Scoundrel (27 page)

Remmington started to shake his head, but something on the other side of the room caught his attention. The humor fled from his eyes and he grew very still. Lily followed his gaze to see Lord and Lady Farnsworth enter the billiards room, followed by Harry Gordon. It took her a moment before she realized why Remmington would act so strangely at the sight of them. With a sinking heart, she remembered that he and Patricia Farnsworth had once been lovers. She glanced up at him and noticed that his mouth was now a grim line. A muscle in his cheek twitched reflexively. Her gaze returned to Lady Farnsworth.

Patricia Farnsworth was not a great beauty. Cosmetics enhanced many of her features and her hair was a suspect shade of blond. That didn’t seem to stop men from finding her attractive. She was a notorious flirt, seen most often in the company of gentlemen who were not her husband.

Lady Farnsworth’s bored gaze surveyed the room, as if looking for her next conquest. She lifted her shoulders in a perceivable sigh that was arrested the moment her gaze found Remmington. The corners of her lips curled into a sly smile. Lily quickly looked away and brushed some nonexistent dust from one of the seals.

“Hm. I believe this one says something about adultery,” she muttered. Remmington didn’t respond and she didn’t look up at him. She didn’t want to watch him stare at another woman. “Ah, and here’s something about burning in purgatory for sinful thoughts.”

“Somehow that sounds vaguely familiar,” Remmington said. “I didn’t think our Egyptian friends studied the Scriptures.”

“Perhaps they should have,” she replied over her shoulder. “There might still be a pharaoh or two about if they had.”

“You know about Lady Farnsworth,” he said in a flat voice. She kept her back to him and didn’t answer. “There is no reason for you to be jealous.”

“I’m not the least jealous.”

“Then why don’t you prove it by looking at me?”

Lily hesitated. She knew why he made the request. Looking into those dark, mesmerizing eyes of his could render her senseless, and he knew it. She turned around and stared at his chest, trying to build her courage. As her gaze traveled higher, she emptied her thoughts of all but one. He didn’t want her. Their eyes met, but she kept her thoughts focused inward. “There. Satisfied?”

He tilted her chin up with one finger. His scowl made her gaze slide away from him and she caught a glimpse of lavender silk from the corner of her eye.

“Hello, Lady Lillian. Remmington. What a charming couple the two of you make.”

Remmington released his hold on her and turned to face Lady Farnsworth. Lily pretended to be innocently unaware of the heated looks the woman gave Remmington as they exchanged greetings. Glancing over Lady Farnsworth’s shoulder, she noticed that Harry and Lord Farnsworth were otherwise engaged at the buffet. Not that she thought Lord Farnsworth’s presence would be much of a deterrent to his wife’s covert flirtation. Lord Farnsworth might be a member in good standing of the Antiquities Society, but his morals were nearly as corrupt as his wife’s.

“Farnsworth didn’t tell me there would be such interesting guests at this gathering.” Lady Farnsworth gave Remmington another sly look. “It took a great deal of persuasion before I agreed to accompany him to this godforsaken place. Now I must remember to thank him.”

“Oh, yes, you must,” Lily gushed. “Lord Holybrook promises the most thrilling entertainment.” She lifted one hand to rest it on the sarcophagus. “We’re going to open this Egyptian coffin tomorrow to see if the body is still inside.”

The remark had its desired affect. Lady Farnsworth looked appalled.

“A coffin?” she managed. She backed away from the sarcophagus. “That sounds… I mean, do you think that’s quite legal?”

“Perfectly,” Lily replied, straight-faced. “There is just one slight worry. These seals are engraved with all sorts of evil curses directed at anyone who opens the casket, or anyone in the general vicinity when that happens. Or so I’m told,” she added, for Remmington’s benefit. “Of course, we won’t let a little thing like that bother us. Not when a mummy might be inside. That’s what the ancient Egyptians called the body, don’t you know. I hear they are wrapped in layers and layers of linen, and inside they are perfectly preserved. At the last meeting I attended, Dr. Alexander said he once saw a mummy so lifelike that it looked as if it might open its eyes and talk. Can you imagine?” She turned a pleading look in Remmington’s direction. “We will stay for the unwrapping, won’t we?”

He stared down at her as if she’d lost her mind. She turned again to Lady Farnsworth to find her wearing a similar expression. “I packed my hartshorn and a goodly does of smelling salts, just in case. According to Dr. Alexander, the unwrapping might be a little much for a lady’s delicate sensibilities.” She tapped the edge of her fan against her lower lip. “I wonder if the unwrapping will take place before or after lunch.”

That seemed to shake Lady Farnsworth from her horrified fascination with Lily’s speech. She closed her mouth and gathered her skirts closer, looking worried that Lily might contaminate them. “Well, I just wanted to wander over and say hello.” Her gaze moved slowly, almost reluctantly from Lily. When she looked at Remmington, she gave him a provocative smile. “I’m sure I will see
you
later.”

Lady Farnsworth pivoted and walked away. Remmington turned toward the sarcophagus and ran his hand over several seals. He was laughing.

“I don’t see what is so very funny,” Lily muttered. “The woman all but propositioned you in my presence. You should have given her the cut direct.”

“I intended to,” he told her, wiping his eyes. He began to chuckle again and Lily was fascinated by the deep sound. “You scared her off before I had the chance.”

Lily began to smile. “I cannot wait to see if Lady Farnsworth joins us for the unveiling ceremony tomorrow.”

“Ah, Lily, if we were anywhere else…” The humor faded from his expression and he took a step away from her. “We’ve been by ourselves too long. People will begin to notice if we don’t mingle.” He tucked her hand through his arm. “I think it’s time to take you back to Miss Stanhope, while I have a little talk with Harry.”

“There is just one thing I would like to ask before we part company,” she said. “Will you join me for a morning ride tomorrow?”

He considered her question for less than a second. “No. You would be an easy target on horseback. You cannot afford such a risk, and I want your promise that you will not set foot from this house without me.”

She nodded impatiently. “Actually, there is something I need to tell you, but not here where everyone is watching us. Could we meet somewhere else? The library, perhaps? No one is likely to be there tomorrow morning.”

“This house is filled with people, Lily. Weekend guests feel it their duty to explore a house from stem to stern. What is so important that you cannot tell me here?”

Lily nodded to an elderly couple who strolled over to look at the sarcophagus. Remmington took her arm and they began to walk across the room toward Sophie. He withdrew the question just as she was about to tell him the matter wasn’t that important after all.

“Very well,” he murmured. “Meet me in my chamber, tonight at midnight.”

“What?” Lily glanced around, to see if anyone else seemed to take notice of her shocked question.

“We will do nothing more than talk,” he assured her. “My chamber is directly across the hall from yours. It seems unlikely that anyone will notice if we meet there.”

He had a point. And it wasn’t as if they hadn’t already spent several days and nights alone together. With both their resolves firmly set, what could possibly happen? “All right. Midnight.”

The clock in the King’s Chamber struck midnight. Remmington said a silent prayer that Lily was fast asleep. Patricia Farnsworth lay in the center of his bed, her robe splayed open to reveal a nearly transparent negligee underneath. She’d knocked at his door no more than a moment ago. He’d opened the door with every expectation of finding Lily on the other side. Instead he’d found this disaster in the making. She’d darted into his room before he could stop her. To his horror, she had then made a delighted leap onto his bed.

“Ah, Remmington! How did you know I would be here this weekend?” She propped herself up on her elbows, a provocative pose that displayed her breasts to their best advantage. “I knew you did not forget me.”

“I forgot you two years ago, Patricia. If you do not leave this room immediately, under your own power, rest assured that I will remove you myself.”

She tilted her head to one side and gave him a pretty pout. “Are we going to play that game again?”

“No. We are not.” He stalked toward the bed, intending to pick her up and do exactly what he’d threatened: toss her out. Patricia had other things in mind. As soon as his hands closed on her waist, she threw her arms around his neck and forced her lips against his mouth. Just as he reached behind his neck for her hands, he heard a soft gasp.

“Damn it!” He knew before he looked that Lily stood in his doorway. She would surely think this scene a deliberate attempt to humiliate her. There wasn’t a woman alive who would believe his innocence after walking in on such an intimate-looking embrace. He gave Patricia a shove away from him and hastily turned around. Lily had one hand on the door latch, the other at her throat. Her face looked drained of color. He felt a slender thread of hope snap and drift away.

“Oh, hullo again, Lady Lillian.” Patricia curled up more comfortably on the bed. “Did you come to say goodnight to Remmington, too? I’m afraid you’ll have to come back a little later. He’s occupied at the moment.”

He spared Patricia a brief, contemptuous glance. His gaze met Lily’s and he willed her to understand. “Think a moment, Lily. You know this isn’t what it seems.”

Her gaze locked with his for a long moment, then she slowly lowered her lashes. After Lily stared at the floor for what seemed an eternity, she took another step into the room. The door made a soft thud as it closed behind her, an ominous sound in the quiet room that had the ring of finality.

“I’ve never thought you stupid, my lord.” She nodded once toward the bed. “This would be extremely stupid planning on your part. I assume your guest is uninvited?”

With more than enough evidence at hand to damn any man, she steadfastly believed in his innocence. She trusted him. He smiled to let her know how much that pleased him. “Precisely.”

“You do realize this poses a problem.”