“I don’t see how. Dominic and Chloe hatched quite a clever scheme.”
“Still, I should have anticipated he might do something like this,” he said in a voice laden with self-disgust.
How like him to assume responsibility for everything and everyone. She didn’t know whether to scold him or kiss him.
She chose the former, for now. “Anthony, do stop being such a prig. Not everything in the world falls under your all-seeing eye, you know. The rest of us have to take some responsibility for our actions. And how you could have anticipated this particular event is beyond me.”
He didn’t say a word as he wheeled them into the yard of the inn. As the ostlers ran to the horses, Anthony slowly turned in his seat to face her. “A prig. Is that how you see me?”
The incredulous expression on his face had her biting back a smile. “Only when you absolutely merit it.”
He made a noncommittal grunt while he helped her down from the high seat. A flurry of activity on the other side of the yard drew their attention. It was the coach they’d been pursuing, readying for its imminent departure.
“Wait here,” Anthony ordered.
“But—”
“I have no intention of exposing you to any more notice than necessary,” he said. “I’ll go talk to the coachman and return immediately.”
She accepted the blunt explanation with a nod—no point in riling him up—and watched his progress across the yard. The coachman listened attentively to Anthony and then pointed in the direction of the inn. Something exchanged hands before Anthony strode back to her.
“They’re inside,” he said. “Chloe wasn’t feeling well, so Dominic booked a room.”
Linnet pressed a hand to her chest in relief, swaying a bit. “Thank God.”
Anthony’s arm whipped up to steady her. “Are you all right?”
“I’m just tired. I’ll feel better after I speak with Chloe and know how she is. The poor girl is probably exhausted and frightened to death. And Dominic is likely beside himself with worry.”
“He’ll be beside himself with something else when I get through with him,” Anthony growled.
He started toward the inn, but Linnet grabbed his arm and dug in her heels.
“What now?” Anthony asked with a long-suffering sigh.
“You are not to go charging in there and browbeat those children. If you do, they will take the first opportunity to run again. You must reason with them instead.”
“Trust me, I can be very convincing.”
She tugged on his sleeve when he started forward, holding him back. “And how will you convince them? Tower over them with your most formidable glare? Berate them into compliance? That will only provoke Dominic into doing something rash, and frighten poor Chloe to death.”
“I will not,” he snapped. “I will be perfectly mild when speaking to them.”
As he finished, two disheveled men stumbled out of the inn, clearly after a night of excess. One of them tripped and brushed against Anthony’s back. When Anthony whipped around and glowered at the fellow, he blanched and slunk away, muttering an apology.
“Yes, I’m sure you will be very mild,” Linnet said sarcastically.
“Linnet, you must—” he began in an exasperated voice.
She reached up and touched his stern jaw, interrupting him. “My dear sir, please listen. They’re both convinced they are all alone. We need to make them feel safe, and know that we understand how they feel. Chloe and Dominic must believe that we have their best interests at heart, or they’ll simply repeat this escapade.”
For several seconds, their gazes held. Linnet prayed with all her heart that he would trust her as much as she trusted him.
Finally, he nodded. His features remained stern, but his eyes smiled back at her. “All right, love. We’ll try it your way.”
Her throat tightened. “Thank you,” she managed to whisper.
Anthony led her into the inn. After a few moments’ conversation with the innkeeper—which Anthony handled masterfully—they followed a maid up the stairs to a room at the end of the hall. When they reached the door, Anthony waved Linnet into action.
Taking a deep breath, she rapped firmly on the oak panels and then entered.
It was a typically modest room of the sort found in small coaching inns in the country, with a bed, a chair, and a couple of other pieces of ancient-looking furniture. Chloe huddled under a quilt, looking miserable. Dominic sat beside the bed but sprang to his feet, wild-eyed, when Linnet pushed open the door.
For a moment they all hung suspended, then Dominic rushed forward, blocking their path to Chloe. “No! You won’t take her,” he yelled. “I won’t let you.”
Anthony calmly put up both hands, palms out. “Dominic, we simply want to talk to you and Chloe. Believe me, no one is going to force you to do anything.”
His thin, lanky frame rigid with defiance, Dominic eyed his erstwhile mentor with suspicion. The boy’s eyes were red-rimmed and dark with despair, and Linnet’s heart squeezed tight. There was so little she could do to ease Dominic’s or Chloe’s pains. In fact, what must be done to keep them safe would make them feel that the entire world had lined up against them.
Anthony raised a hand to Dominic’s shoulder, whispering something Linnet couldn’t hear, and the boy seemed to crumple. Dominic nodded and stood aside, allowing Linnet to cross to the bed. Chloe had pushed herself up to a sitting position, her pretty face a mirror of Dominic’s emotions.
“My dear, there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Linnet said in a quiet voice as she sat next to her. Chloe shuffled back, disbelief pulling the lines of her pale face tight.
Linnet had to force down a surge of rage. Chloe was a beautiful and sweet girl, with innocent doe eyes and coltish limbs. Her predicament was the height of injustice, and never had Linnet felt more helpless or angry. But she had to put those feelings aside if she was to help the girl salvage something from the horrible mess.
“How are you feeling?” Linnet asked, resting a hand on Chloe’s cheek.
The girl first jumped at the touch, but then settled.
“I feel so queasy and I can’t seem to eat,” she whispered on a wavering breath. “And I’m so tired.”
“That’s all entirely normal,” Linnet replied in a matter-of-fact voice. “And I imagine swaying about in a coach for most of the night didn’t help your stomach.”
Chloe’s eyes grew teary as she gazed at Dominic. “I’m sorry I got sick. I know I’ve made a mess of everything.”
Dominic took a step forward, but Anthony held him back. “It’s not your fault,” the boy told Chloe in a shattered voice. “None of this is your fault.”
“No, it’s not,” Anthony said. “But running away will not mend the situation.” He turned Dominic to look at him. “I think you already know that.”
The boy managed a halfhearted glare of defiance, but Chloe hunched her shoulders up with guilt. “We didn’t know what else to do. Papa was sending me to my uncle in Yorkshire. I barely know him, and I was afraid I would never see Dominic again.”
“I understand your distress, but that’s necessary,” Linnet said. “We must all do everything we can to protect your good name and ensure this incident doesn’t ruin your life. But that certainly doesn’t mean you’ll never see Dominic again.” She gave Chloe a reassuring smile as she squeezed her hands. “Everything seems very frightening right now, but eventually that will pass. In the meantime, I will do everything I can to help you.”
She twisted around to look at Dominic. “There’s absolutely no need for either of you to despair, and I’m sure Sir Anthony would agree with me.”
“I do,” Anthony said. He gave her such an approving smile that Linnet’s heart seemed to glow with warmth.
“But sending her away,” Dominic blurted out. “It’s not fair.”
“It’s not, but it’s the safest thing for Chloe,” Linnet replied. “She’s not yet showing and no one need know what happened. She’ll b
e safe in Yorkshire, and well cared for. Her uncle lives quietly and he will see to it that she is protected from gossip.”
Linnet had made certain of that. The Reverend Steele had assured her that his brother, a vicar who resided in a small village not far from Ripon, would shelter Chloe in his own household and assume responsibility for her until the baby came. Further plans would then have to be made for both mother and baby, but those decisions could come later.
Dominic pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. “Even so, I can’t stand the thought of losing her,” he said in a voice so raw that Linnet was hard-pressed to hold back tears. Chloe had no such compunction, and began crying.
Anthony laid a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Dominic, I know you love Chloe and want to take care of her, but how will you be able to do that? The money you filched from my strongbox will not last forever.”
Dominic cringed, but still put up some resistance. “I’ll get a job in America.”
“But how do you think Chloe will fare on such a journey? Take a look at her, Dominic, a good look. Do you really think she’s up to a long sea voyage, at her age and in her condition, all to end up in a place where you know not a single soul? Where will you go? What kind of work will you do to support her and the baby?” Anthony’s voice was kind but relentless as he hammered home the futility of their reckless plan.
“Dominic, I know how badly you want to keep Chloe safe,” said Linnet as she put her arm around the weeping girl. “You always have. But I’m afraid you simply can’t right now. Someday you will have the necessary resources, but you’re still too young now.”
Chloe gave a huge sniff and pushed herself upright, out of Linnet’s arms. Her cheeks were pale and damp with tears, but she’d calmed. Her expression held a maturity far beyond her years. “Dominic, please come here.”
Linnet got up to let him take her place, and he carefully lowered himself to the bed. When Chloe put her arms around him, he buried his head in her lap, finally giving in to his tears.
“Shh, it’s all right, Dominic,” Chloe murmured, stroking his dark hair. “They’re right. I want more than anything to go with you, but I can’t. I’m just not strong enough.”
“I’d take care of you,” came the muffled reply.
“I know, but I can’t help thinking how upset Papa must be. How worried for both of us. I must go home, Dominic. It’s truly the right thing to do.” Chloe urged him upright. When they were facing each other, she gave him a heartbreakingly sweet smile. “Besides, I’m sure I’d be sick the entire way across the Atlantic, which would be quite horrible for both of us.”
“I wouldn’t mind one bit,” Dominic said stoutly.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t, but I would.”
The boy stared into her face as he struggled with his conflicted emotions. Finally, he capitulated. “You will write to me, won’t you?”
Chloe nodded. “Every day.”
Dominic let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. “You will not. You hate composing letters.”
“Not if they’re to you.”
Linnet stood quietly, her chest aching with the children’s shared sorrow. They faced a long, possibly even permanent separation from the person they loved best. How would she feel if confronted with that possibility? How would she react if she knew she might never see Anthony again? The very idea harrowed her soul.
She glanced at him, her entire being filling with love. He stood gravely watching the children, ready to assist at a moment’s notice. He might be a tad arrogant and, yes, even imperious. But he would never deny anyone who needed his help, especially those most in need of a champion.
He was the best man she could ever hope to know.
As if he sensed her watching him, he turned his head and gave her a smile so loving that her breath caught. She had no choice but to smile back, probably looking like a love-struck nitwit. But she no longer cared. She loved him with all her heart.
He switched his attention back to the children. “When was the last time you had anything to eat?”
Dominic knit his brow. “We had a few rolls and some tea at the last change of horses.”
“That won’t do. I’ll arrange for a private parlor and order a meal,” Anthony said. “And I’ll also see about hiring a chaise for our return to Kew.” He cast a sardonic glance Linnet’s way. “Chloe’s isn’t the only reputation we need to worry about. I would imagine your family is growing rather concerned at your absence, especially your mother.”
Linnet pressed her fingertips to her temples. She’d forgotten all about her mother, and her younger brother and sister, too. How could she have done that? Her mamma depended on her to watch out for Peter and Amelia, and Linnet had bolted from home with hardly a second thought.
It was a forceful reminder that she and Anthony still had some obstacles to overcome, after all.
Chapter 7
Anthony silently closed the door to the St. Clares’ guest bedroom. He was supposed to be enjoying a good night’s rest after Linnet’s attempt to convince him that he was too fatigued to drive back to London after they’d returned to Kew. She’d read him quite the lecture about it, tempting Anthony to laugh at the very idea that missing one night’s sleep would affect his ability to drive his curricle safely. But the hollow, exhausted look on her sweet face and the genuine worry he saw in her eyes had sealed his lips. If staying the night at her mother’s house would give her peace of mind, so be it. She’d earned it after the emotional and physical rigors of the past few days.
Besides, there were still issues to be resolved between them, and staying a day or two would give him a prime opportunity to do that.
They’d reached Kew late in the afternoon after a relatively untroubled journey from Belkingham. Linnet had traveled in the hired chaise with Chloe, while Dominic had ridden with Anthony. The boy had been silent most of the way, and Anthony had left him alone. Dominic was genuinely shattered, and he would require time and careful handling to recover his equilibrium. Anthony had every intention of giving it to him, too. He’d grown fond of the boy in the last few weeks—he was intelligent, compassionate, and had a bone-deep sense of integrity, qualities Anthony was determined to encourage.
On their arrival, they’d taken Chloe to her father’s cottage. Her farewell to Dominic had been heart-wrenching, and only the promise that they could see each other again before Chloe left for Yorkshire had prevented Dominic from sinking into absolute despair. Fortunately, Linnet had stepped in to do what she did best—restoring order from emotional chaos. She’d fussed over the boy as effectively as any mother could, seeing that he had a proper meal and bath before sending him off to bed. Dominic was so exhausted that he’d complied without a murmur of protest.
Once Dominic was dispatched, Linnet had tried to fuss over Anthony, too. But by then she was almost dead on her feet, so he’d taken her by the shoulders, steered her toward the stairs, and ordered her to get some sleep. In a clear indication of her condition, she also complied without a murmur. Anthony had watched her climb the stairs with some regret because he wanted nothing more than to settle everything between them immediately. But Linnet was clearly too tired to be pressed.
But it was now going on three o’clock in the morning, and Linnet had been asleep for hours. It was time for him to join her because, regardless of any objections she might raise, Anthony had every intention of spending the rest of the night with her tucked safely in his arms. Any other outcome was simply out of the question.
He padded silently down the hall, past the other bedrooms to the back of the house. He opened the door to Linnet’s room and stepped inside. Pausing a moment, he let his eyes adjust to the darker gloom of the bedroom, then made his way to her bed.
She lay sprawled on her stomach, covers flung every which way. Her night rail had rucked up around her thighs, and Anthony smiled as the heat began to build in his groin. Despite the temptation offered by her sweetly rounded figure, there was something immensely endear
ing about her innocent, almost childlike abandon to sleep.
He pulled off his breeches and eased onto the mattress. Carefully, he slid his arms under her body and pulled her close. She stirred, coming awake as he settled her into a perfect curve against him.
“Anthony?” she whispered drowsily. “Is that you?”
“It had better be,” he said with a husky growl. “If anyone else is making a habit of climbing into your bed in the middle of the night, I’ll be extremely annoyed.”
She let out a sleep chuckle and snuggled against him. But a moment later her body went rigid. “Good God, Anthony,” she hissed, trying to wriggle around to face him. “What are you doing? This is scandalous, even for you.”
He draped a leg over her, pinning her to the mattress. “That’s the pot calling the kettle black, madam, given your complete disregard for the canons of propriety these last twenty-four hours. I can’t imagine that your joining me for a midnight drive is any less shocking than my joining you in your bed.”
When she realized he wasn’t going to let her up, she subsided with a grumble. “If you think that, my dear sir, you’ve obviously lost your mind. What time is it?”
“Three o’clock. And you’re not to worry, Miss Propriety. I will be long gone from your bed before the servants awake.”
“Well, see that you are.” Her reply ended on a large yawn.
Anthony smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I will,” he promised.
For a minute or two, she lay quietly in his arms. He was content to simply hold her, letting their heartbeats settle into a matched, comforting rhythm. Then she raised her head, trying to look at him over her shoulder.
“Not that I’m not enjoying this,” she said, “but what are you doing here, if I might ask?”
He gave her a little squeeze. “I simply wanted to hold you.”
“Oh, really?” she replied in a dry voice, obviously responding to the rise of his erection against her bottom. “It certainly feels like you have something else in mind.”
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