A Loving Scoundrel (19 page)

D
ANNY WOKE BY SLOW DEGREES
, a luxury she hadn’t experienced for quite a while. She was probably late for work. She wondered if Claire had been looking for her when she’d gotten no response from her room. Did the rest of the staff know where she’d spent the last night? Maybe not. Maybe they assumed she’d spent the night at the Eden household again, since they hadn’t seen her since she went off with Regina.

She was holding at bay what she felt about last night. It wasn’t easy when she was still in Jeremy’s bed. He’d probably sleep the morning away. He usually did. It wouldn’t be that hard to sneak out of there without waking him.

But she didn’t move yet. She felt more relaxed than she’d ever been, with the oddest feeling of contentment, which she wanted to savor just a little while more. Which was crazy. Her world had been turned upside down. She should be frantic, at the very least furious. She was neither.

She couldn’t blame Jeremy for what had happened. He’d been trying to get her in his bed since she’d started working for him. He’d made no pretense about it. She couldn’t blame the champagne, either, when the pain he’d dealt her had sobered her quickly. She could blame herself, but for what? Wanting him so much that she just didn’t want to fight it anymore?

And, oh, God, making love with him had been so nice, even nicer than she’d imagined it would be. She’d worried that it would be added to her small list of cravings. She’d been absolutely right. It was going to be an irresistible craving now—with him.

Ah, well. She wasn’t one to cry over her lot or endlessly bemoan her mistakes. She’d have to find another job, though. Jeremy would only have to look at her now and she’d probably lead him to the nearest bed.

“You aren’t pretending to be asleep, are you, when I know you’re not?”

Danny opened her eyes to find that he was lying on his side next to her, elbow bent, head resting on his hand, grinning at her. She hadn’t felt him move into that position and realized he must have been watching her before she woke.

She wished she’d thought of that. Staring at him at her leisure would have been quite pleasant. Just looking at him now was rather thrilling, considering he was still naked and covered only to his waist. She knew now that his skin was smooth and tight over thick muscles. His hair was mussed—God, he was so damn sexy when it was. One lock had fallen half over his eye, making her want to push it back.

“A bit early for you to have your eyes open, ain’t it, mate?”

“When I knew, at least hoped, that you’d still be here? Barely slept a wink.”

She laughed. She loved his humor. And there was no longer any reason to restrain her own. He seemed surprised, though, by her agreeable mood.

His grin widened. He even said, “No wonder you got away with a boy’s disguise so long. You snore!”

She blinked at him and then snorted. “What a rotten thing to say.”

“You think so? I thought it was better than mentioning how much I loved making love to you. Wasn’t sure you wanted to hear that just yet.”

“I don’t,” she agreed, then added lightly, “I should sock you.”

“Yes, I suppose you should.” He sighed. “I’d let you again, too, if you feel you must.”

“Let me?” she asked incredulously as she sat up.

He grinned again, but she had the feeling he hadn’t been joking. And his gaze had moved down to her breasts when she sat up. It didn’t cause her to blush, but it did remind her that she should be getting dressed and out of there.

With that thought in mind, she left the bed. He didn’t try to stop her, probably because he was too busy staring at her body. She found her underclothes where he’d dropped them and began putting them on, then the beautiful ball gown. She wasn’t going to have him fasten it, when she’d just need someone else to undo it again when she got downstairs. So she went into his dressing room and grabbed one of his coats.

“I’ll be borrowing this long enough to get down to my room,” she said as she came back out, stuffing her arms in the sleeves.

Amazing how big that coat was on her. Jeremy didn’t seem
that
big, yet obviously he was. And glancing at him now, with his bare chest above the cover, she could see that he really was broader of chest than he seemed when dressed. It shouldn’t have surprised her. She was used to having clothes conceal her own shape.

He was also looking damn pleased with himself. Well, why not? He’d gotten what he’d been after. And it hadn’t changed
his
life any. It appeared that the woman got the short end of the deal, in the matter of “first times.” Not bleeding fair, she was thinking.

Which was why she gave him a sour look when she asked, “Did you get me foxed last night just so you could bed me?”

“No, you managed that on your own if you’ll recall, though if I
had
thought of it, I probably would have. By the by, you don’t have to work anymore. You can stay here, do as you like, spend your time as you please—as long as you spend some of it with me. Or if you’d prefer to have your own residence, that will work just as well. Someplace close by where I can visit.”

“And you’d pay for it?”

“Of course.”

“What would you prefer?

“I’d prefer you never leave this bed.”

She had a feeling he was serious. And he was talking about making her a mistress. She should be pleased. Lucy would jump at a chance like that and worship the bloke who offered it. She would be thrilled to service one man exclusively. But Danny didn’t see it that way, found it about as distasteful as going out and selling her body for coins on the street.

She didn’t tell Jeremy that. She wasn’t even going to tell him she was leaving. Just pack up her things, grab her pet, and take off was the smartest way to go about it. She didn’t want to have to explain why or risk the chance that he would talk her out of it. She didn’t really want to go, after all, now that she craved him. She was going to be miserable, working somewhere else.

She moved over to the bed, nudged it with her knee. “Never leaving this is unrealistic, mate.”

“Not a’tall!” he disagreed, then frowned a bit suspiciously as he pointed out, “You’re being awful calm about this, after the fuss you made about it previously. Realized the objections you had, whatever they were, were silly, did you?”

“Not silly. But I understand why you don’t get it.”

“Then why don’t you explain it to me.”

“I’d rather not. You wouldn’t understand, when you can’t even figure out how you’ve turned me into a whore.”

He sighed. “There’s that word again. Do I need to find you a dictionary?”

“That I can’t read? Sure, that would be real helpful.”

He grinned at her sarcasm. “Why do I get the feeling that you equate
whore
with
prostitution?
Yet neither would apply to you. We made love. It was the most incredible experience of my life, I don’t mind telling you. A whore spreads herself around, mainly, because she enjoys the variety.”

“Sort o’ like you?”

He coughed. “If you insist, though there’s another word for it when it applies to a man. But in either case, no money exchanges hands. Now come here.” He patted the bed next to him. “Let’s greet the morning properly.”

She almost laughed. It took every ounce of will she had not to crawl back into bed with him just then, to shake her head instead.

“Why not?” he asked simply.

Why not? Because to do so would be to completely give in and not have any will left of her own. But she wasn’t going to admit that she craved him as much as she did. With him looking so damned sensual lying there, she wanted to be kissing him, not arguing with him. She liked him too much, that was the problem. But the damage was done, so why couldn’t she enjoy him for just a little while? Not for long, a few weeks, maybe a month, at least until he lost interest in her.

“I was going to leave,” she told him. “I still should. Playing with temptation once was one time too many. But I’ll stay for now. Just don’t be tempting me every time I turn around. And I’ll be keeping m’job, thank you. Doing nothing means you’re paying my way, which means you’re paying for bedding me. Don’t try to deny it. I don’t pay you for it and you don’t pay me for it. Got that, mate?”

On her way out the door, she realized that Jeremy hadn’t had to talk her into staying. She’d done that just fine on her own.

D
ANNY WAS CLEANING
the parlor when Jason Malory, the Marquis of Haverston and the head of the entire Malory clan, arrived later that week. She shouldn’t have been there to run into him. A downstairs maid had finally been hired yesterday who
should
have been there. But the new girl had been insulted by the new butler Henry and had quit in a huff barely four hours after she started.

Henry was actually one of two new butlers at the house. A Frenchman who tried to speak English, he was really quite funny. But the new maid hadn’t thought so. He swore he’d only tried to compliment her. She must not have understood English with a French accent.

Henry had shown up first, then the very next day, his friend Artie had arrived to do the butlering. They were actually going to share the job, had apparently been sharing it for years at James Malory’s house. They were both old sea dogs who used to sail under James when he captained his own ship. When he gave up sailing, they elected to stay with him. But since he didn’t have enough jobs to go around, they’d agreed to share the butler’s job.

What they hadn’t done was actually learn how to properly butler. They figured they did just fine at it, but Claire had been complaining about their rudeness, and even Mrs. Robertson had been heard to mumble a bit under her breath about their unorthodox approach to the job.

Danny didn’t mind the loss of the new maid. She still didn’t really have enough to do to keep herself busy for the entire day. Even with the downstairs added to her list of duties, she was finished long before dinner. And with Drew moving over to his sister’s house for the duration of his visit, all but one of the upstairs bedrooms was empty, which meant less work for Danny up there.

Then there was Jeremy. If
he
had his way, she’d be spending most of each day in his room. If she had her druthers, she would, too. But she had to draw the line somewhere, and lazing the day away in his bed didn’t get her work done. As it was, if he found her upstairs when he awoke, he usually got his way. She was a pushover when it came to his style of persuasion. That sexy voice of his lowered to a deep timbre when he was aroused, and his expression promised such wicked delights. Hell, just looking at him was all the persuasion she needed, he was so bleeding handsome. So although she had determined not to make love with him every single day, she was doing just that, and one day, more’n once.

He wanted her to sleep with him each night, too, but she managed to dredge up enough willpower to find her own bed each night. Actually, it was more like escape to her room before she ran into him again. And even then, he came down to her one night and spent the night in her bed. She hadn’t really had the least desire to kick him out. But she
had
insisted he not do that again. And much to her own frustration, he didn’t.

She’d had to do some serious thinking about staying. Doing so meant she’d have to put her goals aside for the time being. That wasn’t going to be easy, when she wanted them so bad. But she’d reasoned a month wouldn’t be too long a delay, and during that time she’d be saving her pay, so when she did leave, she could afford to let a flat while she looked for a new job.

When she did leave—God, that was going to be so hard. Never see Jeremy again? The thought nearly brought tears to her eyes now, how much worse would it be a month from now? But what if he fell in love with her during that month? It wasn’t an impossible notion. She could fit into his world, she’d proved that the night of the ball. He might even defy convention and marry her then. And that was the deciding factor that convinced her to stay for now. That slim hope, that Jeremy could be more than just a temporary diversion, that he could be the man for her.

Jason Malory wasn’t alone when he arrived. Jeremy’s father was with him. The two brothers looked very much alike. The elder was a few inches taller, but they were both big, blond, handsome men. Jason was a little narrower of build, whereas James’s arms and chest were more muscular, reminding Danny of some of the brutes she’d watched in street fights.

James Malory still frightened her, more than any other man ever had, and for no good reason that she could think of. The overall feeling she got in his presence was that he’d as soon kill you as talk to you. Which was why Danny kept her back to them both after a single glance.

Fortunately, she’d learned the phenomenon of being “invisible” to the nobles. Mrs. Robertson tried to explain it to her one night. The upper crust, living in houses full of servants, tended go about their daily lives without “seeing” the underlings who worked around them all day, every day. Unless, of course, one of the nobles wanted something, then every single servant in the house would become visible to them again.

It was the case with these two Malorys—she hoped. And it seemed to be when she heard the elder ask as they entered the parlor, “By the by, who is this relative of Kelsey’s that I’ve been hear ing so much about since I got to town? Didn’t think she had any that I didn’t know about. Is Jeremy really courting her?”

Danny sucked in her breath. That she was the subject of their conversation appalled her. She’d never get out of there unnoticed now. And the Marquis of Haverston wasn’t likely to take lightly the scam they’d pulled off. He’d probably be furious with them all for duping the ton like that. Nor did James try to avoid answering.

“No, she’s just one of Regan’s inventions, conjured up to try to counter the Bascomb rumors.”

“Blister it, James, must you—”

“Give over, old man,” James cut in dryly. “It’s just a bloody habit, calling her that. Wouldn’t hurt for you to accept the fact that she’s Regina, Reggie,
and
Regan.”

“You forgot Eden.”

“Intentionally, I do assure you.”

Jason sighed. “And that’s another thing. It’s high time you and Tony let up on Nick already. He’s made her an exemplary husband.”

“Course he has. We’d kill him otherwise.”

Danny’s blood turned cold, but Jason was apparently going to ignore that remark altogether and asked again, “So there is no such relative?”

“No,” James replied. “Just a wench our niece found who’s much prettier than the Bascomb chit. She didn’t have very far to look.”

“Prettier? I was told Emily Bascomb is a raving beauty. That was the excuse I’ve been hearing for why Jeremy couldn’t keep his hands off her.”

“My son picks his women well, which is why you haven’t heard of any more scandals from him since he finished school. I already told you he ain’t touched her. You didn’t need to hear it from him.”

Danny held her breath, though it still seemed as if they hadn’t really noticed her. But at least James hadn’t stated that the “wench” who had been found was a mere maid. Now if she could just slowly work her way to the door and disappear for real. She started inching in that direction, still keeping her back to them.

“So her father actually went all the way to Haverston to pay you a visit?” James asked next.

“Yes, and I don’t mind telling you, that was a very embarrassing conversation, particularly since I had no prior warning about these scandalous rumors that have been making the rounds.”

“Rumors the lady started herself, and all lies,” James assured him.

“Be that as it may, you know very well the damage a few rumors can do, lies or not. The girl’s reputation is quite ruined now.”

James actually laughed at that point. “When she ruined it, and deliberately, mind you? Since when do we dig strangers out of the holes they dig for themselves? This is her father’s problem, not yours, not mine, and certainly not Jeremy’s, who’s barely even spoken two words to the chit.”

“It became our problem when it’s simply her word against his.”

“Then why don’t you let me see to this?” James suggested mildly.

“How? By shooting the chap?”

“Think you have me pigeonholed, do you?”

“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.”

James nodded, accepting the apology. Danny caught that as she moved a few more inches toward the door. But then Jeremy burst into the room, having been fetched by Henry. He managed to notice her first with no difficulty and even gave her a smile that she
hoped
his relatives didn’t notice.

But then he said, “Hell’s bells, I hope this visit ain’t what it looks like, Uncle Jason.”

Jason Malory cleared his throat. “Albert Bascomb came to Haverston yesterday.”

Jeremy groaned and dropped down on the nearest sofa. “Whatever he told you, it’s all lies.”

“So your father has informed me,” Jason replied.

James added for Jeremy’s benefit, “The chit has played her last card and painted the foulest picture of you, youngun, that you seduced her, promised her marriage, then tossed her aside as soon as you got what you wanted from her—and that she’s now pregnant with your child.”

“I knew she was already hinting at that. But if she is pregnant, it ain’t mine. I never touched the wench, never even
thought
about touching her. Not that it matters, when she’s obviously convinced her father.”

“I see you already understand the gravity of the situation,” Jason replied. “And to make matters worse, Albert Bascomb was a school chum of mine. Wasn’t well liked. Full of himself, if you know what I mean. He made a remarkable marriage, though. Courted a beauty in his neighborhood before she had a chance for a London season and got her to marry him. They had only the one child.”

“And spoiled her rotten. I already know most of that. Reggie’s good at ferreting out that sort of information and passing it on.”

“Well, what you may not know is Bascomb, through his wife, has some very high connections.”

“So what you’re saying is I’ll have to marry the wench?” Jeremy said.

“As a temporary measure. After it’s proven that she isn’t pregnant, we’ll get it annulled, of course. So you will have to ‘continue’ to keep your hands off of her.”

Considering the turn the conversation had taken, Danny couldn’t help but turn and stare at Jeremy. He looked despondent, as if he had already accepted his fate. She looked despondent as well, though she didn’t know it. Jeremy married was Jeremy out of her reach, and she hadn’t gotten nearly enough of him yet to satisfy her craving. Whether it was a marriage in name only or not, it still meant he’d be off-limits to her. And she wasn’t about to stick around and deal with his wife, either.

James Malory didn’t look despondent, he looked like hell warmed over. “You really should have mentioned these were your thoughts on the matter before we got here, Jason. You know bloody well I won’t allow my son to be thrown to the wolves, as it were. Bascomb never should have gone to you in the first place. You ain’t the boy’s father.”

“He probably came to me because of our prior association. And he knows your reputation. Frankly, the idea of his bringing this matter to you probably scared him to death.”

James snorted. Jeremy sighed and said, “The problem is that Lord Bascomb is quite convinced I’m the culprit here. And he’s convinced because he believes his daughter. Which is understandable. Why wouldn’t he, after all?”

Danny took the moment of silence that followed that remark to blurt out, “Then he’ll just have to be unconvinced, won’t he?”

“How?” Jeremy asked her, having no trouble including her in the conversation as if she’d been in it from the start. “I’ve already disputed it. Fat lot of good that did.”

“The lady has based her scheme on a lie, so why don’t you counter it with some lies o’ your own, eh?” Danny suggested logically.

As if he’d also known she was there all along, James replied, “How’s that going to help? It’s still her word against Jeremy’s.”

Danny was even more nervous, having to speak to James directly, particularly since he was still frowning. But for Jeremy’s sake, she got out, “Weren’t thinking o’ having Jeremy do the countering. No, that wouldn’t do a’tall. It’s her lie against his truth, after all. But what if it were her one lie against two others—hmmm, no, make that three others for good measure?”

“What the deuce is she talking about?” Jason demanded of no one in particular.

Danny had no trouble answering the elder Malory. “Well, it’s a matter of a child now, aye? She says it’s his. You know it ain’t. But I’m guessing there’s no child a’tall. There’s no way to prove that though, is there, least not for four or five months down the road, and she wouldn’t be waiting for the wedding that long, would she now? And she could always lie again later and say she’d lost the babe—after she’s married to Jeremy, of course.”

“So where do these other ‘three’ come into play?” Jason asked.

“Three other men who claim they’ve bedded her. She’ll deny it, but even she will see that three to one ain’t good odds. Can you think of three men who would lie for you, mate?” she asked Jeremy directly.

“Certainly, but—damn me, that just might work,” he said with a wide grin.

James started chuckling. “Indeed, dear boy, especially if all three confront her at the same time, with her father present to hear it. Brilliant solution, indeed it is. Surprised I didn’t think of it m’self.”

“I believe I shouldn’t be hearing any of this,” Jason said with a stern look, but then gave his younger brother a barely discernible nod of approval and added, “I’ll leave it in your capable hands, James.”