by Emma Brady
“Why is she so badly burned? It shouldn’t have taken long to get to outside.”
A lock of hair fell across the young man’s face as he hung his head. Lucas saw the guilt printed all over his body.
“It was the door,” Now his words were mixed with tears, “Somebody barred the door and I couldn’t break through fast enough.”
Lucas felt sympathy for the man, after everything that happened tonight. The depth of his devotion to Sinclair was evident. Only a true friend would risk his life.
“You did fine,” he told him, “You saved her life after all. She might not be well, but she isn’t dead.”
“What if the doctors can’t help?”
“They must,” Lucas said with finality, “I’m not going to lose her tonight, not like this.”
“I don’t know why someone would want to do this.”
“Did any of the other servants see anything?”
“A maid, she mumbled something about red hair before passing out in the street.”
Lucas knew from that single description exactly who had started the blaze. Hearing the doctors rustling about downstairs, Lucas was determined to act now. Leaving one last kiss on his wife’s motionless brow, the earl left silent and single-minded. He would teach that insolent woman a lesson.
It didn’t take Lucas long to reach Marissa’s house and he knew that was where she’d be waiting. After such effort was put into her plan she would want to know how it turned out. He saw a light shining through the window of her bedroom as he approached the house. The curtains were pulled back, but the light was all he saw.
Letting himself in through the unlocked front door, he walked softly up the blackened stairs. As he approached her door he could hear her pacing across the floor. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts, he was able to open the door before she noticed.
“Waiting for something?”
She jumped like a scared rabbit at the sound of his voice. The wide look of her eyes showed the fear inside of her. “Lucas, what are you doing here?”
“I saw your light was on.” Nervous, she glanced at the candle in the window. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
Leaning against the doorframe he watched her with a careful eye. In her frightened state the woman was capable of anything. Not wanting her to have a chance to escape, he was careful to keep himself between her and the door.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she stuttered backing away from him, “I was going to fix myself a glass of warm milk.”
“I thought you hated that remedy.”
“I was getting desperate.”
Although his voice remained calm he knew she could feel the anger radiating from him. Marissa stood perfectly still, watching him carefully. Her chest was visibly heaving as she tried to keep her breathing regular. He enjoyed seeing her so frightened of him.
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“Can’t an old friend call on you for a chat?”
“We have never been friends.”
“Are we enemies then?” The question hung in the air.
Lucas continued to stare at her from the shadows, waiting for her to give something away. It was important to him that she knew never to bother Sinclair again. That her very life might depend on it.
“I suppose you want to know how things turned out.” Lucas began circling the room in long strides, stopping in front of the room’s only window.
“Lucas, you’re behaving like a lunatic. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The woman smelled of fear and anxiety. She was a trapped animal, desperate to escape.
“Tell me, why did you decide to set fire to my house?” He asked, staring out the window at the darkened city, “Of all the ways you might be able to rid yourself of my wife, why did you choose that?”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
Pounding his hand against the wooden frame of the window, Lucas began to get frustrated. He wanted her to break.
“I know you were the one who started the fire at my home tonight. Now I want to know why.”
She didn’t answer him right away and her silence irritated him further. Losing control of his anger, Lucas was determined to hear her admit what she’d done. Before she had a chance to react, Lucas had his hands clamped on her arms.
“If you don’t say it, admit what you’ve done I’m going to pull you apart.” He wasn’t entirely aware of what he said as it rolled across his tongue. His thin resolve broke down and panic took over. That same panic was reflected in her eyes. “You might want to choose your words carefully.”
Marissa stared up at him, her whole body trembling with trepidation. He could feel her pulse racing beneath his fingers. The woman was petrified of him. “I needed you to be mine again.”
Tears were flooding down her face now, as the realization of what she’d done sank in. Lucas felt a slight stab of pity for the insane woman. It was clear now how broken she was, beneath the lovely exterior.
“I want you to leave, Marissa. Get out of London as fast as you can.” Lucas was firm but no longer furious.
“I can’t, I have nowhere to go.” she whimpered.
“Go back to France, to your family.”
“They would never accept me now. I’m ruined to them.”
Disgusted and tired, Lucas released her with a shove that sent her against the wall. He honestly didn’t care about her anymore as long as she was no longer in his life.
“Go to America then,” he ground out, “Start over in another country.”
“Do you really want me to leave?”
He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Not only do I want you gone, but I will send the authorities after you to be sure you’re no longer in London.”
She nodded, biting on her lips to hold back the sobs. He couldn’t remember what he had once felt for her, but now there was nothing left. The only feeling he had was the longing for his wife.
“You had better hurry,” he told Marissa, “Before I reconsider letting you leave.”
That was the last thing he said before storming out of the house. On the street he never looked back. He was in a great hurry to return to the only thing that mattered. When Sinclair woke up he wanted to be the first one she saw and the first words she would here would be his declaration of love.
Chapter 29
It took over a week for Sinclair to heal enough to leave the bed. There was smoke in her lungs making it difficult to breathe and the burns had blisters. The doctor brought her something for the pain, but it made her sleep most of day and night. During the brief moments she was awake Sinclair would ask for Lucas, only to be told he was not there.
As soon as she was able to move the blankets from her body without searing pain, Sinclair decided she no longer wanted to be trapped. If he was not going to come to see her, she would go and find him. It would be impossible to put on a full dress, so she chose to wrap herself in one of the robes she found in her grandmother’s closet. It would be decent enough for her to wear downstairs in her own family’s home.
“Sinclair!” Charlotte was the only one she found still sitting in the dining room eating breakfast. It must have been much later than she thought.
“Do I look that frightening?” She reached up to comb some of the knots from her hair with her fingers. “You look like you are watching a ghost.”
“I must admit, it feels a little bit like that.” Charlotte helped her into one of the seats. “We have been worried about you for days. I kept wanting to look in on you but Lucas insisted you needed to rest.”
“You have been staying here?” Sinclair thought she was at her grandparents as punishment for what she did, but he wouldn’t banish Charlotte from the house.
“The house was...” Charlotte couldn’t finish the sentence because of the tears.
“The fire.” Now Sinclair remembered what had happened. That would have been enough to destroy the house. Charlotte nodded and tried to gain control of her emotions.
“Luca
s and Frederick have been there every day since, trying to repair the damage.” said Charlotte.
That might be why Lucas hadn’t visited her, but Sinclair still wondered if part of him was avoiding her. If he was still angry with her, this might be an excuse for him to keep her away. Her memory of his anger that night was vivid and brought tears to her eyes.
“Don’t worry, I know they will be finished soon and we can go home.” Charlotte took her hand in his.
“I’m not sure it’s my home any longer.”
In a voice cracked with tears, Sinclair told Charlotte what had happened with Lucas. It hurt to retell how he had found out about her secret and the fight that lead to. She omitted the part where they ended things, because she didn’t believe he meant those words. His sister didn’t need more to worry about. At the end Sinclair couldn’t help but burst into sobs and lay her head down on the table.
“He didn’t say anything.” Charlotte sounded surprised. “ Neither of them mentioned anything to me.”
“Frederick wouldn’t feel it was his place to say anything if Lucas didn’t.” Sinclair mumbled against the hard wood surface.
“He should have told me.”
“Your brother wouldn’t want to upset you after the fire.”
“That gives an excuse to Lucas, but not the other one.” Charlotte was angry now. “A friend should tell another friend when something this important happens.”
“He’s an employee.” Now Sinclair pulled herself up to look at Charlotte. “I know he behaves less formally with me than he should, but he takes his position seriously. He would never act out of place.”
Charlotte’s eyes darted to the side and she bit her lip. She looked like she wanted to say something but held it back. Sinclair wanted to help but didn’t know they right thing to say. Her friend’s eyes came back to look at her and were clear of confusion.
“Of course. He was only doing what was expected.” Charlotte attempted to smile. “They both were. I’m glad Lucas hasn’t been angry with me for the part I had in the scheme.”
Sinclair winced, remembering how she had tried to keep that from him without success. “I’m sorry I got you involved at all.”
“I’m not. It was the best part of the season for me. Certainly the most interesting part.”
Looking back on the last few months since she arrived, Sinclair realized how out of hands thing had gotten. It should have been all parties and balls, but instead Charlotte was pulled into this charade hidden from her brother. Sinclair didn’t deserve such a good a friend, but she was glad to have her now.
“I just hope Lucas can forgive me and let me come home.” Sinclair said.
“I think the fire has helped with that. Knowing his ex-mistress tried to kill you has given him guilt of his own.” Charlotte moved a plate of food in her direction.
“Marissa did that?” Sinclair knew the woman was desperate, but not to the lengths of murder.
“Yes, but you won’t have to worry about her anymore. She was on a ship to America the next day.”
Good, that meant she was not going to be a threat to Sinclair’s life or marriage anymore. She wasn’t hungry, but she didn’t want to disappoint Charlotte so she ate a few bites. Perhaps she had left the bed too soon, because she felt both weak and dizzy. She told Charlotte she was going to go back upstairs and was almost to the stairs before her knees gave out and she fell.
“What are you doing out here?” Frederick was there, picking her up and carrying her. “The doctor hasn’t approved you leaving the room.”
“I didn’t know I needed permission to come downstairs in my own house.” Her voice was too soft to sound as indignant as she wanted.
“Lucas would have a fit if he found you here.”
Her husband would have a fit seeing her anywhere. Lucas might not be returning to his old flame, but he still hadn’t forgiven his wife. Sinclair decided she needed to spend the time she had alone to figure out a way to fix things. Mending her marriage was now the only thing she could afford to think about.
AGAIN LUCAS RETURNED to the duke’s house exhausted and dirty. Progress on the house was slow but steady. It gave him something to think about that wasn’t his wife. Concern for Sinclair was going to drive him mad if he let his mind linger on it too long.
Like every night before, Lucas took a bath in his room and then went down the hall to where he knew she would be sleeping. The servants in the house had retired and it was only the two of them alone. He carried a candle with him, so he could get a glimpse of her before going to bed. When he stepped inside her room he was surprised to find her awake and sitting up in the bed waiting for him with her own candle lit.
“You finally returned.” Sinclair said, her voice calm and smooth.
“I thought you would be asleep.”
“Why visit me while I’m sleeping?”
“To make sure you are doing well.”
“I’m not.”
They stared at each other for a long moment. Lucas didn’t know what to say and it was clear she waited for his response. It was time for them to have a long talk, so he came inside and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He let his eyes drink in the sight of her first, before something said might change all that. She was still beautiful enough to make his heart skip.
“Has the doctor been to see you?”
“Yes and he keeps leaving me something to help me sleep.” She let out a long sigh. “I have slept enough. I want to start going out again.”
“Does the doctor approve?”
“I have no intention of asking.”
This was the spark that he had fallen in love with. The stubborn look on her face made him want to smile. Not even risk of life could keep her from doing what she wanted.
“I will let the staff know to expect you then. Frederick will be happy to know you are recovering so quickly.”
“He visited me today, so has Charlotte.” Her voice was hushed. “I was hoping you would as well.”
Lucas had been to see her every night, but it was always after she was asleep. He spent all day working on the house, but that wasn’t the only reason. The idea of facing her terrified him.
“He’s been a great help with the house.” He avoided mention of his own absence. “I could have him come by tomorrow for another visit.”
“What about you?”
“I didn’t think you would want to see me. Not after the way I behaved before the fire.” It was hard for him to admit the truth to her.
“You were angry and you had a right to be. I shouldn’t have lied to you for so long.” Looking into her eyes, Lucas was surprised to see she was as nervous as he was about his conversation.
“No, but I should have given you a chance to explain. I never should have left you thinking I was going to visit another woman. Especially the same woman who tried to kill you.”
That was the root of his guilt. He couldn’t stop thinking that he was the reason Marissa set fire to the house and if Sinclair had died it would be because of him. Even now, his stomach rolled at the thought of what might have happened.
“Did you go to her that night?” Her words were barely a whisper and her eyes dropped to her lap. Lucas felt his chest tighten. Quickly he moved closer, taking both her hands in his.
“No, I had no intention of continuing my affair with her.”
Her eyes were wet when they came up to look back at him. “I was afraid you were avoiding me because you are still angry, that you no longer wanted to be with me.”
“You are the only one I want to be with.” Lucas wrapped his arms around her, tucking her face into the crook of his neck. “I love you and I couldn’t let you go. Almost losing you made me realize how badly I need you.”
He let her cry until his clean shirt was wet. He stroked her back, whispering soft word of love into her ears. She felt good in his arms, like he had been made to hold her. The tears stopped and she pulled away so he could see her face. The streaks of her tears only enhanced her delica
te beauty.
“I love you too, Lucas.” she mumbled, her words coming so quickly they were hard to understand. “I love you more than my business even. I will never lie to you again.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s a promise you won’t be able to keep.” Lucas chuckled.
“I can promise to try.” Sinclair stuck out her lower lip.
“That I can believe.” He placed a kiss on the end of her nose, with no intention of anything more but the nearness of her lips was too tempting and soon he was kissing her deeply. He drank her in like a man dying of thirst.
“Lucas, I have something to tell you.” Sinclair was breathing heavy when she pulled away. “I think I have a solution to our problem.”
“What problem?” The only one he could think of was how to take her clothes off without hurting her burned skin.
“The competing business problem.”
Of course she would still be thinking about that even when his mind imagined them naked. He wished she would be as distracted by their intimate position as much as he was. Making an effort to do that, Lucas began placing kisses along her neck while mumbling for her to continue.
“I have decided that I will take on a partner. A real one.” Her voice was soft and he could hear her breath catch when his mouth touched her skin.
“Another American?” he asked, although he was long past caring.
“No, I want you to be my partner.”
That stopped him cold. “You want to be my business partner?”
“No, I mean yes, I mean...” she was frustrated and her cheeks were flushed. “I think we should merge our companies. That would stop them from being in competition with each other. One company, for one marriage.”
It wasn’t what he expected to hear and for a moment it left him speechless. He saw her begin to panic, rushing into more of an explanation.
“I wouldn’t have to be an active partner. You could have primary control over it and I would just assist when it was prudent.” Sinclair tried to hold back her emotions and he knew this was difficult for her.