Suzanne Robinson (27 page)

“Ah-ha!”

Emmie gasped and jumped. “Valin North.”

“I knew it.” His scowl threatened to conjure up lightning and black thunderclouds. “I knew you were lying. Where is he?”

She threw up her hands. “Who?”

“The man for whom you left me.”

“You’re mad.”

“And you’re a deceiving lady adventuress. This is his house, and I demand that you introduce me.”

Emmie had been tapping her foot, her arms folded across her chest. Suddenly her foot went still and she gaped at Valin. Understanding flooded
her, and suddenly the entire world seemed beautiful.

“Gracious mercy,” she whispered. “You’re jealous.”

“I think not,” Valin snapped.

A grin spread across Emmie’s face. “That’s why you’re glaring at me as if I’d betrayed my country. It’s not your foul temper at all. You’re jealous!”

Valin nearly shouted. “I am not. I simply disapprove of you connecting yourself with some—some low person. I wish you to mend your conduct and lead a proper, honest life for once.”

Emmie just grinned at him, her spirits flying past the highest star. Perhaps there was a chance for her and Valin after all. Valin seemed to grow increasingly uncomfortable under her gaze.

“Are we going to stand here on the step and argue, or are you going to go inside?”

Emmie whirled around and marched past the astonished maid. Pilfer had vanished. Emmie crossed the entry hall and stopped at the foot of the stairs. Valin joined her and stood stiffly, as if awaiting execution.

“You want to see the gentleman for whom I’ve done all my thieving?”

Valin paled and gave a sharp nod.

“Very well.” She looked at the parlor maid. “Is Flash at his studies, Marie?”

“Yes, madam.”

“Come with me, my lord.”

Emmie nearly danced up the steps.

“Flash,” Valin muttered. “Just the kind of name I’d expect of his sort.”

She led Valin to a room on the second floor, knocked, and flung the door open.

“Lord Valin, meet Flash. And Phoebe, and Sprout.”

Watching Valin’s jaw drop gave her enormous satisfaction. He stood there staring at Flash, who stared back. Flash had soft black hair, a heart-shaped face, and great dark brown eyes that seemed to delve into one’s soul. He rose from the school table and approached Valin. He extended his hand.

“Please to make your acquaintance, my lord.”

Emmie was proud of Flash’s manner and cultured speaking voice. She almost laughed aloud at the way Valin gawked at the boy for several seconds before shaking his hand. Phoebe had followed her older brother. She curtsied and slipped her hand into Emmie’s.

Valin finally recovered his composure and bowed gravely to the child. “Miss Phoebe, I’m pleased to meet you.”

Sprout was still at the school table. He threw his pencil down and jumped up. “Bother! I hate lessons.”

Valin looked from Emmie to Sprout and Phoebe and back again.

Emmie held up her hand. “No more absurd speculation.” She thanked the children, sent them back to their lessons, and closed the door.

With Valin at her side she went downstairs, into the garden at the back of the house. They strolled between the rose beds.

“Are you ready to hear the truth?” she asked as she clasped her hands behind her back and smiled up at him.

Valin set his mouth in a grim line and nodded.

“They’re my stepfather’s children.”

At this Valin stopped and stared at her. “But you told me your father was a doctor in Shrewsbury. No, don’t tell me. That was another lie.” Valin sighed. “Where is your stepfather?”

“He’s dead.”

Emmie embarked upon the story of her mother, Edmund Cheap, and his two families. Valin listened quietly, asking questions only when she paused. At last she had nothing left to say, and Valin remained silent long after her story was finished. After a while Emmie grew uneasy. Had she misunderstood him yet again? Gracious mercy, was he trying to think of a way to extricate himself from her?

Making her tone light, Emmie gazed at a cluster of oak trees while smiling with determination. “So
you see why I had to—to pursue my profession. I’m sorry I involved you. I assure you, the gentlemen with whom I usually deal are left with their peace and most of their fortunes intact. Even the Bagshots, the people I visited last night, will hardly notice what I took.”

“Emmie.”

“And I’m seldom in danger,” Emmie hurried on with desperate brightness. “I have many friends and, um, assistants, like Sweep and Turnip and Snoozer. I rub on quite well. It’s an exciting life.”

“Emmie.”

“Flash is going to school in the fall, and Phoebe will have a lady governess. Sprout and Pilfer will study together at first. I’m thinking of buying a bigger house and moving in with the children, and that way—”

“Emmie!”

Valin grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him.

Clenching her jaw, Emmie summoned her courage. “Yes?”

“I think you’re the bravest, most selfless woman I’ve ever met.”

Her eyes widened. “You do?”

“Indeed. I know you a little, Emmie, my love. It must have cost you dearly to become Mrs. Apple and earn a living in the rookeries. And to take
those children under your protection while also supporting yourself was a struggle …”

Now she was turning red. “They had no one else. What would have happened to them?”

“I don’t want to think about that.”

Emmie waited for him to go on, but Valin said nothing. His expression was as bleak as she’d ever seen it, and her new optimism faded. Suddenly Valin turned away from her.

“As long as we’re being honest with each other for once, there’s something you must know about me.”

Emmie touched his arm, and he met her gaze with his anguished one.

“I know,” she said. “You can’t marry me. I’m illegitimate and a criminal, and I haven’t the breeding. I know you can’t.”

“Don’t be absurd. I was talking about me. I did something terrible when I was younger. Something worse than anything you’ve ever done.” Valin gave her a bitter smile. “I have no right to criticize your thieving ways after what I’ve done. I don’t know how I could have been such a hypocrite.” He looked down and said softly, “At least you’ve never killed anyone, and I was responsible for two deaths.”

Emmie frowned. “Are you talking about your father and stepmother?”

Valin nodded.

“Oh, Acton tried to make me believe you’d murdered them.”

“When?”

“Long ago. Your brother’s character is rotten, Valin.”

Valin was staring at her. “You didn’t believe Acton.”

“Of course not. Who believes Acton?”

“But he was telling the truth.”

Emmie listened to Valin’s story of the note from Carolina, the encounter at the lodge, and the fire. When he finished she shook her head in disgust.

“Have you been blaming yourself all this time?”

“I should have rescued them. I should never have let Father go into the lodge.”

Putting the tips of her fingers over Valin’s lips, Emmie silenced him. “She made a choice, that Carolina. She made a choice to try to corrupt you. She chose to ignore danger because it gave her a thrill. She chose to do it. You didn’t make her do anything, and it was beyond your power to force her to make the proper decisions, or to force your father to see the truth, for that matter.”

Emmie stepped away from him and clasped her hands.

“Don’t let her evil corrupt your spirit, Valin. Don’t blame yourself for their mistakes.”

She watched him. He was still frowning.

“You can’t save everyone,” she said. “It’s presumptuous to think you can.”

“But I could have—”

“Died trying to save them? Then we never would have met.”

Valin seemed locked in a prison of regret. Emmie waited for him to see the reason behind her words, but he said nothing.

Emmie spread her arms wide. “Now you listen to me, Valin North. We’ve enough sins to regret without taking on more than our share. I certainly have.”

Valin gave her a startled look, and at last he laughed. “You certainly do, Mrs. Apple.” He came to her and pulled her close. “At least I know your real name now. It will come in handy.”

“It will?” She waited for him to explain, but he seemed fascinated with her lips.

“Emmie, may I kiss you?”

Her voice trembled. “I wish you would.”

She felt his lips on hers and allowed herself to drown in the embrace. His mouth lifted, and she felt his lips on her cheeks and forehead.

“God, I missed you.”

Drawing an unsteady breath, Emmie leaned back to gaze at him. “Now that you know the truth, I wanted to tell you that I understand why
you don’t want to connect yourself with the likes of me. You need a real lady, someone refined and beautiful who can go about in Society.”

“Emmie, shut up.”

“Well! I like that. Here I am being reasonable about things, and you—”

He kissed her again, hard. When the kiss ended Emmie scowled at him.

“I don’t want you to be reasonable.”

Emmie threw his arms off and stalked over to a fountain. “I don’t know what you want, varmint.”

He came up behind her and surrounded her with his arms. She looked over her shoulder at him. He was grinning at her.

“Emmie, if you would listen a moment, I’ll tell you.”

“Well?”

“What I want is for you and Flash and Phoebe and Sprout and Pilfer and anyone else in this menagerie of yours to come with me to Agincourt Hall.”

“Ha! I’ve spent years protecting myself against having to depend upon a man for—”

“And I want you to marry me.”

“What?” Emmie twisted in his arms and stared at Valin. “What did you say?”

“Will you marry me?”

Catching her lower lip with her teeth, Emmie whispered.
“You can’t marry me. You need a wife who—”

“My dear Mrs. Apple. Please allow me to know what I require in a wife, and what I require is Miss Emmie Apple.”

“Fox.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Fox,” Emmie repeated in a daze. “My name’s Emmie Fox, not Apple.”

“Are you sure?”

“ ’Course I’m sure. Think I don’t know me own name? Cheeky bugger.”

Valin burst out laughing, which only confused Emmie.

When he stopped and wiped his eyes, he said, “Forgive me, but there’s not much to choose between being called Miss Fox and Mrs. Apple.”

Emmie grinned at him and took the hand he held out to her. “I suppose you don’t like Agnes Cowper either.”

“Your aunt? She smirked at me.”

“That was me.”

“Dear God.”

“Want to know my other ones?”

“How many more are there? No, don’t answer. Save the revelations for the honeymoon.”

“Then let’s go find Pilfer.”

“He can’t come.”

“No, I suppose not. But if we don’t find him,
he’ll scarper back to the rookeries and it will take us weeks to find him again.”

Valin’s lips hovered above hers.

“Do we have time for a kiss?” he asked.

Emmie wrapped her arms around his neck. “There’s always time for a kiss.”

SUZANNE ROBINSON
has a doctoral degree in anthropology with a specialty in ancient Middle Eastern archaeology. She has now turned her attention to the creation of the fascinating fictional characters in her unforgettable historical romances.

Suzanne lives in San Antonio with her husband and her two English springer spaniels. She divides her time between writing historical romance and mystery under her first name, Lynda.

If you loved
The Treasure,
don’t miss the next delightful romantic adventure from

S
UZANNE
R
OBINSON

When the clock ticks down on the turn of the century in Edwardian England, it leaves everyone wondering what will be next … and whether a sizzling passion will bring in the New Year.

Coming from Bantam Books in spring 2000.

Just in time.