Christian Seaton: Duke of Danger

by Carole Mortimer

  Lisette gave Lord Maystone’s hands an empathetic squeeze. ‘I can only apologise again and state how sorry I am for the pain and distress that has been caused to you and your family.’

  ‘Sutherland...?’

  Christian had every sympathy with Maystone’s slightly dazed expression; Lisette had the same effect on him. Often. ‘It is quite true, I assure you,’ he confirmed. ‘But I also want you to know that I have brought Lisette to England with me for her own protection. Let me assure you she had no knowledge of or involvement in your grandson’s kidnapping,’ he added just as firmly.

  ‘I do not— This is—’ Maystone still seemed at a complete loss for words as he dropped down onto the upholstered window seat as the butler entered with the refreshments, none in the room speaking again until after that elderly gentleman had departed.

  Lisette sat down on the seat next to Maystone. ‘Unfortunately, as I have found, my birthright does not become any easier to comprehend or accept with time.’

  ‘Would you care to do the honours, Lisette?’ Christian indicated the tea tray as a way of changing the subject and easing some of the tension in the room.

  She gave him an impatient glance. ‘Could you see to it, Christian? Can you not see I am still busy attempting to commiserate with Lord Maystone?’

  Christian heard Marcus’s guffaw of laughter behind him. Indeed, he had to bite the inside of his own cheeks to stop himself from laughing. Maystone appeared to still be suffering from the shock of Lisette’s earlier revelation, this latest social gaffe seeming to pass him by.

  ‘Did I say something amusing?’ Lisette frowned her irritation with Marcus’s laughter.

  Marcus straightened in his seat, still grinning. ‘It is only—’

  ‘It is only that I thought you might enjoy pouring the tea,’ Christian cut in smoothly.

  ‘Because I am a woman?’ Lisette gave a disgusted snort to accompany her dismissive comment. ‘Why should I pour your tea for you and your friends when you are more likely to be acquainted with how they take their tea than I am?’

  It was a good point, Christian acknowledged. Except he didn’t, of course, never having poured tea in his privileged life before, for his friends or himself. Which was no reason for him not to do so now. Although Maystone, for one, looked in need of something stronger than tea.

  ‘I will pour you a cup of tea, Lisette.’ Christian proceeded to do so, much to the amusement of his brother-in-law. ‘But I think the gentlemen would prefer brandy...?’

  ‘Just a small one,’ Marcus accepted drily. ‘Then I must hurry home to Julianna.’

  Christian was well aware of the fact that it was only Marcus’s fascination as to what Lisette would do or say next which had prevented him from departing already.

  He finished pouring the tea and carried the cup and saucer across the room to place it on the table beside Lisette; having observed her at breakfast this morning, he knew it was exactly as she liked it—milk and a little sugar. ‘Maystone?’ he prompted sharply. Really, the news of Lisette being Helene Rousseau’s illegitimate daughter was surprising, yes, but not so shocking that the older man should still be rendered speechless.

  ‘Hmm? Oh. Yes. Thank you, Sutherland.’ Maystone nodded, still staring at Lisette in that bemused fashion. ‘A brandy would be most welcome.’

  ‘I do not believe you should be drinking strong liquor when you are injured, Christian.’ Lisette frowned her disapproval as she watched him pour the amber liquid into three glasses before handing two of them to his guests and retaining one for himself.

  Christian heard Marcus give another muffled laugh. A laugh his friend tried—and failed—to hide behind a look of innocence when Christian narrowed his gaze on him. Lord knew what Marcus would report back to their mutual friends concerning his friendship with Mademoiselle Lisette Duprée. They were not even married and she was leading him about by the nose—

  Married?

  Where on earth had that come from?

  Wherever it had come from, it could go back again! He had never met a more opinionated, irritating, bossy, infuriating young woman in his life than Lisette Duprée.

  Or one quite so desirable.

  Well, yes, there was that, and he really should not have taken things as far as he had in the carriage. Even so, desire did not make up for the fact that Lisette was also—also—

  What else was she?

  Alone and defenceless.

  Apart from that sharp tongue!

  Vulnerable and frightened.

  Again, apart from that sharp tongue!

  She was also about to be used in a game of political chess for which she bore no responsibility or knowledge, but might nevertheless be the one called upon to pay the highest price.

  Even that sharpness of Lisette’s tongue and intelligence of mind could not save her if that should prove to be the case.

  But Christian had just realised a way in which he might do so...

  If he was prepared to pay the price.

  Many families in English society were related to or married into the French aristocracy.

  Which Lisette most certainly was not. Instead, she was the illegitimate daughter and niece of two notorious French spies.

  Maybe so, but no one chose where and to whom they would be born. Lisette was a victim of her own circumstances, not a perpetrator of them—

  Good God, he could not seriously be contemplating doing the unthinkable?

  ‘Christian...?’ Marcus prompted sharply. ‘I believe you are about to spill your brandy all over the carpet!’

  He looked blankly at the man he had known since childhood, his thoughts still too onerous for him to form a sensible or coherent reply.

  Was he really prepared to go as far as that in order to keep his promise to protect Lisette? For there was no doubting that no one would dare to arrest or harm the Duchess of Sutherland—

  ‘You see.’ Lisette stood up to briskly cross the room before plucking the brandy glass from Christian’s relaxed fingers. ‘I said that you should not attempt to drink brandy in your already weakened state.’ She tutted disapprovingly as she placed the glass down on Christian’s desktop.

  His heavy oak antique desk that had once belonged to a king.

  Christian, however, was not the King of England, and if he did decide to tie himself to Lisette Duprée, then he knew it would be for life.

  A life spent with an impulsive and totally irrepressible woman who would make a terrible duchess.

  ‘Are you about to take me away and lock me in a cell, m’lord?’ Lisette spoke to Maystone with her usual directness.

  That gentleman looked startled by such a suggestion. ‘I— Why, no, I had not thought of doing such a thing.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I— Well—’ Maystone gave a shake of his head. ‘I have no evidence— I trust Sutherland’s word if he has vouched for you.’

  ‘He has,’ Christian asserted sharply, although he could not help but feel surprised that Maystone had ceded his ground so easily.

  Indeed, Maystone still looked befuddled, clearly as disconcerted by Lisette’s directness as the next man. And Christian, as the next man, was highly disconcerted by her!

  Maystone nodded. ‘I really need time to consider this...situation before taking any further action.’

  ‘Then perhaps you two gentlemen have visited long enough for today,’ Lisette now told Worthing and Maystone politely but firmly. ‘Christian is weakened still and needs to rest after his long journey.’

  What Christian needed was to retake charge in his own household and not have it, and him, dictated to by a mere chit of a girl—

  ‘I believe you are right.’ Maystone downed the last of his brandy before rising quickly to his feet and placing his empty glass down on the desk beside Chr
istian’s.

  Good God, they were all doing it now!

  It really was insupportable that Christian’s life, his very existence, most certainly the authority he had possessed since birth, was being eroded in just minutes by this bossy and opinionated French miss.

  ‘I shall come back and...and discuss this further in the morning, Christian, once I have had chance to ponder the situation,’ Maystone added distractedly.

  As far as Christian was concerned, Maystone could ‘ponder’ all he liked and it would not change the outcome; he could not allow Lisette to come to any harm. Indeed, the mere thought of it caused a cold shiver down the length of his spine.

  ‘Mademoiselle Duprée.’ Maystone now nodded abruptly. ‘Worthing?’

  ‘Definitely time we were leaving.’ Marcus nodded after a single glance at the thundercloud he no doubt saw forming on Christian’s brow. ‘I shall bring Julianna to see you tomorrow morning, Christian.’

  After he had no doubt regaled Christian’s young sister with all the details of his relationship with Lisette. Including what Marcus suspected might have happened in the carriage on their way from Portsmouth to London; as far as Christian could see, the married couple kept no secrets from each other.

  He also knew instinctively that his sister was sure to like Lisette, if only for the fact that she appeared to have taken charge of Christian and his household without so much as a by-your-leave.

  ‘There is no rush for you to leave now,’ he assured his brother-in-law hastily. ‘Indeed, I was about to suggest that perhaps you might care to take Lisette home to Worthing House with you, so that you and Julianna might act as chaperone—’

  ‘I am not in need of a chaperone—’

  ‘But of course you are, my dear.’ Maystone spoke up bravely over Lisette’s outraged protest. ‘A single unmarried lady does not reside in a single gentleman’s house without a chaperone, even that of her guardian.’ He gave a slightly bewildered shake of his head. ‘Forgive me, Sutherland, I was—I am still—a little shocked to learn of Miss Duprée’s...lineage.’

  ‘Half my lineage,’ Lisette cut in dismissively. ‘I fear my father’s identity is unknown, and likely to remain so,’ she informed him at his questioning look.

  ‘Oh. Well. Yes.’ Maystone looked more disconcerted than ever. No doubt at hearing Lisette speaking so frankly of her illegitimacy.

  ‘And I do not intend going anywhere, Christian.’ She turned back to him. ‘Now that I am here—’ she gave him a glowering look ‘—I intend to continue seeing that all my good work of these past three days does not become undone simply because you are too stubborn to call for a doctor.’

  ‘And if I now agree to send for the physician?’ Christian challenged.

  ‘Then I still could not leave you here without family or friend to attend you,’ she maintained obstinately.

  Christian looked at her searchingly, sensing—sensing—ah, yes, there it was—a telltale glitter of tears in those deep blue eyes.

  Because he was attempting to save Lisette’s reputation by sending her to stay with his sister and brother-in-law?

  Admittedly, it would also save his own reputation, but—

  There was no but to this situation, he conceded heavily; Lisette was the one without family or friends, apart from himself, and to send her away, albeit to stay with his sister and Marcus, would be the height of cruelty after all that she had done for him.

  ‘It was merely a thought, Lisette.’ He sighed in defeat. ‘Of course, if you wish to stay here at Sutherland House, then you must do so.’

  She blinked, lashes slightly dampened by those tears she was determined not to allow to fall. ‘If Lord Maystone does not wish to take me away for questioning as yet, then yes, I do prefer to stay here.’

  ‘Then it is settled.’ Christian braced his shoulders before turning to Marcus and Maystone. ‘Gentlemen?’

  Marcus rose elegantly to his feet. ‘I have no doubt you do need to rest following the...the exertions of the journey here, Christian,’ he added drily.

  Pointedly, Christian acknowledged irritably, knowing full well to what ‘exertions’ Marcus was referring. As did Lisette, by the becoming blush that had now coloured her cheeks. Maystone still looked befuddled.

  And perhaps Christian did need to rest; his thoughts of a few minutes ago regarding marriage to Lisette certainly indicated that he was not in his right mind!

  It seemed that he was to have Lisette as his guest at Sutherland House after all. And he had not had to fight Aubrey Maystone, verbally or otherwise, in order to achieve it.

  His gaze narrowed on the older man as he continued to stare at Lisette as if she were an apparition.

  What was wrong with the man?

  Perhaps his grandson’s kidnapping had affected Maystone more seriously than any of them had suspected?

  But, if that was so, then why was he not insisting on taking Lisette into his custody?

  He felt a throbbing behind his eyes, as indication that so much thought—and so many unanswered questions—had resulted in him developing a headache. ‘Just so,’ he now answered Marcus vaguely. ‘Do not visit with Julianna too early tomorrow morning, Marcus,’ he added wearily as he rang for Evans to show the gentlemen out. ‘I have a feeling I will not be at my best until later in the day.’

  Marcus’s dark brows rose. ‘You know your sister almost as well as I; it will be as much as I can do to prevent her from visiting you later today once she knows you are returned from France and injured!’

  Yes, Christian did know Julianna very well. He also knew that she had Marcus entwined about her little finger.

  ‘Then I suggest you do not tell her I am injured,’ he bit out. ‘As to the rest, I am sure you will manage to think of some other manner in which to divert her,’ he added ruefully.

  Worthing gave a devilish grin. ‘I shall do my best.’

  Lisette was very aware of Lord Maystone’s gaze still fixed upon her as the two gentlemen prepared to leave. No doubt his decision not to arrest her as yet was only because he was still trying to come to terms with the fact that his enemy’s illegitimate daughter now stood just feet away from him.

  Having now met Lord Maystone, Lisette felt even more ashamed of her connection to Helene Rousseau. The woman was a monster beyond her imagining, to have instigated the kidnapping of this man’s young grandson.

  She also could not deny the heaviness she felt in her chest at Christian’s obvious effort to send her away to stay at his sister’s home. Evidence, no doubt, that now he was back in his own household, and despite his earlier promise to protect her, he wanted to be rid of her.

  Chapter Eleven

  ‘Do you have everything you need?’

  Lisette turned at the open doorway from the hallway into the comfortable bedchamber she had been shown into by the butler just minutes ago, on Christian’s instructions.

  That same gentleman now leaned against the door frame, looking across the room at her as she sat on the side of the four-poster bed that dominated the luxuriously appointed cream-and-gold room.

  A bedchamber fit for a princess.

  Or a duchess...

  Christian Seaton’s duchess.

  Except he did not appear to have one of those.

  Lisette wondered why that was when he was a handsome man in his early thirties and in possession of a wealth she could only ever dream about.

  But perhaps he considered his work for the English Crown too dangerous to risk taking a wife? The fact that Christian had been shot only days ago would seem to confirm it was dangerous work.

  And the truthful answer to his question was that she did not have anything she ‘needed’. No home. No money. Her future uncertain. No kind relatives to whom she might ask for help.

  She felt wholly disconnected from any
and everything that was familiar to her, and her earlier bravado upon arriving at this imposing residence had now totally deserted her.

  Added to, she had no doubt, by the memory of Christian’s efforts to rid himself of the responsibility of her just a short time ago...

  ‘I believe so, thank you,’ she answered Christian in a subdued voice.

  ‘You do not sound as if you do.’ Christian favoured his left leg as he stepped further into the room.

  Evidence that he was once again in pain?

  Lisette stood up. ‘Do you wish me to inspect and re-dress your wounds before you retire to your bedchamber?’

  ‘No, thank you,’ Christian refused ruefully. He was only too well aware of what that ‘inspection’ might lead to, despite his disquieting thoughts of earlier and the discomfort of his wound.

  A certain part of his anatomy did not seem to give a damn about either of those things and leaped up eagerly in response to Lisette’s slightest touch. The very reason he had chosen to leave the bedchamber door open when he entered.

  ‘What am I to do whilst you are resting?’ There was a frown between Lisette’s eyes.

  Stay out of trouble was Christian’s first thought, followed by the knowledge that it would be no good to instruct Lisette to do any such thing when trouble, of one sort or another, seemed to follow her around.

  Not particularly through any fault of her own, he accepted; Miss Lisette Duprée just seemed to be a magnet for all things troublesome.

  ‘Perhaps you might also rest?’ he suggested mildly, determinedly walking over to the window to look down into the square below rather than at Lisette; she looked so woebegone at the moment, it was all he could do not to take her into his arms and offer her comfort.

  A comforting that he had no doubt would lead to the deeper intimacy between them that he was trying so hard to avoid now that they were in his London home. For Lisette’s sake; all servants gossiped, even if one might wish they did not, and London society was so quick to condemn when it came to the reputation of a lady, no matter how much Christian might continue to publicly claim that Lisette was his ward.