take you in the most unnatural manner, which only the lowest of whores tolerate.” Revulsion filled her, a dark and bilious thing. This, then, was the true Cosmo Dunsmore, a man who enjoyed being cruel to women, who dominated and humiliated them during the most private of acts.

When his lips came down on hers, she didn’t flinch or back away. His tongue demanded entry into her mouth; he tasted of berries and the lingering tang of wine. The kiss—unforgiving and absent of tenderness—asked a question with its demands. She answered aggressively, tangling her tongue with his. The other response, however, was in the hand that snaked down her side. She cinched up her skirt until her fingers found the cool, sharp blade of the dagger strapped to her thigh.

She slipped it out, moving with the alacrity and skill that years of experience had honed. In order to best such a large man, the element of surprise had to be on her side. She aimed for his soft underbelly, although in truth there was little softness to be found in the broad planes of his stomach. She pricked his skin, intent on pushing the blade all the way in, but he twisted away in a lightning-fast motion, his hand darting out to grab hers.

“
Ah non!
” she cried, uttering a string of French curses as he forced the blade from her hand. She watched helplessly as it hit the carpeted floor with a quiet thud. Her heart pounding, she fought furiously, jerking her head in an attempt to break his nose.

“Hold still.” He caged her against his body, trapping her arms at her sides by wrapping iron arms tight around her. “Settle down. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He slumped into a soft tufted chair in the dressing room, bringing her down sideways across his lap, his implacable arms forming a vise around her. “My angel.” He laughed, his mirth genuine. “You truly are a delight.”

“
Cochon
.” Mari let loose another string of epithets. “Let me go
. Brute
! You are disgusting.”

He laughed again, his eyes wrinkling with merriment; the warmth of his breath puffed across her bare shoulder. “Calm yourself. I’m not going to do you any injury.”

She glared at him. “I am not surprised abusing a helpless woman amuses you.”

“You, my dear,” he said, flashing a row of slightly crowded teeth, “are anything but helpless.”

“I fail to see why you are so much amused.”

He loosened his arms, but kept them pressed around her waist. “It would have been gravely disappointing if you had agreed to my outrageous proposals. But I wanted to see how far you would go.” He’d let her hands slip free, and she put one of them to good use by punching him hard in the shoulder. “Ouch!” He caught her fingers, bringing her hand to his mouth and pressing a soft, moist, beguiling kiss into her open palm. “Truce?”

Warmth sizzled up her arm. She looked away. “There is no peace with one such as you.” His lips moved to her shoulder, the roughness of his chin abrading her skin. She sighed, enjoying the scratchy sensation against her flesh.

“So tell me what your true business is, Angel.” He nipped the tender spot on her bare shoulder. “Now that we’ve ruled out thievery and whoredom.”

“I am an aeronaut.”

“Mm. Not a good answer.” He nipped a little harder, then tended the spot with the tip of his tongue. “I won’t let you hurt him, you know.”

She shivered at the sensuous feel of his tongue against her sensitive skin. “Who?”

“Aldridge.”

It struck her hard that perhaps she’d underestimated Cosmo Dunsmore. “I’d expect nothing less.”

“Really?” He rested his chin on her shoulder, his ebony eyes fixed on her face. “I’ve never been much use to anyone before, and you do seem frightfully skilled at what you do. Whatever it is.”

“Then I suggest you continue with a life of useless indulgence and leave me to my task,” she retorted. “It would suit my purposes.”

He barked a harsh laugh. “I’m certain it would. No, I think I will keep my eyes on you.” His hand traveled up her waist, brushing the sides of her breasts. “And my hands as well.”

“
Cochon
.” But the word came out sounding more like an endearment than an insult. “How did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“How did you find me in here?”

“Not just here. I also watched you search the study.”

“You are lying.” Shocked, she uttered the words almost reflexively. No one had ever caught her before, but intuitively she knew he told the truth. It explained why she’d felt eyes on her when she’d searched the house.

“I most certainly am not. Let’s see if I remember correctly.” He closed his eyes for a moment, the dark fringe of his lashes casting shadows across the firm arch of his cheeks. “You began with the desk, moved to the chess table, and then made quick work of the bookshelves.” A sick feeling settled in her stomach. “Don’t look so defeated, Angel. It doesn’t become you.”

She stiffened. “It would take more than a brandy-soaked
connard
to defeat me.”

He grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

“Tell me how you did it.”

He rubbed his chin with the back of his bent fingers as he considered her demand. “If I do, I must ask for a boon.”

“What sort of boon?”

“Don’t look so alarmed.” He wrapped a loose strand of her hair around his finger, which made her scalp tingle in a pleasurable way. “Just a kiss. No, two. Three. Three kisses and I shall confess all.”

Tilting her head in consideration, she narrowed one eye at him. “Three kisses. That is all?”

“Yes.” Warmth filled his eyes. He brushed one finger over her lips. “One here.” His finger trailed down her chin, past her neck, and settled lightly on the exposed mound of her left breast. “One here.” He dragged his finger lightly to her right breast. “And one here.”

A thrill whipped through her body. He was wicked. And so, apparently, was she, considering how anxious she was to feel his lips on her skin. “Very well,” she said as if it were no matter to her. “Have done with it.”

Chuckling, he cupped her chin and tilted her face toward him. He took his time settling pliant lips against hers, fitting them to her mouth. He licked her bottom lip and she opened her lips, shamelessly willing to take him in. He moved in her mouth with deep luxurious movements, tasting her tongue, stroking the roof of her mouth and the insides of her cheeks with obvious expertise that swept her body into the sublime delight of it.

The intimacy went on and on, long dazzling kisses and short sweet ones, until her insides were warm and fuzzy and the air had left her lungs. Her legs floated as if she were parachuting.

He broke the kiss on a groan, his breath coming in short gulps. “You are a dangerous woman, Mari Lamarre.”

She had one hand up against his chest and could feel his heart pounding beneath his clothes. His eyes moved to her bosom, which swelled under her bodice as she fought to catch her breath. Gripping her waist, he turned her so that she straddled him. His hand tugged at the bodice and freed her breasts. Not exactly part of their agreement, but she had no desire to protest. He watched her breasts tumble out like pale, eager kittens let loose to play. “Glorious.” Cupping them with a warm gentle touch, he considered them for a moment. “You are perfection.”

“No doubt you have seen many.” She forced a careless tone, even though her feminine flesh frolicked under his touch, the pink tips awakening while he watched.

His voice roughened with desire. “None like this. Soft, full, and so quick to respond.” The pads of his thumbs feathered over each engorged tip. “I do believe these are the only parts of you that are biddable.”

Not quite. Her entire body seemed anxious to do his bidding, given the way the place between her thighs also pulsed for attention. She battled the urge to arch her back and soothe her throbbing against the jutting hardness behind the placket of his breeches. “Do get on with it,” she forced out. “I agreed to a kiss, not to be mauled and ogled.”

“Impatient, are you?” His mouth curved into a sensual smile. “Very well. It’s never a good idea to keep a lady waiting.”

Never mind that she was no lady and they both knew it. A lady wouldn’t straddle a rakehell with her breasts exposed and practically beg him to ravish her. Her thoughts snagged when he lowered his head to her left breast; his breath bathed the plump tip in a warm, humid mist. He settled his mouth over it, catching the sensitive flesh between slightly parted lips in a soft caress of a kiss—and with a fleeting touch of his tongue.

The sensual impact jolted through her and an involuntary moan escaped her lips. Silently, she pleaded with him to take her all the way into his mouth, to use his tongue and teeth to ease the need he’d whipped up inside her. Instead, he withdrew his lips, leaving her wanting, but then he soothed her again when his lips caught her right breast in the same slightly moist, unbelievably erotic kiss. Surrendering to it, she threw her head back, offering her eager breasts up for more of his sensual teasing.