“A look? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Clive scoffed and lowered his blade. “Don’t pretend as though you aren’t aware of the look. You give it to almost every woman you meet.”
Garrick stayed in a ready stance but lifted a brow, pretending he had no clue what Clive meant.
Clive sighed and then he lowered his chin and squinted his eyes and…
Garrick frowned and placed his blade under his arm. “What are you doing?”
“I’m giving you the look.”
Garrick laughed. “Are you certain that your bowels are not inhibited?”
That earned him Clive’s fury. They were moving quickly then. Attack. Attack. Counter. Lunge. “You’re right. I’m terrible at the look. I’ve tried it a hundred times at least. I think I only manage to frighten women away when I do it.”
Garrick was struggling to remain in the fight, but his side was in pain from all the laughter. Eventually, he fell to his knees and Clive went in for the kill, but he was laughing as well. Garrick blocked his vapid strikes as he fell to the ground.
The door opened, but they ignored whoever it was until there was a tiny gasp.
The men stopped and turned to the door.
Miriam stood there with wide eyes. An excited Eris stood at her side. The tan pug had grown greatly in the two years since the family took her in. She was George’s dog, but it made sense that Miriam would keep the animal close.
Eris came over to be rubbed by both the men before returning to Miriam.
Everything about the young girl seemed muted, from her listless eyes to her color, most of it hidden behind a fall of hair.
“What are you doing?” she asked, though the answer was clear.
Garrick straightened until he had an arm around a knee. They were both still breathing hard.
“We’re fencing,” Clive said with a smile. “We’re sorry if the noise interrupted you.”
Miriam said nothing and then she bent and picked up Eris just as her mother appeared in the door.
Nora gasped and placed a hand on Miriam’s shoulder. She looked between the men. “So, this is what you’ve been up to, why there’s been so much noise through the night.”
“Our apologies.” Clive turned, bent down to Garrick, and spoke in a low voice, “Shall it be you or should I employ more creative measures to get her to talk?”
Creative measures? Not with Nora. “Go. Take Miriam.”
Clive nodded as if understanding everything Garrick did not say and started for the door. “Miriam, I think Eris could use from fresh air, as could I.” As could she. “Let’s go outside.”
Nora looked ready to protest, but when Miriam looked eager, she closed her lips. Miriam hadn’t left the house since George’s carriage rolled away two days ago. Two days was just how long Nora has been avoiding them.
Miriam cradled the heavy dog and followed Clive down the hall.
Garrick remained on the floor.
Nora stared at him.
He motioned. “You can come inside if you wish.”
Nora started toward him and he decided it best that he stood. She stood a foot away from him and Garrick took his time getting to his feet. There were few things he loved more than the woman’s form and Nora’s surpassed all others. Even encased in layer upon layer of skirts, hardly anything enticed him more than she did. He often wondered what she’d look like disrobed with her hair down. When she was playing with the children, occasionally some of the gold tresses would fall from the back of her head and toward her waist. Her hair was thick, letting him know where Miriam had gained her abundant mane.
He allowed his eyes to take her in now, even while knowing he’d never see it. He’d sworn to keep his hands off highborn ladies. His life had already been thrown off the usual path for a highborn gentleman and the darkness that surrounded Garrick was impenetrable, making it impossible for him to find his way back.
It was why he’d been so upset that he’d touched her at all that night. She was a lady and he was… He wasn’t sure what he was, but he was certainly not good enough for her.
“Are you truly leaving?” Her brows were pinched. “Because, if you are… if it’s because of me…” She looked flustered. Her lips were pursed. “I just think…”
He moved closer. “Do you want me to go?”
She stared at his hands and for a moment, he wondered if she’d understood him. She looked uncertain. “I know you are here at your friend’s request. I know you are here to play guard and spy on me.”
He didn’t respond. There was no point. They were here, and Kent was gone. There was only one reason they would be here.
“But there is nothing to find,” she said. “I’m not hiding anything—”
“You’re lying—”
“That you should be concerned about,” she went on sternly. She lowered her chin and glared up at him through thick lashes. “I know what I’m doing.”
“And what is that?”
She shook her head. “That is not why I’m here. I simply wish you to know that it doesn’t matter if you stay or leave. You won’t find anything. However, you and Clive should stay.”
That confused him. He thought she’d be glad to have him go. “We should stay?”
She nodded. “Because Lord Ganden asked you to, and this is his home.”
He thought that another lie. She had another reason she wanted him and Clive to remain. Sadly, he was certain it had nothing to do with bedding him.
Garrick admitted his pride was more than a little hurt. Could she not want him around for any other reason? Even if he couldn’t have her completely, he did enjoy her company when he got it. He would never forget her words to him that one fateful day that changed him, had changed him enough to face his limitations and hire Andreas.
Was he ruining any chance he had of a friendship with her? “Perhaps, I should go.”
∫ ∫ ∫
1 4
* * *
“No!” Nora tried to quiet the panic that rose within her, but when she couldn’t, she tried to hide it once more. In fact, she’d been trying to hide it since Garrick had mentioned leaving in the kitchen. He couldn’t leave. While he wasn’t known to be as brutal as Kent, his and Clive’s presence were still a form of protection for her and Miriam. Meri would not approach her if they were around. Therefore, Garrick had to stay at least while Kent was gone. After that, Nora would continue with her plans and finally move on with her life.
For years, Nora had been working to expose Meri, but she’d not put much effort into it until George had announced that he wished to go to school. With George gone, Nora had no true place in the house. Lucy didn’t need a companion and was already hinting that she would play matchmaker to see Nora wed.
This meant it was time for Nora to put more work into her search. Meri had to be brought to justice, and she would not stop until he was. Then and only then could she leave.
But until Kent returned, she needed these men who the ton frequently said walked a thin line between regal and ruffian. She remembered the story of the day they’d found the man responsible for financing their kidnapping. Lord Maltsby had been beaten until he’d been unrecognizable.
And while everyone had claimed Kent fully responsible for his disfigurement, she’d heard the men speak about Garrick’s actions that day. It had been Kent and Garrick who’d stayed behind to draw blood from their enemy.
Even now, as she stood before Garrick, she could not ignore his virility. He was built out of pure power. His shirt clung to his muscles, coated in a thick layer of perspiration. She took in the hard tanned skin underneath the white muslin that now rested over him like a second skin. His arms were swollen with knotted strength as was his chest and middle.
“Nora.”
She gasped and met his eyes. She’d been staring.
And if his grin said anything, she’d been caught.
She licked her lips and looked away.
“Do you enjoy fencing?
” Realizing she needed to face him in order to continue the conversation, she slowly turned back to him but avoided his eyes.
His hands were moving, but it was hard to concentrate when they were poised at his stunning chest. “I enjoy many things.”
She held her breath and lifted her chin to meet Garrick’s eyes. Blue oceans engulfed her. She took another breath and dropped her gaze again. “I only came to tell you not to leave.”
“Why?” He moved closer. A woodsy citrus scent lifted from his body and wrapped itself around her.
She closed her eyes. “I already told you.”
“Why?” he whispered, as though she hadn’t spoken.
Nora didn’t know what was going on. Was he flirting with her? Perhaps, getting her gun back from Ebba would be easy.
“We need to speak.”
Of course. He wanted to know her secret, so he was deploying his best assets to get it done. His charm.
“I should go see to Miriam.”
For the second time that day, he grabbed her hand. “I will stay,” he said quietly.
She looked up and found his expression calm. There seemed to be no frustration within him. Somehow, he’d become settled. She could see it in his eyes. She heard it in his voice. He spoke well when he was in this state. “All right,” she said, equally as calm. She understood how rare these occasions were for him. She wanted to make it last. Staring up at him, she wondered if he was always anxious about something and if that worry was what rendered his tongue useless.
“I will stay,” he said. “We will talk.” He ran his fingers up her wrist. The tips were rough as they trailed over her skin. Awareness forced Nora to take shallow breaths. She knew what he was doing but was unable to stop him.
He was manipulating her and doing nothing to hide that fact.
It should have upset her, but instead, it lowered her own feeling of guilt about her and Ebba’s agreement. Perhaps, she should take advantage of his new consideration of her.
She lifted her free hand and his gaze went there. He likely thought she meant to communicate with it.
She did, but this gesture would be more physical in nature. His eyes followed her fingers as she placed them on his shoulder. She then cupped the muscle there and did nothing to hinder the shiver that went through her. He was so warm and hard. “Thank you for caring for me and Miriam. I find your sudden attentiveness very kind.”
He frowned at her hand and then turned to her.
It happened in a blink. His hands grabbed her face and then his mouth was on her again. They both moaned. The kiss three days ago seemed to have taken place a lifetime ago. His damp body was cool against her exposed skin. Her clothes would likely smell like him, but Nora couldn’t help but cling to him. The kiss was hard and rushed. She felt his hands stroking her sides and clenching in her dress. She almost begged for more.
He broke the kiss and rested his head against hers. “Not sudden.”
“What?” She kissed him again. Her fingers were on his lapel and pulled him forward.
Just one more taste, she told herself.
He groaned and bit her lower lip before seeking the heat of her mouth with his tongue once more. Then he grabbed her hands from around him and broke away. He took a step back. “Always. I c-cared. Always.”
Nora stared at him.
His hands tightened on her wrists as he held her eyes. His brows were furrowed. He was no longer calm. “Forgive m-me.”
“For what?” Then she understood. The kiss. “Oh.” She took her hand from him, hoping he would calm again, though her own spirit was far from undisturbed. He’d always cared? What did that mean?
He looked away. “Forgive me. It won’t happen again.”
She nodded, but then shook her head as she remembered. It had to happen again. She needed him to kiss her in front of Ebba.
He looked at her again. “We’ll talk.”
“Yes,” she agreed. Though she had no intention of telling him anything about her secret, she still had a man to woo. Also, she just wanted him to talk to her again. She liked hearing his voice even though it made her body react and filled her mind with ill-mannered delights.
He let her go. “I’ll go change. You will meet me in the garden.”
She nodded and then rushed from the room.
∫ ∫ ∫
1 5
* * *
By the time Garrick joined Nora in the garden, she’d managed to find some tranquility, especially when she saw Miriam laughing by the fountain that sat in the heart of the area. Clive was still with her, filling her mind with adventures from his own childhood and helping the girl to forget her sorrows for just a few short hours.
Nora had never met a more kind-hearted group of gentlemen than Kent’s friends. She could tell they genuinely cared for Miriam, which was why she couldn’t allow Garrick and Clive to leave.
Nora wasn’t sure if Meri would come after her. She doubted it, but she knew it better to be safe than suffer the consequences of carelessness.
She was sitting on a stone bench a few yards away from the fountain.
Garrick sat next to her. He’d donned a fresh shirt and looked the proper gentleman in his cravat, jacket, and hat. The brim blocked his eyes from the sun but could not quiet their effect.
She still smelled like him. She’d been unable to change. She had no idea what that said about her, but she didn’t wish to think about it at the moment.
“How is Miriam?” He looked troubled.
“She’s sad. She feels as though she’s lost a friend forever.” Nora had lost Selena when she’d callously pushed her away eleven years ago. “Have you ever lost a friend?”
He nodded. “My sister.”
Shocked, she asked, “You had a sister?” She was almost certain she’d read his hands wrong.
He nodded again. “Rosa.”
“And she’s gone?” Nora asked. “As in…”
“She died. It was long ago. Now, we will talk about you.”
She didn’t want to talk about herself. She wanted to talk about him and learn more about his sister Rosa. How had she not known about Rosa? Did the others know? She suspected the men did. She didn’t think they kept secrets from each other.
Nora was very glad she’d paid attention during Andreas’ lessons with the women and had practiced her manual speech with the children. Otherwise, they could never have had a conversation. She wasn’t sure if the clarity was a blessing at the moment, however.
“I don’t want to talk about me,” she said.
“We can talk about the kiss.”
“I went to Covent Garden to sell a pocket watch.” She’d decided to lie. The men had given her the idea when they’d asked about her debt. “I needed the money. That is all.”
“And you could not sell the watch to someone in Mayfair?”
“I didn’t want anyone to know. I wore a cloak. By the way, how did you know it was me?”
“Your voice.”
“My voice? You recognized me from my voice alone?”
“You have a unique voice. It reminds me of sighs of pleasure.”
Nora pressed her legs together as need flooded her already flushed body. She covered his hands with hers and lowered them to his lap. She looked around before she whispered, “You can’t go about saying such things where anyone can see.”
He smiled like a wolf.
She took her hand from his. “Actually, you shouldn’t be saying such things at all.”
“You started it.”
“I did not!”
“You did,” he whispered, leaning closer. She heard his deep inhale and then he pulled away. He grinned. “You still smell like me. I like it.”
She looked away. They were flirting. When had they started this? She wanted it to stop, but if she were to get her gun back from Ebba, she couldn’t. “You said you wouldn’t kiss me again.”
He turned her chin toward him. “I won’t. Unless you ask.”
“Well, I’m currently not
asking.”
“Currently.” He grinned playfully.
“Can we speak about something else?” Before I relieve myself of any sense of caution that yet remains and beg you to take me upstairs and have your way with me?
She couldn’t help but think how different the afternoon would be if Ebba hadn’t taken her gun. Now, she was forced to act out of character, to charm a man she knew she shouldn’t. A week was a long ways away. She wondered what trouble could come in the meantime.
“I will change the topic. What did you need the money for? Is Kent not paying you a fair wage?”
This wasn’t the direction she’d hoped the conversation would go. “Kent pays me very well, but I needed more.” She smiled tightly. “When you have your own children, you’ll understand that their needs can become quite costly.”
He narrowed his gaze. “Are you in need of money?”
She was startled by the question. “If I were, I would not accept it from you. Besides, I don’t need it. I sold the pocket watch. I’m fine now. Really.”
“Then there is no need for Clive and me to stay.” His expression seemed decided. “We’ll leave this afternoon.”
Flustered, she said, “You can’t. Kent wishes you to stay here.”
“Kent is not my father. I go where I please.” His gaze challenged her.
She stared at him as her heart thumped around the pain in her chest. Sometimes when she was near Garrick, she forgot about the other women. When he kissed her, they didn’t exist. It was only the smallest of reminders that brought it all back.
Everyone in London was aware of where the Viscount of Coalwater liked to rest his head at night, if he rested at all. There were times when Nora knew the gossips exaggerated stories, but she knew this one was true. She’d seen him outside the brothel herself.
And this was the man she was supposed to kiss in front of Ebba? She didn’t understand why Ebba needed her to kiss him. He likely kissed one or two women a night.
She looked away. “Yes, I understand. You have a life of your own, a place you like to… sleep.”
He grabbed her chin and once again turned her to look at him. His hand went away a second later. “That’s not what I meant.”
Wounds of A Viscount: (The Valiant Love Regency Romance) (A Historical Romance Book) Page 8
