“Yes, Charles has been a blessing. He should be here at any moment.” The rey walked to the liquor tantalus and unlocked it. “A port while we wait?”
“Certainly.” Reminding himself that patience would serve him better than violence, Sebastian accepted the glass Embry handed him. If Prinny hadn’t made his preference for the rey and his family so public, stopping this nonsense would have been much simpler.
“Did you know that we’ve decided to sell lots of land now? There’s been so much interest that I reckon we’ll have people coming regardless. This should help keep things more orderly.”
“Oh, Father, can’t we limit our conversation to social events for one evening?” Josefina entered the sitting room, her breathing fast and her face flushed. “No business tonight, if you please.”
The hairs on his arm lifted as she brushed by him to join her father. Belatedly Sebastian realized he was staring. He sketched a bow as she faced him again, offering her hand. “Your Highness,” he murmured, gripping her fingers hard as he kissed her knuckles. If the chit had any sense of self-preservation she would immediately distance herself from her father and then throw herself on the nearest duke—him—and beg for forgiveness and protection.
At the thought arousal stirred through him, as if separate from all common sense and better judgment. It was separate, he supposed. It was the only way he could explain being furious with her and wanting to protect her at the same time. It was why he still looked for ways to justify or excuse what she was doing.
Later, Melbourne, he ordered silently. She knew he had his suspicions, and he didn’t know how much she might have told her father about their conversations. And so he was in this up to his neck—which meant that Prinny and England were, as well.
“Aren’t you going to tell me how lovely I look this evening?” Josefina asked, tilting her head to look at him coyly.
St. George’s buttonholes. “You look beautiful tonight, Your Highness.”
She was exquisite, in a low-cut silk gown of deep blue, with fine lace at her sleeves. Blue ribbons wound through her hair like velvet rivers in blackness, with her silver tiara glinting in the candlelight. If he could trust her, if he could believe anything that came out of those soft red lips, he wouldn’t have been able to resist her. Even now, warm desire pulled at him, urged him to forget, just for a little while, how dangerous she was to his equilibrium, to his heart.
“Apologies for my tardiness,” the Duke of Harek’s voice came from the doorway.
Blinking, Sebastian forced his gaze from Josefina and faced him. “Good evening, Harek.”
“Melbourne. Your Majesty, Your Highness.” The duke bowed. “I have a good excuse for being late. I just purchased two hundred-acre lots of prime Costa Habichuela pastureland.”
“Did you now?” The rey clapped. “That’s splendid.”
“I wanted to show that my support for your cause is more than mere lip service.”
Wonderful. All Sebastian needed was for Harek to attack the rey or Josefina when the truth came out. He sent a look at the princess, to find her gaze on her father. Before she noticed his attention and smiled, he would have sworn that she looked displeased. Was that because of the land sale, or because of Harek’s obvious interest? It shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. He was a male, after all, and she was the first woman he’d wanted in four years.
Harek approached Josefina, taking her proffered hand. “You are the loveliest flower of your country, Your Highness,” he intoned, keeping her fingers gripped much longer than propriety demanded.
“Thank you, Charles,” Josefina returned with a warm smile.
Sebastian shifted, hiding his jealousy behind his glass of port. The loveliest flower, ha. It was entirely likely that she was the only flower of Costa Habichuela.
“So, Melbourne,” Harek continued, finally relinquishing Josefina’s hand, “you’ve an unmatched eye for fine investment opportunities. How much Costa Habichuela land do you own?”
“None, yet,” Sebastian said carefully. “I spent the day in Dover, I’m afraid, and wasn’t aware that the rey had opened a land office until an hour ago.”
“Dover?” Josefina repeated. “What sent you to Dover?”
Wouldn’t you like to know? “One of my old friends is in His Majesty’s Navy. He ships out tomorrow, and I didn’t want to miss seeing him off.”
“Very patriotic of you,” she noted.
“Good evening, Lord Melbourne, Lord Harek,” Queen Maria said from just inside the door, cutting off his reply.
He wondered for a moment whether Embry’s wife knew what the devil her husband was up to. She had a stateliness about her that Embry lacked, and that Josefina had inherited. But an aristocratic air didn’t make her any less a conspirator. For now he would assume everyone to be guilty of something.
“Shall we be off?” he asked, setting his port aside. “I have my coach, but I didn’t know how many members of your entourage would be accompanying us.”
“Just Captain Milton and Lieutenant May. They will serve as outriders and will accompany us on horseback.”
With a nod Sebastian motioned for the ladies to lead the way outside. He wasn’t accustomed to sitting back and watching events unfold, but waiting and observing would have to be his strategy—at least until he knew where Harek stood. Even so, Bradshaw Carroway’s statement burned in his pocket, and he longed to fling it in Josefina’s face.
Instead he took her hand and helped her into the coach. “Still angry with me?” she whispered as she leaned into him.
“You have no idea,” he returned.
He stepped inside last. The rey and Queen Maria sat together facing forward, while he and Harek faced them, Josefina between them. “You know,” the princess said conversationally, facing him, “Charles has told me about all of the animals he hunted in Canada. Quite an extraordinary variety. Do you hunt?”
“I’ve brought down my share of pheasant and grouse, I suppose,” Sebastian returned, “and the occasional fish from the pond at Melbourne Park. My duties tend to keep me out of the field.”
“I always said a hunt is good for the soul,” Embry contributed. “Since my time as a soldier, though, I’ve rather lost my taste for killing.”
That was an odd thing for him to say, considering how many people he was luring to their probable deaths. “Is there any good hunting in Costa Habichuela?”
“Certainly,” the rey answered without hesitation. “Deer, wild pigs, alligators, and monkeys. The Moskito Indians make a delectable monkey stew.”
“I look forward to partaking of it,” Harek said with a smile aimed at Josefina.
So the bastard planned to marry into royalty. It made sense—or it would have, if these people were actually who they claimed to be. As to that, Sebastian still had no real idea. For all he knew, King Qental had given a portion of land to Stephen Embry, and the local people had named him their rey. It was the quality of the land he disputed at the moment—not its existence. That question would have to be answered before he could inform Prinny of all this, though. It could take weeks for the governor of Belize to answer the letter he’d sent, however, and he wasn’t certain he had that long.
“When are your first new settlers sailing to Costa Habichuela?” he asked offhandedly.
“In three weeks, if the outfitting of our ships proceeds as planned, and if the weather holds.”
Three weeks. Damnation. He had even less time than he’d thought. “Do you sail with them?”
“I’d like to be there to greet them when they come ashore, and there are some preparations to make. My plan is to leave in a fortnight.”
“I daresay you’ll be glad to see us gone, Melbourne,” Josefina said in her rich, nuanced voice. “Even having resigned your liaison post, you seem to spend more time with us than not.” She smiled at him, her brown eyes daring him to make further comment about the time they’d spent together.
His gaze lowered to her soft mouth. With all the lies she spewe
d, she shouldn’t have been so delicious to kiss. He clenched his fist, digging his short nails into his palms to keep himself motionless and not take her sweet mouth right there in front of her parents.
“Any time spent with you has been my pleasure,” he returned, trying not to let the words sounds as intimate as he meant them and realizing that he spoke the absolute truth.
Abruptly she turned away from him to face Harek. “And you, Charles, will you be sorry to see us gone?”
“I’m not certain I shall—see you gone, I mean. You know I love to travel.”
The rey chuckled. “You do have a stake in Costa Habichuela now, and may have a greater one.”
“I can only hope, Your Majesty.”
The cadence of the coach’s wheels changed as they crossed the last bridge and entered Vauxhall Gardens. “I’ve always wanted to visit here,” Josefina said, leaning across Sebastian to peer out through the curtained windows.
She might just as easily have pressed her bosom against Harek’s arm, but hadn’t done so. Whether it was attraction or another manipulation, he had no idea. “There are no special events tonight,” he said, breathing in the lilac scent of her hair, “but we can expect jugglers and acrobats, and a fair crowd. And pickpockets, so I advise you to keep your valuables close to hand.”
“It all sounds so exciting,” Josefina breathed. “Promise you’ll show me about.”
Again him, and not Harek. Good. “I shall be happy to, Your Highness.”
The coach stopped, and Green hopped down from his seat beside Tollins to flip down the steps and open the door. Sebastian emerged first, to the usual choruses of “Melbourne, look, it’s the duke himself,” and other admiring comments. He ignored them, as he always did, and held out a hand for the princess.
She grasped his fingers as she descended the steps to the ground. “Is it true that anyone at all may enter Vauxhall, as long as they have the entrance fee?”
“It is. Hence the proliferation of pickpockets and light-skirts and others involved in criminal activity.”
Josefina gave him a sharp look. “Doesn’t that include just about everyone at some time or another?”
“You’re too cynical, Your Highness,” he murmured, ignoring Harek as the duke emerged.
“You’re too naive, Melbourne,” she returned, her warm breath caressing his cheek.
“Apparently I am, because I still desire you.” Before she could respond to that, he released her to assist her mother. “I’ve arranged for dinner to be served in my box,” he said, offering Queen Maria his arm and then taking the lead as they made their way through the crowd.
Embry’s two officers, unmistakable in their black uniforms with the green crosses, positioned themselves to either side of their group. Merely for show or not, they did have the crowd falling aside more readily than even he could manage. All around him now, amid the laughter and loud chatter, he could make out his own name, and theirs. Everyone seemed to know who the rey and the queen of Costa Habichuela were, and that they and Princess Josefina were in attendance tonight.
He wondered what the admiring crowd would be saying if they realized that the Embrys were frauds and thieves, and quite possibly as common as the baker who stood by the path selling biscuits. Given the mercurial quality of London crowds, especially when one put on airs far above oneself, he wouldn’t have been willing to wager a shilling that they would survive the night.
Was that Josefina, some self-deluded soldier’s daughter? Looking at her, the way she carried herself, it didn’t seem possible. And royal or common, deluded or thief, his blood still hummed at the thought of having her again.
“Look, Mama,” her excited voice came from directly behind him, “that man is breathing fire!”
“And there’s Melbourne’s box, I believe,” Harek said from beside her, “so we should have a good view of the disaster if the fellow inhales by accident.”
“Oh, that’s awful,” she returned. “Don’t say such things.”
Sebastian looked over his shoulder at her. “Say it or not, when someone partakes in a dangerous venture, they shouldn’t be surprised at catastrophic results.” He led the way up the shallow trio of wooden steps. Within the roomy, elevated rectangle a handful of Vauxhall footmen stood guarding platters of food. A dozen chairs stood ranged beneath the angled canopy, and a fair handful of onlookers already stood ranged around the box. Obviously when they’d seen the food they’d realized that someone would be in attendance.
“Splendid location, Melbourne,” the rey complimented, showing the queen to one of the chairs. “You can see the main pavilion from here. Will Prinny be in attendance tonight?”
“I don’t believe so.” And thank God for that; tonight would be trying enough without adding the temperamental Regent to the festivities.
“I would like a tour of the gardens,” Josefina announced. Harek immediately took a step forward, but she faced Sebastian as she spoke. “Show me about, will you, Melbourne?”
He inclined his head. “Certainly, Your Highness. We will need a chaperone for you, however.”
She narrowed her eyes for the briefest of seconds, clearly annoyed at the suggestion. “Lieutenant May will accompany us, then. Though I hardly think either of us could be accused of an impropriety in so public a setting.”
“Melbourne is right, my dear,” Embry said. “One can never be too cautious. Lieutenant, please accompany my daughter.”
The young man saluted. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
Sebastian offered his arm, and she wrapped her warm fingers around his sleeve. They descended from the box again, May on their heels. “Shall we head for the lake?”
“That is acceptable.”
They passed two boxes before the occupants of the third one caught his attention. Stiffening, he stopped. “And what are you doing here tonight?” he asked in the coolest voice he could manage.
Valentine raised a glass of wine in his direction. “You know how Eleanor loves acrobats,” he said with a jaunty grin.
If they’d been alone, Sebastian would have told him precisely what he thought of this damned poor excuse for a spying expedition. On the other hand, their presence was partly his fault for mentioning where he was going. “Sarala, Nell, Shay,” he said curtly. “Where are Zach and Caroline, then?”
“In the midst of Witfelds,” Shay answered, his gaze on Josefina and her bodyguard. “We thought it best not to risk Mrs. Witfeld’s health by keeping her out-of-doors at night.” He bowed. “Good evening, Your Highness.”
“Lord Charlemagne, Lord Deverill.” She smiled, her eyes lighting. “Hello again, Eleanor, Sarala. And thank you again for asking me to luncheon. I miss having female friends to chat with.”
Eleanor smiled back, though Sebastian knew her well enough to see that the expression didn’t go past skin deep. “You have friends here now.”
“Excuse us,” Sebastian broke in before fists began flying, “we’re touring.”
“Shall we join—”
“No.” He looked directly at Shay. “Enjoy your dinner.”
As they walked on, Josefina glanced back over her shoulder. “Your family seems very close. To one another, I mean.”
“We are friends as well as siblings,” Sebastian agreed.
“And you like that. I can see it in your eyes.”
“Their presence is precious to me,” he admitted, telling himself that if he spoke candidly, she might be convinced to do the same. “I don’t rely on many people, but I know I can rely on them—that they’ll help me even when I can’t admit that I need it.”
She gazed at him. “You’re talking about when you lost your wife, aren’t you?”
He couldn’t quite hide his flinch. “Yes.”
Josefina cleared her throat. “It must be…comforting, to know you always have someone you can go to, talk to, when you need a sympathetic ear.”
Was she just commiserating? Or was she hinting that she wanted to talk to him? “I have a pair of ears,” he
said slowly.
“Yes, but will they listen?”
“I suppose that depends on what you wish to say to them.”
“Nothing in a third or fourth’s company. With only two, who knows?”
Sebastian turned to greet an acquaintance, at the same time sending a glance at Lieutenant May, a dozen feet behind them. “If you’re up to something, Josefina,” he said in a low voice, “I will wring your neck. I swear it. I am through with games.”
“No games,” she whispered back, waving at someone and half-facing away, “I need to speak with you in private.”
“We have to make it look like an accidental separation. Do you see that archway ahead and to the right?”
“Yes. And may I point out that this would have been easier if you hadn’t insisted on a chaperone?”
“No, you may not.” Considering the level of mistrust he felt toward her, she should be thankful he’d chosen a chaperone over a pistol. Of course he also carried one of those. “Meet me on the other side of the arch.” As he spoke, he unclipped his pocket watch and placed it in another pocket, letting the chain hang free. “You!” he roared at no one in particular. “Stop, thief!”
Josefina slipped backward into the surging crowd as Melbourne grabbed Lieutenant May by the elbow and snapped something at him about doing his job. With a gesture toward his absent watch, he sent May in one direction, while he disappeared in another.
That was well and efficiently done. Her own heart pounding at the enormity of what she was about to do, Josefina made her way in the general direction of the archway, moved past it, then slipped into the middle of a group of revelers and out again as they passed the rose-covered arbor.
Ducking beneath it, she found a dimly lit path beyond. She felt far too exposed there, and stepped behind the hanging, twining branches of a huge wisteria. Every logical, self-concerned bit of her mind screamed at her to go back to the box and keep her blasted mouth closed. With only a fortnight remaining in London, she and her parents had a very good chance of getting away completely unscathed. Especially when her father declared that he would take care of the difficulty the Duke of Melbourne represented.
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