Innocent Courtesan to Adventurer's Bride (19 page)

‘You will,' he said, making it sound more like a threat than a promise. ‘You must go to bed now.' He stood up and helped her to her feet, waiting while she pulled on the trousers and buttoned the coat, getting it completely awry. ‘Here.' He reached out and redid the fastenings as though she were a child, his voice husky with suppressed impatience.

Or perhaps frustration. ‘Quinn,' Lina said as he guided her unsteady steps towards the door. ‘That is the second
time we have lain together and you have not… I'm sorry. Should I—?'

‘No,' he said. ‘That would not be a good idea. We will wait until we are married.'

‘But I am not going to—'

‘Bed.'

Lina found herself on the far side of a firmly closed door. She leaned against it, trying to summon up the energy to climb the stairs to her room. Stubborn, stubborn man! Oh, but his mouth, his body, those hands. Not just his body, but the man himself, his mind, his courage, his humour. All of him.

Marriage would be a disaster, she told herself as she stumbled upstairs, so much worse than living with a man for whom she felt merely liking and respect. There would be no messy emotion then, no yearning for something she could not have, no expectations, constantly disappointed. And if Quinn ever realised how she felt, then there would be the humiliation of knowing he was being kind and pitying her.

Thank goodness she had sent the servants to bed, Lina thought as she gained the sanctuary of her bedchamber. She did not even think of snuffing out the candles; what remained of the night was going to be long and wakeful.

 

Quinn pushed himself upright away from the door and went back to the decanters. If he could bring himself to do it, the sensible thing would be to follow Celina to her room and make her his once and for all. But the sensible thing was not the honourable thing and she had to be persuaded into doing what was in her best interests, even if that involved seduction.

A wife had not been in his plans, at least, not until the
point in his life when he decided honour was satisfied and he was ready to settle down a trifle. Someone intelligent, he had thought, when he had thought about it at all. Someone who would not sulk at being left for half the year to her own devices, or expect to drag him out to balls and parties every night when he was home and working—a capable girl she would need to be, one who could make her own friends and entertainment. A good mother, for there was the title to think of and, he supposed, he was not establishing his fortune just for the sake of it.

And now, thanks to his conscience, he was faced with the prospect of marrying an obscure vicar's daughter from somewhere in the depths of the country. A girl with dubious relatives, a scandalous past and possessing a curious blend of innocence, ignorance and shocking knowledge. A young woman who did not, apparently, want to marry him.

He could appreciate her scruples, honour her for them even, he thought, sitting down and nursing his glass on his chest while he did his best not to think about the ache in his groin and the tension in his belly. But she was supposed to tell him of her worries, listen to what he had to say and then be convinced and marry him, not answer back, dig in her heels and refuse to be swayed, even by lovemaking.

He had gone as far as he felt he could; now all he could try was a war of attrition, reminding her with touch and murmured words and intense looks what had passed between them and what was to come—if she saw sense.

If only Celina had not heard about that damn duel—it had alarmed and upset her. Doubtless she thought him not a very good prospect as a husband if she feared he would end up flat on his back in some field on the outskirts of London with a doctor, irritable at being dragged out of
bed at an ungodly hour to participate in an illegal activity, prodding at his wounds. She would not believe him if he told her he was unlikely to get killed; he could quite see that a woman would prefer her fiancé to assure her he was definitely
not
about to do something fatal.

Quinn mentally added
Marry Celina
near the top of his list of things to be done and crossed off
find wife
from the bottom. He knocked back the brandy in his glass and stood up, suddenly not so concerned about the prospect after all: Celina was going to be a delight in bed. And she made him laugh. And she would make him comfortable. And she had guts. Yes, his conscience was not so inconvenient after all.

L
ina met Quinn's eyes defiantly at breakfast the next morning. She could feel she was blushing, and she knew the dark circles under her eyes would betray her lack of sleep the night before, but when he bent low to drop a kiss on her nape in passing she swivelled in her chair and hissed, ‘Do not do that and do
not
mention marriage again.'

She had to stay angry with him or she would simply melt into his arms. The wretched man had discovered a weakness and she could only hope he did not realise that the way she responded to him owed as much to her own feelings for him as to his undoubted expertise in making love.

‘There is no need to whisper,' Quinn said, calmly helping himself to the buffet as though they had not lain entangled in each other's arms on the drawing room floor only hours before. ‘I have told the staff that I prefer to eat my breakfast without a footman hovering. We can ring if we want anything.'

‘I want you to stop this nonsense.' She poured him coffee, strong and black as she had learned he liked it.
He took the cup with a murmur of thanks and a look that curled her toes. ‘I am not going to marry you and that is that. Now, what are we going to do today?'

Quinn did not respond to her statement, but neither did he agree. He cut into his steak and said, ‘I am going to the Society of Antiquaries, then I am making some visits, taking up invitations to call.' He smiled, although without humour. ‘Insinuating my foot into respectable society. Then I will meet Gregor and we will see if the rumours we have picked up about Makepeace can be forged into a lever to get him out of The Blue Door.'

‘How have you discovered anything about him in such a short time?' Lina asked. ‘We have only been in London two days.'

‘Gregor has been here longer, don't forget. But I wrote from Norfolk to my agents and to some rather less respectable sources. I may not come to England often, but I trade and that means I have a network of acquaintances in many ports. Makepeace has the air of a man who has reinvented himself; I suspect he would rather take my money for his share in The Blue Door and vanish than confront his old life. We will see.'

‘That will be a great relief for Aunt Clara,' Lina said, making herself eat the bacon in front of her. Picking at her food was senseless.

‘But you are wondering what I am doing about the sapphire?'

‘Yes. I have to confess it would be a weight off my mind not to expect arrest and worse at any moment,' she said, trying for a lightness she did not feel.

‘I will meet Reginald Tolhurst tomorrow night and then I hope to discover what he did with his father's ring.' Quinn
buttered bread lavishly as though he had not just dropped a bombshell.

‘Reginald? But why do you think he had it?'

‘Who else?' Quinn raised an eyebrow at her bemused expression. ‘Sir Humphrey was wearing it when you were undressing. You did not take it and you were in the room up to the point it was found to be missing. Reginald took his father's left hand to feel for a pulse and then
discovered
the ring was gone.'

‘But why would he do such a thing? It is very valuable, but well known and difficult to dispose of, surely?'

‘That puzzles me, I have to admit,' Quinn agreed. ‘Did he know his father's will left him insufficient funds to cover his obligations? Or perhaps he just could not resist the opportunity to take it and then had to worry about disposing of it afterwards. He is obviously a gambler and not a wise one. But if it was cut up for safe disposal, even a big sapphire would be greatly reduced in value.'

For a moment Lina was breathless with relief, then reality hit—this was a theory, nothing more. ‘But how will you prove it?' she asked.

‘We set a trap, bait it lavishly and make sure of our witnesses.' Lina shivered. Quinn reminded her of a hunting cat all of a sudden: sleek, focused menace.

‘I want to come, too.'

‘No.'

‘I see, your word is law. That attitude is hardly an inducement for me to marry you, you know,' she pointed out sweetly. ‘I want more from a marriage than to sit at home meekly doing what my husband tells me. I expect a partnership.'

‘Does that mean you are going to see sense about this?'

‘About marriage? Maybe.' Lina cast down her eyes so
he could not see the defiance in them. ‘If I thought I might see more of you than a glimpse at breakfast and interludes in the bedchamber.'

‘This is dangerous,' he began, then, to her amazement, he hesitated. ‘It seems unfair that he has made you suffer so much and you cannot see the end game. Yes, you may come along, but only if you promise to do as you are told.'

‘I swear it! Thank you, Quinn.' She looked up, smiling, enchanted that he would do this, overrule his own judgement, because he felt it was fair.
I love you
, she thought, and then saw him frown as he studied her face. What had she betrayed? ‘I want to see him get his come-uppance,' she added, hoping her glowing pleasure would be read as delight in revenge, not directed at him.

‘You had best wear your Oriental disguise,' he said after a moment. ‘It is the best thing to hide your hair and this time I can explain you away as a servant if you are seen.'

 

Quinn found Celina's face kept coming back into his mind throughout the day, distracting him while he had serious discussions about Crusader castles at the Society of Antiquaries, interrupting the smooth flow of his small talk while he took tea at the homes of those gentlemen who had extended invitations, making him vague when Gregor spoke to him in the carriage taking them to The Blue Door late that night.

‘Are you ill?' the Russian demanded.

‘No.' Quinn sat up and made himself focus. Perhaps he was sickening for something because otherwise, why could he not get the infuriating woman out of his head?

‘In love, then?'

‘Of course not. But I have asked Celina to marry me,' Quinn said abruptly. ‘It seemed the best thing.'

‘So, I am to be the best man? I like the idea,' Gregor said with a grin.

‘She says she won't have me,' Quinn admitted, gratified by the way his friend's jaw dropped. ‘And I have told her she can come with us to trap Tolhurst.'

‘You are mad, both of you. But we are here now, you can tell me later.'

 

Makepeace was in the salon when they arrived. His smile of welcome faded when Quinn said, ‘A word with you in private, sir?' but he guided them through to an office and shut the door.

‘You have some complaint, gentlemen?'

‘Not at all. I merely wish to purchase your share in this establishment.' Quinn could see no merit in beating around the bush.

‘It is not for sale, Mr Arbuthnott. I cannot imagine what can have given you the idea that it was.' He sat behind his oversized desk like a spider in a corner and eyed them warily.

‘We are both sailing under false colours,' Quinn remarked. ‘I am Lord Dreycott and you, sir, are Henry Foxton, wanted by the authorities for arms dealing with the enemies of the Crown.'

The man froze. ‘Nonsense. I have my papers in this drawer, letters from my attorney—'

‘And you also have a pistol in there, no doubt. Really, Foxton, do we look that easily gulled? I am insulted. And armed.' Quinn brought his hand out of his pocket and rested it, and the small pistol it held, on his crossed knee. The man calling himself Makepeace froze. ‘There is no need for drama. I will not betray you to the magistrates
if you will take a fair price for your interest here—and disappear.'

‘Why?' Makepeace blustered. But Quinn could see from the calculation in the small brown eyes that he had already decided to cut his losses.

‘Because I have a fancy for the place and it is an insult that men who have fought for their country should be entertained here by scum like you. I have money and a deed of sale; our business can be dealt with here and now.'

Gregor took the wad of banknotes out of the breast of his coat and tossed them across the desk. Makepeace thumbed through them, his eyes flickering back and forth between the money and the gun. ‘Here.' Quinn pushed a document across the desk. ‘Drawn up by my attorney today. You take the money and your personal belongings. You leave the keys and you walk away tonight. If you are seen here again, I will have the magistrates on you. Agreed?'

Makepeace looked from the money back to Quinn, then nodded abruptly. He reached for the pen in the standish. ‘Your real name,' Quinn said softly.

Quinn signed and Gregor witnessed the document. ‘Now,' Quinn said, handing the pistol to Gregor, ‘you will pack and leave. Give me the keys.' He held out his hand. ‘My friend will see you out.' The dark, sly eyes sent him a look of pure venom, but he had to give the man credit for sizing up the situation and knowing when to cut and run, not stay and bluster.

Makepeace pushed a bunch of keys across the desk. ‘Mr Vasiliev will search you before you go,' Quinn added, getting to his feet. A second key appeared from an inner waistcoat pocket. ‘Thank you. Good evening. I trust we are never going to meet again.' The look he received in
return promised a slow and painful death, but Quinn merely nodded and left the room.

The salon was busy now, warm and fragrant with perfume, powder, the scent of flowers and candle wax. Quinn wove his way through, smiling at the girls he recognised, and made his way upstairs to tap on Madam Deverill's door.

‘Lord Dreycott!' She put a hand on his arm and drew him inside. ‘Is anything wrong with Celina?'

‘No, nothing is wrong.' She did not look well this evening, even frailer than the night before. Knowing that her niece was in London, even closer to danger, could not help. He handed her the papers. ‘These are for you. Makepeace will be leaving very shortly.'

She read them, sinking down on to a
chaise
as she did so. ‘I am free of him? Truly?'

‘Yes.' Quinn told her what had happened as he stood by the window, the curtain drawn back a little so he could see the street below. ‘Come, see,' he said after a few minutes. Light spilled out as the front door opened and the figure of Makepeace emerged on to the pavement, a valise in each hand. Gregor followed, carrying another bag. He signalled for a hackney, bundling both man and bags inside. As he did so two other figures detached themselves from the shadows and entered the vehicle, one on each side. Gregor spoke to the driver and it moved off.

‘What has just happened?' Madam Deverill asked. ‘You promised him his freedom, but—'

‘I promised not to give him over to the authorities. I said nothing about putting him in the hands of a certain sea captain who is going on a long voyage east. The captain's an honest man, after a fashion. Makepeace will keep his money, and his life. He may even start a new career, a long
way away. I do not like men who seek to make money at the expense of their own countrymen's lives. He was dealing in weapons with our enemies during the war.'

‘Thank you.' She turned and took his hands. ‘Thank you so much. You will want to see the figures, of course, so you know how much return you might expect every month—'

‘That is a gift,' Quinn said, taking the papers from her hand and going to her pretty ormolu desk. He wrote across the bottom and signed it. ‘I intend marrying Celina and I would wish her to have no anxiety about your position.'

Madam Deverill's thin face went so pale that the subtle macquillage she wore stood out against her skin, then she smiled and held out her hands. ‘I am so happy for you both! You love her, then?'

‘I feel it is only right, given the circumstances, which have, you will agree, compromised her utterly,' Quinn said, trying not to wince at
love
. Why did women have to imagine that every man was capable of such softening of the brain? Marriages could be perfectly comfortable without all this damned emotion. He took her hands and dropped a kiss on one.

‘Hardly through your own fault,' Madam said. ‘I honour you for doing the right thing despite your lack of feeling for her.'

‘I did not say I held Celina in anything but affection and regard,' Quinn said, unaccountably irritated. He liked Celina. In fact, he was very fond of her, she had spirit and a sense of humour and intelligence. She was loyal and affectionate. She would, he was certain, make a good mother. And she would certainly be passionate in bed. Why should her aunt assume he felt nothing for her if he did not feel love? ‘I must persuade her of that, however.'

‘I wish you every success,' Madam Deverill said with a faint smile. ‘And I thank you for my freedom from Makepeace.'

 

‘You will do,' Quinn said. Lina stood in front of him, once more in her boy's clothes, her hair concealed by the turban, but without any of the discreet jewels he had given her to wear the night before. ‘Stick to Gregor like glue; if anyone speaks to you, say something in broken English. You're a servant, remember.'

‘Yes, lord,' Lina said in imitation of the subservient tone Gregor had used that first night at Dreycott Park.

Quinn grinned at her. ‘Here, take this money. If anything happens, if someone recognises you, leave at once, run, and take a hackney back here.'

She was still dizzy from relief at hearing that Makepeace had sold up without difficulty and was on his way to a new life in the East, although Quinn was strangely reluctant to explain why the man had allowed himself to be so easily persuaded. He had been brusque when she had tried to thank him.

He is keeping things from me
, she thought. But now her aunt was safe her way was clear to leave London and take advantage of her legacy, just as soon as the sapphire was discovered. She would find herself a cosy home, a few servants and search for Bella and Meg. And in time she would learn to live with the hollow feeling inside her, the knowledge that Quinn was somewhere in the world, living his own life, an adventurous, satisfying life that did not include her. And which would, she was certain, include a large number of other women.