The Temptation of a Gentleman (34 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Noah paced across the sitting room floor and checked the small clock on the wall once more. It was two in the afternoon, and he was waiting for Marion’s arrival. Each time the pendulum swung his anxiety grew.

In all the years of spying, all the times he’d nearly been caught, he’d never felt such a sickness in the pit of his stomach. But telling a woman he loved her, a simple task in theory, made him weak. If it hadn’t been so painful he would have laughed at how far he’d fallen in such a short time.

The door creaked open and Noah spun around, but his expression fell when he saw it was only his mother, sister and Griffin who came to greet him. It was all he could do to control the twist of disappointment from coming to his face.

He did his best to ignore Griffin’s chuckle as he took his seat beside Audrey. His sister reached up and absently wound her hand through her husband’s. Noah winced with jealousy. He hoped he would soon enough be able to show his feelings for Marion with the same ease. Until then, his sister and brother-in-law’s happiness was only a reminder of what he risked to lose.

“Did you not receive my message?” Tabitha asked as she motioned for the maid to pour tea for their party.

“No. I was out running a few errands.”

He’d gone to pick up the ring he’d had designed for Marion. He planned to go down on one knee and propose to her properly. Much the same way he had planned to propose to Charlotte, but with real emotion and passion behind the words he would say.

“She and her mother went out this morning to visit and shop.” Tabitha cocked her head. “In fact, I’m a bit surprised they haven’t returned as of yet. I thought certain they’d be home for luncheon, but they’ve yet to arrive or send word.”

Noah’s heart leapt with concern, even though rationally he knew he had nothing to worry about. “She’s sent no explanation for her tardiness? That doesn’t seem like Marion.”

Audrey shook her head with a laugh. “You worry too much. She had a wonderful debut last night and it’s likely she and her mother met with people who desired to increase their acquaintance. It’s often difficult to tear oneself away from the matrons of the
ton
. Even more difficult to do it without offending them.”

Noah was surprised that the worry he felt was growing. He’d come to trust his instincts over the years and now stood up with a frown.

His sister shook her head. “She seemed fine. A bit sad, but there is bound to be a modicum of let-down after such an exciting night.”

Audrey stared at him with the eyes of a former spy and he could tell his sister realized he was truly worried, not simply acting the over-protective fiancé.

“I’d never let her leave this house upset without trying to find the cause.” Her voice was soft, but her eyes never left his. “I did speak to her but she revealed nothing. Why this concern?”

He ignored his mother’s pleas and began to climb the stairs two at a time. Something was wrong. Something had happened. Marion wouldn’t leave the house in upset and simply not return without an explanation. It wasn’t in her nature.

“Noah!” Audrey caught up to him in hurried strides and blocked his way with her body. “Your feelings are generally correct on these subjects, but Mama is right. You can’t go searching through her room. I’ll go. You wait in the foyer.”

Noah hesitated, but saw the wisdom his sister’s advice. With a frown, he nodded and turned back to the main floor. At the bottom of the stairs, Griffin and Tabitha stared at him with a mixture of shock and worry.

“I don’t understand you, Noah,” his mother said as he stepped off the last stair. “Causing all this uproar over a shopping excursion.”

“You’re right, Mother.” He put an arm around her while he continued to watch up at the staircase where his sister had vanished. “I’ve probably lost all my instincts over the years and am panicking over nothing. If that’s the case, I’ll apologize wholeheartedly to everyone involved. But if not…”

He trailed off as his sister came hurrying down the stairs. Her face was pale and she clutched a note in her hand. Instantly Noah knew.

Marion was gone.

***

Marion gripped the seat edge as the carriage rocked along the bumpy road out of London. They’d almost escaped the city, leaving the plush houses and crowded neighborhoods behind as the countryside became greener and wider. The hour since they left the Berenger mansion that morning had dragged by, for Marion knew each moment took her further and further from the man she loved.

She winced, but didn’t cry. She’d run out of tears and didn’t intend to weep anymore. She hadn’t when she watched Noah leave the house after his enlightening conversation with Griffin Berenger. She hadn’t when she wrote the note to explain her departure. She hadn’t even when she said her last goodbyes to Tabitha and Audrey, though it had been difficult. Audrey had even seemed to sense her pain, though Marion had withheld the cause from her.

In a few hours Noah would discover she was missing. She wanted to put as much distance between them as possible during that time. He would certainly make some chase, but if he couldn’t find her right away, she hoped he’d just give up.

Marion shook her head. “No. I couldn’t have had a thing and if I’d gotten ill Audrey and Tabitha never would have allowed our pretended visits.”

Ingrid shook her head. “Perhaps being forced to stay would have been the best thing for you.”

Marion straightened with a gasp of shock. “You were the one who said I shouldn’t marry a man who didn’t love me. I thought you agreed with my decision.”

She took a sidelong glance at her maid. Normally she wouldn’t have said anything so personal in front of a servant, but Sally was different.

“I did.” Ingrid patted her hand. “But seeing you so miserable makes me question whether or not I let my own unhappiness in my marriage to your father cloud my judgment.”

“I would have been just as wretched staying,” Marion reasoned. “Only then I would have been unhappy and married.”

Her mother raised both eyebrows. “We’ll see. If Noah comes after you, then we’ll be certain you’re important to him.”

“This isn’t a test, Mama.” Marion sighed. “I’m doing it to set us both free. I only hope we can put enough distance between us that he doesn’t find us. The last thing I want is some pathetic scene where I blubber and he tries to convince me I’m important to him.”

Ingrid winced at Marion’s harsh self-judgment but didn’t argue. For a long time the two women simply sat lost in reverie.

She was so lost in emotional turmoil that it took her a moment to realize the carriage had stopped. With a frown, she pulled back the window curtain and looked around. Outside, two horses grazed by the roadside and she heard male voices. Had Noah found her so soon?

Her heart leapt with joy at the thought before she could control the happy emotions that swelled inside her. With a scowl she folded her arms and pushed them back. She didn’t
want
Noah to find her.

Marion didn’t pause to think, but leapt to the carriage door and pulled back against it with all her might to keep anyone from entering. Her mother’s vehicle wasn’t fancy enough to have a lock.

The door lurched under her grip as her father tugged and pulled at the handle. She braced her feet against the floorboards though ultimately her struggle was futile. It wasn’t as if her father would give up and leave. Not if he’d tracked her all the way to London. He wanted something. He wanted her.

“Go away!” She pulled even harder.

“I’ll rip the door out of your hands!”

True to his threat, Marion felt the handle slipping from her grip as her much more powerful father yanked. She careened backward across the carriage floor as it popped open.

She struggled to sit up as her father’s sneering face blocked the light from the sunny day outside. Instinctively, she rose up and moved in front of her mother to protect the other woman.

“You aren’t wanted here, Papa.” She hoped her voice didn’t reflect the fear she felt. The last thing she wanted was for her father to sense her weakness.

“I didn’t ask.” He smiled maliciously at her, but then his eyes went to her mother and he paled.

At first Marion thought he was having a romantic reaction to seeing the woman he’d once been married to, but when she looked closer she could see it wasn’t love or desire in his eyes, but something even more powerful.

“I heard Woodbury found you,” her father hissed. “I couldn’t believe it was true.” His eyes strayed to Sally, who was crouching in the corner of the vehicle. “And
you
. Mr. Lucas would probably like to take your insubordination out of your scrawny backside. I think I’ll give him the opportunity.”

Marion flinched. Was Josiah Lucas there, too? Sally had said there were two men. Nausea washed over her as she remembered the older man’s desire to have her. Perhaps being ruined by Noah wouldn’t be enough to keep him from taking her.

Walter glanced back at her. “Why do you think? I won’t
give
you away to some man when I can sell you.”

“You can’t sell what has already been taken!” she snapped, casting a glance at her mother. How humiliating to have to discuss her tarnished virtue like this. “Lucas won’t reduce your debt now.”

He grinned. “You think not? We’ve already talked about a new way to pay my vowels. Now that Woodbury doesn’t want you, there’s no reason I can’t take you back.”

Marion turned her face away in disgust and utter terror. She’d never realized just how desperate her father was. Her only chance was to make him think Noah would be coming for her. Perhaps he’d leave them be, for he feared Noah.

“On the contrary, Papa. Noah can’t get enough of me. We’re heading back to Woodbury to prepare for the wedding. He had to attend to some business in London, but he’ll be following shortly.” She arched an eyebrow with what she hoped was the cool sophistication Tabitha Jordan had so much of. “I assure you, if he finds me missing, he’ll be very displeased.”

Her father began to laugh. “You little liar. Just like your mother.” His tone turned to a hiss of hatred as he turned on his estranged wife. “Did you teach her to be a whore, as well?”

“Papa!”

“Go ahead, Ingrid. Why don’t you tell your daughter the truth since we’re having this little intimate family moment.” He shook his fist. “Tell her what a wanton you are. Tell her what kind of blood she has running through her veins.”

“That’s enough.” Ingrid sat up straighter and looked at Marion’s father with a dignity more befitting one of a higher class. “You and I had an agreement, and I expect you to keep your end of it.”

“What agreement?” Marion shook her head in confusion.

Her father ignored her question. “Why should I keep up my end of it? You haven’t. You revealed yourself to her. That wasn’t the bargain we struck.”