by Robyn DeHart
“I would never forget,” Niall said.
“Of course not. How could you?” The Raven so enjoyed toying with Niall. It wasn’t that he relished hurting people, but he wasn’t above doing so if it got him what he wanted. He lit his cigar.
The Raven was almost certain the large Scotsman who had just left was a member of Solomon’s. In fact, he believed he was one of the men that had been with Fielding that day at the Tower of London. He’d helped to ruin The Raven’s plan for Pandora’s box.
Now The Raven was after the Kingmaker, a much more powerful antiquity, and he only needed two more stones to complete it. The Loch Ness treasure, however, had proven particularly difficult to locate. He’d looked on his own for months, but had had no luck. That’s when he’d stumbled upon Niall. The Raven knew he could find the bloody thing eventually, but it would be a far faster search with Niall’s assistance.
“That man,” he said, “he is a member of Solomon’s as well?”
Niall inclined his head. “He is.” He fell into his seat.
“And a relation of yours?”
“My cousin.” Niall picked up a torn piece of paper and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger.
“How charming.” The Raven inhaled his cigar, then allowed the ashes to fall onto the carpet beneath him. Niall’s cousin might prove a problem. But The Raven was used to cleaning up such problems. Given the right opportunity, he could rid himself of that man.
The study door opened again, but this time a young man entered. He was truly no more than a boy, perhaps sixteen. Obviously one of the local boys, he wore the traditional kilt and tartan, and his hair looked shaggy and tangled. He had several dirt smudges on his cheeks.
“Niall,” the boy said with obvious excitement. “I heard you were in town.” His brogue was thick. He smiled broadly.
The Raven tried not to roll his eyes or show his exasperation. They had work to do, details to discuss, and all of these interruptions were seriously trying his patience.
“Dougal,” Niall said as he came to his feet. He came around his desk and went to the boy. “It’s lovely of you to visit, but as you can see,” he motioned to The Raven, “I already have a guest. Perhaps another time.”
The boy’s smile wilted; he was clearly hurt. He was too young and self-involved to notice the tension eating at Niall, the nervousness that shortened his sentences and made his hands shake subtly. “Graeme was here, I know. I heard him yell at you.”
Niall smiled reassuringly, all the while trying to usher young Dougal out of the room. “Nothing to worry about. He was frustrated,” Niall said. “Your brother is merely loud. We were discussing politics from London. Nothing to fret about.”
But the boy seemed unsure.
So this was Graeme’s younger brother. Very interesting. And evidently very interested in his English cousin. The Raven stepped forward and held his hand out.
“Leave the boy be, Niall. I should like to meet a relation of yours since I missed the previous one,” The Raven said with a smile.
Niall’s eyes narrowed, but he held back any argument that he might have had. The Raven had him precisely where he wanted him.
“My name is David,” he told the boy.
Dougal smiled and came forward, clasping his hand in a hearty clasp. “Dougal, sir. Are you from London as well?”
“Indeed I am.” The Raven pulled his hand back and fought the urge to wipe it on his trousers. The boy’s nails were caked with dirt, and The Raven had to redirect his attention to avoid staring. “I came up to see Niall. We’re good friends.”
“He’s my cousin,” Dougal said cheerfully. “My father was from London.”
“Perhaps you can come visit me in London,” Niall said. “But we really must get back to discussing our business.” He put his hand on Dougal’s back and led him to the door.
“So that must make you half English,” The Raven said, knowing full well the more he allowed this brat to stay, the longer Niall was away from the caves and his quest. But The Raven couldn’t resist playing for just a little while.
“Yes, I am,” Dougal said enthusiastically. “But I was raised here in Scotland. My brother lives in London most of the time, though.”
“And your brother inherited your father’s title?” The Raven asked.
“Right. He’s a duke of London,” the boy said.
“How charming.” And utterly asinine. This pup left nothing hidden. “I suppose you mean the duke is his title and he resides in London.”
The boy’s cheeks stained with embarrassment. “Yes, that is what I meant to say.”
The Raven could clearly see the boy longed for the life of an aristocrat. Well, The Raven could certainly show him one.
Niall tried to plead with his eyes, tried desperately to shield Dougal, and finally The Raven said nothing more. He’d gotten bored with the boy in any case. And he wanted to know about Niall’s plans for the search.
This boy could be perfect for ridding himself of Graeme should the man prove to cause problems. And The Raven fully expected Graeme to cause a multitude of problems, so he’d have to make certain that he made young Dougal’s acquaintance again.
Chapter Six
Niall had graciously offered Graeme and Vanessa his carriage, which they had gladly accepted. Vanessa was not about to try to lug her trunk around again, and she wasn’t interested in asking Graeme for assistance. They rode in silence for several moments, and she was perfectly fine with that. She was trying to figure out precisely what had happened. She’d come to Scotland to do research. To prove, once and for all, that a woman could be as legitimate a scientist as any man could.
She had planned to prove Jeremy wrong about the Loch Ness kelpie. When she did so, she could hope to take her rightful place among the rest of the names in Paleontology. Unfortunately, her father was no longer alive, so he wouldn’t get to see it. But now she would no longer have to worry whether or not her discoveries would embarrass her husband. Jeremy might disagree with her, but he could make no claim on her now.
Vanessa pulled back the tiny curtain on the carriage window and watched the scenery go by. The landscape here was so raw, so untouched by man, a sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of London’s busy streets.
So while she’d escaped a marriage she’d never really wanted to begin with, she’d stumbled headfirst into another. She’d already seen Graeme’s temper flare, so it seemed his character ran quite differently from Jeremy’s. For all of Jeremy’s flaws—flaws that were now only too apparent—at least he had been a man of science. He’d been logical and dispassionate—when it came to her, at least.
Although marrying Jeremy was certainly out of the question now, she had still hoped that, if she did one day decide to marry, she might find a husband like him. One who shared his better qualities, albeit one who did not fornicate with her sister.
Instead, she’d married Graeme. She’d attached herself to an overbearing, stubborn man who cared not one whit what her opinions were. Nor had he expressed any interest in her research, aside from his initial question. Though he hadn’t ridiculed her, he hadn’t shown interest, either. In fact, the only thing he had to recommend him was that he had never met Violet.
She let the small curtain fall back into place and met her husband’s gaze. “Why did you come back to get me?” she asked.
“Because we’re married,” he said simply, as if that explained everything.
“Why the sudden feeling of responsibility?” Impatience gnawed at her. “You seemed quite content to deny the entire episode this morning.”
“I did not deny anything,” he said harshly. Then he cleared his throat and said in a more gentle tone, “I didn’t believe it was legal. I’ve been told otherwise since we departed this morning. Don’t fret. You won’t be saddled with me for long.”
“You intend to get an annulment?” she asked, unable to hide her surprise.
He eyed her. “Isn’t that what you want?”
“Of cour
se,” she said quickly. Though was it? She had no desire to be married to him or any other man. Independence called to her on the chilly wind, a siren song meant only for her. She exhaled loudly, then said nothing more for several moments. Memories of that morning, when he’d hoisted her onto his shoulder, flooded her mind. As if his hand still rested on her bottom. She could almost feel his touch. Well, that was unusual, and most unwelcome.
“You never told me why the men in the pub called you English,” she said, attempting to divert her thoughts.
“Because I live in London. I’m half English,” he said.
That explained why he spoke the way he did. While he had the brogue of a Scot, his vocabulary and speech were more refined, better educated. She remembered then the way the men had used the moniker as a taunt.
“And you don’t like that they call you that?” she asked.
“No, I do not.” His jaw clenched.
“Why do you come here if you live in London? You said you had work to do?” Now that she would be spending more time with him, she wanted to discuss the late-night visitor he’d had the previous night. And the notes she’d read.
Vanessa smiled at him.
It took Graeme a minute to notice, then he tilted his head ever so slightly. “What?”
“I will cooperate with you. Give you the annulment you desire, if you answer some questions for me.”
“You have been asking questions already, and I have been answering them.” He seemed amused, but he did not smile. “What more questions could you have?”
“Tell me specifically about this work of yours. Is it family work?” she asked.
“No, it’s not exactly family related. I’m doing some investigative work. For some associates of mine.”
She knew that she was treading on dangerous territory. Curiosity could betray her. “Associates from London?”
His hands clenched at his sides. He crossed one leg over the other, bringing them much closer to her. The dark hair curling over his muscular calves intrigued her. Would that hair be soft or crisp to the touch, and precisely how hard was the sinew beneath his skin?
“Why the sudden curiosity about my life?” he asked.
She shrugged, trying to look indifferent. “I’m merely a curious sort.”
“I don’t believe my work is any concern of yours, despite your innocent curiosity,” he said. But his shrewd eyes kept focused on hers, making her feel as if he could see inside of her. To those hidden parts she never revealed to anyone.
She shifted in her seat and decided to change her tactic. “How about this? I will remain married to you, be a thorn in your side, so to speak, if you do not answer my questions. Take your pick.” She crossed her arms over her chest to show him her determination.
But instead of appearing threatened by her blackmail, he tossed his head back and laughed. A riotous belly laugh that made her want to smile and laugh with him. But she forced herself to remain stoic. These were serious negotiations.
“I am quite serious,” Vanessa said.
“Of that, I have no doubt. Very well, I’ll tell you.” He still smiled, though, as if taunting her with his humor. “I was asked to look into something that another man is doing. Make certain that he’s not doing anything illegal or dangerous.”
“By whom?”
“Some men that I work with in London.”
“Your flair for detail is astounding. Truly, the entire situation makes perfect sense to me now,” she said.
“That’s all I can tell you about them.”
Who was he protecting? The other men or himself? Was he hired to do the work these men could not manage on their own? Graeme was large, larger than most Englishmen in height and breadth. Perhaps they used his strength to intimidate others. But what did that have to do with stolen treasure and the Stone of Destiny? The carriage came to a stop in front of Graeme’s cottage.
Graeme stepped down from the carriage, then helped her do the same. He lifted her out of the rig, then set her down directly in front of him, no more than a breath away. “That man you went home with is not a true gentleman. He is potentially involved with some very dangerous people, and I’m here to see if I can discover the details surrounding his situation.”
“You are speaking of your cousin, Niall?” She waved her hand dismissively. “He is harmless enough. He is a scientist.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Scientists can be deceiving, can they not?”
“Not generally. They don’t bother themselves with those matters and instead focus on their studies.”
“Like your fiancé?” he asked.
It was not the kindest remark, but she deserved it. And it was a good reminder for her to keep her wits about her and not be deceived by someone simply because he claimed to be a scientist. “Touché.”
They walked toward the cottage as the carriage rolled away down the drive. “Why was Niall so interested in that book you loaned him?” Graeme asked.
“I’m not certain. It’s a common enough book in my field of study. Perhaps Niall is interested in fossils as well,” she said.
“I’d wager he has a much more specific need for the text.”
“You think he was merely using that as an excuse, and he intends to ravish me?” Vanessa asked. “When he returns my book?”
Graeme smiled. “I suspect had he wanted to ravish you, he would have done so earlier today.”
Vanessa nodded. She hadn’t even considered that as an option. Men scarcely ever noticed her, so she never thought about that. Perhaps that was why she’d gotten herself into so much trouble the night before.
They entered the house, and Graeme brought her trunk to the room that she’d slept in last night. “Why don’t you get settled while I go and talk to my family. Let them know you’re here.”
“What about our bargain?” she asked. “You answer my questions, and I give you that annulment?”
He smiled. “We’ll negotiate that later.”
Graeme stepped out of Vanessa’s bedchamber and went in search of his family. He didn’t have to journey far, as his mother had magically appeared in the parlor.
“Were you spying on me?” he asked.
“Aye,” his mother said with a grin. “So I see you found the girl.”
“Indeed. She had not yet left for London.” He decided that there was no reason to tell his mother about Vanessa’s interaction with Niall.
“So have you made a decision?” she asked.
“About what?” Graeme had no interest in discussing this matter with this mother.
“About staying married to the lass,” his mother said impatiently.
“We will get an annulment,” he said. “And then I will promptly send her back to London. But she needs somewhere to stay until the legal matters are resolved.”
“It shouldn’t take too long,” his mother said.
“I hope not.”
Later that night, Vanessa remembered the words she’d overheard through the door. She sat upright in bed, and the coverlet fell around her. Graeme had told his mother that they would get the annulment. He’d already made the decision, without her, not that she disagreed. She didn’t want to be married any more than he did.
But it was what he’d said after that, about how he’d send her back to London. She refused to return to London just yet. Therefore, she could not allow him to dissolve this marriage, at least not now.
Allowing the annulment would mean returning to London without accomplishing her goals. And who knew what awaited her back at home? Had Jeremy and Violet gotten married instead? Were they all relieved that finally the one family member who had never truly belonged had simply disappeared? Of course, she had left them a note, not very detailed, but something that let them know she was leaving.
She needed to stay married to Graeme long enough to get herself into those caves and to find the fossils she needed to prove her theories.
But how could she ensure that Graeme did not seek out the annulment? She supposed she
could simply ask him. She was normally forthright with people. But hadn’t her mother always told her that there were better ways to deal with a man? You had to be crafty. Clever. And hadn’t being straightforward with Graeme only made him evasive? The man had yet to give her a detailed answer.
“A man will give you anything if you wait for the right time to ask for it.” That’s what her mother had always said.
Select the perfect time.
But what made a man not want to leave?
She closed her eyes to mentally search her thoughts for ideas. An image of Jeremy and Violet flashed through her mind. They’d been writhing on the floor of the study, both completely nude, glistening with sweat from the nearby fire. It had taken both of them several minutes to even notice that she’d entered the room.
She’d stood there like a damned fool watching them copulate, her face flaming with humiliation. Even now, she could feel the heat settle in her cheeks. Jeremy had claimed to not believe in love. He’d said he agreed with her that it was based on nothing more than a bodily reaction and more akin to lust than anything.
She herself had never felt even a twinge of lust, even when she and Jeremy had kissed. It had been a scientific experiment. They’d both been utterly unmoved—proof that their life together would never be so distracting that they’d forget their heads and their work. It had been perfect. But Violet—passionate, beautiful Violet—had ruined it.
That was it. Passion.
Men were defenseless against passion. And were she to ruin herself by consummating their marriage, Graeme could not send her away. She’d worry about the long-term repercussions later. Right now, she had a problem, and this was the perfect solution. She had to seduce her husband to keep herself married. That way she could stay here and complete her research. She couldn’t bear to go home and face Jeremy and Violet if she hadn’t at least accomplished something worthwhile with her studies.
It seemed such a simple solution, but she didn’t have the faintest idea of how to seduce anyone. She jumped from the bed and moved about her room searching for something, anything, that would guide her in this quest. She frowned, wishing that she’d paid more attention to her mother when she’d tried to teach Vanessa how to flirt—how to use her womanly wiles, as her mother had called them. At the end of the day, her mother had declared that Vanessa possessed no wiles, womanly or otherwise. Vanessa exhaled, and her hair fluttered above her eyes. What had Violet done to get Jeremy in that position?