Promise Me (33 page)

Tell her how you feel…that you love her.

No. Court her properly first.

“
Is that what you want?” Nicolas brushed her cheek, his fingers caressing her smooth skin. “To discard your current fiancé and move on to the next?”

Surprise reflected in her eyes. Then hurt. “What I want is for my heart to beat without the fear of pain. I’d like the moon and stars at my beck and call. To be swept off my feet by an enduring love. Not transparent promises.”

Laughter from behind Nicolas taunted the tender declaration. He caught a whiff of strong perfume and reluctantly turned.

Dressed fittingly as an upper class courtesan in ruby red, Maria Santiago glared at him through her feathery red mask. “Do you not tire of this naïve schoolgirl?”

“
Is it naïve to offer aid to an unfortunate woman and her child?” Miss Sheridan inquired, anger underlining the chill in her tone.

“
Not just any woman,” Miss Santiago flaunted. “Your fiancé’s mistress.” Her red lips parted in a smile. “It must have made your noble blood boil.”

“
Actually, I pitied you.”

“
Hembra estúpida
! Your pity and meager offerings were unnecessary.”

“
And yet you accepted both.”

Hatred flared in the Spanish woman’s eyes.

“
Miss Sheridan,” Nicolas said, hoping to diffuse the situation quickly. “Did you or your father invite this brothel madam to the Bal Masque?”

“
No, we did not.”

“
Then she obviously stole an invitation or forged one. You’d better leave, Miss Santiago, before I ask a servant to toss you out on your generous backside.”

“
Not until I receive what I came for.”

“
And what might that be?”

“
Drake Shipping,” she replied. “Each and every valuable share.”

###

Trinity chose the empty chair beside Irma and sat down.

“
Don’t keep us in suspense, boy.”

He grinned. “It couldn’t have been easier.”

“
Nicolas is smitten, is he not, Mister O’Connell?” Lady Chase inquired.

“
There’s not a doubt in my mind, my lady.”

“
And Miss Sheridan?”

“
Hopeless. If the duke told her to swim the English Channel, I figure she’d do it without question.”

“
Love often makes the heart flutter,” Lady Chase remarked.

“
And the mind weak,” Irma added with a chuckle.

“
Well, ladies, I’ve done my part.”

“
You certainly have, Mister O’Connell, and I cannot thank you enough for introducing Nicolas to the torment of jealousy.”

“
My pleasure, ma’am and now…” He stood. “I think I’ll find myself a beautiful dance partner.”

“
You do that.” Irma smiled at her friend. “Margaret, I’ve an idea for our next venture. You and I must become matchmakers.”

“
Matchmakers? Oh, Louise, I’m not sure I’d be any good at that profession.”

“
You can find me a wife any time you please, Lady Chase,” Trinity declared. “I trust your judgment.”

She beamed. “What a lovely compliment.”

“
What would you do with a wife, boy? Lose the unfortunate girl in the desert?”

“
Now hold on, Granny. The lady you’re referring to wasn’t my wife. And how was I to know she couldn’t ride a horse?”

“
Oh, dear.” Lady Chase stared at him before her gaze drifted to Irma. “Finding a suitable wife for your grandson might prove to be somewhat of a challenge.”

“
Margaret, my dear, you have no idea.”

Trinity’s grin suddenly vanished. “I remember now.”

Irma frowned. “Remember what?”

“
That awful perfume.”

“
Whose?”

“
Maria Santiago’s,” he replied. “I believe I just passed her on the garden path a few moments ago.”

“
It’s doubtful Lord Greyson sent the woman an invitation,” Irma remarked.

Lady Chase stood. “Forgive me, dear friends, but I must find Nicolas.”

“
I’ll take you to him, my lady.”

“
That won’t be necessary, Mister O’Connell.”

“
Margaret, allow me to accompany you.”

“
No, Louise. I’ll not ruin your evening as mine is about to be ruined.”

After Lady Chase departed, Irma grabbed Trinity’s arm. “Fetch Lord Greyson. And quickly.”

###

“
You demanded I give you that diamond mine,” Nicolas told the spiteful woman who blocked his path. “So I did.”

“
Worthless. It has produced nothing of value in the last forty years.”

“
Is that so? Well, it’s your property now and therefore your problem.”

“
You think you’ve outsmarted me?”

“
Haven’t I?”

Maria Santiago’s teeth clenched.

“
But I confess,” he added. “I didn’t expect you to discover the ruse until much later.”

“
Yes, I am certain of that.” She withdrew a folded parchment from her tight fitting bodice. “This is a duplicate of the original document I brought you several weeks ago. With one exception.” She handed it to him. “This one gives me exclusive ownership of Drake Shipping.”

“
You forget. I no longer own the company.”

“
I doubt that’s true, but if it is…you’ll simply have to persuade Señor Spence to return it to you.”

“
Why would I? When you signed the adoption papers, you lost the advantage.”

She studied him. “You have no idea the trouble I can cause you and your precious family.”

“
You’ve caused more than your share of trouble already and if you continue to threaten my family, I’ll have you arrested.”

“
That would be foolish.” She glided up to him. “If the stench of a prison cell is to be my future, expect Miss Sheridan’s to be much worse.”

Loathing swallowed Nicolas. He threw the document in her face and grabbed both her arms. “I told you before to leave Leah Sheridan out of this. I’ll not tell you again.”

She snatched the dagger sheaved at his belt. Before she could jab the blade into his chest, he shoved her into a row of shrubbery.

With difficulty, Maria Santiago righted herself, hatred seething in her narrowed eyes. “You see what I am capable of?” She advanced on him, holding the dagger aggressively. “You and I will visit Señor Spence this evening to transfer ownership of Drake Shipping to me. If you continue to delay...” A venomous smile slithered across her painted lips. “I’ll slit your fiancée’s throat.”

“
Stop this at once!” Grandmother Margaret ordered.

Miss Santiago twisted around, the dagger in her hand poised to strike.

“
Stay out of this, Gran.”

“
Nicky, whatever this woman wants, give it to her.”

“
She has no leverage to demand anything.”

“
I understand, dearest, but removing her from Edwin’s life is worth far more than your shipping company.” Gran approached Edwin’s mother. “You will address your demands to me, Miss Santiago,” she announced in a haughty tone. “I am M. Spence and as of this morning, I own Drake Shipping.”

###

Leah’s frantic search for her father ended in utter frustration. Running out of options and nearing a state of panic, she escaped the noise of the ballroom. Outside, a chilled breeze swirled at her feet, and she shivered. Nevertheless she continued down the steps and down the garden path.

The duke had asked her to leave, and she had promptly deserted him. Would Miss Santiago poison him as she had Adrian?

Full-blown panic set in. Leah charged into the clearing, prepared to rescue the man she loved. Except...he wasn’t there. Nor was Miss Santiago.

Her pulse returning to normal, she approached the fountain. The gentle, cascading water from the top tiers usually produced a sense of tranquility. Now it enhanced the odd silence. The loud beating of her heart in her ears unnerved Leah. She exhaled a slow breath.

What am I doing? His Grace doesn’t need me. Not now. Not ever again.

Fighting off tears of self-pity, she removed her mask and sat down along the fountain’s edge. The moment Chase mentioned signing the adoption papers, her heart had filled with overwhelming joy. And then...unbearable emptiness.

The pretense was over. Finished.

She had pulled away, forced a smile, and altered her tone. Edwin’s future was settled but without the duke, her heart had little reason to beat.

The wig from her Gypsy costume drifted by. She reached for it but spied a red costume and dark wig floating on the opposite side of the fountain. Curious, she walked around to retrieve them.

In an instant, Leah froze. Terrified and nauseated, her hand flew to her mouth, instinctively muffling the scream rising in her throat as she backed away from Maria Santiago’s dead body.

Dear lord! What has the duke done?

Chapter Twenty-Two

As Nicolas waited for Inspector Brisbane to join them, the dull thud of music from the ballroom vibrated through the walls of Lord Greyson’s private parlor. Amid the smell of candle wax and perfume, the air in the room had become stale. He glanced at the other occupants who by now had removed their masks.

Commandeering the role of protective matriarch, Grandmother Margaret sat on the sofa beside Leah Sheridan. Other than the initial shock of discovering a dead body in the water fountain, Miss Sheridan had recovered somewhat although she refused to look at him.

Nicolas focused on the clock positioned on the fireplace mantle. A quarter past eleven. He’d envisioned a more pleasant conclusion to this evening. His attention strayed to Lady Westwood who stood apart from the others with Trinity O’Connell at her side. The American had his hand on his grandmother’s arm, as though he feared she might suddenly bolt for the door.

Lord Greyson paced across the room, his brow knotted with concern. Brisbane had secured the gardens, keeping the earl’s guests unaware of what had occurred.

“
My lord,” Lady Westwood said, her tone breaking the stiff silence. “How long must we suffer this nonsense?”

“
I apologize for the inconvenience, my lady. Inspector Brisbane is a thorough man, and I’m sure he’ll get to the bottom of this in no time.”

She dabbed her brow with a lace handkerchief. “I should hope so.”

“
Come sit down, Louise,” Gran urged. “You’re far too excited.”

“
Patience isn’t one of my grandmother’s virtues,” O’Connell confided.

After another five minutes of awkward silence, a short, bushy-browed man with an obvious fondness for overgrown mustaches strolled into the parlor from the garden entrance. He removed his hat before approaching the sofa. “Miss Sheridan, I understand you found the victim?”

She nodded, her expression guarded.

“
Do you often stroll about the gardens unescorted?”

Greyson’s face reddened. “Now see here, Inspector! What the devil are you implying?”

“
I’m not implying anything, milord. My job is to determine the facts.”

Nicolas frowned. “Kindly do so without attacking my fiancée’s character.”

“
I wasn’t aware I had, your Grace. My questions may seem beyond the normal range, but rest assured I’ve proven methods for discerning the truth. Now then, Miss Sheridan…what were you doing in the gardens?”

Her gaze settled briefly on Nicolas. “Searching for the duke.”

Had she overheard his heated conversation with Edwin’s mother?

“
Inspector,” Gran said. “Miss Sheridan is not involved in that horrid woman’s death. If you’ve not yet deduced it, there were other guests wandering about Lord Greyson’s gardens.”

“
Maria Santiago made a number of enemies,” O’Connell added.

“
Noble
enemies,” Lady Westwood stressed.

“
Forgive me, Mister..?”

“
O’Connell. Trinity O’Connell. And this is my grandmother...Lady Westwood.”

Brisbane acknowledged the woman, but she clearly held his attention longer than politely necessary.

“
It’s a costume,” her ladyship snapped.

The inspector nodded. “An American Indian. Fascinating.” He turned to O’Connell. “You were acquainted with the deceased?”

“
Yeah, I was hired to trail her a few months ago.”

“
For what reason?”

“
Because trouble always follows the woman.”

“
Who employs you?”

“
Employed,” O’Connell corrected. “I no longer work for that particular paper.”

“
I see.”

“
Get to the point, Inspector,” Lord Greyson said, his tone impatient. “Why is there a dead woman in my fountain?”

“
One moment, milord.” Brisbane’s attention drifted around the room, a quirky smile on his thick lips as he tweaked his mustache. “First I’d like to establish a timeline of events.” He paced about the parlor, his hands clasped behind his back. “Now then...” He turned. “Did any of you speak to the victim?”