Promise Me (9 page)

He shrugged. “There’s not much to tell.”

Her gaze narrowed. “What was she doing in the duke’s room?”

“
Being comforted, I guess.”

Irma grunted. “Is that what the nobility are calling it now?”

“
Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Crandle, but what I witnessed appeared to be genuinely innocent.”

“
How the devil would you know? You were likely soused to the gills.”

“
Not half as much as I’d like to be.” He purposely downed the rest of his whiskey in two swallows. “When I entered the duke’s room, it looked as though Miss Sheridan was upset. Not falling into a passionate embrace.”

“
You think she confessed?”

“
About the child? It’s possible.”

“
If Chase knows the truth, he’ll want to keep Miss Sheridan’s indiscretion a secret.”

“
He mentioned your bargain.”

“
You spoke to the duke?”

“
He did most of the talking.”

“
Got yourself caught, did you?”

“
Yeah. He said to tell you he expects you to honor your part of the bargain. You intend to humor him, or is this story too big to keep under your bonnet?”

“
Oh, I’ll go along with the charade until I have all the facts, but a man like Chase ought to squirm a bit before he hangs himself. You go back to the Imperial Inn. Keep both eyes open and one ear to the ground.”

“
There’s only one problem with that request. The duke threw me out.”

“
Then get chummy with Greyson’s driver. Servants love to gossip about their employers.”

“
Shall I sleep under the carriage?”

Irma grinned. “Now you’ve got the idea, boy. Whatever you do, make sure you’re close by when that vehicle departs for Kent.”

###

Nicolas placed the stack of letters on the night table beside his bed. He found it difficult to believe such hateful words had come from Leah Sheridan. The lady he’d comforted half an hour ago seemed more in control of her emotions. Apparently Anne Ashburn knew about the child. Did Lord Greyson?

Something wasn’t right about those letters. He ran his hand over his eyes. Would Leah have confessed if O’Connell hadn’t barged into the room? She claimed she trusted Nicolas. He would like to think she did.

He sipped his cold tea, noting again the odd taste. Perhaps he should’ve stressed his preference for a non-herbal concoction.

Had Adrian fallen in love with his mistress? Did his son have fair hair? Was his laughter as warm as Adrian’s? Did dimples appear with his smile? Were his eyes brown? Or green like his mother’s?

Pulling Leah into his arms had felt more natural than breathing. Touching her, inhaling her lavender scent, had ignited an unexpected fire in his blood.

If only his imagination had stopped there.

Her full mouth had looked so inviting. So much so he could almost taste it. His arms had ached to draw her body tight against his. When he held her, his one maddening thought had been to have her writhing beneath him.

Thank God he had come to his senses! Still, he could not erase that incredible feeling of ecstasy, and he could not recall any other woman affecting him so.

Stifling a yawn, Nicolas burrowed into his pillow and closed his eyes.

###

“
This is wrong,” Leah whispered as she crept down the stairs behind Anne, Edwin whimpering softly in her arms.

“
Keep the child quiet or Nicolas will come charging down those stairs after us. Oh, Leah, why did you not use the laudanum?”

“
I couldn’t.”

“
My dear, you’ve a great deal to learn about men, but now is not the time to discuss lessons.” At the bottom of the stairs, Anne hurried across the dining area. At the main door, she tugged the heavy bolt back and peered outside. “How long since you gave instructions to your driver?”

“
Half an hour.”

“
Did you explain about Edwin?”

“
That he’s coming with us, yes, but I didn’t provide the details as to why.”

“
Dear me, I hope he doesn’t think we stole the child.”

“
Do not worry. Mister Davies has earned my trust.”

Edwin whimpered. “Mamma?”

“
No, my love. It’s Leah.”

“
Eee ah?”

“
Yes, dearest.”

Edwin wrapped his little arms around her neck.

She kissed his cheek. “I realize you are ill, my sweet, but be a good boy and do not make a sound.”

Anne stepped outside the inn and beckoned Leah to follow. The light from the full moon illuminated the lonely street. Nocturnal creatures chirped their normal sounds, but everything else remained silent.

Anne tapped her foot nervously. “We are waiting, Mister Davies.”

“
I’m sure he’ll be along shortly.”

“
Eee ah?”

“
Shhh…go back to sleep, love.”

Around the corner of the inn, the Greyson carriage rolled in like a phantom wind. Davies barely put on the brake before he jumped down to offer assistance.

Lady Ashburn climbed in first.

“
Miss Sheridan?” a male voice called.

Leah’s heart nearly stopped. Reluctantly, she turned.

A gentleman emerged from the shadows of the inn’s porch. “You seem to have acquired a child since last we met.”

It was the same man who’d stumbled into the duke’s room hours earlier.

Mister Davies stepped between them. “And what business is that of yours, sir?”

“
Just being observant. And the name’s O’Connell.”

“
Well now,
Mister
O’Connell, I can tell by your speech that you weren’t taught the ways of the gentry, so I’ll take it upon myself to explain things. You see, the safety of these ladies is my responsibility, and I take that very seriously. So whatever it is you’re peddling...they’re not interested.” He raised a fist. “Shall I explain it further, sir?”

“
No, I think I got the general idea.” O’Connell tossed Leah a brief glance. “Seems like every Englishman I meet lately has a problem with my face.” He eyed the driver. “You know, Mister…ah...?”

“
Davies.”

“
Davies, right. You know, Miss Sheridan might object to such violence.”

“
Why would I do that?” Leah quipped.

He grinned. “Because I know whose child that is.”

Her fear intensified.

“
Say the word, miss,” Davies insisted. “And I’ll take care of this proper like.”

Anne stuck her head out the carriage window. “Leah, is this the gentleman who--”

“
Yes.”

Her ladyship studied the American briefly. “Interesting. My dear, we cannot afford a commotion so perhaps you should humor him.”

O’Connell crooked his head to one side. “All I’m asking for is five minutes of your time.”

Leah handed Edwin to her driver then turned and marched straight up to O’Connell. “What do you want? A tidbit of gossip for your ruthless employer?”

“
This might sound odd, Miss Sheridan, but I never cared much for gossip.”

“
Then why work for the notorious Irma Crandle?”

“
Because I’ve grown accustomed to eating three meals a day. You follow me?”

She crossed her arms. “You now have four minutes, Mister O’Connell.”

“
I understand your hesitation to speak to me, and I realize you’ve had a run of bad luck recently, so I’m going to do you a favor.”

“
Really?”

“
Are you aware each time you visited this particular inn, Irma Crandle was warned in advance?”

“
Who would do such a thing?”

“
Someone who wants to humiliate you. Is it because you gave Lord Adrian a son but was too ashamed to claim him?”

Shock vibrated through Leah. “No, Mister O’Connell. You’ve jumped to the wrong conclusion. Edwin is not my son. I would never abandon my child. His mother...” She bit her lip. “Edwin’s mother is unable to care for him.”

“
Lord Adrian’s mistress?”

She nodded.

“
Everything all right, Miss Leah?”

“
Yes, Mister Davies,” she replied over her shoulder. “I do not wish to discuss this further, Mister O’Connell. If you still believe I am Edwin’s mother, ask Lady Ashburn.”

“
She’s your friend.”

“
She wouldn’t lie.”

“
But it’s not beneath either of you to sneak out of the Imperial Inn in the middle of the night?”

“
The room was paid for. We were quiet because we did not wish to wake the other occupants.”

“
You mean...Chase?”

Especially Chase!

O’Connell casually leaned against the center post. “Even though I find it strange you’d care what happens to your dead fiancé’s illegitimate son, let’s just pretend you’ve convinced me.”

“
Thank you. I think.”

“
You’re welcome,” he said, his tone more polite than hers. “Of course, my opinion is subject to change. Now, what exactly do you plan to do with the boy? Drown him in the first pond you come to?”

“
How dare you,” Leah hissed. “I could never harm an innocent child.”

“
Sell him to gypsies then?”

“
I intend to take Edwin to his family.”

“
Is that so?”

“
Yes, it is.”

“
His family’s right here.” He glanced up toward the darkened windows of the third story. “Sleeping in this very inn.”

Her attention shifted to the front door. If she marched up to the duke’s room, would he accept Edwin? Or would he be too ashamed?

“
Leah?” Anne interrupted. “My dear, we must go.”

“
Coming.” She stared at O’Connell. “Anything else you’d like to discuss?”

“
One question. If the boy belongs to Lord Adrian’s mistress, why not tell Chase? Wouldn’t he want to know his brother had sired a son? From what I saw earlier, you’ve got the duke in the palm of your pretty little hand.”

“
That’s two questions, Mister O’Connell, plus an unwanted commentary. Besides, a great deal of discretion needs to accompany this sort of delicate news. I couldn’t just blurt it out.”

“
I could.”

“
You wouldn’t.” She softened her tone. “Please...”

He tipped back his hat and glanced briefly down the empty street. “All right, Miss Sheridan. I’ll keep my mouth shut, but I expect a favor in return.”

“
I do not hand out favors to gentleman, especially those I hardly know, and what I do know about you, Mister O’Connell, is quite disturbing.”

“
Believe it or not, Miss Sheridan, I’m not interested in dragging your name through the mud and neither is Irma.”

“
Oh? Well, you could’ve fooled me.”

“
Our interest lies solely with uncovering the truth.”

“
Are you deaf? I gave you the truth.”

“
I’d like to draw my own conclusions, if you please.”

Leah glanced around. Inside the carriage, Edwin was making a fuss, and he was steadily getting louder. She turned to the American. “Are we finished?”

“
As soon as you grant me the promise of that favor then you and your sneaky little friend can be on your way.”

She clenched her teeth. “What sort of favor?”

“
Grant Irma Crandle an interview.”

“
Engage in casual chit chat with the very woman who verbally assaults me in her weekly gossip column? You must think me dimwitted.”

“
My opinion of you doesn’t matter, Miss Sheridan. But Irma…if you don’t set matters straight, she’ll figure you have something to hide.”

“
I care not what she suspects or thinks. I’ve no wish to share the details of my private life with all of England, and I would never put the Chase Family through such an embarrassment.”

“
If the duke doesn’t already know about the boy, he will soon enough.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that a thinly veiled threat?”

“
No. Just a friendly warning.”

“
Friendly?” Frustrated and overanxious to be rid of this annoyance, Leah could no longer control her temper. “Go ahead, Mister O’Connell. Tell the duke whatever you like. It no longer matters to me. In fact, you may wake him this very instant.” She glared at the man. “I believe you already know the room number.”

Chapter Six

The heaviness inside her chest, the horrible fear that rarely changed except to intensify, signaled the beginning of the nightmare. It wormed its way into her subconscious like a snake slithering through tall grass.

She urged her horse faster, mud flying from its hoofs.

Behind her, Adrian shouted.

Leah didn’t intend to stop. She had nothing more to say nor did she wish to listen to his excuses. He was someone she no longer knew or trusted.