The Perfect Impostor (24 page)

“I couldn’t.” Once again she wouldn’t look at him. “I’d given Julia my word.”

“Your reluctance to place your trust in me drove me demented. I was angry with you and yet couldn’t stop myself wanting to be with you.”

She seemed embarrassed by his words. “Tell me what happened tonight.”

“Boscombe and I had decided that a few of the ladies we’d originally suspected were not involved.” He smiled at her. “Especially not you. But that didn’t absolve Julia or Mrs. Nugent.”

“Mrs. Nugent?”

“Her husband has lost money in bad investments. She’s desperate to remain in good society.”

“I see.”

“Either her maid or Celia had to be involved. Boscombe was watching them both.” He grinned.

“And instead of following James you stopped to rescue Celia from drowning.”

He shrugged.

“But you still managed to capture James and recover the tiara?”

“Yes, we were fortunate.”

“The duchess will be relieved.”

He smiled at her. “I doubt it.”

“Why? I thought it rather irresponsible of you to allow it to be stolen in the first place. You couldn’t know for sure that it would be recovered.”

“No, that’s why my brother warned her before she came here what was likely to happen.”

“And she still came?”

“Wild horses wouldn’t have kept her away,” Leo said, chuckling. “You see, her husband’s father sold the original tiara to pay off his gambling debts years ago. The one the duchess wears is a cheap copy, just for appearances sake.”

“And she wanted to see the back of it presumably?” Katrina smiled. “It sounds as though she hasn’t had as much excitement for years.”

“Probably not.”

She gasped. “You’re hurt.” She touched his thigh where a little blood had seeped through the dressing Boscombe had applied, staining his breeches.

“It’s nothing. Merely a scratch.”

“And you’re filthy.”

He rubbed his hand over his stubbly chin. “In no fit state to attend a lady in her boudoir.”

“Are you hurt anywhere else?”

He nodded, suppressing a grin, and indicated the left side of his chest.

“Take your shirt off. Let me see.”

This time the grin wouldn’t be denied and it spread across his face as he tore off his stained clothing and stood in front of her, bare-chested.

“Where?” She prodded his chest experimentally and frowned. “I don’t see any cuts.”

“I didn’t say I was cut. I said I was hurting.” He touched the skin over his heart. “Here.”

“What do you mean?”

“My heart is breaking because you won’t look at me.”

“Why would I look at someone who considers me capable of murder?” She tossed her head. “If you’d have the goodness to turn your back I shall get dressed and you can then clap me in irons.”

His arm caught her round the waist and, before she had an opportunity to object, he tumbled her onto the bed.

“Leo, let me go!”

“I’m sorry,” he said, laughing.

“I’m glad you find the situation diverting.”

“I know you didn’t murder the wretched man, Katrina.”

“How do you know? I had every reason in the world to do away with him.”

“But you didn’t and together we’ll prove it.”

“Thank you,” she said, reaching up to trace the line of his cheek with a soft touch. “But there’s no need. The murderer has confessed.”

“What? When? No one informed me.”

“Does anyone know you’re back?”

“No.”

“Well, there you are then.” She described how she’d elicited a servant’s confession. The relief he felt was palpable. As was his admiration.

“I think Amos must have left that cupboard and gone after James,” she said. “If you could get him to admit that, then it might ease the guilt Millie and Peter feel.”

“I shall get Richard to question him on the matter.”

“Thank you. I feel responsible, you see.”

Tears were streaming down her face. He immediately got to his feet, offering her solace and a handkerchief simultaneously.

“I thought you’d be relieved it’s all over,” he said.

“I am. These are tears of joy,” she spluttered, mopping them up as best she could. “I can’t believe I no longer have to fear him.”

“Well you don’t,” he said softly. “No one can harm you now.”

The soft light of gratitude shining through her brittle tears was his undoing. With a strangled oath he was upon her again. He pinned her beneath him on the bed, mindless of the protests from his injured thigh, and bent his head to kiss her.

“What are you doing?” she asked, turning her face away.

“Claiming my reward.”

“Your reward? Why should you be entitled to any reward?” She scowled but there was no venom behind the gesture. “You didn’t trust me.”

“No, I didn’t.” He grasped her chin and turned her face until she was obliged to look directly at him. “But not for one moment did I suspect you of murder.”

“I can hardly blame you if you did. I mean, the evidence was rather overwhelming.”

“Damn the evidence! I already knew you better than that.”

“And yet, before you went careering off after criminals, you couldn’t look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t think I’d done it. What sort of trust does that imply?”

“Katrina, if I’d looked at you at that precise moment, when you were so vulnerable, so in need of my protection, I wouldn’t have been able to prevent myself from doing this.”

“What?” Her voice quavered.

He claimed her lips in a possessive kiss that spoke more eloquently than a thousand words. Her attempts to defuse it were brief and, he was encouraged to note, halfhearted. Soon she was kissing him back with a passion at least as desperate as his own. He crushed her lips quite mercilessly, pouring into that kiss every ounce of relief he felt at the way matters had resolved themselves. He forced her lips apart with his tongue, demanding her complete and absolute capitulation. There was little finesse in his action, just fierce determination to show her how comprehensively he loved her.

When he finally broke the kiss, they were both breathing heavily. It would be so easy to rip that flimsy robe from her. To lose himself in her profound sensuality.

But words must come first.

“You are now free to pursue your career,” he said, finally turning on his back to ease the strain on his injury and running a finger idly down the outside of her breast. “And the ladies from this party will be falling over themselves to acquire your services.”

“I certainly hope so.”

“Oh, I’m sure it could happen that way. But it won’t.”

“What do you mean? You just said that it would.” She leaned up on one elbow, disappointment and frustration clouding her expression. “They don’t like my designs enough to overlook my humble establishment, I suppose.”

“No, that’s not what I mean at all.”

“Then what?”

“They won’t be able to call on you because, my lovely Tethys, you won’t be at leisure to receive them.”

“Leo, what in the world are you talking about?” She brushed his cheek with a frustrated hand. “I believe that scratch on your thigh has addled your wits.”

“My wits have never been more finely attuned, I thank you.”

“Then what? I don’t—”

“You, my angel, won’t be able to oblige your new patrons because you will be at my estate in Berkshire.”

She elevated a brow. “I will?”

“Most assuredly.”

“Do you require the services of a modiste?”

He chuckled. “I most certainly require your exclusive services.” He paused to brush a strand of hair away from her eyes. “As my wife.”

She sat up so abruptly that her elbow caught him a painful blow on the chest. “Your wife! Are you mad?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“I think you must be.” She gulped. “Leo, use your sense, I couldn’t possibly marry you.”

“Why ever not?”

“Oh, for goodness sake! I’m a modiste. A widow with a questionable past. You’re the brother of a duke. These things just don’t happen.”

He shrugged. “I fail to see why.”

“I know what it is,” she said pensively. “I look so much like Julia that you’re prepared to settle for second best.”

“Don’t you dare to say such things!”

“Why not? It’s true. She told me all about it.”

Leo made a scoffing sound at the back of his throat. “I’d started to see glimpses of the real Julia before I went away and knew I didn’t want to marry her—”

“And yet you let people believe that you’d jilted her?”

“It seemed easier. It’s different for a man.”

“It was still a noble thing to do.”

“You’re noble too. Forgiving her so easily after all she put you through. And I’m still not persuaded that she told you the truth. Italian lessons indeed! Julia?”

“Oh, it’s true. When I couldn’t sleep after going to the servants’ hall, she woke up and showed off her new skills by conjugating Italian verbs. Aloud.” Katrina rolled her eyes. “I drifted off almost at once.”

Leo chuckled. “It sounds to me as though Dupont’s got his hands full.”

“You don’t have to behave so nobly towards me,” she said, an encouraging trace of regret in her tone. “You have nothing to reproach yourself for.”

“I don’t give a damn about nobility, Katrina. I just want you for my wife.”

“And I think I’ve reasoned out why. Julia sent Gower here to pursue me and you want to best him after he attempted to steal Julia from you.” Her smile was loaded with resentment. “There, you see, you can’t hide anything from me.”

“That’s rot.” He turned to one side, leaning up on an elbow. “And to answer your earlier question, my wanting to marry you has nothing to do with your resemblance to Julia.”

“Then why?”

“I want you because you’re so uniquely yourself.”

There were tears in her eyes. “Even so, I can’t turn you into a laughingstock.”

“You think I care about other people’s opinions?”

“It would be like history repeating itself. First my mother falling for the lord of the manor and now me.”

“Ah, so you have fallen for me then.” He traced the line of her lips with his forefinger, daring to hope.

“I suppose you have a certain puerile charm,” she said, curling a lock of his hair round her finger and tugging at it. “But it won’t serve.”

“You could, even now, be carrying my child,” he said, placing a hand protectively over her abdomen. “Have you considered that possibility?”

“Then I really would be following in my mother’s footsteps.”

“Katrina,” he said with a heavy sigh. “This is not the same at all. I’m independently wealthy and not reliant upon anyone’s permission to marry. I want you and won’t settle for less.”

“But what about what I want?”

“What do you want?”

“It’s funny, Julia reminded me earlier about our governess asking us the same question.”

“And how did you respond?”

“Julia said she wanted a gentleman with the grandest title and biggest fortune she could find.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “And what about you?”

“My ambitions were not quite so lofty. I said that I very much desired a man who would love me for the person I actually am.”

“You’re quite wrong, Tethys,” he said softly. “That’s not a modest ambition at all. It’s the most precious, the most sought-after desire on God’s earth. Only the lucky few ever get to experience such an all-encompassing love.”

“Yes,” she said, reaching up and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. “And do you know, I think I just might turn out to be one of them.”

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