It sounded good, and it made Carin feel like she should have dressed in her normal clothes. But when she saw Charlotte she felt better about borrowing the dress. She knew the Duchess could tell the dress was from last season, but she didn’t say anything except that Carin looked lovely.
They filled their plates and sat at the table.
After he’d taken a few bites, Tristan said, “I’ve done some research on our three subjects, just asking a few discreet questions at my club. None of them have a gambling problem, none of them are womanizers, and none of them are known to have desires that some might consider… unnatural.”
“You were busy,” she said.
“I want to get to the heart of things,” Tristan said. “More to the point, I want to know if these men know someone has something connected to them. I didn’t know. I may have desires that some might think were unnatural, but I can’t be blackmailed because I don’t care who knows.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“He’s talking about his desires to take a woman over his lap and redden her bottom,” Charlotte said. “Well, that’s part of it. And he’s right, none of us have made it a secret, so someone shouldn’t think they could make money off us.”
“You didn’t tell Shelia,” Tristan said.
“Of course, I did,” Charlotte said. “She’s perfectly aware of The Club.”
“The Club?” Carin said. “What club?”
“She expected a little more from you, Tristan, and she expressed to me that she was disappointed.” Charlotte shook her fork at him. “I told her she needed to give you another chance.”
“Charlotte, do I need to take you in the other room?” her husband asked.
“Why, it’s not like you’ve never spanked me in front of people before, my darling husband,” Charlotte said. “I’m simply being honest with Tristan. He’s been rather a stick in the mud lately.”
“This is not the time or the place,” Tristan said.
“I believe my wife is setting the stage for later tonight,” Dalton said. “Obviously, I haven’t been seeing to my husbandly duties lately. She’s making the case for her to face the consequences of her words later.”
Carin looked between the three of them. “What is happening?”
“Nothing, Carin,” Tristan said. “They are getting off the subject. The point we need to get back to is these men lead normal, boring lives. Carin, what information did you find with the keys? In other words, what information had your father gathered about the four of us?”
“No other information,” she said. “Each key was in its own separate pouch and had an address attached to it.”
“Which means the keys could be connected to the houses, and not the men who live there,” Tristan said.
“But you’ve lived here for twenty years,” Dalton said. “Carin, did the pouches seem old?”
“Just made of material,” she said. “Cotton.”
“No holes from mice, or dust from years of not being used?” Tristan asked.
“No.” She ate a piece of her meat. There were so many pieces of silver sitting near her plate that she wondered which one she should be using. She also wondered, heaven help her, what these pieces of silver would be worth. She supposed in the end that she was her father’s daughter.
“Did you bring the other keys?” Tristan asked.
“Yes,” Carin said. “They’re in my bag.”
“Eat first, and then get them,” Charlotte said.
Carin noticed she and Tristan exchanged a glance, and Carin guessed perfectly that Tristan wasn’t happy that she’d butted into the conversation and gave Carin time to eat, which delayed their sleuthing.
“I’d like to know about this club,” Carin said. “What is it?”
“It’s just a thing we have with our friends,” Tristan said.
“The Rakes of Mayfair Club,” Charlotte said with a laugh. “And they are bad, bad boys.”
Carin figured that meant they were gamblers, or drunks. She’d always heard society men were loose in many ways. But she didn’t know they had specific clubs for that sort of thing.
The three of them talked about the men in question, about their wives and children, but Carin barely listened. She was uncomfortable here, feeling not at all at home.
“I’ll go get the other keys,” she said suddenly, hurrying from the room.
She returned to find them all staring at her. She laid the pouches out. At the end. Most everyone, except she, had finished eating. They came over and investigated each pouch.
“If you don’t mind my asking, where did you find these exactly?” Tristan asked. “You’ve never really said.
“Amongst my father’s possessions,” she said. “Not in his home, but in another place where I knew he hid the things he took from people.”
“Was this all that was there?” Tristan asked.
“No,” she said. “There are two small boxes of other items, jewelry and the like. A few gold coins.”
She looked away from them because talking to them about these things was painful.
“What else?” Tristan said. “Any papers, notes?”
“No,” she said, a bit too firmly. She glanced at him and saw that he looked a little abashed, as if he’d pushed her too far.
“My apologies,” he said. “I would like to see the other items.
“Why?” she asked. “They are nothing, just things the man who hired him wouldn’t take.”
“The man who hired him,” Dalton said. “Your father gave you no clue as to whom that might be?”
“No,” she said. “The only thing he said was he was a powerful man who had large gambling debts.”
“That could be half of our circle of friends,” Dalton said with a laugh. “Gambling is something they all love. You bet on the horses, Tristan.”
“I do, but I can cover my losses,” he said. “And I don’t take it to extremes.”
The table grew quiet, and Carin watched as all three of them once again examined the keys.
“I just remembered something,” Charlotte said. “There is a charity auction and ball tonight at the museum. We received an invitation long ago. Certainly Flame would be there, since he is taking around his young fiancée. I don’t know about the other two. But we should go, see if we could talk to him.”
Carin snatched up the three bundles. “I will return tomorrow to see what you’ve found out.”
“You’ll be my guest,” Tristan said.
“I’m not dressed properly,” she said. “I’m in a design from last season. If you show up with me, people will stare and talk about you.”
“I don’t care,” Tristan said.
“I have a dress you can wear,” Charlotte said. “You’re a bit taller than I, but a dress with a train will work nicely.”
Carin was horrified at the suggestion that she attend a society event. The season was close to being over, she knew that. The only other thing she knew was that Mrs. Thompson was angry because she’d not sold more frocks to members of society.
“I am not a socialite,” Carin said. “Please, I could never go to a place like that.”
“On the contrary, you would be perfect,” Tristan said. “I haven’t shown up with a woman on my arm in years. People will really talk. It will be fun.”
“Then it’s set,” Charlotte said. “We’ll stop by the house and change. You should change, too, Tristan.”
“I’m not going anywhere except home,” Carin said.
“Then we’ll go pick up the dress and bring it here for you to put on,” Charlotte said. “Tristan, keep her here.”
“With pleasure,” Tristan said.
“You’re awfully bossy,” Carin yelled after her as Charlotte and Dalton had left the dining room.
“Carin, once Charlotte has made up her mind there is no going back,” Tristan said. “You might as well get used to the fact you’re going to the museum ball tonight.”
“I should never have come,” she said.
“Even if it leads you to the answers you’ve been seeking?”
Tristan was behind her now. He put his hands on her shoulders and she flinched ever so slightly. She remembered the last time he’d touched her, and it hadn’t been a good thing.
“I’m sorry about the other evening,” he said, almost as if he knew what she was thinking.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said.
“But I do,” he said. “I really am sorry. It shocked me to find you in my house, and I jumped to conclusions, ones that didn’t go well for you.”
“That is an understatement,” she said. She shrugged his hands off her shoulders and moved toward the door. “I’m leaving.”
“I told Charlotte you would stay,” he said. “I am known to keep my promises.”
“I don’t give a damn what you told her!” Carin wheeled on him. “I’m not a puppet for the three of you to control. I do what I want. I won’t, I repeat I won’t, be submitted to humiliation by being the only seamstress at a society ball!”
Too late she realized what she’d said. She’d given him a clue as to where she spent most of her time, although she didn’t tell him about the shop where she worked.
“I’m sorry I ever met you,” she said. “My bottom still aches from your abuse.”
“Punishment,” he countered.
“Call it what you will, but you spanked me when you didn’t even know me.”
“And I’ve said I’m sorry,” he repeated. “Now, shall I do something to prove it to you, something that will, hopefully, make you feel better?”
She wasn’t sure exactly what he was talking about, but it made her nervous.
In two quick strides he was right next to her. He grabbed her face between his hands and, damn him, he kissed her.
Chapter 6
Carin knew she should push him away, maybe even slap him across the face for his boldness. But she couldn’t. It felt so good, so wonderful to have him hold her, feel his hands on her back where they now rested while his lips were trailing over her chin and down to her neck.
“Stop,” she whispered.
His chuckle was deep, she felt it in her body, causing desire she hadn’t felt in years to rise up inside her.
“Please, stop,” she whispered again.
He pulled back and gave her a smoldering look that she thought might make her body explode into flames.
“I’m sorry, am I upsetting you?” He released her and took a step back. “Despite the spanking I gave you the other evening, you should know that I never force myself on a woman. All the ladies I take to my bedroom are there of their own accord.”
She believed him. But it still wasn’t something she wanted to start.
“Our relationship will be about the keys, and finding the man who killed my father,” she said. “That is all.”
“For now,” he said. “I find myself very attracted to you, Carin,” he said. “You make my cock hard, to put it in the most coarse of terms.”
“I felt those terms the other evening,” she said. Now, it was her turn to take a step back from him.
“How long have you been a widow?” he asked.
Carin looked toward the window. “We shouldn’t talk about such things.”
“For me, it’s been more than twenty years,” he said. “I haven’t exactly kept to myself, though.”
“I have,” she said. “Please, if you want to help find my father’s killer that is fine, but I don’t want to talk about Mark, or my marriage, or my widowhood.”
“You’re limiting our topics of conversation,” he said.
“Yes, I am,” she said. “What happened the other evening was—frightening.”
He looked somewhat abashed and that made her feel better about him.
“I have apologized for that,” he said. “Do you apologize for your part in it?”
“My part?” She huffed in indignation. “I didn’t spank you.”
“We’ve been over this before,” he said. “You’re sorry for breaking in, I’m sorry for spanking you. Let’s forget that night ever happened.”
“That is fine with me,” she said.
“Let’s go sit in the library while we wait,” he said.
That sounded like a good idea. If she sat opposite him, hopefully with a small table between them, he couldn’t kiss her again.
Once she was settled in a chair he offered her a glass of sherry. “No, thank you.” She smoothed her hands down her skirt. She didn’t want any alcohol in her system, truthfully, she didn’t want to risk spilling something on Mrs. Thompson’s dress. She’d almost done it at dinner, and the idea of paying for this dress out of her wages was not a pleasant thought.
He poured them both a glass, despite her refusal, and put it on the table next to her chair. Then he sat down opposite her and took a long swig from his glass.
After he’d set his glass down he said, “What shall we talk about, since you’ve pretty much taken everything off the table. We’ve covered all about your father, I believe, and we know nothing about the men associated with the keys.”
“True.” She thought about reaching for the sherry. She might need it while she was with a group of socialites at the museum function.
Tristan crossed his legs and said, “I know, let’s talk about my cock. Did you like feeling it the other evening?”
“You’re very crude,” she said. She would be careful and not spill it, she decided as she picked it up and took as big a drink as he had. As she swallowed she wondered if that was his plan, to be rude and get her to take a drink. “You manipulated me,” she said.
“You’re very tense, Carin,” he said. “I truly just want you to calm down. I promise you I will not take you over my knee tonight.”
“Or kiss me again? Or try to get me into your bed?”
“That’s not included in the bargain,” he said. “I just promise no spankings. You said earlier you’re a seamstress. Tell me where you’re employed.”
“Let’s just leave our knowledge about each other where it is,” she said. “All we need to worry about is the case we are working together.”
“And my cock,” he said. “Don’t forget my cock.”
As if she could ever do that. She could still remember it rubbing against her stomach as his hand came down on her bare bottom.
She was not going to allow herself to respond to his words. There was too much of a chance of becoming aroused, of wanting him to—
“How long have you lived in this house?” she asked.
“I bought it more than twenty years ago,” he said. “Actually, my father bought it for me when I married Ava. It was his wedding gift.”
“That is quite a gift,” she said. She wanted to tell him it only showed the differences in their stations. When she and Mark were married her father had taken them out for drinks at the pub.
“So, you are the son of a Baron.” she said.
“How do you know?” he asked, and then he frowned.
“I did research on all the men associated with the keys, and you told me the other evening.”
He took another drink, a smaller one this time. “What else did you find out about me?”
“I didn’t find out about your club, if that’s what you’re worried about,” she said. “But I do know that you spend a lot of time out with your friends. But I never saw you with a particular lady.” She knew she shouldn’t ask the next question, but she just couldn’t help herself. “Is the Shelia you and Charlotte talked about your new paramour?”
“She would like to be, but no, she’s not,” he said.
The silence grew tense, and then both took a drink from their glasses.
“May I ask why you are not attracted to her?”
“I see, it’s fine to talk about my sexual affairs, but not yours?” He held his glass up as if in a toast. “That seems a little unfair, don’t you think?”
“Tell me why you’re not attracted to her,” Carin said. “Does it have to do
with sex? Does she not make your cock hard? There, I worked the C word into the conversation. Are you happy?”
“Thrilled,” he said. “All right, you may have things to hide, but I don’t mind being open with you. I’m not attracted to Shelia.”
“Why?” She took a sip from her sherry. It seemed to bolster her nerves. “Is it her physical appearance?”
“No, she’s a very beautiful woman,” he said. “But I always tell my ladies that I’m not interested in a permanent relationship. I’m in it for the sex.”
“And she’s a society lady?” Carin asked.
“She is.”
“What I’m hearing is you can proposition someone like me, treat me like a whore, but not a society lady.”
He shook his head, his expression hovering between what she thought was anger and regret. “You’re putting words in my mouth. I don’t see any woman, of any station, as a whore.” He drained his glass. “But ladies like Shelia don’t like to take no for an answer. She would want me to marry her, and I don’t want to marry again. Ever. By not courting her I am saving her misery.”
“You think a lot of yourself, don’t you?
“You felt my prick.” His voice was deep, and sexy. “You tell me if I’m exaggerating my charms.”
He was not, Carin knew that for a fact. His prick, even though she’d felt it through the material of his trousers, was hard and long and if she wasn’t mistaken, thick.
“The fact you’re not answering means you know I’m telling the truth,” he said with a dark, sexy smile.
“Well, it could be I’m not answering you because I don’t want to hurt your male pride.” Carin took a small sip of sherry.
Tristan looked at her in shock, but then he laughed, a hearty laugh that made her join in. “You are a clever woman, Carin. I want you to know that I’m going to change your mind about a relationship between the two of us.”
“Purely sexual,” she said.
“Purely sexual,” he repeated. His voice dripped with desire, and it made Carin’s body hum with need. What would it feel like to have his mouth on her breasts, his hands on her quim? She shivered at the thought. It had obviously been far too long since she’d been with a man, and she hated to admit that, right now at this very moment, she would gladly lift her skirts and let him have his way with her. The idea flowed through her. That meant she now thought the idea had merit. It had been so long since she’d been with a man that she wondered if she would know what to do anymore. But someone like Tristan could teach her. But she kept her thoughts to herself. She didn’t want to give him any idea that his words held merit, and she might actually consider his offer.
His Disobedient Thief (Rakes of Mayfair Book 2) Page 7
