you.
She would have to tread warily, Victoria
told herself, but she could deal with her
midnight lord. She would learn to handle
him because she had no choice; she could
not resist what he was offering. She needed
what he was offering.
For the first time in many months,
Victoria enjoyed an untroubled sleep.
Ten minutes after making his exit
from the garden, Lucas alighted from
the Lyndwoods" carriage, said his good
nights, and stalked up the front steps of
the town house he had recently inherited.
His butler, who, along with the rest of the
small staff had been engaged for Lucas by
Jessica Atherton, opened the door.
Send everyone to bed, Griggs. I have
some matters to attend to in the library,"
Lucas ordered.
Very good, my lord."
Lucas walked into the library, which
contained the few good pieces of furniture
that were left in the house, and poured
himself a liberal measure of port. His
damned leg was aching again. All that
idiotic running about at the fair followed
by climbing that damned garden wall had
set it off.
He swore silently and took a long
swallow of the port, knowing from past
experience it would ease the dull throb in
his upper thigh.
It was not just his leg that ached.
Another part of him was left throbbing
as a result of the garden meeting with
Victoria. He could still feel the softness
of her as he crushed her up against the
garden wall. The sweet, spicy scent of her
still lingered in his head, mingling with the
fragrance of the rich port.
His eyes fell on the portrait that hung
over the mantel. Slowly Lucas made his
way across the faded carpet to stand in
front of the unsmiling face of his uncle.
Maitland Colebrook, the previous Earl
of stone vale, had not had much to smile
about in his last years. Plagued by ill health
and depressed spirits, he suffered from an
abiding resentment against everything and
everyone. Maitland's unpredictable temper
had often flared into uncontrolled violence,
a violence that was frequently loosed
on whoever happened to be in the
vicinity, leaving stone vale always wanting
of servants.
In his younger days Maitland Colebrook
had been given to debauchery, drink, and
gaming on a wild scale. He had disappeared
from Society after going through the bulk of
his inheritance, an inheritance which had
already been thinned out by his father.
He had become an eccentric recluse,
cutting off all communication not only
with his London acquaintances, but with
his relatives. He had retired to the country
to drain what little was left from his
estates. He had never married, and when
the end had come several months ago,
he had grudgingly summoned his heir, a
nephew he barely knew.
Lucas remembered the interview well.
The gloomy master bedroom with its
decaying draperies and shabby furnishings
looked pleasant compared to Maitland
Colebrook, who, withered and pasty-faced
was propped up in the ancient oak bed, a
bottle of port and a bottle of laudanum at
his side.
It's all yours, nephew, every last cursed
inch of stone vale. If you have any sense,
you'll walk away and let it rot into the
ground. No good has ever come of these
lands," he wheezed, wrapping his bony
fingers around a dingy blanket and glaring
coldly at Lucas.
Probably because no one in recent
history has bothered to put any time
and money into them," Lucas had pointed
out bitterly. Any fool could see that stone vale
had potential. The land was good; it could
be made productive again.
Money was the key to reviving stone vale;
money and a lord who cared about his
people and estates.
No point pouring money into stone vale.
Place is cursed, I tell you. Ask anyone
around here. Been that way for generations.
Bad soil, lazy farmers, undependable water
supply. Not a damn thing that's worth
saving. Should have sold the whole bloody
place. Don't know why I didn't," the old
man continued, his voice dry and raspy.
At that point the dying earl had leaned
over to yank open a drawer in the night
table. His shaking fingers had fumbled
around inside for a moment, then closed
over an object he could retrieve by the
touch. Then he had hurled the thing at
Lucas, who had automatically reached out
to catch it.
When he opened his fingers, Lucas
found himself staring down at a circular
amber pendant dangling from a thin chain.
There were two figures carved on the
pendant rendered in such a finely crafted
manner that they appeared to be two
miniature humans frozen for all time in the
translucent yellow-gold stone. The images
were clearly of a knight and his lady.
What is this, sir?" Lucas demanded, his
fingers again closing tightly around the
pendant.
Damned if I know. A gift from my
father just before he died. Claimed he'd
found it in the old maze in the center
of the south garden. Local folks think it
represents the legend."
Lucas studied the stone." What legend?"
Maitland turned purple with sudden
fury." The legend that makes this godfor
saken estate so useless, the one responsible
for ruining my life, for denying me a son of
my own. The legend of the Amber Knight
and his lady."
What is the truth behind the legend?"
Go ask one of the old witches in the
village if you want to know the tale.
I've got better things to do than tell you
stories."
And with that, Maitland had lapsed
into a fit of coughing. Lucas had quickly
poured a glass of port and offered it to the
pale, thin lips. His uncle had taken a long
swallow and quietened.
It's no good, you know," Maitland
Colebrook continued." None of it. Never
was; never will be. Bad luck, the whole
wretched place. Take my advice and let
it go, boy. Don't try to save it."
Lucas looked down at the amber
pendant, possessiveness and sudden resolve
flaring in him." Do you know, Uncle, I
believe I will ignore your advice. I am
going to save stone vale."
Maitland Colebrook looked up at him
with bloodshot, weary eyes." And just
where do you think you'll get the blunt?
I've heard you've some skill at the gaming
tables, but you cannot win enough to
>
supply yourself with the sort of steady
income you would need to save this estate.
I know. I tried that in my younger days."
Then I'll have to find another way to
get the money, won't I?"
Only other way is to snare yourself an
heiress, and that's easier said than done.
No decent woman of the ton who has
money of her own will look twice at a
penniless earl. Her family will be able to
do better by her than you."
Lucas met his uncle's glare." Perhaps I
should look a little lower than the ton."
You'd be wasting your time. Hell, I
know the talk in the clubs. There's always
a lot of speculation about offering one's
title in exchange for some merchant's
daughter who comes equipped with an
inheritance. But fact is, it don't work that
way very often. Money marries money and
that's as true among the Cits as it is in
the ton."
His uncle's words rang again in Lucas's
head tonight as he stood gazing up at the
dour portrait of Maitland Colebrook. He
smiled grimly and raised his glass in a
small toast.
You were wrong, Uncle. I've found
my heiress and I've set my snares well
tonight. She's going to lead me a damned
merry dance but in the end she will be
mine."
And that end could not come fast
enough to suit him, Lucas decided as he
tossed down the rest of his port. He wanted
Victoria's fortune, but he had learned
tonight that he also wanted Victoria.
Lucas set down his glass, aware of
the amber pendant warm against his
chest. He had worn it around his neck,
concealed under his clothing, since the
night Maitland Colebrook had tossed it
at him.
As Lucas stood alone in the library
contemplating his future it occurred to
him that the rich, tawny glow of the
amber was an exact match for the color
of Victoria's eyes.
Lucas walked up the steps of Lady
Nettleship's town house with a sense
of keen anticipation mixed with icy
determination. He was in a mood not
unlike the one that came over him
when he sat down to a gaming table.
Everything in him was focused now on
winning, and Lucas knew he was very
good at winning.
He had learned long ago that for a
man who must live by his wits, there
was no substitute for careful planning and
strategy. He knew the value of a cool head
and the ability to push aside all emotion
in the midst of battle or a card game.
Cold-blooded logic was the key to survival
and Lucas knew it.
He was well aware that the reason he
was able to survive and even flourish at
the tables of the clubs and gaming hells of
London was simply that he never allowed
his emotions to interfere with his play.
Unlike the wildly impulsive young bucks,
the flamboyant, drunken lords, or the
foolish dandies who loved to throw their
money away in melodramatic style, Lucas
never allowed himself to act out of either
exuberance, false pride, or desperation.
When one's luck was running poorly,
one simply quit the table and waited for
another time and place. Lucas had always
found another time and place.
But as successful as he was at the gaming
tables, his uncle had been right; there was
little chance of winning enough blunt to
save stone vale. Lucas knew he could waste
a lifetime attempting to accomplish that
feat. The lands and people of stone vale
could not wait that long.
It did not, however, take a lifetime's
winnings to keep up appearances here
in London. If a man was very clever
and watched his expenditures, he could
survive from one night's winnings until
the next. Polite Society might speculate
upon, but it never openly inquired into,
a man's financial situation as long as he
had the appearance of wealth. Having the
title and access to Jessica Atherton's social
connections also helped.
Lucas glanced over his shoulder at the
expensive black curricle and the beautifully
matched grays he had driven here this
morning. His tiger was at the horses'
heads, calming the high-spirited creatures
and preparing to walk them until the
master had finished his morning call.
The entire rig had cost far more than
Lucas had wanted to spend, but he had
reluctantly laid out the necessary just as
he had done at his tailor's. When a man
went hunting for an heiress, he had to
camouflage himself well; especially when
said heiress was given to hiring Bow Street
runners.
Lady Nettleship's front door opened just
as Lucas was mentally running through the
day's strategy one last time. Lucas handed
the butler his card.
The Earl of stone vale to see Lady
Nettleship and her niece."
The butler peered down a very long
nose." I will see if Lady Nettleship is
receiving this morning."
For one grim moment Lucas wondered
what he would do if Victoria had changed
her mind about allowing him to pay a call
this morning. It was entirely possible that
in the clear light of day she had sensed
danger.
He should have resisted the hot urge that
had driven him to kiss her last night. He
had never intended to do so, not this early
in the game. But for a short, perilous time
there in the dark garden he had broken his
own cardinal rule and allowed his emotions
inn
to dominate hiss actions. Lucas vowed he
would be more ccautious in the future.
The butler returned, and a moment later
Lucas experienced relief which melted into
triumph when he was shown into the
stately drawing room. With the discipline
of long practice, he made certain neither
emotion was visible in his expression, but
reminded himself that the first hurdle was
behind him; he had been admitted into the
home of his quarry.
An instant later his triumph turned to
irritation when he did not immediately
spot Victoria in the sunny room. He
realized he had not expected her to lose
her nerve this morning. But the lady who
had followed him fearlessly into that alley
last night had apparently had a few second
thoughts about meeting him in the light
of day. Lucas forced himself to give his
full attention to the striking middle-aged
woman seated on the elegant sofa.
Your servant, Lady Nettleship," he
murmured as he bowed over the be ringed
hand." I see now that Victoria's fine
eyes
are a family trademark."
Very charming, my lord. Do sit down.
We've been expecting you. Victoria, do put
down those beetles, my dear, and come
greet your guest." Victoria's aunt turned
her head slightly in the direction of her
niece and smiled.
Satisfaction soared in him. The little
baggage had not changed her mind after
all. Lucas straightened with a smile and
turned to see Victoria standing quietly near
the window at the far end of the room. No
wonder he hadn't spotted her at once. She
was dressed in a yellow and white dress
that tended to blend with the gold drapery
behind her.
Her very motionlessness told him that
she had deliberately chosen her position
so that she would be able to study him
unobserved for a few minutes as he entered
the room. Lucas's brows rose faintly in
amused acknowledgment of her tactics.
There was no substitute for getting a close
look at one's opponent before facing him.
It was clear he was not the only one who
knew something about strategy.
Good morning, Miss Huntington. For
a moment I feared you had discovered
you had a conflicting social engagement
today."
She came forward smoothly, her soft
slippers making no noise on the carpet. She
was carrying a flat box in her hands and
her eyes were alight with mischief" How
could you possibly think I would forget
your visit to us this morning, my lord?"
One can never be completely certain of
a lady's memory." Lucas inclined his head
over the hand she gracefully extended. Her
fingers felt cold and he knew then that she
was not as composed as she appeared. This
pleased him.
I assure you my memory is excellent."
Unfortunately for a man, it is not always
a lady's memory that fails. Sometimes she
simply changes her mind," Lucas said.
Victoria tilted her head and studied
him." Not without good cause. Please sit
down, as my aunt suggested. Are you at
all interested in beetles?"
Beetles?" For the first time Lucas
glanced into the box and found himself
viewing an array of dead insects pinned
inside. They were carefully arranged in
rows according to size, with the largest, a
true monster, at one end." To be perfectly
truthful, Miss Huntington, I have never
paid much heed to beetles."
Oh, but these are very excellent beetles,
are they not, Aunt Cleo?"
A fine collection," Lady Nettleship
agreed enthusiastically." Lady Woodbury,
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