You Only Love Twice (21 page)

Lucas was aware that everyone was staring and he shrugged negligently. “I thought she would wait for me.”

He accepted a cup of tea from Bella, whose gloating silence spoke volumes, and that got his back up. Had she planned the whole thing herself, she couldn’t have hoped for a more disastrous end to Jess’s debut.

Well, this was a setback for Jess, but it wasn’t the end of it, not nearly the end of it. In fact, it was only the beginning.

He would marry her, of course. That would simplify everything, and not just for himself, but for Jess as well. She would be under his protection. No one would dare point fingers at her or snigger about her behind her back. When she was his countess and living in the lap of luxury, she could pay off old scores if she wanted to, thumb her
nose at people like Bella who’d always looked down on her.

Not that Jess would. That wasn’t her way. If she were a different kind of woman, he could dangle his title and fortune in front of her to tempt her into marrying him. What he had to do now was come up with reasons that Jess would accept. He couldn’t see himself telling a former nun that the real reason they should marry was because they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

He stifled a laugh and took a sip of tea. At length, he said, “I don’t know why everyone is looking so glum. It’s just as I told you. It was all a misunderstanding. Jessica did not do anything wrong. She went for a walk and fell into a hollow in the ground. I found her right afterward.”

Bella was provoked into ungluing her lips. “Hah! No one is going to believe that story!”

“I believe it,” said Rupert.

“It doesn’t matter what anyone believes,” said Lucas. “Jess will be treated with respect, or I’ll want to know the reason why.”

Ellie’s face was whiter than before. “But everyone knows how you feel about her, Lucas.”

He turned his head to look at her. “Who have you been listening to, Ellie?”

“No one in particular.” Her eyes slid to Bella, then back to Lucas. “It’s what everyone was saying last night.”

Perry and Adrian had been conversing in an undertone. Perry rose. “Come along, Ellie,” he said. “Let’s take a walk in the rose garden. The grown-ups want to speak in private.”

“I’m not a child!” she protested indignantly.

When no one responded to this, she stalked from the room. Perry went after her.

Adrian was the first to break the silence. “How did you find Mr. Stone?”

“It wasn’t too difficult, after I came to the conclusion that he hadn’t run off to London. I see by your smile,
Adrian, you’ve guessed just how far I’d traveled before I had the sense to turn back.”

“How far did you get?” asked Rupert.

“To Henley, and each hostelry on the way told the same story. No carriage had pulled in to change or water the horses.”

“Then what happened?” asked Adrian.

“Then,” said Lucas, “I returned to Chalford, and made the rounds here.” He yawned. “Do you realize I’ve had only two hours’ sleep since last night? I found him in the Rose and Crown, just as he was dressing for breakfast.”

“Was he surprised to see you?”

“Very.”

Surprised
wasn’t the word for it. Young Stone had been shocked out of his wits. Lucas hadn’t been in the mood to hear explanations when he’d burst into the room. He’d grabbed Stone by the throat and flung him against the wall. If Stone had fought back, he would have thrashed him, but he couldn’t thrash a man who wouldn’t defend himself. But it took some time before he’d calmed down enough to hear him out.

“Well,” said Adrian, breaking into his train of thought, “don’t keep us in suspense. Why is he still breathing?”

Lucas laughed. “Because,” he said, “all he did was try to steal a kiss from Jess. She panicked and ran. Then she got hurt in the fall. Mr. Stone never laid a hand on her.”

Everyone was silent. Lucas drank his tea. “There is something I have been meaning to ask you,” he said, looking at Rupert. “Who exactly is Mr. Stone?”

Rupert shrugged. “I don’t know him. It was Bella’s ball. I did not add him to the invitation list. Bella?”

Bella shook her head. “I don’t know him either, but I’m sure I’ve seen him around town. Perhaps Perry knows him.”

Lucas straightened in his chair. “Are you saying that you did not invite him to your ball? Then how did he get in without an invitation card?”

“I always have extra cards to hand out to young, eligible gentlemen, to give to their friends. That’s why my balls are such a success. There are always more gentlemen than ladies present. No girl is ever a wallflower at my parties.”

“Unmarked cards?” asked Lucas. “So anyone could fill in his own name?” “Why, yes.”

“Who did you give these cards to?”

“Perry for one. My cousin Philip, for another. Young gentlemen of rank and breeding who can vouch for the friends they invite. Is it important?”

“No,” said Lucas. And it wasn’t. The matter was closed and the sooner it was forgotten, the better it would be for Jess.

“Just a moment,” said Rupert, abruptly rising. “In all the confusion, I’ve forgotten to give you the good news. Our subscription ball has raised close to two thousand pounds. Just think of it—two thousand pounds! And it’s all Bella’s doing. This calls for more than tea. Let’s break open the champagne.”

No one really wanted champagne, but out of respect for Rupert, they filled their glasses and drank to Bella.

Rodney Stone looked down at his boots and cursed. One of the heels had broken off. He couldn’t walk like this. Setting his grip on the grass at the edge of the path, he found a rock and smashed off his other heel, then tossed them both into the river. He cursed again, picked up his grip and walked on.

He understood the need for secrecy, but thought that this was a hell of a way to achieve it. He wasn’t used to walking and it was a fair distance to the rendezvous. The tow path was muddy, and he could hardly see his way in the fading light. But his partner-in-crime wasn’t taking any chances. They mustn’t be seen together. And after his run-in with Lord Dundas, he could understand why.

He suppressed a shudder. God, when Dundas had walked in on him this morning, he’d had the shock of his life. It had never occurred to him that the girl would set anyone on him. Up till that point, he hadn’t done anything wrong. She was the one who was at fault. He couldn’t believe the way the earl had carried on, and all over nothing. If Dundas ever suspected the truth …

He couldn’t wait to get out of Chalford. He didn’t feel safe here. He wouldn’t put it past Lord Dundas to come looking for him again and the prospect terrified him. Obviously, it alarmed his employer as well. A boy had hand-delivered a note this morning with explicit instructions. He was to pay his shot at the Rose and Crown and come to the rendezvous tonight where he would find a horse waiting to take him wherever he wanted to go.
After
they had settled matters.

The words
settled matters
worried him. He’d botched the job and now it seemed likely that he wouldn’t be paid in full. He wasn’t going to let that happen. It wasn’t his fault that the stupid bitch had taken fright just before he’d got her into the carriage. He still didn’t know what had put her wise to him. Everything had been going according to plan. She’d swallowed the bait like a fish with a worm. Once he had put her in the carriage, he would have taken her to the rendezvous, then rushed back to the ball. Then he was to make his way to his own carriage and leave, which was exactly what he’d done. God, if the earl ever learned that there were two carriages involved and not one, he would be a dead man.

He shook his head. The poor man actually believed the girl was a lady. To save his own skin, he’d played along with him, when what he’d really wanted to do was laugh in his face. Stupid bitch! Why had she suddenly gone off like one of the rockets at the bloody fireworks’ display? This was going to cost him dearly.

He licked his lips, imagining what was in store for her.
He wouldn’t mind being the one to tame her. One thing was sure. She would give her captor a rough ride.

If she’d been a decent girl, he might have had a few qualms. But she wasn’t a decent girl. In spite of her airs and graces, she was a soiled dove. He knew the type. Once they got a taste for that life, they couldn’t give it up. They were more depraved than the lowest men.

He came to a fork in the path and branched left, away from the river. He stopped suddenly as a thought struck him. Maybe it wouldn’t cost him dearly, not if he played his cards right. That cow of a woman obviously had Lord Dundas wrapped around her little finger. A hint to his employer that he might be tempted to go to the earl with what he knew might loosen the purse strings. It was worth a try.

For the rest of the way, he imagined what it would be like to have a regular supply of money. He would go to the best tailors, the best brothels, and the best gaming houses. And he wouldn’t be stingy with his friends. If there was one thing that could be said about Rodney Stone, it was that he was generous to a fault. That’s why he had so many friends.

The building was a dark silhouette against the horizon. He left the path and climbed over a low wall. His accomplice was waiting for him.

“Did anyone see you?”

“No. I followed your instructions to the letter.” “Good. This way.”

Stone passed under an arch and was overcome with a strange, uncanny dread. “I think someone just walked over my grave,” he said.

The blow on his neck sent him to his knees. The next blow finished him off.

Jessica sat straight up in bed. Her heart was pounding, the fine hairs on her neck had risen, her pupils were dilating. “Voice?” she said.

Lucas blinked the drowsiness from his eyes, and rising from the chair, swiftly crossed to the bed.

“What is it?” he asked. “Are you in pain? Did you hear something?”

Jessica looked at him blindly. “Voice?” she repeated.

“It’s just a dream,” said Lucas soothingly. He reached for the carafe of water on the table beside the bed, poured out a glass, and brought it to Jessica’s lips.

Jessica drank the water and sank back against the pillows. “Where am I?”

“Haig House. Did you forget? Shall I fetch Sister Brigid? Her room is right across the hall. It will only take me a moment.”

He could see awareness slowly fill her eyes. Her lower lip quivered. “Lucas, hold me.”

“Jess!” He sat on the edge of the bed and gathered her in his arms. “What is it, Jess?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know! Don’t leave me! Lucas, promise you won’t leave me.”

“I promise,” he said soothingly. “I promise.” But she would not settle until he had stretched out beside her on the bed.

She nestled trustingly against him. “I’m frightened,” she whispered.

“It was only a dream.”

“A dream?”

“Just a dream.”

Jessica gradually relaxed. Her eyes closed.

Lucas remained as he was for several minutes, then tried to slip from her grasp. Even in sleep, she wouldn’t allow it. He couldn’t help smiling. “Jess, what am I going to do with you?” he whispered. His eyelids grew heavy and he closed his eyes.

In the morning, when she awakened, she had no memory of her dream, but she had plenty of other things to worry about. The vicar and his wife were framed in the doorway
looking a ghastly shade of green. Perry was right behind them, with his eyes huge in his head. And Lucas was stretched out on her bed, under the covers, snoring his head off.

“We only slept together,” she said in her own defense. She dug Lucas in the ribs to waken him, then retreated behind a wall of silence.

CHAPTER
15

J
essica slept a good deal of the time, and when she was awake, she felt so groggy she could barely lift her head from the pillow, and she wondered whether her grogginess was self-induced so that she wouldn’t have to face the enormity of what she’d done. Her waking thoughts were more than she could bear, and she would turn her head into her pillow and moan in mortification.

The aftermath of that horrible morning when she’d awakened to find Lucas in her bed and the vicar and his wife framed like two stone pillars in her doorway was a blessed confusion of fragmented memories—Lucas rising from her bed and conversing with their visitors with all the assurance of someone who had just risen from the dinner table; Sister Elvira, sympathetic and inflexible at the same time, telling her everything would work out for the best, and later, Lucas, equally sympathetic and inflexible, asking her to marry him. Only, he hadn’t asked; he’d told her that there was no getting out of it after they’d spent the night together in her bed.

And it was all her own fault.

She kept reassuring herself that no one could make her do what she didn’t want to do, and she didn’t want to marry a man who didn’t love her. When she was feeling better, she would straighten everyone out, beginning with Lucas. But Lucas had gone off to London on some business or other, and the thing had taken on a life of its own. Visitors came and went in a stream, all of them wishing her happy or making some other reference to her approaching marriage, and her feeble protests might as well have been spoken to an empty room.

With Lucas gone, she felt isolated. She was by turns afraid of her Voice and afraid that she might be losing her mind. What if there was no Voice? What if there was? Thoughts came and went in a dizzying confusion.

She didn’t like Haig House. She wanted to go home to Hawkshill. She missed the boys. She missed the nuns. But to all her entreaties, Sister Elvira had given her a gentle but emphatic no. She was Lord Dundas’s affianced wife. She couldn’t go back to her old life as though nothing had happened. When Lord Dundas returned, he would take charge of things and decide what was to be done. In the meantime, Sister Elvira said, she had written to the mother superior to inform her of Jessica’s changed circumstances.

One visitor whom Jessica was always pleased to see was Perry. Only when he visited the sickroom did she feel that she was talking to a rational human being. He didn’t see why she should have to marry Lucas, either. He wasn’t tactful. In fact, sometimes he was frank to the point of rudeness. It made a welcome change from people who wished her happy but wouldn’t look her in the eye.