Surrender of Trust (First Volume of the Surrender Series) (24 page)

Lucy's lips thinned in anger. "No, but I'm
sure I would have been fine," she said stubbornly

"That's doubtful. But since neither of us can
prove our point, there's no sense in debating the issue. There are
other things we need to talk about."

Lucy frowned. "Such as?"

"You've been lying."

"I'm not sure I understand you."

"I'm quite sure you do."

Lucy said nothing, but her beautiful mouth
began worrying itself. Chalifour breathed in her intoxicating
smell, like wild flowers on a spring day in a warm field. He wanted
to grab Lucy and shake the truth out of her, make her trust him.
Then Chalifour wanted to possess those lips and run to the nearest
bed with her. The strains of laughter from inside broke Chalifour's
train of thought.

With an effort, Chalifour forced his carnal
thoughts back where they belonged and focused his attention on the
matter at hand. "Lucy, your brother didn't sign that contract."

"But of course he did." Lucy's eyes shifted
away from him.

Chalifour reached out and gently cupped
Lucy's chin in his hand. He waited until Lucy returned her gaze to
him. "No. He did not."

"Why would you think such a thing?" Lucy's
hands began to fidget.

"I went to see Lucien this morning." The
color drained from Lucy's face. Chalifour's fingertips registered
the tremors coursing through Lucy's body.

"You went to see Lucien?" Lucy's voice was
barely audible. She pulled her chin from his grasp.

"Yes."

"What did he say?"

"We'll get to that. But first you need to
tell me. Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

Chalifour sighed. They were getting nowhere.
"We all know now. You signed that contract. You forged it, Lucy. I
could press charges against you. So could your brother. The
question remains. Why did you do it?"

Lucy sighed. "He was injured. I didn't know
when he would be well enough to tend to his affairs. I was only
trying to tend to protect Lucien and look after his business until
he could do it himself."

"You could have told me. I could have
waited."

"But I couldn't." Lucy's eyes dropped from
his again.

Lucy's tremors became more violent and
visible to his eye."Why couldn't you wait?"

Lucy's vivid green eyes began to well and
Chalifour thought she might break. Instead, Lucy took a deep breath
seemed to gain control of herself.

Chalifour asked her again. "Why couldn't you
wait?"

"I, I can't talk about it."

"You can't, or you won't."

Lucy remained silent.

"What is Perdan's involvement in this?"

Lucy's sudden intake of breath was sharp.
"Why would you think he has anything to do with this?"

"You haven't answered the question."

"Lord Perdan doesn't have anything to do with
this."

"Why are you protecting him?" An awful,
agonizing thought rose up in Chalifour. Bile crept up the back of
his throat. "Are you romantically involved with him?" A red haze
clouded his vision at the prospect of Perdan touching Lucy. To
Chalifour's great relief, a look of utter horror crossed Lucy's
face.

"No," Lucy spat. "How could you think I would
ever be involved with someone like him?" This time Lucy's shudder
appeared to be born of revulsion.

"Then what is his hold over you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You were obviously involved in a heated
discussion with Perdan when I visited your home that one day. I
couldn't help but wonder if I had interrupted a lover's quarrel.
You also went to see him in Town." Chalifour took some perverse
measure of satisfaction in the momentary flush of anger that
suffused Lucy's face.

"There is nothing between him and me."

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what
this is about."

"My brother was injured and I signed the
contract in his stead while he was incapacitated. That's it.
There's nothing else to tell."

Chalifour stared at Lucy's resolute face. He
stepped in close to her and ran his finger along the firm set of
Lucy's jaw.

"You still haven't told me what you and
Lucien discussed," Lucy said.

"And you have yet to tell me the truth. And I
want to hear it from those lovely lips of yours."

Lucy stepped back and eyed him warily.

"No more games, Lucy. You've committed a
crime and haven't even told me why."

"Do you plan on pressing charges, Lord
Chalifour."

Chalifour gritted his teeth. "I believe we
are long past titles, at least when we are in private. And the
answer is no, I don't plan on pressing charges. Though you might
ask your brother the same question."

Lucy gasped. "He wouldn't." Her face
shattered with despair. "Lucien probably hates me," she
whispered.

Ashamed, Chalifour quickly said, "I'm certain
he doesn't hate you, though you owe him some explanations." He
turned from her and paced the terrace. Why wouldn't Lucy tell him
about Perdan's blackmailing her family? Why wouldn't Lucy admit the
reason she forged the contract was an effort pay Perdan money? He
sighed. It was not yet the time to confront her directly.

Chalifour stopped pacing and turned to study
Lucy. It had been a surprising revelation when he admitted to
himself he wanted Lucy, all of her, not just her body. Earning
Lucy's trust was going to require time. Chalifour would have to
curb his natural impatience or risk frightening her away. Lucy must
have the opportunity to learn to trust him. Chalifour wouldn't push
the issue, not yet, but he would give Lucy a bone to chew on,
something that would make him appear to be more of an ally.

"Are you sure you're not involved with
Perdan?"

Lucy's face looked apoplectic. "Yes, I'm
sure! How many times do I need to say it?"

"Good, I'm truly glad to hear it."

Lucy crossed her arms and shot him an
exasperated look. "And why is that? What concern is it of
yours?"

"Because he's a liar and a cheat. It wouldn't
do to be associating with him."

Those simple words were a physical assault on
Lucy, forcing her take a step backward. The words reverberated in
her ears, drowning out everything else around her. Lucy was
speechless. Perdan was a known cheat and a liar? Had she heard
Chalifour correctly?

Her brother was being blackmailed for
cheating by someone who truly was a cheat? The unfairness of it was
beyond Lucy's imagining. Anger exploded from her bowls, an inferno
of rage. Lucy's hands involuntarily clenched into fists at her
sides. How could the world go so wrong?

And now Lucien knew about the forgery. Would
he ever forgive her? Would he understand Lucy had only tried to
protect him? Did he know about the money she had given Perdan and
the diminished funds in his accounts? Did he think she had stolen
the money from him? Lucy hadn't been able to get to Lucien to
explain things because of this dreadful dinner she had been forced
to endure, just to appease Monique's brother.

Lucy felt a momentary flash of anger at
Monique's brother, but it quickly faded to guilt. It wasn't Lord
Glenhurst's fault she had made such a disaster of things. Lucy
should be grateful to him instead of being a shrew. Lord Glenhurst
had her best interests at heart in including her with his sister.
He was using his sponsorship to provide Lucy with an opportunity to
socialize with men well above her station.

Lord Glenhurst was only trying to ensure she
was well taken care of. All Lucy had done in return was offend him
by asking him for money, lie to him about the race, and embarrass
him in front of his friends. She even had the temerity to feel
unjustly angry at him for trying to help her find a husband that
normally would have been impossible for a woman of her station.
Lucy was so ashamed.

Chalifour's gaze weighed on her. Lucy
couldn't meet his gaze. For the first time in her life she wanted a
man to think well of her. Even if Chalifour didn't care for her in
the ways she might dream about, Lucy still wanted his approval.
Lucy had ruined any chance of Chalifour having a favorable opinion
of her. Chalifour probably didn't want to press charges because it
might call attention to his involvement with a potential scandal
involving cheating.

A trace of hope erupted in Lucy's breast.
Since Chalifour knew she had forged the contract, he could force
her brother to abandon it. Maybe that's why he wasn't pressing
charges. The forgery would allow him to extricate himself from any
association with her family. Just as quickly, the spark of hope
extinguished itself. That couldn't be right. Chalifour had just
announced the partnership at dinner, in front of everyone. A
numbing chill crept through her. Chalifour was obviously still
unaware of the blackmail and accusations of cheating.

Knowing about Perdan's reputation moved
something inside Lucy. It was time to change tactics. Perdan was
unscrupulous and Lucy was going to find a way to use that against
him. How dare Perdan take advantage of her brother and place them
in harm's way. This revelation gave Lucy a new perspective. She was
going to stop Perdan.

Lucy was going to need help to do this. There
was only one person she could turn to now, and that was Monique.
Lucy would have to trust Monique to believe in her brother's
innocence. Lucy had to tell Monique everything she should have told
her from the beginning. She could add Monique to her growing list
of personal sins and hope Monique would forgive her for withholding
things. Lucy needed forgiveness from everyone she knew for one
thing or another, or so it seemed.

Collecting herself from her thoughts, Lucy
looked at Chalifour. "I'm sorry, but that's a rather serious
charge. Could you explain what you mean?"

"He's never been caught, but I have it on
good authority Perdan probably cheats at cards, and maybe other
things. Sooner or later, he'll be found out."

Lucy smiled at Chalifour. "Would you escort
me back inside now?"

Chalifour's eyebrows drew up into his
forehead, but to his credit, he said nothing, just tucked her hand
into the crook of his arm and escorted her back into the house. His
nearness created a sense of security for Lucy. How wonderful it
would be to feel free to lean against Chalifour and spill her soul
to him. But she couldn't.

Lucy and Chalifour approached the dining
room. The din of laughter reached her ears and the buzz of
conversation grew louder. Judging by the sound of the voices,
dinner was finished. The ladies had retired to the drawing
room.

Lucy cast a look at Chalifour and he withdrew
her hand from the crook of his arm. Chalifour pressed her fingers
between his hands before letting her palm slip away. Lucy quivered
at the sensation of her skin sliding across his.
Stop that! Get
hold of yourself!

If order for Lucy to devise a way to trap
Perdan, she had to what she had thus far avoided. She would be
forced to admit the truth to Monique. Lucy hastened through the
wide double doors into the drawing room. Surprised faces swiveled
toward her and conversation died on the lips of the faces scattered
about the room. An awkward silence settled. Lucy had the distinct
feeling the women had been discussing her.

False smiles appeared on faces and Monique
broke in, "I'm so glad to see you’re feeling well again. I guess
taking the air helped. Ladies," she looked around at her guests,
"why don't you ask Miss Goodwin your questions directly?"

Lucy surveyed the expectant faces. The few
women who had been invited were primarily older matrons. Glenhurst
wanted to ensure there would be no competition from other young
women for the attentions of the men he invited. "By all means,
ladies, if there are questions you have for me, please feel free to
ask. I'll answer them as best I can."

"Miss Goodwin," Lady Borgen blushed, then in
a hushed voice continued, "what was it like riding astride?"

Lucy started. Of all the questions she
expected, this was not one of them. "It was awkward, really. I much
prefer riding side saddle."

"But was it, you know, sinful feeling?" asked
Lady Ellenton.

"I don't really know what you mean by sinful
feeling, Lady Ellenton."

"You know, dear, she means like a man," Lady
Borgen chimed in.

"Well, since I have yet to marry, I can't
speak to that."

"I guess that's true, " Lady Ellenton said,
disappointment in her voice.

The servant appeared to refill everyone's
glasses and Lucy took a glass of sherry. When the talk turned to
more general matters, Lucy caught Monique's eye. She slowly glided
over to her side and said, "I need to speak with you privately at
our earliest opportunity."

"All right. We'll both be tired when our
guests leave, so how about we speak first thing in the morning.
We'll go for a ride in Hyde Park. Besides, you're probably itching
for a ride."

Lucy couldn't hide her smile, "You're right.
I would love to ride. It might help clear the cobwebs."

"Good, that's settled then. Now put on your
best face, the men will be rejoining us soon. I noticed Lord Erskin
watching you at dinner."

"Yes, like he might study an interesting
insect."

"Oh, nonsense," Monique said with
exasperation. Frowning, she admonished her, "And rather than
focusing all of your attentions on Chalifour, you need to circulate
a bit more."

"I'll do my best."

The men began to filter into the room, their
deep voices a welcome contrast to the high chirping voices of the
women. Lucy knew when Chalifour entered the room even though she
was not facing the door. The women all perked up and stood
straighter.