The Bachelor Bargain (Secrets, Scandals, and Spies)

by Michaels, Maddison

  “If I were a betting man,” Seb continued, “I’d wager my money on him punishing you. Permanently.” He glanced at Rowan and motioned him over. The lanky young man was at his side in a few short strides. “He’s not going to talk, but I’ll give him a chance over the weekend. But if he hasn’t by Monday morning, spread the rumors for a few hours that he’s told us everything, then cut him loose.” Seb then lowered his voice so that only Rowan could hear him. “But trail him closely and see where he goes and who he talks to, and then let me know. Don’t let anyone see you.”

  Rowan nodded. “Consider it done. Where are you off to now?”

  “Bethnal Green Cemetery.”

  “Bethnal Green Cemetery? What the devil will you be doing in that place?”

  It was a question he was sure he was going to be asking himself several times in the course of the coming hour. “According to the note supposedly consulting me, I shall be assisting a bloody stubborn female with a blackmailer.”

  Chapter Twenty

  An owl hooted in the distance, and something ominous and black flew across the dark sky overhead, its wings flapping like a gargoyle’s.

  Livie jumped and shivered in spite of the warm layers of her clothing and the thick cloak she’d worn. It’s only a bat, Livie. Get ahold of yourself, girl.

  She made her way down the winding path into the heart of the cemetery, toward where the large angel statue was meant to be standing in the center of the space. Holding her lantern in front of her with one hand and her cane in the other, she was trying not to startle at every little noise that echoed like a cannon in the still night.

  The moon was barely visible, with thick clouds obscuring its light and casting a heaviness over the entire atmosphere. Not to mention the wind had kicked up a notch and was howling its way through the headstones like a company of ghosts.

  Not that Livie believed in ghosts. Or at least she hadn’t until her imagination started running wild with being alone in a cemetery and at night, too. At least Gregson was waiting with the carriage at the entrance to the cemetery, shotgun in hand, with instructions to come in and find her if she didn’t return in twenty minutes.

  Not to mention the three men Sebastian had tasked with following her were hiding in the shadows somewhere near the entrance. If there were trouble, they’d hear it in this silence, and hopefully come running.

  The weight of the pistol nestled in the pocket of the skirts of her gown was a welcome relief. She’d at least come with some form of protection, and though she didn’t think Mary meant her, or rather Lady Chilton, any harm, it was always best to be prepared for the unexpected.

  Why had Mary arranged to meet in such a place, and at midnight, too? Yes, obviously they could talk without fear of being overheard, as the place was completely deserted, because who in their right mind would frequent a cemetery at this hour? Unless, of course, the location had been specifically chosen to terrify Lady Chilton. A distinct possibility.

  The path curved to the left and, as Livie followed it around, the towering wings of the angel headstone glinted ahead. But there wasn’t anyone else in the vicinity, at least not that she could see.

  Glancing down at the small watch brooch she’d pinned to the lapel of her jacket, Livie was happy to see it hadn’t yet reached midnight, which meant she was early and wouldn’t miss the girl.

  Although she hadn’t really factored into the equation that coming early meant she’d be surrounding herself in the dark night in a desolate cemetery while she waited for Mary to show up. Placing the lantern on the waist-height base of the statue, Livie switched her cane into her left hand, freeing her right arm in case she needed to grab her pistol.

  She’d written in her note to Sebastian the time and meeting place, and that if he did plan on attending, to stay out of sight. However, it didn’t seem he’d arrived yet, but then again she was early.

  The wind howled particularly loudly right at that moment, sounding like a banshee screeching into the night. Lovely. Just lovely. The exact company she didn’t want while waiting. But answers were needed, and Livie got the sense that Mary would have them, or at least some of them. So, wait she would.

  “I’m ’ere,” a girl’s voice sounded from behind the headstone. “And I ’ope you got the money you offered for the journal with you, Lady Chilton.”

  Livie’s whole body clenched in surprise at suddenly not being alone. She shoved her hand into her pocket and grasped the handle of the pistol, watching as a girl stepped out from behind the angel to walk cautiously over to where she was standing. It appeared as if the girl hadn’t had a proper feed in weeks, the black service garment she wore hanging limply from her frame, her brown hair tied haphazardly behind her head and deep shadows under her eyes marring her pale, almost translucent skin. “Mary?”

  The girl nodded, her gaze narrowing in suspicion.

  “Now, please don’t be worried or upset,” Livie said, releasing her grip on the pistol still nestled in her pocket and drawing her hand up to the veil covering her face. She pushed it above her head, revealing herself to the girl. “My name is Lady Olivia Haliford.”

  The girl froze, and for a moment Livie didn’t know whether she would flee or not, such was the fear on her gaunt face.

  “Wh-what are you doing ’ere?” she stammered, annoyance starting to replace her fear. “I was meant to meet with Lady Chilton.”

  “I offered to come in her place,” Livie explained. “For I must speak with you about Alice.”

  At the mention of Alice’s name, the girl’s eyes filled with tears. “She’s dead. What’s there to say?”

  “I must get justice for her.” Livie stepped over to the girl and picked up her ice-cold hands in her own. “My goodness, you’re freezing!” Quickly, Livie stripped off her own gloves and pushed them into Mary’s hands. “Here, put these on. And take this too.” Deftly she swung off her cloak and held it out to the girl.

  “I can’t be takin no charity from you!” Mary’s whole body was braced in affront, though Livie could see the desperation warring with pride in her eyes. Odd, considering she apparently stole some of Alice’s jewels upon fleeing.

  “It’s not charity, I assure you. I need to know about the man who seduced and then abandoned Alice, and if you freeze to death, you’ll be of little help to me.” She pushed the cloak into the girl’s arms. “Now take it. The material of my dress and petticoats is far warmer than what you’ve got on.”

  With some reluctance, the girl put on the gloves and then wrapped the cloak over her shoulders. Livie could almost see her body soak up the warmth.

  “Now tell me please, who was the man who seduced Alice?” Livie asked, trying to keep the desperation from her voice. “I must know. He must pay for seducing and then abandoning her.”

  “Don’t ya mean murderin’ ’er?”

  “You believe she was murdered, too?” Livie felt her pulse quicken.

  Mary shrugged. “I don’t know if you know ’bout her condition or not.”

  “I know she was with child,” Livie replied.

  “Aye. And the bastard who seduced her didn’t want nothin’ to do with her or the child. He refused to marry her, even Lord Chilton tried to make him, especially as she was pregnant.”

  “Lord Chilton knew she was with child?” Lady Chilton had led Livie to believe she was the only one to know of Alice’s secret.

  “He did,” Mary confirmed. “Poor Miss Alice. She was desperate at first. Her sister was gonna send her to the country during her confinement, then have the child given to an orphanage when it was born, with Miss Alice returning to London and none would be the wiser. But Miss Alice refused. She came up with her own plan, to move to America and pretend she was a pregnant widow.”

  It was what Alice had written to Livie of her plans. Well, except the part about being with child. “She said she was getting some funds to start anew. Do you
know who from?”

  Mary nodded. “I think she demanded the scoundrel give her some funds to start her new life or else she threatened to go to the papers and reveal her condition, regardless of the cost to her own reputation, which was pretty much already ruined by then, so she cared none if it was ruined some more with news of a babe.”

  “But he would have cared,” Livie surmised. “Such a scandal could ruin the political ambitions of any man. Who was the man that ruined her? Surely you know.”

  Mary crossed her hands over her chest. “Not for certain. I think it might have been someone with a title, though, cause I ’eard her arguing with Lady Chilton that morning ’bout the matter. Lady Chilton was blaming Miss Alice for being seduced in the first place, and Miss Alice yelled that she thought he loved her and would marry her. Then Lady Chilton laughed and said something about him would never have married below his station, and Alice had been a fool to think otherwise.”

  “And why do you think she was murdered then?” Livie asked, determined more than ever to expose the man. “If he killed her, then he must be made to pay.”

  “The morning that she died, she said she’d received a note from the man, agreeing to meet with her that night and give her some money,” Mary replied. “She never came back, did she. Too convenient for the man, if you ask me. And she was terrified of heights; she never would have gone up to that roof.”

  “Why did you run then?” Livie asked. “And take some jewels and her journal?”

  “I never took no jewels!” Alice’s fists clenched by her side. “Lady Chilton said I had, only to make the cutthroats eager to find me. And I took Miss Alice’s journal only ’cause I figured it might bring her justice.”

  “Well, what does it say?”

  Mary shook her head. “Don’t know. Can’t read, you see.”

  “Then how did you send Lady Chilton a note trying to blackmail her?”

  “I didn’t send her no note.” There was genuine bafflement in the girl’s voice. “I got a note saying to meet here, and that Lady Chilton would pay me if I returned the journal to her. Couldn’t read it myself, but got one of the boys at the inn I’m staying at to read it to me. Here.” She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Livie.

  Taking it from her, Livie quickly glanced at it. What Alice said was true, and the writing was the same on all of the notes.

  But before she could question the girl further, the head of the angel exploded around them, shards of stone splintering everywhere and raining down upon them with force.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Livie lost her balance and fell to the ground as chaos erupted. The sound of gunfire echoed in the night, and belatedly she realized someone was shooting at them. A spray of bullets hailed down upon them, the air becoming thick with the smell of ammunition and a fine mist of white stone as the angel headstone disintegrated around them.

  She couldn’t see Mary in the haze as she struggled to crawl around behind what was now left of the battered angel. Damn my lame leg! Her heart was thudding in her chest and a surge of heightened awareness gripped her as she managed to pull herself behind the stone. Her breathing was thick and fast, and she had to concentrate on calming herself down. Panicking would only get her killed, a lesson Kat had often reminded them of.

  The gunfire stopped, and she heard footsteps running off into the distance. She didn’t know if they belonged to the attacker or to Mary because, try as she might, she couldn’t see the girl anywhere. A good thing at least, as clearly she’d gotten away.

  Pulling out her pistol, Livie cocked the hammer and held it in front of her. What was she to do? Kat’s training hadn’t dealt with what to do after an attack. The gunfire had sounded as if it were coming from the entrance to the cemetery, so perhaps she should try to find the back gate and circle her way around to Gregson and the carriage.

  Her heart dropped. Oh goodness, Gregson could be hurt. She had to get back to him.

  The nape of her neck began to tingle, and suddenly she knew she wasn’t alone.

  Silently, almost like a ghost himself, Sebastian weaved through some headstones and ran over to her, a pistol in his hand. She’d never been happier to see anyone in her life.

  “Are you hurt?” His voice was a low growl as he crouched beside her, pure worry in his gaze.

  “I’m fine.”

  He nodded, though his eyes clinically scanned her body, almost as if he had to reassure himself she wasn’t bleeding. “Come on, they’ve fled, but I want to get you out of here before they return or the police arrive.”

  “They? As in more than one person was shooting at me?” she whispered as he helped her to her feet before quickly retrieving her cane and handing it to her.

  “Yes. They fled when I arrived and returned fire. I think I might have gotten one in the shoulder, but I was in too much a rush to find you, to follow them and be sure.”

  “You were in a rush to find me?” The very thought sent a delicious warmth through her, and she couldn’t help the smile spreading across her face. “To make sure I was safe?”

  For a split second, she was certain he looked uncomfortable, but then it was as if a mask came down over his eyes, shutting any and all emotion out. “Well, if you’d listened to me in the first place, you wouldn’t be in this situation. And do remember I’ve just given you two thousand pounds, Lady Olivia. Of course, I have a vested interest in your welfare. If something were to happen to you at this point in our arrangement, I’d get no return on my investment, now would I?”

  And just as quickly her smile twisted into a frown. “No, of course not.” Why was she disappointed? She didn’t care to delve too deeply into it. But she was. Bitterly.

  “Can you walk?”

  She nodded. “My leg’s a bit sore from falling on it, but yes, I can walk.”

  “Good. We’ll go together, as quick as we can.” His hand tucked around her waist, firm and warm, and all at once Livie felt safe. He supported most of her weight as they hurried down the path to the front of the graveyard. A few minutes later, they came to the entrance, but her carriage was nowhere to be seen.

  “Where’s my carriage?”

  “My men have taken it around the corner. I didn’t want it to be left alone.”

  “Left alone? But what about Gregson? He’s not hurt, is he?” The very thought of the old man injured, because of her escapade, was enough to send a bolt of sickness to her stomach.

  “He has a slight bump to the back of his head and is rather upset he was felled, but otherwise he’ll be fine.”

  “Oh, thank goodness.” Livie sighed. “I would have been devastated if something had happened to him. He’s been with us since before I was born.”

  “Come, my carriage is also around the corner. I shall see you both safely home, as Gregson is in no fit state to be driving.”

  “I’m sure we can hail a hansom cab. I have no wish to trouble you.” Suddenly, she was uncomfortably aware, in a very feminine sense, of the feel of his palm against her waist and the side of her body pressed against his. The heat and strength radiating from him, particularly from where his body was touching hers, was starting to make her very conscious of his physique and remind her of what it had felt like to be held against him when they kissed earlier. And her body was craving more. Sharing a carriage with him was not a good idea.

  “Trouble me, Livie?” he asked. “You’ve already troubled me more than I have ever asked to be troubled. In fact, I believe your middle name must be trouble. But don’t worry, you will be safe, as will your reputation, for the carriage I’m using tonight has no markings upon it. There’s no need for you to use a hansom cab.”

  “I’m not worried about my reputation.”

  “Perhaps you should be,” he replied. “You’d be ruined if seen with me.”

  He was right, of course. They could never be seen together in public, or at
least not socializing together. On occasion, she had seen him at some of the balls she had attended, but only from a distance, as everyone knew not to get too close to the Bastard of Baker Street even if he was fast becoming tolerated in a majority of ballrooms around town.

  Even if that tolerance was as a result of him owning most everyone in Society. No one dared antagonize Sebastian Colver for fear he’d financially destroy them. So, tolerated he was starting to be, but welcomed and embraced was an entirely different story.

  “Why do you go to some of Society’s balls when you dislike the aristocracy so?” She didn’t know why she asked him that question, especially considering they had much more important things to discuss, but her curiosity had her blurting it out before she could think better of it.

  “To show them I can. Though it was more enjoyable doing so when my father was alive, because even with him being a duke, he couldn’t do a damn thing about it as much as he tried.”

  That seem to be about as much of an explanation as he was going to give her.

  They turned the corner and there ahead were the two carriages, and though Sebastian’s was completely black without marking, it was still impressive.

  As they drew close to the vehicles, Livie was relieved to see Gregson sitting atop the driver’s perch next to Sebastian’s own driver. As soon as Gregson caught sight of Livie and Sebastian, he quickly jumped from his seat and scurried down the ladder as fast as his arthritic knees allowed him. He rushed to the side and held open the door for her.

  Sebastian had obviously not bothered with a footman for his rescue mission.

  “Thank goodness yer all right, Lady Olivia,” Gresgon enthused as she neared him. “I’m so sorry I let ya down.”

  “You didn’t let me down at all,” Livie replied, handing her cane over to Seb as she raised her foot onto the first step. “It was I that let you down. I never should have brought you here. Is your head all right?”

  The man smiled. “Just a bit of an egg on it, but I’ll be fine. I should have known to keep more of an eye out, but I was concentrating so on watching the gate that I fairly forgot all about me rear. The buggers snuck up behind me, they did, if you’ll pardon me language, my lady.”