by Darcy Burke
A piece of him still longed to return to London. He regretted having to forfeit his dream of taking his place as a Lockwood, especially since he and Jason had seemed to forge a brotherly relationship—or at least the promise of one. But his dream hadn’t accounted for a woman like Audrey. He’d never imagined he’d wed or even want to. She was an unexpected gift—a treasure he wouldn’t deny.
He had to admit a certain relief about not having to fight Teague or Jimmy. Guaranteeing Audrey’s safety was paramount, which was why he needed to make certain that wherever they went, neither Bow Street nor Gin Jimmy’s men would follow. He rather thought Teague would give up at some point, if he hadn’t already. However, Jimmy was a tenacious bastard, and he had a particular hatred for those he thought had personally wronged him. And since he’d trusted Ethan like no other and knew Ethan had betrayed him, he would take extreme measures to ensure Ethan’s demise.
Audrey stirred beside him, a sigh escaping her kiss-ready lips. He evicted thoughts of Jimmy and Teague from his mind. He didn’t want them here, not with her.
He leaned down and pressed his mouth against hers softly. She opened her eyes, which for a moment reflected surprise. Then her lips curved into a smile. “Is it morning?” she asked.
“Close enough. I thought it best if I returned to my room.”
“Why? I don’t want to hide from Philippa and Sevrin. I plan to tell Philippa that we’re leaving together.”
He didn’t see any point in lying to them either. Still, did he want to be obvious about their behavior since they hadn’t yet exchanged vows? “We’ll tell them this morning, but I prefer not to shock the maid when she comes to wake you.”
“I don’t even know if a maid will come. They employ a limited staff.” She scooted closer to him and slipped her arms around his middle, squeezing one beneath him to accomplish her goal.
He turned so that he was half-lying on her. He kissed the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “I’m happy to play lady’s maid if you require assistance.”
She giggled. “Somehow I think your ‘assistance’ might be more of a hindrance.”
He drew back and gave her a look of mock affront. “Did I not provide service on our journey?”
She wriggled beneath him, bringing her hips into contact with his. “You did. My apologies.”
His cock grew against her, but she didn’t draw away. He resumed kissing her neck and stroked her breast.
She sighed softly and kneaded his back. “Where will we go?”
He moved his lips past her collarbone. “We have several choices. America, if you still wish. Anywhere, really.”
“But we don’t have any funds.”
Hopefully, Sevrin would help him on that front. “Let me worry about money.” He drew her nipple into his mouth and suckled her while he massaged her flesh.
She moved her hand up and twisted her fingers into his hair, holding him against her. “I think America is the best choice. You can be anything you want there—or so Geoffrey said.”
“I think I’d prefer you didn’t mention that bounder again. His opinions don’t hold much weight with me.”
“You’re right, of course. Would you prefer to go somewhere else?”
He paused in his attentions and looked up at her. “Audrey, either you are thinking way too hard or I am not performing my duties properly. Why aren’t you lost in the throes of ecstasy?”
Her lips lifted in a seductive smile. “I’m quite enjoying your attentions.” She pushed his head back to her breast.
He nipped her softly and she arched into his mouth. He closed his mouth around her, drawing on her and sending shocks of pleasure to her core. She squirmed beneath him, opening her legs.
Accepting her invitation, he moved one hand between her thighs and caressed her slick softness. Her body came up off the bed, seeking more of him wherever he touched her.
He increased his pressure on her breast, laving and suckling her insistently, as if he could devour her whole. He slipped his fingers inside of her moist sheath. She cried out and bucked as he pumped into her.
She rotated toward him. “I want you. Now. Please.”
He pushed her back against the bed and rose above her. Her hand came between them—his beautiful intrepid girl—and guided him home.
Where last night he’d taken his time to bring her pleasure and ensure her satisfaction, this morning he was more confident in her abilities to find what she sought. Which gave him the freedom to do what he’d asked of her last night—to let go.
He drove into her, but still held back. He didn’t want to hurt or frighten her. But, Christ, he wanted to fuck her until his head exploded. Nothing in his life had felt as good as Audrey. Her laugh, her kisses, her simultaneously innocent and brazen touch.
She spread her legs wider and wrapped them around his hips, squeezing him with her muscles. She drew his head down and kissed him, her mouth open and wet. “Faster, please,” she breathed against his lips.
It was all he needed. He braced his hands on either side of her head and slid his length to the hilt, then retreated only to plunge forward again. He moved fast and hard. Her hands clenched his biceps and her cries grew louder and higher.
“Ethan!” She tensed with her orgasm and Ethan rushed to join her. He called out as he came, then went rigid as shocks of pleasure jerked through his body.
He rolled to the side, taking her with him. “Thank you.”
She kissed the underside of his chin. “Why? I should be thanking you.”
He took deep breaths to regulate the frenzied beating of his heart. “We can thank each other. You’re amazing.”
“Am I?”
He heard the pride as well as the sliver of doubt in her voice. He brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her, exploring her mouth with sensual precision. He drew back and looked into her eyes. “You are spectacular. I have never been happier in all of my life.”
She smiled and stroked his cheek. “When can we leave for America? I can’t wait to start our new lives together.”
“We need to talk to Sevrin and Philippa first.”
Her smile faded. “Yes, but I think Philippa will try to dissuade me from going with you.”
Sevrin probably wouldn’t be terribly supportive, either. “As she should. She’s a good friend.”
“She’ll change her opinion of you when she understands who you truly are.” She flattened her palm against his face, her touch soft yet firm. “Ethan, you have to let your guard down now—with some people. Please. You trusted me, didn’t you?”
He did. He marveled at that even now. “I will do my best. This is all new for me. And you must accept that you are special.” He covered her hand against his cheek and drew her palm to his mouth for a fierce kiss. “You know that, don’t you? You are something no one has ever been for me.”
Her eyes met his and held. “I know, and I won’t ever let you down.”
She kissed him and he was lost to the wonder of her once more.
AFTER MAKING LOVE to her again, Ethan had reluctantly left her chamber an hour or so after sunrise. Audrey completed a quick and solitary toilet and hurried downstairs to join the others. She found Ethan and Sevrin in the breakfast room. Both men rose from the table as she entered.
Ethan pulled out the chair beside his for her. “I’ve just told Sevrin of our change in plans.”
Sevrin frowned at her. “You’re certain you wish to leave with him? You’re not under any sort of duress, are you?”
Audrey tried not to look affronted. She had, after all, given him the distinct impression that she and Ethan were parting ways. “No. I want to be with Ethan. I was . . . angry yesterday.”
“I’ve sent the footman to fetch Philippa. She will undoubtedly want to participate in this conversation.”
She sat and gave Ethan a quick smile over her shoulder before turning to their host. “That would be lovely. But do save us all the effort of disagreement. Nothing you can say will change my mind.”
“Audrey!” Philippa sailed into the room in her morning gown, something she might not have normally worn in Ethan’s presence. “Is it true that you’re going with Jagger?”
Audrey’s pulse began to pick up speed in anticipation of the coming conflict. “His name is Locke, and yes, I’m going with him. We’re going to be married.”
Philippa’s amber eyes widened, then focused on her husband in a communication that clearly said, “Do something.”
Sevrin shrugged. “Please sit, sweetheart.” He indicated the chair beside him, which Ned, the footman, pulled out for her.
She sat but crossed her arms and fixed Audrey with an insistent stare. “What happened?”
Sevrin touched Philippa’s hand. “Sweetheart, do you really want to know the answer to that?” The dryness of his tone nearly made Audrey laugh. She snuck a look at Ethan, whose lips were twitching. “Now,” Sevrin continued, “do we have to understand her choice or like it? No. But there are plenty of people who thought your choosing me over Allred was sheer foolishness, so perhaps we ought not judge.”
Philippa shot her husband a surprised look, but then her shoulders seemed to relax as she sat back against her chair. “I see your point.”
Audrey also began to relax. “Philippa, I hope you’ll come to see the Ethan I know. He deeply regrets what he did to you. I know you can’t forget what happened, but perhaps in time you can forgive him.”
“He has an awful lot to prove,” Philippa said.
“They’ll be leaving in a few days,” Ambrose said. I’m going to talk to Sedley about taking them to Guernsey.”
“Who’s Sedley?” Audrey asked.
“He owns several boats in Portscatho.”
Audrey turned to Ethan. “And why Guernsey?” It was a small island near the northern coast of France.
“Sevrin suggested it,” Ethan said after swallowing a bite of egg. “It doesn’t follow the same laws as England, so we should be safe there. And it’s much closer than America.”
Did that mean he wanted to try to come back at some point? She couldn’t fault him for wanting that, not when he wanted to get to know his brother.
Ethan smiled at Audrey. “We can be married there immediately, as well.”
“Is that what you want?” Philippa asked.
Audrey smiled back at Ethan, her chest expanding with emotions she could barely contain. She’d been hesitant to declare her love—she hadn’t tried to love anyone in such a long time. “Yes,” she said, then added softly, “I love him.”
His gray eyes reflected surprise and joy and astonishment. She took his hand and squeezed it. He seemed to fight a battle, then capitulated and brought her hand to his mouth for a gentle kiss.
Sevrin coughed discreetly. “Call me tenderhearted, but I can’t fault anyone who finds true love.”
Philippa exhaled, drawing Audrey to finally look away from Ethan. “I shall endeavor to support you, my dear friend, since this is clearly what you want. We’ll need to take a trip to Truro to outfit you with a trousseau. Are you going to write to your parents?”
“I should, but I don’t want them to know where we’ve gone.”
Ethan still held her hand. “You should send a note telling them you’re safe and happy, that they needn’t worry.”
Both Philippa and Sevrin looked at him as if surprised he’d suggest such a thing.
“I realize I haven’t given you reason to think I’m a thoughtful person,” he drawled wryly, “but hopefully you’ll see that I can be.” The last part was uttered with such sincerity that Audrey didn’t know how they couldn’t.
Philippa looked at Audrey with concern. “Are you certain you wish to leave your life behind?”
Audrey straightened her shoulders. “I already did when I chose to leave London with Ethan. There’s nothing for me there.” She added softly, “You know that, Philippa.”
There was a beat of silence before Sevrin said, “Then it’s settled, I’ll go and speak with Sedley today, and Philippa will take Audrey into Truro tomorrow.”
Audrey didn’t want to wait. What if they could leave tomorrow? “It’s early, why can’t we go today?”
Ethan laughed. “My bride is in a hurry.”
Sevrin chuckled. “I know how that feels.”
Philippa blushed and shook her head at him before addressing Audrey. “Yes, we can go today. We need a little alone time, I think, so I can hear just how Mr. Locke changed your mind.” That she referred to him as Mr. Locke and not Jagger was progress.
Chapter Sixteen
AFTER VISITING SEDLEY and arranging for passage to Guernsey the following day, Ethan and Sevrin strolled back through Portscatho toward Beckwith. It was a fine autumn day, the sea breeze was cool, but the sun overhead provided enough warmth, as did their exercise. But then Ethan thought this might just be the most splendid day of his life.
He looked at Sevrin’s profile as they walked, still uncertain if they were friends or not. He wasn’t sure he’d ever had a true friend. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me. The truth is, I can’t quite believe it, either.”
Sevrin glanced at him. “Neither can I. No, that’s not precisely true. I’m trying to practice forgiveness—for myself as much as for you. I have my own bad decisions and regrettable actions to overcome.”
This wasn’t the first time Sevrin had inferred his past was less than exemplary, but then Ethan had heard he’d ruined his brother’s fiancée or some such. And then today, with Sedley, there’d been some underlying current. “Something to do with Sedley?”
They turned onto the main street of Portscatho. “You could say that,” Sevrin said. “Mrs. Sedley was once engaged to marry my brother.”
Shit. That was definitely something. “I’d heard the rumor that you’d dallied with your brother’s fiancée. That’s her?”
Sevrin shot him a pained look and gave a subtle nod. “I’ll never fully recover from what I did to him. He died, indirectly, because of my callous indiscretion.”
His message came through very clearly: Ethan might not recover from his past deeds either. “I’m aware I have to live with the things I’ve done. How do you manage it?”
Sevrin inhaled. “Fighting. At first.”
Ethan began to understand why Sevrin had fought. He’d wanted Sevrin as his prizefighter because he’d been damned good—good enough to win the title—but he’d suddenly stopped. Ethan had hoped to coax him out of retirement, but he’d refused, which was why Ethan had used Philippa to persuade him to agree. “If the fighting soothed your pain, why did you stop?”
“Because it also brought me glory. I didn’t deserve that.”
Ethan’s neck prickled. He suspected he didn’t deserve this amazing day, the feelings of joy inside of him, or the love of Audrey. But could he even consider doing what Sevrin had done—deny himself that which made him happy because he didn’t deserve it? What purpose did it serve? “Do you fight anymore? Obviously, I’m aware you turned Ackley’s training over to one of your fighting club men.” Sevrin had found Ethan a prizefighter—Ackley—and had trained him until marrying Philippa.
He shook his head. “Not since Philippa and I wed. I occasionally spar with Ned, but it’s purely educational.”
“Pity, you were awfully good.” Ethan enjoyed a good fight. He’d wanted a prizefighter because it was a legitimate way to make money and it had been his father’s favorite sport. He used to take Ethan and Jason to bouts when they were lads. Those were some of the best memories of Ethan’s life.
They came upon the one of the town’s inns just as a man stepped out into the street. Ethan recognized him immediately. “Hell.”
Teague had just covered his balding pate with his hat when his gaze connected with Ethan’s. He strode toward him purposefully. “You can’t mean to run again.” He shouted toward the inn, “Lewis!”
The second Runner came from the inn. He wasn’t as large as Teague, but he was tall and fit. Ethan didn’t think he could take both of
them on. He glanced at Sevrin. He wouldn’t help Ethan fight, but would he join the Runners?
Teague drew his pistol and Lewis did the same. Teague inclined his head at his cohort, who circled around to Ethan’s side.
Deep furrows carved into Sevrin’s brow. “What do you mean to do with Locke?”
“I’m arresting him for the murder of the Marquess of Wolverton and transporting him back to Bow Street.”
At Sevrin’s intake of breath, Ethan shot him a dark look. “I didn’t kill Wolverton.”
“The evidence against you is enough. My testimony alone will commit you to trial.” Teague flicked a glance at Sevrin. “I saw him standing over the body, holding a bloody knife, on the terrace at Lockwood House.”
Ethan could see the doubt in Sevrin’s gaze. “Teague, use the logic you’re so fond of. Jimmy was wearing the livery of the dead footman you seem to have conveniently forgotten. Jimmy had to have killed him, donned the costume, and committed the murder against Wolverton. I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Teague appeared unconvinced. “Nothing with you is as simple as you’d have it seem. You’re Jimmy’s most trusted man. I’m certain you worked together. In fact, I suspect it was you who anonymously informed us Jimmy would be at Wolverton House—that way we’d be busy while you and he killed Wolverton at Lockwood House. Don’t worry, we’ll be taking him down, too.”
If they could bloody find him, which they wouldn’t be likely to do. Jimmy knew and was welcome in just about every rookery in London. The denizens of those places wouldn’t help Bow Street.
“You should go,” Sevrin said quietly. “We’ll follow you tomorrow.”
The world careened sideways as Ethan saw his options disappearing. Hadn’t he planned to return to London anyway? Before he’d glimpsed a dream life with Audrey. Audrey. His knees nearly buckled. “I don’t want to leave without seeing Audrey.”
