Victoria could not withhold a laugh. “My, but you are indeed direct.”
He looked at her with some show of surprise, his dark brows arched over those compelling dark eyes. “A trait that many find displeasing. What of you, Lady Victoria? Do you find it displeasing?”
She could not conjure up a coy reply. “No, sir, I do not. I fear I am amused by it. But I can see why others might not be. Do you always begin a conversation with a stranger so unconventionally?”
He grinned, showing a streak of boyishness that she was sure had caused many a heart to turn. “Not always, but I often do with the young debs. It quite unsettles them, you know.”
“You are a devil, just as they say you are,” she told him.
He looked away, an expression of pain passing quickly over his handsome features before it was replaced by that look of studied boredom. Suddenly Victoria realized that this man had hurts of his own. As they all did.
It made her warm even further toward him, and she smiled with more sweetness than she realized. “Tell me about yourself, Lord Sinclair.”
He looked down at her, his eyes darkening with appreciation. “For you, dear lady, anything. What would you care to know?”
She understood that he was flirting with her. “Whatever you wish to tell me.”
He gazed at her for a long moment, and then a wicked gleam came into his eyes. “The first thing I would do is admit that the reason I am attending this tedious affair is that I do enjoy shocking the young debs. Dear Lady Penelope would not have sent around an invitation at all, except for the fact that she is afraid of offending my esteemed father, the earl. He believes if I continue to come to these affairs I will eventually find some suitable female and marry.”
Her brows rose in an incredulous arch. “Marry? You, Lord Sinclair?”
Again she saw that sad expression run fleetingly across his face before he was able to successfully mask it. “My father does insist that the line must be made secure. He does so hate to be thwarted.” She could not have mistaker the bitterness in his tone.
Victoria gazed up at him, realizing that whatever pair was between father and son had deeply scarred this man Could that have something to do with his wild reputation’? Was he simply defying his father in all he did? She could not prevent herself asking, “Is that why you have become Lord Sin, to displease your father?”
He looked at her even more closely than before. “I think Lady ‘Victoria, that you see too much.”
Victoria realized she had indeed overstepped herself. This man was a stranger to her, and she had no right to inter’ fere in his affairs. “I… Forgive me, my lord. I had no right.”
His dark eyes swept over her, and she felt herself flusb from the heat in his gaze. Even though she was not at tracted to the handsome nobleman, she, being neither dead nor unconscious, could not help being aware of his charm.
Thus, his next words left her momentarily speechless with shock. “If I ever did marry, Lady Victoria, I should think it would be someone not unlike yourself.”
Jedidiah watched ‘Victoria dancing with the tall slender man with growing displeasure. They were far too engrossed in whatever conversation they seemed to be having. Neither had appeared to even notice the end of one set and the beginning of another.
When ‘Victoria tipped back her head and laughed with what he considered far too much abandon, Jed felt his stomach clench. What was she thinking, to carry on like this? It was the lady who seemed so very preoccupied with her reputation. He glanced around and saw that more than one person seemed to have taken note of the couple. More than one delicately patterned fan was raised to shield the topic of conversation. But the direction of their gazes gave the gossipers away.
Jed was wondering if he should, in all consideration for his responsibility in looking after the lady, cut in, when a female voice sounded directly behind him. “Mr. McBride.”
He turned to see their hostess, Lady Worthington, bearing down upon him. She had in tow a rather shy-looking young blond woman dressed from head to foot in debutante white. As Lady Worthington dragged this obviously reluctant female to a halt before him, she said, “My dear Mr. McBride, I must introduce you to my niece, Felicia Tidesdale. She is just come out this season, and one only wants her to meet the best people, you know.”
Jed barely restrained a mocking grimace. As the “cousin” of the duke of Thorn’s daughter, he was among “the best people.” If this woman knew him for whom he truly was, a lowborn sea captain, she would not be introducing him to her niece, the innocuous Felicia Tidesdale.
Being ever aware that he must not do anything to bring censure on Victoria, he asked the young woman to dance, as was clearly expected of him. While a beaming Lady Worthington stood looking on, he swept the girl out onto the floor. He was now completely sorry he had allowed himself to be manipulated, but there was no way out.
Determined to get this done, then find some quiet corner to have a few minutes to himself, Jed was careful not to make eye contact with the girl. He clenched his jaw and went through the motions of the dance.
It came as a surprise to him some moments later to hear her speak, however hesitantly. “I must apologize for the way my aunt forced you to dance with me. It would be quite all right for you to take me back now. I’ll say I don’t feel well.”
Jed looked into a pair of brown eyes that, while still filled with shyness, also held a glint of intelligence. Unexpectedly he found himself feeling sympathetic toward her. It really was not Felicia’s fault her aunt had appropriated him, and he could be a bit more compassionate toward her own embarrassment. She might, after all, have been as unwilling as he. He smiled down at her. “I’ll be happy to comply, Miss Tidesdale, if that is what you want. But I would very much like to finish our dance.” Unexpectedly he realized it was true. His mother had taught him many years ago, and he hadn’t had many opportunities to dance since.
Her gaze searched his face for a time, and then she smiled in return. “I, too, would like to complete our dance.”
Felicia grew unusually quiet again, and Jed wondered at the cause of her preoccupation until his gaze followed hers, to light on a young man who stood at the sidelines. He was of medium height and build, there was nothing to set the fellow apart but the openly desirous look in his eyes as they rested upon the young lady. Her own expression was equally yearning.
“So that is how it is,” Jed interjected. “Why aren’t you dancing with him?”
She blushed scarlet, glancing up anxiously. “He is not quite what my aunt would wish for me. Henry is only an honorable.” As he looked into her eyes, he realized there was something fresh and unspoiled about her that reminded him of his friend Peter’s young sister, Leanne. For some reason, that surprised him and made him feel somewhat protective of the girl. He would not have thought to find himself thinking such thoughts about a young debutante.
Jed’s expression was indulgent as his dark brows rose. “Only an honorable?”
“Yes.” He watched as she scowled with determination. “My aunt has sponsored me for my coming out, and so I must do as she says while I am in London. But as soon as the season ends, Henry is going to call on Papa. Papa is the younger son of a baron, but has no care for titles himself. He only agreed to have me come to Aunt Worthington because I begged him so. He will accept Henry’s suit.”
Jed studied her closely. It had not occurred to him that there were those among the nobility with varying opinions on the wisdom of their ridiculous rules. Obviously Felicia had grown up in such a household.
They went on for a moment in silence. Then she said, “My, Lady Victoria is quite brave to dance so many dances with him.”
Jed looked across the room, to where Victoria was still gliding in the arms of the tall stranger, and looking too entertained for his taste. He turned back to Felicia, asking more gruffly than he intended. “What do you mean, him?”
Her brown eyes went round with uncertainty. “Why, I did not mean to criticize. I adm
ire your cousin greatly, and wish that I could be so bold as to do as I wished.”
Taking care to keep his tone even, Jed said. “I understand. Now tell me, who is he?”
She glanced over at the couple in question. “Why, that is Lord Ian Sinclair.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “He is a notorious rake, though I am not supposed to know that, nor can I elaborate on all his nefarious deeds. Suffice it to say that he is known by all and sundry as Lord Sin.”
Lord Sin, Jed scowled. He glanced over to the couple and saw the way the man was looking down at Victoria. Now there was no mistaking the avid interest in the man’s attention.
The music ended at just that moment, and Jed lost sight of the woman who so occupied his mind as he returned his charge to her aunt. Quickly he extricated himself from Lady Worthington’s clutches and went in search of Victoria. He had an overwhelming need to rescue her from this new threat.
She seemed ever to be in need of his assistance. A fact that gave him an unexplainable sense of gratification.
Searching the ballroom for her, Jed began to feel a strange sense of uneasiness. Which, he told himself, was absurd: Nothing could happen to her in the midst of all these people, yet he still made his way to the wide archway at the other end of the room with purpose.
A moment later, he saw the man she had been dancing with lounging indolently in one of the chairs against the wall, a drink in one hand, a cheroot in the other. There was no sign of Victoria.
He turned about in frustration. The man was not with her, but Jed could not shake his sense of unease.
Again he recalled that momentary glimpse he’d had earlier of a man who looked very much like Reginald Cox. At the time, Victoria had been convincing in her assertions that it could not be him. The doubt he had felt then began to nag at the back of his mind.
He did not see the lady in the crowd of well-dressed people gathered around the buffet table, and his trepidation grew. Going back into the ballroom, he made his way to the French doors that led out onto a wide flagstone patio with steps that went down into a darkened garden. The area was vacant of anything besides some decorative shrubs in flagstone planters.
He was just turning to go back inside when he glimpsed a furtive movement below. Acting purely on instinct, Jed bounded down the steps. “Victoria!” he called.
Another noise came to him. He could not actually have said what had made it, but the sound was enough to direct him to where he wished to go. When he dived into the brush at the side of the path, Jed discovered none other than Reginald Cox lurking there in the darkness.
He sprang forward, barely noting the abject terror in the other man’s eyes. Jed’s voice was harsh with anxiety. “Where is she?”
Reginald backed away from him, coming up against a shrub. “I don’t know.” He waved his arms wide. “As you can see, she is not here.”
Watching him closely, Jed asked, “Why did you run from me?”
“Why, indeed?” the dark haired man replied. “I saw you come out onto the patio, and did not want a confrontation.”
Jed scowled as the other man rubbed his jaw, where he had taken a blow the last time they met. Ignoring the gesture, Jed said, “Why should I believe you? I could not find Victoria, and I have reason to think that if you had the opportunity you would do her harm.”
Reginald gestured broadly again, his lips twisting in derision. “Then where is she? Have I hidden her in my pocket?”
Jed started toward him with a muttered curse.
He was halted by a voice behind him. “I am here.”
He turned to see Victoria standing on the path behind him. Sweet relief flooded through him like a fresh brush of wind in limp sails. “Victoria.”
She looked from him to Reginald. “What is going on here?”
Taking a step toward her, Reginald held out his hand. “Victoria, this man was accosting me. Tell him I have done nothing.”
As he moved in her direction, Victoria flinched toward Jed, who instinctively placed himself between her and the other man. This seemed to completely incense Cox, for he stamped his foot like a petulant child. “Victoria, how could you do this? How could you allow this oaf to threaten me? Why, he’s not even a gentleman!”
Jed moved toward him, the very nerve of the bastard making him want to throttle him. He certainly did not think of himself as a gentleman, but neither, in his opinion, was Reginald Cox. “Where I come from, Cox, gentlemen do not try to kidnap ladies.”
Reginald turned to Victoria with an expression of superiority that could not quite disguise his fear. Yet his words were brave enough. “You will call off your hound, Victoria, if you are wise. I know enough to make trouble for the two of you that you don’t want.”
Again Jed started toward him, but Victoria’s hand on his arm held him back. He turned to look into her worried gaze as she asked Cox, “What do you mean, you know enough to make trouble for us?”
Cox laughed now. “I mean, Lady Victoria, that I know you are going about town with the story that this man is your cousin. Having been there when you met, I very much doubt that this is the truth. A little investigating would surely prove me right and you both as liars.”
Jed growled. “If you tell people how we met, then you’ll have to admit to everyone what you were doing in her coach that night.”
Reginald blanched, then shook his head, his expression becoming determined. “So I would.” He looked to Victoria. “But I believe I have the least to lose here. Your reputation would be ruined if the truth got out. Not even your position as the daughter of the duke of Carlisle would be enough to protect you from the scandal. You would drag your family’s name through the muck.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Jed told her angrily. “We should call the authorities, at the very least. The man has twice tried to abduct you, and now he’s resorting to blackmail to keep himself out of trouble.”
Reginald made a soft scoffing sound, interrupting them. “Victoria, if you would but see reason and marry me, all would be well. Your family and mine were friends. Why can you not see that it would be a sensible answer to my devotion to you and your lack of a husband?”
Jed looked at the other man with disbelief. His absolute conceit really seemed to have left him with no understanding of the reality of the situation. He ignored Cox, addressing Victoria directly. “Turn him over to the police. As you can see, he is crazy.”
“I cannot,” Victoria answered, her voice filled with regret, but also with determination. “It matters little for myself, but I cannot risk the Thorn name in such a scandal. To have him tell that we have concocted the story of your being my cousin would bring shame to my children. Their very parentage might be questioned. They would not be welcome in polite society.”
“He can’t just be allowed to get away with this.” Jed was incredulous. “It is obvious he means to continue to be a threat to you.”
“I have you to protect me until I marry,” she replied, her eyes dark. “After that, Reginald will see me settled and it will no longer be an issue.” When he continued to frown, she said, “Please, Jedidiah, for the sake of the children I will bear someday, I cannot allow the truth to be known. I was foolish to believe we could carry this out without being discovered by anyone. I was also foolish to believe Reginald was a man of some honor and would come to his senses. He obviously means to harass me at will, but he has guessed the truth, and now we have no choice but to let him go in order to keep others from finding out.”
Reginald chuckled with unholy satisfaction, making Jed want to break some of those teeth for him. In spite of what Victoria had just said, he was not going to let the other man think he could harm her without fear. He turned to Cox with an expression of absolute resolution. “Let me tell you, little worm, that I will abide by Victoria’s wishes in not telling the authorities. But if I so much as see you touch her or speak to her, I will, and with pleasure, beat you within an inch of death. Is that clear?”
Reginald said not a word, tryin
g to stare the sea captain down. But when Jed took a threatening step toward him, Cox obviously realized he had pushed the other man too far. With a grunt that could have been of either fear or rage, he swung around and ran into the recesses of the garden.
Jed turned to Victoria, who stood at his side. She said not a word. Finally he could take it no longer. “Why are you willing to live with the threat of that man simply to please society?”
She looked up at him then, her expression becoming regretful and perhaps a little sad. “You will not try to understand.” She tapped her chest. “I am more than myself. I am Thorn, all that there is left of my family. I must act for the good of that, more than for my own good. You profess to care little what others think of you but I do not believe this is completely true. You live by your own set of principles, some as foolish as any aristocracy might have made. You hold your hatred of society to you like a shield, not allowing that they—we—are like anyone else, some good, some bad. I do not know what has made you this way, but there is something, and it is every bit as jealous a ruler as any dictum I might follow.”
He could only stare at her in amazement, surprised by this attack, however gentle. He had a momentary recollection of Felicia Tidesdale and his realization that she reminded him of Leanne. Felicia was a child, and not yet hardened in her beliefs. His voice was bitter as he spoke of it. “Felicia Tidesdale just regaled me with an unbelievable tale of how her father is going to allow her to marry the young man she loves, even though he’s not her social equal. What I think, Victoria, is that she is living in a fantasy, as you are. She will find out soon enough how her father welcomes her ‘honorable’ Henry.”
Victoria shook her head. “There you are wrong, Jedidiah McBride. Her father is a good man whom I have known well because of his work with the poor. His elder daughter is married to a simple country parson. I’m sure he will allow Felicia her choice.”
Lady Thorn Page 14
