Scandal of the Season (19 page)

Anthony waited for Victoria to finish having her hair put up by the maid before they walked down to dinner. His frustration with this assignment was growing with every day that passed. Having found no evidence that Hardy was associated with anyone the least bit suspicious, and no evidence of any notes handed to him, Anthony was starting to believe the information he’d received was incorrect.

Even without evidence, Anthony trusted his intuition. It had saved his life on numerous occasions. And his insight was screaming at him that Hardy was involved. Anthony had spent the afternoon secretly trailing Hardy who had done nothing more than speak with a few gentlemen and read in the library.

So why did Anthony feel there was something wrong?

It couldn’t be jealousy over Victoria. She’d told him how disgusting Hardy was to her.

“How do I look?”

Anthony glanced up from his musing and stared at Victoria. With an emerald green and ivory striped silk gown, her hair up in a loose chignon, and a smile on her face, she looked like a perfect lady.

“Somerton?”

He blinked and smirked. “I apologize.” He rose and walked to her. “I fear my thoughts may have been wondering how long it would take to get you out of that dress.”

She laughed softly. “Already?”

“With you?” He pulled her close and kissed her neck, inhaling the sweet scent of lavender. “Always.”

“I do believe you might be insatiable, my lord.”

The comment struck him cold. He’d never found a woman he didn’t tire of within a few days. It reminded him again about how he’d let his attraction to her distract him from his mission. That had to stop.

He pulled away. “We should go down now.”

She frowned at his cold tone, but he didn’t care. He had been letting her get too close and that had to stop. She was no different than any other self-serving woman. Once this job was completed, he would return her to her home. And never think of her again.

As they walked down the stairs, he wondered who she would sit next to tonight. He assumed it would be him. But as they walked into the dining room, he found out differently.

“Why am I next to Hardy again?” she whispered.

“I do not know.”

“What am I supposed to do now?”

“You will sit next to him and attempt to glean some information from him,” he replied harshly.

She turned and glared at him. “What is wrong tonight? Have I done something to anger you?”

“There is nothing wrong,” he answered and then left her to find his own seat. Nothing wrong, he thought again. Everything was wrong.

Hannah sat in the chair next to him. “Are you all right this evening, Somerton? You looked a tad angry.”

“I am fine,” he bit out.

Hannah laughed softly. “Of course you are.” She glanced down the table to where Victoria sat. “You do realize that Hardy wants her.”

“He has made that abundantly clear.”

“Yes, he does like his women thin with blond hair.”

He looked over at her. “So, am I to assume you put her there to see if I would become jealous?”

She shook her head with a smile. “No, I sat her there because I
knew
you would be jealous.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s so interesting to watch. I have never seen or heard of you being jealous with any other woman.” She sipped her wine. “You certainly were not with me.”

“I am not jealous. I just don’t trust Hardy or any other man here.”

“Hardy is mostly harmless,” she commented.

Anthony wondered at that. Glancing down the table, he noticed Hardy looking down the bodice of Victoria’s dress. She looked dreadfully uncomfortable as she attempted to speak with him about something. Anthony’s fist tightened around his knife.

He was not jealous.

Only bothered that Victoria had to put up with such a disgusting pig sitting next to her. That was all there was to it.

As dinner ended and the ladies retired to the salon for a poetry reading, Anthony sipped his brandy and eyed Hardy. After a few minutes, Hardy excused himself and departed the room. Anthony followed quickly behind him.

He slipped into the secretary’s office when Hardy walked into the study. The same room Anthony had used to overhear Victoria and Hardy. Anthony prayed she would not be so foolish as to meet him again.

He waited in silence, hearing only the sound of Hardy walking around the room. Finally, the door closed again and he could barely hear the sound of a woman’s voice.

“Tomorrow night at the ball,” she said quietly. “And do not even think about bringing that whore with you when you leave.”

Whore? Hardy hadn’t brought anyone to the party.

“I will do as I wish. If she will leave the bastard and come with me, I will take her.”

“He will kill you.” The woman’s voice sounded familiar but the plaster walls distorted her tone so he could not place it.

“Let him try.”

“He is an extremely dangerous man,” the woman stated. “He will kill you without a thought.”

“Not if I kill him first.”

Dammit! Were they talking about him? If Hardy was talking about killing him or anyone else, Anthony had to warn Victoria. She could not be alone with him again.

“Just get what you came for and return to London. Do exactly what the note says to do and nothing else. You will be paid when the job is completed.”

Now, Anthony had no doubts that Hardy was involved. But who was the woman?

The door shut to the study. Anthony slowly opened the door and looked down the hall only to see a flash of silver silk. He ran down the hall but it was empty by the time he got there. Inhaling deeply, he walked to the salon where the women were waiting for the men. He scanned the room and found five women wearing silver or light gray silk gowns.

Any one of them might be involved.

Victoria watched as Anthony glanced around the room. At first, she assumed he was looking for her. But he continued to stare at several of the ladies and didn’t even glance in her direction. Finally, he walked toward her with a frown.

“I need to speak with you,” he said, sitting on the sofa next to her.

“Where?”

“Follow me.” He left the room with her and opened a door to a small room.

She looked around. “The butler’s pantry?”

“I need a room that is private.”

“What is this about?”

“Hardy is definitely involved.” He wanted to pace but the room was far too confining.

“I thought you already knew that,” she replied.

“There is also a woman involved.” He explained the conversation that he’d overheard from the secretary’s office. “Did you notice any of the women wearing silver silk that came in late after the break for brandy?”

“Many of the women did, Somerton. It is common for us to dash to the retiring room before we sit down again. Even I came back late.”

He nodded slowly. “I understand.”

“Thank you, though,” she said softly.

“For what?” he asked with a deep frown marring his handsome face.

She stood on her toes and kissed his lips. “For trusting me.”

“You weren’t wearing silver silk,” he replied in a harsh tone.

Victoria wondered why he seemed to be withdrawing from her again. She had first noticed his reaction in the bedroom. “Are you angry with me?”

“No.” He turned toward the door. “I have a job to do that is all.”

Was that his way of saying she was getting in the way of his mission?

He faced her again. “I will be next to you most of the night. Do not trust Hardy in any manner.”

“Do you think he really might try to kill you?”

“I don’t know. But the woman mentioned something about Hardy taking a woman along with him. They may have been speaking of you.”

A sliver of fear rolled down her back. “You think he might try to kidnap me?”

“I don’t know!” He pounded his fist on the cabinet. “I never should have brought you along with me.”

He was worried about her. No one had ever worried about her before. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Feeling him tense, she kissed him gently.

He pressed her close and deepened the kiss. As she slowly pulled back, she said, “You will keep me safe, Somerton.”

“I can’t make you any promises.”

Certain he was talking about more than just her safety, she nodded. “I never asked for promises.”

“We need to return before someone notices us missing.”

“Very well.”

They walked back into the salon as three of the ladies finished singing “The Holly and the Ivy.” Victoria took a seat in the back and Somerton stood behind her. She wondered how Hardy was taking Somerton’s protective act.

Sliding a glance toward Hardy, she saw the anger in his eyes. When he noticed her gaze, she looked away as if afraid to be caught eyeing him. Somerton’s hand landed on her shoulder.

Whether that was for Hardy or herself, she did not know. Somerton’s thumb rubbed the spot where her neck met her shoulder. She shivered. Desire flared from just that simple touch.

Finally, after yet another small group of people sang a different carol, Lady Farleigh announced that tea and lemonade were set out in the dining room.

“I will fetch you some tea,” he said then walked out of the room.

Hardy immediately pounced. Sitting in the seat next to her, he said, “What is he about acting like your protector now that you want to leave him?”

“He may be more difficult to leave than I expected. Please be off before he returns.”

“Come away with me, Anne,” he whispered. “I’m leaving Wednesday morning. Meet me in the stables at eight.”

“Go now,” she begged. “I will let you know tomorrow if I can leave with you.”

“Until tomorrow, then.” He walked away just as Somerton returned with the tea.

Handing her a cup, he asked, “And how did that go?”

“How did you want it to go?” she asked and arched a brow at him.

“Did he proposition you again?”

She heard the slight tone of jealousy and smiled. “He asked me to go away with him.”

“Indeed?”

“Apparently, he is leaving Wednesday morning.”

“Good work, sweetheart.”

She stifled a yawn. “I believe I shall retire now.” Rising she looked down at him. “Will you be joining me?”

Watching the conflict on his face, she wondered why he would be unsure. Was he questioning their future? They had discussed no future arrangements because she knew there could be none. And why would he care? She had no illusions that this relationship would last longer than a week.

“Yes. I will join you.”

Anthony pulled Victoria’s naked body closer to him. An odd feeling of contentment filled him as they both recovered from another incredible climax. What was it about this slip of a woman that made him feel so odd? He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this way. If he ever had.

He could not get enough of her. Yet, he knew he had to give her up in a few days. Maybe that was all there was to this obsession. He’d never had another woman with a time limit. He had to get his fill before he returned her to London.

Except, he had already made love with her more times than the majority of women in his life. He had never felt an ounce of remorse or regret with any of them. He was being foolish. Nothing had changed in him. He still believed women were only made for sex.

She rolled over and smiled at him in such a manner that his heart started to pound in his chest.

“I do believe we may have missed another lovely carol downstairs,” she said.

“Shall we hurry back down?”

“No.” She stretched her arm across his chest and laid her head on his shoulder. “I believe I have retired for the night.”

“Me, too.” He held her tightly to him.

Gently caressing his arm, she asked, “What is your father like?”

“What?” Why would she want to know anything about that bastard?

“Your father? You told me he’d known about your mother being alive, but I was wondering what he is like as a person.”

Anthony stared at the ceiling. “He was a hard man to live with, Victoria. His expectations of me were very high. I found it easier to leave his house than stay.”

“How were his expectations high?” she asked then shifted up so she could look at him.

“He expected me to meet his standard for living. Which he told me included not cavorting with prostitutes, not having a mistress, finding a good respectable woman to marry and give him grandsons. Yet, he visited prostitutes and mistresses when he was married to my mother. She was a good respectable woman, and he couldn’t stay away from other women.”

“Is that why she left?”

“Yes. She found out that he’d had a child with an actress. My mother confronted him, and he admitted it without an ounce of guilt. He told her that he’d done his duty and given her a son and a daughter but his needs demanded an outlet.”

She cupped his cheek. “Was she denying him his marital rights?”

“No. But he left her in Cheshire while he enjoyed the Season in London every year.”

“I don’t understand,” she said, rubbing her thumb over his lips. “She was a countess. Why wouldn’t he have brought her to town for the Season?”

“He was embarrassed by her,” he admitted slowly. “She was from Wales. He married her out of a duty to both families. But he never loved her.”

“And she loved him?”

“Very much so.” He closed his eyes to keep her from seeing the pain there. “It almost killed her to leave him and her children. But she wanted revenge. She thought if she left he would chase after her and tell her how much he loved her. But he never did.”

He opened his eyes to see Victoria brushing away a tear. He brought her to him and kissed her leisurely.

“That is the saddest story I think I’ve ever heard.”

“Once she’d left, he did find her, but only to tell her that she could never return to the estate. He cut her off financially too.”

“How did she survive?”

He looked away aware that he couldn’t tell her the truth. “She found work. I met her quite by accident the same night you and I had sex.”

“Yes, you told me that. But whatever happened to the other child?”

“My sister, Genna?”