Never Run From Love (Kellington Book Four) (31 page)

“Come upstairs,” she said.  “We’ll be much more
comfortable.”

With that, she turned and slowly walked away, her
hips swaying from side to side.  She expected him to follow.

After a moment, he did.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Hal had been surprised to receive the urgent summons
from Madame Thurmond shortly after noon the next day asking him to call on
her.  His suspicion that something was afoot only deepened when he was shown
into her personal sitting room without having to wait.  

“Thank you for coming so quickly, Lord Hal,” said
Madame Thurmond from an expensive settee that wouldn’t have looked out of place
in Mayfair.  “Would you care to join me for tea?  Or would you like something
stronger?”

Hal considered the woman, so demurely dressed.  She
was at once friendly and business-like.  And her eyes were as cold as ever.

“Something tells me I may need a stronger refreshment. 
Whiskey, if you please.”

The Madame nodded at the well-dressed, muscular
footman who looked like he’d be more at home in a bare knuckle fight than
waiting at tea.  After he gave Hal the whiskey, Madame Thurmond dismissed him.

“Lord Hal, what I have to discuss isn’t pleasant. 
It grieves me to do so because you have been one of this establishment’s most
valued clients.  You have never started a fight, nor abused the girls.  Your
reputation in the
beau monde
is such that I have gained clients simply
because it is known you frequent my establishment.  Your loyalty has been much
appreciated.”

“I’m sure my blunt hasn’t gone amiss, either,” said
Hal, as he took a sip of his drink.

She nodded her head.  “As you say.  A generous
patron who pays on time is always valued.  Yet, I find myself the bearer of bad
news.  An intermediary to someone who seems to bear you some ill will.”

Hal’s only response was a raised eyebrow.

“It seems you have become romantically involved with
the Earl of Heffner’s niece,” said Madame Thurmond carefully.  When Hal said
nothing, she continued.  “You and she recently came to my establishment and
secured the services of two of my girls.  If that information ever got out,
your Miss Sutton would be ruined.”

Hal had to call on years of hiding his emotions to
keep from raging at the woman across from him.  “No one would believe such an
allegation.”

“Really?  Not even if her rather identifiable
birthmark were mentioned?  You were observed that night in the room.  If that
information gets out, your Miss Sutton will be cut by everyone in your world,
even if you do marry her.  Hypocrisy runs rampant among your set, accompanied
by a ruthlessness that would compare favorably to the meanest cutthroat.”

Hal could barely hear her, for the sound of blood
rushing through his veins.  He’d been so stupid.  So very, very stupid.  He
should have known they might be watched.  But all he could think about that
night was making Melanie his own.  And now he’d ruined her life.  Even if he
did marry her – and there was no choice for him now – she would never live this
down.  Thurmond was right.  The
ton
would never forgive this scandal. 
Even if he paid the blackmail demand that he knew was coming, he’d never be
free.  He could bankrupt himself and his entire family and he’d never be free.

“Who hired you?” asked Hal.

“If he wanted you to know that information, I
suspect he would have contacted you himself.”

“Whatever he’s paying you, I’ll double it.  Triple
it.  Give me a name.  I’ll make it worth your while.”

Madame Thurmond looked like she was seriously
considering the offer.  Finally, she shook her head.  “He’s not paying me.  He
has information that could be very bad for me if it reached the wrong people. 
If I don’t do this for him, I might as well sign my own death warrant.”

“I can protect you.  I’ll get the Duke of Lynwood to
help.  He can do anything.”

“Ah, Lord Hal, I think you overestimate his grace’s
reach.  In this case, he cannot help.  If I thought he could, I would’ve
blackmailed you myself.  But, no, I am bound to help this bastard.  He has laid
out his demands in this note.  You won’t recognize the writing, for he dictated
it to me.”  She handed him the letter.  “I have no doubt he will ruin your Miss
Sutton if you do not pay.  I believe there’s a good chance he’ll do it anyway,
just for sport.”

“You sound like you wish for me to devise a
permanent solution to our mutual problem, madam.”

She shrugged.  “I certainly wouldn’t mourn the man
if he were to disappear,” she said.

“I’m surprised you haven’t taken care of the problem
yourself,” said Hal.  At her lifted brows, he continued.  “One does hear things
about you.”

“I’m flattered,” she said.  “Even if you didn’t mean
it as a compliment.  You have a problem on your hands, Lord Hal.  He gives you
a deadline in the letter.  I suggest you meet it.  In the meantime, I must
prepare for my evening business.  Take care.  And good luck.” 

*                    *                    *

Hal was not looking forward to his meeting with
Lynwood.  As a brother, Liam was fair, even if he did sometimes let his temper
get the better of him and throw the occasional punch.   As Lynwood, he was the
head of the family, the latest in a long line of noblemen who had served King
and country.  While Lynwood had never taken his title too seriously – he was
remarkably human for a duke – he was well aware that he owed something to his
ancient line.  And so did the rest of the family.

That sense of duty, plus the terrible mood he’d been
in did not bode well for this meeting.  Hal wasn’t sure what was bedeviling his
brother.  Lizzie told him she had her suspicions, but wasn’t sharing what they
were.  Jane and Vanessa thought it was a woman, but Hal thought that was the
least likely possibility.  He assumed Liam had a mistress because celibacy
wasn’t popular among Kellington males.  But he had no idea who she was.  And he
certainly doubted anything a mistress did could put Liam in this foul of a
mood.

He supposed it was possible that his brother was in
love.  Hal had seen the softer side of his brother during those terrible months
after their parents had died.  Liam had seemed to know precisely what Hal
needed to get through those dark days, when Hal himself had no idea how he’d
make it.  Despite the age gap and the difference in temperament between them,
Hal had always felt closest to his eldest brother.

Which was significant because Hal fought not to be
close to anyone.

He found Liam in his study when he came home.  But
instead of paying close attention to his ledgers, he was staring out the
window, though Hal couldn’t for the life of him see what the man was studying
so intently. 

“We need to talk,” said Hal, having decided there
was no way to avoid it.

As if sensing something was urgent, Liam rose from
the desk, then motioned to the chairs near the fire.  “What do you wish to
discuss?” he asked, when they were both settled.

For an instant, Hal thought of fleeing, but then
began telling his tale.  All of it.  He spared no part of the story from the
infantile bet up until his meeting an hour earlier with Madame Thurmond.  He
didn’t precisely tell Liam the extent to which he’d compromised Melanie, but he
might have done nothing more than kissed her hand and she’d still be ruined
after their visit to Madame Thurmond’s.

When his story had finally been told, he felt
enormous relief, even knowing what would come next.  Liam would rage – rightly
so – about the damage he’d caused Melanie and the Kellington name.

Liam took a deep breath.  “Do you love her?”

It was the last question Hal expected from his
brother.  “If you’re asking whether I’m willing to do the right thing and marry
her, I am.  She is innocent in all of this.  Indeed, she has risked her
reputation and even her life….”

“Do you love her?” asked Liam again, staring
intently at his brother.

Hal had been the recipient of that all-seeing gaze
before, usually right before he was presented with evidence of his latest
wrongdoing.  But to be on the receiving end in these circumstances was most
disconcerting.

He cleared his throat.  “Love is such a foolish
emotion….”

“Hal,” said Liam, beginning to show the telltale
signs of a slipping temper.  “If you don’t answer my question I may throw you
out the window.  Do you love her?”

“Yes.”  The word was out before Hal could do
anything about it.  The truth was out.  It was suspended in the air between the
two of them.  There was nothing Hal could do to snatch it back.  He wasn’t even
sure he wanted to.  It was like he was trying out the emotion, and entrusting
it to the one man in the world who knew how much he’d suffered and lost so many
years ago.  “Yes,” he said in barely more than a whisper.  “I do love her.”

“Then you’ll marry her and we’ll put the
considerable weight of the House of Lynwood toward squashing this blackmail
scheme.  I’m sure Aunt Agatha will be so thrilled to have you married that
she’ll personally draw the cork of any man or woman who would dare sully Miss
Sutton’s name.”

Hal was astonished by his brother’s heartfelt
response.  He had no doubt in his mind that Lynwood would don the armor of old
and fight this battle for him.  He also knew the rest of his family would close
ranks with him.  An odd welling in his chest made him clear his throat.

“But here’s the peculiar thing,” he said.  “I’m not
sure the lady will have me.  I mean, there’s a chance she may have little
choice but to go back to America with that prosy Parker.  I don’t want her to
come to me because she has to.  I want her to want me.  I want her to…love me. 
And I don’t know how to make that happen.”

There was a moment of silence in the room.  Hal
waited for what Liam would say.

“Good God man, did someone cut off your bollocks?”

That wasn’t what he’d been expecting.

Liam continued.  “You’ve been charming women since
you were in the cradle.  Every woman in the shire was head over ears in love
with you.  Even with your dual hobbies of drunkenness and debauchery, the
females of the
ton
swarm around you.  You can’t tell me this Miss Sutton
of yours is immune to your charms.”

“Like someone who has had the measles and has no
fear of getting them again.”

Liam looked at him askance and Hal half feared he
would make good on his threat concerning the window.  Instead, Liam continued. 
“That’s not the way our sister tells it.  She, Jane and Vanessa believe your
Miss Sutton is quite taken with you.  Besotted.  In love.”

“What did they say exactly?” asked Hal.  “Did Mel
give any indication of what she thought of my manner of courting her?  Or
perchance did she say anything about my looks?”

“Bollocks, Hal.  Bollocks.  They didn’t go into
detail in their report other than to say they liked her very much and sincerely
hoped you wouldn’t muck up the entire thing.  They would like to have Miss
Sutton as a sister and I confess that I am looking forward to getting to know
the lady better myself.  I have no other details.  Please do not ask.  Put the
plan in motion.  Rest assured you have everyone’s support.”

Hal felt lighter than he had in days.  Months, if he
were honest with himself.  He hadn’t felt this way since before he’d begun
spending time with Charles Francis.

Hal grinned and rose to take his leave.  He faltered
because there was something so out of character about Liam’s mood as of late. 
“Liam, if you want to talk…”

“You’ve become a bloody female, Hal.  Next, you’ll
be making a quilt for the vicar.  Out.  Now.”

Hal took his dismissal with good grace, and was
about to change before calling on the Earl of Heffner.  But before he could put
his plan into effect, he received his second summons of the day.  And this one
was just as urgent. 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Hal hoped that Inspector Stapleton’s summons to Newgate
prison meant there was a break in the case of the missing women.  Mel would be
furious that he didn’t bring her to the meeting, but there was no way he’d
expose her to the hellhole that was Newgate.

Located at Newgate Street and Old Bailey, the prison
held men, women and children.  It was divided into two areas:  a Common area
for poor prisoners and a State area for those who could afford to pay for
better accommodations.  But even the State area lacked basic amenities such as
clean water and decent sanitation.  While Newgate was generally considered to
be a safer gaol than the barges, countless prisoners still lost their lives to
disease and violence.

As Hal entered the central courtyard of the prison,
he could only imagine the despair of a person being sentenced to the stone
fortress.   He passed by the spot where they held public executions and was
doubly relieved he’d made the decision to leave Mel out of this.  He hoped to
conclude his business quickly and leave the building of the damned.