Simply Voracious (26 page)

“What
exactly
did he do?”

“He suggested that he had the right to decide who I conversed with, and even demanded to know exactly what I said!”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t have married him after all.” Emily sat opposite Lucky in the cozy splendor of her bedroom in the Knowles town house. “I would hate to have a husband like that. Who would’ve thought Paul would turn into such a dragon?”

Lucky glanced at her friend. “The trouble is, there is some truth in his concerns. I am up to something.”

“Of course you are. There’s a reason why your father calls you his little general. You are always plotting something.”

“How much do you know about Lieutenant Colonel Delinsky?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because I suspect you already know that he and Paul were lovers.”

Emily grimaced. “I wasn’t sure whether I should tell you or not.”

“Didn’t your Ambrose tell you that Paul brought me to the pleasure house so I could see exactly what kind of a man I was contemplating marrying?”

Emily blushed. “He isn’t
my
Ambrose and no, he didn’t. He is incredibly discreet.”

“Paul didn’t quite mention his relationship with Constantine until after we were married.”

“Oh, dear.” Emily patted Lucky’s hand. “That was rather remiss of him.”

“He didn’t mention it because he knew I wouldn’t marry him if I knew.”

Emily frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. If Paul made sure you knew he liked to bed everyone at the pleasure house, why would he think you likely to balk at one more man?”

“Because
that
man is important to him, and all the others at the pleasure house were not.” Lucky found her voice was trembling. “Paul loves him, Emily.”

“Oh, Lucky.” Emily hugged her hard. “I’m so sorry.”

“Paul insists that he isn’t going to do anything about it.”

“Well, that must be a relief to you.”

“
No,
I want him to be happy.”

“But why should he be happy if it makes you miserable?”

“Because he married me. He gave up
everything
for me.”

Emily grabbed hold of her hand. “He also gained a lot, don’t forget that. I think you underestimate your effect on him. He loves you, too.”

“I don’t know about that.” Lucky wiped hastily at a stray tear. “But I intend to make him happy.”

“By giving him something he insists he no longer wants?”

“Don’t sound so skeptical, Emily.” Lucky drew in a deep breath. “I have a plan. I’m going to flirt with Constantine Delinsky until Paul becomes so jealous that he’ll take him back.”

Emily sat back and studied Lucky’s face. “Are you sure about that? It sounds rather risky.”

“I’m sure, Emily. It is the least I can do. And to be quite honest, Constantine Delinsky is extremely easy to flirt with.”

Con was so engrossed in watching a horse he fancied showing its paces at Tattersall’s that he didn’t realize Paul had come up behind him until his friend cleared his throat. He glanced over his shoulder and then returned his attention to the horse. It was unlike him to be uncivil, but he was still seething from their encounter the day before.

“Con?” Paul shifted beside him. “I want to apologize.”

“For assuming I’d come into your home to spy on your wife and treat her like the enemy?”

“Yes.”

“Lady Lucinda confirmed that she invited me to dinner then.”

“Indeed she did.” Paul hesitated. “Would you mind accompanying me to a less public place where we can talk?”

Con finally turned to look into Paul’s anxious face. “Of course, St. Clare. I’ve finished here for the day, anyway. But are you sure you wish to be seen with me? We can’t have your newly minted reputation being damaged by association.” As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he realized he must be angrier than he’d thought.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Paul said softly, “Although I know I deserve your disdain.”

Con started walking, barely remembering to reply to the salutations of his acquaintances as he passed.

Paul pointed down the street. “There is a coffee house on the corner. Shall we adjourn there?”

“Why not?” Con stuck his hands into his pockets as they turned into the chill wind that ran down the narrow street. The sky was overcast, and he hadn’t seen the sun for days. It was beginning to feel more like winter than autumn and more like Russia than England.

He found a seat in the corner and settled back into the cozy warmth and thick fug of smoke while Paul spoke to the waiter. His friend looked even more miserable than he did—which should have helped, but didn’t.

“What did you want to talk to me about, St. Clare?” Con asked.

“Mainly to apologize for my behavior. I was surprised to see you, and rather annoyed with my wife for not telling me that she had invited you to dinner. Unfortunately some of that irritation spilled over on to you.”

“I did wonder if she had told you.”

Paul sighed. “I must warn you that my wife seems determined to pursue her acquaintance with you.”

“I find her quite charming. Do you object?”

Paul looked even more wretched. “She isn’t quite as sweet as she might appear. She has the mind of a Machiavelli prince and the curiosity of a cat.”

“Which simply makes her more charming than ever. What are you worried about?”

“I suspect she means to throw us together on every occasion possible.”

Con shrugged. “So? We are both gentlemen, and neither of us wish to dishonor your wife.”

“Apart from the fact that she wishes to be dishonored,” Paul muttered.

Con almost choked on his coffee. “I beg your pardon?”

“She is convinced that the only way I can be happy is if I have you.”

For a wild moment, Con allowed himself to enjoy the pleasurable scenarios such a statement aroused in him. Then he shook his head. “She is in love with you, Paul. She will do whatever she thinks will make you happy.”

“I know that.”

Con held Paul’s gaze. “And you love her too.”

“Yes.”

“Then I repeat. We are both gentlemen, and we will do nothing to harm her or her reputation. She has suffered enough at the hands of untrustworthy men.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew an invitation card. “She has invited me to your ball next week. Do you want me to refuse?”

Paul slowly exhaled. “No. I want you to come. I hate it when we are at odds with each other.” He smiled, and Con wanted to reach forward and kiss him on the lips.

“Your wife is a truly extraordinary woman, my friend. You should cherish her.”

“I know. She is the perfect woman for a man like me. I really don’t deserve her.”

“If I were a free man, I would be honored to court her.”

“Is that so?” Paul’s smile was tinged with sorrow. “She rather likes you too.” He seemed to make an effort to change the subject. “In truth, she is intrigued by the mystery of your missing wife. Is there any news?”

“None yet, although I did receive another letter telling me to leave well alone.”

“How peculiar. Do you have any idea who is sending them?”

“Presumably someone who knows something about my wife. I wish whoever it is would just stop being a coward and come and face me.”

“That would be far too simple. Perhaps you could set a man to watch your house and see who is delivering the notes.”

“I’ve already done that. I hope to catch my letter writer soon and wrest some more information out of him.”

“Well, good luck.” Paul checked his pocket watch and sighed. “I’ll have to leave soon. I have an appointment with my new secretary in half an hour. I’m not sure why I ever believed the rich were idle. I am far busier these days than when I was in the army.”

“But you
are
far less likely to be killed.”

“That indeed is true.” Paul’s smile faded. “But sometimes I miss those days, don’t you?”

“You forget, I’m still employed by the military, I can hardly miss them.” Con rose to his feet and clapped Paul on the shoulder. He needed to touch him and was furious that he couldn’t embrace him in the way he wanted without drawing curious glances and condemnation. “I’ll walk out with you.”

After he watched Paul depart in a hackney cab, Con started back toward the center of the city. It would be easier on all of them if he left London, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to do it yet. He’d already fled Russia, and he’d be damned if he ran away again. But seeing Paul and his intriguing wife would bring him such heartache.

Con stared up at the iron-gray clouds and shivered as the first drops of rain hit his face. But perhaps that was as it should be, his penance for abandoning his country and his wife in the first place.

20

L
ucky settled the lace at the neckline of her white satin ball dress, tied the cherry-red sash, and studied herself critically in the mirror. In the years since she’d come out fashion had gradually changed from airy, high-waisted dresses to more elaborate and heavier fabrics with a natural waistline. Her gaze settled on the row of flounces at the bottom of her skirt, and she did an experimental twirl.

“You look beautiful, my lady.”

She stopped twirling and found that Paul had come through from his bedchamber and was smiling at her. He looked very fine in a black coat, a silver-patterned waistcoat, and white trousers. As the weight of Paul’s responsibilities grew, she could barely see her scruffy lieutenant anymore. And she missed him. She missed him quite dreadfully.

She curtsied as if to royalty. “Thank you.”

“I particularly like your hair.”

Lucky reached up to carefully touch her head. “Milly put real roses and French pearl beads in there. I am half afraid to move.”

He kissed her hand. “Don’t be, or who am I going to open the ball with?” He put a small box into her hand. “I’m glad you are wearing pearls in your hair. I’ve been wanting to give you something pretty.”

She opened the long, shallow box to find a string of pearls. “Oh, they are quite beautiful! Thank you, may I wear them?”

“I would be offended if you didn’t.” Paul stood behind her and carefully placed the necklace around her throat. “I’m sure you have a much finer set than this.”

Lucky tried not to look over at her dressing table where her mother’s splendidly large pearls awaited her. “In truth, I usually borrow my mother’s. I don’t have a set of my own.”

He kissed her collarbone and she shivered. “Well, you do now. I just wish I’d thought to get you something sooner.” His laugh was self-deprecating. “I never had the financial resources before, so in fact, I’m only giving you what was already yours.”

She reached up to clasp his hand and he went still. “I don’t care about the money, you know that. You give me far more than I deserve.”

He pulled gently out of her grasp and held out his hand. “Shall we go down then?”

She forced a smile and allowed him to escort her down the stairs to the ballroom, where her parents had insisted on holding a ball to celebrate their marriage. She hoped Constantine Delinsky would attend. Her plan to flirt with him was still much on her mind, and this was the perfect place to do it. Trapped at his own ball, Paul would have no choice but to stay and watch.

Even though Lucky had received no response to her letter to Jeremy, she hoped he wouldn’t try and enter the ball and confront her here. She’d already decided that if she didn’t hear from him in another week, she would seek him at his lodgings. Paul wouldn’t approve, but she had to find out exactly what had happened to him. It had occurred to her that Jeremy might be dead. And, if Paul had been involved in that, she was doubly anxious.

“Ah, there you are, my dears!”

Her mother’s cheerful greeting drew Lucky out of her thoughts, and she went to stand beside her parents in the receiving line.

Con paused at the top of the stairway and looked down into the crowded ballroom. Despite the cold outside, it was already hot in the elegant space, and Con began to perspire beneath his dress uniform. He’d deliberately arrived late so that he would avoid having to meet his hosts in the receiving line, but his gaze was still drawn straight to Paul and Lady Lucinda, who were dancing together in perfect accord.

He made his way down the stairs, stopping to chat with his acquaintances. He greeted the duke and duchess, and then saw the Russian ambassador beckoning to him.

“Lieutenant Colonel Delinsky? I have some news for you. Perhaps you might care to visit me tomorrow at around two o’clock?” The ambassador winced as the orchestra reached a crashing crescendo. “This is hardly the place to share anything.”

Con bowed. “I agree, sir. I will meet you at two.”

He turned away and headed toward the card room. Perhaps he could bury himself in there for a few hours and try not to worry about what the ambassador had to say to him.

“Lieutenant Colonel Delinsky, what a nice surprise!”

He found Lady Lucinda in front of him, and her evident delight in seeing him made him smile back at her. She looked beautiful in a gown of white satin, with red roses in her hair. He brought her gloved hand to his lips and kissed it. He hadn’t been joking when he’d told Paul she was exactly the kind of woman he would have liked to marry.

“My lady. You look wonderful.”

She blushed and kept her hand in his. “Thank you.”

Even though he knew he should keep away from her, he found himself asking, “Would you care to dance?”

“I have saved the supper dance for you.”

“That will be delightful.” He bowed again, and she turned away with a smile. He tried to remember what Paul had said about her being Machiavellian and found it hard to believe.

After their dance and during supper, he found himself revising that opinion. To his consternation, she’d made no effort to include Paul in her invitation to supper and had spent the entire time gazing worshipfully into his eyes. If he hadn’t known better, he would think she was looking for a lover.

She fanned herself and looked longingly toward the windows that led out to a balcony at the back of the house. “I wonder if I might prevail on you to take me outside for a breath of air? It is so hot in here.”