Educating Elizabeth (35 page)

"My apologies, gentlemen, but I've another urgent matter to attend to. I hope you will excuse me?"

Without waiting for an answer, he strode out of the grandiose government building and into the deserted cobbled street where his carriage waited. His certainty that Elizabeth had sought shelter with Angelique had only increased during the interminable meeting and he decided to go see for himself.

Half an hour later, just before a delicate porcelain figurine smashed into the back of his head, he managed to slam the front door of Angelique's house behind him. Breathing hard, he listened as Angelique continued to shriek profanities in gutter French at his invisible form. Despite her vociferous objections, Gervase had searched the whole house.

Elizabeth wasn't there.

Gervase wasn't totally despondent. Angelique had unwittingly revealed another potential avenue of investigation when she had threatened to run off with his cousin Vincent.

How could he have forgotten Vincent? Gervase jammed on his hat and directed his coachman toward the Pelican Inn. If Vincent was indeed in residence, Gervase intended to ask for his help in preventing Elizabeth from leaving England or, if she had already fled, in tracing her passage to France.

The obsequious clerk at the front desk of The Pelican escorted Gervase up the stairs to Vincent's rooms. The clerk left after bowing so low that his long nose almost connected with his knee. Gervase knocked once and, ascertaining that the door was unlocked, let himself in.

"I'm sorry for calling on you at such an odd hour, Vincent, but..." Gervase stopped speaking as he took in the sight of his cousin and Elizabeth comfortably ensconced on a couch before the fire, playing cards. Vincent had discarded his cravat and coat and Elizabeth wore a man's embroidered dressing gown. Her hair hung down her back in a thick braid. For a furious moment, Gervase was tempted to strangle her with it.

Something of his desire must have shown on his face because Elizabeth edged toward Vincent and his cousin put a protective arm around her shoulders. Gervase's sharp relief at seeing Elizabeth disappeared into a spiral of emotions that threatened to consume him. Before his brain consciously formed the desire to kill them both, his fingers were already groping in his coat pocket seeking his pistol.

"Cousin," he snapped. "It seems that the questions I wished to ask you have been answered by Miss Waterstone's presence here."

Vincent rose, his face a cool mask, his deliberate shielding of Elizabeth another insult that Gervase struggled to bear.

"I understood from Miss Waterstone that you had cast her aside, Gervase. Am I mistaken?"

"No, by God. You are welcome to the lying little jade. Did she tell you that she makes her living out of betraying those around her?"

Fierce joy coursed through Gervase as Elizabeth jumped to her feet, eyes flashing.

"I did not betray you, Your Grace. I suggest you use your much vaunted intelligence and look around you for the true culprit."

Gervase gave a harsh laugh. "Why should I, when you so admirably fit the bill?"

Elizabeth took a hasty step toward him, but Vincent grasped her elbow and spun her around to face the door connecting the rooms of the suite. "Go to bed, Elizabeth. I will sort this out with Gervase."

With a sniff, Elizabeth came up onto her toes, wrapped her arms around Vincent's neck, and fastened her mouth onto his. Gervase's hands curled into fists as Vincent enjoyed a leisurely embrace with Elizabeth, then released her with a pat on her rounded bottom.

Elizabeth fluttered her eyelashes and smiled, ignoring Gervase completely. "I will wait for you in bed, my lord."

Gervase remained silent until Elizabeth shut the door between the two rooms, then turned his attention to his cousin. "You didn't have to enjoy her kisses so much, Vincent. And who the hell told you to call her Elizabeth?"

"She did." Vincent shrugged. "When you ordered me to keep an eye on her, you said you had no interest in her any longer, Gervase. I happen to think very highly of Elizabeth. When I've fulfilled my obligation to you, I will be more than willing to help her in any way I can."

Gervase gritted his teeth. Why did everyone, apart from Sir John, continue to see Elizabeth as an innocent? "Just keep her safe and away from the parade tomorrow," he ordered gruffly.

Vincent swept him an exquisite bow. "Of course I will. I gave you my word that I would protect her, and I've no intention of breaking it."

"You were
supposed
to be a last resort. I had no idea she would turn to you," Gervase retorted grimly as he pulled on his gloves.

Vincent grinned and picked up his wine glass. "And you don't like it much, do you cousin? Especially the thought that Elizabeth is sharing my bed?"

Gervase opened his mouth to pour scorn on any such notion and then closed it again with a snap, pushing away the unwelcome image of Elizabeth and Vincent tangled in the sheets. He pulled open the door and slammed it behind him with a satisfying crash as Vincent's laughter followed him down the stairs.

*** *** ***

"Well!" Elizabeth folded her arms and paced in front of Vincent, who sat on the side of the bed. "He didn't even give me a chance to explain myself. He doesn't
deserve
to find out the truth."

She rounded on Vincent when he had the temerity to chuckle. "I wish that I hadn't told Jack Llewelyn to give him my message. I
wish
that I had borrowed your dueling pistols and shot him!"

"You sound remarkably like Gervase at the moment, my sweet." He pretended to shudder. "I thought I was about to breathe my last when you decided to lavish your kisses on me in front of him."

Elizabeth held out her hand. "I'm sorry, my lord, I was so enraged that I didn't think. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Lord Vincent kissed her fingers and strolled toward the door. "No, luckily, my cousin decided not to call me out. It took all his energy to convince himself that he didn't care for you, didn't you notice?"

Vincent waited while she absorbed the implications of his remark. "Are you sure you wouldn't like me to stay?" He gestured toward the bed. "I blush to admit it, but I'm told I'm every bit as accomplished in the bedroom as my cousin is. You are more than welcome to compare us."

Elizabeth shook her head and Lord Vincent departed with a wink and a resigned shrug. She got into bed and allowed herself to savor the tantalizing hope that the duke did indeed care for her, until she rolled onto her front and recalled his horrid expression when he had called her a jade. It would have been so much easier if she could succumb to Lord Vincent's charms. He had been a perfect gentleman ever since she had knocked on his door the previous evening.

Elizabeth sat up and blew out the candle. She would make one last attempt to convince the duke of her innocence on the morrow. If he still refused to listen to her, she would have to hope that Jack Llewelyn and Michael could persuade him in her stead.

*** *** ***

Gervase threw his hat and gloves onto the hall table, crossed the deserted marble hall, and marched up the stairs to his chamber. The house was silent around him and he didn't bother to ring for Jacques. He missed Elizabeth's vibrant presence more than he would have thought possible. Angelique's contemptuous words regarding his lonely and mistrustful nature reverberated in his head as he undressed and slipped naked into bed.

To add to his worries, Sir John hadn't returned. Gervase had sent Nicholas out to find word of him. His diligent secretary's convenient disappearance set off all kinds of alarms in Gervase's head. Had Sir John been taken to prevent him interfering in
La Fleur's
plans, or had Sir John done the unthinkable and allied himself with the duke's enemies? Nothing seemed certain anymore except the unsavory vision of a solitary future too bleak to contemplate

Eventually, Gervase felt so stifled he got out of bed to open one of the sash windows, which looked out over the well-tended garden. The capricious English weather seemed set to be fine for the victory parade and, unfortunately, meant the crowds would be out in force on the morrow. Would Elizabeth bother to watch the celebrations or would Vincent keep her occupied in bed?

Gervase cursed as he got back into bed and tried to blot out the insidious image of Elizabeth in Vincent's arms. He placed his hands behind his head and focused on the indistinct glimmer of the black silk canopy above his bed. The faint breeze from the opened window made the silk undulate like a snake poised to strike.

In truth, he hadn't finished with Elizabeth Waterstone yet and she knew it. If Vincent could keep his hands off her until tomorrow night, and keep her safe, then there would be a reckoning...

Gervase dressed in the soft light of the rising sun as it broke over the slate roofs of the square. He stowed his favorite pistol in the deep pocket of his black coat and struggled to pull on his boots without the aid of his valet. He slipped silently down the staircase and out through the side door that led to the stables. No one was about when he saddled a horse and set off for his rendezvous in the park with Jack Llewelyn.

Gervase kept his horse to a walk as he picked a careful path between the incoming crowds of spectators. People were beginning to gather at the best vantage spots along the route although the parade was not due to start until the afternoon. A slight breeze fluttered the limp bunting that lined the roadside. Gervase ducked his head to avoid a trailing Prussian flag.

There was no sign of Jack Llewelyn at the appointed meeting place. After circling the fountain a few times, Gervase dismounted and walked his horse along the newly cut grass verge. After a while, he extracted his watch from his waistcoat pocket and noted the time. He closed the watchcase with a decisive snap, and stared unseeingly toward the western gate of the park.

If Jack Llewelyn would not come out of hiding, Gervase would flush him out like the vermin he was. Without further thought, he remounted his horse and headed for the Foresters.

After he discovered an empty, unused stable at the rear of the house, he tied his horse to the rusted railings at the front of the house and went up the worn steps. To his surprise, the front door was ajar. A feeling of unease assailed him and he took out his pistol and pushed the door open with the toe of his boot. The dingy hallway was empty. Gervase hesitated, his back to the door, and attempted to get his bearings.

A rustle of petticoats drew his attention to the top of the stairs, where Mrs. Forester stood silhouetted against the faded floral wallpaper. Gervase dropped his arm to hide his pistol in the folds of his coat and took off his hat.

"I do apologize for the intrusion, Mrs. Forester, but no one answered the door. I need to speak to Mr. Llewelyn on a matter of urgency."

Mrs. Forester descended the stairs until she stood level with the duke. "There is no need to apologize, Your Grace." She dabbed at her nose with a lace handkerchief. "Unfortunately Mr. Forester has already left to watch the parade with my daughter, Mary, and cannot be here to welcome you to our humble home." She glanced around vaguely. "It seems as if all the servants have left as well, but Mr. Llewelyn is here." She put the handkerchief away and pointed down a dimly lit corridor, which seemed to lead to the back of the house. "He works in the old housekeeper's rooms beside the kitchen."

Gervase left his hat on the hall table and headed off down the corridor before she could question him further. When he reached his destination, he didn't bother to knock, being reluctant to lose the element of surprise. Jack Llewelyn and a man, he reckoned from his looks to be Elizabeth's brother, Michael, were seated side by side behind the desk.

"What the devil is going on, Llewelyn?" Gervase demanded.

Llewelyn shot to his feet. "Your Grace, watch out!"

Before Gervase could react, his right wrist was grabbed and locked behind his back. His fingers were smashed repeatedly against the wall until his pistol fell from his now-useless grasp and a huge unwashed hand covered his mouth. He fought against the suffocating embrace of the bear of a man behind him, but he couldn't get free.

He was manhandled around to face the center of the room in time to see his secretary, Sir John Harrington, cuff Llewelyn across the face.

"I told you to be quiet," Sir John snarled, his perspiring face a fiery red.

Llewelyn spat at him. "You are a lot braver now that your thugs have tied me up, aren't you?"

Sir John struck out at Llewelyn again and blood dripped from the corner of Jack's mouth. Sir John laughed. "You are a known coward, Llewelyn. How many times will I have to hit you before you give in and cry mercy?" He drew back his fist. "Once, twice?"

Jack Llewelyn muttered an obscenity and Gervase shook off the hand that covered his mouth. "What in damnation is going on? Tell this fool to let me go."

"Oh no, Your Grace. I've waited too long to be denied the opportunity to pay you back for the endless hours of devotion I've wasted on you." Gervase stilled as Sir John glared at him. "Have you any idea," Sir John continued, "how
insulting
it is to work for a man as dissolute and disgusting as you are? A man who wastes all his God-given opportunities and enjoys consorting with whores and gamblers?"

Gervase smiled. "You think you could do better, Sir John? You couldn't even break a single line of code. You had to get Elizabeth Waterstone to do it for you."

Sir John went still. "You insult me, but no matter. Yes, it was lucky that Mr. Forester was able to dupe you into accepting Elizabeth into his household. We had high hopes that she would be able to translate the code we needed."

Michael Waterstone shouted. "Elizabeth is no traitor. If she translated the code she was forced to do so."

Gervase gave a soft laugh. "If you know your sister at all, Lieutenant Waterstone, you should also know that she chose to meddle with the code without any compulsion from anyone."

His next breath was cut off as Sir John backhanded him across the face. "I hate to interrupt this inspiring conversation, Your Grace, but of course we didn't tell Miss Waterstone what was going on. At first, I intended to ask her to help me with the code. But being a woman, and a damned inquisitive one at that, she managed to translate it all by herself."