Dangerous (7 page)

“My lord, you are making a laughingstock out of my brother.”

Sebastian, dark and predatory-looking in his black and white evening clothes, managed to make every other man in the room look like a fop. He seemed unsurprised and unmoved by Prudence’s accusation. His mouth curved in the familiar humorless smile.

“At least he is a live laughingstock rather than a dead one,” he said. “Isn’t that what you wanted, Miss Merryweather?”

She glowered at him through her spectacles. He was being deliberately difficult. “No, it is not what I wanted. Not precisely, that is.”

Sebastian’s brow rose inquiringly. “You would rather I had accepted one or two of the numerous challenges I have received from him in the past few days?”

“Certainly not. You know perfectly well that the last thing I wanted was a duel between the two of you. That was the very thing that I wished to avoid.”

“You have gotten your wish.” Sebastian’s amber eyes gleamed. “I have kept my end of the bargain. Why are you berating me, Miss Merryweather?”

Prudence felt herself turning pink at the reminder of the deal they had struck in his library. “You know perfectly well I expected you to handle this entire matter in a more subtle manner, my lord. I did not think you would turn it into a joke.”

The realization of exactly how Sebastian was dealing with her brother’s outrage had finally come to Prudence earlier that afternoon. Hester, torn between amusement and affection for Trevor, had outlined the latest gossip to Prudence only a few hours ago.

“It is common knowledge that Trevor is issuing a challenge every time he learns that Angelstone had talked to you or danced with you,” Hester had explained over tea.

“Oh, no.” Prudence had gazed at her friend in shock. “Why on earth can’t Trevor learn to keep his mouth closed?”

Hester had shrugged. “He’s very young, my dear. And quite determined to protect you. In any event, Angelstone has made a game of the entire affair. He promptly sends a flowery apology each time Trevor calls him out.”

“And Trevor accepts it?”

“There is nothing else the boy can do. Angelstone’s reputation is not harmed in the least because no one would dream of suspecting him of cowardice. His reputation is far too formidable. There isn’t a soul who believes he is actually afraid to meet Trevor.”

Prudence had brightened slightly. “I suppose everyone realizes Angelstone is showing compassion and a mature nature by refusing to meet my brother.”

“Not quite, my dear,” Hester had said. “The assumption is that Angelstone is refraining from putting a bullet in poor Trevor because he is reluctant to cause you distress.”

“I don’t understand.”

Hester sighed. “It’s perfectly obvious, Prue. Everyone believes
Angelstone is indulging you for the moment because they believe you are marked as the Fallen Angel’s next victim.”

“Nonsense.” But Prudence had been acutely conscious of the shock of excitement that had shimmered through her. It was madness to entertain the notion that Angelstone might have anything other than an amused, intellectual interest in her. Nevertheless, she could not put the memory of his kiss out of her head.

Tonight she was determined to confront him on the subject of the way in which he was treating Trevor. She intended to be quite firm.

Sebastian now contemplated Prudence’s resolute expression, “If you will recall the terms of our bargain, Miss Merryweather, you will remember that you did not specify exactly how I was to avoid future duels with your brother.”

“It did not occur to me that Trevor would make a fool of himself by continuing to challenge you. He was so anxious after he called you out the first time that I assumed he would be grateful to have escaped unscathed. I hoped that he would take pains to avoid a future encounter.”

“Forgive me for saying so, Miss Merryweather, but I fear you don’t know much about the workings of the male brain.”

“Not about the workings of the
immature
male brain,” she said. “I’ll grant you that much. And it seems to me, sir, that your approach to dealing with my brother is no more mature than his is in dealing with you. I won’t have you amusing yourself at my brother’s expense.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes. And while we’re on the subject, I would also like to inform you that I will not allow you to amuse yourself with me, either.” She felt herself turn pink, but she held her ground. “Just in case you have taken a notion to do so.”

“How will you stop me?” Sebastian asked with grave interest.

“If need be, I shall put a stop to this nonsense once and for all by declining your invitations to dance.” She lifted her chin in challenge. “Perhaps I shall cease speaking to you altogether.”

“Come, now, Miss Merryweather. Don’t make threats you will be unable to carry out. You know that you would soon be as bored as I am at these affairs if you were to cut me dead.”

“I’m certain I could find one or two other interesting people with whom I would enjoy conversing,” she said. But her words were spoken out of sheer bravado and she suspected he knew it.

It was Sebastian who made the endless round of soirees and balls bearable. It had gotten to the point where Prudence actually looked forward to going out in the evenings now because she knew he would turn up at one or more of the parties she was attending.

Sebastian’s eyes glittered with a knowing expression. He took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. “Look around you, Miss Merryweather. There is no one else here tonight who shares your interests. No one else with whom you can discuss techniques of investigation. As far as the
ton
is concerned, you are merely a new and quaintly amusing toy.”

She searched his face. “I rather suspect that is all I am to you, too, my lord.”

Sebastian swept her into the waltz. “Unlike many others here tonight, I know how to take care of my toys. I do not take pleasure in breaking them and then discarding them.”

Prudence caught her breath. “What is that supposed to mean, sir?”

“It means you are safe enough with me, Prue,” he said softly. “And so is your annoying young pup of a brother.”

Not knowing how to take the first part of that vow, Prudence seized on the latter. “Then you will cease tormenting Trevor?”

“Never fear. Sooner or later he’ll figure out that when I want something, I do not let anything get in my way. Eventually he will desist. Now, then, I have been thinking about our last conversation and I have another question for you.”

Prudence eyed him uncertainly. “What is that?”

“You said you found the Pembroke jewels beneath a wooden floorboard while looking for signs of spectral phenomena. I doubt that you tore up every board in the house looking for a ghost.”

“No, of course not,” she agreed.

“Then how did you know which boards to remove?”

“Oh, that was easy, my lord,” she said. “I rapped.”

“Rapped?”

Prudence chuckled. “With a cane. The legend of the Pembroke jewels was connected to the Pembroke ghost, you see. I knew that if I could find the jewels, I might be able to prove or disprove the tales of the ghost.”

“So you went looking for the jewels in hopes of finding the ghost. Naturally you reasoned that the jewels, if they were still hidden somewhere in the house, would have to be in a concealed safe of some sort.”

“And a safe hidden in the floorboards or the walls would likely produce a hollow sound when I rapped on the wood above it,” Prudence concluded happily.

“Very logical.” There was genuine admiration in Sebastian’s gaze.

“I went through the entire house with a stout cane and rapped on every wall and every floor. When I discovered a place that sounded hollow, I instructed that the boards be removed. The jewels were hidden in a secret opening beneath one of them. Lady Pembroke’s grandfather had forgotten to pass the secret of his hiding place down to his descendants, so the jewels had been lost.”

“Very clever.” Sebastian looked down at her with cool approval. “I’m impressed.”

Prudence’s flush deepened at the praise. “I am happy for
Lady Pembroke, of course, but I must admit it was rather disappointing not to find some evidence of spectral phenomena.”

Sebastian’s smile was ironic. “I’m certain Lady Pembroke would far rather have the jewels than the Pembroke ghost.”

“That’s what she says.”

“How did you become interested in such an unusual hobby?” Sebastian asked.

“The influence of my parents, I suppose.” Prudence smiled reminiscently. “They were both devoted to the subject of natural philosophy. My father studied meteorological phenomena. My mother made extensive observations on the species of animals and birds that lived in the vicinity of our farm.”

Sebastian watched her intently. “And they taught you how to make observations?”

“Yes. And how to conduct a logical investigation to discover the answer to a question. They were very expert at that sort of thing.” Prudence smiled proudly. “Both of them had papers published in the journals of several important scientific societies.”

“My father had portions of some of his journals published,” Sebastian said slowly.

“Really? What sort of studies did he carry out?”

“He kept extensive records of his travels and explorations. Many of them were of interest to scientific societies.”

“How exciting.” Prudence was fascinated. “I collect you were allowed to accompany him on his travels?”

Sebastian smiled briefly. “When I was growing up my father took all of us—my mother, myself, and my little brother—with him nearly everywhere he went. Mother had the knack of being able to make a home in the middle of a desert or on an island in the South Seas.”

“What happened when you grew older?”

“My mother and brother continued to travel with my father. But I went off on my own. I looked for interesting
investment opportunities in foreign ports. I did some observations of terrain for the military during the war. That sort of thing.”

“I envy you the sights you must have seen and things you must have learned,” Prudence said.

“It’s true that I learned a great deal about the world.” Sebastian’s eyes were as hard, brilliant, and cold as faceted gems. “But the price of my education was too high.”

“I don’t understand,” Prudence whispered.

“Four years ago my parents and my brother were killed by a great fall of rock while they were traveling through a mountain pass in a godforsaken corner of the East called Saragstan.”

Prudence came to a halt on the dance floor. “How terrible for you, my lord. I know how you must have felt. I remember all too well my feelings at the moment I received word my parents had been killed in the carriage accident.”

Sebastian did not seem to hear her. His gaze was turned inward as he led her off the floor. Prudence sensed that he was focusing on some distant landscape that only he could see. He came to a halt near the French doors and stood looking out into the night.

“I was to meet up with them in a small town at the foot of the mountains. I had business dealings there. The local weavers produce a very fine cloth which I purchase and have shipped to England and America. My parents and my brother never arrived.”

“I am so very sorry, my lord.” Prudence sought for words of comfort. “Such tragic accidents are very difficult to endure.”

Sebastian veiled his eyes briefly with his long, dark lashes. When he raised them again and glanced sideways at Prudence she knew he was once more in the present. “You misunderstand. My parents and my brother did not die in an accident.”

Prudence stared at him. “What are you saying?”

“The fall of rock which killed them was deliberately caused by bandits who preyed upon travelers in the mountains. I did not know that the bandits were a problem in the region when I sent word to my father to meet me in that damned town.”

“Dear God.” Prudence’s eyes widened as she realized what he was saying. “Surely you do not blame yourself, my lord?”

“I don’t know.” He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe and continued to gaze out into the darkness. “The fact is they would all be alive today if I had not asked them to join me there in Saragstan.”

She touched his sleeve. “You must not assume the responsibility for what happened. You did not destroy your family. The bandits did that. Were they ever caught and punished?”

“Yes.” Sebastian looked down at her. “They were punished.” His mouth curved in his chilling smile. “Now, Miss Merryweather, I suggest we change the subject. I would rather not discuss such unpleasant matters with you.”

“I quite understand, my lord,” Prudence said seriously. “I do not think it is a good thing to dwell too much on the past. It is the present and the future that are important. Don’t you agree?”

“I have no idea.” Sebastian acted as though the question bored him. “I’ll leave such philosophical decisions up to you.”

The devil was up to mischief tonight. Prudence was certain of it an hour later when Sebastian took his leave of her and started toward the door.

During the past few days she had come to feel that she had gotten to know this enigmatic man quite well. There was a sense of recognition deep inside her. She did not fully understand it, but she knew it was there.

She thought she could see past the cool facade he showed
to the world. She believed she could even read the small signs that indicated the subtle changes in his dark moods.

Tonight, Prudence decided, there was an air of keen alertness about him, a sense of barely suppressed anticipation like that of a predator on the hunt. It worried her. Sebastian had been in the same strange mood for the past three nights.

She watched him make his way through the glittering room. He would soon be lost from sight in the throng of guests that filled the Thornbridge house.

This was not the first time this week that she had watched him quietly disappear from a crowded ballroom. He had vanished from three different ballrooms last night, two others the previous night, and two more the night before that. On each occasion he had reappeared a short while later acting as if he had never been gone. No one but Prudence seemed to have noticed. After all, the rooms were so crowded that it was nothing to lose sight of a person for a while.