With Good Grace (Victorian Vigilantes Book 3)

by Wendy Soliman

  ‘You overestimate my usefulness, to say nothing of my horticultural skills.’

  ‘Not me, I have a perfect grasp of your abilities.’ Olivia absently reached out a hand to stroke the back of her cat, which was sleeping peacefully on one of the most comfortable chairs in the room. ‘It is Thorndike who seems to think the country cannot function without you.’

  Jake fixed her with a provocative look. ‘Are you deliberately trying to goad me, Olivia, or is it that you are feeling restless and seek to entertain yourself at my expense?’

  Her smile was sweetly innocent; yet at the same time it conveyed a wealth of meaning. It brought to the forefront of Jake’s mind their exploits in his mansion a couple of months previously, causing him physical discomfort and making him feel distinctly disadvantaged. ‘It is never necessary for me to try,’ she replied.

  ‘Baggage!’ Jake muttered, sending her a warning look. ‘My advice to you, my dear, is not to start anything with me unless you mean to see it through.’

  Again, Olivia favoured Jake with a wide-eyed look of innocence. ‘Why, my lord, whatever can you mean?’

  Green chose that moment to enter the room and serve them with champagne. By the time he withdrew, Jake was in control of himself again and changed the subject.

  ‘Who was the lady I saw leaving a moment ago?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh, an unexpected caller, and a not an especially welcome one.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘Lady Grantley.’

  Jake almost spilled his drink, convinced at first that he must have misheard her. Olivia would never receive her sister-in-law; not after all the trouble she had caused. Jake’s senses were on high alert. Henderson raising the subject of Olivia’s estranged relations on the same day that one of those relations called upon her was surely not a coincidence?

  ‘What the devil did she want?’ he asked.

  ‘My help to find Hubert.’ She flashed a wry smile. ‘He has gone missing.’

  Chapter Three

  ‘Your expression implies that I require your protection, Lord Torbay,’ Olivia said with an exasperated sigh. ‘You imagine, I suppose, that Margaret came to cause mischief.’

  He lifted an impossibly broad shoulder. ‘Why else would she come? She cannot suppose that you have any knowledge of her husband’s whereabouts.’

  Olivia fixed him with a probing look; unsure if she was comforted by his protectiveness or exasperated by it. ‘I thought we had agreed that I am not completely incapable; a female who swoons at the first sign of unpleasantness.’

  Jake threw back his head and emitted a bark of laughter. ‘A less likely wilting violet I have yet to encounter.’

  ‘Well then, do me the courtesy of admitting that I am perfectly capable of looking after my own affairs.’

  ‘I will gladly make that admission, Olivia, and if my expression misled you then I apologise. For once I was not consciously thinking of protecting you. Instead I was trying to decide what possible reason Lady Grantley could have to call upon you in her hour of need. To the best of my knowledge, you have had no contact with Sir Hubert recently.’

  Olivia felt the anger drain out of her as quickly as it had arrived. Nervous anticipation of her reunion with the man she adored, her suspicions that he was having second thoughts about renewing their intimacy even though she had repeatedly assured him that she did not expect him to form a permanent attachment to her, made her jump to illogical conclusions.

  ‘You are quite right,’ she said. ‘I have not seen either of them since shortly after I was released from that vile prison.’

  ‘That is what I supposed. Hoped.’ He sent her a devastating smile that liquefied her insides and filled her with aching desire. ‘You have shared little with me about your married years and I have not asked because I know you would prefer to put that period of your life behind you. But I do know that your husband’s brother and his wife did everything within their power to ensure you were convicted.’ Jake waved a hand to prevent her from interrupting him. ‘I always thought they did so in the expectation of claiming your husband’s property.’

  ‘Dinner is served, madam.’

  ‘Thank you, Green.’

  Olivia put her glass aside and smiled at Jake, in command of her emotions again, after a fashion. ‘Let us not spoil a good meal by talking of such matters now. For some reason that escapes me, my cook approves of you and when she heard you were to dine here this evening she went out of her way to prepare your favourite dishes. You owe it to her to give them your full attention. We will be at leisure to talk about Hubert afterwards and I will tell you everything you need to know about my marriage at that point.’

  Jake smiled down at her again in that lazy, persuasive manner of his that never failed to incite her passions. The simple gesture was sufficient to awaken a heady onslaught of anticipation that failed to make allowance for any change of heart about their rather unorthodox relationship that he might have undergone over the past two months. Then again, perhaps she was seeing shadows where none existed. If he no longer desired her, surely he would not smile at her quite so provocatively; nor would he have taken such an early opportunity to dine with her after his return to the capital, would he?

  ‘By all means let us talk of more pleasant matters,’ he said, proffering his arm. ‘And I promise to show suitable appreciation for your cook’s efforts.’

  ‘I am sure you will. Your appetite has never been in question.’

  ‘Quite so.’

  He smiled down at her, a wealth of meaning smouldering in his dark eyes as she placed her hand upon his arm and they walked in Green’s stately wake into the small salon. Jake helped her with her chair and then took the one opposite. The ambience was every bit as intimate as Olivia had hoped to create but the visit from Margaret had unsettled her and images of her married life intruded on the moment. It was unfortunate that Jake had seen Margaret leaving. If he had not she might have broken her word and not mentioned Hubert’s disappearance to him. She owed Margaret no loyalty; quite the opposite, in fact.

  ‘It seems quiet.’ Jake paused as Green poured an inch of wine into his glass. He tasted it, nodded his approval and Green poured for them both. ‘Without Eva and Isaac here,’ he said, finishing his remark.

  Olivia’s responding smile felt strained. She wanted to ask him how he could know since he had barely set foot in her house recently. She would have asked him precisely that, but for the distraction of Margaret’s ill-timed visit. ‘I miss her society almost as much as Tom misses Gracie. I took him to the docks today to watch the boats. He has decided to become a sailor.’

  Jake laughed. ‘If he is half as ambitious as his mother he will finish up as a fleet admiral before his thirtieth birthday.’

  ‘Thank you, Green.’ Olivia moved to one side as her butler removed her soup plate. ‘My only ambition is for a quiet life,’ she said, returning her attention to Jake. ‘It is hardly my fault if I am notorious.’

  ‘It is me you are talking to, Olivia,’ Jake replied with a soft laugh. ‘I happen to know that you deliberately play upon your so-called notoriety, using it as an excuse to avoid invitations you would prefer not to accept, and that you generally enjoy causing tongues to wag.’

  ‘I do no such thing!’ Olivia sliced into her roast pork, aware that her protest lacked conviction. ‘However, we were discussing Eva’s departure. I am very happy for her and Isaac and shall visit them once they have adjusted to married life.’

  ‘We could drive down together.’

  Olivia nodded, thinking his willingness to be seen with her was progress. ‘Tell me what you have been doing with yourself these past two months,’ she said.

  ‘Running about at Thorndike’s behest,’ Jake replied with a weary sigh. ‘Much good it did me. Simon Warbeck and I have been chasing our tails in Scotland, failing to tie up the loose ends on a case we handled for Thorndike last year. Alas, it was a massive waste of time. The miscreants are still at large.’

  ‘I know how much you dislike failure,
Jake,’ Olivia replied softly, mesmerised by the manner in which the flickering candlelight played across his rugged features, making him appear mysterious, fascinating and oh so unattainable.

  He twisted the stem of his wine glass between his long, capable fingers. ‘I am as fallible as the next man.’

  ‘Perhaps, but you have more than repaid Thorndike for helping you after your brother’s death.’ Olivia was one of the few people who knew that as a young man Jake had fought with his debauched older brother and inadvertently caused his death. Thorndike had saved the day, making it appear like the accident it had in fact been, but without Jake’s involvement. It infuriated Olivia that he had been trading on his intervention ever since, playing upon Jake’s conscience to have him carry out dangerous and covert assignments for an ungrateful government. ‘You can walk away from his service with a clear conscience, even though you will never convince me that you do not enjoy behaving recklessly.’

  His lips curved into a sensual suggestion. ‘That I cannot deny,’ he said, his voice a concerto of meaning that caused her to blush.

  Green cleared the plates and placed citrus ice sorbets in front of them both.

  ‘Even so, facts must be faced,’ Jake added. ‘I am getting too old and slow to enjoy the chase, even if I am not yet ready for the roses you hold in such high regard.’ He leaned back in his chair, flexed his shoulders and sighed. ‘Chasing England’s enemies is a younger man’s game.’

  Olivia flashed a mischievous smile. ‘Yes, I can quite see that an old fossil such as yourself would feel disadvantaged.’

  ‘Witch!’ Jake said sotto voce, while Green’s back was temporarily turned to them.

  ‘You should know better than to knock at my door if it is compliment you seek, Jake. I feel persuaded that all the Scottish ladies you encountered these past weeks were more than ready to flatter you.’

  Jake raised one brow. ‘Jealous, Mrs Grantley?’

  She met his challenging gaze and held it. ‘Pragmatic, Lord Torbay.’

  He fixed her with a provocative look that made her want to either throw herself into his arms or beat him with her clenched fists for assuming he knew what she was thinking; which it seem that he did, the infuriating man! ‘Ah, that would explain it,’ he said, chuckling.

  Olivia shook her head. She ought to know better than to bandy words with a master manipulator. Seeing that Jake had finished eating, she put her napkin aside and stood.

  ‘My compliments to Mrs Fenton,’ he said to Green, standing also.

  ‘I shall tell her that you enjoyed the meal, my lord. She will be gratified.’

  Olivia wondered if she too was destined to enjoy gratification that evening.

  ‘We shall take coffee in the drawing room, Green,’ she said, ‘and I dare say Lord Torbay would appreciate a brandy. Not that he deserves one,’ she added in an undertone.

  They removed to the drawing room and spoke of inconsequential matters until the coffee and Jake’s brandy had been served and Green had withdrawn, closing the doors behind him. The moment she had been so anxiously anticipating since Jake’s return to London was now upon them. Expectancy hung in the air between them like the prelude to pleasure, creating havoc with Olivia’s equilibrium. She glanced across at Jake to find that he was already watching her with quiet intensity. Their gazes made sizzling contact as he swirled the brandy around in his glass and his lips curved into a sinfully tempting smile.

  They were alone and would not be disturbed, but Margaret’s visit had caused Marcus’s death to come between them like an intrusive and unwelcome guest, spoiling Olivia’s anticipation and making her forget about all the things she had wanted to ask Jake. Instead, she would have to talk about her late husband and all the painful particulars she had never told him—had never told anyone—about her marriage.

  Damn Margaret!

  ‘Tell me more about Hubert’s disappearance and why Margaret imagined you would know anything about it,’ he said into the silence. ‘I have never asked you about your marriage to Grantley, why it came about or why you were arguing so violently on the evening that he was killed.’ He fixed her with compelling look. ‘I have always wondered, since I knew you could have done so much better for yourself. The right time to ask you would have been when you were released from prison, but I sensed that talking about the past was the last thing you wanted to do. God alone knows, I could understand that. But now, if something has happened…’

  ‘Something has. Hubert has been disobliging enough to disappear.’ Olivia pursed her lips, trying to stop them from trembling. ‘He always did enjoy making trouble but he’s surpassed himself on this occasion.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Jake said, leaning across the space that separated them and making gentle contact with her ungloved hand.

  ‘It is hardly your fault.’ Olivia reclaimed her hand. If she had to talk about this, she needed to remain calm and not allow Jake’s touch to affect her. ‘Anyway, Margaret heard about my friendship with you. Well, I suppose she was bound to know of it since you made no secret of the fact that you uncovered the true villains when the police had stopped looking, thinking they already had their woman.’ Olivia tossed her head, trying to disguise the fear that still visited her when she looked back on that dreadful time. ‘Every young lady in the land was swooning at the thought of having such a suave gentleman riding to her rescue, if even half of what I heard subsequently is true.’

  ‘Never listen to gossip, Olivia,’ Jake replied, waving the compliment aside. ‘You of all people ought to be aware that it has little basis in fact.’

  ‘Oh, but I adore gossip,’ she replied, striving for a playful tone.

  ‘Even so.’

  ‘Well anyway, Margaret has decided that you are some sort of master sleuth, and wanted me to beg for your assistance in locating her recalcitrant husband. It has absolutely nothing to do with me, and I warned her that you were probably too busy to spare the time.’ Olivia lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug that was perhaps a little too contrived and almost certainly failed to convey the indifference she sought. ‘I cannot imagine why you’d think there is anything sinister afoot, which I can tell from your brooding expression that you do. I dare say Hubert has involved himself in another peccadillo and allowed time to get away from him. I cannot think why you seem so…well, agitated.’

  Jake put his brandy balloon aside and reached for her hand. ‘I am not prying into your affairs, Olivia; please don’t think that. It is just that Henderson asked to see me before I came here today.’

  ‘Your detective friend from Scotland Yard?’ Olivia widened her eyes. ‘A most enlightened man and about the only one in that establishment who did not think I was a murderess. I remember him well. What did he want?’

  ‘To tell me that there has been another murder, using the same method as that employed to kill your husband.’

  ‘What of it?’ Olivia shook her head. ‘I would imagine hundreds of people die from stab wounds every year. Why would Henderson connect this death to my husband’s?’

  Jake tightened his grip on Olivia’s hand. ‘Because it happened in the office in The Strand that used to be your husband’s and is now used by the man who took his place.’

  ‘Oh!’ Olivia felt the blood drain from her face. The nightmare was in danger of starting all over again and she didn’t think she had the stamina to withstand it for a second time. ‘Who was killed?’

  ‘The night watchman. He disturbed burglars, or so Drake thinks—and Henderson agrees with him on this occasion.’

  ‘That is not comforting. Drake is a fool!’

  Jake chuckled. ‘Even fools occasionally get things right.’

  ‘If there are similarities to Marcus’s killing,’ Olivia said softly, ‘I dare say Drake will think I am the guilty party this time as well. He is too lazy to look beyond the obvious and was furious when I was acquitted.’

  ‘I am sure he thinks no such thing, but it must somehow concern your husband. Whatever the original thieves wer
e looking for, they obviously haven’t found it.’

  ‘But the men who killed Marcus—’

  ‘Are themselves dead.’ Jake’s features were set in a rigid line. ‘I am aware of that. But we always thought they were not the masterminds.’

  ‘Hmm, I see what you mean about it being a very convenient coincidence, what with Hubert going missing.’

  Jake nodded. ‘The two events might well be connected.’ He moved from the chair opposite her and seated himself beside her on the sofa she occupied. He slid an arm around her shoulders and chastely kissed her brow. ‘So you see now why I must ask you about Marcus, much as I would prefer to respect your privacy.’

  ‘Do you imagine Hubert is dead?’ Olivia asked, unable to prevent herself from shuddering. She actively disliked the man but did not wish him dead.

  ‘I have no way of knowing.’

  The fire had been lit while they were at dinner. Olivia’s cat was now stretched out on the rug in front of it, close enough to the blaze to scorch her belly, purring as she chased mice in her sleep. Olivia stared at the flames dancing up the chimney without seeing them, feeling a tenacious hand fighting her resistance and pulling her back to her past.

  ‘Will it never end?’ she murmured.

  ‘I might be resigning from Thorndike’s service, but that does not mean I will not work night and day to resolve your problems. Look at me, Olivia.’ Jake placed a long index finger beneath her chin and forced her to turn her head in his direction. She gasped when she saw the passion that gleamed in his eyes and the fierce intensity that formed the bedrock of his determined expression. ‘I have not forgotten what passed between us recently, or that you and Tom will be joining me in Torbay. I have plans for us, my sweet, plans that require your complete commitment and I cannot, will not, have you distracted.’

  Olivia wanted to ask him what his plans were but knew he would not tell her; not with the spectre of Marcus coming between them.

  ‘Tell me everything,’ he said softly. ‘Start at the beginning. Why did you marry Grantley? He was respectable, one of our set, but our paths seldom crossed. I recall the year you came out and the sensation that you and Eva caused. You could have had just about any gentleman you desired.'