Surrender (18 page)

am far more restricted than Lady Rycott.

I must always be conscious of what people

will say. I am still at an age when I must

have a care for my reputation. But Isabel

Rycott can ride in an open carriage with

Edgeworth and dance with him tonight

and let him take her home after the

Athertons" party, and no one will pay

any heed. It's not fair, Lucas. Not fair

at all."

Pray don't take a notion to marry me

and then murder me in my bed so that

you may enjoy the freedoms of wealthy

widowhood."

Victoria
  
laughed
  
softly.
   
I
  
would
  
not

 
think of it. Even the prospect of being a

free and wealthy widow is not enough of

an inducement to lure me into marriage."

Lucas eyed her thoughtfully.
 
If our

interview is finished, we had best part.

We've been riding together for some

distance and we certainly wouldn't want

anyone to speculate unduly on our as

sociation."

 
No, you are quite right." But for a

moment Victoria longed to have the

freedom Isabel Rycott did. She was

not in the least anxious to say good

bye.
 
One moment, Lucas. About our

next adventure. I really must insist on

something a little more exciting than

Vauxhall or another restaurant. I shall

be waiting in my aunt's garden tomorrow

night after the Chillingsworm party and I

shall be expecting to be taken to a gaming

hell at the very least."

stone vale's brows rose at her tone of

authority.
 
Your wish is my command,

Vicky. But in the meantime, I shall look

forward to seeing you this evening when I

attend Grimshaw's lecture."

Victoria grinned.
 
Are you really in

terested in agricultural improvements in

Yorkshire?"

 
Is that so amusing?"

She shrugged her shoulders.
 
No. I

suppose not."

Lucas tipped his hat to her.
 
Be warned,

Vicky. You still don't know everything

there is to know about me. Good

afternoon." Before she could respond,

he had turned George's head and was

cantering down the path. Victoria stared

after him until Annabella Lyndwood called

to her from a short distance away. Shaking

off an odd emotion she could not identify,

Victoria went to greet her friend.

The night after Grimshaw's lecture

Victoria slipped cautiously through the

darkened town house and out into the

conservatory. Pale moonlight pierced the

windows, turning the array of exotic

plants into a strange and forbidding

world.

Victoria was growing accustomed to the

eerie jungle that was the conservatory at

night. She hurried down one aisle and

let herself out into the garden. The night

air was chilled and the grass was damp

beneath her booted feet. She hesitated,

searching the shadows for Lucas. As usual,

she did not spot him until he moved.

Lucas stepped away from the shelter of

the wall, a dark and forbidding figure

dressed chiefly in black. His Hessians

gleamed faintly in the moonlight. His face

was in shadow. Victoria caught her breath

at the sight of him and anticipation rushed

through her veins, leaving her trembling

with excitement.

Lucas held out his hand. Smiling in

welcome, she put her fingers trustingly

into his. As she did so, Lucas tipped up

her chin with his other hand and kissed

her; a quick, hard, possessive kiss. It was

just the sort of kiss she knew she ought to

protest but which instead always left her

hungering for more. These stolen moments

of fleeting, sultry passion were creating a

sense of strong frustration within her.

 
The carriage I hired for the evening is

waiting around the corner," Lucas said as

he dropped lightly down beside her on the

street side of the wall.
 
Hurry. I don't

want anyone to see us near your aunt's

garden."

 
You worry too much, Lucas." Nevertheless,

she made haste to where the dark

carriage was waiting and quickly leapt

inside.

Lucas was right behind her, taking his

weight, as usual, on his right leg as

he came through the door. In the dim

moonlight she saw him wince as he took

the seat across from her. His hand went

to his thigh and absently rubbed it.

 
Does your leg hurt?" Victoria asked,

concerned.

 
Let's just say that I am aware of it

occasionally."

And this is one of those occasions?"

 
Yes. Don't fret about it, Vicky."

She bit her lip.
 
I heard from a friend

that you were wounded on the Peninsula.

Is it true?"

His eyes met hers in the shadows.
 
I feel

much toward that subject the way you do

toward your stepfather."

 
Meaning you don't discuss it?" she said.

 
Precisely."

 
Dear God, Lucas, it must have been

terrible for you."

 
I said I do not discuss it." He stopped

massaging his leg.
 
Now do me a favor and

pay attention. You are going to get your

heart's wish this evening. We're going to

a certain establishment that can only be

classified as a gaming hell. I do not dare

try to get you into one of my clubs. There's

too much chance someone would recognize

you, even in your disguise. In any event, I

would certainly be obliged to explain you

and I can't."

A thrill shot through her.
 
A gaming hell.

Lucas, this is wonderful. How exciting. I

cannot wait."

Lucas sighed.
 
I wish I could share your

enthusiasm. Vicky, these places are run

with only one object in mind and that is

to separate the client from his blunt. To

that end there is a great deal of drinking

and wenching."

Will it be dangerous?" she demanded,

growing more excited by the minute.

Lucas gave her a disapproving look.

 
Things do not often turn violent inside the

establishment, largely because it would be

bad for business, but there are occasionally

problems when one leaves."

 
What are you talking about?"

 
It is not unknown for someone who has

suffered heavy losses to attempt to recover

them with the aid of a knife or pistol. It

is also not uncommon for the management

to employ a certain type of debt collector

who meets one outside in an alley," he

explained.

Victoria's eyes widened.
 
Oh."

 
What I am trying to say is that we must

take care. I must have your word that you

will do exactly as I instruct at all times.

We will take absolutely no chances," Lucas

ordered.

 
Lucas, you are far too anxious about

all this. Try to relax and calm yourself.

I assure you, I will behave sensibly." She

smiled brilliantly.

Lucas studied her smile for a moment

and groaned.
 
Something tells me I am

going to regret this night."

 
Nonsense. We'll have a marvelous

time."

 
One of these days, Vicky, we really must

discuss my end of this bargain."

She stilled, suddenly very alert.
 
You

said you would be content with whatever

I chose to pay."

It was Lucas's turn to smile. Victoria

shivered and turned her attention to the

view outside the carriage. The streets may

have been dark, but they certainly were not

empty. They were filled with an endless

line of carriages carrying the members of

the ton to and from their interminable

round of parties. The streets would be

busy until dawn when the elegant vehicles

would be replaced by farmers" carts and

milk wagons.

Twenty minutes later Victoria felt the

rented carriage draw to a halt. She peered

out excitedly and saw a dingy, unpromising

establishment with a broken sign hanging

over its front door. She glanced at the

faded lettering on the swinging sign.

 
The Green Pig?"

 
The name does not exactly whet one's

enthusiasm, does it?"

 
Do not sound so hopeful. I am not

about to change my mind at this juncture."

 
Somehow I didn't think you would.

Well, onward then, if you're determined

to go through with this."

If the outside of the Green Pig could be

described as dingy, the inside could only be

called sordid. Everything appeared to have

been decorated in red at one time, but the red

velvet drapes and carpets had turned

dark and sooty and indelibly stained from

years of rough wear and tear. The roaring

blaze on the hearth cast an evil light over

the entire scene, making the interior glow

like the hell it was called.

Victoria stared about in amazement as

she followed Lucas toward the bar. She

had never seen anything like this in her

life. The shadowy room teemed with men

from every walk of life, all intent on the

next roll of the dice or turn of the card.

Dandies and coachmen and professional

boxers rubbed shoulders as they crowded

around the tables. The tinkle of dice and

the accompanying shouts of triumph or

groans of despair created a continuous

din. Tension, nervous excitement, and

male sweat thickened the air, especially

around the green baize tables where players

stood three and four deep. Barmaids

circulated through the throng, using ale

and overflowing bosoms to coax reluctant

players back into a game.

Lucas thrust a tankard into Victoria's

hand.
 
Camouflage," he muttered.
 
It will

look odd if you are not drinking. But have