Duel of Hearts (18 page)

“Then lead the way, my dear,” North said with a sudden smile.

With a feeling of triumph, Corianne opened the door and led him into the foyer. The fact that Tait, the butler, was nowhere in evidence was another bit of luck, she thought. She had no wish to share these opportune moments with anyone but Lord North himself. She led him down the hall toward the drawing room. When they came up to the doorway, however, they both froze in their tracks, struck completely dumb by the scene being enacted across the room.

There was nothing artificial or tentative in the embrace they found themselves witnessing. The two people on the sofa were so tightly entwined they seemed almost to have melted into one being. They appeared to be completely unaware of anything or anyone else in the world. North could barely stand the sight of them! The way the soft skirt of her gown had fallen over his leg, the way her hair hung down from her back-tilted head and brushed against his arms, the way the position of his broad shoulders seemed to be shielding her from any outside attack—all these things were instantly maddening to Lord North. A low growl sounded in his throat and, with a shake of his head, he threw off his stupor and burst into the room. “
Damnation,
” he raged, “I'll kill him
tonight
!”

At the very first sound of his voice, Sarah started as if she'd been shot. She lifted her head, turned, saw the face she dreaded and cried out in panic. Corianne, still in the doorway, could now identify the man who'd been embracing her cousin. “
Edward!
” she shrieked, appalled. “Edward, how
could
you?”

For a moment after Sarah had pulled away from him, Edward didn't move. He sat staring at her as if he'd never seen her before. But her terrified expression drew his attention to Lord North, who was advancing on him with murder in his eyes. With only his instinct for self-preservation guiding him, Edward jumped up and swung his fist as hard as he could at the enraged Marquis' chin. The sound of the impact was dreadful, causing both Sarah and Corianne to scream.

North, thrown off balance by the blow, tottered backward and fell heavily against a table. Momentarily dazed, he leaned against it to steady himself. Corianne flew to his side, almost hysterical. “Oh, my God! Are you hurt? Edward, have you gone
mad?
”

Edward, his own brain muddled with a dozen confusing emotions, had no patience for hysteria now. “Cory, go up to bed. This is not your affair.”

“Look! He's
bleeding
!” Cory cried in alarm, ignoring her guardian's orders.

And indeed there
was
a small drop of blood trickling down from the corner of his lordship's mouth. North lifted his hand to his face and then looked at his blood-stained fingers in some surprise. He smiled at Edward menacingly. “Well, bumpkin, you seem to have drawn first blood.”

“Cory,” Edward repeated firmly, “I've told you to go up to bed.”

“No, I won't! Don't treat me like a child! You're not my father, you know,” she said furiously. “Lord North is
my guest
, and—”

“Do what you're told, Miss Lindsay,” North interjected coldly. “You're decidedly in the way here.”

Corianne gasped and looked from Edward to North with eyes filling with tears. She felt as if she'd been slapped. Sarah took a step forward, as if she were about to comfort the girl, but a slight gesture from Edward stayed her. With a little sob, Corianne wheeled about and ran out of the room, pulling the door closed behind her with a noisy slam.

There was a long moment of silence during which the three remaining in the room studied each other warily. Lord North removed a lace-edged handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at the blood on his chin. The blow to his face and Middleton's altercation with Corianne had given him time to collect his wits and recover his equilibrium. He realized that his intention to choke the life out of Middleton could not be accomplished here in Stanborough House before the eyes of witnesses—not if he wished to escape the consequences. He had to curb his rage. However, the damnable bumpkin
had
provided him with ample cause to issue a challenge, and
that
, after all, had been the very object of his participation in this evening's escapades. So things were not progressing so very badly after all.

He was the first to break the silence. “So … I find you, for the second time in one day, in each other's arms. I
thought
, Sarah, my dear, that you'd told me this fellow means nothing to you. How do you account for this astonishing behavior?”

Sarah looked at him fearfully. “You don't underst—”

“Damn it, North,” Edward interrupted angrily, “I don't see why she should account to you at
all
! This entire matter doesn't concern you.”

“Ah, but it does, bumpkin. It does.”

Edward gritted his teeth. “I begin to find that epithet a trifle wearing, my lord. I suggest that you address me by
name
in future.”

North sneered. “Really? And how do you mean to compell me?”

“I'm quite prepared to draw second blood,” Edward replied promptly. “Shall we take off our coats?”

North waved his handkerchief disparagingly. “Fisticuffs? My dear sir, how unutterably vulgar. This is a matter to be settled like
gentlemen
… on a field of honor.”

“A field of honor?” asked Edward, puzzled. “Are you speaking of a
duel
?”

“By all means. I've long been anticipating such a meeting.”

Edward raised his brows. “A duel? I had no idea that such nonsense was still …
wait
a minute! I seem to remember being challenged like this once bef—”

Sarah drew in her breath and put her face in her hands.

“Good
Lord,
” Edward muttered, looking from North to Sarah, “I'd completely forgotten! Cory's come-out. That scene in the sitting room. That was
you
!”

Sarah made a helpless little gesture with her hand and turned away in shamefaced agony.

“Yes,” North said regretfully, “I should have gone through with it
then
. I underestimated you, bumpkin. If I'd followed my first instinct, I'd not have to endure this
present
annoyance.”

“You mean you were
serious
then?” Edward asked in disbelief.

“And I'm serious now. Well, bumpkin, when shall I advise my second to call on you?”

“Any time you wish, my lord,” Edward responded.

“
No
!” Sarah whirled around. “Jack, are you
insane?
How long—? What good can come of it?”

North smiled wryly. “Some good, apparently, has come of it already. You haven't called me Jack in years.”

Edward was taken aback by the intimacy of this interchange. There was
something
between those two, despite Sarah's denials. He felt a startling and painful constriction of the chest. What
was
it that had occurred between them? Had they been lovers? Were they lovers
still?
Edward almost winced at the possibility.

Meanwhile, Sarah had gone up to North and clutched at his lapels. “
Please!
” she was pleading, white-faced with terror. “
Listen
to me! What you saw when you came in was just a trick … a
game
! There is
nothing
—!”

Edward couldn't bear to listen. He came up behind her and wrenched her away, grasping her by the shoulders and almost shaking her. “
Don't
, Sarah! There's no
need
for this … humiliation. I told you … I can well take care of myself.”

Sarah looked at him in utter despair. “Oh, Edward, you don't
know
—!”

“That's right, bumpkin. You
don't
know,” North agreed. “She's trying to warn you that your days are numbered.”

“I wouldn't be too sure of that, my lord, if I were you,” Edward answered confidently.

North laughed. With an abrupt motion of his right hand, he whipped from an inner pocket of his coat a small, silver pistol.

“Jack!” Sarah cried out in horror.

“I only want him to be prepared for what awaits him,” North said with a leer. “Keep your eyes on that candle, bumpkin. The one on the table behind the sofa.” He turned, strode to the corner of the room farthest from the candle he'd indicated, raised his arm, aimed and fired. The sound of the shot was deafening. The candle was instantly snuffed out. When the smoke cleared, they could see that the wick was gone, but the candle had not been nicked. And the bullet had lodged itself neatly into the wall behind.

Sarah moaned and swayed unsteadily on her feet. Edward moved instantly to her side. “It's all right,” he said quietly, leading her to a chair. “Don't let these theatrics frighten you.”

North laughed again. “Go ahead, bumpkin, make the most of your time. For soon it will be
your
light that's snuffed out.” He sauntered to the door. “Regarding the matter of the visit from my second … will tomorrow suit you?”

Edward bowed mockingly. “I am at your lordship's disposal.”

Sarah made a choking sound deep in her throat. North paused in the doorway and returned Edward's bow. “Good night, then. May you sleep well.”

They could hear his sneering laugh as his footsteps echoed down the hall. “
Put out the light and then put out the light,
” he quoted threateningly as he let himself out of the house.

The sound of the outer doorway coincided with the alarmed cluckings of every member of the household who'd been awakened by the noise of the shot. They began to congregate on the stairs, in the hallways and at the door of the drawing room. Edward glanced at Sarah. The girl was sitting in the chair, staring unseeingly ahead of her, unmindful of the hubbub. Leaving her undisturbed, Edward went out to the hallway and closed the door behind him. He instructed the butler to send everyone back to bed. “Nothing's happened, I assure you,” he said earnestly. “Nothing is at all amiss. Lord North was only demonstrating the efficacy of a new pistol. It went off by accident.”

Only Lady Stanborough would not be put off. “Let me see for myself,” she demanded, coming down the stairs in her bare feet and marching firmly to the drawing-room door.

Edward opened the door for her. “There, you see? Everything's fine.”

Lady Stanborough looked up at him suspiciously. “Is it? Then why does Sarah look so pale?”

“I was just about to ask her. I was told, Lady Stanborough, that you are somewhat indisposed. Why don't you return to bed and let me talk to Sarah?”

“Haven't you talked to her
yet?
I don't know what's wrong with you young people.” She cocked her head and squinted up at him provocatively. “
My
husband would have had me on his
lap
by this time. Well, go
on
, fellow. Don't stand about here gaping.” She turned and pattered up the stairs.

Edward didn't trouble himself over her confusing remarks. He waited until she'd disappeared from view, and then he returned to the drawing room. Sarah had not moved from her chair. Edward looked down at her kindly. “If it's this blasted duel which has upset you, ma'am,” he said reassuringly, “I beg you not to tease yourself over it.”

Sarah shuddered and frowned up at him with a sudden outburst of impatience. “Not
tease
myself? He'll
kill
you, don't you understand?”

“It seems to me, my dear, that you and North
both
underestimate me. I can use a gun, too, you know. We bumpkins do a great deal more shooting than most Londoners are wont to do. You needn't worry about me.” He paused and looked down at her thoughtfully. “Unless,” he added, “it is not
I
who is causing your apprehension.”

“What?” She blinked up at him. “I don't know what you mean.”

“I mean that it occurs to me that it is
North
you're concerned about, not I. Isn't that it? There
is
something between you, isn't there?”

She stared at him for a moment and then turned away in annoyance. “Don't be a fool,” she said dully.

“I think,” Edward said slowly, “that I've been a fool all along. You've been
using
me … like a pawn … in this game you're playing with that … cad.”

“
Edward!
” She turned back to him with eyes widened in pain and bafflement. “You
can't
believe that! You must
know
I only wanted you and Corianne to be … happy…”

“So I thought. But you must admit that this evening … the way you inveigled me here at the precise house when North made an appearance … and how he found us in—how can I put it?—in a compromising position—?”

“
Edward!
”

“And the intimacy of your conversation with him—”

“Please! You're quite
wrong
—!”

“Am I? Tell me the truth, Sarah. When you suggested the plan to make Cory jealous, when you embraced me there on the sofa … during
all
of this—weren't you pursuing your
own
objectives, not mine?”

She couldn't have guessed, a few minutes earlier, that she could ever in her life feel more miserable. But now something inside her chest seemed to crack wide open. “Can you really b-believe,” she asked, trembling, “that I would knowingly expose you to a … d-duel? That I would r-risk your
life
for … for…?”

Edward, looking down at her, was smitten with doubt. The face turned up to him, so full of sincerity and wide-eyed anguish, was hardly the face of a duplicitous
intrigante
. “I don't know
what
to think,” he said with a sigh.

For Sarah, it was the last straw. She pulled herself out of the chair and turned her back to him. “I … can't speak of this any longer,” she said wretchedly. “Please go, Edward.”