Wicked Proposition (45 page)

Being the snooty Miss Grey served her purposes.
She did not need the other servants watching her too closely. The
giant proved difficult. The man named Tieghan was always around,
watching her with his pale eyes which proved to be grey upon closer
inspection. He was a part of the Captain’s crew, she had learned,
and not the servant she had thought him.

Elise was grateful when he took his meal with
the Van Ryker’s and gave her the opportunity to steal. She took
only what she needed and doubted Van Ryker even counted it.

###

“You have been quiet all night, Gabriel,”
Annabelle commented as she rolled over in bed and looked at her
benefactor questioningly. “What is it?”

Gabriel heard the worry in her voice. She feared
he would end their arrangement before she found another protector.
He felt little bitterness. He wished her well in that regard. Ever
since Catherine’s return, he could not even pretend to enjoy her
company. He fumed to know he could barely get hard this night,
despite all Annabelle’s encouragement.

“Nothing to concern you,” he said absently. “Are
you excited about Lady Billingsley’s ball?”

Gabriel listened to her happy chatter,
regretting even asking after her lengthy description on the new
gown he bought. Gabriel wished she would cease to talk. He knew he
was being unfair. Annabelle could not know how troubled he was.

“You have been quiet since she returned,”
Annabelle said quietly then, her blue eyes meeting his knowingly.
“I heard Captain Van Ryker was who you fought with. It was over his
wife, wasn’t it?”

There seemed no point to delay this conversation
with his mistress. Gabriel sat up in bed, disgusted all thoughts of
achieving any arousal were thoroughly diminished now.

“You shouldn’t listen to gossip.”

“Is it true?” she persisted, a worried look in
her gaze.

“I made no secret of my feelings for her,
Annabelle,” Gabriel countered and got up in search of his clothes.
He wanted to be far away from where this conversation would
lead.

“No, you have always been honest, Gabriel,” she
agreed. “I knew you were still in love with her when we met.”

“She is quite happily married now, my dear,”
Gabriel replied testily as he jerked on his shirt and wondered
where he had flung his breeches. “What is the point of this
conversation?”

“Everyone told me to stay away from Freddy,” his
mistress said quietly and frowned. “I had many promising offers
back then, but I loved him. I didn’t see him for what he was, just
what I made him to be. After we eloped and my father cut me off, I
foolishly thought he still loved me. I tried to get my father to
accept my choice, but he disowned me and wouldn’t allow my mother
to speak to me again. My friends followed suit as well. I was quite
alone then. Freddy already realized we would get no money from my
family. I didn’t know he loved only gaming until it was too late.
When I found him dead that day, I realized I had given up
everything for him. I question now whether the love I had for him
brought me anything but misery. That is why I tell you this,
Gabriel. I do not see these feelings you have for her bringing you
anything but pain. What has it ever brought you but more
sorrow?”

Gabriel realized this was the first real
conversation he had ever had with Annabelle. He regarded her
warily, seeing her with new eyes. She saw far more than she let
on.

“I know she is lost to me now,” he said stiffly.
“I cannot undo the past.”

“You have to let her go before this destroys
you, Gabriel,” Annabelle advised softly and her eyes grew
misty.

“I have tried to forget her,” he replied
sadly.

“I wish I had let Freddy go,” Annabelle said and
looked forlorn. “As much as I loved him, I wish I would have walked
away. Had I known where those feelings would lead us then, I would
have. I see all that I gave up for love now, and have nothing but
regret. I would not want that for you.”

Gabriel could see Annabelle still struggled with
the choices she made. The last five years of being passed from one
rich protector to another had taken their toll upon her. He
immediately regretted thinking her a vapid, shallow
featherbrain.

There was nothing stupid about her at all. She
had been playing a part, one he might have never seen through had
she not chosen to impart such wisdom to him now.

“How did you ever get so wise, my dear?” Gabriel
said with grudging admiration as he slid on his frock coat.

Annabelle smiled sadly and lay back against the
pillows. “When you are denied happiness, becoming wise is the only
recourse left to you, my lord.”

Gabriel left her townhouse, feeling as though he
should take Annabelle’s advice. He should avoid Catherine now like
the plague. No good would come of it. It would be like salt being
rubbed into an open wound to see her again. Gabriel knew he would
ignore Annabelle’s words, much like she had her father’s, when she
married the doomed Frederick Hart.

Gabriel was determined that Catherine remembered
her feelings for him, regardless of her husband and child. He knew
he was being ridiculously selfish. The bullet might not have killed
her, but he may as well be dead to her. He grieved to know she had
forgotten him. She had fallen in love with Nicholas.

Gabriel knew only too well how much he would
give up just too have her back, and smiled grimly. His mistress had
impressed him for once, with her keen intellect. Maybe Annabelle
was right. He should walk away now and not look back. Nicholas
would no doubt appreciate the gesture. His heart recoiled at the
thought of letting her go. He stared out the coach window moodily.
He was really such a selfish bastard for what he would do
instead.

###

Catherine awoke with a start, careful to not
wake her husband. She had the dreams again. The golden-haired man
was there.

Catherine recalled what had been happening
between them, closing her eyes and was shocked to feel a stirring
of desire. She loved her husband with every fiber of her being, but
the golden-haired man played a prominent role in her past.

Catherine flushed when she recalled Nicholas
waking her one morning while she was still in the throes of one of
these dreams. She was even more shocked when she awoke to see her
husband there instead of the golden-haired man.

Catherine slid on her wrapper and went
downstairs to find a book to read. She tiptoed down the hall to the
library. She paused when she saw the couple at the end of the
hallway embraced passionately.

It was dark and she could make out only their
outlines. They were kissing hungrily and pulling at one another’s
clothing frantically. The woman’s soft moans made her stop in her
tracks. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she covered her mouth to
stifle a gasp.

It was her maid Elise and Tieghan! Miss Grey had
her skirts hiked up around her waist and her long slender legs were
wrapped around Tieghan’s hips. He was reaching for the fastenings
of his breeches when she covered her mouth and stole into the
library quietly.

Catherine dove behind the doorframe silently.
She was cringing as she heard the insistent thumping against the
wall down the hall. She heard Tieghan groaning low, and heard Elise
sighing in delight.

Catherine peered around the doorframe and
watched as Tieghan and her maid were lustfully engaged against the
wall, his hands holding her aloft as he buried his face in her
neck.

Catherine drew back and waited what seemed like
forever until they were finished, hoping the couple didn’t discover
her presence.

Catherine was shocked at Miss Grey’s behavior
with her husband’s friend.

Several moments passed and she heard the
thumping against the wall continue more rapidly. She rolled her
eyes heavenward. Catherine was blushing to her hairline as she
listened to the sounds of their heated lovemaking against the wall.
She was sorry she had come downstairs at all. She didn’t care to
know how her maid and Tieghan had come to be carrying on.

A muffled cry rent the air and all was suddenly
silent. She crept to the door. She watched as Elise pulled away
from him and ran.

She was holding her gown up as she passed.
Catherine could see she was upset with tears streaming down her
cheeks. Tieghan watched her leave and adjusted his clothing,
looking grim-faced.

Catherine lay flat against the wall as he passed
the library door and was grateful when she heard his boots upon the
stairs as he returned to his room.

Catherine stayed there for what seemed an
eternity to be sure both had retired to their rooms. She decided
she no longer wished to read, too disturbed by what she had just
witnessed to do no more than return to her own bed.

Catherine paced in front of her husband the next
morning. She glared as he made no comment when she told him what
she had seen the night before.

Nicholas’s lips twitched with amusement during
her rant. He shrugged nonetheless. She fumed at how unseemly it was
his friend was carrying on with her maid.

“It is more than upsetting to me that you will
do nothing about it!” Catherine cried at his expression of
disinterest.

“You said the maid appeared to enjoy it,”
Nicholas said with a scowl and shook his head. “Tieghan is a grown
man. If he wants to bed the maid and she is willing, I can say
nothing.”

“She is my maid! I will not see him toy with her
affections!” Catherine railed as she rounded on him, her green eyes
narrowed with anger. “You will deal with the damned man or I
will!”

“She has not accused Tieghan of abusing her,
Catherine,” he said quietly and his lips curved into a smile, “No,
Miss Grey has not complained at all. It is not our business.”

“I would not see her hurt, Nicholas,” Catherine
said sadly. “She is my maid and I feel protective of her. I have
seen her with red and puffy eyes each morning and now I know why. I
have wanted to say something, but I sense she does not wish to
confide in me.”

“I would speak to Tieghan, but it will do no
good,” Nicholas replied in amusement. “No one tells Tieghan
anything.”

“Fine, sit back and do nothing, but mark my
words Miss Grey will be the one to suffer for it!” And she was gone
in a flurry of silk and irritation.

Nicholas glowered at the ceiling and wanted
nothing more than to avoid a confrontation with his friend over his
wife’s maid. If the girl was willing, why say anything?

Nicholas thought it was the best thing for his
friend. He had done nothing but sulk over having to play protector
to his wife since their arrival. A casual dalliance might do
Tieghan some good right about now.

If Miss Grey enjoyed his attentions it was no
business of theirs. Tieghan wasn’t likely to respond very well to
his talking to him about anything. Catherine did not understand
Tieghan as he did. He was not one to talk at all.

###

Tieghan stood up and dressed. He looked at the
redhead in his rumpled bed with a taunting smile. Rubbing his chest
in satisfaction, he thought of how they had spent the last
hour.

Elise refused to meet his gaze, staring at the
ceiling. Her attitude annoyed him after her passionate responses to
him in bed. She had proven to be as feisty as her hair implied when
she lie under him. Her hazel eyes were narrowed and she sat up to
look at him with disgust, holding the sheet to her breasts. Her
passion-bruised lips compressed into a thin line.

“You cannot just drag me to your room anytime
you wish, Tieghan!” she snarled and tossed his shirt at him. “I am
a servant here, may I remind you? You will have me dismissed if you
keep me from my work.”

“I will do whatever I please, Elise,” Tieghan
said coolly, his flint-grey eyes flicked over her insultingly. He
caught the shirt she threw at him and shrugged it on. “I think you
enjoyed it. Need I prove it again before I toss you out of my bed,
wench?”

Elise made a disgusted noise as she flounced
from his bed in search of her wig. She looked everywhere for it.
Finally, she found it hanging from a picture on the wall. She fumed
when she recalled he had removed it from her head and tossed it
across the room. He had unbound her hair and availed himself of her
quite passionately.

“Why do you not just go to the Van Ryker’s and
tell them you caught me stealing and get it over with?” she snapped
as she dressed, ignoring his pale eyed stare. “In fact, why do you
not turn me in to the authorities while you are at it? I am tired
of your threats!”

“Be lucky you are in my bed and not in a cell,
Elise,” he said grimly as he pulled on his boots. “Do not think
because I like to toss your skirts, I would hesitate to inform
Nicholas and Catherine of what you have been doing. Besides, I won
the servant’s wager of who would have you first. I won the ten
shillings. You were worth every bit of it.”

Elise stiffened in hurt at his cruel words,
feeling like she had been punched in her middle as Tieghan left
without another word. It had been like this between them since he
caught her the week before. He had taken advantage of the
situation. Instead of exposing her to the Van Ryker’s, he dragged
her to his room instead.

Elise knew what he thought of her. She refused
to speak in her own defense. She was a thief, and a liar, and all
but the last thing he had called her. That had been rectified
since. He had promptly divested her of the only innocent thing
about her. He hadn’t even bothered to acknowledge it. She fumed to
know he thought her a whore, when he had taken the proof she was
not.

Elise was desolate to know how he looked down
upon her now. Since he discovered her stealing from Nicholas’s
brothers while they were out for the evening, he had regarded her
with nothing but contempt. He had given her a choice. Come to his
bed without complaint, or go to prison.