Enticing Eve: Scandalous Secrets, Book 2 (37 page)

Clutching a card tightly, she rapped on the door with her free hand. Nothing but silence greeted her causing her to press her ear against the door for several seconds, waiting for a sound, any sign that he might be awake. None manifested itself.

What should she do? Her inner voice suggested she run, hide under her covers and never rise. Eve found that very same inner voice to be rather cowardly and unrealistic.
 

It hadn’t taken her long to realize that she did indeed want to marry Colin. What had taken a while, and what shocked her to discover, was the relief she experienced when Tristan found them together. As awful as that sounded, as horrible as it made her feel, she was relieved nonetheless because Colin would finally be hers.

For the first time in her life, she had everything to lose. One might think such a realization would make her fretful; however, the knowledge had the opposite effect.
 

It made Eve determined to get what she wanted.
 

What she wanted on this night, above all else, was her husband.

Placing her hand on the cold, brass doorknob, Eve prayed that he didn’t lock the door on his side. Turning it slowly, she continued to repeat her silent prayer,
please, dear God, let it be unlocked
until she heard a faint click and pried the door open.

She breathed a sigh of relief before peering around the now open door. The hearth emanated a warm, orange glow as embers crackled, making the room seem less silent, less tomb-like.
 

Scanning the room, she looked to the bed first. It was still made. Her eyes then spanned the shadows until she saw his silhouette seated in a chair near the hearth.

“Colin?” She asked, not quite in a whisper, yet not loud either.

He remained silent.
 

As she crept across the carpeted floor in her bare feet, her eyes searched for his face but he kept it hidden from view, staring into the fire she assumed.

“Are you awake?” Eve was pleased that she sounded normal when her quickened pulse was pounding in her temples.
 

He shifted in his seat, alerting her that he was indeed awake.
 

Silence engulfed the room.

“Should I light a lamp? Or maybe a candle?” she suggested.

“No,” Good God, no more light. He didn’t want to ever again witness the look of pity in her eyes, the look of disgust.

Eve crossed in front of him, wearing a cream-colored silk robe while her blonde tresses glowed in the light of the raging fire behind her. She looked like an angel, he thought, as silence hung thick in the air between them. Eve then knelt before him, placing her hand on his thigh.

Colin didn’t move, nor did he react at all, fearful that she would retreat again.

“Did you honestly think that your paternity would matter to me?”

“Eve, you’re the daughter of a viscount—”

“What a coincidence because you’re the son of a duke,” she countered in a haughty tone. In the warm glow of the hearth, Colin could see that her cheeks held a faint pink flush.

“It’s not the same as you are well aware,” Colin couldn’t believe his ears. She knew better than this. He turned away from her; however, Eve reached for his face and tugged his head towards her. She met his gaze, her bright green eyes locked with his.
 

“Your father far outranked mine in prestige, wealth, and power. It doesn’t matter to me that you are illegitimate,” her expression was gentle.

Only she could argue that it didn’t matter. “It matters to the
ton
, and if this gets out—”

“Colin, it doesn’t matter to
me
.”

“How can you say that?” Colin pushed away from her, striding over to the mantel. “If anyone else discovers the truth, you’ll be ruined right along with me. It was selfish of me to marry you, I thought no one would ever find out but now, with these cryptic messages, God only knows who else knows the truth.”

“Regardless, I don’t care.”

“Stop saying that!” He squeezed the mantel, fighting to control his mounting temper before adding in a softer tone, “Please.”

Eve stood, walking over to him. “It’s the truth, and I refuse to pretend it matters when it matters not. I will never love you any less. As a matter of fact, I love you more with the knowledge that you survived this secret, and that you’re still a kind man. You are the antithesis of both of your fathers.”

Their eyes locked. Colin was met with pure determination in her familiar features: her deep-set eyes, her regal jaw line, her heart shaped lips, her proud stance.

He remembered everything about her, or so he thought. He realized now that he failed to recall her fierce determination.
 

“I’m not a good man. What I did while I was in India …” he paused. Allowing his words to sink in. “It wasn’t just war, Eve. Both sides were merciless.”

“Your brother is a barrister, Colin, and runs in political circles. I heard the rumors of mercenaries working for one side to spy on the other. Forgive me for jumping to conclusions, but I assume that’s how you acquired your wealth.”

He stared at her slack-jawed. Would this woman ever cease to amaze him?

“There was more to it than that,” he whispered.

Eve nodded. “I’m sure there was.”

He met her piercing gaze. “How can you be so blasé about this?”

“Because I know the man you are now, and accept you for it,” she said before a thick silence enveloped them.

He couldn’t believe his ears. Eve was so willing to accept the terrible truths he had hidden for so long. Surely it wasn’t this simple?

Just when he thought his world was righting itself at last, Eve handed him a card, engraved in burgundy and gold script:

Madame Clarisse Delacroix

Designer and Artiste of
 

Fashionable Confections
 

C’est Magnifique!

Colin stared at it blankly. “You want me to buy you a gown?” he asked drily.

“No,” Eve rolled her eyes. “I am not the woman I claim to be either. This is me.” She pointed to the card.

“I don’t understand,” Colin was utterly lost.

“This is my business. I am, albeit secretly, Madame Clarissa Delacroix. I created this alter ego for myself, with Victoria’s help.” Eve leaned against the mantel, her guilt for how poorly she treated Victoria weighing even more heavily with these admissions. “Victoria and Gwen are my top clients though Tori is the one that has sold my alter ego to the
ton
more than anyone. I meet none of my clients and use young village girls to take measurements and make deliveries. I communicate through correspondence. This is my way of making a living while polite society never knows that it is me doing their bidding. No one in the
ton
, short of my family and yours, knows the depths to which I have sunk.”

Colin’s gaze moved from the card to Eve’s eyes, which remained fixed upon his.
 

“You’re not the only one with secrets,” she admitted, her tone brokering no argument. “I’m not who I claim to be, so we’re even. In my estimation, we deserve each other. Since I refuse to agree to a divorce, if I am discovered, you will be disgraced along with me.”

He couldn’t believe her admissions, let alone the fact that Eve was now issuing ultimatums. His heart slammed against his chest. Not in anger. No, Colin wasn’t angry. He was proud as hell that this determined woman belonged to him. She was beautiful. Hell she was bloody brilliant. Yet, here she stood discussing divorce when Colin knew deep down that he’d never be able to give her up.
 

Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

Apparently Eve was unable to read his train of thoughts, for she continued, “If I must wreak scandal upon us, I will. Someone could easily discover the truth about Madame Delacroix. Not to mention the scandal that would ensue if word got out that Tristan called off my betrothal because he caught me with you, especially if I leak it to the—”

“You won’t do anything of the sort.”

“Yes, I will and you can’t stop me.”

“Eve—”
 

“I am not going anywhere.” As she spoke, she leaned forward, clutching his arms. “What do I have to do to make you believe me?”

Her eyes, the color of spring even in the glow of the fireplace, were pleading with him. It was more than he could bear. He reached for her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb. “I do believe you.”

Leaning into her until their foreheads touched, Colin murmured, “I love you.”

“I love you and I belong with you,” Eve placed her hand on his bare chest and midriff. She began stroking it absentmindedly.

“I don’t care where you came from or where you’ve been,” her voice was a raspy whisper. “All I want is your love. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “You have it, now and always.”

“Then there won’t be any further mention of
 
divorce?” she asked as she snuggled against him, her arms encircling him.

“I couldn’t let you go, even if I tried,” Colin answered, his heart in his throat. He then kissed the top of her soft curls before adding, “I had no idea you were quite so determined. Were you really going to announce that I’d ruined you?”

“Yes, I was,” she murmured.

“Not only are you determined,” he teased, kissing her head again. “You also appear to be stark-raving mad,” another kiss. “With a self-destructive streak,” he teased, kissing her head again.

Eve tilted her head back so she could face him, a wide smile on her face. “Just think,” she spoke, her tone syrupy sweet, “I am all yours.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Colin bent down once again, this time kissing his wife’s lips.
 

Eve pulled away from him. “One thing,” she said.

“Anything.”

“Let’s go home,” Eve beseeched him. “These notes and this house are tearing us asunder. I fear we won’t survive this place.”

“I was about to propose the same thing,” Colin said, tipping her chin up.
 

Colin leaned forward and kissed his wife, his lips melding with hers in a gentle, heartfelt kiss meant to show how much he loved her and appreciated her.

She believed in him.
 

The realization made him feel like the luckiest man on Earth. For the first time in what felt like forever, Colin didn’t dread the future, or dread that any of his secrets would be revealed because he had none left to hide.

On this night, he had bared his soul, and his spectacular wife had accepted his offering with nothing but love and support.

Colin knew he was blessed.

Chapter 18

“I can’t blame you for packing up,” Logan said. “Whoever this is has some secret access. I’ve investigated the servants, checked the entries and exits, yet there is still no sign of how this person is garnering entrance.”

“Still no trace of Keir?” Colin asked.

Logan shook his head, “None. That’s what concerns me. Why did he disappear? Why cover his tracks unless he’s up to no good?”

Colin rolled a quill between his fingers. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“What would you like me to do while you’re gone?” Logan asked.
 

“Wrap up renovations so we can unload this place.” Every time Colin thought of this estate, he swallowed against the bitter taste in his mouth. “Maybe it is haunted?”

Logan smirked. “You need a drink, or maybe you’ve had too many. Ghosts don’t write and, last I checked they don’t use paper.”

“You’re an expert?” Colin chided.

“I’ve sent plenty of men to their graves,” Logan asserted. “If anyone is in danger of a sound haunting, it is me.”

Colin tossed the quill onto the blotter resting atop his rosewood desk. “How can you be so indifferent about killing so many?”

Logan strode over to the side table and lifted the stopper from a large crystal decanter of whiskey.

“Isn’t it a tad early?” Colin noted that the clock on his desk said noon.

“When we’re talking death, it’s never too early,” Logan responded as he filled two large tumblers with the potent liquor before handing one to Colin. Logan took a hefty swig of his own then smacked his lips. “Damn fine liquor, you’ve got, mate.”

“Only the best for my friends,” Colin mocked.
 

Studying Colin, Logan continued. “What were we discussing?”

“Death.” Taking a swig from his tumbler, Colin wished they’d never begun this particular discussion as he stared out the small row of windows that comprised one of the walls, studying the ominous gray clouds swirling outside.

“War kills. Soldiers kill,” Logan made it sound so matter-of-fact. “It’s not pretty. Of course, I am haunted by what occurred, but we can’t undo any of it. What you despise is that we made a profit from it.”

Colin traced the rim of his glass with his forefinger.

“Your fortune is being put to good use. You are protecting your wife and her grandmother, are you not?” Logan stared his friend down. “I am sorry that I failed to mention their precarious financial situation prior to your return to England.”