The Guise of a Gentleman (12 page)

“I admit I have a somewhat laissez-faire attitude about certain things, especially concerning my son, but I assure you, I have no intention of suddenly becoming a woman of scandal.”

He grinned and continued rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. “I would never suggest such a thing. And widows, of course, are less closely censured than unwed young ladies. In a few years, you can call yourself an eccentric and be excused for almost any behavior.”

She smiled faintly, her hand relaxing in his. Her focused gaze remained on his face and her expression softened further. “You seem to take delight in provoking me.”

“I admit that I do. And I like soothing you afterward.” He skimmed his fingers down her cheek.

She closed her eyes and tilted her head toward his hand. Yet some inner warning seemed to make her open her eyes and pull away.

He held up his hands in surrender. “Relax. As much as I’m tempted, I’m not trying to seduce you.”

She blinked. “You admit you are tempted to seduce me, but you aren’t going to make the attempt. I’m not sure if I’m relieved or terrified.”

“The thought of seduction terrifies you?”

“I…” Twisting her hands, she arose and turned away, hiding her expression.

He stood behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She flinched. He dropped his hands but leaned in, his body almost touching hers.

He whispered into her ear, “Do not fear me, Elise. I would never, ever hurt you.”

She turned slowly to face him. Innocent desire, trepidation, and confusion all shone in her eyes.

“I should go.” Before he ravished her right here. “Thank you for a most enjoyable evening. I truly can’t remember a more wonderful dinner. Good night, Mrs. Berkley.”

“Good night, Mr. Amesbury.”

He kissed her chastely on the cheek. She caught her breath. He smiled, almost undone by the tenderness growing in his heart for this woman. Unable to resist, he leaned in slowly, allowing her the opportunity to pull away if she wanted. She didn’t.

He touched her smooth cheek, leaned in, and kissed her lightly. Her unpracticed mouth remained tight at first, but it grew more pliant under his. Fighting all his inclinations to the contrary, he eased back and looked at her. She blinked slowly as if dazed.

If he ever decided to woo and win this lovely lady, he’d have to go very slowly. He wished he could tell the Secret Service to go to the devil so he could be free to pursue Elise Berkley.

He inclined his head in a brief bow and left while he possessed the strength.

On a low hillside, Jared lay on his stomach, ignoring the insects crawling over him, and watched the lights pouring out of the windows of Von Barondy’s house. A bramble scraped his back and a rock dug into his ribs, but he remained motionless. One by one, lights extinguished as servants went to bed, leaving the house in total darkness. Soon, he’d make his move.

After a lonely dinner spent wishing he could enjoy it with the charming Elise Berkley and her equally charming son as he had last night, he’d gone to bed. Once the house was quiet, he’d risen, dressed all in black, and made his way to the Von Barondy residence. The viscount might be wily enough not to keep anything incriminating at his residence, but one never knew.

Jared studied the watchmen carrying a lantern and leading two dogs as they made their rounds. After they passed by a third time, he understood their pattern. He arose. Using the night and his black clothing to conceal him, he crept soundlessly from his hiding place. He climbed over the stone fence, passed through the gardens, and approached the house.

Predictably, all the windows on the ground floor were locked. No matter. After picking the lock at the kitchen door and easing in, he waited, listening, but heard nothing more than the steady beating of his own heart.

He smiled wryly. Breaking into houses no longer even quickened his pulse.

He wondered if his lack of excitement had more to do with the fact that he’d frequently done far more dangerous acts, or if it stemmed from weariness of his career. This may be the last time he’d ever have to play burglar. Relief to be rid of the whole nasty business mingled with doubt as to whether he could actually give up the adventure.

When his eyes adjusted to the kitchen’s inky blackness, Jared stole forward. At the door, he paused again to listen. All remained quiet.

He crept down the halls and opened several doors before he found a likely study with an imposing desk at the center of the room. Jared shook his head. Too obvious. But he’d check it anyway in case the man had no imagination.

After making sure the draperies were closed and would block out any light for the watchmen to see, Jared lit a candle and set it on the desk.

He found three hidden compartments in the desk, read a great deal of useless correspondence that he couldn’t imagine why Von Barondy would hide, and gave up on the desk. He found a wall safe with legal documents and some jewels, but nothing incriminating. After a thorough sweep of the room, Jared blew out the candle. He waited until he could see well enough to navigate silently through obstacles in the dark room before he moved.

At the door, he paused, listening. Assured all remained quiet, Jared slipped into another room.

And realized his error.

A feminine gasp met his ears. The shadowy form of a woman stood silhouetted by the moonlight pouring through a window. She turned from an extinguished lamp, its wick still glowing. If he’d arrived a second sooner, she would have clearly seen him in the lamplight.

As the woman inhaled to scream, Jared leaped forward and placed a hand over her mouth.

She let out a frightened squeak.

Tightening his grip on her, he turned them both to put himself in the shadows. If they ever met in daylight, she would not recognize him. He hoped. Even with the moonlight on her face, he could barely make out her features, but her ragged breathing and heaving chest revealed her terror. He felt like a beast frightening a woman.

He thought quickly. “Shhh, my dear,” he crooned, his voice barely above a whisper. “Forgive me for startling you. I could not keep you out of my thoughts. I had to see you again.”

She went utterly still.

Wondering how he was going to get out of this one, he stepped closer. As he leaned down to nuzzle her neck, he removed his hand from her mouth and caressed her cheek. “Give me hope, dear one. One kiss is all I ask, and then I’ll leave.”

She caught her breath.

His pulse throbbed. If she screamed now, he’d have to leap out the window and try to outrun the dogs.

Her eyes fluttering closed, she leaned against him and lifted her mouth up toward his.

Jared could hardly believe his good fortune. Not that there’d been a terrible shortage of willing women, of course, but to have her capitulate so quickly seemed too good to be true. His charm must be even better than he’d imagined. Unless she truly thought he was someone else.

He kissed her softly. She sagged against him and placed a hand on his chest. This time she kissed him.

His conscience stabbed him that he’d kissed Elise Berkley only last night, and yet stood here kissing a stranger. There were no promises made or asked with Elise, but he felt as if he were being unfaithful. Not to mention using an obviously innocent girl.

He slowly broke the kiss, pressed his lips to the girl’s cheek, then backed away. “You give me hope, my dear one,” he whispered. “Until next time.”

Without a doubt, he had to be the most heartless cad in all of England.

He let himself out of the room and moved to the nearest alcove. As he flattened against a wall, he waited, hardly daring to breathe. He knew full well she may realize his deception and sound an alarm, yet he doubted he could bring himself to knock a woman unconscious even if she should prove to be a danger to him.

One of his former shipmates had taught him a Chinese method of rendering a victim unconscious with only a touch, but Jared had never tried it on anyone before. With pounding heart, he waited, sickened that he was even considering attacking a woman.

Of course he wouldn’t. He’d simply run like the devil.

Several moments later, the girl came out. She let out a dreamy sigh. Then, pulling her dressing gown closer around her, she moved to the rear of the house. Her light footfalls on the servants’ stairway faded. Once again, the house fell silent.

After letting his breath out in relief, Jared turned the opposite direction from where he’d encountered the girl. A library. Again, it might be too obvious, but he’d try. The first few compartments he discovered, one behind a picture and another in the mantle, revealed nothing interesting.

As Jared moved across the floor, he paused. Listening, he took one step back. The floor creaked oddly at that place. It sounded hollow. He knelt and traced the outline of two suspiciously symmetrical floorboards. Using a pocketknife, he pried up the two floorboards that revealed a compartment.

Inside sat a small, wooden locked box.

His pulse quickened. He reached in and lifted the box. After picking the lock, he opened the lid. A stack of papers, all written in numbers and Greek symbols, met his eyes.

Anticipation raced through his veins and his heart pounded. This was it! This had to be what he sought; proof that Von Barondy was
O Ladrão
, the elusive fox he’d been hunting for over three years. He wanted to shout in triumph. All his work would soon pay off.

Then he would be free.

He lifted the papers from their hiding place, and traced the symbols with shaking fingers. Tingling with excitement, he rummaged through a small secretary desk until he found paper, pen and ink. He took a calming breath and set to work. After meticulously copying every character contained in the first two papers, he glanced at the mantle clock. Almost four in the morning. Servants would be rising soon.

Still reveling in the thrill of his victory, he sanded the ink and tucked the papers into his coat. Replacing everything with utmost care, Jared glanced about to ensure he hadn’t disturbed anything. He blew out the candle and waited with his ear to the door before he slipped back down to the kitchen. From a window, he watched the bobbing lantern of the guard and dog
s pass by before he crept out of the house. He realized with alarm that the direction of the wind had changed. Aware of the dogs, he darted through the kitchen garden toward the back fence.

The dogs began barking with a ferocity that chilled his blood.

Jared tore across the yard. Shouting men and snarling, barking dogs pursued. He stumbled over an obstacle in his path but managed to keep on his feet. He steadied his balance and sprinted with renewed speed. The baying dogs drew closer.

As Jared reached the high stone fence, he launched himself upward. His fingers gained purchase on the top just as the jaws of the nearest dog closed over his leg, but the teeth grasped a fold of his breeches just above his boots. With pounding heart, he kicked backward and the cloth tore.

A gunshot roared. Stone debris exploded in every direction.

He scrambled up the wall. He threw himself off the top and landed hard on the ground on the other side. Rolling to his feet, he kept running.

The dogs’ barking fell further behind, but Jared ran without pause until he reached his horse tethered in the trees some distance from the house. As he vaulted up on the saddle, he looked back.

There was no sign or sound of pursuit. Still, he urged Aries to a full run.

With each mile he put between himself and the Von Barondy house, he relaxed. Then he grinned. Exhilarated, he threw back his head and laughed. Then he wished he could tell someone about it.

Elise would no doubt disapprove. Or would she?

He galloped to Brenniswick, circling the tiny village several times, alert for signs of pursuit. His muscles relaxed and his heart slowed, leaving only fatigue in its place.

By the time he arrived home, concealed the coded papers in his room, and changed out of his black clothing that surely would have sent his valet into vapors, his fatigue drove him straight to bed. He’d attempt to decipher the code after getting adequate rest tomorrow. Er, later today.

Despite his weariness, rest came fitfully. Images of Elise Berkley hovered before his eyes, taunting him, tempting him, preventing restful sleep.

He dreamed of her. He dreamed of touching her luscious body, losing himself in her sweetness. In the dream, she opened sleepy eyes. With a cry, she recoiled in horror from him as she saw him for the monster he truly was.

The dream changed, and Leandro held her captive. Leandro looked at Jared with malice and gleefully stabbed her just to spite him. She screamed.

Jared bolted up bathed in sweat.

****

“What makes you think I didn’t sleep last night?” Jared snarled at Greymore. The man looked altogether far too smug.

Greymore chuckled. “As you are in a decidedly foul mood today, I’ll assume it wasn’t pleasant activities that kept you awake?”

Jared muttered a rude accusation about Greymore’s parentage, but Greymore only laughed.

“Are you going to help me with this or not?” Jared shoved the paper into his hands.

Greymore took the paper and studied it, sobering. He glanced up at Jared. “Where did you get this?”

“From a box underneath a floorboard in Von Barondy’s house.”

Greymore whistled. “He wouldn’t have a coded message if he weren’t involved in criminal activity. Have you tried to break it?”

Jared shot him a glare that left Greymore holding up his hands in surrender. “All right, all right, I know; you wouldn’t have come to me if you hadn’t already tried.” He clapped Jared on the back. “Take heart, if we can’t crack it, we can always forward it to the main office in London.”

Jared loosened his cravat and nodded. They worked on the code for the remainder of the day without success. Greymore’s temper grew short, and Jared began to think they should concede the battle and send the code to London.

Mrs. Greymore entered with a whisper of skirts. “Mr. Greymore, perhaps we should feed your guest.”

Surprised, Greymore looked up at his wife. Immediately, his face softened and he beckoned to her. As if just now noticing the darkness outside the windows, he gave Jared a look of apology.

Mrs. Greymore smiled at Jared. “Won’t you please join us for a late dinner?”

“Thank you.” He glanced at Greymore. “I apologize for keeping your husband so long.”

“Secret business, no doubt.” Her smile turned knowing.

Jared raised a brow.

Greymore grinned at his wife. “You know I’m retired from government service. We’re merely looking over a bit of a puzzle.”

“Mmm.” She clearly did not believe them, but chose not to dispute it.

They dined on a simple meal and Jared relaxed as he traded stories with Greymore and his delightful wife. The more time Jared spent here, the more he realized he missed the simple joys of home and family. That he might obtain them seemed a tantalizing dream.

When had he turned into such a sentimental fool?