by Meara Platt
She nodded. “Clear your schedule for tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“We are going to the Birdsong Home for Orphaned Girls. That’s where Felicity was raised. I mean, Miss Billings. Well, we are on first-name terms now. We are friends.”
He cast her a wry smile. “That didn’t take long.”
“I truly like her. I hope she isn’t the villain.” Poppy shook her head and continued her report. “She never knew her parents, but someone established a trust fund for her. She purchased the bookshop with those funds. More important, payments must have been sent regularly to the orphanage by someone of means. Felicity was educated and well cared for while growing up.”
“And you suspect it was my grandfather who made those payments? Probably my father who continued them after my grandfather passed.”
“I think it’s likely. Don’t you?”
He sighed. “Yes.”
“Oh, and I looked at the handwriting in her ledger while she was distracted by another customer. It is nothing like either of those letters. I don’t think she’s the culprit. But I think we ought to look closely at the headmistress of the Birdsong Orphanage.”
“I’ll ride there in the morning.”
“You? Alone?” Poppy could not mask her disappointment. “Without me?”
“I would very much like to take you with me, but how can I without bringing along a chaperone for you? Our traveling together would require this, and I dare not bring someone else in on the secret. Besides, I’ll travel faster on my own.”
He was right, she supposed. “Very well.”
He caressed her cheek when she gazed down in disappointment. “I wish I could bring you with me, Poppy. You’d crack this mystery wide open within minutes of meeting the headmistress. I’ll do my clumsy best without you.”
“I expect you’ll do just fine without me. May I make up a list of questions for you?”
He arched an eyebrow and cast her a tender smile. “I don’t do well with lists. Just tell me what you think I ought to ask. Also, I’d rather not have anything in writing about this delicate subject.”
“Oh, I see. You’re right.”
He downed the last of his ale and took her hand to help her up. “Thank you, Poppy. I want you to know how much I appreciate all you’re doing for Lavinia. Most of all, it eases my mind to know you’re not judging her. It gives me hope that others won’t either, especially her dearest friends. But people can be cruel. I’m not sure she’ll come out of this scandal with her heart intact.”
They walked back to Sherbourne Manor together. Poppy’s mind was awhirl with questions to ask. “First, find out if the headmistress is new or has been in charge all these years.”
“And if she’s new?”
Poppy pursed her lips. “Don’t trust her.”
“And if she’s the old headmistress?”
“Don’t trust her.”
He grinned. “Duly noted. It’s all right, Poppy. I know what to ask. My only concern is that I will not get the answers I need. My manner often frightens and intimidates. People close up around me. They’re respectful, but they won’t ever confide in me. You’d get them to open up and pour out their secrets. People genuinely like you. They’ll think nothing of opening their hearts to you.”
He paused a moment, obviously contemplating whether to reconsider his decision not to take her along. “I think you could get anyone at the orphanage to open up to you,” he said softly and with a touch of awe. “The laundress, the groundskeeper. Even the orphans.”
“Then, may I go?” She tried not to sound too hopeful.
“No. I do wish to take you with me, but it can’t be done. Perhaps next time, assuming another visit is required.”
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
Beast and Goose were in the parlor with Lavinia, Penelope, and Thad when they returned to the manor. Penelope and Goose cast her hopeful, quizzical glances.
She shook her head slightly to convey they ought not get their hopes up. She knew Nathaniel had enjoyed her company, but it did not signify anything.
However, he seemed to be studying her throughout supper. And studying her after supper when they all walked into the music room to hear Olivia play the pianoforte. Was he hoping to get her alone to ask more questions?
She sidled over to him when the others moved closer to the pianoforte to sing along to Olivia’s music. “What else do you wish to know?” she asked him once they were both standing beside the doors leading onto the terrace and could speak softly without being overheard.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” She tipped her head up and frowned in confusion. “Then why were you staring at me all evening long?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned his big shoulder against one of terrace doors. “Was I? I hadn’t noticed.”
“You know you were. If it wasn’t to catch my attention to ask me more questions, then why?”
He shrugged. “There’s something different about you tonight.” He eyed her up and down. “But I can’t figure out what you’ve done to yourself. So, I give up. Your trick worked. Tell me what changed.”
“My trick?” She hadn’t done anything yet. Although she intended to set up a plan of action with Olivia and Penelope tomorrow while Nathaniel was away. She wanted to be prepared for Charlotte’s visit. She was determined to thwart the Incomparable’s design on Nathaniel.
“Is it your hair? You’ve done it up differently.”
She stifled a grin. Was it possible he was looking at her for the first time as a desirable woman? Really looking at her and liking what he saw. “No, it’s the same style as always.”
He leaned close and inhaled lightly along her neck, causing tingles to shoot through her body. “Your scent?”
She arched an eyebrow and chuckled. “Are you thinking of cinnamon buns again?”
He cast her a boyish grin. “Always. But your scent is lavender.”
Something sparked in his gaze, causing more tingles. Could this be happening? He’d read The Book of Love and understood how women enticed men. She hadn’t done anything differently to lure him. She was herself. He was the one who’d changed. More precisely, he had stopped thinking of her as his sister’s best friend and was now considering her as a desirable female.
This was so exciting!
She couldn’t wait to report her findings to Olivia and Penelope.
Take that Lady Charlotte!
Indeed, this was monumental. A major shift in the way Nathaniel regarded her.
It felt nice to be seen as a woman in his eyes, and a tempting one at that.
She had never been a temptress before.
It was a heady, enjoyable feeling.
Nathaniel quirked his eyebrow. “Now you’re staring at me. Why?”
She couldn’t help it. In this respect, men and women were similar. Each made instinctive assessments of the qualities they wished for in a suitable mate. Since women needed men to love and protect not only them but also their offspring, women looked for more than a beautiful body. They looked for strength and power. They wanted a man with muscles and intelligence.
Warrior strong.
Able to fight off wolves.
Nathaniel was that man for her, but how was she to firm the bond between them when he was riding to the orphanage tomorrow, and Charlotte would arrive the day after that? “I’m doing no such thing. Excuse me a moment, Nathaniel. I think your sister is calling me over.”
She darted to Penelope’s side. “I need your help,” she whispered in her ear, distracting her from Olivia’s recital. “It’s about your brother.”
Penelope’s eyes widened and she grinned. “Come with me.” She grabbed Poppy’s hand and hustled her out of the music room. “What sort of help do you need? I’ll do anything to keep him out of the clutches of Lady Charlotte.”
Poppy did not need her friend to take drastic action. After all, Nathaniel had to fall in love with her of his own free will. How else wou
ld they ever have a happy marriage? “Your brother was staring at me throughout the evening.”
Penelope gasped. “He was?”
Poppy nodded. “I must have been doing something to tempt him. I just don’t know what it was. Is there something different about me tonight?”
Penelope took a step back to study her. “Well, you’re very pretty.”
“Oh, thank you. But is it in a different way than I was before? Have I changed?”
“No. Not that I can tell.” She pursed her lips and frowned. “Even your gown is modest. No hint of…” Suddenly, her features lightened and she grinned. “Oh, my goodness. It’s your necklace.”
Poppy stared down at her chest. “What about my necklace?”
“Do you see that it disappears into your bodice?”
She was about to draw it out when Penelope stopped her. “Good grief, I never thought my brother was as dense as every other male in existence. Don’t you see? Your necklace drew his eyes to your breasts. The valley between them, to be precise. Oh, this is rich! He behaved just as the book predicted. The moment his eyes were drawn there, his low brain took over. Healthy breasts. Want that female.”
“But my gown is modest. How can he see anything of–”
“That’s the beauty of it. He can’t actually see what lies hidden beneath the fabric, so his low brain is filling in what it wants to see. This is incredible. Olivia had to take drastic action to make Beast notice her, but you didn’t need to do a thing.” She placed her hands on Poppy’s shoulders. “I’m so proud of you. You have ensorcelled my brother. He’s falling in love with you and he doesn’t even realize it.”
Poppy didn’t have the heart to disagree with Penelope. Perhaps Nathaniel had fallen in lust with her for the evening, but he was still a long way from loving her. This was Penelope filling in what she herself desired, to have her marry Nathaniel and make them truly be sisters.
The music stopped. In the next moment, Olivia rushed out. “What did I miss?”
Penelope quickly filled her in on their discussion.
Olivia grinned from ear to ear. “I hear Nathaniel has been called away on business tomorrow. We’re going to use the time to work on you, Poppy. When he returns, he’s going to take one look at you and his heart will slam like a cannonball into his chest.”
Poppy did not like the idea of all eyes on her and Nathaniel, but she’d brought her friends into this and they were not going to back off now. “Isn’t his heart already in his chest?”
Penelope rolled her eyes. “Yes, but the point is to get it beating wildly out of control. To turn him into a mindless, low brain, unthinking male who will now connect you with pleasurable sex.”
Goose nodded. “Poppy. Sex. And the more he thinks it and repeats it, the deeper it embeds in his low-functioning brain.”
“Penelope! Goose!” Nathaniel punctuated each name with a beastly growl.
The two of them gasped and then laughingly ran back into the music room. Poppy was left alone with Nathaniel. “You heard?”
She took a hesitant step back as he came toward her. But she’d been standing close to the hallway wall and there was nowhere else to go. Nathaniel planted his hands on either side of her to trap her against the wall. “Unthinking male. Pleasurable sex. Yes, I heard all of it.”
Poppy swallowed hard. “Your sister got a little carried away. You know she wants us to be a match. I think she wants it more than either of us do.”
He nodded.
His eyes were as hot and dark as smoldering embers. Emerald embers.
She cleared her throat. “Nathaniel, if you’re not going to kiss me, would you mind moving away?”
Whatever passion he’d felt toward her quickly extinguished. Those hot, dark eyes of his filled with anger. He stepped away, dropping his hands to his sides. “Come with me, Poppy.”
She hesitated. “I don’t think I want to.”
He sighed and gave a wry laugh. “No, why would you? I’m merely your test frog. You wanted me to jump and I jumped. Now the test is over. I behaved just as you wished me to behave. You’re happy. My sister is dementedly happy.” He glanced toward the music room. “Even my own friends are cheering you on.”
Poppy groaned.
“Don’t ever manipulate me again. No tricks. No magical recipes from The Book of Love. Promise me.”
She nodded. “I promise.”
He eased his taut body and cast her an exasperated but endearing smile. “Good,” he said, caressing her cheek.
“Nathaniel, there’s just one thing.”
“What is it?”
She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, for his nearness was filling her senses and she ached for him to kiss her. “I wasn’t testing you.”
He stared at her in confusion.
“There was no test. I wasn’t making you jump. I don’t even know what made you jump. Your sister had her suspicions. I’d be ever so grateful if you told me what I did.”
“You don’t know?” His look of confusion turned to one of utter horror. “Blessed saints! You don’t know.”
“Was it my necklace? The way it dangled between…” She did not bother to finish her sentence, for his gaze immediately shot to her chest again.
“Blessed saints,” he said in a hoarse whisper and strode out the front door, closing it with a slam.
Chapter Eleven
Nathaniel. Test frog. Day four.
We are at a tipping point.
Nathaniel rode off to the Birdsong Orphanage shortly after sunrise, eager to be away from Sherbourne Manor and all those prying eyes. He rode into the mist, for the sun had yet to burn away the tendrils of gray that hovered over the meadow and hid the pond from view. Even the majestic entry gate was engulfed in its shroud.
Lord, what was he to do about Poppy?
He’d purposely left early to avoid seeing her. Was it true? She’d done nothing but be herself last night? If it were so, and nothing had changed in her, then something must have changed in him.
“Bollocks.” He’d read The Book of Love and understood what his response represented. The bonds between him and Poppy were deepening. She’d passed his low-brain ‘this is a fertile female’ test. She’d also passed his ‘this is a desirable female and I want to spill my seed into her vessel’ test. But to suddenly become the only female he wanted?
When did that happen? To go from feeling nothing… well, never nothing. He’d always liked her, but in a friendly way. Then he’d wanted to kiss her.
Then he’d wanted to kiss only her.
And now he wanted only her to warm his bed. Every night for the rest of their lives?
If this was so, what was he to do about it?
He had also wanted Charlotte Winthrow.
He’d taken Charlotte. If anything, the bonds of commitment should have been stronger between them, but they weren’t. That taking had only been about sex. Perhaps, had Charlotte’s heart been involved, it would have meant something more. But it hadn’t been. At least, he didn’t think so, and his instincts rarely proved wrong.
Nor did he believe he was anyone special to Charlotte. There had been no promises exchanged. No confessions of undying love. He wasn’t her first, and the contractual assurances negotiated in any betrothal contract entered into with her father would have included a requirement of her fidelity to ensure the offspring were his.
He grunted in disgust. How could he ever consider such a thing? It was a standard condition in such contracts, but to contemplate marriage to a woman he knew would carry on affairs with other men as soon as she’d given him the necessary male heirs?
He shook out of the thought and concentrated on his purpose in riding to the orphanage. He’d find out all he could about Felicity Billings and her benefactor. He’d discuss his findings with Poppy, try to avoid being swallowed up in the beautiful blue of her eyes, and then they’d both have a talk with Lavinia.
He had wanted to spare his aunt, but Poppy was right. He could not hide the
truth from her any longer. She had to be prepared to defend herself if he could not stop the blackmailer.
The headmistress, a tiny, gray-haired whirlwind by the name of Miss Huskins-Eeling, greeted him by the orphanage stables with an open smile. She did not appear to be at all devious or wary. The girls working in the stables greeted them cheerfully, obviously not afraid of this twittering, bird-like woman who seemed capable of handling ten things at once.
“What brings you here, Lord Welles?” she asked, motioning toward the orphanage, a surprisingly quaint, but big and rambling manor house that appeared in need of some repair. However, for the most part, it appeared sound, having a solid foundation and good bones.
She nodded to every girl they passed in the courtyard as she led him to her office and all returned her acknowledgment with a smile.
If this woman was corrupt, she certainly hid it well.
“I gave your man all the information he requested,” she said, casting him a light frown as they entered the orphanage and made their way down the hall. He noted the place smelled clean and the aroma emanating from the kitchen was of a hearty stew. “I told him in no uncertain terms I was not authorized to reveal more to him. Why is Miss Billings so important to you that you should come here yourself?”
Nathaniel frowned. “You think I sent a man to you? When? And what did you tell him?”
She stopped in her tracks and regarded him with astonishment. “Are you suggesting you sent no one here to inquire about Felicity Billings?”
“It is no mere suggestion. I am stating it as fact. Someone is using Miss Billings as a means to do harm to others of my acquaintance. I need to put an end to this mischief before more damage is done.”
Her eyes rounded in alarm. “Felicity is a sweet, lovely girl. I hope you don’t think she has anything to do with whatever nasty business is afoot.”
She hustled him into her office and shut the heavy, wooden door behind them. “Do sit down, my lord. I think we have much of importance to discuss.”
It took a mere half hour for Nathaniel to learn all he needed to know. He remained another hour to tour the grounds and discover all he could about this remarkable place and the extraordinary woman who ran it. Although Miss Huskins-Eeling appeared indestructible, not even she would live forever. What would happen to this orphanage and the girls under her care if she was not around to protect them?