An American Lady

by Emma Brady

  “Hard at work again, I see.” Charlotte had entered the room without his notice.

  “Just finishing up some things before heading to the office. How was your visit with Miss Brown?”

  “Nice, but she had to leave early. Her partner has arrived in the city and I think she was anxious to meet him.”

  That caught his attention. “Was he dropping by the house?” If so, Lucas might be able to stop by for a visit.

  “No, I think she was going to see him. He is staying at the Langham Hotel, I believe.”

  “She is going to meet a stranger at a hotel? With her grandparents, I hope.”

  “I don’t think they were home when she got the message.”

  That woman was far too foolish. If someone saw her there with him alone it would ruin her reputation in a single breath. All it took was for word to get around and that took no time in London. Cursing, Lucas decided it was up to him to rescue the woman from her own bad decisions.

  When he arrived at the hotel, Lucas was relieved to see Sinclair standing alone in front of it. That meant there was still time to convince her to go home. As he approached her, her lips pressed into a thin line. She was not happy to see him.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, not bothering with any of the usual pleasantries.

  “I heard your new American partner had arrived. I thought I might give him a warm welcome.”

  They both knew he lied.

  “He hasn’t settled in yet, so you will have to welcome him another time.” said Sinclair.

  “Does that mean you haven’t seen him yet either?”

  “As a matter of fact, no.” Sinclair’s cheeks were a bright red.

  Now it was her turn to tell a lie. Lucas wondered if she realized how bad she was at it. Her face was as easy to read as fresh newspaper, every thought she had was expressed through it.

  “Did you come here alone?” he asked, watching her reaction to the question.

  “Yes.” Another lie.

  “Where’s that guard dog of yours?”

  “Frederick wasn’t feeling well, so he stayed at home. I don’t think he would like hearing you call him my pet.”

  No, but the man should have been doing his job better and not let Sinclair out alone. A woman could get into a lot of trouble that way. That servant only had one job and he wasn’t doing it to satisfaction. Lucas made a note to address it with the man later and emphasize the importance of him being more diligent.

  “I should escort you home, before anyone realizes you are out here alone.” said Lucas.

  “Why would anyone care about lack of company?”

  “It’s not proper for a lady to be walking around the city without an escort.”

  “Rubbish.”

  She snorted at him, which was beginning to be a sound he was accustomed to. The hat she wore had a wide brim that cast a shadow across her face but he could still see the amusement in her blue eyes. Behind those wire frames they were sparkling with mischief. Sinclair wasn’t taking her situation seriously as a danger.

  “I’m more than capable of walking the streets in broad daylight without an armed guard.” she said.

  “There’s more danger than you think.”

  “I don’t see you bringing an escort.”

  “I’m a man.” There was that snort again. “It’s different for a woman. She has to protect her reputation as much as her person.”

  “The rules of society make no logical sense. If that were the case, wouldn’t it be better that I was alone?”

  Lucas couldn’t believe he was having such an argument with her. She was always questioning things that no other woman he knew did. Things were the way they were for a reason and she needed to stop arguing with him about it. That would make it much less frustrating to be around her and put an end to sparks between them.

  “Come, I will give you a ride home.” He took her arm but she pulled back.

  “I’m not ready to go home, but when I am I will do so on my own.”

  At this point, Lucas was tired and frustrated. If she had no care for her reputation, he wouldn’t bother. With a tilt of his head in her direction he started to go into the hotel.

  “Wait.” She called out to him. “Why are you going in there?”

  She looked panicked.

  “I’m going to leave a note at the front desk for our new visitor. That way he knows I’m trying to find him.”

  “Why? What could you have to discuss with my partner that you couldn’t talk to me about?”

  “Business.”

  She pursed her lips and glared at him. Lucas knew she wasn’t going to like that answer, but it was the truth. It was best she get used to that now, rather than later.

  “We are partners, which means we should both hear what you have to say.” said Sinclair.

  “If he is smart, he will make you the silent partner.” Lucas wished he had that kind of power.

  “I have never been silent.”

  “No truer words were ever spoken.”

  Lucas became aware that people were starting to stare at them. Raising their voices in front of a busy hotel made a scene. Lucas didn’t want his name being mentioned in the papers the next day, so he needed to get Sinclair away from the watchful eyes of the public. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her inside the building and hoped she would be smart enough to realize he was rescuing her. The punch to his arm showed she didn’t.

  “How dare you drag me along like a piece of baggage?” she exclaimed as soon as they were inside the foyer.

  “I tried to keep you from becoming tomorrow’s gossip. Unless you want everyone in the city talking about you.”

  “That’s being dramatic.” Sinclair brushed a lock of hair from her face, only to have it fall again.

  As she said that, two ladies passed them, tittering behind their gloved palms. The way the two kept darting glances over, Lucas knew what they were talking about. Sinclair saw it too and her face flushed. Finally she was rattled by something.

  “It’s your fault for not leaving.” she told him.

  “I’m not going to leave before I do what I came here for. If you would like, I can give you a ride home after I leave my message.” Lucas went to the front desk and asked the man there if he could leave a message for Mr. Gates.

  “I believe he is in the dining room.” said the young man. “He went in there with Mr. Applegate as soon as he left his room.”

  Lucas grumbled a curse under his breath. The man had only been in the city a few hours and he was making headway. Lucas had been the one to turn away business with Applegate, but that didn’t mean he wanted his competition to get it. At least this would give him a chance to get a look at the man.

  When he went in to the crowded dining room, he saw Applegate sitting across from a man in a dark brown suit. All he could see was the back of the man’s head, which was covered in a bowler hat. Something about the clothing he wore caught Lucas’s attention. It was a nice suit, but a few years out of fashion. Perhaps the man was too thrifty to keep up with current clothing styles.

  Before he had the chance to cross the room, there was the sound of a crash. People turned to look at something behind him. Turning around Lucas was shocked to see Sinclair lying across the floor with a spilled tray of tea settings around her. It appeared she had knocked them down when she fell. He gave a quick glance back at the two men, but Mr. Gates had disappeared.

  Chapter 10

  Pretending to trip and fall into a tray of dishes was an act of desperation on Sinclair’s part. She had watched Lucas walking in the direction of the dining room and suspected he was looking for Mr. Gates. If he got a good look a Frederick it would be easy for him to realize the farce they had going. She needed to do something to distract him long enough for Frederick to make a hasty exit.

  “What happened?” Lucas asked, coming to help her up from the floor.

  “I walked too quickly and tripped over the edge of my skirt.”

  Sinclair regretted the
damage she was forced to do to her new dark green day gown, but sacrifices had to be made. It was one of the few she had allowed her grandmother to buy in dark colors but not black. Partial mourning was as close as she was willing to go and the gowns were a version of a compromise. They were all simple and functional, without the frills most women liked to wear. This one was muslin with black buttons, a small bustle, and a matching jacket. At least one of them would need some work to be decent again.

  She knew he didn’t believe her by the way one eyebrow went up. “Why were you in such a hurry?”

  “I thought I saw Mr. Gates and wanted to catch him before he left.” Looking around she saw that Frederick was nowhere to be seen. “It looks like I wasn’t successful.”

  “No, it would appear that we just missed him.” Lucas was not happy with that.

  “I suppose we will have to try and catch him another time.”

  Sinclair would have to warn Frederick to be on the lookout for Lucas. They were going to need to be careful he didn’t get close enough to figure out the truth. Making it clear that Mr. Gates had no interest in doing business with him was the purpose of the letter he received, so there would be no need for them to meet. She would to have to do her best to distract him until they had everything in place for Mr. Gates to go back to America.

  “You said you would escort me home.” She watched him thinking it over, trying to decide if he should stay and continue to try and catch the elusive Mr. Gates.

  “Of course.”

  Outside the hotel, Sinclair gave a quick look around to make sure Frederick was not close enough to be seen. She hoped her crafty friend knew well enough to take another hack to return home. She would rather the meeting with Applegate had lasted longer, but at least it was enough for him to be seen by lots of people. He was no longer just a name to be whispered about. That meant they were making progress in their scheme and it would have to do for now.

  “I brought my carriage this time.” Lucas opened the door for her. “So I don’t have to worry about you taking the reins.”

  “You will never forget that, will you?” The man was trying to irritate her.

  “You’re not the only one who has a sharp memory.”

  Inside the carriage, Sinclair felt that he took up more than his fair share of the room. The bustle made her perch on the edge of the seat, leaning in his direction. That only left a small gap between them. It would be considered a respectable amount with most people, but with him she felt like it was nothing. Lucas didn’t seem bothered by the tightness so she decided to pretend she wasn’t either.

  “Tell me about this mysterious new partner you have.” Lucas said as soon as the carriage was on its way.

  “What do you want to know?” She asked.

  “What type of man is he? How well do you know him? Why did you decide to share the business with him?”

  That wasn’t just a casual curiosity, Lucas was interrogating her. The lies would be easier to keep straight if she made them as close to the truth as possible. Using Frederick as a model for the fictitious partner, Sinclair tried to form her answers carefully. She tilted her head towards the window, hoping her hat might shield some of her expression from him.

  “He’s an old friend of the family. He heard that I had trouble running the business myself and offered to help. My father trusted him and so do I.” Her words came out in a rush and she flinched slightly when she realized that.

  Lucas watched her face carefully, looking for any signs that she was lying. He must not have found what he was looking for, because his frown deepened. “Are you not worried he might try to take advantage of you while you are in mourning?”

  “No.”

  “Most men would not hesitate to use your emotional state to gain the upper hand.”

  “Men like you?” Sinclair couldn’t help pointing out the similarity.

  “That’s how I know about them.” Lucas grinned in the way that made her stomach flutter.

  “Birds of a feather then.”

  “More like wolves in a pack.”

  Sinclair felt another flutter at the sound of his voice when he said that. “Then I am glad you are my friend and not my enemy.”

  “I haven’t said that.”

  Something in his voice had changed. The deep timber of it seemed to reach through the darkness and stroke her skin, sending tingles down her spine. Her heart raced as she felt him leaning closer. The broad width of his shoulder seemed to be surrounding her, pressing her back into the seat.

  “You are silent,” he whispered, spreading hot air against her neck, “It is a first, I believe.”

  The weight of his chest pressing against hers made it hard to breathe but she hardly noticed. Her nipples were pressing against the fabric of her corset and gown, but she could feel the heat radiating from his body. It felt better than anything she’d ever felt before.

  Before she could gain control of her impulses, Sinclair reached through the dark and pulled Lucas’s mouth to hers. They met in fiery passion, each struggling against the onslaught of need. Lucas surged forward, pressing her back against her seat in the carriage. The bustle required her to bend backward and her corset cut into her, but she barely noticed the discomfort. It was too dark to see his face but his lips slid easily across hers. He tasted like smoke and cinnamon.

  The tip of her tongue dipped out to taste him and he caught it in his mouth. The kiss deepened as he stroked the inside of her cheeks, running his tongue along her teeth. It felt as if she were sinking into him. They were melting together. Her mind went blank and she was focused on the way she reacted to him. Sinclair had never experienced this kind of passion before.

  “Damn.” A groan came from the lips pressed against hers.

  The weight lifted off of her, before she even realized what happened. The absence of his mouth left her gasping silently for breath. Flustered, Sinclair tried to regain her composure before Lucas noticed how deeply his kiss had affected her.

  “Why did you have to be out there today?” Lucas asked.

  “I already told you that,” she answered, confused by the swift change in him.

  “You never should have been searching out a man you barely know.”

  “He’s my partner, not a stranger.”

  “No, but that doesn’t make it safe for you to go seeking him out. Don’t you ever consider your own safety or the safety of your reputation?”

  She snorted quietly, crossing her arms across her chest. Sinclair couldn’t believe Lucas would be so high handed about this. Only moments ago he kissed her and now he was chastising her for a lack of discretion. It irritated her that he could be such a hypocrite about this.

  “You are insufferable,” she said. “You don’t have the right to tell me what is proper, considering your own behavior moments ago. You are neither my father nor my husband. You are not even my friend apparently.”

  Sinclair watched his expression but it never moved. Lucas remained silent and angry, glaring at her from across the carriage. Thankfully the carriage stopped, giving her the opportunity to leave.

  “You can’t control everything.” Sinclair told him. “You definitely can’t control me.”

  “I might surprise you.”

  The deep undertone of his voice sent shivers through her. She felt like he might be on verge of kissing her again by the way his breathing had grown heavy. The problem was if he tried she knew she would let him. That would complicate things for both of them. Before he was able to lean in, she jumped from her seat.

  “Goodnight, Lord Westmore.”

  She stormed into the house. Once inside, she went to the parlor window and watched the carriage pull away. It wasn’t until it was gone that she was able to breathe normally again. Sinclair was going to have to be much more careful around that man.

  AFTER THAT EMBARRASSING scene with Sinclair, Lucas decided he needed to release a little tension. His lack of female companionship was the only excuse he could think of for his maddening attracti
on to Miss Brown. He could see no other reason for wanting her so badly when she was nothing but trouble in his life. Marissa could be persuaded into welcoming his company tonight if he came armed with the right gifts and compliments.

  “Lucas, darling, what a surprise,” she purred, letting him into her home without question.

  “I hope you are not angry with me for visiting at such a late hour.” Lucas had waited for it to get dark enough that he wouldn’t be seen.

  “Of course not,” Marissa allowed him to slide into the dimly lit foyer. “I am happy to see you at any time.”

  She was wearing a nightgown made of material so thin her nipples showed through, teasing him. All of her garments were chosen to delight and arouse men, any time they chose to visit her. The red locks of hair falling down her back shimmered in the firelight from the parlor. He watched the rehearsed sway of her hips as she led him up into her bedroom.

  “I heard you have been seen at all this seasons galas,” she walked to a shelf beside the bed to pour him a glass of brandy. “Have you decided to find a wife?”

  “Worried you might be replaced?”

  The woman laughed, the sound as sharp as a razor against his ears. He couldn’t help but remember the natural melody of Sinclair’s laughter. Nothing about this woman was natural.

  “Darling, a wife could never replace a lover.”

  Her painted cheeks and well-chosen night wear was meant to ignite a man’s passion, but Lucas felt nothing as he watched her. It was all false, down to the smile on her face. He’d never before wondered if Marissa really cared for him, but it bothered him to know that she was simply playing a part. Lucas no longer wanted a pretty little puppet in his bed. He wasn’t ready to decide what he wanted now, but he knew it wasn’t that same as the last time in her company.

  “You sound confident about your position here. How can you be so certain?”

  “Do you hope to find love?” Marissa asked him, bringing him the glass.

  “I might marry soon, if the right woman is found,” he sipped the warm liquid and thougt out loud. “But I don’t hope for love. That is an emotion that can’t be controlled.”