Surrender Amanda Quick

by Surrender (lit)

that he had the power to seduce her at will

  was enough to make him want to carry her

  straight back home and take her to bed.

  Instead he had been obliged to escort her

  into the Foxtons" ballroom, where he had

  been forced to spend his time fending off

  a lot of Victoria's old admirers. Every last

  one of them had felt it necessary to profess

  heartfelt anguish at the news that she

  had accepted another's hand in marriage.

  Victoria had enjoyed herself immensely

  and had flirted so outrageously that Lucas

  was determined to exact retribution when

  he returned home.

  Just what form his retribution would

  take was a matter to which he intended

  to give considerable attention. But in the

  meantime there were other matters that

  needed his full concentration.

  The first person Lucas saw when he

  walked into the club was Ferdie Merivale.

  The young man smiled in welcome.

  Congratulations on your marriage. stone vale.

  Cannot say I was terribly surprised.

  Wish you the best and all that. You

  are a lucky man. Lovely lady, your new

  countess."

  Thank you, Merivale." Lucas poured

  himself a glass of claret.

  Come to play a few hands of cards?"

  Merivale inquired.

  Unfortunately, I fear my gaming days

  are behind me. I'm a married man now.

  Cannot spend all night playing cards

  anymore."

  Merivale chuckled. I expect Lady Stone

  vale would have a few words to say about

  that, wouldn't she?"

  My wife is rarely at a loss for words,"

  Lucas agreed. Any news of interest?"

  That's right, you have been spending the

  last few weeks rusticating in the country,

  haven't you? Since you had that bit of a

  scene with Edgeworth shortly before you

  left Town, you might be interested to

  know that he is rarely seen in the clubs

  these days. He was obliged to resign from

  this one, in fact."

  I cannot imagine Edgeworth giving up

  his gaming."

  Oh, don't think he has. But word has it

  he's carrying on his business in somewhat

  less respectable surroundings. Heard he

  was seen in that same gaming hell you

  rescued me from a while back. The Green

  Pig. Nasty place. Rather suits him, though,

  don't you think?"

  I am sure he will feel very much at

  home there," Lucas agreed.

  It was another two hours before Lucas

  walked into the Green Pig. Nothing had

  changed since the night he had brought

  Victoria here. It was still the same

  oppressive, noisy place it had been when

  he'd deliberately chosen it with a view to

  shocking Victoria into realizing she did not

  really want to frequent gaming hells. Not

  that it had achieved its purpose, Lucas

  thought with an inner grin. Victoria had

  had a great time that night.

  Edgeworth was sitting at a card table

  with a group of well-dressed young dandies

  who were clearly deeply into their cups.

  They had apparently set out to spend an

  evening savoring the dregs of town life.

  Lucas got a pint of beer from a passing

  barmaid and walked over to the group of

  card players.

  Gentlemen," he said calmly, I wonder

  if you would all be so good as to allow

  Edgeworth and myself a word in private."

  One of the young pups looked up,

  scowling. Here, now, we were just getting

  into some deep play. You've got no right

  to barge in like this."

  But another young man was already

  on his feet, eyes widening in belated

  recognition. Your pardon, stone vale. Take

  your time. I believe we can all wait to

  continue this particular game. Perhaps our

  luck will turn in the meantime."

  Lucas glanced at the man and smiled

  faintly. The only way your luck will come

  about is to find another game. As long

  as you play with Edgeworth, you will no

  doubt continue to lose."

  I'll have you know I won several

  hundred pounds not more n an hour

  ago," the first man declared.

  Did you really? And how far down are

  you now?"

  The man glared at Lucas. That's none

  of your business."

  I agree. But you may do as you wish. I

  assure you I have no great interest in your

  losses. Now, if you will excuse me?"

  Come on, Harry," the second man

  muttered, dragging his friend away from

  the table. You don't want to get into a

  brawl with stone vale. Take my word for

  it. Friend of mine served under him on

  the Peninsula. Says he knows how to take

  care of himself."

  Edgeworth watched the two young men

  disappear and then he turned to face

  Lucas. I don't much appreciate your

  scaring off my lambs before they have been

  properly fleeced, stone vale. Just because

  you have had the good fortune to marry

  money does not mean the rest of us must

  not continue to make a living."

  I am certain you will find other sources

  of income before dawn. You have always

  been quite adept at relieving the unwary

  of whatever they happened to have in their

  pockets. Tell me, Edgeworth, is there a bit

  more sport to be had in cheating foolish

  young men who have merely had too much

  to drink than there is in stealing from

  young men who are dead or dying?"

  Edgeworth ruffled the cards on the table.

  So you did see me that day. I wondered

  about it at the time. I should have slit your

  throat while I had the chance and made

  quite certain you were dead."

  Why didn't you?"

  Edgeworth shrugged. To be honest, I

  did not think you would live until sundown

  with that hole in your leg. Who could

  have guessed you'd make it, stone vale?

  You do seem to have the most amazing

  luck."

  Lately someone has been trying to

  change my luck. I decided to consult

  with you to see if you might have any

  notion of who would want to do that."

  Edgeworth smiled, his eyes glittering

  behind half-closed lids. Someone who

  has lost a great deal of money to you

  at some point in the past, perhaps?"

  - That list would include yourself."

  So it would."

  Lucas paused. Are you going to force

  me to kill you, after all, Edgeworth?"

  Rest assured, I have no intention of

  letting you call me out. Just how do

  you perceive your luck to have changed?

  It seems to me you have done very well

  for yourself lately."

  There have been one or two minor

  incidents. There is no need to detail

  them. If you truly know nothing about

  them, then the less said, the bet
ter. If

  you do have some knowledge of them,

  however; then you may want to see that

  they cease."

  Why should I care what happens to

  you? You have been a great nuisance to

  me, stone vale."

  Let me put it this way. If there is

  another incident of any sort that I find,

  shall we say, disturbing, I shall come

  looking for you and we will discuss the

  matter in more depth. Perhaps at Clery

  Field? At dawn?"

  Edgeworth's hand stilled on the cards.

  Hardly fair if I am not the perpetrator of

  these incidents."

  Yes, but very little in life is fair, is it?

  I found that out for certain the day I

  watched you walk among the dead and

  wounded and take whatever you could find

  in their pockets."

  Lucas got to his feet, turned, and

  walked away from the card table without

  a backward glance.

  Victoria was standing at the window

  clad in her nightgown when she heard

  the connecting door open behind her. She

  whirled around. Lucas had changed into

  his dressing gown.

  There you are. Thank heavens. I have

  been so worried." She flew to him on bare

  feet and threw herself into his arms.

  Lucas staggered a bit as his bad leg gave

  slightly under the impact, but he caught

  his balance quickly. His arms closed tightly

  around her. I shall have to see to it that

  you get worried more often if this is the

  greeting I can expect."

  Pray do not tease me." She raised

  her head from his shoulder and frowned

  severely. Where have you been? What have

  you been doing? Did you discover anything

  useful?"

  Lucas caught her chin in his hand. One

  question at a time, sweetheart. I have had

  a long night."

  Well, so have I. And I must tell you,

  Lucas, that I will not allow you to order

  me to stay home again while you are out

  larking about in search of information.

  Sitting around waiting is very hard on

  the nerves. Now, just what did you do?

  Did you find Edgeworth?"

  He released her and dropped into a

  chair. I found him, for all the good it

  will do. I cannot tell if he knows anything

  about what is going on or not. But he does

  have some motive for wanting to cause

  trouble for me."

  She nodded quickly, sitting down across

  from him. Because you are more or less

  responsible for making him unwelcome in

  the clubs."

  Lucas rubbed his leg. Actually, it all

  goes back a bit farther than that."

  She studied him intently. Just what does

  it all go back to, Lucas?"

  To the day I got this damned hole in

  my leg. Edgeworth was there."

  You mean he also fought that day?"

  Not exactly/ Lucas said. Let us say

  he chose to watch the battle from a safe

  distance."

  Victoria finally understood. He broke

  and ran?"

  It happens in battle. Edgeworth was not

  the first, nor will he be the last. Who

  knows? If more men had the sense not

  to stand their ground and shoot at each

  other until there was no one left standing,

  we might have less warfare."

  Victoria was astonished. Lucas, you are

  not condemning him for his cowardice?"

  Not particularly. Cowardice under fire

  may not be considered an admirable

  trait"

  I should think not."

  But I can understand it." He slid her

  a cool glance. And forgive it. Fear is

  not easy to deal with and warfare is a

  remarkably unintelligent way to resolve

  problems. If I learned nothing else during

  my career in the army, I learned that

  much. The idea of a man choosing to

  flee from the scene of battle is not so

  difficult to accept. It almost seems rather

  logical when you think about it."

  Victoria recovered from her initial shock

  and gave that notion some close thought.

  You may have a point. Never let your

  friends in the clubs hear you say such

  things, though."

  He smiled. I am not a complete fool.

  I only say such things to you, Vicky. You

  are the one person I know with whom I

  can talk freely."

  She smiled at him, aware of a sweet

  warmth welling up inside. That is the

  nicest thing you have ever said to me. I

  am very glad you feel that way, Lucas,

  because I have discovered I feel exactly the

  same toward you. I have told you things I

  have never even told Aunt Cleo."

  I am glad," he said simply.

  Victoria smiled warmly. But no matter

  how you feel intellectually on the subject

  of cowardice under fire, I know you would

  be incapable of behaving like a coward

  yourself. Edgeworth undoubtedly knows

  that, too. Is that why he holds a grudge

  against you? He knows you saw him flee?"

  That is partly it. The other part is that I

  saw what he did after the battle. He walked

  through the field and robbed the dead."

  Victoria stared at him. Good God, I

  can hardly credit it." Then another thought

  shook her. Did he know you were lying on

  that field? Did he see you?"

  He saw me."

  And he did nothing to help you?"

  He assumed I wouldn't last long anyway

  and he was rather busy collecting jewelry,

  watches, and other souvenirs," Lucas

  explained.

  Victoria leapt to her feet and raged back

  and forth across the room. She had never

  been so shaken with fury. I will shoot the

  man the next time I see him, I swear I will.

  How dare he sink so low? How could he

  act in such a despicable fashion? To leave

  you lying there like that. It is absolutely

  unforgivable."

  I tend to agree with you that he sank to

  the depths that day. Nor has he conducted

  himself with much honor since," Lucas said

  grimly.

  No, he certainly has not. I wonder if

  Isabel Rycott found out about his habit

  of cheating at cards. Perhaps that is why

  she dropped him. She likes weak men,

  but she may draw the line at that sort

  of weakness."

  Perhaps."

  Victoria whirled around and paced back

  the other way. So you believe Edgeworth

  really is behind the incidents? That he

  holds a grudge against you because you

  know the truth about him?"

  It is possible. I cannot escape a certain

  feeling that he knew more than he was

  willing to say tonight. I warned him that

  if anything else happens, I will look to him

  first for an explanation, but ."

  She eyed him carefully. But you are

  not one hundred percent convinced he is

  to blame for what has happened to us
?"

  I think there is more to the story."

  Because I was the target of some of the

  incidents?"

  Tis entirely possible Edgeworth selected

  you as a target because he knew it would

  annoy me," Lucas said.

  Victoria sat down on the edge of the

  bed. This is very frustrating. We are no

  better off than we were before you sought

  him out."

  That remains to be seen. If there are no

  more incidents, I will be able to assume I

  warned off the right man."

  True." She frowned, thinking about it.

  But if the incidents continue, we must

  also consider the fact that my stepfather

  is alive."

  Regardless of the outcome in that

  quarter, I, personally, feel that I made

  tremendous progress in another area this

  evening," Lucas continued smoothly.

  She looked over at him, intrigued. How

  is that?"

  I was referring to your admission that

  I have the power to seduce you anytime I

  please."

  Oh, that." She felt the heat flood her

  cheeks.

  Lucas got to his feet and came toward

  her. Yes, that. A minor issue to you,

  perhaps, my dear, but a matter of

  overwhelming import to me. It gives

  me great hope, you see. One of these

  days you are going to take the last step

  and admit you love me."

  She rose and backed away from him.

  You probably should not read too much

  into what I said as we got out of the

  carriage, Lucas. I was very annoyed with

  you at the time and spoke without

  thinking."

  He smiled. Are you going to retract

  your words now? You cannot possibly

  deny them. I will not allow it?"

  She groaned and took another step

  backward. You are going to assume far

  too much from this. You will see it as a

  form of surrender. I just know you will."

  Would surrender be so bad, Vicky?"

  Intolerable." She took one more step

  backward and found herself up against

  the wall. Her eyes widened as he stalked

  toward her.

  Lucas's eyes were gleaming as he

  closed the distance between them. Very

  deliberately he caged her, flattening his

  palms against the wall on either side of

  her head. His mouth hovered bare inches

  above hers.

  Intolerable, hmmm? Very well, madam,

  why don't we call it a step toward a

  negotiated truce rather than a step toward

  surrender?"

  She caught her breath. In order for it

  to be a step toward a negotiated truce,

  we would both have to give up an equal

  amount of ground, my lord. You would

  have to admit I have the same power