Dangerous

by Amanda Quick

  “As I said, I generally have better things to do. Fleet-woods are, by and large, a dull lot.”

  “How fortunate for them.”

  “Furthermore, now that I am a married man I have a duty to establish my nursery and set about the business of getting myself an heir. I expect I shall be well occupied in the foreseeable future.”

  “You are incorrigible, my lord.”

  “I work at the task.” His expression hardened again. “There is something you must understand, Prue.”

  “What is that?”

  “It is true enough that the Fleetwoods are safe from me. But only to a point.”

  “A point?”

  Sebastian smiled his coldest smile. “If one of them steps too far over the line, the promise I made to my mother will not protect them.”

  “What do you consider stepping too far over the line?” Prudence asked cautiously.

  “If my aunt or any of the others goes after you in any way, I want to know about it. I will crush whoever is responsible.”

  “Sebastian.”

  “I vowed to my mother that I would not punish the Fleetwoods for turning their backs on her and my father. But nothing was said about what I could do to them if they insulted or offended my wife.”

  “But Sebastian—”

  “No, Prue. You bargained with me once on that score after my aunt insulted you during our engagement. I would have taken action against her then, but I allowed you to talk me out of it.”

  “I do not believe you let me talk you out of it,” Prudence said. “You listened to reason and decided to behave in the noble manner one expects of a man of your status and power.”

  Sebastian’s brows rose. “I gave in to your pleas, my sweet, naive little Prue, because we were merely engaged then, not married.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “At the time I was in a somewhat precarious position. I did not wish to anger my future bride to such an extent that she might call off the engagement. So I indulged her.”

  “I do not believe you.”

  “No doubt because you have convinced yourself that I am still Lucifer before the fall.”

  “This is intolerable.” Prudence glowered at him. “Are you saying that now that you have married me, you are no longer concerned with the prospect of making me angry?”

  “I much prefer you when you are in a charming, cooperative mood, my dear. But the fact of the matter is we are legally bound now.” Sebastian stroked his finger along the curve of her shoulder. He smiled when she shivered. “And we are bound in other ways as well, are we not? No matter how angry you become, you cannot walk out on me.”

  “And if I did?”

  “I would follow you and bring you home,” he promised. “Then I would make love to you until you shuddered in my arms, until you pleaded with me to take you. Until you could no longer even recall why you had been angry with me.”

  “Sebastian.”

  “Until you realized that what you and I have together is all that matters.”

  Prudence looked into his candlelit eyes and caught her breath. “I warned you once not to think you could manipulate me with your lovemaking.”

  He smiled slowly. “So you did. But I have always liked a challenge.”

  “Sebastian, do not tease me, I beg you. This is a very serious matter.”

  “I assure you I am taking it very seriously.” He caught her chin on the edge of his hand. “Attend me well, madam. The vow my mother extracted from me will not keep me from punishing the Fleetwoods if they insult you or offend you in any way.”

  Prudence tapped one bare foot. “I have the impression that you rather hope one of them does manage to step over this invisible line you have drawn.”

  The devil’s own laughter danced in Sebastian’s gaze. “You are very perceptive, my sweet. And quite right. I would not mind in the least if one of them, preferably my aunt, crosses that line. But you needn’t worry. I give you my solemn oath that it will only happen once.”

  “Because that is all the excuse you will need for taking retribution?”

  “Just one offense,” he said softly. “One insult to you and I will see them banished from Society. I will cut their considerable incomes down to tiny allowances.”

  Prudence was stunned by the implacable intent in his words. Her palms were suddenly damp. “Is that the real reason you chose to marry an unfashionable Original, then, my lord? Because you knew that only someone as odd as myself could manage to draw the insults you wanted from your relatives?”

  Sebastian frowned. “Now, Prue—”

  “Did you marry me just so that you would finally have cause to exact the vengeance you crave?”

  “Don’t be a fool.” Sebastian’s lashes veiled his eyes. “Do you think I would tie myself for life to a woman whose only recommendation was that she was bound to annoy the Fleet-woods?”

  “The thought crossed my mind, yes.”

  Sebastian swore. “If that had been the only thing I required of a wife, I would have married long ago. I assure you that there are any number of females here in London who would have offended the Fleetwoods.”

  “No doubt.”

  “Use your admirable intellect, madam. I’ll admit I would very much like to punish the Fleetwoods, but not at the price of marriage to a female who would have made me a totally unsuitable wife.”

  “Of course, my lord.” Prudence fought back tears. “I should have considered the matter more closely. Now that I do, I can see that you needed a most unusual combination of characteristics in your countess.”

  “I most certainly did.” He smiled.

  “You needed a female who was both odd enough to draw the condemnation of your relatives and yet clever enough to amuse you.”

  Sebastian scowled. “You are being deliberately difficult, Prue. I have told you why I married you.”

  “Mutual interests and mutual passion.” Prudence drew the back of her hand across her eyes. “I understand those reasons for our marriage. But I feel I was grossly misled on this other requirement you have mentioned, my lord.”

  “Prue, stop this nonsense. You are getting it all mixed up.”

  “Am I?” She took a step back. “You never explained that I was to be a convenient tool you could use to bait the Fleetwoods. I do not like being used in such a fashion.”

  Sebastian’s expression turned dangerous as she moved away from him. “You are twisting my words, Prue.”

  She blinked away more tears. “You ask too much of a wife, my lord. My list of duties grows longer every time I turn around. I am to amuse you. I am to be an intellectual companion so that you will have someone on hand to admire your brilliance when you are conducting an investigation. I am to warm your bed. And now you expect to use me as an excuse to punish the Fleetwoods for what they did to your parents.”

  Sebastian took a gliding step toward her. “I have had enough of this nonsense.”

  “So have I. It is time for me to draw a line of my own and I am going to do so.”

  “What line would that be?” He took another step toward her

  “You will not use me as an excuse to avenge yourself on your relatives. I do not care what insult is offered. You will not use me. Is that clear?”

  “You are my wife, Prue. I will not tolerate any insult to you. On that score there will be no bargaining.”

  “Then I demand the right to decide whether or not I have been insulted,” she said defiantly.

  “Damnation, Prue, are you crying?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “I warn you, I will not be manipulated with tears,” he growled.

  “And I will not be manipulated with lovemaking.”

  Sebastian gave her an ironic look. “Where does that leave us?”

  Prudence wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her night rail. “I have no notion, sir. If you will excuse me, I believe I am going to go back to bed.”

  He watched her intently. “I shall join you shortly.”

>   “No, you will not. I am going back to my own bedchamber, my lord. I find I cannot sleep well here in your room.”

  Prudence walked to the connecting door, opened it, and went through to her own room. She shut the door behind her and held her breath.

  She was not certain what Sebastian would do next. She half expected him to follow her and give her a lecture on her wifely duties.

  But the door to her bedchamber remained closed.

  Twelve

  rather like the neckline on this gown,” Hester mused.

  Prudence tried to rally her flagging interest as she obediently contemplated the fashion plate. This shopping trip had been her idea, she reminded herself. She had certainly had the best of intentions when she started out this morning.

  But after an enthusiastic beginning at the fabulous shopping bazaars which featured everything from clever little toys to delicious ices, she had long since grown bored.

  Prudence pushed her spectacles into place and studied the gown closely. “It looks as though one would pop right out of the bodice if one took a deep breath.”

  “That is the whole point,” the unctuous modiste hastily assured her in a false French accent. “A lady’s ball gown should give the illusion of being made of nothing but gossamer spider webs spun while the dew is still fresh upon the strands.”

  “Quite right,” Hester declared. “And to be the very glass of fashion, the gown should be in a lavender hue.”

  Prudence eyed the plate dubiously. “Well, if you think it’s what I want, Hester, then I shall order it at once.”

  Hester smiled with satisfaction and turned to the modiste. “We will need it made up immediately. We are prepared to pay extra if you can promise that it will be delivered by eight this evening.”

  The modiste hesitated and then smiled blandly. “It can be arranged, madam. I shall have all of my seamstresses work on it this afternoon.”

  “Excellent,” Hester said. “Now, then, we shall also want the riding habit, the morning gowns, and the carriage dresses as soon as possible. Remember, they are all to be done up in violet- and lavender-colored materials. You may use a bit of purple for the trims.”

  “I understand, madam. You shall have everything within a few days.” The modiste turned to Prudence, who was examining a display of buttons. “If her ladyship will step this way, we can take her ladyship’s measurements.”

  “What’s that?” Prudence looked up from the buttons. “Oh, yes, of course.”

  She allowed herself to be led into the fitting room, where she stood obediently still as a plump woman bustled about with a tape. The modiste supervised with a critical eye.

  Prudence smiled at the modiste. “I have heard that it is the fashion to have the buttons of one’s riding habits and pelisses engraved with one’s family motto or a crest. Is that true?”

  “Ladies rarely concern themselves with such.” The modiste kept her attention on the seamstress. “It is gentlemen who are more likely to order engraved buttons.”

  “What sort of things do they have engraved on them?” Prudence inquired with what she hoped sounded like nothing more than mild curiosity.

  “A variety of things. Military insignia. Symbols of their regiments, perhaps. Family crests. Some of the members of certain gentlemen’s clubs have the names or mottoes of their clubs engraved.” The modiste looked at her politely. “Did madam wish to order special engraving on her buttons?”

  “Not unless it is a requirement of fashion. I was merely curious. Where would one go to order such buttons?”

  “There are a number of shops that can supply them.” The modiste scowled at the seamstress. “I think you had better measure her ladyship’s bosom again, Nanette. We do not want any mistakes. There will not be time to make adjustments. Madam has a very … ah … slender, refined form. We would not want the bodice to be too large.”

  “Could you give me a list?” Prudence asked as Nanette tightened the tape around her breasts.

  The modiste glanced at her again. “A list of what, madam?”

  “A list of shops that deal in specially engraved buttons. It occurs to me that if there is not already a fashion for such items among ladies, I might start one.”

  “But of course. Very clever of madam to think of that.” It was clear the modiste was merely humoring her patron. “I shall make a note of some of the better shops that specialize in trims and buttons and the like before you leave.”

  “Thank you,” Prudence murmured. For the first time in several hours her interest in shopping returned. “I would appreciate that.”

  Twenty minutes later Prudence and Hester were handed back up into the Angelstone carriage by a footman dressed in the black and gold Angelstone livery.

  “I must say, my dear,” Hester remarked as she seated herself, “I am extremely pleased to see that you are finally taking an interest in fashion. Now that you are a countess, you must give more attention to such matters. It is expected of you. Drucilla Fleetwood and the rest of Angelstone’s clan will be watching you quite closely.”

  “Hoping, no doubt, that I will humiliate myself by doing something totally unsuitable, such as wearing a riding habit and a pair of half boots to a ball.”

  Hester gave her a searching glance. “Is that the reason behind your newfound interest in gowns and furbelows? Are you afraid of offending the Fleetwoods?”

  “Let’s just say I’d rather Angelstone’s aunt did not issue any more insults to me in public” Prudence said dryly. “The Fleetwoods have already decided I am not going to make a very suitable countess. I would just as soon not give them any ammunition to support their assumptions.”

  “Well, well, well.” Hester chuckled. “No offense, my dear, but I am rather amazed to learn that you are so concerned with pleasing Angelstone’s relatives. He certainly has never worried about pleasing them.”

  “Perhaps becoming a countess has given me a more informed view of the social world,” Prudence muttered. She gazed out at the busy streets and wondered if her efforts to I urn herself into a fashion plate would be of any use.

  She did not dare explain to Hester the real reason she was going through the trouble of redoing her wardrobe. The sole goal of the task was to save the hapless Fleetwoods from Sebastian’s vengeance.

  The best approach to the problem, she had decided, was to lake a preventive course of action, She had wakened this morning determined not to provide her new relatives with grounds for any grave insults.

  It had been obvious to Prudence that the first step she needed to take was to become more fashionable.

  The note she had sent to Hester late in the morning inviting her on the shopping expedition had brought an immediate response. Hester had been delighted at being given a free band and a virtually unlimited budget.

  Thus far she had seen to it that Prudence replaced her spectacles, at least for evening wear, with a fashionable little glass that hung from a purple velvet ribbon. It could be attached to any of her gowns. Prudence had complained that it was awkward to have to raise the glass to her eyes whenever she wished to see clearly, but Hester had ruthlessly brushed aside that petty complaint.

  They had purchased dancing slippers in every shade of lavender and violet, and several pairs of matching gloves. Parcels containing a variety of hats and fans were piled high on the roof of the carriage.

  “All in all, this has been an extremely successful day,” Hester said with great satisfaction. “Shall we stop for an ice?”

  Prudence perked up at that. “Yes, I should enjoy that. And afterward, I would like to visit one or two shops on this list that the modiste gave me.”

  Hester glanced at the piece of paper in Prudence’s hand. “What sort of shopping do you intend to do?”

  “I am interested in inquiring about having some buttons especially engraved.”

  Hester was delighted. “That would certainly make an interesting touch for your riding habits and perhaps your pelisses. What a clever notion.”

 
; “I thought so,” Prudence said, feeling a trifle smug. “I am looking for someone who does this sort of work. Very fine quality, don’t you think?” She reached into her reticule and pulled out the gold button she and Sebastian had found at Curling Castle.

  “That looks like the sort of button that would suit a gentleman’s waistcoat,” Hester said. “What on earth is that engraved on it?”

  “I have no idea. The name of a gentleman’s club, perhaps. Or it might have some significance to an Evangelical.” Prudence casually dropped the button back into her reticule.

  “Where did you get it?”

  “I found it lying about somewhere,” Prudence said easily. “I cannot recall precisely. But I noticed the workmanship and decided I should like to find the merchant who supplied it to the original owner. If I do, I shall put in a special order for myself.”

  “I imagine any number of merchants can supply you with engraved buttons. Why bother to search for the one who did that particular button?” Hester asked curiously.

  “Because I wish to be assured of getting this quality of workmanship,” Prudence explained smoothly. “Angelstone prefers that his wife wear only the best.”

  “Very well, my dear. If you wish to spend the rest of the day shopping for buttons, who am I to stop you?”

  Shortly after two o’clock Sebastian walked out of the establishment of Milway and Gordon, a Bond Street shop that specialized in gentleman’s gloves, cravats, and other assorted accoutrements required by men of fashion. He paused to consult the list of merchants his valet had drawn up for him.

  Thus far he had visited four shops which claimed to take orders for specially engraved buttons. No one had recognized the button he described to them.

  “Gold, with the phrase The Princes of Virtue engraved on it,” he had explained to the shopkeepers. “Suitable for a waistcoat. I should like to duplicate it for a waistcoat of my own.”

  “Perhaps if his lordship had brought along the button he is attempting to duplicate I could say for certain whether or not I have seen its like previously,” one shopkeeper suggested. “I am quite positive we could reproduce it. But it would be helpful to see the original button.”