A Gentleman Says "I Do" (20 page)

“Go on, take your cloak off,” the woman barked again. “You don’t have to wear that gown if it’s not to your liking.”

Catalina swung her cloak off her shoulders and laid it over her arm. She looked at the dress again.

“Now I know why you didn’t want to shed your wrap.” The woman jerked her hands to her hips and said, “Where’d you get such a fancy dress as that?”

Catalina looked down at her pale, coral-colored gown with its scooped neckline and delicate beading of faux pearls on the bodice.

“My modiste made it for me,” she said cautiously.

The woman’s brow furrowed deeply, and her lips pursed unattractively. “Sure she did, and she made my garment, as well. Hog-posh! She made it for your last employer, and you stole it from her.”

Affronted, Catalina gasped and said, “I wouldn’t take anything that didn’t belong to me.”

Pointing her finger at Catalina, she said, “I’m going to tell you right now, we don’t put up with stealing around here.”

“No, no, I would never do that,” Catalina defended.

“And if we find out you have stolen anything, Madame Shipwith will have you out the door faster than you can blink. And the only thing you can take with you is just the clothes on your back, and chances are, that won’t be very many.”

“I told you I would never… steal… anything.” Her words slowed down, and her voice ended almost as a whisper. What the woman said registered on Catalina’s mind. Maybe she didn’t hear what she thought she heard. Surely there weren’t two women by that name.

“Pardon me,” Catalina said, “but did you say Madame Shipwith?”

“You know that’s what I said. I didn’t stutter or stammer. And you need to learn right now, girlie, I don’t like having to repeat myself. You best remember she keeps a close eye on her girls, and so do I. But as long as you do your job and keep your gentlemen happy, you won’t have any trouble from her or me. You’ve got to keep the gentlemen coming back for more, or Madame Shipwith won’t be keeping you anymore, and out you go.”

Catalina’s body felt stiff and disjointed. Her mouth went dry, and her heartbeat sounded so loud in her ears she thought her head might explode. She looked at the gown in her hands.

What
had
she
managed
to
get
herself
into?

Catalina lifted her gaze to the woman. “You aren’t expecting me to do maid’s work, are you?”

“Maid’s work?” The woman let out a hearty laugh. “For a pretty gel such as yourself? Madame Shipwith would never stand for that. Now are you going to put on that dress or stay in what you’re wearing?”

As the full reality of where she was hit her, Catalina swallowed hard and looked at the dress in her hands again. She was in a brothel. This woman thought she was a—Catalina couldn’t finish her thought. No wonder Briggs was trying so hard to keep her from coming inside. And she had been rude to him. He was trying only to spare her from knowing what this place really was.

She
had
to
get
out!

Catalina looked at the large woman standing between her and the door that led to safety. “I’m afraid you’ve made a terrible mistake.” She shook her head. “No,
I’ve
made a terrible, terrible mistake.”

And
to
think
her
father
and
Iverson
were
here!

“No,” she whispered again, her legs threatening to buckle under her. “I can’t stay here.”

The woman laughed again. “I can see by your face you really thought you were going to be doing the work of a maid, didn’t you? Well, you’ll be serving up delicious meals, girlie. It just won’t be food.”

“I must go.” Catalina threw the dress to the floor and rushed past the servant.

The woman caught the tail of Catalina’s cloak and jerked her backward, making her stumble. “Slow down there. What’s the hurry? You’ve got nowhere else to go, girlie.”

Catalina let go of her wrap, leaving it in the hands of the woman. She raced out the door, slamming it shut behind her. She heard the servant calling for her to come back. Catalina held up the hem of her skirt with one hand and held onto the banister of the back stairs with the other. She raced down as fast as she could. The thought of seeing her father or Iverson in this place, or them seeing her, made her stomach quake. She wanted out of the house before either of them knew she was there.

Why
didn’t I listen to Briggs?

She didn’t slow down, and thankfully, she didn’t miss a step on the stairs. She kept running when she made it to the bottom landing. She quickly rounded a corner that led to the main corridor of the house and smacked right into the arms of a tall, strapping man who was coming out of a side room.

Catalina tripped on her gown, lost her footing, and would have gone down to the floor if the man hadn’t caught hold of her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered breathlessly and immediately tried to pull her arms out of his grasp.

“No harm done to me,” he said in a friendly voice but didn’t let her go. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m quite fine,” she answered. “Turn me loose.”

“Settle down and take the time to get your feet under you.” He smiled. “What’s your hurry? Is the house on fire?”

“No, no fire, but I must get out of here.”

“You will, but I think you owe me at least a minute of your time for almost knocking me down, don’t you?”

He was a fair-looking man, and perhaps the age of her father, so she wasn’t frightened by him, but she didn’t like the feel of his tight hands on her upper arms. And she didn’t owe him anything.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated.

“That’s better.” He smiled pleasantly again. “I haven’t seen you here before. Where has Madame Shipwith been hiding you?”

At the mention of Madame Shipwith, Catalina’s shoulders flew back, and she glowered at the man. “I do not work here, sir. Now turn me loose this instant so I may leave.”

His gaze washed down her face to her breasts and then back up to her eyes. “My minute’s not up. Now tell me, why would you want to go off in such a hurry? I understand Madame Shipwith reserves a few of her more expensive girls for certain gentlemen. I can understand her not wanting all of you to be available for public utilization, so to speak.”

Catalina was appalled by the man’s words, by his tight grip on her upper arms, and she tried once again to wrench herself free. Her movements only made him hold her tighter.

She had had enough of his brutish behavior. “Turn me loose,” she said again, grinding out the words from between clenched teeth.

He caught her up to him and reached down and kissed her neck just below her jaw. Catalina gasped and pushed at his chest with all her strength. He leaned closer, and she feared he was going to kiss her lips, so she turned her face away.

“Come now, pretty girl,” he said as his dry lips grazed her cheek. “I’m not going to hurt you or get you in trouble with Madame Shipwith. I just want to talk to you—for now.”

At that moment, Catalina realized the man wasn’t going to let go of her. He didn’t think he had to. And in this house, he probably didn’t. He had no reason to treat her as if she were a lady, because he didn’t think she
was
a lady. He thought she was a woman he could pay for. And that thought riled Catalina like nothing she could remember.

Kisses are like grains of gold or silver found upon the ground of no value themselves, but precious as showing that a mine is near.

—George Villiers

“Unhand me now, sir, or I will not be responsible for what I might do to you.”

“Please, do anything you wish.” He looked down at her and laughed. “It’s no wonder Madame Shipwith saves you for only a few select customers. You’re a lassie with spirit. I like that.”

“Then maybe you will like this.” Catalina yanked down hard on one arm and freed it from his grasp. She then jerked back and with all the power she could muster, swung her hand forward and slapped the man’s cheek as hard as she could. His head snapped back with a loud crack. He grunted painfully.

“Now unhand me, you ill-mannered oaf!”

He snatched her to him with a force so strong it wrenched her neck. His eyes were wild and his face full of fury. “You are a little hellcat. I think you need to be taught a lesson.”

Catalina tried to hit him again, but he grabbed her arm and jerked her up to his chest.

“Let her go!”

At the sound of Iverson’s strong voice, Catalina gasped and stopped fighting. She twisted her head around and saw him striding fast down the corridor toward her, looking as angry as the man she’d just hit.

“Who do you think you are?” The man sneered at Iverson as his hands tightened on Catalina’s arms. “And just what do you think you will do if I don’t let her go?”

“He’ll hold you down while I slap you again,” Catalina said confidently.

Within the blink of an eye, Iverson closed the distance between them and clamped his tight fist around one of the man’s wrists. The stranger grimaced in pain.

“Take your hand off her, or I’ll snap your wrist, and you won’t be holding any woman for a long time.”

Iverson’s tone was so cold, his voice so intense, Catalina shivered. He’d always told her he was a fierce protector, and now she had no doubt.

The man hesitated for only a moment as he looked into Iverson’s deadly serious eyes. He turned her loose. A moment or two later, Iverson let him go.

He held up both hands and stepped away from her. “Fine,” he spat, pulling on the ends of his waistcoat. “She’s yours. Take her. I hope she’s worth the money you’re paying for her.”

Iverson’s fist connected with the man’s jaw so fast Catalina never saw it coming. He fell to the floor with a thud, writhing like a fish out of water.

Iverson looked down at him and said, “Maybe next time you’ll recognize a lady when you see one.”

Eyes still filled with anger, he turned to Catalina and said, “Where’s your wrap?”

“On the second floor, but I’m not going back for it.”

“You were upstairs?” he asked incredulously. “How the hell did you get up there?”

That bit of information seemed to make him angrier. “A woman, the woman from the door took me. She thought I was here for… to—”

“Never mind,” he said and swung his cloak off his shoulders and lowered it over her head. “You can tell me later. Cover your face so no one will see you, and let’s get out of here.”

Catalina immediately felt the warmth from Iverson’s body in the cloak, and she shrouded herself in its safety. It was clear he was livid with her for following him, and given what just happened, she could understand. But right now, she didn’t care about that. He had come to her aid, and she felt immense relief and gratitude.

They rushed out the front door and down the steps. Catalina had to run to keep up with Iverson’s long strides, but she didn’t mind. She wanted to get away from that house as quickly as possible. Briggs stood by the landau and opened the door when he saw her coming.

“She’s riding with me,” Iverson told the deaf man.

Briggs immediately started shaking his head and making hand motions for Iverson to back off.

“No, Iverson,” Catalina said, “Briggs is right. It doesn’t matter where I just came from, I can’t be seen getting out of your carriage in front of my house or at the mews.”

“All right,” Iverson relented. “But I’m riding with you.” He looked at Briggs. “Stop at the corner of Whitfield and Madison before you enter Mayfair. There’s a high hedge there, and I can get out without being seen.”

Catalina nodded, letting Briggs know the plan was all right with her. After Iverson signaled his driver to follow them, they climbed into the carriage, and Briggs shut the door behind them. Catalina took one side and Iverson the other. The coach took off with a rattle, a jolt, and a shake before rolling down the deserted street at a brisk pace.

With no warning, Iverson quickly moved to the seat beside Catalina and grabbed her with fierce urgency and wrapped her tightly in his arms, rocking her. She was safe and in his arms. He kissed the side of her face and her hair as he quietly, lovingly said her name over and over again.

Catalina didn’t know if he was trying to comfort her or himself when, in a ragged voice, he whispered above her ear, “You scared the hell out of me.”

She felt a tremble in his strong arms. Her throat was clogged with unshed tears. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled against his chest.

“Don’t ever go off on your own like that again,” he said passionately, squeezing her tighter. “You don’t know what it did to me seeing that man holding you against your will.”

She raised her head and looked into his eyes. Their faces were close together, their erratic breaths mingling. “Iverson, if you hadn’t—”

He titled her head back. “No, don’t talk, Catalina. Just kiss me. I desperately need you to kiss me right now.”

Passion flared. Their lips touched in a searing kiss that left Catalina feeling as if she had been starving for Iverson. Their mouths and their tongues clung together. Her hands tangled in his hair, and he pressed her close and kissed her harder. The sounds they made were fierce, gasping, and hoarse.

His lips slipped to her neck, and his hands found her breasts and kneaded their softness. Catalina moaned, glorying in his touch, his need to protect her.

But all too soon, his kisses gentled, his breathing calmed, and slowly he pushed away from her. Their intense moment of passion had passed. Sanity returned.

Catalina took in a deep, steadying breath and lowered her arms from around his neck. There wasn’t much light shining in the landau, but Catalina didn’t need to see Iverson’s face to know he was no longer angry.

“I can’t believe you followed me,” he said into the darkness.

His voice was calmer, his tone surprised.

“Was I following you or just looking for Sir Phillip in the same place you were looking for him?”

He grunted a laugh. “I’m in no mood to be taunted with my own words, Catalina. If I’d had any idea you would follow me tonight, I never would have told you I was going to look for your father.”

“If I had had any idea of where you were going to look for my father, you can be sure I wouldn’t have followed you.”

“Do you really mean that?”

She thought for a moment and said, “No.”

“I didn’t think so.”

He caressed her cheek first with the backs of his fingers and then with his fingertips. Catalina felt a yearning deep in her abdomen. She wanted to grab his hand and place it on her breast and beg him to touch her with passion once again, but she remained still.

“Where is Mrs. Gottfried? I can’t believe she let you come after me alone.”

“She didn’t know where I was going, and I didn’t leave her much choice other than to allow me to do what I wished.”

“I suspected as much. You take care of her better than she looks out for you.”

“She’s been delicate since her husband passed on, and I have to take care of her.”

“You couldn’t have been in that house long, but what did you—? Did you see anything or anyone? I mean you didn’t—?”

“No.” She shook her head and gave him a grateful smile. “I saw only the woman who answered the door. She thought I was there looking for employment. She took me to a room so I could change into something more appropriate. I thought she was talking about servants’ work until she mentioned Madame Shipwith.”

His fingertips glided over her chin and trickled down her neck and settled in the hollow of her throat. “You know about Madame Shipwith’s establishment?”

“No, no, I mean yes.” Catalina sighed, wishing he would take her in his arms and kiss her passionately. “I knew Mrs. Wardyworth had worked for a woman named Madame Shipwith, but I didn’t know who Madame Shipwith was. I certainly had no idea that house was hers until I was upstairs.”

Iverson’s hand stilled, and he stirred in the seat. “Your father employs a woman who used to work for—?”

“Iverson, please,” she interrupted. “Do not try to understand my father and the people he chooses to employ.”

Iverson shook his head. “Your father never ceases to amaze me.”

“Perhaps my father is different from most people you know, but it just seems to be in his nature to collect oddities.”

“I will agree with that.”

“And keep in mind if I hadn’t known Madame Shipwith’s name, there is no telling what I might have seen or heard before I realized I shouldn’t be in that house. I was trying to get out when I ran into that odious man.” She cupped his cheek with her hand and whispered earnestly, “Thank you for saving me.”

“You have no need to thank me, Catalina,” he said huskily. “You were doing a damned good job taking care of yourself. I saw the powerful blow you gave that cock-bawd oaf.”

She laughed softly. “What did you call him?”

“Nothing,” he said. “Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

His arms surrounded her shoulders and pulled her close. There was no anger in his touch, only warmth and strong gentleness. Catalina let out a thankful breath and laid her head on his chest, letting her cheek rest against the softness of his waistcoat.

He kissed the top of her head as his hands caressed her back. She snuggled closer to him, and he said, “You’re shaking again. There’s no need to fear that loathsome man.”

“I’m just cold,” she fibbed, knowing the man had been too strong, and she wouldn’t have gotten away from him if Iverson hadn’t found her.

“You know I kept telling myself I wouldn’t hit the man, even though I wanted to smash in his face the moment I saw him holding you. I didn’t want you to see me be violent, but when he made that inappropriate comment about you, I had to defend you.”

She looked up at him. “I’m not sorry you hit him. I slapped him, too, remember.”

Iverson’s arms tightened around her, and she slipped her arms beneath his coat to circle his waist. She took pleasure in the contented feeling of being comforted in his embrace. It made her feel safe and, though she had no idea why, it also made her feel loved, cherished, and cared for, and that was a glorious feeling. She took care of so many people every day it was heavenly to know that tonight someone had taken care of her.

Catalina raised her head and looked into his eyes. She wanted Iverson to see into her soul and know what she was feeling. Her emotions were running wild because of what had transpired at Madame Shipwith’s, but what she was feeling in her heart was because of Iverson.

She said, “I felt very foolish tonight, Iverson, and I need you to kiss me again.”

“You are the least foolish lady I know, and I was hoping you wanted me to kiss you again.”

His lips came down on hers with warm, moist softness. Catalina’s arms moved up his strong, firm back. She pressed her body to his, while his lips explored hers with an exquisite tenderness that touched the core of her being.

She pulled away from him and placed her hands on each side of his face and looked intently into the depths of his eyes. “I want to think only about you and the things you make me feel when you kiss me and touch me.”

“Then think only of me,” he murmured softly, “and I will think only of you.”

She smiled. “That almost sounds like poetry.”

“Like hell it does,” he murmured and then chuckled softly under his breath.

His lips quickly covered hers with the same desperate passion they’d experienced earlier. His mouth and tongue ravaged hers in slow, savoring kisses that thrilled her, filled her. His hands brushed down her chest to her waist and back up again. They kissed and touched and embraced, fueling their desires to continue.

“I want to make you mine, Catalina.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes.”

He scooted her down and carefully leaned her back into the corner of the cushion. With gentle hands, he lifted one of her legs onto the seat, and then he stretched his body over her, fitting the junction of his thighs against her softness. Catalina’s heart lurched. She’d never felt a man’s weight before, and there was something richly sensuous and deeply satisfying about the pressure of it. A new expectancy filled her, and by instinct, she lifted her hips toward him.

A long, low sigh whispered past Iverson’s lips. It thrilled her that her action pleased him so much. He lifted himself a little, looking down at her. She smiled and kissed him sweetly, lingeringly on his lips, his cheeks, his closed eyes. His lips moved across her cheek, trailing little moist kisses over her jaw and down her chin to her neck, making her achingly aware of every masculine contour of his body. He cupped her backside and pushed her up closer to the hardness beneath his trousers. Something she didn’t know how to explain was building inside her, and she was eager to experience it.

With one hand, he reached down the scooped neckline of her gown, and with little effort, lifted the swell of her breast from beneath her undergarments, freeing her nipple to his view. He covered it with his mouth and hungrily sucked. Catalina gasped and arched her body toward him as hot, delicious sensations spiraled through her. Her arms circled his head, and she held him to her chest as wave after wave of thrilling desire racked every inch of her body.

Her breathing was shallow. She gloried in his touch as he feasted at her breast.

“Catalina, you shouldn’t be this sweet, this eager,” he whispered against her heated skin. “I shouldn’t want you this desperately.”

Though she didn’t know exactly what it was, she answered, “But I want you desperately, too.”

“Please don’t tell me that. That is not what a rake needs to hear.”