Rescue Me Please (20 page)

“Oh?”
S
he heard herself saying.  Her pulse quickened.  She didn’t want to reveal anything to anyone.
  The thought of
anyone knowing her past deeds
m
ade her hang her head in shame.

Parker saw her head fall and knew that she
was
distressed by the news.  He knew what she held inside was
still
too
painful
to reveal to anyone at this time, let alone his sister.  A compl
e
te stranger.  Besides, he wanted to be the one
to whom
she revealed her secrets. 
“I daresay she will have
a million and one questions.”

Her heart turned over
in a rising panic
. 
She
wanted to turn and run and hide
, but she willed her heartbeat to slow instead
.

Parker knew she was trying to
appear
unconcerned
,
only he knew better.  With her pressed against his side, he could feel her muscle
s
tense and
hear the hitch in her breath.  He
knew she was worried
at what lay ahead
.

Persephone
took in a deep breath and pasted a false smile on her face
, suddenly quite tired
. 
“This garden must be spectacular in the spring and summer.” 

It was a good thing she couldn’t see his face, he feared she would take the rolling of his eyes badly. 
“Quite lovely.”

“Your aunt was advising me that Poppy has a butterfly garden?”
  She found herself eager to see it.

“She does,” he said
,
his tone innocuous.  “It is behind the wall on the west side of the formal garden.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting your sister.”

He let out a dry laugh
at her outright lie
. 
“I’m sure she is just as anxious to meet you.”

“Have I irritated you in some way, P
-P-P
arker?”
  He nearly
grinned when she stumbled over his name.

His semblance of a smile faded, and he looked at her with concern. 
“Not at all.”

She rubbed her hand over her forehead and a wave of hopelessness hit her.  She didn’t want to isolate herself from Parker.  He was th
e only one that gave her hope.

Parker stopped and heaved a large sigh before turning to face her.  “I can help you, Persephone, but only if you allow it.”

“I’m afraid.”
 
And she was. 
She bit her lip, an unl
adylike gesture her mother had always
insisted she cease
, but over the past couple of weeks seemed to take up with enthusiasm
.
  She wanted to curl up in a ball and pretend
the world was good and decent and that her past held no power.

He hated the raw note in her vo
ice; it shook him to the core.

“The truth is ugly,
”
she continued
without lifting her head
.  She couldn’t bear to look at him.  He was too beautiful.  A light in her dark world and she did not want him to see the d
ark evil that lurked behind her eyes
.
  She didn’t want him to know the perversions she had witnessed and that she had been forced to participate.

“
It usually is,
”
he said gently.  “Remember what I said?  It is always good to have a second pair of eyes
and another opinion
.”

She looked up, her
eyes dull.  “I will think on
it.”
  She smiled thinly and nodded.

“You
can
trust me
, Persephone
.”
  He gripped her chin
gently, yet
firmly.

Her spine stiffened at
the combination of
his words
and his touch
. 
“I do
not
trust anyone.”  She focused on him.  “Not any longer.”
  All of that had
changed in the bli
nk of an eye, without warning.

The moment
she was thrown into the very bowels of hell after living in heaven for so
long.

Her words hit him hard.  “Then I will do all that is in my power to change that.”

“Oh look,” Persephone pointed toward
s
one corner of the garden. 
She straightened her shoulders and forced a smile. 
“A late blooming rose.”  She turned eyes that were too bright his direction.  “Shall we take a
look?
”

He allowed her to change the subject, but vowed to press her further
at another time
.

Persephone locked gazes
with him, her smile brittle.

He smiled, forcing it to reach his eyes and placed her hand on his arm.  “Lets.”

***

Granville’s face flushed in lust as Manton spread is hands out before him on the top of his desk.  Elegant, long-fingered
,
pale hands.
He wanted those hands on him.  Unfortunately for him, Manton
was only interested in
women.

Pity that.

Besides, Manton would probably chain him in his dungeon and kill him if he even knew his thoughts.

“Granville?”

Granville
blinked
,
his
smil
e
tight, pasted on
.
 
“Yes?”
  He knew that Manton wanted to put his hands around his neck and squeeze the breath from his lungs until he was dead.  He could see it in the man’s eyes.  Manton found him a liability now, especially after the
girl
.  Could he blame him?  This mistake could ruin them all, and he knew he would pay the price for his error.

Polly put the kettle on,

Polly put the kettle on,

Polly put the kettle on,

We’ll all have tea.

T
heir coach had barely come to a stop
on the pebbled drive in front of
Rosebriar
when Piper threw open th
e door and leapt to the ground. 
Rockwell caught unaw
ares was unable to halt her unladylike exit
.  He could only sit back against the red velvet squabs and shake his head.  He glanced to the right and watched as his
wife,
hoyden extraordinaire
,
held her skirts high and ran
the few steps to the door
.  Her smile bright
ened considerably
as the door opened automatically by the ever efficient Dobbins, his face alight with welcome.

Rockwell stepped down from the coach and made his way
up the steps and
into the grand foyer
.  He turned
to Dobbins
with a look of patient resignation
.

“Lord Ashford
is in his study, my lord.”  Dobbins
bowed, unable to keep the de
lighted twinkle from his eyes.

“A wise decision.” 
Rockwell cocked his brow humorously and murmured, “I hope you’ve prepared yourselves.”

“Of course, my lord.”  Dobbins bowed once again.  “We wrapped the china, as usual.”  His lips quirked up on one corner.

“Excellent, for she is on a mission.”  Rockwell inclined his head and made his way down the long hallway towards the study pausing as he passed
the
unclosed door of the Rose Room
and peeked inside overhearing the beginning
s
of Piper’s interrogation of her aunt.

At least Piper leaned down and bussed her aunt’s cheek with a soft kiss before starting in with her questions, Rockwell laughed before heading to the study.

***

“Well, where is she?”  Piper’s tone was almost demanding as she plopped down on the settee.  “I’m dying to see her.  Is she in her room?”

“Before I’m subjected to your vigorous interrogation, Piper, be so good as to ring for
a fresh pot of
tea, my dear,” Adele said with a smile
,
watching Piper look up at her mother’s portrait above the mantle.  “I have a feeling I will need some fortification before this is all over.”
  She used Parker’s words.

Piper jumped up and yanked the pull befor
e sitting down inelegantly on
the
end of her aunt’s chaise
.  “Well?”

“I must warn you, dear, Parker has been talking of redecorating this room.”  Adele’s brow was raised and she knew she was instig
ating trouble, but it was all so entertaining
.

“No,” Piper cried.  “He wouldn’t.”  Her hands cupped her cheeks.  “Ooh, he has become bored with no one to watch over hasn’t he, Aunt?”
  Her eyes widened in understanding.

“I’m afraid so.”  Adele chuckled.  “But I must admit he has taken quite an interest in our new house guest and her baby.”
  She pursed her lips.

“How delightful.”  Piper clapped her hands gaily.  “I’m desperate to know of her and her baby’s circumstances.  Have you found out anything of importance?  How they came to be in this predicament?”

“Not as of yet, but Parker is searching for information,” Adele confirmed.  “He sent
Fothergil
to London.”

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” Parker drawled from where he w
as propped a
gainst the Rose Room
’s door frame with his arms crossed over his
wide
chest, he studied her with amusement
glittering
in his eyes.

“Parker!”  Piper jumped up and ran to her brother throwing her arms around his waist in a warm hug.  His arms ti
ghtened around her shoulders,
her head nestled in the crook of his arm.  She glanced up with a smile.  “I’ve missed you,
B
rother.”

“I’ve missed you too, Sister,” he imitat
ed her humorously, pressing a kiss on her
upturned
forehead.

She pulled out of his arms and jabbed him in the ribs.  “Pooh!  I know for a fact that you have missed us.”  She planted her hands firmly on her hips, her left brow cocked arrogantly.  “Auntie told me.”

He glanced up at his a
unt with
a smirk.  “She did, did she?”

“All I informed was your i
nt
ent to redecorate the Rose Room
without the girls input,” Adele
retorted.  “Nothing more.”

“Imp,” Parker replied with affection.

“Rockwell,” Adele called.  “
How d
elightful to see you again.  You are as handsome as ever.”

“Thank you, my lady.”  Rockwell
inclined his head.
Then
he walked to the chaise where Adele reclined
and lifted her hand for a kiss.  “And you are as beautiful as the last time we met.”

“I swear if I were only—twenty years younger.”  Adele shook her head.  “Your generation grew such a delightful batch of men.”
  She tapped him playfully on the arm.

Rockwell looked up and winked.  “Flatterer.”

“You’ve taken such good care of our Piper,” Adele added.
  “I’m pleased.”

“I do my best, my lady.”  Rockwell’s eyes strayed to his wife who was currently wrapped in her brother’s
arms;
his mouth curved into a smile
,
his eyes full of adoration.  “I do my best.”

“That’s all we can ask, Rockwell,” Adele reminded, satisfied with his response.

Persephone stopped at the bottom of the stairs when she heard a woman’s excited chatter.  She didn’t want to interrupt any intimate family moments
, but she was interested in the arrival of a small portion of Parker’s family
.  She peered over the railing in
time to see Parker release a tiny
woman whose
eyes widened when she caught sight of Persephone
on the stairs.  Persephone watched as she nudged Parker
none
too gently
and gestured with her head in
her direction
.