Moonstruck Madness (24 page)

"Devilish rich," the Marquis whispered to the Contessa, a satisfied smile on his lips. "See how easy it will be, Lu
ciana? We'll be rich enough to buy half of Venice if we want."

The Contessa laughed mockingly. "It would be wise,
caro,
not to anticipate too much, just yet," she cautioned gently.

"Yes, my lord," Sabrina added caustically, "one needs an acquiescent bride, and then, of course, a willing groom. Do you believe your good fortune will run to both?"

The Marquis gave Sabrina a look of dislike. "I knew the first minute I saw you, you were a troublemaker," he sneered, "but just don't you forget what I told you, remember?" He looked at her meaningfully, then said to the Contessa, "I'll be back shortly, I see someone I want to have a word with."

Sabrina's mouth was mutinous beneath her mask as she watched the Marquis walk jauntily off into the crowd. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she jumped when cool fingers touched her arm.

"Child, it does little good to fight him," the Contessa said softly. "He will have his way, and I think there is little you can do about it."

"You think not?" Sabrina replied bitterly.

The Contessa shrugged. "I know you do not have the feelings of love for James, and I admit that he has
not ,
been the good papa, but he is my husband now. I know his faults, but when I look into his violet eyes, so much like yohrs, then all is forgiven and forgotten.

"Someday a man will look into your eyes, little Sabrina, and he will forget your faults, as well. Oh yes, you have the faults your papa does. You think not? You are obstinate, temperamental, willful, and very beautiful. You are used to getting your own way, and now your papa has come and upset your plans. I am sorry for this, but I must look after my own. We are in need of money, and if you were to marry a rich man, well"—she smiled apologetically —"it would be acceptable for us to receive a settlement"

"In other words," Sabrina said angrily, "a payment
I
am to be bought by the richest customer."

"You do not put it so very nicely, but it is true. It is the way it has always been. A man either marries for beauty or money; unfortunately, they do not often come together. So, in your case, it will be for beauty. He will have to be very rich to get you, Sabrina."

Sabrina turned from her in disgust, the glitter of the ball suddenly looking tawdry and sickening her.

"You are too cynical for one so young," the Contessa commented, giving Sabrina a penetrating look. "Of course it has not been easy for you, this I understand. You have had to support your family, which puzzles me much. How is it that your family has managed to live? I know for a fact that James has sent no money."

Sabrina shrugged. "We have made the estate pay, and we had a little from my mother's father," she lied, giving the Contessa a cold stare.

"So, I mind my own business, Sabrina.
⁸⁵
The Contessa laughed, not offended by her stepdaughter's aloofness
. "
You are the proud one, eh? I think your papa is going to have trouble with you."

Sabrina smiled, her eyes glinting behind their mask. "More than he could possibly believe.
Mi scusi,
Contessa," Sabrina murmured before being led away by an overly eager partner.

The Contessa's mouth dropped open momentarily as she remembered another masked face that had spoken in the same husky Italian.
Dio mio,
she thought in disbelief. It could not possibly be! But there had been something puzzling her about that highwayman—and also about this little one. She had thought her suspicions ridiculous at the time, but now, she was not so sure. It is something only a woman would have sensed,
a certain
recognition despite the disguise.

"What are you giving such concentrated thought to?" the Marquis asked teasingly as he came up beside the Contessa, slipping his arm around her waist

The Contessa turned to him, startled,
then
relaxed her features into a caressing smile.
"Nothing,
caro,
nothing to
concern you.
I'm just planning how to spend our money," she prevaricated. For now, this discovery would be her secret, and should the little one become too difficult—then she would use this startling information to their advantage.

"Well, in all modesty, Luciana, my daughters are causing quite a sensation," he boasted, a satisfied smile on his lips as he watched Mary and Sabrina dance past in the arms of two very eligible partners. "I do not foresee any difficulties in obtaining sons-in-law with the necessary requirements, my dear. No trouble at all."

Sabrina lost count of the names and faces of the rich suitors the Marquis paraded before her. Her feet were tired and her head ached abominably. If only she could sit down for a brief moment

"I swear I cannot move another inch," she told the young man who was dancing with her. She gave him a dimpled smile, her violet eyes glowing behind the mask as she stared up at him.

"Of course, my dear Lady Sabrina, how thoughtless of me not to see how fatigued you are," the young gentleman quickly apologized, masking his disappointment at losing such a delectable creature as a partner. He led her off the floor, reluctant to part with her, and spying a footman with a tray of champagne-filled goblets, suggested shyly, "If you would care for a breath of fresh air, allow me to escort you into the garden, and then I will fetch you some champagne?"

Sabrina smiled gratefully, her eyes lighting up with genuine warmth. "That would be marvelous, you are too kind."

The young gentleman beamed with pleasure as he stared in bemusement into Sabrina's beautiful eyes, then making a flustered departure disappeared back into the crowd as Sabrina relaxed on a stone seat beneath the balustrade of a balcony. She had only been sitting there a moment when she was startled from her relaxed state by the sound of voices practically beside her. She glanced about quickly but saw no one, then smiled as she realized the voices
were coming from overhead. The couple had obviously sought a rendezvous in the seclusion of the balcony. "You're late."

"I'm sorry, Percy, but I couldn't get away from him," Blanche complained sulkily. "You've hardly noticed me at all. I've seen you watching that creature in the mask."

"Come now, Blanche, you know it's you I love," Percy placated her. "I was merely curious about
her, that
is all."

There was a prolonged silence, and then Sabrina heard a muted giggle.

"Now, does that prove to you that I love you?" Percy demanded smoothly.

"Oh, Percy, I wish we could be together all of the time," Blanche pouted.

"As a matter of fact, Blanche, I've been thinking that we might find that time tonight," Percy suggested.

"Tonight?
But how on earth can we?" Blanche asked, excitement quivering in her voice.

"You merely tell my dear cousin that you've the migraine and must leave the ball,
then
I'll slip away as well," he explained persuasively.

"Oh, I don't know?" Blanche hesitated doubtfully.

"If you're worried about my dear cousin, then don't be. He'll never miss you. All he had eyes for was that bewitching creature in black and silver."

Sabrina smiled without amusement, wondering if she had danced with the poor fiance, now being deceived by his cousin and
fiancée?

"All right," Blanche decided suddenly. "Ill
meet
you, but where?"

"We must be most careful that no one suspects. If you tell my cousin directly, he'll insist upon you making use of his carriage, so just send him a message that you've left, then hire a coach to take you home, only stop around the corner and I'll be along to pick you up in mine."

Sabrina remained silent as she heard them depart, a cynical smile on her lips as she thought of their little deception. She sighed impatiently wondering where the young man was who'd gone to fetch
her a
glass of champagne. Sabrina heard the sound of approaching footsteps and looked up expectantly, a smile of welcome on her face.

"I thought you had forgotten me," she said softly.

"Forget you, Sabrina, never," a mocking voice answered as the approaching figure stopped in front of her.

Sabrina gave a small cry of fear as she stared up in dismay at the tall, silk-clad form of the Duke of Camareigh. "Lucien," she whispered faintly.

"I beg your
pardon,
it
is
Lady Sabrina Verrick, is it not?" Lucien corrected himself sarcastically, his lips twisted into a faint smile of contempt. "I saw you leave with your admirer, and decided to substitute for him, much to his disap-pointment," he told her, and reaching out grasped her arms with hard fingers that closed about her in a vise-like grip. "Now answer me, damn you!"

"Yes." Sabrina confirmed her identity, wincing as he released one arm from his painful grip to jerk her mask from her face. Sabrina stared mutely up at him, as he pulled her to her feet.

"So, history repeats itself. I seem destined to be the one to unmask you, and each time I am surprised by the revelation." He stared down into her pale face, the light from the balcony above shining down on them. His mouth curved into a sneer as he accused her. "How you must have laughed, what a fool you must have thought me."

He laughed bitterly. "I could scarce believe my eyes when I first saw you dance past. I thought I must be seeing a ghost."

"You recognized me?" Sabrina asked in disbelief.

"You may now be wearing skirts, but the mask is the same. Ironic, isn't it? I must compliment you on your audaciousness. Or maybe you are so accustomed to wearing your mask that you feel naked without it?
A pity for you that I happened to be here tonight to spoil your little game.
Did you really imagine that you could deceive me? Your arrogant swagger gave you away."

Sabrina avoided his eyes and the smouldering rage she could see held in check. "I didn't think that I would see you," she said weakly.

Lucien gave her an abrupt shake, making her head jerk up. "Damn you, what is your game, Sabrina? What is the daughter of
a
Marquis doing dressed up as a highwayman? Is he in this with you?" he demanded. Then suddenly
a
thought struck him and he gave her a penetrating look. "He doesn't know, does he? Answer me! Does he?" Lucien's grip became unbearable and Sabrina cried out.

"Let me go! You're hurting me, Lucien."

"Tell me what I want to know first, then I will release you," he bargained.

"No, he doesn't know," Sabrina admitted in defeat

Lucien's grip loosened, but he did not let her free completely. "No, I thought his performance the night you held up my coach far too realistic to be an act. Besides, he and the Contessa had just arrived in England after years abroad, so he couldn't be aware of your activities. In fact, if I remember correctly, he commented that he had not seen his family in years." He gave a sudden laugh of pure amusement. "This is priceless. You held up your own father. Did you know it when you did it?"

Sabrina gave him
a
defiant glance from under her lashes, her initial fright at his sudden appearance fading as her resentment built. "No, I did not know who he was. It was only when I met the Contessa that I realized what had happened. As the Marquis told you, we haven't been an especially close family."

"I want a few answers, Sabrina," Lucien said quietly, "and you shall not escape me this time," he warned with
a
glint in his eyes.

"Who the devil do you think you are? You have no right to interfere in my life."

"I have every right," Lucien contradicted coolly, his grip tightening in anger. "I think you owe me
a
few explanations, Sabrina."

"I owe you nothing! What can you do? You certainly can't reveal the truth about me. It would be far too embarrassing for you as well. Besides, I am no longer playing the highwayman. That should satisfy you," she told him.

"I will not be satisfied until I know everything about you, Sabrina," he retorted. "You are an enigma, and a challenge to me which I cannot resist When
I
think of the wild chase you've led me on, damned if you aren't the most exasperating female," he swore beneath his breath.