The crowd began to settle into their seats, their murmurings creating the din of background noise that would plague the remainder of the night, despite the actors on stage making a valiant effort to perform their trade.
As Griffin began to take his seat, he was distracted by the crowd noise increasing tenfold and several people rising again. With a great cheer, thunderous applause exploded in the theatre.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Audrey’s shocked expression as she rose to her feet. Griffin followed her gaze and found himself looking at Princess Caroline, the Prince’s very publicly estranged wife. Dressed all in black, the woman nodded to the crowd, then shot a pointed look toward her husband before she took her seat and settled in for the performance.
The prince waved to the crowd, bowing at the increased applause he apparently thought was for him. A loud hiss rose above the din. Griffin was sure Audrey jumped at the harsh sound before they all took their seats a second time and the opera began.
Though Griffin listened to the music, he couldn’t help but watch Audrey instead of the scene being played out below. In the dim light of the box, he could see her face was pale and she and Noah exchanged a look. He couldn’t blame them for being nervous. With the country so hostile toward His Royal Highness, their jobs were made all the harder… and more dangerous. Men like Ellison could easily take advantage of the unrest.
Griffin was surprised by how quickly the evening passed. Soon the final curtain had dropped and the crowd was on their feet, applauding the performance and preparing for the crush to reach their waiting carriages.
“It was a good show,” Audrey said as Ellison helped her put her wrap over her shoulders. His hands lingered a moment too long on her creamy skin.
Griffin took a few steps toward Audrey to hold out his arm. He’d had all he could take. Now it was time to end her job, at least for the night. Take her away from Ellison. From danger.
“Lady Audrey, as your host may I have the honor of escorting you to our carriage?” he asked.
“Berenger, that’s a generous offer,” Ellison interrupted with a thin-mouthed scowl. “But I wondered if Audrey might allow me to escort her back to your home. After all, it’s on my way.”
Griffin lowered his outstretched arm with a frown. Certainly Noah wouldn’t allow such a thing! Yet, his friend didn’t immediately decline Ellison’s offer. Some kind of unspoken communication seemed to be passing between the siblings.
Finally, his best friend cleared his throat. “I don’t know if that would be entirely appropriate, Ellison. My sister’s reputation is at stake and for her to be unescorted…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Audrey interrupted with a light laugh. “Oh, Noah, you worry so! Hannah will be with me, so I won’t be completely unescorted. It will only be a short ride, and you wouldn’t do anything improper, would you Mr. Ellison?”
She smiled and Griffin felt sick. How could she pretend to care for Ellison when Griffin knew she hated him in every way? She lied about her feelings as if they meant nothing. Again, he thought of Luci and her practiced duplicity.
“Of course not, my lady,” Ellison answered with a placating nod for Noah.
“Then I accept your offer.” She gave Noah a quick glance, but pointedly refused to acknowledge Griffin. “I’ll see you both at home, my lords.”
With that, the pair was gone, exiting the box before either man could voice another opinion on the matter. Griffin took two steps forward, readying to follow them, when Noah grabbed his arm and wrenched him back.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Going after her!” Griffin pulled away. “What do you think you’re doing letting her go with that murderer?”
Noah’s mouth set in anger. “She’s doing her job and Hannah will be with her.”
“Hannah?” Griffin repeated. “Do you really expect a lady’s maid will be able to fight off that villain if he were to strike?”
To his surprise, Noah let out a long laugh. “You don’t know Hannah.” He lowered his voice to whisper, “She works with us. She’s more of a bodyguard than a lady’s maid, though she does do a fantastic job with Audrey’s hair, doesn’t she?”
Griffin blinked as he tried to picture Audrey’s maid. That tiny woman was a spy?
“Still,” he stammered, trying to regain his composure. “I cannot believe you’d send your own sister to the wolves like that. The man could easily kill her… or worse.” Raw fear gripped him at the thought.
The muscle in Noah’s jaw rippled. “Griffin, you’ve been my best friend my entire life, so I’m giving you latitude. However, if you ever suggest that I don’t value my sister’s life above all else again, I’ll call you out and we’ll settle this matter.”
For a moment the two men just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. Griffin had never come close to exchanging blows with Noah in all the years they’d been friends. Now in the last month, they’d exchanged more than one set of heated words.
“I’m sorry, Noah,” he finally said as he reached out a hand to his friend. “I shouldn’t have implied anything of the sort.”
With a grunt, Noah shook his offered hand. “Now we should be off. I’d like to be home before Audrey. If we take a few back streets I know, we should make it.”
“Yes,” Griffin said, following his friend out. “It’s a good idea.”
Moving into the crowd, he stifled a growl of frustration. Chasing through back streets to reach his home before Audrey arrived didn’t begin to encompass the kind of protection he desired for her. Not when Douglas Ellison seemed intent on claiming her.
Chapter Five
Audrey peered out the carriage window to watch the sparkling lights of townhouses and small city estates pass by. Despite the late hour, many of the occupants of the stylish homes were still awake. Some were hosting balls, others arriving home from the opera she and her party had attended. Still others were plotting the assassination of the Prince Regent.
With a shiver, she glanced at Ellison. How she loathed being alone with him, pretending to care for him. But there was little choice. This was her duty, no matter how she… or Griffin… felt about it.
Ellison leaned closer to peek over her shoulder. The slight gesture was an invasion of her already compromised personal space.
“What do you find outside that intrigues you so much, my dear?”
“I was just thinking about the opera tonight,” she lied with a practiced smile. “What a treat to see both the Prince and Princess there.”
Ellison pulled away, and she took the opportunity to breathe again.
“Yes, His Royal Highness looked high and mighty as ever.” Ellison shook his head.
Batting her eyes as if she didn’t hear the venom dripping from his voice, she said, “Well, he is the next King of England.”
“Perhaps,” he answered with a thin smile. After a pause, he continued, “Did you see the expression on his face when he realized the crowd was applauding for her and not for him?”
Audrey took in a shallow breath as she glanced at Hannah. The other woman pretended to be staring out her window in disinterest, but Audrey could tell by the sparkle in her green eyes that she was digesting every word of the conversation for analysis later. Once more Audrey counted herself lucky that Hannah was her protector and partner.
“They both certainly looked nice in their finery,” she said, returning to her game of silly miss.
He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts. “No one was as beautiful as you were tonight, Audrey.”
With a sly look in Hannah’s direction, he moved closer. His body heat was stifling in the close confines of the carriage. Audrey swallowed hard.
Ellison continued, “I must admit I missed your company in the weeks we were apart. I’m very glad you decided to come to London. Though I do wish you had agreed to stay in my home… with your brother as escort, of course.”
Her breath hitched in her throat, but Audrey managed
to answer, “Viscount Berenger is an old friend of Noah’s. With all his recent tragedy, my brother thought it would be best if we remain with him.”
“Yes, Berenger.” Ellison sniffed with disgust. “Never cared for the man. Anyone with as much power as his title and family name afford him should take advantage of it, not hide away like Berenger does. It is a waste of money and power.”
Audrey smiled for the sake of her act, but she had to bite her tongue. Ellison’s contempt for Griffin brought out an odd protectiveness in her.
“Even if we aren’t staying with you, I’m glad we’re so close. We’re certain to see a great deal more of you since we’re neighbors,” she said, barely maintaining the silly exterior she put on for her prey.
Douglas focused on her and Audrey suddenly wondered if she had miscalculated by agreeing to be alone with him. He seemed like he wanted devour her right there. If Hannah hadn’t been sitting by, watching vigilantly, Audrey had no doubt he would do just that.
“Truly?” he murmured and inched even closer.
To her relief, the carriage pulled to a smooth stop in front of Griffin’s door and she heard the footman climb down. When the door swung open, Douglas reached across, blocking her exit.
He half-turned to Hannah and snapped, “You may go.”
Her friend’s concern was plain, but no matter her misgivings, Audrey had to stay. Ellison was offering her an opportunity to gain his confidence, no matter how unpleasant the prospect was. This one small sacrifice could eventually result in the key to solving their case.
Her hands shaking, Audrey nodded to her maid. “You may step out, Hannah. I will be right behind you.”
With a scowl, Hannah did as she was asked. The door shut behind her and Audrey caught her breath again as Ellison turned his attention back to her. She tried to slide away, though her position next to the carriage wall didn’t offer her much maneuvering room.
“Mr. Ellison, I must tell you how entirely inappropriate this situation is. I shouldn’t be unattended with you. Being with my maid alone is questionable enough.”
She hoped her tone was sharp and disapproving. She couldn’t be quite sure over the rush of blood in her ears.
Douglas smiled as he took her hand without bothering to ask her leave and pressed it against his lips. The damp of his mouth seeped through her thin glove.
“Audrey, you must know how deeply I’m beginning to care for you. I would like to kiss you.”
Suddenly she felt very dizzy. The situation was spiraling out of hand with no real end in sight unless she chose to break her cover. “N-No, I don’t think that would be wise…”
Before she could finish, Ellison gripped her upper arms and pulled her against his chest. His mouth came down on hers, hard and insistent against her lips. Audrey nearly gagged and by sheer will alone managed not to pull away, though she refused to return his kiss. She had to play the shocked innocent, but not let him know his touch made her physically ill.
Finally he pulled back. “That wasn’t so horrible, was it?”
She put a mask of shock on her features.
“Of all the gall!” she burst out, mimicking the outrage she’d seen displayed so often in the women of the ton. It was often the perfect combination of flirtation and indignation. “Good evening, Mr. Ellison!”
With that, she shoved passed him and wrenched the carriage door open. Grasping at the footman’s arm blindly, she found her feet firmly on the ground again and Hannah beside her.
Ellison opened the carriage window and leaned out. “Good evening, Audrey.”
He grinned as the coach began toward his house next door and left the two women standing in Griffin’s drive.
Hannah took her arm to guide her toward the house. “Why do you look so pale?”
Audrey couldn’t move fast enough. Suddenly she wanted to be inside the house. To be safe and protected by her brother. By Griffin. She stumbled on the bottom step, but caught herself and kept moving.
“What is it?” Hannah repeated as they came through the door.
Audrey wiped her mouth with the back of her glove and ground out, “He kissed me.”
Hannah drew back in surprise and her face paled a shade. “He kissed you? I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone with that man!”
“Shh, keep your voice down!” Audrey ordered. Her words sounded shrill in the echoing foyer. “Do you want everyone to-?”
The door to the parlor flew open and Griffin appeared. He seemed bigger than she remembered, his broad shoulders filling the narrow door. He grasped the doorjamb with white-knuckled fingers.
“You allowed him to put his hands on you?” he asked, his tone low and angry.
“Oh, saints preserve us,” Audrey muttered under her breath as even more blood drained from her face. “Why do we have to do this tonight?”
Griffin glared at her. “Go upstairs, Hannah.”
Hannah shook her head firmly.
“Oh no, sir. I fell for that trick once tonight. I won’t leave her with you. Not when you’re so angry you look like you could break the wall with your fist.” The Cockney accent Hannah had worked so hard to get rid of edged each word.
Audrey finally dared to look at Griffin. He did look like he could explode with fury, yet she felt no fear being in his company. If she knew one thing for certain, he would never hurt her. At least, not physically. No, it was the emotional turmoil she feared most.
And yet she couldn’t deny what a draw he remained to her.
“Hannah,” she whispered. “You may leave us. I’ll be safe with Griffin.”
Hannah turned to her. “Audrey…”
With a nod she hoped would reassure her friend, Audrey whispered, “Please.”
Hannah hesitated, but with a glower for Griffin, finally turned to climb up the stairs.
“What were you-” he began.
“Shh.” Audrey put a finger to her lips. “If I must discuss this with you, let’s at least go into the parlor. There’s no need to share our argument with the entire household.”
With an unreadable expression, Griffin stepped aside and motioned for her to enter the room behind him. She felt his body heat at her back as he closed the door. He passed by her to lean on the mantel then stared at her expectantly. Like a predator stalking his prey, waiting for the moment to pounce.
And yet, that thought didn’t frighten her. In fact, she had to admit that, as she lost herself in his eyes, she actually looked forward to this brief stolen moment in time. No matter the consequences.
***
How he managed to keep his emotions in check, Griffin didn’t know. As he clutched the mantel, he watched Audrey walk over to a chair by the fire and sink down as if she were exhausted. For a brief moment, his anger faded and he felt a strange longing to take her into his arms and comfort her. Then he thought of Douglas Ellison putting his mouth on hers and his anger returned with a vengeance.
“How could you allow that man touch you?” he choked out.
Audrey responded by raising her still-gloved hands to her eyes. When she dropped them, she didn’t answer his question, but slowly began peeling the sheaths from her hands.
At the seemingly simple gesture, Griffin felt himself slipping under a seductive spell. One by one, she freed her fingers, then slid the glove from her hand to place it on the table beside her before repeating the action with the other.
“Fix me a drink,” she ordered softly as she focused her attention away from him toward the fire.
Swallowing, Griffin did as he was told, happy for the chance to turn away from her before her unexpected effect over him became more than apparent.
Crossing over to the bar, he stared at the line of decanters. The last time Audrey had had a drink in his presence, he’d tasted the scotch on her lips. With a smile, he poured her a tumbler of his best. It wasn’t a lady’s drink, but he wondered if she would remember its significance.
Taking the glass he offered, she sipped it, then her midnight gaze flashed up
to meet his briefly. She did remember.
“This is my job, Griffin,” she whispered, her voice husky and broken as she dipped her head and broke their heated stare.
Shaking off the desire she ignited in him, Griffin frowned. “To trade your body for his secrets?”
She sucked in a sharp breath of air through her teeth. Without looking at him, she shrugged one shoulder. “Not to the very end. Just to a point.”
“Well, if it’s just to a point, that makes it all different, doesn’t it?”
Clenching his fist, Griffin stalked away, his heart racing with powerful anger and disappointment. It was obvious she took no pleasure in this part of her affiliation with the War Department, but still, she did it.
The sound of her slamming her drink down on the table beside her made him turn. To his surprise, she was on her feet.
“Do you think I enjoy this?” She swallowed hard before continuing. “Do you think I like having that blackguard’s sticky hands on me or his disgusting taste on my lips?” She wiped her mouth to accentuate her words. “Why do you think I wanted a drink?”
Griffin froze, his gaze inexplicably drawn to her mouth. Her lips were full and pale pink, swollen from the way she’d been chewing on them in the past hour. They looked sweet. Irresistible.
“You wish to remove his taste from your lips?” he asked softly.
With a sigh that shuddered through her body, Audrey nodded.
“Yes.” Her voice was much softer when she repeated it. “Yes.”
Taking a few long strides across the room, he found himself directly in front of her. Her proximity warmed him as the lilac smell of her skin flared his nostrils. Slowly he slid his finger beneath her chin to lift her face toward his. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears in the glow of the lamplight.
“I’ve a better way to erase his taste.”
The Secrets of a Lady Page 5
