Surrender Amanda Quick

by Surrender (lit)

  untied cravat. Good heavens, we're here.

  I must get out or the coachman will think

  we've fallen asleep."

  She scrambled about the carriage, collecting

  her walking stick and coat. As she

  pushed open the door she realized that

  Lucas was moving far more cautiously

  than usual. She frowned at him as she

  jumped down. Are you all right?"

  No."

  Oh, dear, your leg."

  It is not my leg that is bothering me."

  He stepped down beside her and adjusted

  his coat with great care.

  Then what is it, Lucas?" Victoria

  prodded.

  Nothing you can do anything about

  tonight, but rest assured I will look forward

  to you resolving the problem in the near

  future." He rapped on the side of the

  coachman's seat with his stick. Be so

  good as to wait a few minutes. I shall

  return shortly."

  The coachman tipped his hat with a

  bored air and reached for the flask he

  kept under his box.

  But Lucas, what is it? What is the

  matter?" Victoria asked again as they

  hurried around the corner and through

  an alley to the garden wall.

  Think back on all your studies of

  natural history, particularly the details

  of reproduction among the male of the

  species and I'm sure the answer will come

  to you."

  Oh dear." She swallowed, aware that her

  face was burning. She was not precisely

  certain what he meant, but she was at

  last getting an inkling of the probable

  source of his discomfort. Heavens. I had

  no idea. Are you, uh, very uncomfortable,

  my lord?"

  Don't look so contrite," he said with a

  quick, fleeting grin. I am well pleased with

  the results of the experiment. They were

  worth any minor discomfort I am now

  experiencing." He gave her an assist up the

  garden wall. And I did offer myself in the

  spirit of intellectual inquiry, did I not?"

  I do wish you would stop talking about

  the whole thing as an experiment." Victoria

  dropped down into the fragrant, shadowed

  garden and stood back as he lowered

  himself down beside her.

  I think it will be easier for you to

  think of it that way for a while." He

  kissed her nose and stood back. Good

  night, Victoria. Sleep well."

  She stood watching for a moment as

  he vanished back over the wall and

  then, reluctantly, she turned toward the

  conservatory door. She abruptly longed for

  the privacy of her room so that she could

  think about what was happening between

  her and Lucas.

  The feelings he was arousing in her

  were startling in their intensity and a little

  frightening. For a few minutes there in

  the coach she knew she had surrendered

  a large measure of her self-control to him.

  She had put herself literally in his hands

  ind he had shown her the power of her

  own body.

  She frowned in thought as she aproached the

  conservatory door. She must

  not let matters get out of control. She had

  to be careful. But Lucas was so different

  from any other man she had ever met.

  it was becoming increasingly difficult to

  link logically about him. More and more

  she was reacting on the basis of emotion,

  and that, she knew, was dangerous.

  Damn it, she thought resentfully, it

  simply was not fair that a widow such

  is Isabel Rycott was free to indulge in a

  discreet romantic liaison while a dedicated

  spinster was not granted the same privilege,

  least not a spinster who was only

  twenty-four. Perhaps in another ten years

  she would be able to behave as she wished,

  but who wanted to wait ten years to

  discover the mysteries Lucas was now

  revealing to her?

  And who knew where Lucas would be

  ten years from now, Victoria thought in

  sullen disgust. He would undoubtedly be

  off in the country, attending to his estates,

  a wife, and several children.

  It simply was not fair.

  Victoria knew now that if she was ever

  going to experiment with this particular

  aspect of natural history, she wanted that

  experiment to take place with Lucas.

  Perhaps she should do as he said and

  regard this entire matter from a scientific

  point of view.

  She was mulling over the pros and cons

  of that angle when she spotted the white

  silk neck scarf fluttering from the handle

  of the conservatory door.

  One of the servants must have left it here

  when he or she went into the garden to

  collect herbs for supper, she thought. But

  surely she would have noticed it earlier

  when she had left the house to meet

  Lucas.

  Curious, she lifted the scarf away from

  the handle. She felt the monogram beneath

  her fingers but could not read it in the pale

  moonlight.

  Victoria hurried indoors, paused in the

  conservatory to listen for any sound, and

  then decided her aunt had probably not

  yet returned from the Crandalls" ball. The

  Crandalls" affairs were famous for lasting

  until dawn.

  Victoria went upstairs and into her room

  and immediately lit a candle. Then she

  held the end of the scarf near the glow

  of light and deciphered the monogram.

  It was in the shape of an elaborately

  worked W."

  Victoria's fingers shook as she carefully

  folded the scarf. She had seen similar

  monograms before. They had been embroidered

  on the handkerchiefs and neck-cloths

  of her dead stepfather, Samuel Whitlock.

  The morning light poured through

  the conservatory windows, illuminating

  the spectacular spray of Plumeria rubra

  that Victoria was endeavoring to capture

  with her watercolors. She frowned at

  the emerging flower portrait on her

  easel, knowing her attention was not

  completely on her work and wondering

  if she should simply abandon the project.

  Normally when she was engaged in her

  sketching or painting, her concentration

  was complete .

  But this morning her thoughts churned,

  writhed, and danced with memories of her

  passion in Lucas's arms the previous night.

  She had been unable to get the images

  out of her head although she had spent

  several fitful hours trying to calm herself.

  She knew she would turn herself into

  a candidate for Bedlam if she did not

  sort out her confusion and make some

  decisions.

  There you are, Vicky, dear. I have been

  looking for you." Cleo Nettleship rounded

  the corner of the aisle of plants and headed

  toward her niece. She was we
aring a

  delightful morning dress of pale coral.

  Such a lovely day, is it not? I should

  have known I'd find you out here." She

  paused briefly, her attention caught by a

  small plant on a tray. Good heavens,

  did you notice the new American iris

  we got from Chester last month? It's

  blooming beautifully. How exciting. I must

  remember to tell Lucas."

  Victoria gave a small start and a drop

  of pink splashed on the page. Damn."

  I beg your pardon, dear?"

  Nothing, Aunt Cleo. I just had a small

  accident with my paint. Do you think

  Lucas will be interested in the iris?"

  Certainly. Haven't you noticed how

  enamored he has become of horticulture?

  He is learning everything he can about

  such matters in preparation for taking over

  his estates. But he is particularly fascinated

  with the new species of plants that are

  arriving in this country from America. I

  imagine that at the rate he's going, his

  gardens at stone vale will one day be a

  great attraction," Cleo said.

  Victoria concentrated on putting a faint

  shadow on the pink blossom. He does

  seem to have developed a strong interest

  in the subject, doesn't he? Does that strike

  you as odd, Aunt Cleo? The man has been

  a soldier most of his adult life."

  I don't find it in the least odd. Only

  think of Plimpton and Burney. Two ex

  military men who have settled down on

  their estates and produced magnificent

  results both in their gardens and in

  their crop production. Perhaps there is

  something in the business of gardening

  and horticulture that appeals to men who

  have witnessed a great deal of violence and

  bloodshed."

  Victoria recalled Lucas's refusal to

  discuss the circumstances surrounding the

  injury of his leg. I wonder if you might

  be right about that, Aunt Cleo."

  Speaking of Lucas, dear." Cleo paused

  again to examine another plant that was

  putting forth shoots.

  Victoria caught the slight change in

  her aunt's inflection and braced herself.

  Cleo rarely lectured, but when she did,

  Victoria had learned to pay attention. For

  all her scattered scientific interests and her

  unending social life Cleo Nettleship was a

  wise and intelligent woman.

  What about him, Aunt Cleo?"

  I hesitate to say too much, Vicky, dear.

  You are, after all, a grown woman and

  you have always given every indication of

  knowing precisely what you are about. But

  I must confess I have never known you to

  spend quite so much time in the company

  of any one man. Nor have I heard you

  mention a particular male acquaintance

  quite as frequently as you seem to mention

  stone vale. And one cannot help but notice

  lately that he seems to be underfoot a great

  deal of the time."

  Victoria's fingers tightened around her

  brush. I thought you liked Lucas."

  I do. Very much. That is not the

  point, Vicky, and I think you know it."

  Her aunt spoke gently as she poked a

  finger into a bedding tray to check for

  moisture.

  If Lucas seems to be underfoot much

  of the time, I expect it is because you are

  constantly inviting him to attend lectures

  and demonstrations you think will interest

  him," Victoria declared defensively.

  True, I have extended a number of

  invitations and he has always accepted."

  Cleo looked thoughtful. But it is not just

  at our natural history and horticulture

  meetings that he appears, is it? Lately

  he seems to have put in an appearance

  at nearly every soiree you have attended."

  Victoria swallowed uneasily. He is

  a friend of Lady Atherton's. She has

  introduced him into her circle."

  Cleo nodded again. Very true. And

  Lady Atherton's circle of acquaintances

  does include us, does it not? But all the

  same, I think perhaps you should consider

  exactly what it is you wish to have happen

  next, Vicky."

  Victoria set down her brush and looked

  at her aunt. Why don't you come out and

  tell me what it is that's worrying you. Aunt

  Cleo?"

  I am not worried so much, dear,

  as concerned that you understand your

  position vis-a-vis the earl. You have

  always insisted you do not wish to

  marry."

  - Victoria stiffened. That has always been

  true and still is."

  Cleo's face softened as she regarded her

  niece's stubborn expression. Then, Vicky,

  you have a certain obligation, one might

  even say your female honor requires that

  you do not give false hope to your male

  acquaintances. Do you comprehend what

  I am trying to say?"

  Victoria stared at her aunt in outraged

  astonishment. You think I have been

  leading the earl on? Allowing him to

  believe an offer of marriage might someday

  be welcome?"

  Not for a moment do I think you have

  done such a thing deliberately," Cleo said

  hastily. But lately, my dear, I have begun

  to wonder if stone vale might interpret

  some of your interest in him as a signal

  that you might be willing to entertain

  an offer. He could hardly be blamed if

  he had."

  Victoria bristled. And what about your

  interest in him? How is he supposed to

  interpret all your various invitations, Aunt

  Cleo?"

  It is not at all the same thing, dear. If

  he is misinterpreting my invitations, it is

  only because you always choose to attend

  the same lectures and demonstrations he

  chooses to attend," she explained evenly.

  There is hardly anything to remark

  upon in that. I have always attended the

  most interesting of the lectures and talks

  given by your friends."

  I cannot help but note, dear, that until

  recently you rarely attended the talks on

  crop rotation, orchard management, and

  viticulture," Cleo pointed out dryly. Your

  interests have always focused more on

  animals, electricity, and exotic plants."

  Victoria felt her face growing very warm.

  I assure you, Aunt Cleo, stone vale is very

  well aware of my opinions on marriage. I

  am certain he would not misinterpret our

  friendship."

  What about you, Vicky?" Cleo came

  closer and smiled down at her niece.

  Is there any possibility you may not

  be quite so certain of your own feelings

  on the subject of marriage as you once

  were?"

  Believe me, my opinions on marriage

  have not changed in the least," Victoria

  said with absolute conviction.

  Forgive me for asking, my de
ar, but is

  it possible that you are toying with the

  notion of another sort of liaison with

  stone vale?"

  Victoria's eyes collided with her aunt's.

  You think I am contemplating a an affair

  with Lucas?"

  Cleo held her niece's gaze and spoke

  very firmly. I am not blind, Vicky. Nor

  am I lacking in intelligence. Furthermore,

  I am a woman who has been out in the

  world for a good many years. I have seen

  the way you look at stone vale when you

  don't think he is aware of your regard. Add

  to that his obvious interest in you and the

  fact that you are a normal, healthy young

  female who does not wish the chains of

  marriage, and I fear we must conclude

  you are treading on treacherous ground.

  I would be extremely remiss in my duty

  as your aunt if I did not warn you."

  Victoria's hand clenched into a small

  fist in her lap. She stared blankly at

  the half-finished flower in front of her.

  I appreciate your concern. Aunt Cleo."

  No, you don't, you resent it, and I

  cannot entirely blame you for that. But

  we must face facts and it is not only

  your own reputation you must consider

  here. stone vale's is in jeopardy as well,"

  Cleo said.

  Victoria's head snapped up. stone vale's

  reputation?"

  You know very well, my dear, that a

  man of his position has an obligation

  to his name and title. Some day he

  must marry a socially acceptable woman

  from a good family. He cannot afford to

  be known as a seducer of respectable,

  innocent young females. Such a reputation

  would immediately ruin his chances for

  a proper marriage and cast him out of

  Society. Nor would he wish for such a

  nasty reputation. He is a decent man,

  Vicky."

  It is all so very unfair."

  What is unfair? That your status as a

  young, unmarried woman of good breeding

  makes it completely impossible for you

  to even consider a romantic liaison with

  stone vale? Yes, it is most unfair. But

  Society is very strict about such matters

  and you must heed most of the unwritten

  laws if you wish to survive in our world.

  You flout enough of the rules as it is. Be

  patient. And as you grow older you will

  be able to get away with disregarding more

  and more of them."

  I am four and twenty. Quite on the

  shelf and you know it. Aunt Cleo."

  Cleo smiled and shook her head. You

  know as well as I do that is not completely

  true. Society still views you as eligible and

  the size of your inheritance guarantees that