Besides, what would I say? She argued to herself. It wasn’t as if Cade had made further overtures toward her, or in any manner indicated that he felt anything deeper for her than a few fleeting moments of desire. And although he continued to maintain their ruse of being an affianced couple, it seemed to her that he had been going out of his way to make sure the two of them were never alone.
For her own part, she could not forget that night; memories of his touch and kiss remaining startlingly crisp and clear in her mind. Then there were her dreams, both waking and asleep, that plagued her body—and if she was honest, her heart, as well.
Gazing now into her dressing table mirror, she wondered if anyone else had noticed the strain. She supposed not, just as she guessed she ought to be glad for their inattentiveness. Stifling a yawn after another restless night’s sleep, she let her maid help her into a riding habit of dark green poplin, a colour that was disturbingly reminiscent of Cade’s eyes. Brushing the notion aside, she hurriedly finished her toilette, so she could depart for the park before the hour grew too advanced.
Lord Everett would be waiting for her, she assumed. They never made any actual plans to meet, but he was usually in the park, always happening upon her as if by accident. She would then invite him to join her, the two of them walking their horses side by side while they conversed.
So far she hadn’t learned anything remotely useful in her quest to prove he was a spy. But then she supposed he wouldn’t be much good at such matters, if he were given to randomly spilling secrets. Another woman might have been discouraged at the initial lack of progress, but Meg remained optimistic. Even careful men made mistakes, she judged. She had only to watch and wait. At some point he would slip. When he did, she planned to be there to catch him.
She left through a rear door that connected the house to the mews and walked toward the stable. The servants knew her routine and had anticipated her wishes; an energetic bay mare stood ready for her use. Climbing into the side saddle, she arranged her skirts, then with a nod of thanks set out for Hyde Park.
From his upstairs window, Cade watched Meg ride out of the stable yard. Once she was gone, he let the curtain drop back into place, then turned to take up his morning cup of coffee. Blowing across the inky surface, he took a sip of the steaming brew, his thoughts occupied with Meg.
He wished he could have accompanied her, but didn’t yet trust his leg enough to ride. With continued improvement, he hoped to give it a try one of these days soon. Before his injury, he’d loved riding, and missed it far more than he liked to admit.
Meg was certainly an enthusiastic horsewoman, he knew, rising early so she could enjoy more than the sedate walk she would be forced to endure later in the day. Since coming to London, she had taken up the practice of riding out a few times each week. He knew she missed the occasional day, though, especially if she’d been out exceptionally late attending a ball or other entertainment the evening before.
This past week, however, she had been up and out not long after sunrise each morning, no matter what hour she returned home. He was often awake himself, and unable to keep from watching as she mounted her horse and rode off. There was a determination to her step lately that gave him pause. It was almost as if she were meeting a suitor.
The thought froze him in place.
Is she meeting someone? McCabe perhaps? Or one of the others? With a scowl heavy enough to make his forehead ache, he set down his coffee cup before he broke it.
God knows I’ve done my best to stay away from her lately. Not daring to trust himself around her again—certainly not alone. After what had happened between them that night in the library, he knew it was imperative he keep her at arm’s length.
Of course that was easier said than done, especially since their “engagement” required him to escort her out each night. But with speculation and schemes against Everett taking up a great deal of his attention, he was generally able to distract himself from thoughts of her. Night was the only truly troublesome time, when the house was dark and quiet and his mind had free rein to roam as it pleased. His dreams, over which he had absolutely no control, were a particular problem.
Grumbling low in his throat, he once again considered the notion that Meg had ridden off to an assignation. If so, he supposed he had no right to complain, given their bargain. Perhaps she was even now accepting an offer of marriage, assuring her would-be beau that she would be happy to break her engagement to her fiancé.
Thrusting his feet into a pair of shoes, he stalked across the room as fast as his limp would allow and flung open the door. Five minutes later he was in the stable yard.
He waved over one of the stable boys. “Which groom rides out with Miss Amberley to the park?”
“That would be Brown, milord.”
Cade nodded. “Well, when he returns, have him come see me.”
A peculiar look crossed the boy’s face. “Aye, milord. But the miss didn’t take him this morning. Ner y’sterday neither.”
“What?” Cade’s jaw tightened.
The boy, who apparently decided he’d be better off elsewhere, sprinted away without another word.
An older servant soon appeared, drying his hands on a rag. “Ye wanted to see me, my lord? About the miss?”
“Yes. I understand she rode out alone this morning. Why, may I ask?”
The servant looked uncomfortable. “’Twas on her orders. Said she were meeting a friend and didn’t have no need of me. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t hear a word.”
Cade crossed his arms over his chest. “And just who was this ‘friend’?”
“He were a gentleman, milord.”
“And does this ‘he’ have a name?” Cade prepared himself, waiting to hear which one of Meg’s suitors had won her favour.
The other man wrinkled his forehead in thought. “If I remember right, I think she called him Everett.”
Cade’s arms fell to his sides. “What did you say?”
“Aye, that were it. Lord Everett.”
More than an hour after her departure, Meg rode into the stable yard with a clattering of horse hooves, dismounted, then hurried into the house.
Her outing had been an immense disappointment, the meeting with Everett proving as fruitless as ever. But at least I made the attempt, she consoled herself, rallying at the thought that she would have another chance to try again. Perhaps the next time would do the trick!
Flushed and in need of a bath to wash the scent of horseflesh from her skin, she raced up the stairs, well aware that she was late getting ready for the promised shopping excursion with Mallory and three of their best female friends. Rounding the corner of the landing, she started down the corridor to her bedchamber.
Ahead of her, Cade emerged from the shadows, stepping into her path with his cane set at a pugnacious angle against the blue and brown Axminster hall runner. The expression on his face was menacing enough to make her halt in her tracks, his dark brows lowered in a glower that made gooseflesh pop out all over her arms.
She shook off the reaction, telling herself she was just being silly.
“So,” he said on a near growl. “You’re back.”
“I…Yes, I was riding.”
Even in the dim light, his eyes glinted, brittle as diamond-sharp shards of broken glass. Whatever is the matter with him? She wondered. The weather was sunny and warm, with no storms on the horizon, but mayhap his leg was hurting him again nonetheless. Had he done something to aggravate it?
She was about to ask when the dowager came bustling down the hall in a flurry of lilac silk.
“Good morning! Good morning!” Ava called, a wide smile on her attractive face. “How are both of you, dears? Slept well, I hope? Margaret, you have returned from your ride, I see.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Meg answered, aware of the sudden frustration rolling off Cade like a rough ocean current.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Ava continued, addressing her. “But I have decided to accom
pany you and Mallory and your friends on your shopping excursion this morning.”
“Oh, of course, Your Grace,” Meg said. “We would be pleased to have you join us.”
The dowager smiled. “Thank you. You are very sweet. And not to worry, I shall only go as far as the fan makers. To my deep regret, the fan that matches my gown for tonight’s ball has come to a rather tragic end. Edward’s new puppy, it seems, wandered into my rooms and decided to use it as a teething chew. The poor lovely thing is quite beyond salvation. The fan, that is. Neddy’s naughty puppy continues in excellent health.”
Meg hid a smile, particularly at hearing the duke referred to as Neddy. “I am most sorry for its loss. Definitely, you must come and buy another.”
“Exactly.” Ava looked between her and Cade, a small frown crinkling her forehead. “Cade, are you well? You look as though you just ate a lemon. You are not in pain again, are you?”
Meg waited with interest to hear his response.
“No,” he said. “I am quite well in that regard, Mama. I merely wish to speak with Meg.”
“All right, if you are sure. But as for this talk, you shall just have to save it for later. Margaret needs to run along and change or else she will be frightfully late. Misses Milbank and Throckly will be here any minute.”
“But—” Cade began.
“No buts. You two can converse when we return. Now go on, Meg dear. Hurry along.” Ava made shooing motions with her hands, leaving Meg with no other recourse but to obey.
She cast one last glance at Cade, who looked even more furious than before, if that were possible. Wondering again what was wrong and why he wanted to speak with her, she hesitated. But the dowager shooed her again, and neither she nor Cade had any chance of overruling her. With mixed feelings of interest and trepidation, Meg continued to her bedchamber.
The hour had just turned one o’clock when Meg accepted a footman’s assistance and stepped down from the coach. Entering the town house along with Mallory, Edward, and Ava, she repressed a yawn as she shed her cloak, weary and in need of her bed after another very long day. In fact, she realized, this would be the first opportunity she’d had to stop for more than two minutes in a row, ever since awakening this morning for her ride in the park. Or rather yesterday morning, she corrected, thinking again of how rapidly the past several hours had flown by.
Making her way up the staircase, she bid everyone a fond good-night, the dowager pausing to give her a motherly kiss on the cheek before continuing on to her rooms, the others sharing sleepy smiles as they parted to seek their own rest as well.
As for Cade, he had not accompanied them to tonight’s ball, sending word that he would be otherwise engaged. Otherwise engaged doing what? She pondered. Was he in pain and stubbornly refusing to admit as much? Or was it something else?
Tiny lines formed between Meg’s brows as she considered the question. Only then did she remember his wish to speak with her, realizing that the hectic pace of the day had driven the matter completely out of her mind. Well, it is far too late to talk now, she decided as she let herself into her bedchamber. The morning would have to be soon enough.
Yawning, she went straight through to her dressing room, where she found her equally sleepy maid waiting to help her out of her evening gown and stays. With relief, she soon slipped into a thin, white lawn nightgown and summer-weight robe of sheer, pale pink silk.
Moving into the small yet luxuriously modern attached bathing room, she washed her face and hands, then scrubbed her teeth with a tooth powder that tasted like cinnamon and cloves. After drinking half a glass of cool water, she wished Amy a good-night, then sent the drowsy young woman off to her own bed.
Blowing out a pair of candles, Meg padded on slippered feet into her bedchamber and across to the waiting comfort of her feather mattress and soft linen sheets. She was just leaning over to pull the covers down a few inches farther when she caught sight of a large, shadow-draped figure seated in a chair on the far side of the room, the gold buckles on his black leather shoes winking at her like a pair of cat’s eyes.
She whirled on a harsh gasp, her heart pounding so hard it sounded like thunder in her ears. Instinctively, she grabbed for the nearest weapon, her fingers curving around the heavy silver candlestick on her night table. Lifting it high, she prepared to defend herself, then the light from the still burning taper revealed what she hadn’t seen before—or rather, who she hadn’t seen.
“Cade! Lord have mercy, is that you?” A full-body tremor ran through her. “You nearly scared the life out of me.”
“Did I? My apologies for terrifying you,” he drawled in a quiet voice that didn’t sound all that sorry. “I wasn’t sure how best to announce myself.”
“A simple hello might have sufficed,” she said, careful to keep her voice low. Fingers trembling, she returned the candlestick to her night table, relieved when she didn’t send the lighted beeswax taper toppling to the floor.
As she straightened, she noticed Cade’s appearance as he sprawled in the chair. His dark hair was tousled, as if he’d been dragging his fingers through it. And he’d taken off his cravat, leaving his neck bare, his scar just barely visible. He reminded her of a sleekly muscled panther that had been patiently lying in wait for its prey.
Placing a fist between her breasts, she strove for calm. “What are you doing here? For that matter, how did you get in? Surely my maid didn’t let you inside?”
“No indeed. She would have been most shocked, I suspect. Actually, I came through the hidden panel on the other side of the highboy.”
Her brow wrinkled in surprise. “What hidden panel? I’ve never noticed one.”
“You aren’t supposed to. That’s why it’s hidden. One of my less trusting ancestors had them put in nearly all of the rooms when the town house was built. My brothers and I spent our childhood locating the passages and pass-throughs, though I believe only Edward and I know them all.”
“But where do they lead?”
“Back along the servants’ staircases, for the most part, and a couple run down into the cellar. Fortunately, the one in here is accessed through the family dining room, and no one uses that room at night. At least not this late at night.”
Her pulse finally slowing, the tension slid out of the taut muscles in her shoulders. “And why are you here so late?”
“I want to talk. Remember, I told you that this morning.”
“Yes, but surely it can wait a few hours more? I…I’m tired.”
Actually, she wasn’t tired, at least not anymore. The fright of discovering him in her bedroom had driven away all earlier feelings of sleepiness. Even so, she didn’t think this was a good time to talk. For one thing, Cade wasn’t acting like himself tonight. For another, she was standing there in her nightgown. Becoming suddenly aware of her state of undress, she drew the edges of her robe closer together, her pulse speeding up again, but not out of fear this time.
“Tired or not, I refuse to wait any longer,” he stated. “I’ve been waiting all damned day and my patience is worn thin.”
“Is it your leg?”
“No, it isn’t my bloody leg!” he snapped. “Now, I want answers, and I expect the truth. How long have you been meeting him?”
“What?” She blinked, taken aback by the sudden change of subject.
“Has he recruited you or is it something else?”
“Recruited me? I don’t understand.”
Moving faster than she’d imagined he could, Cade shot out of his chair and took three large steps toward her, instantly covering the distance separating them.
“Are you working for him? Are you feeding him information when you ride out for your little early morning tête-à-têtes? What are you telling him?”
Abruptly, everything came clear. He’s found out about Everett! Oh, mercy, he knows! Her heart leapt into yet another crazy rhythm.
His gaze bored into hers. “That’s right, I’ve found out about your clandestine association,” he
said, having apparently read the truth in her eyes. “So tell me, Miss Amberley, just how deep have you gone? Who have you betrayed? Besides me, that is.”
His accusations shook her out of her momentary paralysis. “I’ve betrayed no one!” she declared. “Most assuredly not you.”
He laughed, the sound hollow and harsh. “Please give me some credit. Men like Everett don’t waste their time conducting secret rendezvouses unless they believe there is something to be gained. So what is he getting?”
“Nothing!”
Cade’s expression turned cold. “What is he getting?” he demanded as he enunciated each word, the question all the more chilling for his quiet, careful tone.
“Well, it isn’t information. All we’ve done is ride. And talk.”
“About what?”
“A great deal of inconsequential nonsense, for the most part. It’s been sadly disappointing.”
Cade scowled. “What in the blazes is that supposed to mean?”
“It means that he isn’t the one trying to get information out of me. I’ve been trying to get information out of him. Do you really think I would be so foolish as to consort with a man of his stamp unless I had my own motivation? He’s a snake. Anyone with two eyes can see that.”
“Then a great many people in the ton are blind.”
“You’ll get no argument on that score from me.”
He paused to consider her words. “So you aren’t in league with him?”
“No. No more than you are insane. And I think you owe me an apology, my lord. I may be many things, but a traitor is not one of them.” She drew a deep breath. “I heard what you said about him that night, and I believe you. I am merely trying to help.”
He gave her a long stare. “What do you mean, ‘help’? Surely you aren’t saying that you have been deliberately inviting that scoundrel’s attentions in some ill-conceived attempt to prove his guilt?”
“And your veracity,” she replied, warming to the topic with a nod of her head. “It’s an excellent plan. After all, he doesn’t know me, so why would he suspect me of ulterior motives?”
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