The Danger in Tempting an Earl (11 page)

“Yes, of course he does, but he seems quite determined to see me properly settled again regardless, perhaps because he’s contemplating the matter himself.” She sighed, and Lucien took a quiet step closer. “He’s only just returned, yet I feel as though I’m already losing him again. Once he marries, I’ll see less of him, of this I’m certain.”

A smile tugged at Lucien’s lips. Katherine cared about him and she wasn’t planning to marry Mr. Goodard. Perhaps there was hope yet.

“Not to worry,” Mr. Goodard said. “You have me now, and I have every intention of seeing to your happiness.”

Whatever elation Lucien had just felt plummeted at those words. So there
was
something between them! They might not be contemplating marriage, but they sure as hell weren’t planning an innocent evening at the theater either—not when they were hurrying off to hide together like this. Hot anger rushed through his veins. What a fool Katherine must think him that she would imagine he’d believe that ridiculous story of how she’d ended up in Mr. Goodard’s arms. And to think that he’d actually told her Mr. Goodard was amicable! Why, the man was no better than Crossby!

Placing one booted foot on the bottom step, Lucien dipped his head through the opening of the stairwell and looked up. There, seated right next to each other on the narrow step, were Katherine and Mr. Goodard. Lucien’s hands clenched at his sides. “It appears you’ve been found,” he grumbled. Stepping back, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Disappointment flared through him, both at himself and at Katherine. She’d denied any wish of becoming a mistress when he’d discussed that possibility with her, yet she seemed quite prepared to do so now. Why? Clearly his little tableau with Lady Julie had been a wasted effort. Katherine still viewed him as a brother figure—either that, or she simply didn’t find him the least bit attractive, which was not a very flattering notion in the least.

A pitter-patter of footsteps sounded behind him, then he felt her hand tugging at his arm. “Are you all right?” she asked. “You seem to be in a rotten mood all of a sudden.”

Pulling his arm free of Katherine’s fingers, Lucien continued on his way. She fell into step beside him. “I don’t understand you,” he said. “When you last spoke of your future, you told me clearly that you have no intention to marry again or that you would ever wish to become a man’s mistress. I cannot believe you would change your mind so quickly on a matter of such great importance.”

“Lucien, you’re completely mistaken in the assumption that you’re making.” Her voice was thin but sharp.

Halting, he turned to look at her, his longing for her an acute pain that hugged his soul. Mr. Goodard stood a few paces further away, and as Lucien held his gaze, a potent surge of envy fanned through him. It was raw and it was basic. Lucien closed his eyes, willing it away for fear that he might intentionally harm a man who wasn’t standing across from him on a battlefield. Except this was a battlefield of course, and there was a very real war being waged over Katherine. “So you say, yet I continue to find the two of you together like this. If you were a debutante, I would have to insist the two of you marry. But you don’t want that, do you?” Expelling a deep breath, he said, “You’ll invite scandal if you associate with him in any other capacity than as his wife.”

A cry for help drifted toward them, preventing Katherine from responding. Lucien raced outside, followed swiftly by Mr. Goodard. They rounded the corner together and peered over a low wall, immediately spotting Lady Julie, who was lying on the ground a little way off, her legs twisted beneath her. “Please see to Lady Crossby’s comfort,” Mr. Goodard said, his voice tight as he clambered over the wall. “I’ll tend to Lady Julie.”

Lucien hesitated. How remarkably odd of Mr. Goodard to be more concerned with Lady Julie all of a sudden than with Katherine. Knowing that he was supposed to be courting Lady Julie, if only in pretense, Lucien started to protest, then stopped himself. This was what Lady Julie would want—for Mr. Goodard to run to her rescue. And besides, Lucien had no issue at all with seeing to Katherine in the meantime, in spite of their argument.

Turning around, he started back toward the keep and found her hurrying toward him. “Is Lady Julie all right?” she asked, her eyes wide with alarm.

“I believe she’ll be fine.”

Katherine made as if to move past him, but he stayed her with his hand. “I ought to go to her,” she said. “Lady Julie is an innocent, and as you say, Mr. Goodard is a renowned rake. Her parents would be very displeased with me if I failed in my duty as chaperone.”

He didn’t unhand her, but he moved a little closer until they were standing side by side, with Katherine facing one way and him the other. His hand held her arm, and from beneath the snug wool of her jacket, he could feel her tremble—a restless urge to get away from him, perhaps? Or something else? “And here I was, hoping for a moment to be alone with you,” he murmured in reply.

“And why is that?” Her voice hitched ever so slightly, her breath escaping her lungs in a shudder.

He tightened his hold on her, met her gaze and turned around so he could lead her back toward the others. She was right—they could not leave Lady Julie completely alone with Mr. Goodard. “Because I cannot help but be concerned for you.”

“You needn’t be,” she said, her hair catching in the breeze while her eyes scanned the landscape—grassy hills blanketed by patches of heather beyond the castle walls.

“How can you say that when you are entertaining the notion of becoming Mr. Goodard’s mistress?”

“I don’t believe I ever told you that I was. On the contrary, I think I was very clear with you when I said I have no intention of doing anything of the sort,” she said as they rounded the corner, bringing Lady Julie back into view. She was standing up now, supported by Mr. Goodard. Katherine gave Lucien a firm look. “
You
are the one who insists on dismissing what I am telling you in favor of drawing your own conclusions.”

“Can you blame me? I just found you alone with the man for the second time today, so either fate is having a very good laugh at your expense, or you’re not being completely honest with me.”

Katherine sighed. She sounded weary, and the pain in her eyes made Lucien wonder if he was indeed wrong to doubt her. “Time will tell, I suppose.” She shook her head. “But what difference does any of it make, when you have planned to marry Lady Julie?”

The words were so quiet that he scarcely heard them—as if she’d been talking to herself and hadn’t intended for him to hear. But he had, and her words cut straight through him. “I haven’t
planned
to do anything of the sort,” he told her roughly.

“Is Lady Julie aware of that?” Katherine asked, her voice tight as she stared back at him with defiance. “I can’t imagine what life has been like for you these past few years, but I never considered you the sort of man who’d toy with a lady’s emotions.” Yanking her arm away, she went to join Lady Julie and Mr. Goodard, leaving Lucien with much to consider. Had she been speaking of Lady Julie or of herself just now? he wondered. Following her at a respectable distance, he pondered their heated exchange until the edge of his mouth slowly curved upward. He was beginning to suspect it might be the latter.

T
he ride back to Cresthaven was a tedious one, not so much because of the pace they were keeping due to Lady Julie’s sprained ankle, but because Katherine suddenly wanted to be completely alone. She’d never been the sort of woman who feigned disinterest in order to win a gentleman’s attention or pretended her preferences lay elsewhere so he would redouble his efforts at winning her. Those were the sorts of games played by sophisticated Society misses, which she’d never considered herself to be.

No, she’d grown up in the country, the daughter of a baronet, and while she’d been to London on more than one occasion, she’d always been relieved to find herself returned to the fields and meadows that surrounded her home. She liked simplicity. Getting embroiled in lies and deception did not sit well with her, especially when it involved Lucien, with whom she’d always been blatantly honest.

At present, however, honesty was proving extremely difficult. How was she to tell him of all the conflicting emotions tumbling through her, when she barely understood them herself? She was confused, and as a result, she was desperately unhappy, so it was a relief when they finally arrived back at Cresthaven and Lady Julie announced her desire for immediate departure. “I’m sorry, Lady Crossby, I’ve had a lovely time visiting you this afternoon, but I’d like to get back to Kingsborough Hall so I can have a rest.”

“Would you like me to escort you?” Lucien asked.

“There’s no need for you to trouble yourself, Roxberry,” Mr. Goodard said, “considering it’s on the way to my own home. I’ll be happy to escort Lady Julie.”

Lucien hesitated, as if he wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Eventually he nodded, stepped toward Lady Julie and bowed over her hand. “I’ll call on you soon, my lady,” he told her as he helped her up into her carriage.

She smiled down at him and said, “I’ll look forward to it with great anticipation.”

And then the carriage rolled away with Mr. Goodard riding alongside it. Katherine watched it move down the graveled driveway until it turned a corner and disappeared from sight. “I want to apologize to you for earlier,” she said without looking at Lucien, who stood silently at her side. “I never meant to imply that your feelings toward Lady Julie are disingenuous. It’s none of my affair whom you choose to marry, and truthfully, she is very likeable, if perhaps a bit young. I’m sure she and I will get along very well if you do decide to make her your wife.”

“It is I who should apologize to you, Kate. It wasn’t my intention to return here only to chastise you—especially not after everything you’ve been through.”

She winced. “I daresay it can’t compare with everything
you’ve
been through, Lucien.” She turned toward him then. “I’ve never lied to you, you know, and everything I told you today is true. I’ve no intention of forming an attachment of any sort with Mr. Goodard. That you would even suspect such a thing . . .” She fought for composure.

“Once again, I apologize, but it was difficult for me to think anything else, given the man’s reputation and your recent state of widowhood.” He moved as if to take her hand in his, but instead he just stuck his own hand in his pocket.

“I know,” she said, “but whatever choice I make, I want it to be
my
choice. You just have to trust in my ability to do what is right for myself and for Sophia.” She smiled at how sheepish he suddenly looked. “That aside, Mr. Goodard did flatter me with his attention today, but contrary to what you might think, he remained quite courteous and made no attempt to press his advances.” She paused to consider that for a second. Curious, that; not once had he given the impression of being a libertine. “Is it so terribly wrong of me to appreciate the regard of a handsome gentleman?” she asked, continuing her line of thought. “I am a woman, after all, and while I might choose celibacy, I still want to know that I can catch a man’s interest, even at the ripe age of four and twenty.”

Lucien laughed. “How heartless of you to speak of age, Kate, when I am seven years your senior.”

“But you’re a man. It’s entirely different.”

He sobered. “Well, if you ask me, you’ll still be beautiful fifty years from now.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “What about sixty years from now?”

He appeared to ponder that quite seriously and eventually said, “Hmm . . . I’m not convinced your looks will last for quite that long.”

She slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “You’re a beast!”

“I am only trying to be honest,” he said, sounding affronted. “I thought you’d appreciate that.”

“Well then, Lucien, since you’re being so honest, why don’t you tell me what you’re really hoping to accomplish by chasing after Lady Julie, since you say you’re not intending to marry her.”

Taking Katherine by the arm, he led her back inside the house and toward the parlor. “I believe I said I hadn’t made a decision yet either way.”

“But you cannot continue to act as if you’re courting her unless marriage is your goal. It isn’t honest, and frankly, I fear for her feelings,” Katherine insisted. She couldn’t believe that Lucien would be so heartless as to give a lady false expectations.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that, my dear.” They arrived in the parlor and he guided her toward the sofa, where she took a seat while he remained standing. “For you see, it has come to my attention that Lady Julie might be happier with someone else.”

“Oh, Lucien,” Katherine gasped, inadvertently reaching for his hand and squeezing it with her own. “I’m so sorry. She seemed so taken with you.”

He grimaced, then raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. She shuddered. “Perhaps we should use that as a reminder that things aren’t always as they appear,” he said as his breath brushed over her, filling her with warmth. He straightened. “I will bid you a good day now, Kate, for I must return home. Will you allow me to visit you again tomorrow?”

“I will look forward to it,” she said as he straightened himself and took his leave.

Chapter 9

A
wakened that night by a muffled sound coming from Sophia’s room, Katherine threw back her covers and started to rise, intent on checking on her daughter. Most likely, her feet had gotten tangled in her blanket again, as was often the case these days, for she was turning into quite the restless sleeper. But an out-of-place rustling gave Katherine pause, and her increased heart rate warned her to beware. Reaching for the drawer of her nightstand, she swiftly snatched up the pistol her father had given her after Charles’s death when she’d mentioned how secluded she’d felt in the massive house. “Who would stop a potential intruder?” she’d asked.

“One of your footmen, most likely,” her father had said.

The words hadn’t appeased her. Things had changed now that she had a child to protect.

“Take this, then,” her father had said as he’d handed her the pistol. “It will ease your concerns, having this by your bedside.”

Holding the weapon steady, Katherine now approached the room where her daughter slept. Fearful of what she might find, she prayed that it was merely her imagination playing havoc with her senses.

It was not. As she held her breath and peered through the darkness, she saw a slim figure dressed in breeches and a tight-fitting jacket silhouetted against the window, his posture slightly hunched as he stood over Sophia’s crib. A chill flew down Katherine’s spine, but she steeled herself, wary of acting rashly and putting Sophia at risk. For now, at least, it appeared as if the stranger was merely watching her sleep, though Katherine dared not contemplate his reason for breaking into Sophia’s room in the middle of the night. Nevertheless, Katherine decided to wait and gauge his intent, hoping that he would eventually distance himself enough from the crib to provide a clear shot, should that be necessary.

It felt as if an eternity passed, though it was probably no more than a minute before the stranger turned and started in Katherine’s direction. Backing up, Katherine returned with silent footfalls to her room, raised her pistol and aimed it at the doorway. She waited until the man came into view, then said, “I suggest you make your intentions known before I put a hole in you.”

There was a beat of silence as the stranger froze, no doubt contemplating his next move. Katherine stared back at him, her concentration pinned on his hands. One of them was slightly concealed from her line of vision, so it was impossible for her to tell if he carried a weapon.

“I don’t suppose we can just pretend this never happened?” the stranger asked.

Katherine took a sharp breath. She’d been so certain that it was a young man, from what little she’d been able to discern of the clothing, but the voice belonged to a woman—a noblewoman, judging from her aristocratic tone. Clenching her jaw, Katherine tightened her hold on the pistol and shook her head. “No,” she said.

The woman tilted her head. “Well, in that case, I suppose I shall have to take what I came for.”

Katherine had no chance to ask what that might be as the woman dropped to the floor, rolled over and vanished to the opposite side of the bed. The next sound Katherine heard was the soft click of a pistol being cocked. They were equally armed, but the other woman had one advantage—she knew exactly where Katherine was standing.

Lowering herself quietly to the floor, Katherine edged her way around to the foot of the bed, then paused to listen. All was silent. With her heart pounding in her chest, Katherine looked across at her dressing table, her eyes concentrating on the mirror that was sitting on top of it. It was difficult to see anything of significance, given how dark the room was, but she kept her eyes on it anyway as she continued to listen for the slightest sound, attempting all the while to keep her breathing low and even. A moment passed, then a sudden flicker of movement caught her eye. Katherine focused on the spot on the mirror where she’d seen it and immediately noticed it again, ever so slight but enough to reveal the woman’s location.

Sitting quietly, with her pulse rapidly thumping in her throat, Katherine was still trying to figure out how to subdue the intruder and divest her of her weapon when she heard the woman move. Looking at the mirror, Katherine could no longer see her, and this unsettled her. She didn’t enjoy the idea of being caught by surprise.

Carefully raising her head, Katherine peered over the edge of the bed and squinted through the darkness. It only took her a second to spot the dark outline of the woman who was now standing in the far corner of the room. Raising her pistol as silently as she could manage so she could support it against the bed, Katherine prepared to fire a wounding shot.

To her surprise, the woman was swiftly across the floor, making Katherine’s aim exceedingly difficult. But then the woman paused, as if something had caught her attention. It took Katherine no more than a second to realize that she had seen her reflection in the same mirror.

Acting on instinct, Katherine flung herself against the floor just as the woman pulled the trigger and fired at her, stirring the air with a thunderous roar. A wail arose from the adjoining room as Sophia awoke, but Katherine paid her daughter no mind this time. Instead, she leapt to her feet, raised her own pistol with lightning speed, aimed and fired, evoking an anguished yell from the woman, who immediately dropped to the floor.

Not sparing her another thought, Katherine raced from the room, locking the door firmly behind her. Grabbing Sophia from her crib, Katherine hugged her tightly against her chest. She was just about to ring for Carter when the door to Sophia’s chamber burst open and the man in question materialized before her with Mrs. Burke, the housekeeper, and a footman named Thomas in tow. “Forgive the intrusion, my lady,” he said, looking rather sleepy-eyed, “but I could have sworn I heard a shot.”

“So you did,” Katherine said, her voice sounding awfully shaky. Thankfully, Sophia’s cries had lessened to a mere whimper as she snuggled her head against her mother’s neck. It wouldn’t take long before she was sleeping peacefully again. “A woman broke in. She fired at me, but her aim was off, so she missed, upon which I shot her. She’s in there.” Katherine nodded toward her bedroom. “I locked the door so she wouldn’t be able to escape, though I’m not even sure that she’s still alive.”

“Dear me,” Mrs. Burke said, looking ashen. “Thankfully you and Lady Sophia are unharmed, but what on earth are we to do about the woman you shot?”

“We’re going to have to open the door and take a look at her,” Carter said. “Thomas and I will see to it.” He handed the oil lamp he’d brought with him to Mrs. Burke, who turned up the light before setting the lamp on a small table.

Staying back, her whole body trembling, Katherine watched as Carter and Thomas unlocked her bedroom door and peered inside the room. “We’ll need another lamp, Mrs. Burke, but it appears as if the intruder is lying motionless on the floor.”

Katherine shivered. Surely she hadn’t killed the woman? She waited while Mrs. Burke lit another lamp and handed it to Carter, then Katherine stepped hesitantly forward in order to get a better look. “Good heavens!”

Raising his head, Carter looked up at Katherine from beneath a pair of bushy eyebrows. “Do you know her, by any chance?”

“I . . . yes, I believe so, though not very well. Is she dead?” Her voice sounded faint to her own ears.

“No, she’s alive and will be on her feet in no time,” Carter said. He turned the woman’s head to the side and peered down at the back of it. “Your shot only clipped the side of her chest, my lady. Looks like she knocked herself unconscious when she fell to the floor—most likely on the nightstand, I’d imagine. In any case, she has a nasty gash right here on her head, so she’ll probably wake up to a horrible headache.”

“What should we do with her?” Thomas asked, looking at Katherine.

Katherine looked at each of her servants in turn and realized that they were all waiting for her to advise them on how to proceed. Her heart was still beating ridiculously fast, and she was still clutching Sophia in her arms, most likely taking as much comfort in the embrace as her daughter was. “Well, I . . . I suppose we ought to alert the authorities.” Thomas yawned, as did Carter. “However, since it is the middle of the night and she hasn’t been mortally wounded, perhaps we ought to wait with that until morning. What do you think, Carter? Does that sound reasonable?”

“A splendid idea, my lady,” Carter said.

“Well, in that case I think we should probably put her in a locked room for now so she can’t get into any more trouble.”

“And which room would you suggest?” Carter asked.

Katherine looked at him. “I don’t know . . . somewhere she cannot escape from, I suppose, and without any items that she might be able to use to her advantage.”

“We could always tie her up,” Thomas said.

“Good heavens,” Mrs. Burke said. “We’re not that barbaric, surely.”

“Indeed we’re not,” Katherine said, “yet we mustn’t forget that she came armed into our home in the dead of night and didn’t hesitate to fire her pistol at me. We would be fools to trust her, so as much as I dislike the thought of restraining anyone, I believe that Thomas has the right of it. We will bind her wrists and ankles and place her in the cellar . . . perhaps in the butler’s pantry, if you will allow it, Carter?”

Carter nodded. “I was thinking of it myself, my lady. The room can be secured, and with the china locked away in the plate closet, there isn’t much of anything for her to use as a possible weapon—especially not if she’s been tied up.”

“It’s settled, then,” Katherine said. Going back into her daughter’s room, she walked across to the crib and carefully returned Sophia to the comfort of her mattress. “I trust there must be some rope in the stables that you can use?”

“I’ll fetch some right away,” Thomas said, heading for the door.

“In the meantime,” Carter said, rising from his position next to the unconscious woman and walking across to where one of the pistols was lying, “I suggest we reload this thing in case we need it.”

“Must we really?” Mrs. Burke asked, looking not the least bit comforted about the prospect of being in the vicinity of a loaded pistol.

“As her ladyship has pointed out to us, this woman, whoever she may be, poses a threat. I intend to get some answers out of her, and I do believe she’ll be more cooperative if I happen to be pointing this at her.” Carter swiped the pistol off the floor and glanced at it briefly before looking at Katherine. “I’ll need powder and shot, if you please.”

Half an hour later, the intruder had been tied and gagged and carried down to the butler’s pantry, where Carter and Thomas had placed her on a small cot that they’d brought in from the storage room. “Thomas has agreed to guard her for the next two hours, at which point I will relieve him until you rise, my lady,” Carter reported to Katherine before adding, “may I suggest a glass of brandy to calm your nerves and help you rest?”

Katherine nodded. “Yes, thank you, Carter. I believe that would be most helpful.”

“Will that be all, my lady?” Mrs. Burke asked once Carter had provided Katherine with the promised drink.

“Yes, thank you for being so helpful. I’ll see you both in the morning.”

“Well, just ring if you need anything, my lady,” Mrs. Burke added as she and Carter exited the room, leaving Katherine alone with Sophia. Katherine doubted she’d get any more rest that night, for she was still quite shaken by the events that had taken place. Yet the brandy must have done the trick, for it wasn’t long after she’d climbed back into bed that she drifted off to sleep.

“L
ord Roxberry to see you, my lady,” Carter announced the following morning just as Katherine was finishing her breakfast. She’d been planning to go and check on her prisoner, intent on hearing her story before they called the constable, but that would clearly have to wait.

“You may show him into the parlor,” she replied. “I’ll be with him shortly.”

Katherine stifled a groan as she took a sip of her tea. When Lucien had suggested he call on her again today, she’d looked forward to it, but so much had happened since then that she’d actually managed to forget he was coming. Her body heated and tingled. She’d been distraught after their recent outings, unable to understand why her stomach fluttered or her heart pounded in response to his slightest touch. Her troubled thoughts on the matter had not lessened as she’d lain in bed the previous evenings, wondering what it might be like if he felt the same way . . . what his lips might feel like pressed against her own.

She chastised herself for contemplating such a possibility even as her body began to ache with need. Dear God, she hadn’t felt such longing in years, and to feel it now for Lucien was making her most uncomfortable, particularly since, too fearful of what she risked losing, she would never be able to act on it. Besides, he’d probably never see her as anything more than the girl he’d given piggyback rides to when she’d been little. She clenched her jaw. How on earth had this happened? Perhaps his grandmother was right and she
should
take a lover.