by Platt, Meara
He could never be angry with Poppy. “How do you feel?”
Her smile was dazzling. “Very pleasantly askew.”
He arched an eyebrow as he set the letter back on his desk for a moment and came around to help her put her gown back in order. He wasn’t certain what to do about her magnificent cascade of hair, so he merely gathered the pins and held them out to her while she attempted to put it back into fashionable style.
She twirled the long strands so they sat loosely atop her head and began to secure them with the pins.
He watched.
She blushed when she realized he was studying her. “I was quite swept away by your first kiss, too. I don’t want you to believe I wasn’t. But I felt you weren’t. I didn’t want you to simply indulge me. I wanted it to be special for you, too.”
He gave her cheek a light caress. “It was, Poppy. Every kiss between us will always be special and have meaning.”
“Because we’re friends?”
He nodded. “More than that. We know each other. We have a history together. Kissing you isn’t merely about the feel of your mouth against mine. It’s about every memory we’ve shared up to this moment. It’s about the little girl with the sunny smile and sweet disposition who stole my clothes on a hot summer’s day, the only naughty thing she’s ever done in her life. It’s about the love you showed my aunt and sister, taking care of them while I was off fighting on the Continent hundreds of miles away.”
“You know I would do anything for them.”
He nodded and picked up the love letter once more to glance at it. He then unlocked the top drawer of his desk and removed the blackmail letter. “That’s why Lavinia trusted you with her secret. That’s why I’m going to trust you with this letter.”
She regarded him in confusion. “You received a letter as well?”
He arched an eyebrow and cast her a wry look. “It is no love letter. This one concerns Lavinia. When did she tell you about the baby?”
“The baby? I only learned of it on this visit.”
He shook his head and gave a curt nod. “I suppose it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been aware of Lavinia’s secret. What you can’t possibly know is that someone else has learned of it and is now threatening to release the scandalous news to the gossip rags. The note you received this morning may have been sent by the same person. I want to compare the handwriting.”
She blinked and her face paled. “A blackmail scheme? Why would anyone wish to hurt Lavinia?”
His gaze turned hard as steel. “I don’t know. But I mean to destroy the bounder before he can do her any harm. Lavinia cannot know about this. It will break her heart.”
She nodded. “I’ll help, of course. May I see his letter?”
“Very well, but don’t assume it is a man. It could be a female behind this treachery.”
Poppy’s heart was beating madly as she read it. Had she gotten everything wrong? Nathaniel wasn’t the one with the problem. The baby wasn’t his but Lavinia’s? She strained to think back to their first conversation by the pond. She’d mentioned Lavinia and babies, but had been thinking of his child. His mistake with Charlotte. A mistake that had never happened. Which meant he was free to marry whomever he wished.
He was free to marry her.
But he’d told Penelope he was going to offer for Charlotte.
Was it true?
No, it can’t be. He didn’t even know the color of her eyes or recall her scent other than to remark she’d probably arrive smelling of sweating horses.
No man in love spoke like that about his beloved.
Her heart beat faster and the little butterflies in her stomach began to flutter.
She’d wasted precious days having him fall in love with Charlotte. Thank goodness he’d been dense as a donkey and learned nothing in all this time.
But Poppy put her elation aside for the moment, for she had to consider this new and most urgent revelation about Lavinia.
Mother in heaven. Lavinia had a secret baby.
Nathaniel had revealed the secret to her believing she already knew it. Of course, it was safe with her and she would never tell a soul, not even Penelope and Olivia.
“I’ve gotten nowhere on the investigation,” Nathaniel said, his brow furrowing as he stared at the letter. “And I can’t put my regular men on it because they’re outsiders and will draw too much attention if they start asking questions in town. And what can they ask without giving Lavinia’s secret away?”
She had to help him, of course.
“I thought to compare both letters. The one sent to Lavinia earlier and the love letter you received today. Hopefully, that will give us some clues.”
“No wonder you fairly leaped across the table to snatch it out of my hands.” She wanted to cry tears of joy. Was it possible she had a chance with Nathaniel?
She held her breath as she studied the letters while standing beside him. He now held them side-by-side to compare them. “Oh, Nathaniel. They don’t look at all alike.”
She could not mask her disappointment. They now had two mysteries to solve. Not that finding out the identity of her secret admirer was so important. It could wait.
In truth, she didn’t care if his identity was ever discovered.
She’d just kissed the man of her dreams.
But now that he’d read The Book of Love from cover to cover and gained all the wisdom it contained, how could she lure him into loving her?
Was it possible these love ‘recipes’ would work on him anyway?
She wasn’t certain, but she’d come up with a plan with the help of Olivia and Penelope.
Nathaniel simply had to fall under her siren spell.
But how did one go about becoming an irresistible siren in the matter of a day?
Chapter Nine
“It seems logical someone had to know Lavinia’s secret back when it happened.” Poppy concentrated on the blackmail letter and not the handsome man standing beside her, wreaking havoc on her composure. “Perhaps if we begin our search back then, we’ll come up with some answers.”
Nathaniel stood deliciously close to her.
They were still in his study. Only a few minutes had passed since he’d shaken her to her toes with not one, but two, perfect kisses.
She felt the graze of his muscled shoulders as he leaned forward while they both pored over the blackmail letter again.
“I thought of that, but who other than my grandfather or my parents would have known? They’re no longer around to tell me.” He grunted in disgust. “The village elders might know who Lavinia’s friends were at the time then or if she ever had a beau. But what am I to ask? Were you aware Lavinia had a baby about two years before I was born?”
Poppy sighed. “The identity of her best friend back then is obvious.”
“It is?”
She nodded. “Lavinia grew up at Sherbourne. It stands to reason she was friendly with other girls her age. She and Lady Plimpton are about the same age. They’ve been friends forever. Isn’t it obvious?”
“To you, perhaps,” he muttered. “Her rat of a nephew must have somehow gotten his hands on–”
“Nathaniel! Stop accusing Andrew Gordon. You have no proof.”
“I have something better than proof. I have good instincts.” He set the letter down atop his desk and began to flex his hands, curling them and then relaxing them, then repeating the motion.
“For pity’s sake. What do you plan to do? Beat a confession out of him?” She met his frown with one of her own. “You’re growling again.”
“I am not.”
“You’re giving me that angry wolf look.” The swirls of gray and green in his eyes were quite intense and lethal. He reminded her of a predator on the hunt. “What would prompt Lady Plimpton to reveal Lavinia’s secret now? And why to him? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Obviously, she would have done so inadvertently.”
She nibbled her lip in thought. “Forget the Plimptons for the
moment. There are others who could have found out the information. An old servant.”
“Ours are loyal.” He folded his arms across his chest, obviously to mark his indignation.
“All of them?”
He looked severe and massive and immovable. “Yes, every last one of them.”
She sighed. “A midwife, perhaps. A physician? Not that they would ever send such a note, but someone might have come across old records. A baptismal record? We could ask Vicar Carstairs for permission to view those.”
He grumbled.
“You know I’m right.”
“I’m the damn earl here. I don’t have to ask for anyone’s permission.”
She rolled her eyes. “Indeed, your lordship. Just stomp into the vicarage and shout your demands.”
He dropped his arms to his sides and cast her a wry grin. “Stop kicking my arse. I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I want to beat the stuffing out of the blackguard who wants to hurt my aunt.”
She placed a hand on his arm, ignoring the tingle that shot through her the moment her fingers came to rest on his taut muscle. Up close, he was bigger than she realized. Warrior big and his shoulders were broad. His arms were as hard as iron bands.
She stifled a sigh. “So do I. Let’s visit the vicar this afternoon. We can stop by Dr. Carmichael’s infirmary afterward and ask to sort through his predecessor’s records.”
“He’ll want a reason.”
She tipped her gaze up to his. “You’re the earl here. You don’t have to give a reason.”
He grinned, but it soon faded. “Poppy, how long have you known Lavinia’s secret?”
“Do you want the truth or an appeasing lie?”
“The truth. Always.” He arched an eyebrow, obviously uncertain where this conversation would take them.
“Very well.” Indeed, she never wanted to be anything but honest with him. He would be angry, but so be it. One thing she’d learned from reading The Book of Love was that trust was vital in order to form those deeper, lasting connections. If Nathaniel did not trust her, then he would never fall in love with her. No amount of seduction would ever work on him.
Not that it mattered, for how did one go about becoming an irresistible seductress? The two glorious kisses they’d shared had come about because she’d demanded to be kissed, practically begged him to kiss her and he’d done so reluctantly. “I know you think Lavinia shared this secret with me, but she didn’t.”
He shook his head and frowned. “She let it slip somehow, and you were perceptive enough to figure it out?”
“No.” She took a deep breath and continued. “You did.”
“What? I let it slip?”
She nodded.
He shook his head again and gave a curt, exasperated laugh. “How is it possible? I never said a word to you about it.”
“That’s true. Until now.”
He appeared even more confused, so she pressed on. “All this time, we have been talking of different problems. It all started the other day by the pond when we were speaking of babies and why a man would abandon his wife and child.” She took a deep breath to stem the rising ache in her heart. “I thought you were referring to yourself and Lady Charlotte. I thought she was carrying your child and you now had to marry her.”
His mouth dropped open.
Then he shut it and shook his head again. “Poppy, how could you think… no wonder you kept bringing her up.”
“Is it so farfetched? Why else would you tell me there could never be anything between us? Why else would you invite her to your home when you don’t appear to like her very much? And you came right out and told Penelope you intended to marry Charlotte.”
“I only said it to rile her because she wouldn’t stop hounding me.” His eyes widened in horror. “But you spoke about Lavinia and a child. You had to know.”
“I didn’t. I was referring to your child and meant to assure you that Lavinia would love your child because it was part of you.”
He said nothing for the longest moment. “Bollocks. You thought I’d been careless and spread my seed.”
“And selected Charlotte as… your fertile vessel? Well, yes.”
He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “Are there any other misunderstandings we ought to clear up?”
“I hope not.” She cast him a wry smile.
His expression turned tortured. “Hell and damnation. I’m to blame for letting the secret out. How will I ever make it up to Lavinia?”
Poppy put a hand to her throat and gasped. “You’ve only told me, and I will take it to my grave. I would never betray your aunt. Nor any of your family. Nathaniel, you know I care deeply for all of you.” She’d almost blurted she loved him, but managed to stop herself in time. He probably knew it anyway since Farthingales were not alluring women of mystery. Indeed, Farthingale women were meddlesome, always spoke their mind, and managed to get into embarrassing scrapes as easily as they drew their next breath. “Stop blaming yourself. We have a blackmailer to catch.”
“We?”
“Yes, we’re going to solve this mystery together. Everyone believes we’re working through The Book of Love. It’s the perfect cover for our true intention. So, while everyone believes we are learning about love, you and I will really be spending time tracking down the fiend who means to hurt Lavinia.”
He appeared to accept the idea. However, his brow remained furrowed. “What about your mysterious suitor?”
She shrugged. “Let’s take his love letter with us. Perhaps we’ll spot a match to his handwriting while we search through the vicarage records. But he isn’t important.”
“Why not?”
“Because I will never marry that man.”
He held her back when she gathered the book and started to walk out. “Do you know yet who you wish to marry?”
Lord, were all men this dense?
“I need to give it more thought.” She slipped under his arm and waited for him to release his hold on the door. “I’ll grab my shawl before we walk to the vicarage. Won’t be a moment.”
He took a step back, allowing her to open it. “Promise me it won’t be that bounder.”
“Andrew Gordon? You needn’t worry. It isn’t.”
*
Watching Poppy move was like watching a majestic wave ripple across the water. Smooth. Graceful. Fascinating. She had a magnificent wiggle as she hurried upstairs to put away her book and fetch her shawl.
He shouldn’t have asked her the question since he already knew the answer.
She wished to marry him.
Yes, she wished for a sacred union while he wished to bed her. She was in love. He was in lust.
It wasn’t at all the same thing.
Perhaps if she admitted her love for him, he might dig deep and allow himself to follow his heart. But his heart needed to mend first. He shook his head. He was being an arrogant ass. He was a coward. He knew a girl like Poppy would heal his heart.
Yet, he needed to hear her say it. I love you, Nathaniel.
He didn’t know why it was so important to have her say those words to him, especially since he wasn’t certain how he would respond.
He was only supposed to be her test frog.
He didn’t want to feel anything beyond casual friendship. No hurt. No ache. No heart torn to ribbons.
He’d grown used to feeling numb. Numbness was easy. He was comfortable with it.
But Poppy, she turned the heat up inside of him. She made him want things like happiness, children, and hope for the future.
Hell, if he ever gave his heart free rein, he would love her so deeply and whole-heartedly, it scared the life out of him.
Breeding heirs with her would also be so delightful as to be sinful.
He almost groaned aloud, thinking of Poppy and their nights of sex.
But marriage was comprised of more than a few nights of decadent pleasure to create the necessary offspring. Of course, since his brain immediately shut down at the thought o
f Poppy in his bed, he couldn’t list what else mattered in a marriage.
But bedding her was never going to happen outside of wedded bliss.
Not with Poppy.
He glanced up as she hurried back downstairs. “Do you have both letters?” she whispered, casting him a conspiratorial glance.
He leaned close, his lips lightly pressed against her ear and said in a hushed rumble, “I do.”
He drew back, ignoring the urge to nibble her ear and nuzzle the slender curve of her neck. “Let’s go.” He led her out to the garden, toward the rear gate, and to the road that was the shortcut into Wellesford.
“Shall we call on Dr. Carmichael first? Or Vicar Carstairs?”
“Vicarage first,” Nathaniel said, hoping Thad hadn’t been too rough on the vicar when questioning him about Poppy’s love letter. Now they would appear on his doorstep not an hour later demanding more answers. It couldn’t be helped. He and Poppy only had a few days to find out who was behind this blackmail threat.
That he’d been the one to spill the secret to Poppy still had his stomach twisted in knots. How could he have been so reckless? Fortunately, he’d made the mistake with her and not someone with a malicious heart.
Poppy was a beautiful girl, but the thing he liked most about her was the genuine goodness of her heart. At times, she was too sweet. But she was still young and uncertain of herself. She had always been shy and reserved.
Perhaps he’d always felt protective of her because of this.
Indeed, she was someone special. Any other young lady would have used Lavinia’s secret to her own advantage, perhaps force him into marriage in order to keep the secret quiet. The dastardly thought had never crossed Poppy’s mind.
She didn’t have a malicious bone in her body.
Thad was just leaving the vicarage when Nathaniel and Poppy appeared. “What are you two doing here? Making certain I haven’t killed your precious vicar?”
Nathaniel arched an eyebrow. “Have you?”
Thad grinned. “He’s still standing. Why are you here?”
“I wanted to check on some family records,” Poppy replied, sparing Nathaniel the need to fabricate a story.