The Price of Pleasure (31 page)

“Rumor has it that Hunthurst recently returned from the Continent,” Dubois probed.

“If he was in France, our paths never crossed there.”

The questions about Reed ended abruptly as the conversation turned in another direction. The next hour passed pleasantly enough, even though Fleur’s distrust of the pair grew with each passing minute. Yet why would either of these men want Reed dead? No matter how hard she tried, she could connect neither of them to Reed.

Apparently the drive through the park had come to an end as Dubois signaled the driver, and the carriage headed out of the park. It was a short ride to the mansion.

“You didn’t answer my earlier question. May I escort you to the Bonham soirée tomorrow evening?” Barbeau asked as he handed her down.

“Very well, I accept your escort. You may come for me at the townhouse.”

Barbeau beamed. “Excellent. I shall come by at nine tomorrow evening.” He took her elbow. “I’ll walk you to the door, Countess.”

Fleur allowed him to escort her to the front door, which was promptly opened by a glowering Hughes. Fleur bid Barbeau goodbye and walked into the foyer. The butler promptly closed the door behind her.

“You’re scowling, Hughes. Are you angry about something?”

“You’ve been gone nearly two hours. Madame Lisette was worried about you.”

“I was in no danger,” Fleur assured him, stripping off her gloves. “I’ll find Lisette and let her know I am home. Please have the carriage brought around. I think Lisette and I will move to the townhouse immediately instead of waiting for tomorrow.”

Fleur found Lisette in her bedchamber, packing the last of her belongings.

“Did you learn anything,
ma petite?
I don’t like this game you’re playing. Why did you have to accept another assignment when we could be living comfortably in your aunt’s home in the country?”

“I was in no danger, Lisette. I learned a little more about Barbeau and Dubois today but nothing to connect them to Reed.” She sighed. “I’m inclined to agree with Reed about the traitor coming from within the organization.”

“Do you believe an English agent is involved?”

“At this point, I’m not sure of anything beyond the fact that someone wants Reed dead. If you are ready, I’d like to move to the townhouse today instead of tomorrow.”

“That suits me,” Lisette agreed. “I do not like the atmosphere here.”

After a somewhat heated discussion with Porter, Reed was no closer to naming his betrayer. Nevertheless, Porter was concerned about Reed’s safety and suggested that he remain out of sight until the traitor was caught. Reed promptly refused.

He left Porter’s office with little resolved. After, Reed visited his bank, his tailor and performed other errands, ending up at his club to partake of a lonely dinner. When anyone asked about the bandage, he said he had fallen down the stairs. No one dared question his excuse except his friend Viscount Tolland.

“Come now, Hunthurst, never say you expect me to believe you fell down the stairs,” Tolland scoffed when Reed invited him for an after-dinner brandy. “What really happened? I heard that someone is taking pot shots at you. The betting books are filled with possible suspects. I even placed a bet myself.”

Reed cocked an eyebrow. “Who, pray tell, did you bet on?”

Tolland laughed. “Why, Lady Violet, of course. You know how testy a woman can get when the marriage proposal she expects never materializes.”

Reed threw back his head and laughed. “Are all the bets as ridiculous as yours? Really, Tolland, Violet isn’t a violent woman, despite the alliteration.”

Tolland shrugged. “Have you a better suspect?”

“I do not. I don’t know how this kind of gossip gets started. It’s all supposition. I’m not in danger.” Though his reply wasn’t exactly true, he hadn’t connected anyone he knew to the unprovoked attacks upon his life.

Tolland stared pointedly at the bandage covering Reed’s temple.

Reed gestured at it. “I told you, I fell down the stairs. Clumsy of me, I know, but it’s the truth.”

“So you say,” Tolland drawled. “I’m your friend, Hunthurst. I’m at your service if you need my assistance.”

“I appreciate that, Tolland.”

“I thought I’d hit the tables at Crocket’s tonight, and perhaps check out the women when the play becomes boring or the cards turn against me. Would you care to join me? You’ve been keeping to yourself too much of late. You need to get out and about more. You’ve changed since you returned from wherever it was you were.”

Reed intended to refuse, until he recalled that Fleur would not welcome him to her bed when he returned home. She had made her feelings perfectly clear. She wanted to get on with her life, and she did not want him to be part of it.

“Why not?” Reed said. “Tell you what, Tolland. I’ll return home to change my clothes and meet you at Crocket’s around nine o’clock. Is that agreeable to you?”

“Perfect,” Tolland replied. “I shall see you . . . ”

Tolland’s sentence fell off, his gaze settling on something beyond Reed. “I say, do you know that gentleman? He seems to be heading quite determinedly in your direction.”

Reed glanced over his shoulder. “That gentleman is Count Dubois, an émigré.”

“That’s my signal to be off. Until tonight, Hunthurst.”

Reed watched Tolland disappear out the door, already regretting the night of debauchery they had planned.

“Lord Hunthurst, how excellent to see you again. May I join you?”

Reed motioned negligently toward the chair Tolland had just vacated. “Be my guest.”

Dubois sat down with a flourish, summoned a waiter and ordered brandy.

“What’s on your mind, Dubois?”

“Nothing of importance, my lord. I saw a friendly face and thought I’d ask if I might join you.” He stared intently at Reed. “I saw Countess Fontaine earlier today. The woman is a delight. Have you known her long?”

Reed’s hands gripped the edge of the table as jealousy rampaged through him. If the bastard touched Fleur, he’d kill him. “No, not long. She’s a friend of my sister-in-law. I met her when I moved into the family mansion.”

Dubois took a sip of brandy. “I understand she is leasing your townhouse.”

“It was empty, so finding a trustworthy renter was most fortunate. Why is this of interest to you?” Reed drawled.

Dubois shrugged. “Just making small talk,
mon ami.
The countess has agreed to accompany my friend Barbeau to the Bonham soirée tomorrow night.”

“Indeed,” Reed said, barely able to speak through his clenched teeth. “Is that all you wished to tell me?”

“I hoped you could enlighten me concerning the countess. There is a mystery about her that intrigues me. Barbeau claims to have known her deceased husband but knows little about the lady herself. I wish to court her.”

“I know even less about the countess than you do,” Reed bit out. “It’s none of my affair whether or not you court her.” He pushed his chair back and rose. “If you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment to keep.”

Dubois rose too. “Certainly. I bid you
adieu,
my lord.”

Reed strode away, barely able to contain his anger. If Fleur wished to accept another man’s addresses, it shouldn’t concern him. Except that it did. Fleur could be flirting with danger. Dubois could be a French agent with an agenda. Did she know she was putting herself at risk? He suspected she did, and that made him even angrier.

Dubois was not a stupid man. His questions about Fleur worried Reed. What was she up to? Was she delving too deeply into the Frenchmen’s activities?

When Reed arrived home, Hughes handed him a note from Grandmamma. It was an invitation to attend a family dinner the following night. As he passed the parlor, Helen poked her head out.

“There you are, Reed. Did you receive Grandmamma’s invitation?”

“Hughes handed it to me the moment I entered the house. How did you know it was from Grandmamma?”

“Violet and I were also invited. You’ll escort us, of course.”

Reed had reached the limit of his patience. “I’m afraid not, Helen. I have a previous engagement. I’ll write my regrets to Grandmamma immediately and send it off with a footman. Do enjoy yourselves.”

“You have to go!” Helen scolded. “Violet is counting on you.”

“I’m sorry, Helen, but I don’t exist solely to be at your beck and call.”

“Did you know Fleur moved to the townhouse this afternoon?” Violet said.

Reed went still. He felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. “I thought she was moving tomorrow.”

“She changed her mind.”

He spun on his heel. “Have a nice evening, ladies.”

“If you refuse to accompany us, I shall summon Gal-lard,” Helen called after him. “He is family, after all.”

“Give him my regards,” Reed drawled.

Reed hated to disappoint Grandmamma, but he didn’t enjoy being forced to squire Violet about. He was aware of her expectations where he was concerned and had no intention of being leg-shackled to her.

Reed left the house, arriving at Crocket’s shortly after nine that evening. Tolland saw him enter and waved to him. Reed headed in his direction. The room was crowded and reeked of cigar smoke, unwashed flesh and strong perfume. The combination of smells made Reed gag. Why hadn’t it ever bothered him before? Even worse, Reed felt as if the walls were closing in on him. Suddenly he couldn’t breathe. Panic seized him, forcing him into that dark hell where pain and death reigned. Sweat popped out on his forehead, and he began gasping for air as his demons threatened to emerge.

“I say, are you all right, Hunthurst?” Tolland asked. “You don’t look quite the thing.”

Reed closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe. But when he opened them, nothing had changed. He was in hell.

“Forgive me, Tolland,” Reed choked out, “but I must leave. I find I am unwell.”

“Shall I accompany you home?”

“No, do not let me interfere with your evening. We will do this another time.” So saying, he stumbled from the gambling hell.

Reed leaned against the building, dragging in deep, sustaining breaths. Why now? Why here? His sudden plunges into the dark abyss inside him had been sporadic since his return from France. What had triggered the panic attack this time? The answer came to him in a rush of enlightenment. Fleur had left him. She was no longer available to make his demons disappear.

Everyone was abed when Reed returned home. He retired immediately, pausing in the foyer to tell Hughes he didn’t wish to be disturbed. The darkness was still upon him when he sought his bed.

Then the dreams came. He dreamed of beatings that continued long after he lost consciousness. Of being starved, of begging for water. Dreams of watching his fellow prisoners dying around him and being buried beyond the prison walls in unmarked graves.

Numbing coldness turned his limbs to lead. He fought against the returning horror. Bedclothes twisted around him like invisible manacles, hindering his movements. He refused to scream, bracing himself against the imaginary bite of the lash.

Reed jerked awake, fighting the sheets binding him to the bed. His nightmare had seemed so real, he could actually feel the pain left by another beating. Panting, he rolled out of bed. He hadn’t had a nightmare like this in a long time.

He had to escape from the horror.

Reed leaped out of bed. With shaking hands, he dressed in the dark. He was out the door as the hall clock struck two. He hesitated. Where in bloody hell was he going to go at this time of night? Anywhere, he thought. Anywhere to escape the demons plaguing him.

Reed crept down the stairs and let himself out, closing the door behind him. The cool night air helped clear his head but did nothing to ease his tumultuous thoughts. Though he had no destination in mind, he walked with purpose in the light rain that had begun to fall.

Wet and shivering, Reed walked aimlessly. When he looked up to get his bearings, he was startled to find himself standing outside his townhouse, where Fleur slept snugly in her bed.

Without conscious thought, he reached in his pocket and found the key to the front door. Indecision rode him, but need won out. He climbed the stairs and fitted the key into the lock. The door opened noiselessly beneath his touch.

He closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He had to be insane to seek out a woman he couldn’t have. Insane or not, he pushed himself away from the door and slowly climbed the stairs.

Chapter Fifteen