Powder of Love (I)

by Summer Devon

  He stood and bowed. “I believe I’ve overstayed my welcome. But I will return, soon, my lady.” He had to think. And dream for once. He’d seen Rosalie’s body and held her, and the thought that perhaps he might be able to do that again—perhaps always—it shook him to the core.

  Miss Ambermere. Rosalie, damn it. He’d think of her as Rosalie now and always. She couldn’t love him. They didn’t know each other well enough for true love. Lust. They shared a glorious case of mutual desire.

  Certainly he hadn’t lied. He did respect and admire her; any more than that, he refused to admit. Just because he knew and longed for every one of her smiles, just because he wanted to kill everything that might hurt her—that was heated blood brought on by lust. He didn’t trust lust—not at all—but at that moment, he understood it was only a small part of what he felt for Miss Ambermere. Rosalie. Her pride, her well-hidden eagerness, the way she smiled at him when they shared a jest. The rest of it didn’t matter. A swan that mated for life? He’d have to learn to quack or honk or whatever the hell bloody swans did to make sure he had a chance.

  His thoughts were interrupted by Lady Williamsford. “You’ll be at our little gathering tomorrow? It should be a great deal of fun.” The smile was back, far too knowing. It brought back reality and forced him to recall what he was supposed to be doing for Rosalie.

  He wondered if he could check on the box without Lady Williamsford noticing him prowling around her daughter’s house. If Beels showed him to the door, it was an easy matter to bribe the butler.

  However, Lady Williamsford insisted on showing him to the front door herself.

  “What do you think, Mr. Reed?” Lady Williamsford waved a hand at the foyer and entrance hall, which had been transformed. They must have been locked in the library longer than he’d expected. Everywhere he looked, he saw a red haze. This must be what it felt like to be inside a giant heart.

  “Impressive.”

  One of the men in charge had spotted Lady Williamsford and galloped from the drawing room into the hall. “The canaries will arrive first thing tomorrow, I promise, my lady. And the flambeaux as well.”

  “The fountain inside is set up and working beautifully,” the other one said. “Won’t you come see?”

  “And the lanterns in the garden. We’ll get that extra fountain going soon, you’ll see.”

  “Of course.” She gave each of the designers a dazzling smile. “Let me just bid my guest good-bye. Did you order a carriage, Mr. Reed? You walked?”

  Drat. She wasn’t going to abandon him to find his way to the doorstep after all.

  He considered returning under the guise of one of the workmen, but they were finishing for the day. How long had he been with Rosalie in the library?

  * * *

  He walked to his quiet, comfortable lodging less than four blocks away. He’d already made sure Rosalie had his new address. She could send along a message and summon him. So he would wait, and he went out only to buy food from a pushcart peddler.

  He waited to hear from her, but there was only silence the rest of that day.

  He lay in bed that night, wishing he had been less passive in the hours after their tryst in the library. He hadn’t made a move for the simple reason he had no idea what on earth he should do—or even what he wanted to do. But the silence was horrible. That had to end.

  His instinct was to take charge. Very well; he would. She would probably kick at that. He smiled at the thought of how they might argue every time he’d try to assert himself as master of a situation. The arguments would keep him alert, and perhaps he’d learn some diplomacy.

  He sat down to write a note and didn’t bother to employ that diplomacy. He simply told her he’d be disguised as a guest, but he had been serious when he promised to keep her safe. He was going to turn himself into some sort of guard at this party of hers. He didn’t think Beels the butler would be enough.

  As he was trying to add something to the note about his deep regard for her that went beyond the admittedly heady lust, the landlady’s maid told him he had a visitor, and he bounded down the stairs to find Dr. Leonard waiting for him.

  “I have the proper place at last, and dear Miss Ambermere has sent along the formal contract we agreed to. Shall we approach her now and retrieve the glandular powder?”

  Reed went back upstairs for his pistol and, after a moment’s hesitation, the irons as well. Perhaps the doctor would again try to attack Miss Amb—Rosalie.

  The doctor gave a low whistle as they approached the house. “This really does take the cake. I knew she had wealth, but if she keeps up this kind of entertainment…” He squinted at one of the men holding up a wreath of roses. “Wonder how many dozens of flowers are in that?”

  The house, set back from the street, had workmen swarming over the front of it—some setting up rows of torches, some apparently weaving bunches of roses over the elaborate banisters.

  When they pushed past them to the open front door, no one met them.

  “We’ll just go to the basement, then, shall we?” Reed beckoned. He and the doctor walked down the hall and through the bustling kitchen, where they were ignored.

  Beels and a footman were near the bottom of the stairs, counting bottles of wine in several cases.

  The butler looked up, shocked. “I didn’t hear the bell or knocker, sir. I’m so sorry.”

  “The door was open, so we walked in.”

  Beels was wiping cobwebby hands on an apron, which he then whipped off and handed to the footman. “I apologize that you had to find me. Most distressing.”

  “We weren’t looking for you,” the doctor said cheerily. “We have some business here. Down here.”

  Reed recalled his manners. “Beels, this is Dr. Leonard.”

  “Yes, sir, we’ve met.”

  Reed wondered when, but only said, “Miss Ambermere is expecting him. And she knows we have something down here to fetch.”

  However, Beels had recovered from his chagrin, so he resumed his primary role of guard dog and gatekeeper. He herded the two men up and into the library, the one room barely unaffected by the party preparation. “You will please wait while I find Miss Ambermere.” It wasn’t a question.

  The doctor wandered to the bookshelves, and Reed stared at the settee where he and Miss—he and Rosalie had joined together. The memory of it woke the hunger that lurked in his body.

  No consequences, she’d said.

  She hadn’t been telling the truth when she said there were no consequences, and he’d make certain she understood how she’d affected him. He’d barely slept the night before, and when he did, it was to dream of her, naked and on top of him. Such behavior in a young lady. He grew hard thinking of it.

  She stood at the door, and Beels must have told her who her guests were, for she had a determined look on her face even before she saw them. The smile wasn’t real, and she didn’t meet Reed’s eyes. He understood and didn’t grab her and demand a kiss or a curse from her—but dearly wished he could.

  Dr. Leonard had come forward, hands outstretched. “Miss Ambermere.” The doctor vigorously pumped her hand in both of his until she pulled hers away, still with the fixed smile. The only one of her smiles Reed didn’t like.

  The doctor held up his fingers and ticked off facts. “We have the tools in place in my laboratory now. I’ve discovered independent funding necessary to do any work—academic, I assure you! So you don’t even need to worry about that aspect of the business. And I have your contract signed and witnessed.” He pulled out a sheaf of papers. “Everything is in place for our work to begin.”

  “I’m delighted to hear that,” she said evenly. “I’m sure Mr. Reed could lead you to the spot where it’s stored?”

  She was backing away now, still not looking at him.

  “Of course,” Reed said. “You’re well, I hope?”

  “Perfectly.” She glanced at him, and a slow, dull red filled her face. She was remembering.

  He gave her a wi
de smile, probably a manic grin, so she couldn’t miss the fact that he was delighted to see her. He wanted to do whatever he could to make her smile real. She’d said he scowled too often. Other people had. This was as far from a frown as he could manage.

  Her fixed expression didn’t falter. “I wish I could offer you refreshment, Doctor, Mr. Reed. But I have a great deal to do today,” she said. “I hope you’ll excuse me. I-I…” She cast him one more look, nodded to them both, and then hurried from the room.

  “She looked almost angry. What do you suppose is going on?” the doctor asked.

  “I’m afraid I don’t know,” Reed said and reflected he knew but needed to discover how to make it better. He’d find a way too, as soon as he could—though the start of a huge party was perhaps not the best place to demand they speak of the matter. He left the room, the doctor on his heels. Beels met them at the basement door.

  “Good morning, sirs. Miss Ambermere says I am to offer any assistance you might require.”

  “We don’t need anything. No, wait. Keep watch up here, would you, Beels? We’ll go out the lower back entrance. If anyone expresses interest…” He decided to be honest. “If anyone—especially Mr. Clermont—expresses interest, I’d be grateful if you’d neglect to mention our visit.” He slid a few coins into the butler’s hand.

  The butler cleared his throat. “He has visited, sir.”

  “Did he go downstairs?”

  “I couldn’t say, sir.”

  They thumped down the stairs, and the doctor slid on thick leather gloves before lifting the hatbox from under the coals where Reed had hidden it.

  “Feels the right weight,” the doctor said, hefting the box experimentally. Someone was coming down the stairs, and Reed pointed to the back. They fled out the kitchen door, through the thick gate, and into the mews.

  “I’d feel better if you had your gun ready,” the doctor said as they walked along the alley.

  Reed obliged but didn’t pull it from his jacket pocket. “You should check to see if it’s in there.”

  “Not until I have this in a safe place.”

  “The outer wooden box affords protection. You should stop and look.”

  The doctor only sped up.

  A hansom waited for them out front. “I hired him for two hours,” the doctor said after they climbed in. “I thought I’d have to do the greeting and polite stuff for a while.” He leaned back in the seat, panting slightly. “Rather sad I didn’t have to, come to that. She’s straightforward, Miss Ambermere. I think I admire that in a woman. Very pleasant body too. If only that ridiculous effect of the powder hadn’t been so obvious that day. I could have made a better job of my attempt to seduce her.”

  “Seduce her? She’s a young lady, not a lightskirt. And she knows about you and your maid.” Reed wasn’t sure of the situation in the doctor’s household, but the way the maid had hovered over the injured doctor that day spoke volumes.

  “Yes, that was a mistake too, wasn’t it, telling Miss Ambermere about that?” The doctor apparently didn’t feel the waves of hostility emanating from Reed. “I don’t just mean seduce her for a single episode, though that would have been enjoyable, no doubt. I should have had my eyes on the ultimate prize. It just never occurred to me that a young lady like her was interested in marriage, but I’ve heard she’s considering Wentworth.”

  That name again. “Who is he?”

  “A worthy. He’s our age, more or less, but acts about a thousand years old. I’ve met him because he sponsors some scientific lectures I’ve attended. Same echelon of society as hers. You see his name everywhere as a patron.”

  The doctor lapsed into silence, then said, “Someone said she’s encouraging Wentworth, but she strikes me as a woman who won’t allow society to dictate whom she should pick as mate. The girl has a strong will, but that can be worked around. And I can see she is addicted to expensive entertainments. Did you hear all the birds twittering in that place? They’ll all be asleep by the time the entertainment begins, you know. So much for that silly expense. Never mind. She has the money, and I don’t mind the occasional fete. I’d be generous about her parties as long as I wouldn’t have to go to them all.”

  He must have finally paid attention to Reed’s scowl, because the ridiculous smile faded from his handsome face and he sighed. “I know, no need to glare at me. I’m only daydreaming. Can’t sue a fellow for that. That sort of female only marries more money and status. Why, she didn’t even invite me to that party of hers, even after I hinted strongly.”

  “When?”

  “This evening, of course. You saw how the place was turned upside down.”

  “I mean when did you hint?”

  “Yesterday evening, when I stopped by to give her a progress report. She was even more pale. I must say, I do like her looks, though I’d insist she spend more time in the sun. But I don’t suppose I have a chance with Miss Ambermere. If I ever had one, I probably ruined it that first day when the powder affected me and I tried to engage in intercourse with her too persistently.”

  Reed shifted in the seat, ready to explain the words attempted rape to the jackass, when the doctor went on. “My memories of the day are slightly hazy, but you were there, later on, of course. What do you think? Any chance I might convince her to view me as a potential—”

  “None,” Reed interrupted. “Believe me. No chance.”

  The doctor sighed. He patted the hatbox. “At least I have this. It’ll make my name and fortune. Scientifically,” he added quickly.

  At his house, he showed the laboratory to Reed, who’d seen it only briefly on the two previous visits. The safe was ready, and the doctor showed him the strange breathing apparatus he’d wear when working with the powder.

  “So this is good-bye, then.” The doctor held out a hand.

  “Not yet. I want to make certain everything’s right before I go. You need to check.”

  The doctor twitched impatiently. “You can go wait in the sitting room. Mary or Hughes will bring you some tea, and I’ll be out in a minute.”

  He came in a few minutes later, drying his hands. “It was in there. But there could be a problem. I think…” He hesitated. “I think some of the powder is missing. It’s at least ten grams lighter.”

  “Damnation.” Reed grabbed his hat. “I’ll send word if I find the missing amount.”

  “It’ll be a very small amount. The powder is dense, heavy. So that’s probably about the size of, say, half a pea.”

  “It doesn’t take much. That would be more than enough to start an orgy in a graveyard, and you and I both know it.”

  “Oh?” The doctor’s brows went up. “You know it? Are you saying you’ve been affected by the stuff too? Did you write down your symptoms? I hope you have. It’s not too late, of course. You should write down every detail you remember.”

  “I have work to do,” Reed said as he headed for the door. “Once I have that missing powder safe, I promise I’ll write pages and pages.”

  Hawes. He might have taken the damned aphrodisiac. That would be less disastrous than any other possibility.

  He returned to Rosalie’s house to discover that the coachman had taken Miss Renshaw and Murphy on some sort of errand. The house was filled with final preparations and was even more crowded than it had been an hour earlier. He pushed through the rooms, looking for Rosalie. He had to warn her.

  Rosalie was in the larger drawing room, trying to get the workmen to pay attention to her. Someone called her name, and when she turned and saw Mr. Reed, she felt her face flush and her heart beat faster.

  “Miss Ambermere, may I speak to you a moment?”

  He was so serious, his intensity drew her, and she forgot all the dratted details of the day and the fact that she was determined to remain cool near him.

  She dropped the red material, and it made a soft swish as it rolled on the parquet floor. “Yes,” she said hesitantly. “But first, this problem has to be cleared up.” She went to the back of
the room, where a man in yellow trousers—one of the decorator’s assistants—was arguing with a maid.

  She pointed to the pile of fabric on the floor. “It was set too near the flame. I tried to move it but don’t have the proper fastenings.”

  He surveyed the mess glumly. “And I hear the fish in the smaller fountain are dying, miss.”

  “Oh dear. But please take care of this when you can.”

  She’d had enough time to calm herself before she joined Mr. Reed. Her face had cooled, and she could show an equally cool manner. “As you can see,” she said, “I don’t have much time to spare.”

  She led him from the room and for a moment considered taking him to the library. No, that had echoes of their encounter, so she led him to the large dining room that was entirely ready. Fifty could sit down at the huge table done in red and gold. Her mother’s taste, magnificent and far too opulent. At least she’d opened her purse to pay for the table and the decorators.

  “Try not to let it blind you,” she said. Then remembering she wanted to be formal with him, she crossed her hands in front of her and gave him a polite look of interest. “How may I help you?”

  “Rosalie.”

  Her name in his mouth. She wanted to go to him to see if he’d kiss and hold her again. They might be in the middle of a hurricane of activity in her house, but that hadn’t stopped them the last time.

  But no, she wasn’t going to be a fool again, and at any rate, though his manner was tense, it wasn’t the usual tension between them.

  So she waited and suddenly suspected what he was going to say. He took off his hat and pushed a hand through his hair. “I’ve just come from Dr. Leonard’s establishment. He weighed the powder, and some is missing.”

  Rosalie put out a hand and groped for a chair. She sat down heavily. “Hawes. It must be him. Since yesterday Miss Renshaw hasn’t stopped humming and is quite unlike herself.”

  Reed shook his head. “No, that’s what I thought too, but now I believe he used only my handkerchief.”

  “He was the only other person who knew where it was,” she added.