by Vella, Wendy
He shrugged.
“That is not an answer, Lucas.”
“He protected you without thought, and yet he did not know who you were. Now move your feet; we are to go riding with those simpering women, and I shall spend the time grinding my teeth listening to them spout rubbish.”
Beth laughed, but her heart was not in it. Lucas thought Nathan would have been a good husband. Why did that upset her so much?
“I can protect myself,” Beth threw over her shoulder. “I need no man to do so.”
“Really? And you would have dealt with six men by yourself, would you?”
“I would have shot them.”
“Your pistol does not hold six rounds,” Lucas returned so calmly that she wanted to slap him—because he was correct.
“I need no man.”
“Perhaps in most cases you are right, but not now, or last night. There is danger everywhere for you, Miss Bethany. I am unsure why, but I would ask you to always be on your guard.”
“I will,” she promised. “Now smile sweetly and let the women swoon over you.”
His teeth snapped together.
The Blake women—well, two of them, Phillipa and Mary—were waiting outside for them. Phillipa on a bay mare, and Mary, a silver one. They were lovely animals, and Beth took a moment to pat foreheads before letting Lucas toss her onto Flora, her chestnut mare.
“We have a groom with us,” Phillipa said, waving a hand at Lucas, which he ignored. Mounting, he gave her an inscrutable look but said nothing.
“Lucas will accompany us” was all Beth said.
“He is so rude,” Phillipa whispered to Mary.
Lucas growled softly.
They headed in the direction of the park, Phillipa in the lead, as Beth was sure she liked to be, and Beth and Mary following. Lucas and the Blake footman fell in behind.
“I read the last few pages of the latest Captain Broadbent and Lady Nauticus novel last night. It was dreadfully exciting,” Mary said. “Have you started the first book yet?”
“Not yet, but I will, I promise.”
Mary wore a tan riding habit with black boots and hat. It suited her coloring. She looked happy and carefree. Beth remembered when she’d felt that way. It seemed so long ago now.
Her friend, Beth thought. They’d been close once, and it hurt her that she could not allow that to happen again. She could not allow anything to happen to Mary, and so must keep her distance, which of course she was not doing today. But surely, she must carry on with some of the activities she once had enjoyed? People would notice if she didn’t.
Sometimes Beth felt like she was walking a tightrope like the one she’d seen at Covent Garden. That had been thrilling; this was not.
“Oh, they are wonderful adventures. You must read that book soon, then I shall send you the rest of the series so you can catch up on what society is reading.”
“What, all of them?”
“The majority anyway. They are all the rage, I assure you.”
“Oh well, then send them, as I aspire to be all the rage.”
Mary turned in her saddle to look at Beth.
“I don’t remember you being sarcastic before. I find I like it.”
She had very little in her life to laugh at, but she did, and it felt wonderful.
“You were a bit prim and perfect.”
“I was?”
“Yes. And then you fell in love with Mr. Deville, and he seemed to return that love, and you were even more perfect together.”
The smile fell from her lips. They had been perfect together. Too perfect? She’d had time to think about that during the long hours of solitude she spent in her rooms longing for him. Had she been wrong to try to be everything Nathan had wanted her to be?
“I’ve made you sad, I’m sorry. I missed you, Beth.”
“I missed you too.” She said the words before she could stop them falling from her lips. “I’m sorry I left without a word, Mary.”
“Why did you?”
How did she answer that?
“Can you not tell me the truth?”
She looked through her horse’s ears, trying to work out what to say.
“It’s all right.” Mary reached across to pat Beth’s hand. “I am just pleased you are back. Perhaps one day you will tell me what happened.”
She wouldn’t weep. Lucas was not the only one who disliked tears.
“Do you smell that?” Mary sighed. “Roasted nuts. We must have some.”
“Mary, can you not spend at least an hour without thinking of your stomach?” Phillipa gritted out.
“No, just as you cannot spend an hour without a mirror.”
Mary bought several bags of nuts, handing two to Beth.
“Do I need two?”
“Yes,” Mary replied as they started moving again.
“Well now, would you look at Miss Cappers,” Phillipa said. “She is wearing puce with salmon.” She shuddered.
“Scandalous,” Mary said.
“Exactly,” Phillipa replied, unaware that her sister was using sarcasm.
“And what of Lady Basterhill?”
They let Phillipa gossip about anyone passing as they rode slowly through the London streets, the warmth of the day easing into late afternoon. There was no more beautiful sight than London when the skies were blue and the weather warm. They passed a flower seller, the blooms sending sweet scents into the air.
Nathan had loved to bring her flowers.
Her mother had wanted her to put aside her worries for the day and be the woman she’d once been. It was an impossible task with the thunderous black cloud that hung over the Carlow family, but she would endeavor to enjoy Mary’s company if nothing else.
They entered the park and wandered down the manicured paths. Mary began to explain in depth why she believed there would be no man that suited her needs in the world.
“What? Nowhere in this entire world is there a man for you?”
Mary sighed. “Perhaps that was a bit dramatic. I will narrow it down and state there is no one in the United Kingdom who I could ever think about marrying.”
“You’ve met them all, then?” Beth teased.
“A great many, and I assure you none are in the least interesting. All those are married.”
“I’m sure Phillipa will supply you with nieces and nephews you can corrupt as a crotchety old aunt.”
“It’s my fondest wish she will do so.”
“What is going on there?” Phillipa pointed right. They all dutifully looked that way.
“It looks like some kind of gathering,” Mary said. “Is that the Duchess of Yardly?”
“Well, if there is a gathering then we must investigate, even if that woman is there. It’s my hope that Mr. Michael Deville will be also,” Phillipa said, urging her horse into a trot.
“My sister is quite taken with him,” Mary said, nudging her horse. “Come, Beth.”
She could do nothing but follow.
Shooting Lucas a look, she waved to indicate he stay back. She hoped Nathan wasn’t there, but if he was, she had no wish for him recognize him.
“Good Lord,” Mary whispered.
“What?” Beth said when she made an excited squeaking sound.
“We are about to participate in our first literary salon.”
Chapter Twelve
“Glass and crockery to begin with,” Daniel said. “We will move into more later. Also property investments and shipping ventures.”
The Deville brothers were on their way back from inspecting a factory they had thought to purchase at Daniel’s prompting. He believed that noblemen should also be savvy businessmen. Nathan and his brothers put a lot into supporting those less fortunate than themselves. Gabe took his seat in the House of Lords seriously and pushed for reform on many fronts. They supported homeless shelters and orphanages, but they’d never stepped into investments. Daniel said it was time that changed. Strangely, they’d all agreed.
“I feel as if I�
��m an infant once more,” Michael said. “I know there are those among us who do invest and are in trade, and yet it is something our father forbade us to ever do.”
“Times are changing,” their brother-in-law said. “As Nathan already knows from his meeting with them, Lord Ryder and that unruly Sinclair and Raven clan all dabble in trade. Lord Sinclair owns ships, as does Lord Ryder. Lord Levermarch too invests in property. He also runs warehouses here in London.”
Gabe had told Nathan to meet with the noblemen when Daniel set up the appointment, as he believed out of all of them, he had the head for numbers and could retain the most knowledge. Loosely translated, that meant he was busy, so he’d made Nathan attend.
He’d been impressed with what he’d learned that day and was now eager to step a toe into the business world with his brother-in-law’s assistance.
“And now I must be off. Unlike those among us who are living off their family’s fortunes, some of us must work. Good day,” Daniel said, riding away with loud scoffing sounds following him.
“I’m sure we should be offended by those words, but I find I’m not,” Michael said.
“Well, we have been bored lately,” Nathan said. “Perhaps this will alleviate that? And I find I quite enjoy business. Words I’d never thought I’d speak.”
“Boredom, is it?” Gabe snapped. “After what happened to you last night, I doubt that very much.”
“I did what I felt necessary,” Nathan said for perhaps the twentieth time.
His brothers had not been pleased when he’d told them what he’d done.
“How would we have known had you been injured?” Gabe demanded.
“And yet here I sit beside you, hale and hearty.”
“Do not be flippant with me,” the eldest Deville said.
“It is done. Let it drop now, Gabe,” Nathan said.
He’d told them about the man with the American accent and the woman who should not have been there. The woman he’d held, kissed, and been unable to stop thinking about. Who was she? Where was she? It felt good to think of someone other than Beth, even if it was likely he’d never see the woman again.
“Yes, well, see it does not happen again, especially now we know they are trying to uncover our identities.”
“But why the unrest? What reason do they have for getting those men riled enough to march or worse?” Zach asked.
“That I don’t know,” Nathan said. “To my mind it’s a diversion; I’m just not sure why?”
“It seems strange that lady was there,” Michael said. “And you think she had a thick accent. Hungarian or Russian, do you think?”
“How am I to know if she’s German, Hungarian, or Russian? She could be from any number of places,” Nathan said.
Michael shrugged. “You said she had quite a guttural tone.”
“She did, but I doubt it will help us. I wonder if she was a prostitute just watching the goings-on.”
“With her big American companion?” Zach said.
Nathan didn’t like to think of her with a man, which was ridiculous as he did not even know her name.
“Did she seem like a prostitute?” Michael asked.
“How does a prostitute seem?”
His brothers thought about that.
“Like any other woman, but dressed a little more risqué,” Gabe added.
“Exactly,” Nathan agreed.
The day was one of those rare gems that had a cloudless blue sky above and sun beaming down on those fortunate enough to be out in it. Looking about him at the carriages, horses, and people, Nathan thought it almost idyllic, and if there wasn’t a sharp thorn jabbing him in the side now that she was back, he’d think life was close to perfect.
It wasn’t, however, anywhere near close to perfect.
“I spoke with Jack yesterday,” Gabe said.
Jack was an informant who had also been with them for years.
“He confirms your rumors of an uprising. That fires are being stoked by two men. He said they sound like the men you saw, Nathan. But he also confirmed there is someone lifting things from noblemen, which we already knew.”
“Lifting?” Zach asked.
“How is it you have no idea that lifting means stealing?” Nathan asked.
“I don’t steal!”
“But you mix with the seedier underbelly of nobility. I’m sure some of them do.”
Zach’s face flushed with color. “I do not mix with seedy nobility.”
“If you say so,” Nathan said, quite content he’d annoyed his brother.
“I was speaking to Tramborne last night. He said seeing as things seem to have cooled between you and Miss Carlow, he might move there.”
“That will do, Zach,” Gabe cautioned.
He’d asked for it by annoying him, but the words still made him want to roar. Nathan would have once, but no more.
“Excellent idea. Clearly she wants a title and money, both of which he has.”
“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for,” Zach said.
“It was, but as you are still young and stupid, I forgive you.”
“Getting back to what I was saying about Jack,” Gabe said, changing the subject before Nathan gave in and punched Zach. “Something was removed from Lord Russell’s office on the evening of his ball.”
“What?”
“A book with codes that only he can decipher, so there is no danger yet. But government secrets could be uncovered if someone does crack it.”
“Good Lord.”
“And I had word from Geraint this morning, and he said that last night someone took papers from Lord Lithgow’s coat. Again, important documents.”
“Shouldn’t these important documents be locked away so they are not easy to lift?” Zach shot Nathan a look as he said the word. Nathan ignored him.
“Where was Lithgow when his papers were stolen?”
“A brothel, apparently.”
“Of course. The one place a man cannot think with any clarity,” Michael muttered. “Why would he be carrying important papers with him into a brothel? We seriously need to think about who we give information about national security to in this country.”
“Which brothel?” Nathan said slowly.
Gabe looked as if something had dawned on him. “Madam Bolade’s.”
“Now that’s all very convenient. Especially as that is where the meeting Nathan went to—alone—was.” Zach’s look was smug now. Nathan rolled his eyes. “And the Russian-Hungarian-German woman was there.”
“It’s the Russian connection.” Michael was squinting into the distance. “All very interesting and linked, in my opinion.”
“Very interesting, but at the moment we have several ideas of interest and nothing that ties them together,” Gabe said.
“Except the Russian men and the woman of unidentified origins,” Michael added.
Who I kissed.
“It’s like wading through mud up to your bollocks in the dark,” Zach said, rising up in his stirrups and following Michael’s gaze.
“What in god’s name are you looking at?” Nathan snapped.
“I’m unsure, but it looks to me like a gathering of some sort.”
They all looked now.
“Should we make a run for it or go to investigate?” Gabe asked. “The latter, methinks, especially as Dimity was to go driving with the duchess today.”
“I’m curious.” Zach touched his heels to the sides of his horse and was soon trotting away from them.
Was Beth promenading in the park today?
Nathan followed, slowly, with Gabe and Michael.
“That is the Duchess of Yardley’s barouche with your betrothed and Walter seated in it,” Michael said.
Since she’d returned to London, Nathan had thought through his time with Beth, attempting to see what he hadn’t three years ago.
How could he have been so wrong about her? At no time in their acquaintance had she been anything but open and honest with him… he’d thought. He
would have placed his life on the belief she loved him as he did her.
So why then had she left him?
“As if riding about in that great lumbering open carriage is not enough of an insult, Walter is wearing a green bow,” Gabe said, clearly disgusted.
“He carries it well,” Nathan said, looking at the large, hairy gray dog seated beside Dimity.
“It’s unmanly.”
“Just as well he’s a dog then,” Nathan added. “Quite a turn his life has taken, you have to say. From living on the streets to luxury. I’m sure if you asked him, he’d say he far preferred wearing a bow; a small sacrifice in the scheme of things.”
“He’d say, ‘woof.’ Hardly conclusive,” Gabe added.
They rode up beside the barouche.
“Hello, my love,” Gabe said to his beloved.
His brother had changed since Dimity and he had finally acknowledged what they felt for each other. The hard edge he’d always worn had softened. He laughed more, and the business of running the earldom and his family—even though they were more than capable of running themselves—was now less stressful, because he allowed his brothers to help.
“Hello.” Dimity’s smile was wide and filled with love.
Nathan swallowed the bitterness. It was beneath him to be jealous of the love these two people he cared for had found, yet he was. It roiled inside him like a bloody angry beast. He’d often wondered why he couldn’t move on from Beth. Move on from the woman who had clearly left London to avoid him. He thought perhaps that was because he had no answers as to why she’d left.
“Hello, Walter.” Nathan leaned closer and patted the dog’s head. “Nice bow.”
“He looks handsome.” The duchess scowled at him.
“He looks pathetic,” Nathan corrected. “You, however, look stunning, Duchess.”
It was a lie; that particular shade of jaundice yellow was extremely unflattering on anyone.
“It’s a favorite dress of mine,” she said with a narrow-eyed look.
“I can certainly see why,” he lied smoothly. “Plus, should you be lost in the dark anywhere, we will easily find you.”
“Don’t encourage her,” Dimity said.
As Nathan was watching the duchess, he saw the moment she retrieved a book from the floor of the carriage.