Nicole Jordan (19 page)

Just then Thorne saw Macky across the room, smiling down at a masked lady. Venus’s female clients usually came here masked, so as not to be recognized. Most often they were members of the nobility, ladies who were trapped in marriages of convenience to husbands who ignored them or were too old to care about infidelity. And sometimes they were older beauties who had done their duty by birthing an heir and so now were allowed to go their own way.

Macky must have been waiting to catch his attention, for with the slightest nod, the actor indicated the pretty, half-nude blonde standing a few yards behind him.

That would be Kitty Wathen, one of Venus’s longtime
filles de joie,
Thorne surmised, recognizing her from the description in Macky’s reports. Kitty was fairly petite, with luscious breasts that were firm and round as melons.

Macky claimed he hadn’t yet become intimate enough with the girl to probe about her employer’s past, but their friendship was developing at a steady pace. And Kitty might know if Venus had taken Nathaniel for her lover during the last weeks of his life. Meanwhile, Thorne meant to question his own sources in depth.

Reseating himself at the gaming table beside Laurence Carstairs, Thorne settled in for a long night. Before he was through, he intended to discover everything Carstairs knew about Nathaniel’s relationship with Venus, and what Nathaniel might have done during his final days that had gotten him killed.

The president of the British Academy for the Fine Arts, Sir George Enderly, appeared surprised to see Thorne when he escorted Diana to her interview the following morning. But Sir George quickly expressed delight, no doubt because he saw in Thorne a potential new patron.

Diana had previously sent several of her best portraits and landscapes here to be judged, and they were currently on display in the president’s office. Thorne had no difficulty recognizing her work, one of which was the vivid seascape she had begun on the island bluffs. But all her paintings held a unique luminosity and character that were both compelling and fresh.

He would have liked the chance to study them in depth, but he left Diana to be interviewed in private and toured the exhibition room while he waited, with the primary goal of viewing her competition. To his admittedly inexperienced eye, the quality of her work was far superior to that of all but a few artists, whose names he recognized.

When the interview was concluded and Sir George and Diana joined him, Thorne took the opportunity to express his opinion. “I am certain you recognize what a superb talent Miss Sheridan is, Sir George.”

“Indeed I do, my lord. But there are various considerations to take into account when deliberating whom to accept into the academy.”

“Chiefly an applicant’s sex, I would imagine?”

“Regrettably, yes. We must concern ourselves with how our major patrons would feel about allowing a female into our ranks. We are funded by private sources, you understand.”

“And yet you provide lively competition for the Royal Academy by supporting the more innovative artists. I should think having a woman would be an advantage you could exploit.”

“How so, my lord?”

“Just think what a stir it could cause. Miss Sheridan’s uniqueness could be a draw for your exhibitions…. I understand you operate similarly to the Royal Academy, holding periodic exhibitions.”

“We do, indeed. We both sponsor showings and award prizes. And our school offers classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, and er…anatomy. Of course, Miss Sheridan would not attend
those,
my lord.”

Despite his liberal views regarding female artists, Thorne found himself quite glad Diana would not be painting other nude males.

He smiled cordially at Sir George. “My father, the Duke of Redcliffe, was an intimate of the late Sir Joshua.” Sir Joshua Reynolds, a superb portraitist himself, had been president of the Royal Academy of Art for years, and thus a chief arbiter of artistic standards in Britain. “But even my father was wont to complain that Sir Joshua’s strict interpretation of merit was stifling creativity.”

“Sadly, that is true, Lord Thorne.”

“I’m certain that under your stewardship, this academy will be more open-minded than your rival, and that you will make the right decision regarding Miss Sheridan’s admittance.”

Sir George actually preened. “Thank you, my lord. And I promise you, we will consider Miss Sheridan’s acceptance with all due speed.” He turned to Diana to shake her hand. “I hope we may keep possession of your paintings for a while longer.”

“Yes, of course,” she agreed, before leaving the building with Thorne.

“Thank you for accompanying me,” she said once they were settled in his town coach. “Sir George was obviously impressed by your interest. Your show of support will at least encourage them to take my application seriously.”

“I can better understand your frustration after hearing him excuse their biases with so little regard for your talent.”

Diana bit her lower lip. “I swore I would not allow my hopes to get too high, but it is hard.”

“I could always become a patron and insist on your acceptance. A large donation to grease the right palms would likely ensure your entrance.”

Her smile was amused but soft with gratitude. “I am touched by your offer, Thorne, but I would prefer to be accepted on my own merits rather than have you purchase admittance for me. It would defeat the whole purpose of my studying there if the art community believed the only way I could gain entrance was through bribery.”

“Very well,” Thorne conceded before his mouth curved wryly. “But I may still consider becoming a patron, just out of contrariness. I suspect it would put my father’s nose out of joint to see me support his rivals.”

She eyed Thorne curiously. “Did you make up that tale of your father advising Sir Joshua Reynolds about artistic standards?”

“I might have embellished it a bit.”

Diana shook her head in exasperation. “You are completely outrageous.”

“I have never tried to deny it, love,” Thorne responded lightly, although his thoughts were far from light. He was still smoldering with resentment in Diana’s behalf.

It would be a monumental shame if she was refused the chance to develop her exceptional gift by training at the academy. But her concern was a valid one; it would likely prove a detriment if she was thought to have bought her admittance.

Therefore, Thorne resolved silently, if her application was refused, he would simply have to devise a private way to secure her admittance.

He changed the subject, however, so as not to rouse her misgivings.

They had nearly reached his aunt’s house in Berkeley Square when Diana suddenly gave a start. She had been gazing out the carriage window, and now she uttered an unladylike oath. “I don’t believe it—”

“Believe what?”

Diana shifted her incredulous gaze to Thorne. “That was Amy! With the fortune-hunter I told you about—Reginald Kneighly. She was descending from his curricle!”

Leaning forward, Diana pulled the check string, and the coach immediately slowed. “She must have stolen away to meet him in secret. The nerve of her!”

She was almost out the door when Thorne forestalled her. “Just a moment, sweeting. What do you intend to do?”

“I shall confine her to her rooms with nothing but bread and water—if I don’t throttle her first.”

The small panel behind the driver’s box opened just then. “Milord?” his coachman asked. “You wish a new destination?”

“No, drive on,” Thorne ordered.

“Aye, milord,” he said, snapping the panel shut once more.

When Diana protested, Thorne shook his head. “Confronting Amy just now may not be the wisest course. You need to consider the consequences first.”

“What consequences?” she demanded, obviously smoldering.

“I know you want to protect Amy, but forbidding her to see her beau is not the way to handle her. It will only make her rebel. I should know. I’ve been rebelling against authority for most of my life, my own father particularly.”

“Then what do you suggest? I
must
keep him away from her, Thorne, or she will ruin herself, just as I did.” Diana’s voice broke on a sob, and she covered her face with her hands.

Thorne felt his heart contract at her obvious distress. Not confident, however, that he could console her as a friend would, he forcibly resisted the urge to take Diana in his arms. He understood her emotional turmoil. She was highly protective of the people she loved, and with Amy she was like a lioness with her cub. Her own past, as well, would make her overly sensitive regarding fortune-hunters, to the point where she couldn’t even think rationally.

“Don’t allow yourself to become so upset,” Thorne said soothingly. “I assure you, I’m not about to let Amy be harmed.”

“Then you should do something to stop their lovers’ trysts!”

“I intend to. But becoming a watering pot won’t benefit our cause.”

Stiffening her spine, Diana shot Thorne a fierce glare. A moment later, however, she sat back and dashed away her tears. “You are right.” Her hands clenched into fists. “If only I could make Amy see that Kneighly is pursuing her solely for her fortune. If only I could expose his true motives somehow.”

Thorne frowned, thinking hard. “There might be a way.”

And if he could creatively involve Venus, he might be able to address two problems at once—to end Amy’s infatuation with her fortune-hunter and to use her fortune-hunter as an excuse to get close to Venus.

He preferred not to reveal his impulsive plan to Diana, but he knew she wouldn’t acquiesce quietly otherwise. She was looking at him expectantly, her anxiety palpable as she waited for his explanation.

“I have an idea to lure Kneighly away from Amy, or at least to scotch her infatuation with him.”

“What idea? How could you possibly scotch her infatuation?”

Thorne drew a slow breath as he debated how much to disclose. In the end, he decided to tell Diana the truth, for she would be less likely to interfere if he took her into his confidence.

“I need a means of getting close to Venus without rousing her suspicions. This could be my excuse.”

Diana’s eyes widened, and he could see her sharp mind working out questions. But all she said was, “I am listening.”

“I want to hire Venus to seduce Kneighly away from Amy.”

“Seduce him? Do you think she could manage it?”

“I have no doubt. Enticing men is Venus’s business, and she is very good at it.”

“So you expect her to captivate Kneighly?” Diana asked thoughtfully. “Then you’ll make Amy aware of her suitor’s transgressions in hopes she will be so angry at him, she’ll no longer desire to marry him? A woman scorned, so to speak?”

“Something like that. Venus is unlikely to become involved in a seduction herself, but will send one of her employees in her stead. Even so, utilizing her services will give me the opportunity to probe her relationship with Nathaniel. I expect Venus will see my request as perfectly reasonable, since Amy is my ward, and I would naturally be concerned and eager to pry her from a fortune-hunter’s clutches.”

“I see.” Diana hesitated. “It is rather devious.”

“Perhaps.”

“And immoral.”

“No doubt. But as the saying goes, all’s fair in love and war. And you want me to succeed in uncovering Nathaniel’s killer, don’t you?”

“Of course.”

When Diana fell silent, Thorne allowed her a moment to deliberate. He did indeed need a good excuse to approach Venus. Last night upon questioning Carstairs, he’d learned that Nathaniel had likely been Venus’s lover for a short time, since he’d been seen exiting the madam’s rooms. But Carstairs had never heard of Thomas Forrester—the late Englishman who’d hired spies to learn the Guardians’ identities.

If Thorne hoped to discover much more about Venus, he knew it would require more intimacy with her than he currently commanded.

Convinced this was the right course, he reached for Diana’s gloved hand. “My beautiful dragon, do you trust me?”

She looked searchingly at him. “I suppose so.”

His mouth twisted. “I am gratified by your confidence. But pray, allow me to handle Kneighly my way. I promise you, I will wean him away from Amy.”

“Very well,” Diana said with grave reluctance.

“You will have to pretend you never saw Amy in his company just now. If you rant at her for trysting with Kneighly behind your back, you will only strengthen her illusions of being in love. Nothing is more capable of rousing young ardor than the forbidden.”

Diana pressed her lips together and gave a stubborn sniff, but after a moment she capitulated. “Very well, I won’t take her to task just now. But your plan had better work.”

“It will. Now dry your eyes, love, or Amy will suspect something is amiss.”

Taking the linen handkerchief he offered, Diana dabbed at her eyes, looking a trifle embarrassed by her outburst. “How is it,” she muttered, “that you know so much about the way young girls think?”

Thorne grinned, unabashed. “Because I’ve made it a point to study girls all my life. Trust me, when it comes to the game of love, Amy doesn’t stand a chance against me.”

Eight