Lady Amelia's Mess and a Half (10 page)

A manly grunt brought Jake up short. His boots skidded on the gravel path and his ears perked up. Leaves rustled. With the moon higher in the sky, less light spilled over the garden foliage. He blinked into the darkness.

“Ahh…” The soft feminine moan sent his heart racing.

Dear
Lord!
What if he stumbled upon someone other than his brother and Amelia in the bushes? Interrupting a lovers’ tryst seemed exceptionally rude.

This was madness. Amelia wouldn’t steal away with Daniel. If the way she sought Jake’s protection this afternoon was any indication, she disliked his brother a great deal. How nice it had been to have Amelia snuggled against him. Perhaps he should even thank Daniel for the positive developments this evening.

Jake scratched his head. Now that he considered it, Daniel’s arrival at Verona House had been oddly timed. He knew Jake would be there.

What
does
it
matter?
He hadn’t figured his brother out after all these years, and he didn’t expect he would tonight either.

Jake turned toward the house, reassured by his earlier encounters with Amelia, and ready to give up his absurd hunt.

A high-pitched squeak pierced the air. “Oh, Cap’n.” The sultry female voice flowed on an outpouring of breath.

His brother’s laughter instigated a tidal wave of rage crashing down on Jake. With a deep growl, he barreled through the brush toward the noise. His brother had Amelia against a tree in a clearing, his breeches around his knees. The cape around Daniel’s neck blocked Jake’s view of much else, but they weren’t playing tiddlywinks under there.

“You blackguard!” Jake tore across the clearing, grabbed Daniel’s cloak, and jerked him off Amelia.

Her scream ripped through the night air, sending a chill tearing through him.

“What the devil?” Daniel’s eyes darted around the space, unrecognizing the danger posed by his own brother.

Jake’s fist slammed into his jaw and sent him crashing to the ground.

“Damnation!” Daniel rubbed his face and moved as if to stand up. “That hurt, you bloody bugger.”

“Stay down or I’ll knock you unconscious.” Jake snarled and shook his fist, hoping his warning went unheeded. Another burst of rage made him quiver, and he drew back his fist to land another facer.

A battle cry hollered from somewhere behind him made him hesitate. Something pounced on his back and almost knocked him to his knees. Jake staggered with the extra weight, tripped over Daniel’s legs, and slammed his shoulder into a tree.

“Hellfire and damnation!” He hugged the trunk to keep to his feet. A searing pain throbbed in his shoulder and shot down to his elbow.

A holy terror clamped steel thighs around his waist and tore at his hair, screeching like Morrigan.

“What the devil is on me?”

“Help! Thief!” Her howl blasted in his ears, and her claws dug into his forehead as if trying to draw blood.

“Stop that!” Jake spun in circles, trying to throw the tiny fury from his back.

She tightened her grip. Her high-pitched screeching pierced his eardrum. Disoriented, he careened into a prickly bush and scratched his bare calves.

“Get off me, you harpy!”

His robe’s sleeve caught on a thorn. He tugged to release himself. Flinging his arms around his back, he tried to dislodge her with the same success a hunchback would have tossing aside his hump.

Daniel’s hearty laughter rang out. “Ginny! Ginny! He’s not a thief.”

“Ginny?” Who the hell was Ginny? “Get her off me. She’s ripping out my hair.”

His brother bolted from the ground, pulled up his breeches, and snatched the hellion from Jake’s back. “Come, luv,” he said. “Jake is harmless.”

She didn’t release him. Instead, she yanked his hair again. He wouldn’t put it past her to sink her fangs into him next.

“Good God, Daniel. Why are you hesitating?”

“I swear it, Ginny. He won’t hurt us.” Daniel spoke in a soothing voice as he reached for her.

She slapped the back of Jake’s head once more before releasing her legs from around his middle. Jake whirled to face the tiniest, most vicious woman he had ever crossed.

“Where did you find this horrible little harpy?”

Ginny growled and would have launched herself at Jake again if Daniel hadn’t captured her upper arms. Her exposed chest rose and fell in rapid sequence as she breathed heavily through her mouth.

Daniel kissed the top of her head. “Promise you won’t attack him, and I’ll release you, luv.”

She nodded once, but her glare was filled with hatred.

“She’s lying. I see it in her eyes.” Not that Jake had cause for concern now that he had his bearings, but he refused to strike a woman.

Daniel drew her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Now, now. I would be displeased if you broke your promise, Gin.”

“I gave my word,” she snapped. When Daniel released her, she yanked her dress to cover her shoulder while he fastened the back of her gown.

“Ya bloody nabob,” she said. “Wha’ ya be thinkin’ striking a man mid-shag?”

She had a vulgar tongue to match her violent temper.

Daniel chuckled, drawing her against his chest once more. “Shh, enough of that talk. I suspect it was a case of mistaken identity. No harm done.”

She practically growled, showing her teeth. “’E struck ya.”

His brother nuzzled her neck. “Yes, but he is my brother. He’s allowed a blow or two upon occasion.”

Jake had made a huge mistake. This harridan wasn’t Amelia. She wasn’t even a lady, which was somewhat of a relief in itself since voices headed their direction. He would feel awful being a party to ruining anyone’s reputation.

“Hide her,” Jake whispered before dashing through the foliage in order to head off the group. Waving his hands above his head, he approached the gentlemen heeding the call for help.

“Everything is all right, gents. The thief has been subdued. Um, he is on his way to Bow Street as we speak.”

“A thief in the gardens?” Lord Getty asked. “Is no place sacred?”

Apparently
not
to
Daniel
. Jake tapped his toe as the men complained about the horrendous crime rate in Town, sharing the latest assaults by pickpockets and such. And men accused ladies of clucking like hens.

He glanced over his shoulder several times, unable to see anything. Had Daniel gotten the lightskirt to safety? And where had he found the blasted woman anyway?

At last, the group dispersed and returned to the house. Jake spun around and headed back to the spot where he had left his brother. Daniel appeared through the trees.

“You have an annoying habit of interrupting my pleasure, Mummy’s boy.”

Jake’s body heated now that he had time to consider his actions. It was unlike him to behave with such irrationality. “Perhaps a different locale would be advisable next time. And a different caliber of companionship.”

“I don’t know. I like Ginny. She had no qualms about slipping through the back gate and waiting for me.” Daniel slapped Jake’s back. “If you don’t trust the lady, you should direct your affections elsewhere.”

Daniel didn’t need to mention Amelia’s name for Jake to know to whom his brother referred. “Yes, well… I do trust her.”

“Splendid.” Daniel didn’t sound as thrilled as his word choice suggested. In fact, there may have been an undercurrent of sarcasm in his tone. His brother gave him a shove toward the house. “She is searching for you. Hurry before she finds a different gent to replace you.”

Jake raced up the dark path toward the house and up the veranda stairs. A blast of heat washed over him as he passed through the doors. He made a hurried sweep of the great hall, but couldn’t find Amelia. As he neared the foyer, a thin rail of a woman stepped into his path and planted her hand against his chest.

“Mr. Hillary, there you are.”

Jake squinted at the masked woman blocking his way. Her shimmery gown and white wings indicated she was an angel, but the malicious glint in her eye spoiled the effect.

“It’s Lady Banner. I see you do not recognize me in costume.”

True, but her nasty sneer would have given her away if she hadn’t provided her identity.

“I have a message from Lady Audley,” she said.

Jake bent forward to hear her better. “Indeed?”

“She said to inform you she has left with my brother, and she wishes you well.”

Jake drew back. “Norwick? Why would Lady Audley leave with Lord Norwick?”

A sardonic smile stretched the baroness’s lips. “I would venture to say she fancies him. She could barely keep her hands off him from the looks of it.”

Norwick?
That was preposterous.

Lady Banner lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “Jasper calls on Lady Audley often. Have you not heard?”

He was woefully uninformed of Amelia’s activities. Jake dashed for the front door. It took forty-five minutes for his carriage to arrive at the Chickering town house entrance, which provided him with time to stew over the unfolding events of the evening.

“To Verona House,” he said before barreling into the carriage.

Jake wouldn’t take Lady Banner’s word that Amelia was with the earl. Daniel he could at least fathom, but not that bugger. He was finished listening to rumors involving Amelia.

***

Lord Norwick supported Bibi’s weight, almost carrying her to the drawing room.

“I will have a room readied for you,” Amelia said.

Her evening shoes clicked against the marble tiles as she crossed the foyer. Each heel strike felt like a nail being driven into Bibi’s head.

“I need to sit down,” she said.

Lord Norwick helped her to the Grecian couch, lifting her legs and removing her slippers. “Where do you hurt, my dear?” His tender voice was soothing.

She grasped her head in both palms. “
Here
.”

“I see.” Lord Norwick nudged her leg, wishing to sit beside her. She scooted over as far as possible, leaving him to teeter on the edge of the furniture. It couldn’t be comfortable, but he didn’t complain. “I am told I have a gift for healing. Shall I try to assist you?”

Bibi opened her eyes and scowled. “You are not the first gentleman to claim he has a magical touch, my lord.”

He chuckled, his smile catching her by surprise. Norwick’s countenance was pleasing, if not classically handsome. “I cannot fault any man for resorting to such trickery to touch you, Lady Kennell, but I assure you my intentions are honorable. May I?”

“Yes.” Bibi allowed her eyes to drift closed again. At this point, it wouldn’t hurt to try anything. If his methods failed, perhaps he would knock her over the head to render her unconscious.

Norwick placed her feet in his lap. “I must remove your stockings.”

“My
stockings
?” She knew it. He planned to seduce her while she wallowed in excruciating pain. All men were unforgivable scoundrels.

He met her suspicious gaze, his expression innocuous. “There is a place between your toes. I cannot reach it with your stockings donned.”

He pressed his thumb into the arch of her foot and massaged. Bibi’s tension eased, and she sank into the plush couch.

“Very well,” she conceded. “You may proceed.”

Norwick slid his hands under her skirts, grazing his fingers along her calf and thigh until he reached her garter. A small smile played upon his full mouth.

“I believe you enjoy your ministrations too much, Lord Norwick.”

A wicked twinkle lit his obsidian eyes. A lock of coal black hair stood up as if he had run his fingers through his curls in frustration, and she had an urge to smooth it. “I never claimed the act would bring me no pleasure, my lady.”

Despite her pain, she laughed. She appreciated a man with a devilish streak.

He released her stocking from the garter and rolled it down her leg. His warm fingers brushed the inside of her thigh and brought a shudder of anticipation to her core.

Tugging her stocking over her toes, he studied her face. She wondered if he watched for signs of protest. Receiving none, he repeated the actions with her other stocking before grasping her foot in his hand and wedging his finger between her big toe and its neighbor.

Bibi moaned.

“Does that hurt?”

“A little,” she admitted, but it also felt good.

“Then I have found the right place, but I will be gentle.” He pressed against the area and held the pressure. “Close your eyes and lie back.”

Bibi did as he instructed and forced herself to draw in even breaths. She received no relief at first, but with a longer period of applied pressure, the pounding in her head decreased. “I think it is working.”

Lowering her foot, he gathered the other one to lavish the same attention to it. After several minutes, only a dull ache lingered behind her eye.