She shrugged. “You did seek a challenge.”
“A challenge is one thing. This is something else altogether. This is a legend straight from your father's studies.”
“Indeed it is.”
“But it's--”
“That's right, my lord, it's for a hero.”
“I scarcely think--”
“You said you wanted to be my hero.” Her gaze meshed with his. “Didn't you mean it?”
“I meant it, but--”
“And you said test me. I remember that distinctly. A test of my own choosing.” Challenge rang in her voice. “Do you wish to rescind your words?”
“No.” His tone was sharp and firm.
Surprise flitted across her face, followed by a touch of unease. Did the chit really think he'd give up without a fight? He smiled and the smug expression on her face faded slightly. Confidence again surged within him.
“Not at all. We have made a bargain--and I, for one, intend to hold to my part of it.” He quirked a brow. “I assume you are still willing to adhere to your agreement?”
“Of course. But you can't win, you know.”
“Oh really? Why not?”
“Well, did you read it?” She stepped to his side and plucked the sheet from his hand.
“I read enough. If I remember my lessons accurately, these are the labors of Hercules.”
“The twelve labors of Hercules, to be exact. They are not easy.”
“I never expected your test to be--”
“I do hope I am not interrupting.” Laurie pushed open the door.
Max sighed. “You are. Now, if you don't mind--”
“Oh, but I do.” Laurie's voice lowered. “I must speak with you on a matter of the utmost urgency.”
Pandora glanced up from the list in her hand with a polite smile fading almost at once to a puzzled expression.
“Allow me to introduce--”
“Not now, Max,” Laurie said sharply. “We have to talk. At once.”
“Very well.” Max turned to Pandora. “If you will excuse me?”
Pandora waved him off and returned her attention to the test.
Max nodded to Laurie and they stepped into the hall, Pandora's muttered voice trailing after them. “The first test alone could well kill him.”
Max grinned. She was concerned for his safety, or perhaps she preferred not to have his blood on her hands. Either way, it was a good sign.
“Now then, Laurie.” Max raised a brow. “What is so urgent?”
Laurie grabbed his elbow and steered him down the hall toward the back of the house, his pace brisk, his step resolute. “I have given your problem a great deal of thought. And I have a solution.”
“I do not have a problem.”
“You may not have realized it yet, but you most certainly do.” Laurie pushed open a side door leading to a servants' hall and stepped inside. “Follow me.”
“What on earth are you up to?”
“I'm saving you, Max.” His voice was grim.
Max bit back a laugh. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his friend quite so determined. The least he could do was play along for now. “Saving me from what?”
“Marriage, of course. And the Hellion. Separately, a fate worse than death. Together--” He shuddered. “Your only salvation lies in escape.”
“Sounds rather cowardly to me,” Max said mildly.
“There is nothing cowardly about a man's efforts to save his life. And I have a plan.” Resolve furrowed Laurie's forehead and he pushed past a footman in the narrow passage-way.
“Have you, indeed?” Max struggled to keep a straight face. Just how far would this rescue of Laurie's go?
“Everything is arranged.” Laurie nodded and hurried along the hall, turning abruptly to the right and pulling to a stop before an outside entry, obviously for servants and deliveries. He yanked open the door and nodded for Max to precede him. “Come along, Max, I have a carriage waiting.”
“Where exactly are we going?” Max stepped past him into the night. A closed carriage waited beside a shadowed gate.
“I'm not entirely certain. I thought I should leave the final destination up to you.”
“Bloody decent of you,” Max murmured.
“I checked this afternoon. There are at least three ships due to sail within the hour. One should suit to get you as far away from the Hellion as possible.”
The driver opened the carriage door.
“What are you waiting for?” Laurie gestured at the open door. “Get in.”
“I think not.”
“Well, think again, man!” Laurie grabbed his sleeve and tried to pull him into the carriage. “You can go to the continent. Or India. Better yet, America. I'll go with you. We'll have a grand time. Recreate the days of our youth. Think of the adventures we shall have, the excitement. And the women, Max, think of the women. Dark-skinned and exotic, or fair-haired and delicate--”
Max jerked his arm free and smoothed the wrinkled fabric of his jacket. This scheme of Laurie's was rapidly losing its humor. “I think I have had quite en--”
“You'd forget about her in no time, and she'd never track you down.”
“I'd rather want her to track me down.”
“Pandora Effington?” Laurie scoffed. “You have obviously lost your mind. As your oldest friend, it is up to me to save you in spite of yourself.” Laurie pulled his shoulders back and stared down his long nose, no mean feat, as he was an inch or two shorter than Max. “I do not have the same experience in warfare as you do, but I have had to use firearms on occasion. I am not without some experience on the dueling field.”
“You've yet to kill a man. I don't believe you've ever even inflicted a wound.”
“I assure you, that was always my intention. Nonetheless, I am armed, and if you do not get in the carriage, I will not hesitate to shoot you in my effort to save you.”
“That seems to be a common desire lately.” Max sighed and held up his arms in a gesture of surrender. “Very well, shoot me.”
“Shoot you?”
“If you must. I'm not getting in the carriage. I'm not leaving the country. And I'm not giving up my pursuit of Miss Effington.”
“Bloody hell, Max, I could never shoot you. I did hope, however, just this once, you would see things my way.” Laurie crossed his arms over his chest and slouched against the carriage. “I fail to understand any of this. I told you the woman is trouble. Equal to flood, famine, pestilence. No.” He narrowed his eyes in a sinister manner. “Flood, famine, and pestilence pale in comparison to Pandora Effington. Of all the females in the world, why have you set your sights on the one guaranteed to wreak havoc with your life and no doubt break your heart?”
“She won't break my heart.” Max grinned. “And a life of her wreaking havoc sounds like an interesting way to spend the rest of my days.”
“It's not just your life that will be in ruins, you know. Think about me. Why, I shall hardly have any fun at all without you along.” Laurie brightened. “Remember the widow of that Italian count and those two energetic actresses--”
“Twins.” Max chuckled. “We did enjoy ourselves.”
“It was bloody glorious. And it can be again.”
“It will be. For me. With her.”
“I knew my attempt to bring you to your senses was futile.” Laurie heaved a heavy sigh. “Yet I had hoped…”
“And I do appreciate your efforts, old man, and your concern, but it is misplaced. I have nothing to fear from Miss Effington…” Max turned to reenter the house and smiled to himself.
And a great deal to gain.
“I assume, given the length of your absence, you have returned to concede defeat.” Pandora sat behind the large desk in Lady Harvey's library, the test on the polished mahogany surface before her. “I am prepared to be gracious in victory, however--”
“I concede nothing of the sort.” Max smiled pleasantly and crossed the room to one of the floor-to-ceiling bookcases
lining the walls. “Although I do admit it will indeed be a challenge.”
“I'd scarce call it a mere challenge.” Her brows pulled together. “Most of these could well do you in.”
“Then I shall have to take care.” He kept his voice light and struggled to hold back a grin at the annoyance in her manner.
“I don't think you have given this the proper amount of thought.” She drummed her fingers on the desk. Irritation underlay her words. “You have to best the lion of Nemea--”
He examined the volumes in an effort to look as though he hadn't a care but watched her out of the corner of his eye. “Where is Nemea, anyway?”
“Somewhere in Greece,” she snapped. “It scarcely matters, a lion is a lion.”
“I just wondered…”
“And here, you have to defeat a Hydra.” She shook the page at him. “That's a beast with nine heads.”
He shrugged. “That will be awkward. Damned hard to find a Hydra in London today.”
“Max!” She rose to her feet and grit her teeth. “You are not taking this at all seriously.”
“No?” Max favored her with his best innocent gaze.
“No! Look at what I'm asking you to do. Why, in animals alone, this requires you to stock a small zoo.”
“I hadn't thought of it that way.” Why was she so overwrought? The selection of Hercules' labors was her own brilliant idea. Did she now regret it?
“Then perhaps you should.” She pursed her lips and picked up the paper. “You have to catch a deer with gold horns, best a nasty boar, capture a bull from Crete and cattle--”
“Cattle as in horses, or cattle as in roasted beef?”
“It just says cattle!” She shot him a quick glare. “You have to tame mares that eat men. Man-eating horses, Max.”
“I daresay that will be difficult.”
“Difficult? Hah! Impossible.”
“Still,” he pulled a book from the shelf and paged through it, “a bargain is a bargain.”
“Max.” She groaned. “We're only halfway through. There's the cleaning of the Augean Stables--”
“Ugh.” Max shuddered. “Nasty chore, cleaning stables.”
“--Eliminating the Stymphalian birds--”
“Is that like a sparrow, do you think?”
“--Defeating a three-headed hound who guards the gates to Hades, and rescuing a friend from the Chair of Forgetfulness--”
“I should think forgetfulness would be appreciated down there.”
“Wait,” she studied the page, “those last two are actually part of the same labor.”
“That certainly relieves my mind. I was beginning to worry.”
She ignored him. “You have to retrieve the girdle of the Queen of the Amazons--”
Max glanced at her with a wicked grin. Pandora looked up from the sheet, a note of sarcasm in her voice. “Perhaps that one is not as dangerous as the others.”
“One never knows.” Max's grin widened. “There could be hazards I wouldn't dare imagine.”
“No doubt,” she said wryly. “And finally, you have to find the golden apples of Hesperides.”
“Is that it, then?”
“Yes.” She hesitated as if coming to a decision, pulled a deep breath, and stepped around the desk. “And I apologize. It wasn't at all sporting of me. No mortal man could possibly do these things. I simply wanted to beat you, and this seemed the easiest way to do it.”
“I see.” He studied her for a moment. “I gather this means you forfeit the game.”
“Forfeit?” Surprise flashed across her face. “Why, not at all.”
“But if you do not have a test for me…”
“I have a test, it's just not reasonable. I can devise something else,” she said quickly.
“I think not.” He snapped the book closed, replaced it on the shelf and turned to face her. “We agreed that if you did not have a test for me by tonight, then you lost.”
“I have a test,” she said sharply.
“But you don't want to put me to it.”
“I don't want to see you killed.”
“Why, Pandora?” He stepped toward her.
She stood her ground and stared up at him. “It's rude to attempt to murder a man who has done little to deserve it.”
“I don't believe you.” He moved closer.
“It is rude.” She huffed. “Ask anyone.”
“Not about that. About why you don't want me to attempt your test.” There were but a few meager inches between them.
“Guilt, Max. I do not want to be responsible for your death. There's nothing more to it than that. Why, I would have the same concern about a dog in the street.” Defiance flickered in her blue eyes. Deep and azure and entrancing eyes.
“Would you?” He could see the pulse beat at the base of her throat. “I still don't believe you.” And her scent. What was it? Some kind of exotic flower? Some type of rare spice? He couldn't quite place it, but it seemed to seep into his very soul.
“I would. I am exceedingly fond of animals.” Her voice was faint, as if she too knew their spoken words had little to do with what they were saying.
“No doubt.” His gaze drifted to her lips, full and ripe and the color of summer berries. She bit her bottom lip and his stomach tightened.
“And that alone is reason to halt this nonsense.” Her breath seemed to come a little faster, as if she couldn't get enough air.
“Perhaps. But it's not your reason.” His gaze met hers.
“It's not?” Her words were a bare whisper.
“No.” He stared into her eyes and knew he was lost, knew they were both lost. He could take her in his arms at this moment and she would not resist. He could make her his. Now. Without the nonsense of this ridiculous test, this silly game.
No. He could not allow her to withdraw her challenge. It would be tantamount to failure, and he could not, would not, accept failure.
“No, my dear.” He drew a long calming breath. “You're simply afraid I will win.”
The burgeoning desire in her eyes vanished and fire snapped in its place. She stepped away from him. “I most certainly am not. You cannot possibly succeed.”
“I see.” He considered her thoughtfully. “In that case, you must be afraid I'll lose.”
“Of course you'll lose!”
“But I should then end up wed to someone else. And that is what you're afraid of. That, and only that, is the reason you do not want me to undertake your test.”
Astonishment washed across her face.
“Nothing to say? I didn't think so. It is in your hands now. Either I attempt your test, risking my life in the process--which I am more than willing to do--or you withdraw it. In which case I shall consider us betrothed and procure a special license tomorrow for a wedding as soon as possible.”
Pandora's fists clenched at her sides. “Why, you arrogant--”
“Beast?”
Her eyes narrowed. The line of her tempting mouth was firm and set. “Good luck, my lord. I suspect you will need it even more than Hercules did.”
“I daresay it's possible. Although I believe my reward is much greater than his was.”
Suspicion colored her words. “What do you mean?”
“Hercules’ prize was merely immortality. Mine,” his gaze trapped hers, his voice intense, “is you.”
She stared at him for a long moment as if unsure of his sincerity. “You do turn a pretty phrase, Max.”
“Thank you.” He shrugged in a modest manner.
“Regardless, our discussion is at an end. I shall wait to hear from you.” She paused, then pulled a deep breath. “I do not wish to marry you, Max. Nothing will change that.”
“I understand.” He gazed at her solemnly, struggling not to smile at the sincerity in her tone.
“I would prefer, however, if you managed not to get yourself killed. The guilt, you know. Nothing more.”
He nodded. “Nothing at all.”
She held out the list of
labors. “Do not forget this.”
“Never.” He stepped closer and took the paper, his hand lingering near hers. Once again her presence surrounded him. Intoxicating. Captivating. She gazed up at him, eyes wide with apprehension and desire.
“Max?” Her voice rang with a dry note. She moistened her lips in a nervous gesture that snapped something inside him.
“Damnation, Hellion.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. She hesitated, then her arms wrapped around his neck. She tasted of sweet champagne and promises and all the flavors he'd ever loved. He shuddered with the unmistakable knowledge that she would fit with him as though they were made one for the other. Destined to be together.
But not tonight. He pulled his lips from hers.
She gasped. “By the gods, Max. What--I--you--we--”
He laughed in a shaky voice and relaxed his hold on her. Still, she did not step out of his embrace. He drew back and grinned down at her.
“I believe, Hellion, we just sealed our bargain.”
Chapter 5
A Point is Scored
A small pool of light cast by the brace of candles held by her father illuminated the gathering at the foot of the stairs. Peters stood beside her parents, apparently explaining whatever it was that had routed them all from their beds.
“What is it?” Pandora started down the stairs, clutching her wrapper tighter around her. At once three pairs of eyes turned in her direction and she stopped short. At least she hadn't done anything to cause yet another middle-of-the-night uproar. This time, her conscience was clear.
“Come down here, my dear,” her father said, in his most authoritative manner.
Her heart sank. Her conscience wasn't that clear. She drew a deep breath and descended the stairs.
“Harry. Grace.” Pandora reached the bottom and approached her parents with all the dignity she could gather. She didn't have to look at Peters to know he gazed imploringly at the heavens when she called her parents by their given names. But Lord and Lady Harold had very distinct convictions when it came to child rearing. They believed if child and parent were friends as well as relations, there would be much more harmony for all concerned.
“Pandora, darling,” Grace said brightly. “It appears you have a delivery.”
The Wedding Bargain Page 5
