by Amanda Quick
“I have considered that. Why do you think I told you about Lady Thornbridge’s blackmailing scheme? I did not say I was opposed to discussing my cases with you.”
Prudence’s hopes rose again. “Then you do think we might work together?”
“On a consulting basis only,” Sebastian said evenly. “I am willing to discuss my cases with you, but I will not allow you to accompany me on my investigations. I want no more scenes such as the one that transpired last night.”
“I don’t see why not,” Prudence retorted. “The damage has already been done. We are already trapped in this farce of an engagement for the remainder of the Season. What else could possibly go wrong?”
Sebastian’s mouth tightened in a grim line. “There is always a certain risk involved in my investigations. I do not want you confronting any more pistols.”
Prudence’s eyes widened. “Does that sort of thing happen often in the course of your investigations?”
“Of course not. But I am not going to take any chances. As I said, I shall discuss my cases with you, but that is as far as it goes.” He gave her an indulgent look. “After all, my dear, your expertise is in the field of spectral phenomena, not in the investigation of blackmailers and other such criminals.”
“But I feel certain many of my methods would apply equally well to the investigation of criminal activities as they do to the investigation of spectral phenomena,” Prudence assured him earnestly.
“Trust me, my dear, there is a world of difference between the two types of investigations.”
Prudence glowered at him. “How would you know?”
“It’s obvious.” Sebastian’s gloved hands moved almost imperceptibly on the reins. The horses quickened their pace to a trot.
“My lord, I must say, you are being extremely stubborn about this. As we are going to be obliged to spend a great deal of time in each other’s company for the next two and a half months, I do not see why we should not spend that time assisting each other in our various investigations.”
“The answer is no, Prue, and that is final.”
There was no mistaking the ring of inflexible steel in Sebastian’s words. Prudence lifted her chin. “Very well, my lord. If you choose to be arrogant and thick-skulled about the matter, there is little I can do.”
He smiled in approval. “I’m glad you aren’t the sort of female who whines when she doesn’t get her own way. I find that sort of thing extremely tiresome.”
“Whine? Me? Not at all, my lord.” Prudence tried to imitate his cool smile. “I would not want to bore you. In any event, I expect I shall be busy enough with my own investigations.”
Sebastian inclined his head politely. “I shall look forward to hearing about them.”
Prudence did not care for the slightly condescending tone she thought she detected in his voice. “Perhaps I will be able to give you a full report on my latest investigation as early as tomorrow morning.”
“That soon?” Sebastian glanced at her. “Have you found a client here in Town?”
“A friend of Lady Pembroke’s has brought me a most fascinating case.” Prudence leaned closer. “Are you acquainted with Mrs. Leacock?”
Sebastian reflected briefly, “I’ve heard of her. Her husband recently died and left her his fortune, as I recall.”
“Yes, well, she has recently been having a great deal of trouble with a ghost in the west wing of her home. I had hoped to be able to test out some of my latest theories by using an electricity machine to trap this particular ghost, but I fear that would be a waste of time on this case.”
“How are you going to catch your ghost?”
Prudence gave him a superior sort of smile. “Lady Pembroke and I are going to stay the night with her. Tonight I shall sleep in Mrs. Leacock’s bedchamber in the west wing.”
Sebastian slanted her a curious glance. “You’re going to trade places with Mrs. Leacock?”
“Correct. But we are not going to tell anyone about the switch.”
He was amused. “Why not? Do you think the ghost will care?”
“As a matter of fact,” Prudence said, “I think he just might care a great deal.”
Sebastian eyed her sharply. “He?”
“I have concluded my initial inquiries. There are several interesting factors about this particular case of spectral phenomena,” Prudence confided. “The first is that the apparition did not begin appearing until very recently.”
“How recently?”
“The incidents began occurring shortly after Mr. Leacock’s death,” Prudence said. “Mrs. Leacock had never before encountered the ghost in the west wing. Nor had anyone else. There were no rumors of the house being haunted until now.”
“The woman has just suffered the loss of her husband,” Sebastian reminded her. “She is probably having nightmares.”
“I’m not entirely convinced of that. You see, the second interesting feature of this case is that Mrs. Leacock has no children of her own. But according to Lady Pembroke, she does have three greedy nephews. And all three are aware that their aunt has recently been told by her doctor that she has a weak heart.”
“Bloody hell.” Sebastian stared at her. “Are you telling me you think that the nephews might be deliberately trying to terrify their aunt in hopes of causing her heart to fail?”
“I think it’s quite possible. Tonight I intend to find out.”
“By confronting the ghost?” Sebastian’s jaw set in an implacable line. “I think not.”
“You, my lord,” Prudence said sweetly, “have nothing to say about it.”
“The devil, I don’t. I’m your fiance now, Prue.”
“In name only.”
“Nevertheless,” he said between his teeth, “you will listen to me.”
“I have been listening to you, my lord.” Prudence smiled serenely. “And you have made it very clear that we are to conduct our investigations separately. As I understand it, you do not wish us to work together as a team. Or did I mistake your meaning?”
“Don’t throw my words back in my face, you little baggage. You know damn well what I meant.”
Prudence gave him a lofty smile. “I heard you very clearly, my lord. We are allowed to discuss our cases with each other, but we are not to assist each other in the actual investigations. Don’t worry, I shall tell you all about my discoveries tomorrow.”
Sebastian’s eyes glittered. “True, you have a great deal to learn about being an engaged woman.”
“Do you think so, my lord? How odd. And here I thought I was adapting rather nicely to my new role.”
“Prue, I will not allow you—”
“Prudence. By God, it is you. I didn’t believe it.”
Prudence flinched at the sound of the familiar masculine voice. She had not heard it in nearly three years, but she was hardly likely to forget it. She turned her head and looked straight into the soft gray eyes of the man who had taught her that her intuition was not infallible.
“Good afternoon, Lord Underbrink,” she said quietly as the newcomer guided his handsome gray stallion closer to the phaeton.
Prudence took a deep breath and forced herself to examine Edward, Lord Underbrink, with polite detachment. To her surprise and overwhelming relief she felt nothing except a sense of deep chagrin at the memory of her own gullibility. What a little fool she had been three years ago to think that Underbrink was serious when he made his proposal of marriage.
There had never been any question of the heir to the Underbrink title marrying the daughter of a country squire. Edward had merely been amusing himself that summer.
He had not changed much in three years, Prudence reflected. His hair was still as fair as she remembered, his eyes still as open and guileless. His pleasant features were still quite appealing, although she thought she detected some signs of plumpness developing around his jawline. He was dressed in a well-cut coat that was the exact same shade of pearl gray as his expensive mount.
“This is ast
onishing,” Underbrink said. “I just got back into Town yesterday. I learned that you were here for the Season last night, but I could hardly credit it.” He glanced uneasily at Sebastian. “There were rumors of an engagement.”
Sebastian flicked a brief, dismissing glance over Underbrink. “The rumors are true.”
Edward’s gaze jerked quickly back to Prudence. “I don’t understand.”
“In that case, Underbrink,” Sebastian said softly, “I suggest you try reading the notices that will appear in tomorrow’s morning papers. Perhaps that will make it clear to you.”
Edward frowned. “Now, see here, Angelstone, Prudence and I are old friends. I have every right to be interested in her engagement. You cannot blame me for being surprised by this announcement.”
Prudence saw the cold fire pooling in Sebastian’s eyes. She did not know why he was acting as if he were annoyed by Edward, but she decided it would be best to head off a confrontation.
“How is Lady Underbrink these days?” Prudence asked brightly. She had never met the woman Edward had married, but it seemed safe enough to inquire after her.
A deep, angry flush stained Edward’s cheeks. “She’s well enough,” he said brusquely. “Listen, Prue, I shall be at the Handleys’ soiree this evening. Will you be there?”
“She will not be attending the Handleys’ soiree,” Sebastian said. “And in future, Underbrink, you will address my fiancée as Miss Merryweather. Is that very clear?”
Edward straightened quickly in his saddle. His flush deepened. “Of course.”
“I’m glad to see you are capable of comprehending a few simple things. You will be the healthier for it.” Sebastian urged his horses to a faster pace. “Now you must excuse us, Underbrink.”
The black phaeton sped down the wide path, leaving Edward behind.
Prudence took a deep breath. She knew she ought to reproach Sebastian for his rudeness, but she could not bring herself to do so. She suddenly realized how tense she had been during the encounter.
She did not know what she had expected to feel upon seeing Lord Underbrink again, but the only emotion she was truly aware of was a sense of relief. Relief that he had not married her after all. It was difficult to recall that she had once thought herself in love with him.
Sebastian said nothing for a few minutes. He appeared to be concentrating entirely on his driving. Eventually he eased the horses back to a walk.
“How do you come to be acquainted with Underbrink?” he asked without any inflection in his voice.
Prudence adjusted her spectacles. “Three years ago he spent a great deal of the summer in Dorset. He was staying with friends who were neighbors of ours. We met on several occasions. Assemblies, card parties, that sort of thing.”
“What happened?”
Prudence flashed him a quick glance and then returned her attention to the ears of his horses. “Not a great deal At the end of the summer he returned to London to become engaged to the woman his family wished him to marry.”
“Lucinda Montclair.”
“Yes, I believe that was her name,” Prudence said quietly. “Her father is said to be very rich.”
“He is. Lucinda is also a very wealthy young woman in her own right.”
“So I was given to understand,” Prudence murmured.
“And an extremely jealous woman,” Sebastian added. “Word is that Underbrink is henpecked. Apparently his wife keeps him on a very short leash. Did he seduce you during that summer in Dorset?”
Prudence nearly dropped her reticule. “Good heavens, my lord. What a thing to ask.”
“It seems a reasonable enough question to me.”
“It is a very unreasonable question,” Prudence retorted. “But for your information, Lord Underbrink was a perfect gentleman at all times.”
There was no need to explain that Edward had kissed her on several occasions. A lady was entitled to some privacy, after all. In any event, Edward’s kisses now appeared distinctly uninspired compared to the searing kiss Sebastian had given her the night she had gone to his town house.
“So you and Underbrink were no more than friends three years ago?”
“Precisely,” Prudence said tightly. “There was never anything of a serious nature between us. Lord Underbrink was merely amusing himself in the country that summer.”
She must keep in mind that Underbrink was not the only one who sought to amuse himself in ways that could prove painful for others.
Shortly after midnight that night, Prudence put on a white muslin cap and climbed into the massive canopied bed that dominated Mrs. Leacock’s bedchamber. She was wearing a serviceable woolen gown rather than a night rail and she had on her spectacles. She did not intend to sleep tonight.
She had to admit she was having a few second thoughts about her investigation. The west wing of the Leacock mansion seemed eerily quiet. There was no denying that it was a fine setting for a real ghost. Prudence could not even hear the normal street sounds of carriage wheels, nightmen, and drunken revelers because the bedchamber faced the vast, silent Leacock gardens.
The notion of spending the night in Mrs. Leacock’s bedchamber had seemed an excellent one when Prudence first thought of it. If one or more of Mrs. Leacock’s greedy nephews was up to some nefarious trick, this was the only way to catch him. Poor Mrs. Leacock had suffered enough.
Prudence leaned across the bed to open the drawer in the nightstand. She reached inside and touched the cold metal of the small pistol she had put there earlier.
Somewhat reassured, she leaned back against the pillows and gazed up at the heavy canopy overhead. It was going to be a very long night.
Not that she didn’t have plenty to think about, she told herself. Her life had certainly taken an interesting turn of late. She still could not quite believe that she was engaged to Sebastian. The fact that the engagement was not going to last very long did nothing to diminish her excitement.
She must remember that her relationship with Sebastian was doomed to remain a friendship. He was, after all, an earl and he could certainly look much higher than herself when he finally got around to choosing a wife. He would do his duty by his title and family name, just as Edward had done three years ago.
But she also knew in her heart she was wildly attracted to the Fallen Angel. The sense of deep recognition that she experienced when she was with him was startling in its intensity. It was also infinitely more seductive than the far more shallow feelings she had experienced toward Edward.
It would take very little for her to fall in love with Sebastian, Prudence thought. In truth, she suspected she was already in love with him.
Prudence scowled and adjusted the heavy quilt. She must not indulge herself in foolish, hopeless, romantic dreams about Sebastian.
Instead she would content herself with savoring the pleasures of an intellectual connection to the only man she had ever met who understood and shared her interests.
If she were very fortunate, she thought, suddenly optimistic, such an intellectual connection might continue to exist even after she was obliged to return to Dorset. Perhaps she could correspond with him. He could keep her informed of his investigations. He might be interested in asking her advice on certain topics. She would tell him about her research into spectral phenomena.
Yes, a correspondence might very well be possible. At least until he acquired a wife. Prudence was instantly downcast. Sebastian was very likely to find himself a wife quite soon. He had a certain responsibility, after all.
A small muffled thud snapped Prudence out of her reverie. The soft noise sent a jolt of alarm through her. She sat up against the pillows, straining to listen.
The notion of confronting the ghost alone suddenly seemed somewhat more daunting than it had earlier. If she was correct in her suspicions concerning Mrs. Leacock’s nephews, she might be in some danger. Prudence wished Sebastian were with her. He would be a very competent assistant in this phase of the investigation.
She peer
ed into the darkness, watching for candlelight beneath the door that connected Mrs. Leacock’s bedchamber to the next room. Mrs. Leacock had said that the ghost carried a candle.
Another muted thud made Prudence’s pulse race more swiftly. She started to reach for the pistol in the drawer.
She froze when she caught sight of the dark shadow of a man standing on the ledge outside the window. Panic assailed her. Nothing had been said about the ghost entering from that direction.
The window opened abruptly. Cold air swept into the room.
Prudence found her voice. “Who goes there?” She wrenched open the drawer and grabbed the pistol.
The cloaked figure that had been looming outside on the ledge stepped into the room.
“Stop, whoever you are.” Prudence pushed aside the covers and scrambled out of bed. She clutched the pistol with both hands.
“I pray you won’t use that pistol, my dear,” Sebastian said calmly. “Only think of the gossip that would ensue were you to shoot your fiance a day after announcing your engagement.”
Six
llow me to compliment you on your enchanting nightclothes, my dear.” Sebastian surveyed the plain woolen gown and muslin cap that Prudence was wearing. “I should have expected that your choice in such garments would be spectacularly original.”
“What on earth do you think you’re doing, sir?” Prudence slowly lowered the pistol. The moonlight streaming through the window glinted on her spectacles and revealed her strained expression. “You gave me a terrible start. I might have shot you.”
“It was a near thing, was it not? My life does seem to be filled with adventure these days. First Thornbridge tries to shoot me and then my fiancée takes aim at my vitals. I am not certain how many of these encounters my nerves can tolerate.”
She gave him an annoyed look. “I asked you a question, my lord.”
“So you did.” Sebastian glanced around the shadowed bedroom, taking in the dark, heavy furnishings and the massive bed. “The answer is that I came here tonight in order to give you the benefit of my expertise.”