Reckless in Pink (18 page)

He rose. “I will not abandon anyone, nor will I stop in the search for the children of Maria Rubio. This attack probably means someone else knows, and they will not stop hunting them down. Maria was married to the Old Pretender for twenty-three years. We don’t know if he continued to see her while he was actively married to Clementina. Even if he cut off relations, that still leaves eighteen years when he could have been begetting children. We need to find them all.”

“I can’t help you with that,” Dominic said. “I must see my own parents. Or the people claiming to be my parents.”

He turned to leave but found Julius blocking his way. The man could move swiftly when he wanted to.

“Do not tell them any more than they know already,” Julius said. “Do not disown them. If you create a scandal from this, there is no going back, no helping you. I cannot tell you what to do, but think of it. You are a legitimate son of a claimant to the throne. Guess what that makes you?”

He moved out of Dominic’s way. “Call on me if you need me.”

* * * *

Claudia watched Dominic leave the room with a sense of helplessness that she hated. It infuriated her as it always had, the way men took control and insisted they knew what was best for her. If ever Dominic needed her, it was now. But he wouldn’t claim her and would do his best to separate himself from her. But he had to stay in London.

He was a Stuart? A relative of the King? A member of a royal house?

Dear God, what a tangle!

“Do you have anything we need to collect before we leave?” Val spoke tight-lipped. He was more than angry. Val tended to cut himself off and speak coldly when he was at his most furious.

“No,” she said, without really thinking. “My maid will see to it. She may come tomorrow and collect what I have forgotten.”

“Then I suggest that you come home now.”

Darius put his hand over hers. “He has much to think over. It would be cruel to remain.”

Helplessly, she searched out her cousin, but Julius was staring into space, his teeth biting into his bottom lip. “A son,” he said eventually. “Are there any more?”

Obviously his obsession had him by the tail and he was lost to them. This feud with the Dankworths and his pursuit of the children— “Are you doing this for the Crown, Julius?”

“What?” Julius blinked and stared at her as if she were a stranger. “Oh, ah. No. No, I’m not. Your betrothed is, I fear, a diehard loyalist. I’m doing it because of the people involved. Our cousin-in-law, for instance. We have only just begun. How many more are there? Eighteen years could produce ten children, maybe more. Not all will have survived. Damnation, I wish I could have just one look at the documents the Vatican has! They are probably locked away somewhere. I’ve seen the Vatican records, or some of ’em. Papers are shoved into boxes and put away. Different systems and different storage areas—it would take a lifetime to track them down. How many? How many of these children are there, and do any want to claim their inheritance?”

Darius lifted his head and stared at his cousin.

Julius frowned. “Don’t you understand? These children are the legitimate offspring of the claimant to the British throne. They are direct descendants of the senior line. They have a right to claim the throne, but not a right to ascend. Being Stuarts, they might not understand that part, but we have changed. The people have changed.”

“You mean we rule now,” Val said with heavy irony. “I do not mean the common people. We will have to go a long way for that to happen, and it won’t happen in my lifetime.”

“Would you want it?” Claudia frowned. “Surely ruling comes with responsibilities and understanding. Doesn’t a ruler have to be reasonably civilized and educated?”

Julius gave a sharp laugh. “If you think that describes the majority of the incumbents of the House of Lords, you are sadly deluded.”

They were back. She’d missed that, the banter and exchanges they naturally fell into. Next to the close-lipped Dominic, they were positively loquacious. She’d had to prise everything out of him with a great deal of difficulty. Could she live with that?

The chances were that she wouldn’t have to. He might never speak to her again, judging from the way he’d charged out of the house.

All this thinking was making her tired. She hated to admit it, but healing took a great deal of effort.

* * * *

Once they were back in their London home, settled in the room she shared with her sister, Claudia’s recovery continued apace. Her family were being maddeningly quiet about any progress. They only allowed her out for gentle walks with her sister, a maid, and the largest footman in their employ to accompany her. No evening entertainments for a week, her mother had declared, and Claudia found herself eager to accept those edicts. At night she slept. In the afternoons she slept. In fact, sleeping was her favorite occupation for a few days.

Livia was working as her spy, but she learned very little. Their brothers were rarely at home, except for the breakfasts, which Claudia had been skipping. On the third day after her return, she felt much better. Her arm flexed when she moved it, with only a twinge of pain. She called the maid and ordered her apple-green silk sacque made ready. She loved that gown.

Dominic had called, but not to see her. He’d sent her his good wishes and he was discussing the situation with her brothers, just as if she were not a part of it. This morning he wouldn’t get away without seeing her.

She waylaid him in the hall. When she heard the bell and his voice, she dumped her embroidery on the nearest chair and shot out of the morning parlor, where she’d stationed herself. “Come with me.” Grabbing a startled Dominic by his sleeve, she dragged him off.

The footman, a family retainer from the country, pretended not to notice. He’d get a vail later for that. She shoved Dominic into the parlor and closed the door, standing with her back to it. If he wanted to get away, he’d have to do it through her.

“How are you?” he said. His shuttered face only displayed smooth urbanity.

“Much better. What did your parents say?”

He pursed his lips in a soundless whistle. “You don’t believe in exchanging niceties, do you?”

“Not when you look as if you might leap out the window. Why leave me like this? We’re still betrothed, are we not?”

He sighed heavily. “It’s not a good idea.”

She jutted out her chin. “Why not? You asked. You took me to bed.”

Ah, the mask of urbanity dropped and he closed his eyes as if in pain. “Don’t remind me.”

“It was that bad?”

Whisking around, he headed for the window and stared out. “It was the best thing that has happened to me for a very long time.”

He spoke so softly she had to strain to hear his words, but when she registered them, she rejoiced. She had that, and he wasn’t denying it. “I’m glad to hear it.” She would give him nothing, not until she knew what he intended. “Then why deny us? Why avoid me?”

He turned, but didn’t come over to where she sat. His eyes were hungry, and he gazed at her as if devouring her. “I need to know for sure that I can offer you something.”

So like him, so honorable. Claudia took a step toward him. Then another step. “You went to great lengths to persuade me.”

“From what I’m hearing, it’s unnecessary. Apparently, I was elsewhere when you were sleeping in my bed. Your cousins are adept at rewriting history.”

“Not adept enough.” Not as skillful as some other people. “If they were, they’d have buried those documents. What did your parents say?”

He raised his arms and then let them fall to his side with a heavy slap. “They said they knew no more than they’d told me. That they were in Rome and they were offered a child. Like me, they assumed the name on the certificate was falsified, or I was a royal bastard. Or so they said. I can persuade them to tell me no more. I was convinced they were traitors. Now I don’t know what to think, but I feel I must absolve them from continued activity.”

“You won’t be having them sent to the Tower?”

That forced a reluctant smile from him. “No. I would never have done so, in any case. They were devoted, and they love me, I can never doubt that. They never spoke about it, never told me, even when I left home. They were distressed when I joined the army, but I couldn’t stay.”

Unable to resist him any longer, consumed by a need to comfort him, she stepped close and touched him. Placed her spread hands on his upper arms and pressed close. He clenched his hands into fists, and lines of strain appeared on his face.

“I’m so sorry, Dominic. You are still you. Still the man I…want.” She couldn’t say it. Couldn’t articulate the world “love.” If she was wrong that was one more way he’d be let down. She couldn’t bear to do it. Couldn’t hurt him that way. How did she know what love was, since she’d never experienced it before?

She could tell him what she knew. “I’ve missed you. Someone to talk to and laugh with, and…kiss.”

A wry smile twisted one corner of his mouth. “I was going to point out that you have your sisters and brothers. I would prefer that you refrained from kissing them in that way.”

“Yes.” Would he kiss her now? If she stood on tiptoe, she could reach his mouth, but she didn’t have the courage to initiate it. Loving and lovemaking were far too new to her. Was there an etiquette? Would she offend him? No, the reason why she could not do it was the fear of rejection. If he pushed her away. Even the idea brought a lump to her throat.

“I don’t know who I am. I have nothing to offer you.”

She hated how bewildered he sounded, but she could give him something at least. “If I weren’t the child of my parents, my brothers and sisters would still love me because I would still be Claudia. That’s the important thing, surely.”

He shook his head and at last touched her, stroked her lower arms so gently as if she were made of glass. “Are you feeling better?”

“Much better,” she said firmly.

He watched his fingers rather than her face. “I would have given my life for you at that moment. I still will.”

“You’re a soldier.” She tried to still the frantic beating of her heart at that confession. “You’re trained for it.”

“It’s so much more than that.”

The admission warmed her.

She could not force herself on him as she’d planned this morning. Seduce him, get him back, her body had said, but now her mind told her different. He was deeply hurt, trying to cope with knowledge nobody should have to face. Not only that he wasn’t his parents’ child, but the nature of his birth.

“Dominic, I won’t give up. Leave this too long and I’ll come for you.”

His smile when he looked up warmed her all the way through. “I know you will. That’s why— Kiss me once and I’ll go. I have to see your father and eldest brother. I offered for your hand, and now I have to discuss with them what is to be done.”

“Will you tell them everything?”

“Of course.”

She suppressed her gasp, but he must have felt something because he smiled and shook his head slightly. “Not that. Our night is ours alone.” He lifted his hand and traced her cheekbone. “You have a sweet blush. Very pretty.”

A small victory, then. At least she’d made him smile. “Don’t tell people we didn’t suit,” she said. That would close the door on the matter, and she was still determined to have him, if at all possible.

Her father and oldest brother challenged that supposition as soon as Dominic had left. When they asked her into the study, their faces looked as if someone had slapped them, such was their shock. She knew how they felt.

“He told you everything?”

Marcus held a chair for her and she sat.

“Yes,” her father said. “We know who fathered him, if that is what you’re talking about. Unfortunately, we cannot just turn our backs. More than your affairs are at stake.”

She kept her face clear at the word “affair.”

Her father continued. “Our family has an interest in the person named as his father. Winterton had confirmed it to us and has undertaken to check the facts. So far, he says, they are correct, pertaining to dates. It appears the certificate told the truth.” He paused. “Needless to say, you cannot remain betrothed to him.”

“Father, no!” The words burst from her before she had time to stop them.

Her father gave her one of his quelling stares. “I am considerably lenient with my children, far more than many men I know, but I will not be disobeyed. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Papa.” Recovering herself, she lowered her head in a submissive gesture. Not that her father’s words would make any difference. If she wanted Dominic, she would have him, one way or another. And she wanted him. The only thing stopping her going after him was his doubts and his distress should she cause a breach in her family. He would feel responsible, and Heaven knew he was good at shouldering responsibility, even when he hadn’t caused it.

“Very well. Then what do we do?” He sighed. “This business seems to be caught up in that house you inherited. Unfortunately, Julius has prevailed upon me to retain the property because it’s a known center and he hopes to discover more from the people there. You must remain the owner for some time yet. Equally unfortunately, we cannot buy it from you from the terms in your aunt’s will.”

Leaning back in his chair, he sighed and laced his fingers over his stomach. “I know my children do not always tell me everything they do, but in this case, my dear, I must insist. That house is dangerous. You must not set foot over the threshold again.”

“Again?”

He rolled his eyes. “Do you think I am completely blind? At the time I would have sent someone for you, but I did realize what you were up to after you returned home. You are wild to a fault, Claudia. You are Lady Claudia Shaw, the daughter of the Marquess of Strenshall, and like it or not, you owe something to that position. Please consider that more in future. You are not a child anymore. You must stop behaving like one.”

Tears pricked her eyes. Such a scolding was worse than a beating, not that her father indulged in beatings often. Reproaches, he could win trophies for those. Especially hitting the mark.

Yes, recently she’d come to that realization. All her petty rebellions led to nothing. She needed something to do, a cause, a life. Something. She might have found it, but if she went off in her usual headstrong way, people would consider her a fool. Racing in the Park was all well and good for an eighteen-year-old, but at twenty-four she should show more maturity.