The Duke and the Dressmaker (The St. James Series) (8 page)

Sara’s head dr
ifted slowly to the table as she fell into a deep sleep, dreaming about a dark duke.

Chapter Twelve

Philip made a trip to town later that afternoon. He slammed his way into Ardleigh’s private investigator’s place of business.

“What have you found out, Ridley?” Philip barged straight into his office.

“Hell’s bells, Brentwood. Thanks for knocking.” Ridley sat up straight in his chair and stared at the duke.

“I need information. And for the money I am paying you, you
’d better have some for me. Who is bothering Lady Downey?” He stood over the investigator’s desk, leaning toward him.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to figure that out yet.” Ridley
rested his arms on the desk. “But I will tell you what I do know.”

“Go ahead
,” Philip said, exasperated.

“
Lord Downey left to escape the loan sharks, true enough. He was in way over his head but couldn’t stop. He was threatened, and decided to skip town instead. Some think he went as far as France, but he was followed, and word on the street is that he lost his life when he fell off his horse, breaking his neck. The man is dead, with many debts left to pay.”

“Good enough, so tell me who he owes and I will pay him off.”
Philip was satisfied. This would be easy to fix.

“Not so simple. There are several loan sharks in London, and no one wants to talk as to who
m he owes. And some say he paid much of his debt down with the jewels he got from your wife. Apparently, there was a red necklace in particular that was worth a fortune. Many are wondering why they were still after Downey. Your wife gave him a fortune in jewelry.” Ridley looked at him with a small smile on his face. “Interested in retrieving any of it? I hope they weren’t heirlooms. They are mostly sitting in pawnshops from here to the coast. You were a generous man to your wife.”

“I don’t care about the jewels. I want nothing that reminds me of my ex-wife. Find out who is bothering
Lady Downey. And put a man outside her shop to keep an eye on who enters. I don’t care what it costs, just do it.” Philip spun on his heel and slammed the door.

Wonderful!
Caroline gave my gifts away!
He remembered the day he had given her that ruby necklace. It was her birthday present and she had thanked him quite well for it. His wife had a tongue that could do some tricks. But obviously the necklace meant nothing to her. She gave it away to a swindler. Philip tried to calm the anger in his body. What the hell did she see in Lord Downey anyway? Philip gave her gifts; Downey took them and gambled them away. What in hell did Downey do for her that he hadn’t? Philip had loved her. Downey was only capable of loving himself, from what Philip could see. The man had been sick in the head. Well, no more. What was Caroline doing now? Was she headed back to beg his forgiveness? He hoped not. He would never forgive her.

Or would he?

***

After the pulsating of his blood through his veins slowed
, Philip found himself standing in front of the jewelers. He walked in the front door and over to the counter. Two ruby red necklaces stared him in the face, but so did the exquisite emerald necklace to the left of the rubies. Soft green eyes came to his mind. He envisioned Sara standing in his bedroom with only her sable curls and the emerald necklace adorning her body.

He purchased
three necklaces and left.

***

Philip strode up the steps and knocked on the door. It opened quietly and he entered. Then the screaming started.

“How dare you treat me
so!” Miranda Montrose railed at the Duke of Brentwood, hands on her hips, emotions in a fury. “You told me you would be here last night. And you forgot? How dare you ignore me! When I said you could come to me, I expected you to be here. I will not be treated like other women. I will be treated with respect. Do you hear me, Brentwood? When I want you, you are to be here!” Miranda paced as she yelled.

Her thin night robe fell open allowing Philip a clear look at her peaked nipples. Her breasts bounced with her fury. He watched her in her tirade. She was beautiful
, but she was also controlling, manipulative, nasty, and vindictive. What did he see in her, anyway? He knew how to calm her down, but he was enjoying her spectacular performance.

She acted as if she believed he cared about her feelings. Well, he really didn’t. He only wanted one thing from her
. She was very good at taking his mind off things. He waited patiently for the storm to subside.

“Aren’t you going to say anything? No apology?
Nothing?” She glared at him with her hands still on her hips, making no attempt to cover her nudity. She knew how to flaunt her best assets.

Philip reached into his pocket and pulled out the package. He tossed it to her. Without a doubt, she would catch it. She knew what his gifts usually were.

Miranda reached out to grab the package. She quickly tore the wrapping off, just as a five-year-old would do at her birthday party. Her mouth formed a perfect circle.

“Oh, Philip!
It is beautiful. You know how I love rubies.”

She put the necklace on quickly and fell to her
knees in front of him, grabbing at his clothes for him. “Oh, Philip, I know how to make you hard. I will make you want me. Let me show you how much I forgive you.” Her tongue darted out to taste him.

Philip glanced at the top of her head and wondered how he had ever tolerated her. She was every bit as shallow as his ex-wife.
Were all women so predictable? He raked his hands down his face. A little trinket changed everything. Now she would do whatever he wanted. He would finally get release.

Except it wasn
’t happening for him right now, and Miranda was furious. She stood up and slapped him.

“You bastard!
Who is she? How dare you.” Her arms rotated like windmills, her nails trying to rake every part of him within reach.

“Miranda, stop.”
Philip grabbed both of her wrists to put an end to her flailing.

“No, I won’t!
You son of a bitch. Nobody leaves me. I leave them. Get out! Get out and never come back. But you will be back. Two days from now you will be groveling at my doorstep. Every man does. They all want me. I am the most desired woman in London. You will want me, Brentwood, and I won’t give you the time of day.”

Philip let go of her hands. “It’s over, Miranda.”

Miranda slapped him again hard across the cheek.

Philip opened the door and left.

Chapter Thirteen

Sara peeked out the window and saw Phoebe’s carriage pull in front of her store. She set her sign to “Closed” and locked her door.

The door
of the carriage opened and Phoebe reached her hand out. “Get in here, Sara. We have important work to do… shop!”

She
giggled as Phoebe tugged her in beside her on the beautiful velvet cushion.

“Phoebe, I
have been anticipating this outing all week.” Her smile warmed her entire face.

“Sara
, I have forgotten how stunning you are.” She shook her head with her pronouncement. “You, my dear, need a man.”

Sara blushed. “Don’t be ridiculous. Duncan told me every day of our marriage how homely I am. Please stop flattering me.”

Phoebe’s voice softened. “Ah, you are modest and innocent still, I think. You need to be home with babies and a strong, loving man.”

“Enough about me.
I want to hear about your family. Were you not expecting a short while ago?” Sara’s curious eyes were full of life as she talked with her friend. If only this friendship could last. She needed someone to trust, someone to talk to.

“Oh, yes!
Ardleigh and I have a precious little girl, Abigail. Why, she lights up my day. You should see Edward with her. I swear she will have him wrapped right around her little finger someday. He just cannot stay away from her, he adores her so.” Phoebe’s face radiated excitement as she spoke.

“Goodness
. Who is she with while you shop?” Sara asked.

“Oh,
Ardleigh is home along with her nanny. He has been pushing me to go out more lately. I don’t want to leave her, but I think he is right. I think we will have a wonderful day. I am so glad you came today, Sara.” Phoebe reached over and gave her a quick hug.

They discussed all the current fashions and accessories. Time passed quickly
, and they soon found themselves in front of the shop Phoebe had told her about.

When they stepped inside, Sara’s childhood memories rushed through her
—memories of her mother, her sewing, how her mother beamed in fabric shops and cherished beadwork. She released a slow sigh, turning in a circle, staring at the compartments of beads covering every wall, wishing her mother could be with her now. There were two rooms for them to go through. They selected beads for Phoebe’s ball gown. Then Sara found beads the perfect shade for Mary’s gown. By the time she was done, she had chosen several varieties to use in her shop.

“We did not find what we came for, though. I am sorry, Sara. I really believed there was a large enough selection to find every kind of bead. I thought something would match your mother’s
reticule.”

Sara turned to her friend and
placed her hand affectionately on her arm. “I found many gorgeous varieties. It is all right that I didn’t find the exact kind as my mother’s. When I need to, I will find them. I am happy I found the ones that I need right now. I have been very busy and I want everything to be perfect. Finishing a large order from the Dowager Duchess of Brentwood is a priority right now, and I want to make sure she is happy with my designs. These will help to make my creations even more special. Thank you, Phoebe.”

They waited while their purchases were wrapped,
and then they climbed back into the carriage.

“Now I must insist that you come to my house to see my lovely daughter. We can have tea and sandwiches while you are there.”

Sara turned her head so Phoebe would not see the mist in her eyes. “I would love to.”

***

Philip sat in Ardleigh’s library at his estate.

The Earl of
Ardleigh shook his head and said to his friend, “Tell me again what you know so far, Brentwood.”

“Lady Downey is being blackmailed for the gambling debt
s her husband owed. They killed him first, presumably to put an end to his gambling and lying, but now they expect her to pay.”

“
Lord Downey is really dead? Is there proof?”

“No, but I have someone checking into it.”
Philip couldn’t stop himself from pacing the room.

“I knew he was a gambler, but I didn’t realize it was that serious. He must owe a bundle to have lost his life over it. And if it is true, where do you suppose Caroline is now?” Ardleigh steepled his fingers. “How were you able to get that divorce from Caroline? Must have cost you a great deal of money, since I have only heard of one other divorce granted this year.” Ardleigh waited for an answer but didn’t get one. “I suspect it was a wise move as you may see her again soon. Do you think she will come back to you?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care. Tell me what you know about Downey.”

“You aren’t going to like what I tell you. I can see you have some special interest in Lady Downey, and I know how protective you are.” Ardleigh raise his eyebrows at Brentwood to gauge his reaction.

“Never mind about my interests
; just tell me about their marriage.” Philip continued to pace around the room as they talked.

Ardleigh
leaned back in his chair and stared out the window. “Well, I am not sure how they met, but Duncan was as happy as any man when he married her, though I suspect it was more over her dowry than over his feelings for her. She is not from London. It was an arranged marriage. Her father’s health was not good, and he wanted to make sure she was taken care of before he died. He just wasn’t thorough enough checking into the baron’s life.”

Philip stopped to ask,
“Where is her father now?”

“Dead
. I think he died shortly after their wedding. Phoebe met Sara at a dress shop in town. They became fast friends. But Phoebe didn’t like the things she heard from Sara about her husband. She always wanted me to intervene, but I was uncomfortable with it. But then after her father died, I don’t think she had any other family to support her.”

Brentwood
flexed his fists as he paced. He stopped occasionally to focus on his friend. “Why did Phoebe want you to intervene? What did the bastard do to her?”

Ardleigh
frowned and sat up in his chair. “He beat her once. Phoebe was upset because she hadn’t seen Sara at any of the recent
ton
events. She called on her and was shocked to see her condition. Her face was black and blue. Phoebe actually thought she saw fingerprints on Sara’s neck. I did threaten the bastard over that one. Phoebe was beside herself. I think he got my message. As far as I know, he never beat her again.”

“Anything else?”

“My only other recollection is that he always belittled Sara. I don’t know how anyone could look at Sara and call her homely, but he did. I remember one particular night at the opera he ridiculed her dress. He wanted to know why she didn’t know enough to dress like the other women. I think he called her a cow. He was trying to whisper in her ear, but I caught bits and pieces. I asked Phoebe about it later. How could anyone look at Sara and call her a cow? The woman is exquisite. I guess he was one of those sick bastards that prefer to control their women through intimidation. They did not go out much after they married. He probably did not want to spend the money.” Ardleigh scratched his head in puzzlement.

Philip finally sat in a chair
and leaned forward on his elbows. “Rotten bastard. I wish he were alive so I could kill him again.”

Ardleigh
spoke quietly to his friend. “What I can’t figure out is why Caroline would go with him. No offense, Brentwood, but your wife was not the type to be easily intimidated.”

***

On their trip home, Sara had finally confided a bit of her troubles to Phoebe but was afraid to tell her the whole truth about Stinky. Phoebe promised to speak to Ardleigh about him. Relieved, Sara believed there could be hope for her nightmare to end.

They
walked up the steps to Phoebe’s estate, overloaded with packages, laughing over a story Phoebe had just finished.

“Come, Sara, I can
not wait to show you my Abigail.” The butler helped them move their parcels into the day room. They shed their coats to her maid, and Sara dropped onto the settee, a joyous feeling permeating her body, something absent for a long time.

Phoebe stood at the door.
“Pardon me just a moment. I will run up to the nursery.”

She
returned shortly with her beautiful, plump daughter in her arms.

“Sara, I want you to meet our daughter, Abigail.” Phoebe’s face
beamed with pride as she turned her baby to Sara.

Sara froze. She had never seen a baby up close, only from a distance. What a beautiful child Abigail was. She reached over and ran her finger down Abigail’s arm. Her skin was soft and flawless
, and she smelled like sunshine. Sara smiled at the cherubic face, surprised to see her smile returned. Abigail kicked her legs and bounced her arms up and down at the same time.

“Oh my!”
Sara exclaimed as she started. “Why, she is so expressive, Phoebe. What a happy child.”

“Have you ever held a baby before?” she asked. “Would you like to hold her?”

“I have never held a baby. You will have to show me how.” Sara blushed.

Phoebe motioned her to the wingback chair in the corner.
“Sit right here, and I will set her on your lap. Can you manage with your finger?”

Sara
hurried over and sat gingerly. “I am sure I can manage. You won’t leave me, Phoebe. I wouldn’t know what to do if she cried.” She held her arms out to her friend.

Phoebe carefully placed Abigail in Sara’s arms. “Why, there is nothing to it, Sara. You will be a natural. You are kind-hearted, calm
, and loving. I trust you completely. If a child knows they are in loving arms, they will be fine. You just have to support her neck when you move her.”

Sara settled
the baby into her arms and stared at her, spellbound by the tiny creature.

“Sara, I forgot something.
I need to greet my husband. I’ll be right back. You will be fine with her.” Phoebe left quickly before Sara realized what she’d said.

Alone in the room, Sara smiled at Abigail.
“Oh, my word. You are a precious thing.” She gently kissed her cheek, taking in the child’s scent. Abigail smiled up at her.

“Oh, Abigail.
I thought I would never make a good mother. I didn’t think I would ever want a child. But perhaps I was wrong. What a wonderful gift you are to your parents. Of course, I would need to be married. I certainly couldn’t bring something like you into this world without a wonderful father. And the last man I married would never have made a good father. I guess it wasn’t meant to be for me. Hopefully, your mother will allow me the pleasure of watching you grow.” She sighed when the little girl grabbed her finger into a tight fist.

Sara
heard a noise and turned to see Philip St. James standing in the doorway observing her.

***

Philip had watched as Phoebe and Sara disembarked from the carriage.

“Ah, good,”
Ardleigh said. “I see Phoebe had a good time with Sara today. I can tell by the number of packages she has in her hands.”

A few minutes later, Phoebe
strode into the library and gave her husband a kiss.

“
Ardleigh, we had such a wonderful time. Hello, Your Grace. It is so nice to see you.” She offered her hand to Philip and curtsied.

Philip smiled at Phoebe. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw his friend with his wife. They truly were in love. Would he ever know that feeling?

“You look lovely today, Lady Ardleigh. Excuse me for a moment, won’t you?”

Philip
stepped out of the room. He felt like he was intruding and wanted to give them a moment alone. Meandering down the hallway, he heard a soft voice and followed it. Stopping outside a doorway, he peeked in to find Sara with the Ardleigh baby in her lap. He listened to her prattle on to the child then realized she spoke very seriously about her chances of ever becoming a mother.

The image forced
a strange tug on his heart and would be etched in his mind for awhile. He viewed Lady Downey in a rare position, relaxed and calm. For the first time, he saw a genuine smile on her face. How lovely she was. How was he going to be able to ensure that Sara’s troubles were over? He wanted to do that. He needed to protect this woman, to stop the pain and tragedy in her life right now. She did not deserve it. He vowed to somehow find a way.