As she watched the two of them quietly confer, impatience finally overtook her. She jumped to her feet. Her head swam a bit, but she managed to keep her balance.
“Excuse me,” she interrupted in a loud voice. “But since I am, apparently, going on a trip to the country, perhaps you might at least give a few details. Anything will do, really. Our destination, the reasons why—that sort of thing. Not that I mean to cause any trouble, you understand,” she finished sarcastically.
Lady Thornbury, still looking as elegant and fresh as she did five hours ago, glided over to her with a placating smile. She scooped the cashmere shawl up from the chaise and wrapped it back around Vivien’s shoulders.
“I know you’re frustrated, my love,” she said. “But Aden will explain everything. I must go off and see to the arrangements, but I’ll return to you shortly.”
She pressed a soft kiss to Vivien’s cheek. “You must trust Aden,” she murmured. “Everything he does is for your safety, and out of concern for your well-being.”
Vivien grumbled something under her breath about pigheaded, arrogant men, earning her a grin from the older woman. She gave Vivien’s arm a sympathetic squeeze and then hurried from the room.
Once Vivien had to face Aden on her own, some of her irritation-fueled courage leaked away. She was exhausted, anxious, and riddled with guilt over the death of his groom. The vision of the boy’s body lying on the pavement, surrounded by an ever-expanding pool of blood, was not something she would ever forget.
And Jem’s tragic death was at least partly her fault.
“Vivien, you’re exhausted. Please sit down before you fall down,” Aden said with a hint of exasperation. “I’ll be happy to tell you everything, but I will not be happy if I have to pick you up off the floor or nurse you if you fall ill.”
“I’m fine,” she said emphatically. She wasn’t, but he had enough burdens to carry without worrying that she was going to faint or fall into a decline. Still, she sat on the chaise as he slowly crossed the room to stand before her. She sensed the reluctance in him to be near her, and it made her heart curl in around itself.
“I’m so sorry about what happened to Jem,” she said in a tight voice. “I’m so sorry about everything. You’re only trying to help and—”
“No apology is necessary, Vivien. I know this evening’s events were very distressing, but the best thing you can do is put them out of your mind. It serves no purpose to dwell on them, at least not now.”
His firm tone of voice clearly told her the subject was closed. Just as clear was the effort he was making to repress his anger, whether with her or with himself she couldn’t tell.
Not that it mattered. She blamed herself for all that had occurred these last few weeks, as much as Aden surely blamed himself. And all the ugliness of the present situation would likely stand forever between them, an insurmountable barrier to even the mildest of friendships.
She dug her nails into the sides of her legs, ruthlessly suppressing the impulse to cry. How selfish of her to worry about her own feelings when a young man who had tried to protect her lay cold on a mortuary slab.
“Very well,” she said. “Then I suppose it’s time for us to discuss what happened tonight. Who do you think was responsible for this latest attempt?”
His gaze flicked to the clock, his impatience obvious.
“I’m not going anywhere until you answer my questions,” she said quietly.
Aden rubbed his forehead but finally nodded. He sank carefully down on the edge of the chair opposite, wincing slightly as he stretched out one leg. Absently, he began massaging his knee, as if it bothered him.
“Let me help get you started,” Vivien prompted. “My abductor is obviously not Kit’s moneylender.”
Aden stilled a moment but then settled back into the chair, lazily crossing one long leg over the other. He appeared for all the world like a gentleman taking his leisure, save for the fact that he looked like he’d been rolling in the dirt—which he had—and that he sported an ugly bruise on his right cheekbone.
“Why did you come to that conclusion, my lady?”
She grimaced. “You must truly think I’m an idiot.”
His eyes widened but she waved him to silence. “It doesn’t matter. Kit has already paid the man eight thousand pounds. It would serve no purpose for him to abduct me now—or ever, for that matter. I was quite wrong to suspect him in the first place.”
“The notion didn’t completely lack merit, but I was able to deduce rather quickly that the person in question was simply making empty threats.”
She glared at him. “You talked to him, and you never thought to tell me?”
He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “Yes, I talked to him. And no, I didn’t think to tell you.”
“I’m deeply shocked. No, wait. I’m not,” she said, showing her teeth.
That brought a snort of laughter from him. “Do forgive me, my lady. I will be sure to share all my investigations with you in the future.”
“Splendid. Then you can start by telling me right now who you think is responsible for this.”
“The greatest suspicion must now fall on Prince Ivan,” he said. “I believe he was your first suspect, was he not?”
Vivien leaned both elbows on her thighs and dropped her forehead into her palms. “Yes, he was. But I convinced myself it was a ridiculous idea.” She lifted her head and met Aden’s sympathetic gaze. “He’s a prince, for God’s sake, and a visiting dignitary. Did he truly think he could get away with this?”
“He could get away with it and he still can, if we’re not careful.”
“Kidnapping me?” she asked, incredulous. “He wants to marry me, but how will that help? The laws against abducting heiresses and forcing them into marriage are quite strong.” She thought for a second. “Not that I’m much of an heiress, but you know what I mean.”
“I do.” He sat up from his elegant sprawl and leaned forward, his gaze now fiercely intense. “But Khovansky doesn’t just want to marry you, Vivien. He’s obsessed with you, and I believe he’ll commit any act, no matter how foul, to claim you.”
She stared back at him as her weary mind tried to grapple with the bizarre situation. “I don’t understand. He knows I don’t want to marry him. Given how much I dislike him, why would he insist on acting in such a demented fashion? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Aden grimaced. “Obsessions like this never do because they’re not rational. He’s not rational, and he cannot accept your rejection. Khovansky’s arrogance is compounded by the fact that he’s a prince and an extremely wealthy and powerful man. I suspect no one has ever said no to him. Or if they did, they lived to regret it. You said no, which would only spur his determination to exert his mastery over you. Trust me, Vivien, the man is exceedingly dangerous.”
Her chest grew tight with anxiety at the thought of falling into Ivan the Terrible’s clutches. “Well, he is a toad so I shouldn’t be completely surprised,” she said, trying to not sound as worried as she felt. And as bad as it was, at least it meant Kit wasn’t in any way responsible for her abduction, which was something. Still . . .
Vivien frowned. “I fail to see how my abduction will achieve Prince Ivan’s aim. I have no intention of marrying him under any circumstances, and he knows that.”
“You won’t have a choice. Dominic is of the opinion that the next time the prince strikes he will take you out of the country—”
“What? Never!” Outrage propelled her to her feet.
Aden took her hand and gently tugged her back down. “Yes, I understand your outrage, but you won’t have a choice. Not only will your reputation be ruined—”
“I don’t care. I’d rather die than marry him.”
Aden looked even grimmer than he had a few seconds ago. “I fear that if Khovansky were to succeed, that might well be your only other alternative.”
Her mind stuttered, refusing to make sense of his words. Then their meaning un
scrambled, hitting like the kick of a pistol. “I . . . that can’t possibly be true,” she stammered.
When he hesitated, she shook her head impatiently. “It’s my life. I have a right to know.”
The grooves around his mouth deepened, telling her how much he didn’t want to explain. She met his gaze, holding it so he would understand her intent.
“Very well,” he finally said. “There are rumors about the prince that Dominic and I have yet to confirm entirely to our satisfaction.”
“And those rumors are?”
“That he is guilty of murdering one of his servants, although it was never proven. But whatever did happen, his family went to great pains to cover it up.”
Vivien closed her eyes, feeling nauseous. When she opened them, Aden carefully watched her, as if expecting her to fall apart. Who could blame her if she did?
“Is there anything else I need to know?” Her voice sounded little better than a croak.
“That’s enough for now,” he replied in a gentle tone.
Oh, God. There was more?
She steeled herself to hear it. “Tell me everything.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“I want to know,” she said doggedly. “I have a right.”
His reluctance was evident, but he finally complied. “There have been rumors about his treatment of women. Ugly rumors. But they are as yet unconfirmed as well. Until such time as they are, I think it best not to discuss them.”
The stone set of his face indicated he’d reached the limit of what he was willing to share. And given how queasy her stomach felt right at this moment, perhaps that was for the best.
“I see,” she managed. “So, what you’re saying . . .”
“I’m saying that we cannot allow anyone to know your whereabouts until Dominic can bring proof to the Russian ambassador that the prince is responsible for the attacks on you. Until that time, you must go into hiding.”
With shaking hands, Vivien pulled the edges of the wool dressing gown tightly around her. The roaring blaze in the hearth filled the room with glowing warmth, but she was freezing.
And terrified, which irritated her immensely. Yes, it was an awful situation, but that was no excuse for going to pieces. “Would it not be better to stay in London and confront the situation? Go to the ambassador now? I can tell him what happened that night in my brother’s study. That, combined with Sir Dominic’s suspicions might be enough . . .”
She trailed off again as Aden grimly shook his head.
“It’s not enough. Khovansky will simply maintain that your brother gave him to understand that his expectations were well founded, and that he simply acted on those expectations with the full intention of making you his wife.” His mouth curled downward as if he’d just tasted something sour. “I’m sure the prince would make it clear to the ambassador that he would be more than willing to correct any misunderstandings by offering to make you his bride.”
Vivien couldn’t help scoffing at that. “Surely Count Lieven would not be so easily fooled!”
“Perhaps not. But Prince Ivan comes from one of the most powerful of the Russian ruling families. It’s hard for us to understand just how influential that makes him.”
Vivien frowned. “And that would excuse him from crimes committed in our country?”
Aden turned his palms up in a frustrated gesture. “The British Crown will not wish to offend either the prince or the ambassador. Matters with the Russians are still in a delicate state. After all, it’s been less than a year since an ambassador was even assigned from Russia to the Court of St. James.” He shook his head. “Count Lieven will not appreciate such allegations being dumped in his lap without concrete evidence.”
Anger and frustration drove her to her feet again. “The man can have me abducted, he can assault me, and in the process of trying to abduct me again he can kill a man, and yet there’s nothing we can do about it?”
Aden rose to his feet, too. “Not right now. I understand the situation is frustrating, but Dominic and I both feel the safest course of action is to get you safely out of harm’s way until the matter can be properly resolved.”
She stared up at him. His eyes held a great deal of sympathy, but also determination.
“Where do you propose to take me?” she asked in a disgruntled voice. She didn’t mean to sound ungrateful but she loathed the idea of running away.
“To a small spa town up north, near Buckminster. St. Clement is very quiet, especially at this time of year, and the clientele is mostly elderly and of limited means. It’s far enough off the beaten path that the chances of anyone recognizing you are practically nonexistent.”
Vivien could barely hold back a groan. She wasn’t fond of country towns at the best of times, but this particular place sounded dreadful. “How delightful. And what will I do once I arrive in this idyllic spot?”
“Stay out of trouble,” he said dryly.
“I never get into trouble, at least not on purpose,” she protested.
He rolled his eyes, not even deigning to reply. Well, she could hardly blame him, but she wasn’t quite ready to give in. “I fail to see how that would entirely eliminate the chance that someone might recognize me. If the point is simply to get me out of town, why don’t I just retreat to my brother’s estate in Somerset? Surely that’s far enough away to suit your purpose.”
“Because everyone within ten miles of the estate would know you were there. You are much too recognizable at the best of times. Besides, in St. Clement you will be living under a false name.”
Her jaw sagged open. Surely she hadn’t heard that correctly. “I beg your pardon?”
“I know it seems odd,” he said, crossing to the bell pull in the corner. “But it’s the best way to avoid detection.”
Vivien was beginning to wonder if she’d fallen asleep again and was dreaming. If she was, it was certainly the oddest dream she’d ever had. “I don’t really understand any of this.”
“I know,” he said sympathetically. “But your breakfast will be here in just a few minutes, and then you can have a nice cup of tea. You’ll feel much more yourself after you’ve had something to eat and drink.” He took her arm and steered her back to the sofa, ignoring the scowl she directed at him.
“Don’t patronize me, Aden. I don’t like it one bit.”
A fleeting smile touched his lips. “I wouldn’t dream of it, my lady.”
She subsided onto the chaise with a grumble. Actually, now that she thought of it, she was rather hungry. She hadn’t eaten anything since early last evening.
Aden stood over her, watching her with a faint smile on his lips. He looked so handsome and so powerfully masculine, even as fatigued as he clearly was, that her heart turned over in her chest. She had no idea how he truly felt about her, but she knew he would do anything to protect her, no matter the risk to his own safety—all while treating her with gentleness and a consideration she hadn’t experienced since the death of her father.
Little wonder she’d fallen in love with him.
She blinked and went still. The phrase had slipped into her mind so easily, like a warm breeze fluttering past gauzy curtains in an open window. But once inside, it rocked through her with the force of a summer storm, settling in her heart with a sense of profound inevitability.
And with it came the sense of a kind of peace she’d never known.
But on the heels of that came a burgeoning fear, because once this was over and Aden was gone from her life, she knew such peace would disappear from her life forever.
“What troubles you, my lady?” he asked gently. He sat down gingerly next to her on the chaise, as if afraid to jostle her.
“Oh, nothing,” she said brightly in a ghastly attempt to overcompensate. “Why do you ask?”
Now he stared as if her brain was leaking out of her ears, which it might well be given that inane remark.
“I’ve been pushing you too hard,” he said. “Do you need my mother?”
“I’m fine,” she said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’m sure I’ll be even better once I’ve had a cup of tea.”
He rose and strode to the door, looking out into the hallway. “I don’t know what’s taking so long,” he said with a scowl.
“I’m sure breakfast will be here soon. After all it’s only five o’clock. The servants will hardly be up.”
“We need to be getting on the road. I have no idea why it’s taking my mother so long to pack,” he groused.
“It’s not as if I have clothes lying about your mother’s house,” she said patiently. “Why can’t I simply go home, pack, and tell my family what’s happening? Mamma will be bound to worry unless she hears from me soon.”
He crossed to the window and drew aside the curtains, peering out into the street. “My mother will see Lady Blake later this morning and explain the situation. She’ll also ensure that a story is put about town that you’ve gone to visit friends up north for several weeks.”
Vivien frowned. It all seemed so unnecessarily complicated. “But why can’t—”
She stumbled to a halt when a horrible thought struck her. When Aden cut her a narrow glance, she sighed. “Cyrus. He’s part of this, isn’t he?”
He turned to her, keeping his back to the window. The pity she saw on his face made her stomach twist.
“We cannot rule it out,” he said. “For safety’s sake, no one in your family can know exactly where you will be staying. Not that we think Kit or your mother has anything to do with this,” he added hastily, taking in her expression. “But if they knew our plans, they might inadvertently reveal them, or—”
“Or Cyrus might blackmail it out of them by refusing to cover their bills.”
Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard Page 28
