A Dangerous Courtship (24 page)

"Aye, my lady. I am." He finally glanced over at her, surprising Veronica with a heady grin. "I do believe you just said, in too many bloody words, that you care about me."

"Blast you, Julian! Y-yes, I care about you. I... I care too much, if you must know the truth, and so I shall not allow you to do anything so idiotic, so perfectly foolish as to go knocking on the door of a powerful peer of the realm—a man, I might add, who could see you clapped in irons for holding that bundle in your hands. Do you think he will
thank
you for appearing at his door with that vile thing? Clearly the man is involved in something sinister and—"

"And as usual, Veronica," he said, cutting her off, "you talk far too much, my darling."

So saying, he silenced her in the only way he knew how. He kissed her—thoroughly, deeply, as he had at Fountains, though this time he did so with every ounce of passion inside of him. His mouth molding over hers, his arms going round her waist, bending her slightly backward, he slid his tongue inside of her, making her his own.

Veronica crumpled beneath his onslaught, her arms snaking around his neck, her fingers working up into his long, soft hair still caught in a queue with the red ribbon. She met his deep kiss with one of her own and held him fast, terrified of letting go for fear he'd leave her, never to return.

He kissed her cheek, then burned a hot path to her ear. "How you move me," he murmured.

His breath in her ear sent shivers of delight and desire coursing through her. "Julian," she gasped, twining her fingers together at his neck and drawing his head back with the slight pressure of her thumbs on either side of his jaw. "You must listen to me. Once my father returns home, I-I fear what will happen, wh-what he might do when he learns of my actions during his absence. Simms will no doubt give him a full account of your arrival here and... and of the length of time we've spent together in the library."

Julian's eyes darkened. "I cannot wait to meet this father of yours, Veronica."

"No! You—you don't understand, Julian. He... he has no great love for me, I fear. He will doubtless take some furious, angry course the minute he arrives. But... but no matter what he does, or even where he might pack me off to, I-I want you to know, Julian, that I shall endure it, and I-I will not care because now I know what it is to trust a man and to l—"

"Shh," he murmured, kissing her before she could finish the sentence. "Say no more. I told you, Veronica, I will take care of all things, including Rathbone's bundle and the matter of your father."

She gazed at him deeply, her heart in her eyes. "So you are going to storm all of my castles in just a single day, Julian?"

"Aye, my lady. And then some."

"Julian... I-I am afraid for you."

"Trust me, Veronica."

"I do," she whispered. "You know not how very much I do. Before I met you, I-I never trusted anyone but my own self. I didn't know how truly lonely I was until that day I rode beside you on the way back to Town."

"Which is all the more reason I need to go now. Listen to me, Veronica. I am going to leave word with Shelton that he is to watch over you. No. Do not deny me this," he said when she would protest. "He is no longer the horrid jailor you think him to be. He's sworn to help both me and you. If, when your father arrives, an ugly scene should begin, you are to go to Shelton, do you hear? Will you do that for me?"

Tears gathered in her eyes, and she felt a lump of emotion forming in her throat. "So Shelton has... has told you about my past, about my father?"

"He's told me enough," Julian said, and his hold on her tightened protectively. He kissed her one last time.

Veronica clung to him, drinking in the kiss, branding the feel of it, of the man, to her brain. Her fingers caught once again in his hair, and drew the ribbon from the long lengths, her one hand running through the surprisingly soft strands. She wanted desperately to tell him that she loved him, but she knew for some reason he did not want to hear the words—not yet, not here.

Soon,
she thought, she would say the words aloud for all the world to hear, and she would not care if the entire Polite World turned its collective back on her for falling in love with a man beneath her own station—because Julian was far and above the lot of them. If not noble by birth, he was so in character.

He broke the contact of their mouths and gazed one last time into her eyes.

"You
will
come back to me, yes?" she whispered. "If not today, then tomorrow, and if not today, you will at least send word to me before the day is out?"

"Aye," he promised. "I will."

She nodded, drawing in a deep, steadying breath, and then reluctantly stepping out of his embrace. She held his ribbon in her hands, watching as Julian pushed one lone wave of hair from his brow, then sent her a jaunty smile intended to raise her spirits.

"By the bye, Julian," she murmured, telling herself she would not cry, would not become a watering pot in the face of his braveness, "I hate this blasted ribbon. I-I can only imagine how you came by it."

"Then burn it my sweet. Next you see me, God willing, I'll be a changed man, with no need of a ribbon for my hair. I will, Veronica, my lady, my love, be a man who can claim you as his own, one whom you can be proud to know."

"Oh, Julian, what are you talking about? What rubbish is this? You—you are that right now, and more. I—"

"Later, my love," he said, heading for the doors and reaching for the latch. "I shall see you later. I promise. Now do only as Shelton deems is safe. I'll send word to you through him."

"Julian, wait! Where are you going? Will you tell me that much?"

But he was gone, off to complete her Venus Mission... and mayhap one of his own.

Chapter 14

Julian headed directly to the mews, glad to find Shelton was still there, seeing to the cattle.

The coachman glanced up when Julian entered the stall where he stood smoothing a brush over the shiny coat of Julian's horse. "That bewigged bag of bones boot you out?" Shelton asked. "Though old as dirt, the grim-faced Simms can hold his own on occasion, I'm afraid."

"Never fear, Shelton. It would have taken even more than Wellington's troops to take me out of that house if I wasn't in a mind to leave."

"So I take that to mean you're in that mind, eh?"

Julian nodded, glancing about. "Aye. I've business to attend to. Is there another mount I can take? A fast one?"

Shelton nodded. "I'll see right to it. Anything I can help with?"

"You can watch over Lady Veronica and her sister. I believe they'll be heading to the Mountfords for some sort of gathering. Keep a keen eye, will you? Whoever decided to make a boxing bag of me at Fountains just might come looking for Lady Veronica."

"They'll never reach her, for they'll have to get past me first," Shelton promised.

Julian nodded, knowing he could depend on the man. "Listen to me, Shelton," he said, his tone turning grave, "I am going to pay a visit on a certain deceitful lord. I know not what will come of the meeting... or even if I'll be able to hold my fury in check."

Julian took in a deep breath, his hands balling into tight, white-knuckled fists at his sides. "You see, Shelton, my... my family was murdered... and this man either knows who did the heinous deed... or he orchestrated it himself. So after I beat the truth out of him... I-I am either going to kill him, or I will be off to take care of the vile fiend who took my family's lives." He blinked once, willing away the emotion storming through him. He had to keep a clear head.
He had to.

"The reason I am telling you this, Shelton, is because, if I am to become a murderer this night, I-I want you to get Lady Veronica and her sister out of Wrothram House and away from that fiend who is their father. I've a solicitor on Holywell Street. Name is Crandall. You go to him, tell him there'll be a letter of my intentions left at my flat in St. James Place. He knows its direction." He glanced at Shelton, who was now mopping his sweaty brow. "Are you listening, Shelton? It's imperative you get this straight."

"Aye," muttered Shelton, clearly stunned by all he was hearing. "I hear you."

"Good. If anything should happen to me because of my meeting, I-I will leave a written message at my flat. Lady Veronica and Lady Lily will not want for funds should I meet my own demise, or—"

"Be hanged for murder?" Shelton finished.

Julian swallowed thickly. "I've a score to settle, Shelton. And settle it I shall. Now where is that mount?"

Shelton hooked a thumb to a nearby stall.

Julian reached for his own saddle, which had been taken off his horse. Then he headed in that direction, the coachman hurrying in his wake.

"Are you sure this should be the way of it?" Shelton asked, and then growing bold, obviously afraid there was precious little time to be anything but, he added, "I seen the way you watched over my lady... and the way she looked at you, Julian. There's love there. 'Tis plain as this once-broken nose on my own ugly mug that the two of you are in love. Why don't you let the authorities take care of this? Better yet, why not let old Shelton here go and shake up that lord? I'll do it, Julian. Just say the words, and I'll make your fight my own. You don't know my history, Julian. I once did that sort of business... was paid to be the Grim Reaper visiting in the depths of night. I'll do it again. I'll do it today. You just go back in that house and stay safe. If there's one thing Lady Veronica be needing, 'tis a man like you in her life... one who can teach her how to love and to trust."

Julian, having already set to the task of saddling the mount on his own, tightened the girth, grimacing as he did so. Shelton was correct. Julian was risking a great deal in going after Rathbone, intending to beat the truth out of him. Gad, but he was acting no better than the lowly miscreant Veronica had first thought him to be! But he was so consumed with rage right now that he did not dare to pause. If he did, he might never avenge the murder of his family.

Saddle securely in place, he stood upright, and stared at Shelton across the back of the huge horse. "I've got to do this, Shelton. I've waited ten long months. I cannot wait any longer."

He pulled his gloves out of his pack, put them on, then led the beast out of the stalls and outside where he mounted.

Shelton stepped back, knowing there was nothing more he could say to try to stop him. "God go with you, Julian," he said softly.

"Thank you, Shelton. And, please stay near to Lady Veronica. She... she means the world to me."

"Aye. And no doubt you've come to mean the same to her." He looked up at Julian. "You never told me your full name, sir. I should like to know... if in fact, I'll be having to pay a visit to that Crandall man."

Julian sucked in a deep breath, his nostrils flaring as he looked out at the tiny lane alongside the mews.

"'Tis Julian Masters, seventh Earl of Eve."

With that, Julian's mouth formed a grim line, he set the beast into motion, and took off, not looking back.

* * *

Julian set a fast pace for St. James Place. His flat—housed on the highest floor of a stately building in a quarter known for the untethered gentlemen of the
ton
who kept small apartments there and used them on occasion—was not a grand place. It housed but two rooms: a mezzanine bedchamber, and a main room with a small fireplace blackened with soot.

Julian took the stairs up to the flat two at time, shoved a key he'd retrieved from his saddle into the lock, then burst inside. It was Garn's face he saw first.

"M'lord," said the blond giant, not smiling. "I've been awaiting word from you."

"I came as soon as I could. Gad, Garn, but you must have left Ripon the very night we last spoke to get here so soon."

"Aye. I did. And not alone, m'lord—nor without a certain parcel."

Something in Garn's tone sent warning bells tolling in Julian's head.
"What
parcel? And who came with you?"

Garn stepped aside, waving one brawny arm to encompass the small main room.

Julian's eyes widened at the sight of Garn's son, Wil, sitting atop the threadbare sofa. On the table before Wil, cluttered with papers and maps and such Julian had never bothered to clear away on that night he'd stopped here before traveling to Eve House for his father's natal celebration, was the Eve Diamond, a huge, gorgeous stone, its many facets sparkling in the late afternoon light that filtered down through a musty window in the mezzanine chamber above.