Timeless Desire (20 page)

He shook his head. “I am afraid he is no relation.”

She took a large gulp of wine. Dare she? “He looks a bit like your son: the aquiline nose, the deep-set eyes. They could easily be cousins.”

“They are not.” He reached for the carafe of wine and filled his glass. “If you have heard he once claimed a relationship, may I just say that I believe he was misled by a desperate and destitute mother. Tis quite sad.”

“Indeed it is.”

“My son is rather taken with you.”

“I am most honored,” she said, flustered. The earl obviously didn’t believe in beating around the bush.

“He intends to become a patron of your library.”

“I’m glad. He would be helping many people.”

“Where, exactly, is your library, Mrs. Carnegie? I have made a few inquiries on my way into town and have found no one who is aware of your efforts.”

Panna’s palms began to tingle. “My efforts have just begun. Opening a library that everyone can borrow from is a dream of mine. I’ve been a library keeper for a long time in Penn’s Woods. If you would like a reference from the man whose library I administer, I would be happy to write for one.”

The earl looked at her over the rim of his glass. “I don’t think that will be necessary.” He reached into the pocket of his frock coat and withdrew a folded note. “This is for you.”

She opened it carefully and saw it was a bank draft for fifty pounds—an enormous sum in these days, she thought, considering Lizzy Bennett’s forty-pound annual dowry income in
Pride and Prejudice
a century from now. “Thank you very much.”

He nodded. “I am reminded of the time the archbishop of York pressed me for the sponsorship of his home for the insane. I said to him as I wrote the check, ‘Do you know the difference between an archbishop and a whore?’ When he declared he did not, I said, ‘Two naughts on the bank draft.’”

Panna felt a wave of heat rise from her toes to her forehead.

“I’m afraid he did not laugh,” the earl went on. “Not even when I added, ‘Tis little wonder both do their best work on their knees.’ He took a deep drink of wine. “Shall we agree this will end your, er, solicitation of my son?”

She placed the draft on the table and pushed it toward him. “You may keep your money, sir. I will find the funding I require, and if it means I must scrape my knees on the carpet of every gentleman in Cumbria, I will do so at my pleasure— beginning with your son.”

For an instant Panna wondered if she would be thrown out of the castle, and tried to think of exactly how she would explain the turn of events to Bridgewater. But the earl barked a laugh so hearty, nearly everyone at the table turned, including Adderly.

“I like your spirit, milady,” the earl said. “You remind me of a woman I had the pleasure of knowing a very long time ago. And I don’t doubt you will raise the funds you need. Please accept this with my sincerest desire for your success. You have painted a picture that will be with me for some many years hence. Adderly,” he called, rising, “you may return to your rightful place. I hope you are willing to support our guest’s cause. I think you will find the position it puts you in quite satisfying.”

Panna slipped the draft into her pocket as Adderly took his seat.

“You have certainly won my father’s favor,” he said.

“He is a most interesting man.”

Adderly’s eyes gleamed mischief. “I have been thinking about your bath, milady.”

Oh, dear.

“I have a thought.”

“Oh?” She picked up her glass. Dinner was ending, and in a moment the men would be adjourning to wherever they went. Panna hoped wherever that was would be the same place the earl and Williston had been this afternoon.

Adderly leaned closer. “What if I called for a bath in
my
room? You would have the benefit of hot water without the embarrassment of having to ask a second time.”

The only thing about the offer that surprised Panna was how many goblets of wine it had taken to prompt it.

“It seems a rather dangerous thing to attempt, if you ask me.” She smiled.

“Does it?” He traced the outline of her neckline with his eyes.

“For example, where would you be during such an undertaking?”

He made a throaty chuckle and took another gulp of wine. “Well, I could hardly ask for the bath if I wasn’t in the bedchamber myself.”

“Uh-huh. You understand my concern, then?”

“What if I were to tell you the bath had already been drawn?”

“I would say someone has been counting his winnings in advance of the last hand of cards. Never advisable.”

He laughed again. “What if I were to give you time to play the last hand?”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean this.” He leaned close enough not only to tickle her ear with his breath but also to see nearly to her navel. “I have in mind to make a very large contribution to your library. However, I should like there to be a bit of sport in it. I am going into the drawing room with the officers for our usual brandies and talk of war. However, I cannot guarantee how long our discussion might last. If, knowing that, you are daring enough to take your bath in my room, you shall find a draft for thirty pounds in the pocket of your gown tomorrow.”

Not quite as generous as his father. “And how will you know I’ve done it? If I’m wise, and I am—very—I shall be in and out of there as fast as I can manage it.”

“Oh, I have already considered that possibility. I’m afraid you shall have to leave your gown in my room as proof. And your shift.”

“Leaving me nothing but a towel?”

“Leaving you nothing,” he said. “There are two towels next to the bath. Both will have to stay.”

“I see.” She took another long sip of wine, considering the challenge. “That’s a rather long walk in nothing but my slippers, don’t you think?”

“I find the notion exceedingly intriguing. I warrant it’s the only thing that will get me through my colleagues’ longwinded discussion.”

“Let us pray it
is
long-winded.”

“Aye, to that end, I can say this: I will stay until my father finishes his second brandy. You have my word as a gentleman on it. But one can never tell if this will be the night he sips and enjoys or the night he toasts and swallows.”

The officers were rising from their chairs, and Panna considered how much time it would take for the men to begin discussing how they intended to get around Queen Anne’s restrictions once they got their brandies. Of course, she had not the slightest intention of taking a bath. As much as she’d enjoy collapsing in tub of steamy water after this long day, the benefits in this case hardly seemed worth the risk. However, the satisfied smile that spread across Adderly’s face made it clear he’d taken her silence for assent.

She played with the napkin on her lap. “And what would you say if I were to tell you the library I’m imagining will cost considerably more than thirty pounds?”

The earl stood. “Adderly, would you lead our guests into the drawing room?”

Adderly caught Panna’s napkin just as it fell and dropped it in her lap, carefully brushing a nipple with his arm, and said under his breath, “I would say plan on taking a very long bath.”

P
ANNA STEPPED CAREFULLY UP TO THE SIDE OF THE STEAMING TUB
. Pink and white rose petals floated on the water, and a decanter of wine and two glasses stood on a small table within arm’s reach. A book was there, too.
The London Spy
by Ned Ward. She almost laughed. Adderly certainly seemed to be offering her every inducement to lose track of time. She’d brought the brewer’s clothes with her when she’d left Bridgewater and Clare and stuffed them in a closet she’d found on the service stairway. Her plan was to meet them no later than ten o’clock at the same place in the park. The clock had just struck a quarter after nine.

The wind had picked up slightly, and even the light sough of it against the windows was enough to make Panna have to strain to hear the conversation below.

“Miss Cavendish handled dinner tonight with great aplomb.”

Miss Cavendish was Adderly’s young cousin.

“Thank you,” the earl said. “I shall pass along your praise to my sister.”

“She is a fine girl,” Williston said. “Very fine. I hope you will not be offended, however, when I tell you I found myself wishing to have been seated next to the other lady at the table.”

“Miss Cavendish’s chaperone?” a third man said. “I’m sure we can arrange a late-night rendezvous. Let us hope she has kept her teeth in.”

“I think Williston rather hopes she has her teeth out,” Adderly said, and the room dissolved in laughter.

Men.
Panna rolled her eyes.

“I meant Mrs. Carnegie,” Williston said, irritated.

The earl laughed. “I’m afraid my son has set that pudding aside for himself.”

“She is a comely woman, Adderly. How did you meet her?”

“At MacIver Castle,” he said. “She arrived this morning.”

“Aye, she pressed him into a donation for a lending library she wishes to start,” the earl added.

“I hope she will press me as well,” another officer said, and the men laughed.

“A lending library?” someone repeated. “For whom?”

“The people of Cumbria,” the earl said.

“What on earth would the rabble of Cumbria do with a library?”

“Nonetheless,” the earl said, “that is Mrs. Carnegie’s wish. And she is raising funds to make it so.”

“Ridiculous. She will never succeed.”

“I think she might,” the earl said. “She has great powers of persuasion.”

Still another man said, “Tis an effort I would be glad to have a hand in.”

The laughter rose again.

“Aye,” O’Donovan said. “I wonder what sort of lending privileges come with it.”

Williston said, “Depends how big your donation is.”

The men whooped. Panna shook her head. They were wasting precious brandy time on frat-boy idiocy.
What are your plans, fellas? Wednesday’s just around the corner. Let’s get on with it, shall we?

“We need to talk about the situation with the Scots.”

Williston. Finally, a voice of reason.

“Adderly, will you pass me the decanter,” the earl said. “I’m afraid this will require a second round, and you’ve been holding it rather close this last quarter hour.”

Second round? C’mon, people!

“I am in no mood to preside over the borderlands with no more than half a dozen swivel guns and my broadsword,” Williston said. “Let us pray for a battle.”

“‘Pray for a battle’?” Adderly said. “For God’s sake, let us use the brains and balls we were born with, shall we? It’s time for us to forget what the queen wants and do what we think is right.”

“Such as?”

“Such as provoke a battle with the clans.”

“Don’t be absurd,” the earl said.

“I’m not. There are ways to do it which would leave no trail to our doorstep.”

“He has a point,” Williston said.

“It’s worth considering.”

“No, it is
not
,” the earl said, his disgust apparent in his voice. “Let us hope we have not fallen so low.”

Chastened, the group fell silent. Then Adderly said in a low, agitated tone, “You’re wrong. This is a war, and the Scots wouldn’t hesitate to use any sort of deceit if they thought it would give them some advantage. They are filth. Were it up to me—”

“Tis not up to you, Colonel,” the earl said sharply. “And I’ll thank you to remember that.”

The quiet sent a chill through her. For a full minute no one said anything. The silence went on so long that Panna thought for a moment the men had been dismissed, but then Williston said, “I suppose what you say is true . . .”

“You ‘suppose’?” the earl said. “Holy Mother of God, if we cannot win this battle without resorting to such base tactics, we shouldn’t be soldiers.”

A noise made her spin in a half circle. Adderly was leaning against the door of his room, a drunken grin on his face. He stepped inside and closed the door.

Had he heard the voices? Did he know she’d been eavesdropping?

He walked to her slowly, weaving as he went, his eyes bright as embers. Her heart hammered in her chest.

She moved away from the hearth, hoping to keep him from the knowledge of what she’d been doing, and when their paths intersected he took her in his arms and kissed her.

“I can feel your heart pounding,” he said.

Can you feel the scream that’s in there, too?

His kiss had been disconcertingly similar to Bridgewater’s: the same warm mouth, the same stubbled cheek. But Bridgewater’s had sent shock waves through her body, and Adderly’s only dread.

“You came,” he said. “I wasn’t sure you would.”

Panna relaxed minutely. It appeared the future earl was not aware she’d been listening in on the officers’ conversation. If only she could get him to lie down and relax, he would probably be asleep in a few minutes.

A faint echo of Williston’s voice floated through the hearth, and Adderly cocked his head, instantly aware.

She laid her palms over his ears and kissed him.