Moonspun Magic (9 page)

Rafael laughed aloud. “That is my problem, ma'am. Her name is Victoria Abermarle and she is very young and I don't know anyone in London to take care of her.”

“Fetch Miss Abermarle, Didier, and see to Captain Carstairs' horses and carriage.”

“First, madam, the brandy.”

Rafael had but a few minutes to prepare Lady Lucia for her treat. He wondered how much of the truth was in order, and decided to put forth only the skeleton of the situation. It wasn't even enough for a worthy skeleton, he thought, after telling her inanely that Victoria had run away from her cousin's home because she'd been unhappy, and although he himself had never met her, he'd saved her from smugglers and brought her with him to London.

“That's not all of it by any means,” Lucia said comfortably, “but it will suffice for now. Ah, here is my penance. Miss Abermarle? Come here, child, and let me have a look at you.”

Victoria faltered. She swallowed and took three
steps forward. “Yes, ma'am.” She dropped a curtsy. Lucia nodded, pleased with her grace.

“Come closer, child, I won't eat you. Victoria, eh? A nice name, a bit stiff and formal, of course, but it will do. Now, who are your parents?”

“Sir Roger Abermarle and Lady Beatrice, ma'am.”

“There are Abermarles in Sussex. Your kin?”

“No, ma'am. My parents lived in Dorset. I have no relatives except for a cousin in Cornwall.”

“Ah, well, no matter. Sit down, child. You need something invigorating. Didier, some Madeira. Where the devil is that cursed man?”

Rafael met Victoria's startled eyes and smiled.

“You're a beauty,” Lucia said suddenly. “I trust your nature is as lovely as your countenance.”

“I will vouch for her good nature, my lady,” Rafael said. “As I told you, I have been her escort.”

“Very improper, of course, but it can't be helped now. Hmmm.”

Didier appeared, and his impassive features softened. Her ladyship was primed and ready for a new adventure, he saw. This Carstairs fellow seemed honest enough, and the young lady . . . well, a bit travel worn and . . . “I shall bring in some tea and cakes directly,” he said, and left.

“Well, I say,” Lady Lucia said. “He left before I could tell him to bring some Madeira.”

“Tea would be wonderful and I am terribly hungry,” Victoria said, then skittered to a halt, her eyes going to Lady Lucia's face.

I shall have the truth, all of it, out of her in no time at all, Lucia thought, pleased. The girl had about as much guile as Diana Savarol. No, she thought, grinning broadly, not Savarol. The Countess of Saint Leven. She rubbed her hands together. No need to probe now. Captain Carstairs was smooth as a pebble underwater, and likely wouldn't give away much,
but the girl . . . She couldn't wait. She trusted that the very handsome Captain Carstairs wasn't married.

After generalities over tea and delicious lemon cakes, Lucia said abruptly, “Captain Carstairs, you will return here for dinner. Eight o'clock, mind, no later. As for Miss Abermarle, I will see that she's made comfortable. You may go now.”

Rafael, stifling a grin at the agonized, very frightened look from Victoria, nodded and took Lady Lucia's hand. “Thank you, ma'am. Very much.”

Of Didier he asked quietly in the entranceway, “I need some rooms. What can you recommend?”

Within an hour Rafael was possessed of rooms on Courtney Street, only fifteen minutes from Lady Lucia's town house.

As for Victoria, she was looking wide-eyed at the lovely bedchamber. “Ah,” said Lucia, “this is Grumber. She sees to all my needs, doesn't talk much, and always screws her mouth up like she's just eaten a lemon. Don't mind her. She's not a bad sort at all. Grumber, this is Miss Abermarle.”

“Hello, Grumber.”

“Miss.”

“Now, Grumber,” said Lucia, “don't turn your nose up at Miss Abermarle's clothing. We shall improve on those silly girlish muslins in no time at all. My dear, you shall take a rest now, and Grumber will come for you in good time to change for dinner.”

Lucia made her way to the door, only to stop abruptly and say over her shoulder, “My dear, is the good captain married?”

“No, ma'am. He has just come home from the sea, I gather.”

“For good, I trust,” said Lucia. “Rest now, my dear.”

With that command, Victoria was soon left to her own devices. She stood in the middle of the room
thinking vaguely of the unexpectedness of fate. “Well,” she said aloud to the empty chamber, “this can't be worse than Damien or that Bishop smuggler person.”

She removed her shoes and stretched out on the very comfortable bed. Very quickly she was enjoying the sleep of the innocent.

 

Lucia, a strategist of the first order, carried the gown to Victoria's bedchamber. She heard the splashing of the bathwater and grinned. She knocked lightly, then opened the door and entered.

Victoria gasped until she saw Lady Lucia.

“Oh, ma'am!”

“Don't drown yourself, my dear. I'm not Captain Carstairs. Now, just finish your washing. I've brought you a gown left by my niece, Diana Savarol. Did Captain Carstairs tell you about her?”

Victoria, routed utterly, nodded even as she continued with the bathing sponge on her left knee. “Yes. ma'am.”

Lucia looked at the very slender shoulders showing above the edge of the tub. “How bountiful is your bosom?”

Victoria couldn't help herself. She laughed. “Not excessive bounty there, I'm afraid, ma'am.”

“Pity. Diana, as my nephew Lyon was wont to point out, is very amply endowed. I fear this dress won't fit you. Well, no mind. We will go shopping tomorrow for you.”

“But, ma'am, you don't know me.”

“We'll remedy that in short order, don't you think? Of course you do. As Didier will tell you, if he's in one of his moods, you are providing me with much-needed entertainment. Now, my child, out of that tub. I will leave you. Grumber! Do come and be of some assistance.”

But Victoria very firmly told Grumber she didn't need any assistance.

“Your hair, miss,” said Grumber, and her pained voice told Victoria that she was in dire need.

“Can you come back to me, then, Grumber, in about thirty minutes?”

“Very odd,” said Grumber to Lucia a few minutes later. “Are you certain that Miss Abermarle is a lady? Her speech is certainly ladylike, but not wanting me to help her?”

“You're right, of course. Here, fasten the pearls for me. Thank you. Well, perhaps the child is simply modest. I love a mystery, don't you, Grumber?”

“Harrumph,” said Grumber at her most sour.

“Get into the spirit of things. That face of yours would curdle the milk.”

Lucia wasn't at all surprised to find Victoria Abermarle quite a beauty. True, the high-necked yellow silk looked more appropriate for a sixteen-year-old, but that would be quickly remedied. She looked briefly toward the clock on the mantelpiece. A good half-hour until Captain Carstairs arrived. Plenty of time, yes indeed.

“Do sit down, Victoria.”

Victoria sat.

“Now, my dear child, you must trust me. Will you?”

“I suppose so, ma'am.”

“Excellent. Tell me how you met Captain Carstairs.”

Victoria chewed on her tongue.

“No, please don't tell me he's a longtime friend or semirelative or any of that nonsense. If I'm to help you, it must be the truth. Now, onward, my child.”

And Victoria, unused to such lightning tactics, succumbed without a whimper.

“I thought the captain looked a bit familiar,” was
the first thing Lucia said after Victoria, twenty minutes later, finally fell silent. “I knew his father, the former Baron Drago. A handsome man, a very strong man who wrung the withers of many a hopeful female before he married a noblewoman on a trip to Seville. I didn't know, however, about this twin business.”

“As I told you, ma'am, Rafael isn't at all like his twin, Damien. He's good and kind.”

Ah, thought Lucia, what proximity will do when the gentleman acts a gentleman and is a handsome devil to boot.

At that moment Didier appeared in the doorway. “Captain Carstairs, my lady.”

Victoria stared. Rafael was dressed in severe black evening clothes, his equally black hair brushed, all whiskers gone from his chin. He looked immaculate, powerful, and absolutely breathtaking. And he looked so much like Damien that she felt frozen to the spot.

Lucia thought the same things about the captain's physical endowments, but she had the benefit of many more years in her dish. “Well, Captain, you are on time. I like a man who is on time.”

“My lady,” Rafael said smoothly. He kissed her veiny hand. “Victoria, you're looking none the worse for our adventure.”

“Hello,” she said, then blurted out, “Grumber arranged my hair for me.”

“Ah, an excellent result.” He grinned at her, showing his white teeth. “Come along, Victoria. Stand up and curtsy or whatever a lady is supposed to do, and I will kiss your hand.”

She did. His grin faded only when he placed a light kiss on her wrist. He felt the quiver of her smooth flesh and his eyes widened.

He didn't look closely at her for many minutes.

“Will you keep her, ma'am?” he asked Lucia without preamble. He'd gotten her measure quickly enough, and planned not to disappoint her.

“I believe so, Captain,” said Lucia, enjoying herself so much the tatting was destined to remain under her chair cushion for many a long week to come. Hookham's, also, would be bereft of one of its best customers.

It was over an excellently prepared first course of carrot soup, and turbot of shrimp sauce, that Rafael said, looking squarely at his hostess, “I assume that Victoria has told you everything?”

Victoria gasped over her carrot soup.

“Why should you think that, Captain?”

“Your cellars are excellent. Why? Well, you aren't one to mince matters, ma'am. Victoria is of a trusting nature, once she accepts a person.”

“Yes, of course. First, I suppose, you must see to this solicitor of hers. What is his name, my dear?”

“Mr. Abner Westover,” said Victoria. “But, ma'am, I intend to see him myself.”

“No.”

“No.”

“I am not a silly child.” She looked from one to the other. “It is too bad of both of you.”

“Hush, child, and listen. I could accompany you to Mr. Westover's offices, but it would be more strategically sound were Captain Carstairs to do it for you.”

“Correct observation, ma'am,” said Rafael, his eyes gleaming. The old lady was sharp as a tack.

“But—”

“Victoria,” Rafael said with exaggerated patience, then paused as John, the footman, directed by Didier, served the lavish second course of stewed kidneys, roast saddle of lamb, boiled turkey, knuckle of ham,
mashed and brown potatoes, and something he thought was rissoles.

“Good Lord,” he said. “My stomach believes it has gained nirvana.”

Didier poured a superb bordeaux.

“Tell Cook that Captain Carstairs is pleased, Didier.”

“Yes, certainly.”

Rafael held his peace until the three of them were happily involved with knuckles and kidneys. “Now, as I was saying, I don't imagine that Damien will simply bide his time in Cornwall. Once he discovers the twenty pounds missing, he is certain to notice that you also saw the letters.”

“He will hotfoot it to London, my dear, particularly if he has been misusing your inheritance. The captain is right.”

Victoria's face became as white as her napkin.

“Now don't you worry. You will be safe with me. It's a pity you're not older, but no matter.”

“Perhaps even if she were twenty-one, ma'am, it wouldn't be enough. We have no idea as yet what the terms of her father's will are.”

“You are quite right, my boy. Didier! Bring some of that Spanish port I laid down twenty years ago. I do believe it ready for drinking. No, Captain, the ladies won't leave you. I drank port with my father and have a great fondness for it. I believe you gentlemen have convinced females that it's unladylike to drink port so that you may have all the more.”

“Ma'am, you wound me.”

“I just happen to have some in the pantry, my lady.”

“Oh, you do, do you? You are a great deal too smart, Didier.”

“Certainly, ma'am.”

Didier turned at the doorway and said calmly to
Rafael, “Her ladyship has the finest cellars in London, sir. You will see shortly.”

“That is true enough,” said Lucia, mollified. “I begin to wonder when the two of us will begin to resemble each other. I have heard it said that people who are together for a great many years do begin to look alike, and, horror of horrors, think alike.”