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RE WAS SUCH A BOYISH QUALITY ABOUT DEREK MAlory, with his thatch of unruly blond hair and his charming smiles, that made him seem quite harmless. But on this day Kelsey had found out that the surface wasn't exactly the whole story. She had been frozen in fear upon meeting Lord Ashford again and having the horror of the auction recalled so vividly. But Derek had turned into another man entirely. And she was immensely glad that he wasn't as harmless as he usually seemed to be.
Far from it. He'd actually broken the man's finger. Deliberately. And she had little doubt that he would have broken much more if it hadn't been pointed out that he wov'd be making a scandal if he did so.
She had said that because she knew how he felt about scandals, and knew it would likely put an end to the altercation, which it did. Why she had done so she wasn't sure. Perhaps because she didn't want to witness him being so violent. Or because the poor owner of the store was so worried for his goods. Or maybe just because she was feeling some protective instincts suddenly where Derek was con-
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cerned and didn't want him doing something that he would later regret. The latter was definitely worth worrying over.
She had previously determined that this business of being a mistress needed to be kept as impersonal as possible. But trying to keep it that way was becoming more and more impossible. She liked Derek, liked being with him, liked making love to him, liked everything about him. And unless he did something drastic to alter that, she was afraid those feelings were going to get much stronger.
That was a horrible thought. She didn't want to love Derek. She didn't want to agonize over the day he would tell her he had no further use for her. And that day would eventually come. When it did, she wanted to sigh in relief, not cry her heart out.
He'd had a mistress before, she knew, so she had reason to worry. In one of the conversations with Percy and Jeremy, it had been mentioned that Derek had ended the relationship in a matter of months, not years.
The exorbitant extra cost he had spent to acquire Kelsey didn't matter "Very much to him, as wealthy as his family was. So she couldn't count on that coming into the equation. No, when he was ready for someone new, she would definitely be sent on her way, regardless of her own feelings. It was that simple. And she didn't know how to make it any easier to bear when that day came around, not if she was goir,,- to do a stupid thing such as fall in love with him.
Derek was silently brooding now over the incident with Ashford, though he sat with his arm protectively around her, his hand absently rubbing her arm. Since Kelsey was doing her own brooding, it was a quiet ride.
When they arrived at the next stop, Kelsey wasn't going to budge from the coach. Derek didn't ask her to. But he wasn't gone long. And when he returned, he handed her a package.
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"It's for you," he said simply. "Open it." She looked at the small box in her hand warily, afraid she knew why he was giving her a gift, especially since he was
looking rather guilt-ridden. Opening it, she found a heartshaped pendant made entirely of tiny diamonds and rubies, on a short, thin golden chain that would hang just below her neck. Very simple, very elegant, very expensive. "You didn't have to do this," she said softly, still staring at the pendant. "Yes, I did," he replied. "I'm feeling so guilty right now
that if you don't say you forgive me, I'll probably burst into tears. "
Her eyes shot up, wide with the thought that he was se-
rious, but his expression told her otherwise. She chuckled, but only briefly. He wasn't serious about crying, but he did feel guilty.
He smiled ruefully. "Today has been somewhat of a disaster all the way around, hasn't it?" "Not completely," she said, and her blush gave her away. "Well, not that," he agreed with a grin. "But the rest-I am truly sorry you had to even be in the same room with that bastard Ashford, let alone be subjected to that distasteful encounter."
She shuddered inwardly. "He's a cruel man, isn't he? I saw it in his eyes that night he was bidding on me, and again today." "Worse than you can imagine," Derek said. He went on to explain just how sick the man really was, telling her everything, or at least alluding to it, so she would understand his warning. "If you ever see him again, Kelsey, when I'm not with you, leave wherever you happen to be immediately-that is, if it's safe to do so."
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She had lost nearly all of her color and actually felt sick to
her stomach. "Safe?" "As long as there is no likelihood that he will follow you. You never want to find yourself alone with him, Kelsey. Intrude on strangers if you must, scream for assistance, but whatever you do, don't let that man anywhere near you." "No, I wouldn't," she assured him. "Ideally, I hope I never
see him again. But if I do, and I see him first, he'll never see me, I promise you." "Good, now say you forgive me."
She smiled at him. "I do, even though you have nothing to be forgiven for. Now, take this back and get your money returned. You don't have to buy me jewels."
He chuckled at that. "Kelsey, m'dear, that is a very unmistressly thing to say. And I'm not taking it back. I want
you to have it. It will go very nicely with your lavender gown."
And a half dozen more that were yet to be delivered, she could have added but didn't. She sighed. "Then I suppose it would be churlish of me not to thank you." "Yes, very churlish."
She grinned. "Thank you." "You are very, very welcome, m'dear." That had been their last stop. After that he took her home and stayed for dinner-and stayed the night, too,
He had not planned to do this. Whenever Jason was in
town, and staying over, it was Derek's habit to at least join him at the town house for dinner. And he didn't know when Jason would be returning to Haverston, so he didn't know if he'd have the opportunity to catch him the next day.
But as much as he wanted to talk to his father about the divorce-and the woman he'd managed to keep a secret for so long-he wanted to stay near Kelsey much more.
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She had been shaken by the encounter, he knew. But Derek was more concerned, worrying about her.
Unbelievably, Ashford had treated her as if she belonged to him and had just been temporarily stolen from him. His remarks had also indicated that he was going to make her pay for being stolen when he got her back, and he had also seemed confident that he would get her back. And who was to say what plans his crazy mind could conjure.
Derek couldn't be with her all the time. She did go out on her own, to the dressmaker for her fittings, shopping, and whatnot. Nor could he ask her not to, when his fears so far were based on simple threats.
He would pay his Uncle James a visit again the next day, to get his advice. He was likely worrying over nothing, but tonight he still wasn't letting Kelsey out of his sight.
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REK DID INDEED VISIT HIS UNCLE JAMES THE NEXT morning, before he even returned home for a change of clothing. And after a short chat with James, he was much relieved. Kelsey could not be in any immediate danger, because his uncle had already set his two butlers to following Ashford.
Artie and Henry were in no way typical butlers, though, which was why Derek was so relieved. They had been mem-
bers of James's pirate crew and had served under him for most of his ten years at sea.
They had both elected to stay with James after he sold the Maiden Anne, and they now shared the job of butlering at his London residence, a job they thoroughly enjoyed because they weren't what one might expect. And they got a hoot out of shocking visitors.
That they continually bruised a few feathers with their unorthodox ways didn't bother James in the least, and Aunt George had long before given up trying to teach them better
manners. To knock on their door these days-if you weren't a relative-could get a barked "They ain't home!" and the door slammed in your face, or a "What in the bleedin' hell
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d'you want?" Unless it was a comely lady knocking, of course. Ladies invariably got dragged right in and the door shut behind them before they could get two words out.
But both ex-pirates were quite suitable for the job James had set them to. And so far, James informed Derek, they had followed Ashford to two separate residences, his main house in the city and one just outside the city that looked all but deserted, and where he didn't actually spend the night, just a few hours of an evening.
They had also followed him to a tavern in one of the poorer sections of town. Derek had stiffened, hearing that, until James related that Artie had caused such a commotion there, in the guise of being utterly foxed, and accosted Ashford in the process, that the man had quickly canceled whatever plans he'd had and left.
Derek had immediately sent off a note to Kelsey so she could stop worrying, if she still was, and could relax her guard somewhat. He'd then returned home and found his father still there. Whether he could consider that fortunate or not was in doubt, since Jason looked none too pleased as he called Derek into his study.
Derek immediately assumed that Frances had gotten in touch with Jason and had informed him about their little encounter the day before. Not so. Actually, Derek later wished that had been the case. "You actually bought a mistress in a public whorehouse in a room full of your peers?"
Derek practically fell into the chair he'd been about to sit in, feeling more than a little poleaxed. Any time his father stressed words, you knew he was just barely in control of his temper. "How did you hear of it?" "How did you think I wouldn't, when the thing was done so damned publicly?" Jason demanded.
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Derek cringed inwardly. "It was to be hoped, considering the gentlemen there don't usually admit to being in such places."
Jason snorted. "As it happens, I stopped by my club last evening. A friend of mine was there who felt I should be apprised of it. He happened to have another friend, who was
a friend of someone who was there that night. It's bloody well made the rounds of all the clubs already. And Lord knows how many wives it's been shared with by now, who are passing it around in their groups."
Derek was flushing furiously already, but in his defense, he said, "You know very well it isn't likely to be shared with any wives." "Beside the bloody point," Jason replied, his frown just as
dark. "What the devil were you thinking, to participate in an
auction like that?" "I was thinking I would be saving that innocent young girl from-" "Innocent?" Jason cut in. "Who is she anyway?" "Kelsey Langton, and no, she's no one of importance, so
you needn't worry about that. But as I was saying, I bid on
her to keep her from being scarred for life." "I beg your pardon?"
Derek sighed. "Id had no intention of getting involved, Father. We'd only stopped by that place for a few hands of cards while Jeremy visited with one of his ladyloves who worked there. But then-" "You took Jeremy to such a place? He's only eighteen years old!"
"Jeremy has been going to such places probably longer than I have, or have you forgotten that he was raised in a tavern before Uncle James found him?"
To that Jason merely glowered, so Derek continued, "As 1
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was saying, I'd had no intention of getting involved, but then I noticed who was bidding on the girl." "Who?" "He's a man I've run into before, a lord, and I've witnessed firsthand what he does to the prostitutes he uses. He whips them bloody, so severely that they are permanently disfigured. It's rumored it's the only way he can get any pleasure out of sex." "Disgusting." "I couldn't agree more. In fact, as a favor to me, Uncle James is looking into a means of putting a stop to the man's perverted practices." "James is? How?" "I-ah-didn't bother to ask."
Jason cleared his throat. "Quite right. Where that particular brother of mine is concerned, it's better not to know. But, Derek-" "Father it really couldn't have been helped," Derek cut in- "I couldn't think of any other way to keep the girl safe, except to buy her myself. And she did turn out to be an innocent, so I'm bloody well glad I kept her out of Ashford's 'hands." "David Ashford? Good God, I would have thought some woman would have gelded him years ago." "You knew about him?" "I'd heard rumors, back before he'd reached his majority, that he used to torture his female servants. Nothing that was ever proven, of course. Then there was another rumor that someone had brought him up on charges, but it never reached a trial, since the woman in question refused to bear witness against him. They say it cost him most of his family fortune to pay the woman off. As I recall, a cheer went up in my club the night we heard that. At least it was some punishment-if the rumors were true."
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Derek nodded. "I imagine they were true, and he has progressed to worse tortures." "And there's nothing the courts can do without a victim to accuse him." Jason sighed. "Oh, he covers himself very well these days," Derek said. "I found one of his victims, the same one I had come upon him beating. I'd hoped she would help to bring him to trial. But he not only pays them handsomely, he warns them of what he means to do and gets their agreement first." "Smart as well as dreadfully demented. A dangerous com-
bination, that. But you have involved James. Leave it to him. I can almost guarantee he will find a way to keep that man
from hurting anyone else." "Which was my hope, especially since I just had yet an-
other run-in with the fellow, and he indicated that he feels Kelsey was stolen from him when I outbid him and that he'll have her back eventually."
Jason raised a brow. "Are you saying you still have the girl?" "Well, she was sold as a mistress, and I did pay a great deal of money for her." "How much money?" "I'd rather not sa-" "How much?"
Derek hated that better-fess-up-or-else tone, he really did. "Twenty-five," he mumbled. "Twenty-five hundred!" Derek sank a bit lower in his chair before he admitted, "Thousand-pounds." Jason choked, sputtered, opened his mouth to say some- thing but snapped it closed again. He dropped into the chair behind his desk. He raked both hands through his golden inane. He finally sighed, then pinned Derek with one of his darkest frowns.
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"I must not have heard you correctly. You didn't say you paid twenty-five thousand pounds for a mistress. No-" He held up a hand when Derek started to speak. "I don't want to hear it. Forget I asked." "Father, there was no other way to keep Ashford from buying the girl," Derek reminded him. "I can think of a half dozen at least, including simply taking her out of there. Who, after all, would have stopped you, when that auction was hardly legal?"
Derek smiled at what was a typical Malory response. "Well, the proprietor, Lonny, might have had a thing or two to say about that, considering the profit I would have been snatching out of his hand." "Lonny?" Jason frowned a moment, opened the London Times on his desk to the second page, and pointed. "That Lonny, by any chance?"
Derek leaned forward to briefly scan the article, but was so surprised that he went back to read it more thoroughly. It was a report on Lonny Kilpatrick, who had been murdered in a house of ill repute that he had run for a little more than a year and a half. The address was given, and the details of his death. He had apparently been stabbed in the chest re-
peatedly. There was mention of a great deal of blood. And no clue as to his murderer. "I'll be damned," Derek said, leaning back. "I take it that's the same Lonny you dealt with?" Jason asked. "Indeed." "Interesting, though I doubt there is any connection between the murder and the auction. All that blood on the body, all around it, does, however, remind me of what you said about Ashf
ord and his predilection for blood." "He's a sniveling coward," Derek scoffed. "He wouldn't have the guts to kill a man."
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Jason shrugged. "From what you've said about him, and from the previous rumors I'd heard myself, that man is deficient up here." And he pointed at his head. "There is no
telling what someone like that is capable of. But I tend to agree. He does sound like a coward who prefers to torment the weak. Besides, for what reason would he kill this Lonny person, when it's apparently only women he enjoys hurting. it's likely no more than a coincidence."
Derek would have agreed, wanted to agree, but blister it, that small bit of doubt had been raised. He was back to worrying again. And he went straight back to James's house as
soon as he left his father, to apprise his uncle of this newest development.
Unfortunately, he forgot all about wanting to ask his father about the mistress he had been keeping all these years. And by the time he returned home again, it was to find a note from Jason reminding him that he was expected at Haverston for the Christmas holidays. His father was already on his way back there himself.
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SPITE DEREK'S ASSURANCES THAT SHE HAD LITTLE TO fear from Lord Ashford now that he was being watched, Kelsey still wouldn't leave the town house for nearly a week. She sent her footman around to the dressmaker to cancel two fittings-she had fortunately just hired a footman, as well as the rest of the servants she needed, that week.
She also held off returning to that nice little yardage shop that she'd found, where she had purchased the material to sew Derek a few things for Christmas. A monogrammed cra-
vat and handkerchiefs, some silk shirts, several of which she had already finished.
Ironically, she hadn't been quite as fearful the day they encountered Lord Ashford as she was the next day, after spending the evening with Derek. She had sensed his fear, though he hadn't said anything more after his warning-
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