“We’ll leave here early,” he called after her. “You had better get down here well before dawn or I shall come up and get you out of bed myself.” He gave her a half wicked smile.
“Perhaps that is the better idea. I promise you that would be a far more enjoyable way to begin the day.”
A hot heat rose in her cheeks. Turning away from him, she crossed the room and quickly climbed the stairs. When she reached the bedchamber, she closed the door, feeling breathless and far too warm.
He wouldn’t come up here. Surely he would not dare! But for the remainder of the night she needed her rest, but she tossed and turned, unable to think of anything but the handsome bandit coming into her room as she was sleeping, of him awakening her with his scorching kisses.
Chapter Seven
Katherine walked down the gleaming tile floored entry-way of Sussex Manor. She was heading to the extraordinary library and her meeting with Benjamin Spencer. She had asked him for a place where they could meet in private. This was not a conversation for servants or anyone else to overhear.
Her footsteps quickened as she approached the tall doors leading into the large room. She had arrived two days earlier and had been greeted with tears by her brother Thomas, who promptly forgot that she had been missing.
She had ridden to Sussex Manor on the back of her abductor’s horse. He had left her at the edge of the tree line, making sure she could see the back of the manor. His face had been unreadable as he bid her goodbye.
“I guess this is goodbye, Duchess. I cannot say I enjoyed our time together.” He looked at her and flashed her a self-important grin. “But then, I cannot say that I did not.”
Knowing that he was thinking of the intimacies they had shared, she found herself turning red. “You are quite a scoundrel, my lord.”
“And you are quite a remarkable woman.”
She smiled, unable to resist the compliment. “I suppose I am better off for the adventure. If Sussex Manor is in as bad a shape as you say, you have saved me from a devastating marriage. That in itself is enough to earn my silence and a measure of my gratitude.”
His eyes looked over her face, taking in her features. “Oddly enough, I believe I shall miss you as well, my lady.”
A lump rose in her throat. She felt the sting of tears rise up in her eyes. “And I you, my lord. God protect you.”
He didn’t say a thing for the longest time. Katherine turned away, trying to ignore the feeling that had settled in her body. She started across the fields toward the mansion, her slippers growing wet with the early evening dew, but the thunder of galloping hooves coming up from behind took her by surprise. She turned around to see William galloping toward her. He bent over in the saddle and scooped her up, positioning her in front of him in the saddle, turned her toward him, his mouth came down hard over hers.
His kiss was hot and passionate, taking command of her lips, making her stomach unfurl. The kiss gentled, becoming a savoring, a creation of a memory. It went on for what seemed to be forever, as Katherine threw her arms around his neck. A last ravishing of her mouth, and William set her free, lowering her to her feet in the meadow.
“Good bye, my lady,” he said in a rough voice. “I vow I will never forget you.” Then, with that, he turned his mount around, and rode like fire in the opposite direction.
Katherine stood there, watching him ride away, her eyes awash in tears. It was craziness to feel this way. She had been his captive for days. She hadn’t imagined what it would feel like when his powerful presence was gone.
She stood alone in the meadow, a thick lump in her throat. It was crazy, but that didn’t make it go away.
It was now there again, as she stood in the library waiting on Benjamin, that sense of something missed, something vital that she would ever have the chance to experience.
Who was he? She wondered as she had many times before. Why had he stopped the wedding? She had sent one of her footmen with a note to her solicitor. She would soon know the truth about the duke of Sussex’s circumstances. Yet she really didn’t need that final confirmation. She had no doubt that William had told her the truth.
From the minute he took her, she had sensed an honesty about him. He had no reason to lie about this. And so she stood waiting for the impoverished duke who would have ruined her life.
She was ready for this meeting. It was imperative it end successfully and she knew exactly how to make that come about.
The doors swung open and the duke walked in. A pair of footmen dressed in red satin livery closed them behind him and he walked toward her smiling, his mouth a thing slash, reddened with a hint of rouge.
“My dearest Katherine.” He brought her fingers to his lips as she swept into a curtsy before him.
“Your grace.” He was dressed as finely as she. The fleeting thought occurred that by society’s standards he was not unattractive.
“Shall we sit?”
Nodding, she replied, “As you wish.” She allowed him to seat her in a large chair near the hearth, then waited as he took a place across from her.
“Shall I ring for refreshments?”
“No, my lord. This should not take long, and as I said I prefer that this be private.”
He leaned back in his chair, crossed one leg over the other. She never had paid attention to a man’s calves before. It occurred to her now that beneath his stockings, Benjamin’s appeared to be padded. The bandit’s, she remembered, had been well formed and heavy with muscle.
“This business you wish to speak of, I gather it is of a delicate nature. Do I dare to guess that this has something to do with your abduction?” He leaned forward toward her. “My dear, if your virtue is the issue of this meeting, never fear, I am not so hard as to allow such a loss to come between us. It is hardly your fault that you were so callously taken away from your betrothed. From this day on, whatever might have happened shall remain our secret, to never be spoken of again. The wedding will take…”
“Your grace, the wedding shall not take place at all.”
Benjamin scowled. “Don’t be ridiculous. I told you I care nothing about. . .”
“My virtue remains intact. That is not the matter at hand.”
The scowl deepened, pulling his brows together until they almost touched in the middle. “Then what, may I ask is the problem?”
“I am afraid I have learned some very disturbing information. Normally, my brother Thomas would be discussing this matter with you, but as you know he is not quite himself. The fact remains that I have by whatever means, discovered your true circumstances. I wish finances were not an issue, but a marriage such as ours, we both know they are. I understand your need of funds, and I am more than sympathetic. But, my dowry will not be used to take care of your problems.”
His expression did not change, but the color started to drain from his cheeks. “I am sorry, my dear, but I haven’t the slightest idea of what you are talking about.”
“You know exactly what I am talking about. I am not faulting you. Marriages are formed to solve financial problems, however, in this case, that is not going to occur.” She shifted in her chair, smoothing her skirt. “As I said, I am very much aware of your problems. I do not intend, however, to discuss them outside this room.”
Benjamin said nothing.
“In exchange for my silence, there is something I must ask of you.”
His eyes focused on her more intently. He understood the meaning of a bargin. He leaned forward in his chair. “I am not, my lady, confirming any of your ridiculous charges, but if you are in need of some sort of assistance, I may be able to help.”
Katherine stood and moved toward the fire, placing herself above him. “These past few days have been trying for all of us. I am certain you well know, this abduction has done nothing to benefit my reputation.” She looked at him. “Should our betrothal suddenly end, people will speculate why. Just as you did, they will question my virtue, and though it remains undamaged, the odds of my taking a suita
ble match will be lessened.”
“Go on,” Benjamin said.
“In exchange for my silence, I only ask that our relationship continue for the next several weeks. Let it be known that you are still willing to marry me. You will say that you paid some sort of ransom. Tell them money purchased my safe return.”
“I see no problem with that.”
“It will take time to reschedule a wedding. People will expect a delay. Prior to a new date being set, I shall simply back off. We will remain close friends and by then, perhaps, we will each have found another suitable candidate to fulfill our marriage requirements.”
Benjamin assessed her as if she were a woman he had never seen before. He smiled. “I assure you, my lady, the rumors you have heard concerning the duke of Sussex are false. still, if you would prefer to end our betrothal, I am certainly willing to abide by your wishes.”
“Then we are agreed?” she extended a dainty, gloved hand.
“Exactly so, my lady.” He bowed extravagantly over it. She didn’t miss the edge of malice in his voice or the fact that beneath his polite veneer, he was angry. She had thwarted his plan to save himself, and Benjamin Spencer wasn’t a man who liked that.
“I’ll be returning home in the morning. It is my understanding, however, that you had planned a party to be held here three weeks after our marriage?”
A grim smirk crossed his face. “I had thought to have a costume ball, our first as a married couple. The invitations have already been sent out.”
“Good. The Season has not yet really begun. Shortly after the ball, I will call off our betrothal, leaving us both free to pursue our own interests.”
“As you wish, my lady,” he said tightly.
Katherine curtsied. “Thank you, my lord. I trust I haven’t broken your heart too badly.”
“Ah, to the contrary, my lady. I shall linger in despair for the pain I suffer at your refusal.” He flashed her a look of pure malice. “Until we meet next, my lady.”
In an instant he was gone, his angry strides carrying him from the room. She had made an enemy, yet now that he was out of her life, she felt a sense of relief.
The memory of the vicious look on the duke of Sussex’s face came to mind, and she thought perhaps the bandit had saved her from more than a disastrous marriage. Katherine shivered to think what menace those dark eyes might have held for her, once she had become his wife.
Not far from Sussex Manor, in the walnut paneled library of his friend Damien, William Spencer paced restlessly around the room.
“You seem distracted. You have been so ever since your arrival. It wouldn’t by chance have anything to do with a certain young lady?”
A muscle tightened in William’s jaw. “The girl has been returned safely. She knows the truth of Benjamin’s finances. It’s of no concern of mine if she hasn’t the good sense to end the betrothal.”
Damien’s brow rose. “I believe that she will do so. The matter is a delicate one and she is no fool. Eventually, she will end her relationship and return to the marriage mart.” He eyed his friend over the top of his brandy snifter before he took a drink. “Perhaps once she does, you will be interested in her for yourself.”
William said nothing.
“Forgive me. For some odd reason, I thought the girl had caught your fancy. As I recall, you weren’t opposed to trysting with her. She must have had some sort of appeal on you.”
William turned to face him, his expression dark. “I would have liked to bed her. She was a feisty little tart and I lusted after her practically every moment from the time I first saw her. She is ripe for a man, and had she not been untaken, I would not have hesitated.”
“Which means that you continue to think of her even though she is gone.”
“Which means I would still like to bed her. Since it would hardly be the gentlemanly thing to do, I will do my best to forget her.”
Damien smiled faintly. “I thought you said there was nothing of the gentleman left in you, that you had abandoned those qualities years ago.”
“For the most part I did.” William replied, almost smiling. “However, there is something else within me that beckons me, something I can’t describe. While I am here I will try to not succumb to it.”
“Then you plan to leave, even when you clear your name?”
“I don’t belong here. I am no longer a part of this life. I only remain here as long as I must.”
Damien sighed. “I realize that in this case, no news is hardly good news, but I assure you that the man we have working for us is competent. I’ve used him on a number of occasions and he has yet to fail me.” Damien knew William wanted his name cleared. A few years ago he had hired a man to investigate his father’s murder, but nothing of any value had been uncovered. Damien chose another man himself when William first arrived in England.
“I don’t doubt his expertise. It’s been a long time. Nothing came of my investigation. Even if there is someone who actually saw what happened, finding them won’t be easy.”
“No, it won’t. But money is always an inducement. A word here, a marker called in. Who knows what we’ll find.”
William smiled, but Damien knew it for what it was. The odds of success were against them and William knew that. He was risking himself in returning, but it was a risk he was determined to take.
He had vowed to clear his name, to see his family’s holdings returned, to see his father’s murderer pay. He had taken the first bold step and Sussex Manor belonged to him once more, though he allowed Benjamin to remain. The owner was traveling on the continent he had been told. The duke could stay until the man returned.
Truth was, it was simply better if Benjamin remained in the residence at Sussex Manor, or at the duke’s town house, so they could watch his movements.
Damien leaned back in his leather chair and took another sip of brandy. William’s glass sat untouched on the mantel. He was pacing again, restless as he was before, his mind filled with thoughts Damien could not fathom.
“Perhaps we should travel to the city,” Damien suggested. “The Season is just now getting underway. Even if it weren’t, there are always amusements. From the look of you, some female companionship would not be amiss.”
“The city?” William’s gaze moved in Damien’s direction.
“Yes. As long as you stay away from your brother, once he arrives, there is little danger you’ll be recognized. Your own mother would hardly recognize you for the boy you once were.”
True, so true, William’s eyes said.
“I have noticed you have wisely stayed away from Jane. A lady rarely forgets a man she has known so intimately as that one you know.”
William paused and reached for his glass. “She is safe for the moment. In time I intend to seek her out, but not just yet. First I mean to return to the inn. Perhaps a memory will surface, something of value that I have forgotten.”
Their man had been to the Lion’s Den on more than one occasion. According to him, only a few of the original servants remained and none remembered the night in question.
Damien warmed his glass between his hands. “I understand that Benjamin is planning a lavish costume ball. I don’t know how he thinks he can afford it, but the outcome might be interesting.”
“My brother has always loved to entertain. He thinks himself quite the fashion monger, and of course Sussex Manor provides him exactly what he needs in lavish excess.”
Damien casually stood up from his leather chair, setting his empty glass down on a table beside him. “Lady Katherine will be there, I am certain,” he said with a certain casualness. “Being seen with the duke will help dispel the gossip. It is imperative she put the scandal of her abduction to rest.”
“That would be had I given the lady something to be scandalized about.”
Damien smiled. Whether or not his friend was willing to admit it, he cared for the woman in some fashion.. Feelings he had not allowed himself since his ill-fated affair with the Lady Jane. Da
mien intended to encourage him. William had suffered enough, he deserved some measure of happiness. He deserved to know the tender side of a woman instead of simply suffering a woman’s betrayal.
Though Damien was hardly an expert, and cynical in the extreme, some deeply hidden part of him still believed that his friend deserved a little love.
William opened the door to the Lion’s Den and walked in. He couldn’t shake the notion that the answer to his problem lay her. That someone must have seen something besides what Benjamin wanted them to see, the duke of Sussex murdered by his eldest son.
More than the face of his grief-stricken brother, whose heroic efforts could not save their father but had at least disabled the rogue who had killed him. There had to be something, yet so far no one including himself had unearthed a single clue.
William ducked his head and stepped into the taproom. The years had not changed the smell of smoke and rancid ale.
The scarred wooden tables still had the same nicks and grooves, even though they had a new coat of varnish. The upstairs room he had shared with Jane looked much the same, or at least it appeared so when he looked in through the outside.
He thought of her as he sat down at a table and ordered a tankard of ale. She was living in London, living high on the fat allowance Benjamin provided. He wondered how she would take the news that the duke of Sussex was broke. Perhaps she had already figured that out.
He wondered what she looked like now. He thought of her beauty and found himself comparing it to the full-breasted charms he had discovered in Katherine. They were as different as any two women he could imagine.
There wasn’t an ounce of goodness in Lady Cromwell, not a single ounce of compassion, but at the time he had been too much in lust to recognize this.
William pictured Jane and his hold grew tighter on the handle of the tankard he was grasping. Jane knew the truth of what had happened to his father. Jane could be his salvation, yet he dared not to go to her yet. He could offer her money, which if she weren’t in need now, odds were she soon would be. But a large sum of money might not ensure her help. A little scandal was one thing. Admitting Benjamin Spencer’s guilt in the death of their father meant implicating herself in a murder.
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