To Marry a Marquess (29 page)

"I have used this before, as you well know. And no screaming, if you please. You would not wish old Winston hurt now, would you?" A chuckle erupted from his thin lips as he slipped the knife back into his inside pocket.

Victoria squeezed her eyes shut as burning tears silently spilled down her cheeks. "Please, don't hurt him."

"Hurt him? This is only a warning, Victoria. I will come for you when you least expect it, and you'd best be ready. And if you dare say one word of this to anybody, and that includes Bow Street, you will find your little cousin dead. Oh, and maybe that old butler, too." With those last words Wendover spun around, downed the last of his drink and departed from the room.

Victoria felt the trembling build inside her. Pressing a hand over her mouth, she slid down against the wall and stifled a sob.

Chapter Nineteen

D
rake picked Victoria off the floor and carried her to the sofa, muttering a curse. He glanced over his shoulder at a shocked-faced Winston. "How long has she been like this?"

"Two minutes at most, my lord. I only wish I were twenty years younger."

"Drake?" The duke stood at the drawing room doors with Phoebe by his side. "What the devil happened?"

Phoebe gasped, seeing her niece lying on the sofa. "Goodness, what happened to Victoria?"

Drake barely looked up. "Wendover was here, is what happened."

Bewildered, Sarah followed behind her aunt. But it was William who slipped between his mother and the duke, pushing his way toward Victoria and putting a hand to her head.

The boy frowned at her disheveled appearance. "It was the villain! He did it! I know it!"

William wiped his hand gently across Victoria's forehead and gave her a loving kiss on the cheek. "I would have left Whitie in charge of the ship if I had only known, me princess."

Victoria's lips turned into a shaky smile.

"Victoria, is it true?" Phoebe asked with a frown. "Did Lord Wendover threaten you?"

Drake's lips thinned. "The man was here. Make no doubt about that."

Phoebe's face paled. "I should never have left her alone."

Drake cast a knowing glance toward his father, as if he would to speak to him later. The duke acknowledged his son with a nod.

"I felt lightheaded," Victoria said, closing her eyes. "Nothing happened."

"Nothing happened?" Drake snapped. "You will not go anywhere near that man again! Do I make myself clear?"

"I heard you, my lord," she said. "It is very hard not to hear you these days."

Phoebe, Sarah, Winston, Mrs. Dorling, and William seemed to be observing the couple with great interest while Victoria felt an embarrassing flush blanket her face.

In the meantime, the duke handed her a brandy. "I must agree with my son, Victoria, you must not put yourself in that man's path ever again."

"If I can help it, I will keep myself far away from the man."

"If you can help it?" Drake asked sarcastically. "The man is without morals. You will never go near him again. Do I make myself perfectly clear, madam?"

She lifted her chin as she stared back at him. "Oh, yes, you have made yourself perfectly clear, my lord."

"Confound it," he muttered as he departed from the room. "Confound it all!"

The following day when Drake returned to Phoebe's townhouse, William met him in the hall with a swing of his sword. "You take a swing at his belly, me pirate! That will take care of the villain!"

Drake grimaced, his mind trying to concentrate on finding the man in question. He had searched the clubs and gaming hells for Wendover, but the man had eluded him. He guessed the earl was hiding in a remote part of the city, or being bold as brass and biding his time in some elegant hotel in Town under an assumed name. The chances of finding the man were slim.

Drake dodged William's jousts as Winston escorted him into the drawing room. Scampering feet followed him.

Victoria had taken a morning ride with Phoebe and Sarah to visit an old governess. Winston insisted that they would be home within the hour. Furious that Victoria had left the premises with Wendover still at large, Drake decided to wait until the entourage returned.

"Then you head for the neck!" William whirled past the fireplace. "Like this! See!" The boy dropped his sword to his side and scowled. "Are you listening to me? If you want to fight off the villain, you will have to learn some of my secrets."

Drake had come to the realization that Wendover had said something to scare Victoria. A threat of some kind. He was sure of it. He would stay with her twenty-four hours a day if he had to.

"Did you hear me?" William tugged on his arm, pressing his nose into Drake's face.

"I have other things on my mind today, William." Drake glanced at the boy and smiled when he saw a trace of red gel on a pair of dimpled cheeks. "But I daresay, me pirate, is that some type of fruit I detect on your lips?"

William squirmed out of his arms. "Well, um, yes. But I did not steal Cook's raspberry preserves. I only borrowed them."

"I see."

"Now, as I was saying," William replied, taking a seat beside Drake on the sofa. "We have to protect the princesses and all the treasures in this house."

Drake thought to humor the boy. He was not about to leave the house anyway. "Hmmm, I know all about the princesses, but what about the treasures?"

William snorted in disgust. "The treasures? What kind of pirate are ye if ye don't know about the treasures?"

"I don't have to look for treasures, William. I have enough of my own."

"Margueretta told me about your clocks. But all pirates seek treasures. And the treasure in this house is most
val
... lable."

Drake leaned forward, his interest piqued. "You have a valuable treasure for me to see?"

William planted his hands on his hips. "Of course."

"And where do you keep this treasure?"

"I don't have it with me," William said, chewing on his bottom lip. "I'm guarding it for Vicki. The treasure is in her bedchamber."

Drake's eyes lit up with interest. "Her bedchamber?"

"Top drawer."

"What is it?"

The boy's face spread into a mischievous smile. "Now, you are speaking like a pirate. The treasure is a ring with a big red jewel that shines when I put it by the candlelight."

Drake shoulders tensed.  A sinking feeling started growing in the pit of his stomach. "A ring?"

"Yes, me pirate, a ring." William puffed out his chest, quite pleased with himself for the knowledge he had just bestowed upon his fellow conspirator. "But the villain might want that ring. So I must guard it with my sword and Cap'n Whitie."

Drake rose from his seat. What was Victoria doing with a red ring? He hoped against all odds that it was not Nightham's. Had she been lying to him all this time? Had she stolen Nightham's ring? Had she been involved in his death? No, he told himself, she was not like Honoria. She was not.

"Does she have the ring up there now?" he asked with deadly calm.

William visibly gulped. "Well, the princess does not allow me to hold it. 'Tis a pirate's job to be sneaky."

"Sneaky, indeed. The top drawer you say?"

William grinned, grabbing his sword. "Shall I fetch it?"

"Why don't you do that?" Drake replied flatly. "Be a good pirate and gather that treasure. But be careful not to be seen."

"Aye matie." And William was off and running.

After visiting Mrs. Weber, Phoebe's old governess, the women decided to stop at the milliner's, but Victoria feigned a headache and asked to be dropped off at home.

Gray clouds hung overhead as she stepped out of the carriage and gazed down the street. A brisk breeze whipped the dark brown hat off Mrs. Mellows, the housekeeper next door. The stout lady hastened after it, looking like a toddler running after her runaway puppy.

Victoria drew in a heavy sigh as she stepped into the townhouse. The past few months had been like that hat, flying out of control wherever the wind decided to blow. Her planned marriage to Nightham had been a mistake, and now, she had no idea what she was going to do. She had penned a letter to Washington and Sons, hoping they could settle the matter one way or another.

She climbed the stairs to her bedchambers, knowing that it was time to tell Drake everything. Whether the marquess loved her or not, Wendover was a threat she could no longer ignore. She had no options left. Bow Street would have to be informed.

"Victoria."

The sound of Drake's voice sent her heart thumping. She turned toward the drawing room. "Drake?"

Two icy gray eyes pinned her to the floor. Was he worried about her?

"I was out with my aunt and Sarah. There's no reason you should have been worried. But as long as you're here, I would like a word with you." She would confess everything. She had to trust somebody.

"A word with me? By all means."

She stepped into the drawing room and he closed the doors. "I was thinking about the past few months and—"

"Take a seat." His stern words sent her grappling for the nearby wing chair.

"I know you are upset."

"Upset?" His eyebrows raised in challenge. "That, my dear lady, is too mild a word. Enraged is more like it."

The cold contempt that flashed in his eyes surprised her. "Are you finally going to tell me the truth?"

"W-what do you mean? If you are speaking of Wendover, I was going to tell you, but—"

He threw his hands to his hips, forcing his jacket aside. "Do not think me an imbecile. I am not speaking of Wendover."

Victoria watched in alarm as his long legs pounded across the room. A cold knot formed in her stomach, and a little voice told her she ought not to be alone with this man, not now. He truly looked like an enraged pirate.

When his back was turned, she rose to leave. "Perhaps I should speak to you another time."

He spun around. "Stay exactly where you are. I don't believe you want anyone to hear what I have to say."

A sliver of uneasiness snaked down her spine as she sank back into her seat. Had he discovered that she had been married to Nightham after all? But she had planned to tell him. She had.

He thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out a ring. "Have you ever seen this before?"

Her cheeks bloomed with color, and she rose, barely able to control her gasp of shock. "Where did you get that?"

"Where? I think you know the answer to that." He looked at her accusingly, the bitterness in his voice puncturing her heart.

"You took that from my bedchambers! Have you no decency? To ruffle through my things! I have never felt so violated in my life. How could I have ever thought of trusting you!"

"Trusting me? I believe you have things backward. Your little cousin did some detective work on the treasures of this house. So do not blame me because William brought this little gem to my attention."