by K. Young
"May we help you with something, Miss?"
"It's Lady Atchkinson to the likes of you two." Mel said sharply.
Guy Atchkinson was an earl of note, so Mel outranked them. Being an advisor and ambassador for the king of England made him pretty popular, and he was quite well known. Almost as infamous as the Shane's. Mel knew her station well, and the two women who thought they were better than Mel, immediately humbled themselves. But, Mel wasn't even close to being finished.
"I should think that two ladies such as yourselves would know better than to have such conversations in a ballroom, where they might be overheard discussing such delicate topics." Mel chided.
The older woman sniffed indignantly. "And what business is it of yours what we discuss?"
Mel arched a finely shaped brow and calmly clasped her hands in front of her. "That is my friend you are disparaging with your disgusting comments, and I'll thank you to stop before certain details I'm sure you would not like the ton to be privy to are made rather public."
The two women drew themselves up to their full height, both nearly a full head taller than Mel, but she wasn't the least bit afraid. How could she be? Having a friend like Kristen made one realize that puffed up arrogance was nothing but a show.
"And what exactly do you think you have on us, Lady Atchkinson?" The younger of the two asked.
"Really? You want to play dumb with me? Very well. Let's begin with the fact that the two of you are with each other behind your husbands' backs. Oh, you can pretend you are meeting at the hotel on a weekly basis to play bridge all you like, but I think we both know what's really going on."
Both of the women sputtered and turned a bright shade of red. Mel smiled as though she were greeting long lost friends.
"I expect that any further conversations regarding the Lady Kristen will cease. If I hear otherwise, your husbands will be the first to know your dirty little secret."
"What proof do you have to make such a ridiculous claim?" The older woman asked nervously, flicking her eyes to her friend the whole time.
"Oh, please. I could have the entire hotel staff attest to the fact that the two of you are there every week, at the same time. You get the same room, and you stay the same amount of time. You are seen arriving together, and leaving together, looking just a little disheveled when you go. Shall I go on?"
"No, that won't be necessary, Lady Atchkinson." The younger one said quietly as she gave her friend a stern look.
"Very well," said Mel. "As I said, no further
conversations about Kristen or I'll make good on my threat. Are we clear?"
"Quite. Now, please excuse us." The older woman grabbed her lovers arm and the two women humphed away.
Alice watched them go and had to admit that she was a little bit impressed with how Lady Atchkinson handled that. It wasn't many who had the conviction to stand up to anyone in the ton. Something else Alice disliked about "polite" society. The ton was more than polite when speaking to one another, but were vicious gossips about each other behind everyone's back. But, Lady Atchkinson was bold and stood up to the ballroom bullies, and not only that, she had the fortitude to back up what she said. If Alice wasn't careful, she might find she liked Kristen and Lady Atchkinson.
She shook her head softly and started to follow Lady Atchkinson. It was too bad that she would have to use her as bait, and more than likely kill her. But, it was time to flush Kristen out. However, before she got two feet from her previous spot, a man stepped in her path.
"Excuse me." Alice said, irritated with the idiot who stepped in her path.
"Come now, is that any way to treat an old friend?" The tall man before her smiled down at her.
Alice swallowed in fear. She knew she had been pushing her luck, and the king of Norway wasn't known to be a patient man. She was more than two months late with what was promised. The giant before her grabbed her arm and led her to the dance floor. The two of them made an odd pair, and they got more than several curious glances. For a woman used to moving through the shadows, it was damned uncomfortable. But, she didn't dare make a scene. First off, no one would help her. These people were superficial and fickle, and Alice wasn't exactly in anyone's good graces. But secondly, the man before her was her mentor and about the only person who could best her.
"Adrian, when did you get into town?" Alice asked politely as he spun her into the current dance.
Adrian laughed. "Don't pretend as if you weren't expecting me, Alice. You had an assignment, and you're late. Report."
"The subject is proving rather elusive at the moment."
"Unacceptable. You have been given until the end of the week, or you will be terminated, am I clear?"
"Perfectly."
Adrian spun her around in tune with the music and gave her a dazzling smile. To some he might be considered handsome, but she had suffered much at his hands during her training. There was a time she fancied herself in love with Adrian, but that time was long since gone.
"I hate to see you like this, Alice. Hurry up and come home, and I'll make it worth your while." He winked at her.
Gooseflesh spread across Alice's arms. There weren't many she feared, but Adrian was one. During her training, he took her innocence so she would understood the ways of the world. He was brutal and cold about it, teaching her that men were not the saviors women often made them out to be. But, his suggestion now, while vile and thoroughly reprehensible, had a different undertone than she wasn't used to. She furrowed her brow at him.
"Are you attempting to be romantic, Adrian?" She demanded.
He chuckled. "You're a woman of the world now. You understand these arrangements, do you not?"
Always the mistress, never the bride. Alice ground her teeth, a filthy habit she had developed of late, and glared at Adrian. There was no way in hell she would be his mistress. He was cruel and deceitful, everything she wanted to get away from. Life in the Viking king's court was fraught with deception and games at every turn. The thought of returning, especially as Adrian's mistress, turned her stomach.
"I'll pass." She said flatly.
A spark of anger ignited in Adrian's eyes. He wouldn't make a scene on the ballroom floor, but he pulled her closer than was necessary and squeezed her hand so tight she was on the verge of crying out.
"You, my pet, will do what I tell you to do." He whispered in her ear. "I own you. When the king has no further use for you, your fate will be mine to decide."
The song ended and Adrian swept her off the dance floor, returning her to the edge of the ballroom. He kissed her hand, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and then stood up and leaned in to whisper in her ear again.
"I look forward to our time together, my pet."
She tried to keep the derision out of her gaze, but his cocky grin told her she didn't succeed. As he disappeared in the crowd, she knew she would have to figure something out. It was possible that she could persuade the king to keep her in his service rather than turn her back over to Adrian, but that was a slim hope. Alice had put too much hope into winning Derrick over, and now she was out of time.
She decided she would have to up her game. Being the king's assassin was never an easy job, but she tried to avoid hurting as many innocent people as possible. Still, if she was going to avoid Adrian's grasp, she needed to make a powerful impression on the king. Given that delivering Kristen was her job in the first place, she didn't think he would settle for just completing the original assignment. She was going to have to kill everyone that mattered to Kristen, and that meant Derrick and Lady Atchkinson. With a frown of discontent, Alice left the ballroom to find her prey.
***
As Mel's carriage rumbled home, she had the strangest feeling she was being followed. It started just toward the end of the ball, and though she didn't detect anyone paying significant attention to her, she couldn't shake the feeling. Kristen used to tease Mel that her family's gypsy blood ran deeper than Mel though because she had always been rather intuitive and g
ood with healing. But, whatever it was, the feeling she had now did not bode well.
Mel glanced out the window of her carriage, but the light inside made the dark outside all the denser. She couldn't see much beyond the road so she closed the curtains and frowned. Mel was certain she was being followed, but whoever it was didn't seem interested in robbing her or they would have stopped her by now. So, what could they want? Perhaps it was one of Kristen's gentlemen looking for her and hoping that following Mel would lead him to Kristen. But, Mel dismissed that idea quickly enough. Kristen would laugh and tell her she was being overly romantic.
Still, the feeling persisted the whole way home. She didn't breathe a sigh of relief until she was safely locked behind her townhouse door, and even then she instructed several footmen to keep watch. Whoever was watching her wasn't about to ruin her nightly ritual, so she went about instructing her staff as she normally did and took her evening tea in the parlor. She decided to read a book that night and curled up by the fire to settle in. She wasn't sure if it was the warm fire or the fact that she was pregnant, but she didn't get further than the first two pages of the book before she was out cold.
Several hours later, when the rest of the house had gone to sleep, Alice crept down the stairs. She waited for Lady Atchkinson to return to her rooms, but it seemed the woman had fallen asleep in the parlor. Her servants lit the fire before retiring for the evening, so when Alice walked in, Mel was aglow in orange firelight. Something about the image disturbed Alice's peace of mind and she rushed forward before she lost her nerve. She couldn't afford to be emotional over the situation.
Alice held a cloth over Mel's nose and mouth and waited as the foul odor first woke Mel from her sleep, then knocked her into unconsciousness. When Alice saw Mel's eyes roll back into her head, Alice put the cloth away and lifted Mel over her shoulder. She slipped out the back door with the lady in hand and locked up after herself. The servants would be none the wiser come morning, which suited Alice just fine. Chapter 26
Kristen and Derrick found an easy rhythm with each other after their first day together. He hadn't mentioned marriage again, but was still determined to make her see reason. Kristen, on the other hand, thought he said it out of duty and was quite relieved that he had not brought it up again. As part of their daily ritual, Derrick began taking her for strolls around the deck so that she wasn't always confined. He didn't make good on his threat to get an entirely new crew at the last port, but he was still anxious to keep her away from his men all the same. Kristen looked forward to their daily strolls as she found the fresh air and the smell of the sea comforting. She certainly had come a long way since her first attempt at sailing.
Derrick told her they would be stopping by an island called Orkney. She had never heard of it, but he said that a friend lived there, and he wanted to say hello. She didn't mind. She wanted to prolong their trip as much as possible since she was enjoying his company. She figured when they arrived in Morocco, which was Derrick's final destination, she would book passage to America from there. She hadn't told Derrick of her plans, but she reasoned it was better if he and Mel knew nothing of her whereabouts.
When they arrived in Orkney, Kristen was nervous. She was given use of several dresses that were found on board and decided to wear the prettiest among them. It was a dark green dress made of velvet, and the front bell of the skirt split open to reveal a lighter shade of green that was done in silk. The sides of the split had emeralds encrusted from the top of the split to the bottom. The sleeves came to the middle of her arm and then there was a band of dark green ribbon that separated the velvet from the lower half of the arm, which was in the lighter green silk. She very much liked the dress, and tried desperately not to think of whom it belonged to.
The cabin boy had also managed to find some feminine toiletries, and she sat down to do her hair. With the warmer climate, she decided it would be best to keep it off her neck, so she piled it high on her head, leaving it loose to allow some curls to fall gently around her face and soften the look. Kristen didn't know why, but she felt the need to take extra care of her appearance that day. When she was satisfied, she left the cabin and joined Derrick on the deck hoping that he would like the way she looked. The moment he laid eyes on her, he sucked in a sharp breath.
“Where the hell d'you think you are going in that?” He demanded harshly.
Surprised, Kristen lifted her brow. “Don't you like it?”
“Yes, I do. But, it's a little formal, don't you think? Unless, of course, you think to entice my friend to help you escape me. I'll have you know that he isn't easily swayed. Your plan wouldn't work.” He s aid matter-of-factly.
“Well, I never! Of all the pig-headed...no...I'm not going to do this with you right now.” With that, she turned and headed back toward the cabin. Derrick caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
“Tell me why you are wearing that particular dress. It's for an evening of going out and enticing men, Kristen.” He growled.
“My reasons are my own.”
“Tell me!”
“Because I wanted to look nice for you! Does that make you happy, you jackass!” She yanked her arm away from him and slammed the cabin door in his face.
When he recovered, he frowned and followed Kristen inside the cabin, shutting the door behind him. Kristen glared at him.
“Kristen “
“I thought I should make a good impression on your friend so he wouldn't think too ill of me. Haven't you considered what other people will think when they see us together, unaccompanied?” She sniffed, dangerously close to tears.
Derrick was taken aback. For all her strength, she was still concerned with what society would think of her. And, truth be told, he hadn't thought about it. But, on such a remote island she had nothing to fear. He was more worried about his brother thinking he could stake a claim. Derrick would hate to kill him, truly he would.
“I've offered you a solution to that problem, but you don't see fit to take it. I don't know what else to do.” He said softly.
She glanced at him but didn't respond. Derrick reached out and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her tenderly.
“You're a vision, by the by. Didn't get to mention that before.”
She smiled brightly. His heart stopped. “Thank you! Do you think your friend will approve?” She asked nervously.
"Aye, Tristan will approve. He is my brother, you see.”
“I thought you said he was a pirate?” She asked confused. “Do you mean brother as in you were a pirate yourself? I've heard of the brotherhood. My mother used to tell me stories about how my real father...well, anyway, I've heard of it.”
Derrick was surprised. For the briefest, unguarded moment, she was going to open up to him. She had a secret too, and he couldn't have been more happy.
“I tell you what. I'll tell you my secret if you tell me yours.” He smiled.
“You don't want to know my story, Derrick. It would only bore you.”
“Try me.” He insisted.
“Oh, very well. My mother had her fall from grace with a man who promised to marry her, but couldn't settle down to save his soul. He loved her, but there was always some excuse. My mother never told me so directly, but I suspect he may have been a pirate. I don't even know his name.” She looked at him nervously to see if she could find the revulsion she knew would be there. After all, he had been courting her thinking she was a legitimate lady. His face was blank.
“Go on.” He said.
She sighed. “Well, you met my stepfather. My mother was forced to find someone to marry her quickly so that I wouldn't be ruined. Ashby was in debt with gambling, so she paid his debts in exchange for keeping quiet about my parentage. That is why I was in a hurry to marry. Ashby was trying to force himself on me for my mother's money.”
Derrick frowned and pulled her closer to him, hugging her tight. She shivered at the rage she felt coming from him. She knew it was on her behalf, and that touched her heart, but if she
weren't careful, she would soon fall for this man.
“It's a bloody shame the man is dead. I would have loved to kill him myself." He said sincerely.
Kristen smiled. "Well, that part of my life is over. I can move on."
"That part?"
Kristen thought Derrick was too perceptive for his own good. She wasn't about to tell him that someone wanted her dead, and she was running away. He would want to get involved, and she couldn't have that. As much as she kept telling herself that Derrick would break her heart, and that was the reason she wasn't marrying him, the truth was that she was falling for him, and she couldn't bear it if he were hurt because of her.
"I just mean that I'm not obligated to marry in such a hurry anymore."
"But you still want to get married, right?" He asked carefully.
"Eventually." She hedged.
Kristen smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head in his chest. He hadn't said that he still wanted to marry her, which she knew would be the case once he knew the truth. But, as he wrapped his arms around her, she decided, for now, it was enough that he wanted her.
Derrick rested his chin on her head. His heart was heavy, but she had given him reason to hope. “We're almost there.”
“Oh no, you don't! You said you would tell me your secret. What did you mean that Tristan is your brother?”
“Exactly that, little one. He is my brother as we share the same parents. Yes, he is a pirate, but that came about for reasons that weren't really his doing. Scott kicked him out of the family some time ago.”
“Whatever for?” She asked, horrified.
“Well, for causing one too many scandals.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Derrick grinned. “We all thought it rather ridiculous ourselves, but Scott is the duke of Hollingsworth and takes his responsibilities rather seriously. He is always calling us to task for any misgivings he hears of because he says that we hold such prestige and our family should act with more discretion, blah blah blah.”