The Trouble With Seduction (36 page)

Perhaps any man who vaguely resembled Cornelius might reawaken her thoughts of him. Family members often possessed similar characteristics. But the two men’s bearings held little in common. Responsibility and power nearly bristled off Lord Falgate.

How different he was from his brother.

Cornelius had been a charmer – handsome, carefree, and flamboyant. With a wink and a waggle of his brows, he’d frequently postured and preened in his fashionable clothes.

It had all been in jest, of course, making fun of his good looks. Underneath she knew he’d a sharp intelligence. Even jumbled by assault, he’d proven to have a keen mind. She still smiled at memories of his self-deprecating humor.

She hadn’t stretched the truth when she said they’d been friends.

If she looked past his philandering, Cornelius was pleasant company, well-informed, and admirably altruistic to those less fortunate. He’d built up her self-confidence, extolled her intelligence and competence, and given her the tools and courage to fight for herself. With him she was not an embellishment; he believed in her and, during the short time they’d shared, he’d made her feel like the most cherished woman alive.

The viscount turned toward her and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets, causing his frock coat to flare out behind him revealing his narrow hips. “My father had been ill for some time. The extent of his problems only came to light after his death.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, my lord.”

“Thank you. As you may know, my family has encountered a number of problems, a few of which I’ve managed to sort out. My men and I rounded up members of a gang headed by Inspector Hooker. He’d been on the police force nearly twenty-five years while his ring of criminals terrorized St Giles.”

“Hooker?” Sarah gritted her teeth.

“He’d a long-standing vendetta against us. Every so often my father had to clean out the nests of criminals in his St Giles properties.”

The viscount pushed his glasses up his nose. “After one of my father’s raids, Hooker’s two sons and brother were put on trial and deported to Botany Bay. Unfortunately, their ship sank. When Hooker discovered my father was the one who’d prosecuted them, he swore vengeance on my brother and me in retribution.”

She gasped. “So he was behind your brother’s assault?”

“He as much as admitted so.”

Sadness suddenly gripped her. Cornelius had tried so hard to find the men who’d attacked him, but in the end, the villains won.

“My father received a series of letters vowing to kill his family. After that, he found ways to keep us from London. Cory returned a few times, never staying long enough for anyone to take notice. With my father’s failing health, he moved back to help. Hooker found out and tried to kill him.”

Falgate rubbed his neck.

“So, to address your question, my father’s properties are currently under review. I intend to root out the rest of Hooker’s gang of criminals and garner influence in the proper quarters to establish reliable law enforcement in St Giles.” His Liverpudlian accent thickened. “I dealt with similar elements in Liverpool, but I can make no promises until the situation here is brought under control.”

By his commanding tone and resolute physical presence, she could see he’d be an implacable adversary. Ridding St Giles of the criminal gangs would go a long way to improve the lives of the poor.

“You handled those five ruffians in the alley behind my mission admirably.”

A gleam momentarily flashed behind his glasses. Though veiled, the potency of it was reminiscent of… what?

At that moment, the clouds outside parted. A ray of sun shot through the window, struck the mirror over the fireplace, and exploded into beams of brilliance, awakening a memory of the light show at Astley’s.

Sarah’s breath caught. It must have been a trick of the light. For an instant, she thought she saw that same dark longing behind his spectacles.

“Do you know your brother led me through the rookery to escape villains? I think that’s when I fell in love with him.”

His gaze seemed to intensify, heating her skin.

“I can’t help but note the resemblance between you and your brother.”

“Occasionally people find it so.” His words, though softly spoken, had an edge.

Her thoughts churned. Little flashes of remembrance filled her mind’s eye. “Your brother had a deplorable memory.”

Falgate pointed to his temple. “Too many thumps to the brainbox.”

“No, I think it was all the lies. He couldn’t keep them straight.”

He stood there, a towering Adonis of a man, hunched his shoulders, and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. His dark brows pulled down as he pinned her with a hard stare. “He was not good at juggling, either.”

She was getting tired of him sidestepping the subject.

“Did Cornelius Ravenhill ever truly exist?”

“Ah, now what’er you talkin’ about?” His sing-song Liverpudlian thickened. “He’s at our estate in Essex, recuperating from his assault.”

“Then who are you?”

“I’m his brother, Falgate. Who should I be?” A dark glint escaped as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

Her heart skipped a beat. Was she imagining things? The flash lasted a fraction of a second. She’d nearly missed it.

But it was there.

“What…! Who are you…? How is this? HOW COULD YOU?” She practically shouted the words. “What are you playing at, my lord? Am I so gullible you thought to have a lark with me?”

He stood stock still, watching her from behind his glasses.

“What kind of twisted game is this? Did you have a good laugh at the fool you made of me?”

She found herself gasping with insult and anger. Her eyes burned like someone had thrown acid in them. “I must leave before I say something I shouldn’t!”

***

Paralyzed by the pain clutching his chest, Damen could only watch Sarah dash from the room. Amputation of a limb wouldn’t have been more agonizing. In all of his daydreams, he’d never pictured a more disastrous reunion. What a hash he’d made of things – again.

He’d get over it, though. He
had
to get over her. If he was lucky the pain would dull, and he might be able to sleep again.

In the deafening silence, the mansion almost seemed to hold its breath as the light patter of her shoes receded down the hall. It reminded him of leaves blowing down a lane, the end of a season, the last chance at a once-in-a-lifetime love he’d botched from day one.

A sound deep inside welled up his throat.

“Saraaah!” His voice sounded like the cry of a wounded bear.

Her footfalls stopped, started forward, hesitated, then backed up, faltered again.

His ears strained toward the sound. “Forgive me,” he croaked.

Suddenly, she stood in the doorway, looking at him as if she would faint.

In three steps he had her in his arms. “Please forgive me, Sarah.” He covered her face with kisses, tasting her salty tears as his heart knocked wildly in his chest.

“I knew it,” she panted, matching kiss for hungry kiss.

Her familiar peach and lavender perfume filled his senses. He felt as if they were floating off the floor, so lost was he to her caresses. The woman he loved was finally in his arms.

His hands roamed up and down her back. “Ah, Sarah,” he muttered between heated caresses. “Why wouldn’t you leave me be? I’m no good for you.”

She melted into him, quaking. “Let me be the judge of that.” She kissed him deeply and then pulled back, swiping at a tear. “You have a lot to answer for, my lord. It’s well past time you gave a proper accounting of yourself.”

He brushed away another tear with his thumb. “Are you sure you want to hear this?”

“Positively,” she hiccupped.

“Well, then…” He gazed about her face like a thirsty man would an oasis in a vast desert. “We’d best have a seat.”

CHAPTER 33

Sarah’s voice nearly failed her as she attempted to speak. “So are you saying you impersonated your brother?” Her mind grappled with the impossibility. This man didn’t even smell like the Cornelius she’d known. Instead of an expensive male fragrance of sandalwood and citrus wending its way through the air, she couldn’t detect a scent of any kind.

“I deeply regret leading you to believe I was someone I am not, my lady. But my brother’s assailants were still out there, and as you can see…” – he held up his skinned knuckles – “…they intended to do away with us. I finally managed an element of surprise when I returned with a small army of my own.”

“Is Hooker the one they call the ‘Scythe’?”

“Yes. You and I tutored his potential victims and helped them steer clear of his gangs of thieves and swindlers. He feared losing control of the streets and decided to make an example of you by destroying your mission.”

“And Miss Eugenia Lambert?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “She was Cory’s rushed attempt to cover father’s loans. With my father’s illness, Hooker saw the opportunity to make even more money robbing my father of the rents on his properties.”

“Do you think they will eventually marry?”

“Miss Lambert’s patience appears to be waning.” He took Sarah’s hand and stroked his thumb over the top. “I’m sorry I was not here to help you prove your innocence. But it appears you managed brilliantly on your own. I always knew you were a very capable, intelligent woman.”

“It appears my husband’s death was an accident as first ruled. My experts proved the fuses had been planted after the explosion in Strathford Hall’s laboratory. They also found traces of chemical residue that might have caused the blast.”

“Did you ever find the plans?”

Alarm bells went off in Sarah’s mind. “So you are still after those imaginary plans. There are no plans! I hired detectives and found Professor Bodkin in Scotland. He said he never met my husband or Hooker.”

“My apologies.” Falgate dipped his head. “The plans are the odd link to Mrs Ivanova. Due to her, I thought they were the reason Cory was attacked. I still haven’t established how she fits in. Cory hasn’t recovered enough to discuss it. I can only surmise she’d been sent by the Russian arms dealers to gain Strathford’s plans.”

“Could she have been working with Hooker?”

“He claims he didn’t know her.”

Falgate gazed at her hand, not meeting her eyes. “In trying to do right by my brother I led you to believe I was someone I was not. I told so many lies to maintain the deception I don’t even know where to begin to make amends,” he sighed. “However…” He locked gazes, his eyes dark with emotion. “I told the truth when I said I did not have a mistress or fiancée. You are the only woman in my life. I fell in love with you, only you, and I despaired of ever telling you who I really was.”

He toyed with her hand for a moment. “Can we begin again, my love?”

A lump formed in her throat. She nodded.

He shook her hand slowly up and down. “I am Damen Aloysius Ravenhill, Viscount Falgate, and very pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Sarah moved closer to him on the couch and pressed a hand to his bewhiskered cheek. “Damen Aloysius Ravenhill. So that is your true name? I am very pleased to meet you, my lord.” She leaned forward and gently placed a kiss on his lips.

“Please call me Damen.” His arms came around her and he pulled her onto his lap.

“Da-men.” She let the word slide over her tongue. “A-lo-y-sius. Where did you get that name?”

“My grandfather. He was greatly esteemed even with such a moniker.”

Damen trailed his lips down her throat. “Only a select few know my middle name.”

“And am I one of the select few?”

“Wives generally are.”

She gasped. “Are you asking?”

He placed his head against hers and held her close. “Oh, my love, I am asking with all my heart.”

“I must say, this has been the most bizarre courtship. I could never have dreamed the course it has taken.”

“Would you believe, I’ve always been the responsible one, the one people count on.”

“Difficult to imagine when I picture you swaggering in your fawn-colored suit, and flashing me and my friends such roguish smiles.”

He winced. “Fate could not have played a more distressing joke than putting the love of my life in my path when I was not myself. It begs the question: is it me you love or the character I played?”

She took off his glasses and gazed a long moment into his beautiful, dark-lashed eyes. No cuts or bruises hinted at his assaults. They were clear and intelligent and so open she could swim in their depths. “Deep down I knew you were a decent, kind man.”

“I am the brute who trounced five ruffians in the alley behind your mission. Are you not appalled by it?”

It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round. Evil is always there to carve out its share, to destroy and wreak havoc on others’ achievements. When government authorities are unable to do their job, only the selfless commitment of our strongest can keep evil from ruining everything and sending us back to huts and caves.”

She placed her hands on either side of his face. “That’s only part of why I love you. I also love the man who helped me tutor the poor, who eased my hurt on discovering Edward’s deception, who saved my life in the rookery.”

She lightly kissed his lips. “I love the man who advised me how to fight the corrupt inspector, rallied half of St Giles to save my mission, and saved those two little boys from the fire. It doesn’t matter whether or not you wore the height of fashion or could strut the length of Bond Street without breaking a sweat.

“You are the man I love.”

EPILOGUE

London, October 1855

Damen’s arm curled around Sarah’s shoulder as she gazed out the carriage window, admiring the mansion coming into view. After a two-week honeymoon on the continent, they were finally home.

The laboratory had been rebuilt into a glassed-in orangery resembling a smaller version of the Crystal Palace. Her home had been remade into a showpiece for the neighborhood, if not London. Her life had been transformed into something splendid as well.

“The renovation is breathtaking, don’t you think?” Sarah said happily.

“Yes, my love.” Damen nuzzled her ear. “Are you ready to tell me your surprise?”