Surrender Amanda Quick
Page 30
investing together in a future, and as long
as we can find a way to work comfortably
together, I begin to believe we can be
reasonably content together."
Reasonably content," he echoed, think
ing seriously of putting her over his knee,
Is that how you felt a few minutes ago
when you were shivering in my arms?
Reasonably content?"
The flush on her face was more than
just the effect of the fire's warmth. Really,
Lucas. A gentleman would not ask such an
intimate question."
How would you know? You haven't
been with any other gentlemen in such
circumstances."
I can hazard a guess," she retorted.
Besides, that is not the issue."
And what is the issue? You mean to
think of our marriage as a partnership?
An investment? A business arrangement
in which the associates happen to sleep
together?" His eyes caught hers in a
burning gaze.
But is that not precisely what it is? Isn't
that what you wanted?"
No, damn it. Tis not at all what I
wanted."
I see. Perhaps you do not care for the
notion of me being an equal partner?
Perhaps you just wanted my money and
would prefer I stay out of the matter
entirely, except insofar as I am needed
to provide your heir."
Vicky, Vicky, calm yourself. You are
twisting my words and getting everything
wrong."
I am trying to do as everyone says I
must. I am attempting to find a sensible,
intelligent way to deal with this matter.
I thought you would be pleased that
I am finally being so reasonable about
everything."
Lucas fought to quell his outrage. I
don't want a business associate, I want
a wife."
What is the difference, other than the
fact that as your wife I shall share your
bed occasionally?"
It will be more than occasionally and
the difference is that you love me, madam.
You said so yourself."
Her eyes widened. I did not."
Yes, you did. That first night at the inn.
I heard you."
I only said I thought I was in love with
you. In any case, all that is naturally
changed by what happened."
The devil it is." His fingers tightened
on her wrists. Vicky, stop talking all this
nonsense about a business arrangement.
We are man and wife."
Are you saying there is more to our
relationship than a bargain?"
Of course there is."
Her eyes narrowed. Are you claiming
to be in love with me, then, my lord?"
You would not believe me if I told you I
was." He released her and sat up, adjusting
his clothing.
Who knows? Why don't you try it
and see?"
He looked at her and did not quite know
what to make of the look in her eyes. But
she was challenging him, of that much he
was certain. What do you want from me,
Vicky?"
What I imagine every new bride wishes
to hear/ she said coolly. A declaration
of undying love and a promise of eternal
devotion. But I am not likely to get it,
am I?"
Bloody hell." He stood up, sensing the
treacherous sand beneath his feet. Women
were the very devil with words and a
woman like this one would know how
to take full advantage of any leverage he
gave her. He'd already had ample proof
of how skillfully she could maneuver him
into going against his own better judgment.
Just the memory of those dreadful nights
climbing Lady Nettleship's garden wall was
enough to start his leg aching again. You
tease me at your peril, madam."
Does that mean you cannot give me
what I want?"
I do not trust your mood, Vicky, nor
whatever is behind your request. I believe
you are looking for a way to manipulate
me. If I gave you a declaration of undying
love and eternal devotion, you would hurl
it in my face every time I refused to
indulge one of your whims. You would
say I had lied about loving you."
Does that mean you do not love me?"
It means it was a goddamned mistake to
indulge you so much initially in London.
You have come to expect that with very
little effort you can keep me on a leash,"
he said through his teeth.
I see." She got slowly to her feet and
concentrated on arranging her clothing.
Lucas stared at her slender, rigidly held
back, feeling hunted. A few minutes ago
they had been sharing a passion unlike
any he had ever known. Now the fragile
relationship seemed to have been shattered
by mere words. For the life of him he could
not figure out where everything had gone
wrong.
Vicky, don't do this to yourself." He
turned her around and pulled her into
his arms. He thought he heard a small
sniff and he immediately felt helpless. He
did not like the feeling at all. You are no
green girl, damn it."
She hesitated and then nodded reluctantly
against his shoulder, her face buried
in his shirt. You are right. I am behaving
like a silly little chit straight out of the
schoolroom who cannot face the world as
it is." She pulled back and looked up at
him with renewed determination. As I
said, Lucas, I do believe this marriage
can work if we both agree to act logically
and reasonably. I vow I will uphold my
end of this bargain."
He looked down into eyes that still
shimmered with tears and he did not
know what to say. He realized he wanted
to hear the sweet, tentative words of love
he had heard from her that first night, but
he sensed that now was not the time to
demand them.
Vicky?"
Yes, my lord?"
Thank you for making up your mind to
make the best of this marriage," he heard
himself say gently. I am grateful."
You are welcome, my lord."
He grimaced a little at the excruciating
formality of her tone but managed a
reassuring smile. As he stood looking down
at her the amber pendant glowed in the
firelight and Lucas relaxed slightly.
It would be all right, he decided. She
would find the words again in her own
good time. Do not tie yourself in knots
trying to dissect your feelings, Vicky. Or
mine." He touched the gold chain of the
pendant and smiled. Everything will come
right in time. Let's go home."
She nodded in swift agreement and
stood back as he shook out her cloak.
The garment was dusty but otherwise
unharmed. He put it around her, think
ing
that even though she was tall for a woman,
she was still considerably smaller than he
was. He was aware again of a fierce need
to protect her and keep her safe.
Lucas," she said thoughtfully as he put
out the fire, if you did not arrange for
us to be discovered that night at the inn,
who did?"
He shrugged. Who knows?"
Lady Atherton, perhaps? In her never
ending zeal to assist you in your quest for
an heiress?"
He grinned, relieved to hear the returning
edge of impudence in her voice. Tis
possible, I suppose. Does it matter? What's
done is done." He took her arm and led
her toward the door.
You are quite right," she said slowly.
What's done is done. But there were one
or two rather odd things that happened to
me recently in Town and combined with
the mystery of wondering who had been
spying on us, I began to think."
About what?"
Never mind. Tis just my imagination."
Lucas went cold. He dragged her to
an abrupt halt just outside the cottage.
Victoria, what in hell are you talking
about? What odd things happened?"
Really, Lucas, it was nothing, I'm sure."
I would like an answer, madam."
Do you know, Lucas, when you talk
in that particular tone, there is a strong
tendency for everyone in the vicinity to
jump through the nearest hoop. Did you
learn that in the army?"
He prayed silently for patience. Enough,
Victoria. Tell me what made you ask me
about who might have spied on us. Tell
me now, wife, or we will stand here until
you do."
It occurs to me that on the two occasions
when we have conducted our intellectual
inquiries, you have not been particularly
affectionate afterward. The first time I
will grant there was the extenuating
circumstance of my aunt's presence. But
this time there is no excuse. Is it this way
with all men?"
You cannot resist goading me, can you?
One of these days you really will push too
far. Answer me or we are likely to discover
that this is the day."
Victoria shrugged. Very well, but it
really does not amount to much. It is
just that on two occasions in Town I
came across objects that did not belong
to me. They were both marked with a
W." One was a scarf that had been left
on the conservatory door. I found it that
night we went to the gaming hell."
The night you were nearly run down by
that carriage." Lucas frowned. What was
the other object?"
A snuffbox, of all things. I found it in
my paintbox."
And no one ever claimed either object?"
No." She shook her head and resumed
walking back toward the house.
He fell into step beside her, trying to
think. When did you find the snuffbox?"
She muttered a response that he did not
quite catch.
He flicked an impatient glance at her
averted face. What was that?"
I said I found it the morning after our
last, fateful interview in my aunt's garden.
You may recall the evening, my lord. It
was the night I asked you to arrange for
us to, uh ."
Oh, yes. That night. Fateful, indeed."
He turned her words over in his mind,
looking for a pattern that was not there.
Tis strange."
Why do you say that?"
I was attacked by a footpad that night
on my way back to the carriage," he
explained briefly. I wondered at the time
if the man might have been deliberately
waiting for me, but I dismissed it as
unlikely."
Victoria whirled around, her eyes wide
with shock. You were attacked? By a
footpad? Why didn't you tell me? For
heaven's sake, Lucas, you should have
said something."
Such as?" Her renewed concern for his
safety pleased and reassured him.
Do not be flippant. This is a very
serious matter. You could have been hurt.
Did he take your money or your watch?"
No, he did not."
No, of course not," she agreed quickly.
You would have been much too quick
for him."
You flatter me. I fear the simple truth
is that I was lucky." He took her arm
again and resumed guiding her back to the
house. The footpad was of no particular
consequence, unless one considers the
damage done to my coat. But it is a
rather interesting coincidence."
What is? And how can you say the
attack on you was of no consequence?
It seems to me it could have had very
alarming consequences."
Yes, but the interesting part is the
coincidence of each of us having a rather
narrow escape just before you discovered
those objects with W" inscribed on them."
She was stunned into a rare silence.
Lucas could almost hear her mind working
feverishly. What do you make of such
coincidences?"
To be honest, I do not know what
to make of them. There probably isn't
anything at all to be made of them. I
will admit it had occurred to me that
the footpad might have been hired by
Edge worth."
Edgeworth. Oh, yes, him. Because of
his embarrassing loss at cards? Do you
think he would have stooped to that sort
of vengeance just because he lost money
to you?"
Lucas reflected on his last conversation
with Edgeworth. There was a bit more bad
blood between us than just the gaming
table scene. But even if he resorted to such
tactics, it still fails to explain the object you
discovered in the conservatory."
She frowned. No. Nor does it tie in with
the carriage incident, although I suppose
that if that had been a deliberate attack
also, we might have been wrong in thinking
I was the intended victim."
You think I was the target?" He was
surprised by her insight and took a minute
to think about it. I'm not sure. Tis
possible. We were not standing very far
apart on the street when it happened."
Edgeworth again?"
Lucas chewed on that. On the night of
the carriage incident he and Edgeworth
had not yet had their confrontation over
Vicky's honor. But there was still the
matter of the gaming loss and Edgeworth
might have begun to realize his reputation
was declining in the clubs. And, of course,
there was always that bit of bad business in
the past that would forever stand between
them."
Possible," Lucas said finally.
But what could either of those attacks
have to do with my discovering the sca
rf
and the snuffbox?"
Do you know anyone whose name
begins with W?"
No. I mean, yes, of course. Several
people. As I said, none of them had lost
either item."
She rushed on, telling him about all the
people whose name began with W and
how her aunt had talked to them all
about the missing items, but Lucas was
not listening.
His attention had been caught and
held by the strange note in her voice
when she had first answered the direct
question. Once before quite recently he
had heard that hesitation, detected that
slight distance, as if she did not want to
get too close to the question. He reflected
for another instant and then he had it. He
had heard it the night she described her
nightmare.
and she also checked with Lady
Wibberly, who takes an inordinate amount
of snuff. Lord Wilkins, too, I believe.
He wears scarves. And then we asked
Waterson, but to no avail."
Vicky."
One can never be certain Lord Waterson
remembers things all that well, however.
It is entirely possible he lost both items
and doesn't recall it. Always has his mind
on higher things like meteorology, you
know. He has built the most impressive
instrument for measuring rainfall."
Victoria."
As I said, what with my aunt's long list
of acquaintances, it is possible we missed
someone."
Vicky, darling, please hush for a minute.
I want to ask you a very particular question
and I would be very grateful if you gave me
a direct answer." He stopped, obliging her
to halt also. Then he turned her toward
him and caught hold of her shoulders.
Yes, Lucas?"
Vicky, is there someone whose name
begins with W whom you do not like?
Someone who frightens you or whom
you feel you cannot trust? Someone who,
perhaps, makes you exceedingly anxious?"
No," she said instantly.
He smiled slightly at the obvious lie. Try
again with your answer, my sweet. And
don't be afraid to tell me the truth. I'm
your midnight companion in adventure,
remember? You can tell me things you
would tell no one else."
Lucas, please, do not press me like this."
He urged her close, pushing her face into
his shirt. Her amber cloak swirled around
his legs. Tell me, Vicky."
Her shoulders were stiff, her body
unyielding. You do not understand."
Try me."
Lucas, he's dead."
Lucas frowned into her soft hair, hearing
the desperation in that simple statement.