“But that is my job,” she said, with a fleeting bit of panic. She liked having a purpose in life. She didn’t want to be just another American miss on the London marriage mart. Yes, there were risks, but also great rewards. But somehow she knew an emotional argument would not sway Richard. Instead, she addressed the practical. “I cannot imagine we could afford to hire anyone.”
“Oh, I think we could find someone,” he said as he patted her hand. “Leave the details to me.” He emptied his glass and set it aside. “Now, there is something else I would like to discuss.”
Richard was rarely ill at ease. Indeed, his steadfast nature had been of incomparable value in getting people to trust him, both the women they were helping and the benefactors they needed so much. But Mel was surprised to see that for the first time since he’d been a lad, he appeared a bit awkward. She was even more surprised when he rose and began pacing the room, running his hands through his hair.
Finally, he paused and turned to her. “Melanie, we have always rubbed along quite well together.” He looked at her expectantly.
“Yes,” she said slowly. “That is true.”
He nodded as if validating her answer in a quiz. “We have our work, which brings us together, as well as common goals and interests. Further….” Here he took a deep breath, as if seeking courage. “You have spirit and intelligence.” He paused again.
“Thank you,” said Mel. “Although it does rather sound like you are weighing the attributes of a particularly important cow.”
He grinned at that, as she’d hoped he would. She was desperate for something to break the tension, which had seemed to creep into the room like a determined family of spiders.
He began pacing again. “Back home there are people who, well, not to put too fine a point on it, think I should be looking for a wife. I suppose they are right. A wife would be a welcome addition to my home and my b….”
If Mel were a more experienced woman, she would swear he was about to say “bed.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he continued. “A welcome addition to my home and my blessed work. Furthermore, it occurs to me that it isn’t right for you to be here unmarried and doing the work you’re doing. Perhaps…”
Whatever he was about to say was lost as the earl entered the room. “I am so sorry to disturb you, my dear. But it occurred to me that I haven’t yet shown our guest my library. Parker, you might be interested in some first editions that I acquired in New York.”
Mel was relieved by her uncle’s interruption. She’d been caught off-guard by Richard’s declaration or, rather, his almost declaration. She wasn’t sure how she would have answered him had he continued, but she would have at least a few moments now to consider the matter. She hoped he wasn’t annoyed with her uncle for interrupting, but a quick glance at Richard made it seem as if he, too, were relieved.
“I would be delighted, my lord,” he said, appearing as if he’d been pardoned from an execution. “If you will excuse me, Miss Sutton?” He bowed to her then followed her uncle out of the room with almost insulting haste.
Before Mel could even catch her breath, Aunt Evelyn and Mary entered.
“I could just kill Frederick for interrupting the two of you,” said Aunt Evelyn. “I shall have to ring a peal over his head later.”
“Please do not do so on my account,” said Mel, still shaken.
“I assure you it does a marriage good to have the occasional disagreement. I shall not be too hard on him, and the reconciliation is always so sweet,” said Aunt Evelyn with a faraway look in her eyes.
“What did Mr. Parker say to you?” asked Mary. “I would have listened at the door, but Mama would not let me.”
“Only mothers are allowed to listen at doors,” said Aunt Evelyn. “But I promise you I did not in this case, no matter how sorely I was tempted. What did he say, my dear?”
“We talked about common interests,” hedged Mel, not wanting to discuss the matter yet.
That answer seemed to disappoint Mary a great deal. “Did he not propose?”
“Mary!” said her mother. “You shouldn’t pry. Even if we would truly love to hear the answer.”
Mel smiled and shook her head. “He did not. It was a pleasant conversation and I look forward to his visit. But now I should dearly like to hear about the gown Mary is wearing to the Everetts’ ball.”
If Mary knew she was being put off, she did not say. Soon the three of them were discussing flounces, ribbons and jewelry.
But Mel’s thoughts were on her friend from Philadelphia and a scoundrel who lived in London.
* * *
Aurelia Thurmond, born Joan Smith, rarely had a moment to herself during business hours. And at her brothel, business hours tended to be pretty much around the clock. At the moment, it was close to midnight, which meant most of her rooms were booked with one or more clients. The evening had already seen two bouts of fisticuffs in the brothel, with a knife fight in the alley behind. She’d heard that one of the men had been cut so severely he’d probably die of his wounds, if not the likely infection that followed.
Bad luck for him. But it meant little to her. Even in the unlikely event that the Watch showed up, the officers were well paid by her to ensure that neither she nor her business would suffer. Any subsequent scandal would hardly matter. The noblemen of the ton didn’t exactly patronize her establishment because they thought it was a proper place to be. Her brothel had a reputation for cleanliness and girls who were well-versed in their trade. As a madame she was discreet, except when it was in her interest not to be.
The flesh trade was not for the faint of heart. She regularly had to turn girls out on the street when they wouldn’t obey the rules. Or showed signs of the pox. She valued loyalty in others, even though she exhibited the trait only infrequently herself. Any number of her competitors would literally kill to take over her clientele. But, thanks to the burly bodyguards she’d hired and the intervention of her backer, she’d so far evaded the fate of other madames who’d been forced out of business, sometimes at the cost of their lives.
Originally, she hadn’t wanted to take on a partner. Especially one who would not show his face and spoke only with an indistinguishable whisper. He always wore a mask or met her in areas so dark she could not see him. But he’d been rather insistent by employing a sneaky bit of blackmail that would have landed her in Newgate prison if she hadn’t agreed to the deal. The only reason she was still even nominally in charge was that he had to remain anonymous. In the months they’d been in business together, she’d been looking for his weakness. Every man had one. All she had to do was find his, then use it at the best time to do away with him all together. It was the only way to ensure that she remained free.
She also thought about that Miss Sutton who’d been trying to get her girls to leave. She’d seen her around a few times and thought she was nothing more than a misguided reformer with too much time on her hands. But the appearance of Hal Kellington made her re-evaluate the girl’s usefulness. The Kellingtons were known for their protective nature. She’d also learned the Sutton chit was an earl’s ward. Which meant at least two influential people would be concerned with her well-being.
Two influential and rich people.
She wasn’t sure what exactly she would do with the knowledge. For now, she would simply keep it to herself. There was no advantage in telling her partner everything.
She had her driver drop her at the corner, as instructed. The walk to the park was a short one, but it was still eerie on the all but deserted street. Her partner didn’t even want her driver to know his identity. Aurelia thought that was just as well. She liked to limit the number of people who knew a secret because the only person you could truly count on was yourself.
She walked slowly but determinedly, knowing she was within shouting distance of her coachman and groom. She also had a pistol in her reticule and a knife in her boot. She’d learned how to use both during her work as a prostitute and her knowledge wasn�
��t just theoretical. She wouldn’t hesitate to kill the man if she was physically threatened. But she had to assess her vulnerability in the event of his death. If she remained subject to blackmail she’d simply be trading one villain for another. So for now she would play the game and be patient. But she wouldn’t do so forever.
A nearby church bell tolled midnight, which meant he should be there by now. His absence didn’t surprise her. He almost always kept her waiting, and while that was irritating enough on its own, she was also missing prime business hours back at her establishment. She had no doubt her whores would steal her blind if given half the chance. She needed to get back to them as soon as possible. But she knew he would keep her waiting just a few more minutes. He was probably already there, spending his time staring at her.
It was just the kind of man he was.
“I am glad to see you are prompt as always,” said the familiar voice from the dark. “Do you have my payment?”
He walked toward her, his masked face slowly coming into focus. She suppressed a shiver as she handed him the envelope.
“I shan’t take the time to count it,” he said, as he pocketed it. “You are too smart to cheat me and have a whore’s instinct for survival. About the other matter we discussed. Do you have any more information for me?”
“Not really. I’ve been busy. I do have a business to run.”
“Yes, a business that has been very profitable to you and is proving that way for me, too. But I find it hard to believe you didn’t recognize Hal Kellington when he accompanied Melanie Sutton to speak to your girls.”
Aurelia froze. The only way he could know that would be if he had a spy at her place. And if he did, she was going to have to kill him. Eventually.
“My dear Aurelia, I see from your face that perhaps you did recognize one of the most famous whoremongers in the ton. Mayhap you thought Kellington’s involvement wasn’t important enough to bring to my attention? I assure you that everything having to do with Miss Sutton and Kellington is important enough to tell me. In fact, I shall have to insist on your doing so.” There was no mistaking the anger in his voice, even if he wasn’t speaking above a whisper. “What else can you tell me? And think hard, Aurelia, before you leave out any other details.”
Aurelia wanted nothing more than to stab the man. But she could play his game for now. “That Miss Sutton has been to my place a few times. She’s either fearless or foolish the way she keeps turning up. Of course it don’t hurt that Hal Kellington is sniffing ‘round her skirts. He’s as good as a bodyguard, he is. Providing he’s sober.”
“You should know he’s a fair shot even when he’s cupshot,” added her nemesis. “It wouldn’t do to raise his suspicions. At least not now. Keep an eye on him. And let me know if he becomes more involved with her scheme. We might have to devise a diversion for him. Possibly a permanent one.”
Aurelia looked at the man in front of her. Very few would even dream of killing a Kellington. “You’re not seriously considering offing Hal Kellington? The duke would have your head. And your balls. I heard tell he’s not a man to cross.”
“You have such a small mind. If I kill Kellington, I’ll make sure it never comes back to me. There are many ways for a man such as he to lose his life. London is a violent city – for men and women. Anything could befall him. Or anyone who causes my displeasure. At any time.”
A shiver went up Aurelia’s spine, but she didn’t want the wretched man to know he’d affected her. “Is that everything? I have a business to run. And if you expect those payments to keep coming, I suggest you let me get back to it.”
“Make no mistake, my dear Madame Thurmond, I do expect these payments to continue. So, pray go back to your whorehouse with all due haste. I would hate to inconvenience you further.”
With that, the man turned on his heel and departed. Aurelia was left wondering if she could kill him with a shot to the back or if it would only wound him. Blackmail be damned. But if she made her move, she would have to see it all the way through. There could be no half measures. And, more to the point, he was already out of range and moving further away.
A missed opportunity if there ever was one.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning, Mel found it even harder than usual to begin her day. She’d lain awake almost the entire night thinking about marrying Richard. When she finally did fall asleep, she was haunted by dreams of Hal Kellington kissing her and doing all the things Lydia and Angela had so painstakingly described. If only the responsible Richard could make her feel that way. Or, conversely, if only Hal would mature enough to care for another person’s welfare more than his own.
The one bright spot was that for once she would not have to invent an excuse to leave the house. Her aunt and uncle were only too happy for her to spend the day with Richard in the company of Flora. She would have to bribe the girl once again to keep her quiet about their destination, but it was a small price to pay. At least relatively speaking. Flora really was becoming a bit greedy.
It was half past ten and Mel had just finished dressing when she was informed she had a visitor. She went to the drawing room expecting to find Richard only to see Hal, instead. That would be vexing enough – especially since last night’s dreams began to replay in vivid detail at the very sight of him – but the scoundrel was doing his best to charm Aunt Evelyn and Cousin Mary. That he had contradicted her wishes by showing up at her house was, of course, upsetting. And it was frustrating in the extreme that he also made her pulse race quite so much.
Hal rose as Mel entered the room.
“There you are, dear,” said Aunt Evelyn, as she rose from the settee to kiss her niece. “Mary, do be so kind as to show Lord Henry your artwork.”
“I am not at all sure I should subject our guest to my renderings,” said Mary with her typical self-deprecating sense of humor. But off her mother’s look, she continued. “My lord, would you care to see my drawings? I can assure you that you have never seen anything like them and should count yourself quite fortunate because of it.”
“I would be delighted,” said Hal with a grin.
Aunt Evelyn pulled Mel aside. “Lord Henry seems intent on taking you for a drive, but Mr. Parker is expected at any moment.”
“I have no plans to drive with Lord Henry. I shall send him on his way.”
That clearly alarmed Aunt Evelyn. “Do you really think you should? I mean, your Mr. Parker is everything that is amiable, but Lord Henry is quite the catch. And, most importantly from a selfish standpoint, would not be taking you to America.”
“He shall not even be taking me for a drive, in spite of his rather presumptuous intentions,” said Mel.
“Pray excuse my abominable manners,” said Hal from across the room. “But I could not help but overhear you talking about me, Miss Sutton. At least I assume you were referring to me. All I heard was ‘presumptuous intentions.’ Although, mayhap it was Parker to which you referred.” He turned to the grinning Mary. “The man is rather full of himself for a religious sort.”
“Lord Henry,” said Mel. “I shall thank you not to speak ill of my friend.”
“You’re the one who said he had presumptuous intentions.”
“I wasn’t referring to him, I was talking about you!”
“I’m flattered, Miss Sutton, to be the subject of your conversation. And, if I may be so bold, any of your thoughts, as well.”
Mel’s face flooded with such vivid color that she heard her aunt say quietly, “Oh my.” It was most humiliating.
“Pray forgive me for teasing you so,” said Hal. “But I have had a series of interesting conversations with my brother and sister-in-law and thought you might like to hear about them. They concern your activities.”
“Mel’s activities?” asked Mary.
“Her reform work,” said Hal. “I am one of Mrs. Seton’s, uh, followers.” Here he had such an angelic look on his face that Mel almost had to laugh.
Aunt Evelyn cleared her thr
oat. “I did not know you were also involved with Mrs. Seton’s group, Lord Henry. How admirable of you.”
“’Tis no great thing, Lady Heffner. I feel it is my responsibility to look out for the welfare of my fellow man.”
“So you do not drink spirits?” Aunt Evelyn asked in a politely disbelieving way.
Here Hal paused. Mel had a feeling he was weighing his words carefully.
“While I have imbibed on occasion…”
“Only on occasion, my lord?” asked Mel with raised brow.
“On a number of occasions, Miss Sutton. While I have imbibed and, from time to time, drunk to excess…”
“Only from time to time, my lord?” asked Mel.
“I do not mean to pry, Miss Sutton, but is your hearing quite the thing? I do not recall your needing to have things repeated this much.”
“Lord Henry, you hardly know me well enough to know much about me, including the state of my hearing.”
“Let me see,” said Hal, as if harkening back to the dark recesses of his mind. “I have seen you at Mrs. Seton’s meetings, protested with you and where else have I spent time with you?”
Mel’s eyes widened appreciably. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. “I cannot recall any other meetings with you, Lord Henry.”
“I am devastated to hear it,” said Hal. “Yet I have relived every moment we’ve spent together.” Here he paused for a moment. “Every moment.”
Mel could only wonder if he was thinking of the same moments she was. His ever present grin was in place, but there was a look in his eyes – a certain light in his eyes – that heated her throughout.
Aunt Evelyn cleared her throat. “Mary, my dear, we must depart for your fitting with Madame LaCroix.”
“Must we, Mama? I am rather enjoying this,” said Mary.
“Nevertheless, we must go,” said Aunt Evelyn. “Lord Henry, thank you for the delightful visit. We shall leave you with Mel.”
Hal bowed dutifully to both women, then turned to Mel when her relatives had departed. “You have a very nice family, Mel.”
Never Run From Love (Kellington Book Four) Page 14