Dangerous (16 page)

She was still confused by the emotions that had raged through her when Sebastian had touched her that night with such startling intimacy. She knew that with every passing day of this false engagement she was falling deeper in thrall to the Fallen Angel.

Her common sense warned her that it would be exceedingly dangerous to allow Sebastian to make love to her any more thoroughly than he already had. But Prudence was not at all certain she had the fortitude to stop him.

“You are being deliberately difficult, my lord,” she accused.

“Yes, I know, but it amuses me.” Sebastian rested one booted foot on the edge of the fountain and smiled. “Now, then, I have something far more interesting to discuss with you, my dear.”

“What is that?”

“My Bow Street Runner acquaintance has brought me a rather intriguing case that requires investigation. I thought you might like to hear about it.”

Prudence instantly forgot how annoyed she was with him. “Sebastian, how wonderful. Tell me all about it. I shall so enjoy assisting you.”

“I am not asking for your assistance,” he said carefully. “But I thought you might enjoy the opportunity of observing my methods.”

“How am I to do that?” she demanded. She had absolutely
no intention of being relegated to the role of observer, but she would explain that to him later.

“The curious death I am to investigate took place a few days ago at Curling Castle. You may have heard about it?”

Prudence frowned. “A man named Ringcross fell from a high window and broke his neck, I believe. He was said to have been quite drunk at the time and his death was presumed to be an unfortunate accident.”

“Someone, namely Lord Curling, is not so certain, apparently.”

“He has hired a Runner to look into the matter?”

“In strictest confidence. No one, including Curling, must know that I am to do the actual investigation. As far as he is concerned, Whistlecroft is making the inquiries.”

“Yes, of course. I comprehend you wish to keep your hobby a secret. Perfectly understandable, given your position. Also, you would not be nearly so effective in your work if everyone knew what you were about, would you?”

“No.”

“Sebastian, this is fascinating. What are we going to do first? I am so eager to learn your techniques and methods.”

He gave her a look that might have been described as smug. “First, we shall visit the scene of Ringcross’s death.”

“A sensible notion.” Prudence absently tapped her closed fan against her gloved palm. “That means we shall have to go to Curling Castle. How are we to do that without letting anyone know our goal, my lord?”

“Rather easily, as it happens. As usual, I have received yet another invitation to one of Curling’s weekend house parties. This time I shall accept on the understanding that you will also be invited.”

“Excellent. But will no one think it odd that I have suddenly been asked to one of Lord Curling’s parties? I have certainly not been on his guest list previously.”

“No one will think it at all odd.” Sebastian was clearly amused at her naïveté. “Not when they realize that I have
accepted an invitation as well. Indeed, they would find it strange if you were not at Curling Castle, too.”

Prudence tipped her head to one side and studied him closely. “Am I missing something here, sir?”

Sebastian drew her closer so that her skirts brushed against his leg. “I take it you have not been to many
ton
nish house parties, my dear.”

“No,” she admitted. “Why?”

“I think you will comprehend the appeal of a large country house party once you have attended one.”

Prudence could feel the muscular strength of his thigh. He still had his boot braced against the fountain so she was pressed lightly against the inside of his leg. The intimate position in which she found herself sent a thrill through her.

“I believe various games and pastimes are enjoyed by the guests at such parties,” she said quickly in an attempt to sound knowledgeable on the subject of house parties.

“They certainly are. And the most interesting games and pastimes are played late at night when everyone has retired for the evening.”

“I don’t understand.”

Sebastian’s mouth curved slightly. “A large country house party provides almost unlimited opportunity for dalliances and liaisons of a romantic nature, my sweet.”

Prudence widened her eyes. “Oh.”

“In a large house such as Curling Castle there are literally dozens of bedrooms. And they are all conveniently situated quite close to each other.”

Prudence felt herself turning very warm. “Good heavens. I had not thought of that aspect.”

“Conducting an affair takes planning and care here in Town,” Sebastian said. “But at a large house party such as the sort Curling gives, one has only to go across the hall to rendezvous with one’s lover or”—he smiled—“one’s fiancée.”

Prudence lifted her chin and gave him a severe look. “I expect Lady Pembroke will insist on accompanying me.”

“I expect she will.” Sebastian was clearly not worried by the prospect of Prudence having a chaperone along. “My man of affairs will secure an invitation for her, too.”

ebastian put down his cue and glanced at the handful of other players gathered around Lord Curling’s billiard table. “If you will excuse me, gentlemen, I believe I have had enough of this game for today.”

“Come, now,” one of the other guests protested, “you must give us a chance to win back a bit of the blunt you have lifted from us this afternoon, Angelstone.”

“You don’t seem to comprehend, Dodwell,” Sebastian said. “I am bored with the play.”

“Let him go,” another man advised from the other side of the green baize table. “I expect Angelstone has more interesting entertainment in mind.”

The men gathered around the table chuckled and exchanged knowing glances.

“Don’t we all,” one grumbled good-naturedly. “Unfortunately, it is a bit early in the day yet.”

One of the players looked at Sebastian. “If you are anxious to see what your fiancée is up to at the moment, check the east gardens. I believe you will find her in the process of winning the ladies’ archery contest.”

“No doubt.” Sebastian started toward the door of Curling’s vast library. “She has already taken the honors in all the rest of the games that were arranged for the ladies today.”

While Sebastian had spent the day with the other gentlemen who had been invited to Curling Castle, Prudence had been busily sampling the pleasures of a country house party with the ladies. In typical Prudence fashion, she had thrown herself wholeheartedly into the entertainments.

At noon, just as he was returning from a fishing expedition with the men, word reached Sebastian that Prudence had been first through the elaborate maze. At two o’clock, while he was touring his host’s stables, he heard that the ladies had returned from their walk to the old Norman ruins. Prudence had apparently led the group in both directions and had done a detailed sketch of the view.

This afternoon she had won all the contests held on the wide sweep of lawn that fronted the castle and had signed up to participate in the amateur theatrics after dinner that evening.

Sebastian looked forward to watching her performance as an actress. He smiled, thinking of his mother.

He had a hunch that Prudence and his mother would have taken to each other on sight. They were both women of intelligence, passion, and integrity. His father had once told him that such women were rare and if a man was fortunate enough to find and keep one, no price was too high to pay.

Sebastian examined his surroundings as he made his way through the long hall to the terrace. Curling Castle was a cavernous pile of old stone that rose three stories above the land around it. It had been built during the previous century by a wealthy but rather eccentric merchant who had been determined to elevate himself to the level of a gentleman. In the attempt to achieve that goal, he had poured a fortune into his estate.

The result had been a monstrosity of a house. The hallways appeared endless. Curling had admitted at breakfast that he wasn’t certain how many rooms the house contained. He had added that the top floor and the tower rooms were
never used at all, even when the house was full, as it was that weekend.

That bit of information had intrigued Sebastian. According to all accounts, Ringcross had fallen from a tower room. Sebastian wondered what he had been doing in an unused portion of the house.

Tonight he and Prudence would do some investigating, he thought as he strolled out onto the terrace. Prudence would enjoy that enormously.

He saw the ladies lined up in front of the archery targets that had been placed in the east gardens. Each held a dainty bow and a tiny arrow that probably would not have felled a mouse at point-blank range.

There was a great deal of laughter from the contestants and good-natured cheering from the audience. Sebastian studied the crowd closely. He frowned when he saw that Underbrink was in the group.

Underbrink was evidently a new arrival. He certainly had not been around last night or this morning. Sebastian noted that there was no sign of Underbrink’s ever-vigilant wife.

As Sebastian watched, Underbrink sauntered over to Prudence and apparently offered to help her with her bow. Prudence shook her head quite firmly. Underbrink shrugged and walked back to join the crowd.

Lady Pembroke also stood amid the onlookers. She glanced up, saw Sebastian on the terrace, and waved a violet hankie that matched her gown. Then she turned back to watch Prudence take her shot.

Prudence was last in line. She was the only contestant who was not giggling or coyly asking one of the gentlemen to show her how to cock the arrow. Her spectacles sparkled in the sunlight as she concentrated intently on the target. The seriousness of her expression made Sebastian smile.

The day was cloudy. A crisp breeze caused the skirts of Prudence’s dull bronze afternoon dress to ripple enticingly about her legs. Sebastian admired her trim little ankles for a
full minute before he became aware of the fact that he was not the only male doing so. He glanced to the side and saw that his host had come out of the house to join him.

“I must congratulate you, Angelstone. She’s an oddly attractive little thing. Not at all in the usual style.” Lord Curling’s pale blue eyes were fixed on Prudence. “I’d heard your fiancée was an Original. But then, from all accounts that is the only sort of woman who would be likely to appeal to you. Is it true she investigates ghosts?”

Sebastian slanted Curling an assessing glance. In truth, the baron was probably no better or worse than most of the other gentlemen of the
ton
.

Sebastian knew there were many who would say his own reputation left more to be desired than did Curling’s. The legitimacy of Curling’s birth, for example, had never been questioned.

Sebastian had made a few inquiries before leaving London but had turned up little more than he already knew about Curling. In spite of his tendency toward lavish entertaining here at Curling Castle, there were no particularly unpleasant rumors about the man. No one had ever accused him of cheating at cards, for example. He had not fought any duels. There was no indication that he favored the same sort of brothels that Ringcross had.

But Sebastian could not bring himself to actually like the man. Studying him now, he thought he knew why. There was cold, sexual interest in Curling’s eyes as he watched Prudence. Sebastian knew that if it weren’t for the fact that he was committed to spending the weekend investigating Ringcross’s death, he would have been tempted to take Prudence back to Town immediately.

But Sebastian also knew that if he even so much as suggested they leave, Prudence would be outraged. She was looking forward to tonight’s investigations with such enthusiasm that he could not bring himself to disappoint her.

“My fiancée is extremely interested in spectral phenomena,” Sebastian said without inflection.

“Fascinating.” Curling turned his head to look at him. “And has she ever discovered a genuine ghost?”

“No.”

“Pity.” Curling’s heavy features assumed a thoughtful expression. “I have occasionally wondered if ghosts actually exist.”

“Have you?” Sebastian gripped the stone wall that surrounded the terrace and watched as Prudence shot her arrow. “What is it about the subject of ghosts that alarms you, Curling? Are you afraid of encountering one, or is it the possibility of returning as one yourself that makes you anxious?”

“You mistake me, Angelstone. The notion of ghosts does not alarm me in the least. It merely intrigues me. I frequently find myself consumed with ennui. Encountering a ghost would be a most amusing experience, would it not? Almost as amusing as some other experiences I can imagine.”

Sebastian’s hands tightened on the stone wall. “I would advise you to be extremely cautious about how you decide to relieve your boredom.”

“Rest assured I am a very prudent man, Angelstone.” Curling smiled with satisfaction as Prudence’s arrow buried itself close to the heart of the target. “Excellent shot. I do believe your lady has won, sir.”