Wicked Deception (8 page)

“
I think I should’ve been
asked before you went and made plans,” she retorted hotly and
glared at him, tears stinging in the back of her eyes. “He’s just a
little boy, Nicholas. He won’t know me whenever I return. How could
you do this behind my back?”

Nicholas folded his arms across his
chest and looked unmoved by her tearful words. “Because I know
Gabriel won’t bend. He keeps the boy on his own terms, Catherine.
He’s failed to make any sort of agreement between you both for a
reason. We know why. He thinks you’ll come back to him.”

“
That’s
ridiculous!”

Nicholas raised an eyebrow. “Is it? Why
does he insist you come to his residence to spend time with Giles?
He holds the boy to keep you there, Catherine. He will never let
him leave with you. You knew this. Why do we argue over it? We
leave here when Rudd and the others are dealt with. You have six
months to work out some plan with Gabriel. Don’t be surprised if he
refuses to share him with you.”

Catherine was deflated to know her
husband spoke the truth. Gabriel wouldn’t let Giles live with them
half the year as she wanted. “He’ll listen to reason. You’ll
see.”

“
He loves you still. There
is no reason to him.”

“
Gabriel knows I love you,
Nicholas. He will concede it is for the best we leave
London.”

Her husband said nothing as his eyes
traced his wife’s portrait. She knew by his expression he didn’t
believe that. It annoyed her to know he was always right. The
thought of leaving Giles hurt so badly she felt as though her heart
would break to think of not seeing him each day.

“
My guess is you will see
another side to Lord Iverleigh one of these days, Catherine,”
Nicholas informed her quietly. “You don’t know how ruthless he can
be when he wishes to have his way.”

Catherine would think and reflect upon
those words later, wondering if Nicholas was right. Gabriel had
always been a gentleman and courteous to her since the visits with
her son resumed. He never crossed the line as he had that day in
his study. She shivered to think of how those dark eyes could turn
so cold and unfeeling at times. A price would be paid to seek to be
with her son, she knew. It was too high.

Gabriel was working diligently upon his
papers. Higgins arrived and informed him Lord Rudd was calling.
Alarm filled him as he set aside his papers, telling Higgins to
show him to his study and bring some port for the Duke.

“
You’re Grace, what a
surprise!” Gabriel greeted him warmly as Rudd entered, smiling
benignly despite the disgust he felt for the man now. He was
careful not to betray it as he bade the man to sit, noting the
older man’s slightly chilly demeanor towards him. “To what do I owe
this visit? I trust all is well?”

“
I shall get right to the
point, Iverleigh,” the Duke said pointedly, his brown eyes missing
nothing as they met his gaze.”You were left a certain business I
wish to acquire. I’m here to see if you wish to sell the brothel
the Devereaux woman left you. I’ll give you a fair price; make no
mistake of that.”

Gabriel was careful to compose his
features. He knew why the man had such interest in acquiring the
business, knowing he only wanted it to continue his disgusting
activities. If he hadn’t known what he already did, he would have
gladly passed it on to him. Knowing what he would do with it made
him want to toss the man out of his house. He knew Rudd was refused
his favorite playmates when he last left there. According to
Constance, he wasn’t happy about it.

“
Forgive me for asking the
obvious Your Grace,” Gabriel began without a flicker of unease in
his expression. The port arrived and was placed on the table before
them. “Why such an interest? It is a profitable business but there
are hundreds more like it you could buy.”

Rudd looked annoyed. Gabriel garnered a
measure of satisfaction to see it. He poured the man a crystal
glass of port and handed it to him.

“
Clarice was a dear old
friend, of course. It is mostly nostalgia I propose such an offer
to you,” Rudd acknowledged as he sipped the port. “You can’t want
to keep it? Seaton said you hadn’t a clue why she chose to leave it
to you. Constance says she sees your bookkeeper more than you these
days.”

“
Seaton was quite correct. I
have no idea why Clarice left me her business. I can only conclude
that my wife’s mother’s diary was in her possession and she wished
me to find it in the event Lillianne betrayed her,” Gabriel
countered, realizing every answer he gave was critical. “This is
common knowledge, Your Grace. Lady Mary’s diary was stolen by
Thomas Sullivan when he broke into Clarice’s office. It was used at
Lillianne’s trial to convict her. If you can believe it, Seaton
once accused me of holding some items against him and Dartmouth
back then,” Gabriel recalled with an amused chuckle and shook his
head as his eyes met Rudd’s without a trace of deceit in them. “I
assured the man on my word as a gentleman; I held no unpaid debts
for either him or Dartmouth in my possession. I can only guess
those items were also in the possession of Sullivan. I never
learned anymore when Seaton died suddenly. It appears our dear
friend, Clarice, had an axe to grind against my Countess. You know
how women can be, Your Grace,” he finished silkily, longing to
fling the port in the man’s vile face.

“
How was the diary recovered
exactly, Iverleigh?” Lord Rudd asked without the earlier suspicion
he had shown when he arrived, making Gabriel wonder if he was meant
for the stage.

“
I believe you would have to
ask my former mistress’s husband about that, Your Grace,” Gabriel
said darkly and gulped the contents of his glass down in a show of
anger. “He only told me of its existence after we apprehended my
wife. I believe he stole it from Sullivan. Since he and I are
hardly friendly these days; I wouldn’t know. He would have
furthered my petition for a divorce had he told me of it earlier. I
can only conclude he didn’t want me free to be any real rival for
his wife’s affections.”

Rudd pondered his words, his brown eyes
missing very little as he continued to sip his drink thoughtfully.
He set his glass down and returned to his original topic concerning
the sale of his property.

“
I have no true desire to
sell, Your Grace. If I did, I would gladly hand it over to you. I
believe they rob me blind, if you must know,” Gabriel complained,
seeing how Rudd seemed more relaxed. Obviously the sale was a ruse
to know if he had any knowledge of the other things Nicholas stole
from Sullivan’s office. Still, he was on his guard.

“
What of your feelings for
Van Ryker these days?” Rudd asked in interest.”I heard the two of
you had buried the hatchet, so to speak? My servants say his wife
is here every day to see your son and you allow it.”

“
I allow it only to get
under her skirts, if you must know, but keep that to yourself, Your
Grace,” Gabriel confided with a laugh of delight shared by Rudd.
“Let us just say I find bedding his wife some consolation to
breaking his face.”

Rudd chuckled uproariously at that and
Gabriel joined in. “You should be careful, Lord Iverleigh, should
your former friend discover your liaison’s with his wife,” Rudd
commented, watching him with renewed trust in his brown eyes. “I
shouldn’t like anything to happen to you.” Gabriel forced himself
to continue to smile. He had the vaguest notion Rudd was more than
threatening him with such a disclosure to see his
reaction.

“
I’m not worried he will
come after me. Nicholas already has what he wants, Your Grace,”
Gabriel said quietly and sighed. “He has her. He torments me with
it if you must know, knowing how her and I still feel for one
another. I believe if she was now free, she would come back to me.
He holds her against me, if only to satisfy some jealousy he has
always had.”

Rudd took the bait hook and line as his
brown eyes met his. He leaned forward deliberately. “Is it your
desire to have your former mistress back, Iverleigh?”

“
Of course, she was a pretty
piece of fluff, if you recall. Why do you ask?”

“
I believe I can make that
happen, my dear boy, but on one condition,” the Duke offered with a
predatory smile that made Gabriel grit his teeth ever so slightly,
feeling unclean just sitting next to the man.

“
Certainly, I long to have
her back in my bed and the child misses her dreadfully. He cries
for her incessantly. If I had her back now, she could take the boy
off my hands. What is this condition you speak of?”Gabriel asked, a
wry grin on his face as Rudd sat back and eyed him with cold
deliberation.

“
I can almost guarantee
getting her back for you if you gain Van Ryker’s trust once more.
He holds some vowels against Dartmouth, among other things. If you
but get back into his good graces, he may reveal where he’s hidden
these things,” Lord Rudd said with a gleam in his eyes. “I can
almost promise if you regain these items for me, she will most
certainly be yours.”

Gabriel acted like he considered his
offer, seeing Rudd’s plan all too clearly. Should he get the
blackmail list from Nicholas, his friend was a dead man. So, Rudd
worried about such evidence falling into the wrong hands, did
he?

He made a mental note to call upon
Chumley. He looked as jubilant as he felt as he raised his glass to
Rudd. “Consider it done, Your Grace. I can almost guarantee these
items returned to you at once. I learned only recently Nicholas and
his wife are out of the country,” he lied smoothly, eyeing the man
closely. “I shall draw him out upon his return and work on your
matter at once.”

“
Thank you, my boy. Your
father was a close friend of mine, as you know. I have a personal
interest in seeing that you’re happy,” Rudd replied, grinning
broadly, preening in his pleasure to have Gabriel snooping for
him.

“
I can only hope my former
mistress is as kind to me when she returns,” Gabriel said with a
chuckle, and allowed Rudd to clap him on the back without cringing.
“However do you plan to wrest the woman away from him, Your Grace?
Do you plan to offer her money to leave him?”

“
No, I think Van Ryker has
upset enough people in this town with his lack of discretion. You
needn’t worry what brings her back, Iverleigh,” Rudd said with a
slight sneer and he rose and shook his hand warmly before he took
his leave. Gabriel rose and immediately wiped off his hands with a
rag upon his desk, disgusted by the whole interview, but sure Lord
Rudd believed him.

~ ~ ~

Nicholas and Catherine were too shocked
to do more than gape when they arrived at their home to find it in
a shambles. Nicholas made her and the children remain outside while
he and his crew checked the house.

The servants were released by Gabriel
for a much needed holiday when Nicholas left for Dublin. None of
them were to return until the following week. In the meantime,
their home was ransacked thoroughly while the house was closed up
in their absence. He ushered them all inside. The boys were
dismayed to discover their rooms were turned upside
down.

Catherine left her children with their
nurses as she ushered her brothers to put their rooms in some
semblance of order. Her face was pale as she joined her husband in
what was left of his study.

“
They were in our house,
Nicholas,” she whispered tightly with a faint note of hysteria in
her voice. He drew her close to his side, an angry light in his
eyes as he saw his safe was opened as well. The contents on the
floor told him they had not been here to rob the place, for nothing
of value was taken.

“
Easy now, my love, don’t
get upset,” Nicholas soothed softly, rubbing her shoulder and
glaring at the mess. “I expected it long before now. I’m glad they
waited for us to be gone to do it. They won’t be back. They didn’t
find what they seek.”

Catherine was feeling too violated by
the destruction of her home to hear his other words as she slipped
from his side to investigate the whole house, finding every room to
look identical to the other in terms of mess. It would take weeks
to clean it up.

She went to her room and was dismayed
by the wanton, intentional destruction there. Her dressing table
was smashed to pieces, the drawers scattered everywhere. The
armoire was lying in the middle of the room, and it too, was hacked
apart. Anything that could have hidden whatever evidence Nicholas
had upon Lord Rudd and the others was rifled through.

She was picking up pieces of broken
glass when she saw something on the floor. She frowned as she
reached down to pick it up. The cuff link was expensive, a diamond
in a very distinct crest. It wasn’t her husband’s. She could only
surmise it fell off one of the men who destroyed her
home.

She went down below to find Nicholas.
He stared at the cuff link in interest, and pocketed it to show it
to Gabriel later. She was relieved when Maggie and a troupe of
Gabriel’s servants arrived to help put her home to rights while the
two men conversed in his study.

“
I can’t be sure who the
cuff link belongs to without looking up the crest to be certain,”
Gabriel replied moodily and was still angry as he looked around his
friend’s home. “You came home just in time. Lord Rudd paid me a
visit yesterday. We have much to discuss, but before I do,
congratulations on your son.” He smiled broadly and searched for an
unbroken bottle of spirits under the sideboard, crowing in delight
when he found one undamaged bottle of brandy. Glasses were another
matter, for they crunched under their boots, or what was left of
them. “I have no renter at my other residence if you and Catherine
want to stay there?”Gabriel said it without thinking, and looked up
to see Nicholas’s dark look.