The Temptation of a Gentleman

by Jenna Petersen

  She almost pointed out that she’d been a distraction, but didn’t. It was painfully obvious he already knew what a diversion she’d been and still was.

  “Well, goodnight.”

  “Wait!” In a few light steps, she hurried to the window. Noah already had one muscular leg out on the ledge, but turned back to her with questioning eyes.

  “Yes?”

  Marion looked at him, so handsome, so much everything she’d ever wanted, and would ever want. She ached for the fact that she could never have him. With that regret in her heart, she leaned forward, cupped his strong jaw in both her hands, and kissed him.

  This time it was Noah’s turn to be surprised, and hers to be in control. She enjoyed the juxtaposition of their usual roles. Pulling him closer, she deepened the kiss, darting the tip of her tongue between his lips as he had done to her. To her surprise, Noah uttered a deep, guttural moan and clutched her closer to him. His arms came around her waist like a vice to crush her against his chest. For a moment she lost all sense of time and place. The only thing that existed or mattered was the two of them and the small world they created in each other’s arms.

  But the moment passed. Noah was in danger if he stayed in her room, so against her own desires, she pushed back away from his chest and the heavenly prison of his arms. He blinked a few times to clear his eyes as he stared into her face, searching for… something. She didn’t know what.

  “I know you aren’t using me.” With trembling hands, she reached out to run her fingers along the harsh curve of his jaw. “Go safely.”

  Noah wrinkled his brow and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. Then he hesitated with a shake of his dark head.

  “Goodnight.”

  Turning away from her, he took a short jump to the nearest tree limb and disappeared from sight. She took a few steps to close the window and saw that he had already made it down the tall tree and was hurrying to a circle of trees where Phantom awaited his return. At the edge of the circle, Noah turned back. When he saw her waving from her window, he flashed her a grin, then disappeared.

  She dipped her head with a sigh. The situation was only spiraling out of control with each passing day. With each moment she spent with Noah, she wanted him even more. And she couldn’t have him.

  She was surprised that fact hurt more than any betrayal from her father ever had.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Marion swore as she made another crooked stitch on a piece of cloth that already looked like she’d run it through a wash ringer. Though she didn’t enjoy it as much as sketching, normally she had no problems making a pattern work, but today she was completely incompetent. She’d tried to convince herself it was only because of lack of sleep the past few nights. In her heart she knew it was so much more.

  Too many thoughts tangled together in her head. She had three more days before Lucas would claim her, whether she fought him or not. Already the man watched her with predatory eyes, desire-filled eyes. Her stomach turned with the thought.

  And she’d no chance to remind Noah of her ticking clock because he hadn’t made contact with her since the night he snuck into her bedroom. She was beginning to wonder if he meant to help her at all, or if, his help would come too late. After all, he had no knowledge of the real nature of her predicament. He only thought she was walking into an arranged marriage, not that Lucas would take her virtue within days if she didn’t escape his house. The idea of the old man laying a finger on her was enough to make her drop her needlepoint with a shiver of disgust.

  “You seem distracted, my dear.”

  Marion paused midway from reaching her discarded handiwork. Over the weeks, she’d come to know Josiah Lucas’s voice as well as she knew her own. The coldness of it haunted her.

  Steeling herself to another boring and disturbing conversation, she rose to her feet and turned to the door with a half smile.

  “Mr. Lucas. I didn’t hear you come in.”

  He smiled that thin, skeletal smile of his. “No, I expect not. Most young ladies do a better job of hiding their thoughts when they’re around other people. You’re most unique, Miss Marion.”

  The lump in her throat made her swallow hard before she could speak again. “Are my thoughts so very clear to you, Mr. Lucas?”

  He entered the room and tapped the door shut discreetly with his heel. She eyed the miniscule crack in the door with an arched eyebrow. This wasn’t good.

  “Often they are very clear.” He moved steadily toward her. Marion fought the urge to back away just as quickly. “But that’s part of your charm.”

  He halted directly in front of her, mere inches from her body. She could smell a strong odor of some kind of cologne. It hung heavily on the old man’s skin and hair. It was entirely unpleasant, especially when he was so close that Marion had to breathe his air.

  Just as she was about to point out the impropriety of his proximity, he bent down and picked up her long forgotten needlepoint. When he straightened up, he took a long time looking at her curves, from her feet to the top of her head.

  She took her work with a forced smile. “Thank you, Mr. Lucas.”

  He clucked his tongue as he motioned for her to return to her seat. She did so warily, feeling his gray eyes on her every step of the way.

  “Now, now Marion. You’ve lived in my house for nearly a month. Don’t you think we’ve grown close enough that you could call me Josiah?” He took a place on the settee beside her as he spoke, ignoring the two other empty chairs further from her.

  Marion edged away. “Oh no, Mr. Lucas, I don’t think that would be appropriate at all. My father and mother were very clear to me that I should always address my elders,” she paused with special emphasis on the word. “With respect.”

  Lucas’s smile fell and a flicker of rage lit up in his eyes. Marion’s heart skipped at the sight. Was that what Georgina had seen as she drew her last breath?

  “And what of your suitors? Would you not offer them such an allowance if they were serious about you?” His voice was more a hiss than a normal speaking voice.

  Marion balked. She rose to her feet and backed away. She was flailing wildly and yet she couldn’t seem to be able to control her arms. She raised them as a guard to his words and his intentions.

  “You are not my suitor.”

  His grin returned at her statement. “Surely you haven’t been blind to my desire to know you better these last few weeks. You may be…” He swallowed hard and his eyes moved over her body again. “You may be an innocent, but you’re still a woman. A woman is always aware of the power she wields over a man.”

  Marion found she’d backed herself into the mantel and had nowhere else to go. Taking a few long breaths, she tried to calm herself. She had to return to the position she had taken before she cowered. Lucas stood and moved toward her with terrifying slowness. Like he was stalking her. Showing him fear was like running from a rabid dog. It would only encourage him.

  “I’m sure I hold no power over you. And I always felt that your interest in me was an indication of your friendship with and your respect for my father. I’m pleased to be your friend.” She cursed her shaking voice. It revealed too much about her frightened state of mind.

  “Yet you’ve expressed an interest in my late wife,” Lucas said. His smile widened as he came closer step by small step. “Don’t you think that could send a message to a man that you had some interest in him?”

  She froze. Damn, this was exactly the situation she’d been trying to avoid.

  “I-I told you,” Marion stammered. “Your wife was close to my age. I was only interested in her as my peer.”

  “You’re very much like her.” Finally, he reached Marion though he kept a respectable distance. “You look a little like her, though there’s more fire in your eyes than there was in hers. I trained her fire out of her.”

  She cringed at the smile that accompanied his words. Her thoughts trailed to what Sally had told her about poor Georgina’s screams
in their bedroom. Of her fighting against the very man who had now neatly boxed Marion in with no hope of escape.

  “I’m certain that’s none of my business,” she stammered. She needed an escape route but there was none.

  “Don’t you want to know about my wife?” He placed one large hand on the wall beside her head. “You wanted to know before.”

  “Th-They were impertinent questions.” A sob caught in her throat before she could swallow it back. “I shouldn’t have asked them.”

  “Having a young wife has advantages,” he continued, almost as if she hadn’t spoken at all. His finger strayed toward her cheek and he traced over the curve there. She turned her head away, but his hand followed. “And disadvantages. Other men notice her. Other men covet her and the things she hides under pretty dresses and demure smiles.”

  A wave of nausea hit Marion and a cold sweat broke over her brow, but she fought to remain calm, measuring her breathing as she tried to think of way out of the situation. “I’m certain Mrs. Lucas was admired for her charms by both men and women.”

  He laughed, though the sound was far from pleasant. “Men like your Noah Jordan wanted her. Men who were young and virile and willing to make her empty promises. But I made sure she could have nothing.”

  His eyes narrowed as he put his face directly in front of hers. Even as he spoke, his fingers trailed down the neckline of her gown. Then lower until the tips brushed the curve of her breast. Marion bucked at the touch, but Lucas leaned forward to keep her from escaping.

  “Stop,” she whispered, too afraid to say it louder. She felt like she was underwater and couldn’t get enough air to fight or speak.

  He ignored her plea. “You must understand, I won’t allow what is mine be taken. Ever.”

  Marion couldn’t control the shaking of her entire body now. Even her toes trembled as Lucas slowly removed his hand and backed away. He smiled as if he were satisfied his message had been received and understood.

  “I’ll let you return to your needlepoint, Marion.” He motioned toward the settee with relish. “And I look forward to the next few days when I’m sure we’ll come to understand each other all the better. Good day.”

  With that, he left the room. Marion sank to her knees as soon as he was out of sight. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks as the full gravity of her situation became clear to her. Lucas wasn’t the kind of man who would hold to the promise he’d made to her father. Any night he could have burst into her room and taken her, and any night he still could.

  Yet she’d told Noah nothing of the full horror of his plans for her. The one person who could save her didn’t know the hideous truth. And for what? Because of a girlish crush that could lead to nothing?

  But even if she told him the truth, would he save her? Especially if it endangered his case? After all, her father lied on a regular basis, Lucas lied. Perhaps Noah lied, too. It had been his suggestion to use the only other friend she had, Sally.

  The situation was untenable.

  Sally bustled through the door with concern clear on her face. When she saw Marion huddled by the fire, she rushed to her side.

  “Oh, miss. What did he do to you? When I saw him come out of the room looking like a cat in the cream, I just knew something terrible had happened.” The maid lifted her hand to feel Marion’s brow. “He didn’t… he didn’t touch you, did he?”

  Marion shook her head as the other girl helped her to her shaky feet. “No. Not yet.”

  Sally’s eyes widened a fraction. “Do you think he means to?”

  Marion nodded in response as she worked her way back to the settee. She gripped the back of every chair and edge of every table along the way. She didn’t trust her legs would hold her.

  “I know he means to.” She swallowed past the bile in her throat. “I must find my own way out of this mess, I can’t trust anyone else will come through for me.”

  “What do you mean to do, Miss Marion?”

  The young woman’s voice was thick with concern. When Marion turned to look at her, she could see Sally was trembling. She couldn’t help but think of what Noah had said: that the maid could easily be her enemy not her friend. And that she should use the young woman before her.

  “I’ll need your help.” She eyed Sally closely for her reaction and was relieved when the girl nodded immediately.

  “Of course, what can I do?”

  “I must send a message to Noah Jordan, but I don’t know which member of Lucas’s household is under the Marquis’ employ. If I write a note to the gentleman, could you give it to the correct person and ask that it be delivered immediately?”

  “I… suppose… so.” The girl cocked her head. “But are you sure you want to bring Lord Woodbury into this? He doesn’t have the best reputation and you already told me there are no promises between you.”

  Marion nodded, though a sharp shot of regret moved through her at Sally’s blunt appraisal. “I’m positive. Noah is the only person who can help me, whether he wants to or not. Now, go fetch me some ink and a few pieces of paper.”

  After Sally had scurried from the drawing room to find the items she’d ordered, Marion rose to her feet and crossed to the window to stare in the direction of Linton Green. She planned to tell Noah the whole truth when he came to her, but this time she wouldn’t give him the chance to refuse her plea for assistance. No, Marion knew what she had to do, and though Noah might be furious at her for it later, she had no choice but to protect herself.

  ***

  “When did it arrive?” Noah read Marion’s note a second time.

  “Just a short time ago.” Rothschild stood at attention in front of his master’s desk while he awaited orders. “I tried to find you, my lord, but all I knew was that you’d gone riding.”

  Noah shook his head in reassurance. “Don’t trouble yourself any longer, Rothschild. No damage was done. I’ll ring for you to deliver my response, so be ready.”

  “Yes, sir.” The young man gave a quick bow and scurried from the room.

  “What are you doing, Marion?” Noah muttered.

  Her note was brief, telling him she had new information to share, but he had to come to her room that night. He had the strangest premonition that Marion’s missive was a trap, but Rothschild and his brother had made it clear Marion remained unharmed. She certainly wasn’t being influenced by Lucas or her father. And there was no doubt the note was written by her. The handwriting was smooth and rounded, flowing over the page in delicate spirals and curls. Exactly as he would have expected her hand to be.

  With a frown, he crumpled the message into his pocket and sat down at his desk to write his reply. Seeing Marion was the only way he’d find out the truth. Even if she hadn’t written him asking for his presence, he had planned on coming to her that night or the next. Her time was ticking away and she’d soon be forced into an engagement with Lucas. He wanted to spare her that.

  It wasn’t as if his investigation was going anywhere. Though the servants had whispered Georgina hadn’t fallen, there was no evidence she had been murdered. The death had been so long ago, Noah worried it was a dead-end case. Not the way he wanted to end his career in the War Department, but it couldn’t be helped.

  He scribbled a quick reply to Marion’s message. He should have contacted her earlier, but had been reticent to see her. When she’d kissed him at her window a few days earlier, it had shocked his entire system and he’d spent hours since contemplating what to do about her. He hated the idea of her rotting away in the country with her aunts, with no prospect of a better life. But the idea of launching her into Society and watching her marry one of his own acquaintances or, God forbid, friends was little better.

  He was so desperate he would have gone to his mother, but Tabitha had departed to visit friends a few days before and wouldn’t be back until the following afternoon. Her wise council couldn’t be depended upon.

  With a frustrated growl, Noah rang the bell at his door with relish. He would know what
to do when he saw Marion. Somehow he would just know what decision was the right one for her future… and for his.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Marion’s dressing gown twisted around her calves each time she pivoted across her room. Wasn’t it one yet? Noah had said he’d come to her at one. Everything else was in place. Sally knew her role in Marion’s plan and was ready to do her part. Though she was wracked with nervousness and doubt, Marion was resigned to her decision. All that was missing was Noah.

  With a groan, she flopped onto the soft chair by the window. He had promised he would come. She would just have to trust he was telling the truth. Not that trust was a commodity she easily came by. It was why she was forced to play out their agreement the way she planned.

  A movement in the bushes below caught her eye in the faint moonlight. At first she believed she’d imagined the motion, but when it came again and a man stepped from the shadows to creep over to the tall oak beside her window, she breathed a sigh of relief. Noah was there and she could relax.

  At least until he reached the top of the oak tree and entered her room. Then her plan would be set in motion and she would be anything but relaxed.

  He looked up as he hooked one booted foot into a notch in the tree. Their gazes met and Marion was drawn in by the pleasure on his face. He grinned, then began the task of climbing the tree to reach her window. She admired how his muscular body moved effortlessly up the tree trunk. He had natural balance and athletic grace. Before she had time to breathe, he’d pushed open her window and was standing before her with a grin on his face and not a drop of sweat on his brow.

  “Thank you for leaving the window unlocked.”

  “Y-your note.”

  She was suddenly very aware she was in her dressing gown. The man always made her conscious of her body and of the way it reacted to him.

  “Yes, our little correspondence.” His mouth thinned into a frown as he retrieved a wrinkled sheet of paper from his pocket. Holding it out in front of her nose, he shook his head. “This was a dangerous thing to do. You should have known I’d come to you soon, you shouldn’t have taken the risk to contact me.”