Кейси Майклс – Regency Vows: A Gentleman 'Til Midnight / The Trouble with Honour / An Improper Arrangement / A Wedding By Dawn / The Devil Takes a Bride / A Promise by Daylight (страница 64)
“Tell them both we’re not receiving.”
“James—” Katherine started.
“I mean it. I do not wish to be disturbed,” he told Bates, and shut the door again.
“Refusing them now will only put off the inevitable,” Katherine pointed out, and sat up. “I should go satisfy their curiosity. And you’re going out anyhow.”
“Their curiosity can wait,” he said sharply, and a firm hand came down on her shoulder. For a moment she thought he might actually order her to stay, and all her defenses flared to life. Instead, he kissed her. A devilish curve tugged his lips when he pulled back, and he hooked a finger inside her stays to peek into her cleavage. “Mine can’t.”
That warm feeling sizzled, and she hooked a finger inside the top of his breeches. “Then let them wait.”
She let him push her back onto the bed and stoke that feeling into a blazing fire.
* * *
“YOU’VE MADE A deal with Cantwell?” It was enough to make James forget—but only for a moment—that his entire marriage was on the brink of crashing down around him. He stared at Nick in disbelief through the coffeehouse’s smoky haze.
“A damned profitable one, too. I only hope the girl isn’t such a terror that the money pales in comparison. Even Cantwell admits she’s a bloody harridan. And after two years at sea, there’s little chance her virtue is intact.” Nick’s lip curled in mirthless appreciation. “Could be an enjoyable benefit, though.”
James looked at him sharply. “I have it on good authority that her virtue is intact. So have a care.”
“Good God.” Nick took a long drink. “That makes it worse.”
James smiled a little. “India isn’t such a bad girl.”
“She ran away on a ship. Twice.”
“I didn’t say she wouldn’t be time-consuming.”
Nick cursed. “I’ll be leaving England as soon as I plan my strategy for finding Lady India and organize passage. But if you’d like me to go to Croston first and take care of things, I will.”
“No need,” James said. “I want Katherine and Anne to see the place.” The tenant issue at Croston could not have been timed more perfectly. He could whisk Katherine away from London first thing in the morning and buy himself more time to figure out how to tell her about the vote.
If he hadn’t succeeded in keeping her away from Honoria and Philomena earlier, there was no doubt she would have learned the truth from them. He’d be damned if he would allow that to happen. Fortunately for him, Honoria and Philomena cared for nothing if not romance, and they would not return tonight if they thought he and Katherine were occupied in bed.
“As far as passage, though, you ought to know that William Jaxbury is in Edinburgh outfitting a ship to chase after the Possession. It’s the ship he’s after, not the women—but that makes no difference for you. Your simplest chance may be to join forces with him.”
Nick cursed again. “I’d thought to travel through France.”
“Easier to scour the ports if you’ve got a ship.” Unfortunately, Nick had fallen prey to seasickness his entire life. “Jaxbury will make a seaman out of you in no time.”
Nick made a noise. “My one earthly desire.”
“Are you certain it’s worth it?”
Nick just looked at him.
“For God’s sake, Nick, you don’t have to do this.” James didn’t need to explain. Nick knew exactly what he meant, and reacted exactly as James expected he would.
“I won’t take your money.” Nick’s eyes were so cold that James felt a little sorry for India. “Honoria tells me congratulations are in order,” he said now.
“The king ought to put her to the task of improving overseas communication times,” James said irritably. “I’ve no doubt she could do it.”
“You wish it to remain a secret?”
James rubbed his finger back and forth on the table, then looked at Nick. “I’ve done something unforgivable, and I don’t know how to fix it.”
Nick frowned. “What have you done?”
James sat back and exhaled. “Katherine doesn’t know about the committee vote.”
Nick stared at him, not comprehending.
“Because I didn’t tell her,” James clarified.
Nick’s brows shot up. “You didn’t tell her? But the committee voted before you— Good God.” Another long stare, while the implications settled in. “So she thinks she’s married you out of necessity.”
James tightened his lips. For the millionth time he rechoreographed that day in Dunscore. This time, instead of going to Lord Deal, he’d gone to find Katherine and told her everything.
But if he had, he’d be alone now.
“And I fancied myself a fool with Clarissa,” Nick said, shaking his head. “You’ll have a hell of a time hiding it now. Too many people know what happened and when.” He reached for his coffee. “Can’t you simply grovel and tell her you love her?”
“She’ll hardly believe it now.”
“More likely she’ll skewer your testicles with that cutlass of hers and hang ’em from her mainmast as she sails back where she came from.”
And wasn’t that the truth.
“But if there’s anything I can do,” Nick added.
James shook his head. “I have to tell her. If she doesn’t hear it from me, she’ll hear it from someone else. And I definitely don’t want to face the result if that happens.”
NEARLY AN HOUR after James left, Katherine was on her way downstairs when someone called at the door. It would be Honoria and Phil, of course, returning to learn every last detail.
Instead, Bates admitted the Duke of Winston.
“May I offer my congratulations,” he said as Katherine descended the stairs. “It would seem London’s most ravishing pirate has finally been captured.”
She surveyed his rakish black hair, his burgundy coat embroidered with a gold-and-black geometric pattern, and the sword that hung at his side. “I prefer to think of myself as having made a strategic defensive move,” she told him.
He glanced at her hip as she joined him in the entrance hall. “At least reassure me you are unarmed this evening?”
She raised her brows and curved her lips a little.
“Very well.” He grinned. “I shall be on my best behavior.”
“And instead of your congratulations,” she added meaningfully, “I would prefer your apologies.”
He laughed. “Very well. You may have those, as well. And if there is ever a way I can make it up to you, you have only to name it. I confess to being on the blackguard side of things when it comes to beautiful women—and you are spectacularly beautiful, Lady Dunscore.” His eyes flashed wickedly. “Forgive me. Lady Croston. Would seem Croston’s a bit on the blackguard side of things, too. Should have suspected he fancied you for himself, for all he kept trying to fob you off on everyone else.”
Fob her off?
“Never would have suited with any of them, I daresay. Although, if you should ever grow tired of Croston and care to, shall we say, expand your horizons...”
“I shall certainly keep you in mind,” she said.
“Excellent. I need a few words with Croston. Is he at home?”
“No. He’s gone out.”
“And left you here alone? The man must have lost his mind.” Wicked thoughts sparkled like dark jewels in his eyes.
“Either that, or he wishes to make sure the committee is in no doubt as to our marriage.”
His brows flicked downward, but he smiled. “Rest assured, the committee was quite adamant in its decision. And for the record, I voted in your favor.”
Voted? In her favor? Her mind scrambled to make sense of what he said. “I am flattered, Your Grace,” she managed. “The committee has made a decision already?”
He cocked his head. “Surely you knew.”
Her blood ran cold. “News is sometimes slow in traveling to Dunscore, and I was only there a few days.” Her mind reeled. “You’re saying the committee reported in my favor.”
Something like alarm lit his eyes. “I would hate to rob Croston of the pleasure of telling you himself,” the duke said smoothly.
“When was the decision made?” she demanded.