Jo Beverley - [Rogue ] (16 page)

Eleanor immediately recollected that strange night in Newhaven. She stopped herself from turning to search the street and told Jenny to do the same. "What does he look like?"

"I don't rightly know, ma'am. An ordinary young fellow. But I saw him when I looked back, and I saw him a while ago, and I think I saw him hanging about the street when we came out. There aren't that many people abroad this time of day, not just ambling about."

"It is certainly very strange," mused Eleanor as they walked along. "Jenny, I want you to stop as if you have a stone in your shoe. I will walk on and then turn to come back to you. It will give me an opportunity to see him."

This maneuver was completed successfully, and Eleanor saw a young, well-built man leaning nonchalantly against some railings staring at a tree in bud. He was dressed plainly and looked like an artisan or clerk. In fact, he looked totally respectable except that such a one should be about his employment, not idling in the street.

As they walked on Jenny whispered, "Did you see him, ma'am?"

"Yes. Young, dark-haired, dressed in brown."

"That's him, ma'am. Lawks, do you think he fancies one of us?" She giggled, and then blushed at having suggested such a thing of her mistress.

"It's possible he's taken with your charms," Eleanor said with a smile, though she didn't really believe it. If they were being followed it was something to do with her husband's business. But the only business of her husband's she knew about was his mistress, who would hardly be responsible for having her followed. "Do you know him?" she asked the maid.

Jenny denied this fiercely, explaining she was "going" with a footman at the Arbuthnots' who would fair kill her if she so much as looked at another man. Eleanor was amused to see, however, that she thought the young man was smitten by her and was flattered at the notion.

Eleanor considered the incident all the way home. He could be a devoted admirer who hung about on the chance that Jenny might go for a walk. But why did he not have employment?

Once home she was forced to put the matter aside as she attended to last-minute details of her first entertainment. As soon as Nicholas returned, however, she told him of the morning's incident, watching carefully to see if he thought it suspicious.

"What a clever trick to use," he said when she told how she had made the chance to look at the "follower."

He considered the matter for a moment then said, "It could have been innocent—some idler admiring two pretty women. I admit, though, it could have been connected with my affairs. I will take care of the matter, but for the next few days I would rather you did not go out without a footman. And avoid isolated places, even in company."

Eleanor had not expected such a blunt admission. "Am I in danger?" she asked, startled. "What is this business of yours that causes such adventures?"

"You are not in danger," he said shortly. "If you were, I would take steps to protect you. There is the possibility of some minor annoyance, however, and that is why I wish you to take precautions. As to my business, it need not concern you."

Eleanor was about to object sharply to this summary statement when he smiled and said, "It will soon be completed. Then, perhaps, we can take a proper honeymoon. We could go to the country."

She simply could not attempt to drag their conversation back into stormy waters. "Where would we go?"

"We would be welcome at Grattingley," he said, "but I think we could do without my brother's company, so, unless a fashionable place such as Brighton appeals, I suggest my estate in Somerset."

"That sounds delightful. But Lord Stainbridge said your properties were let."

He smiled ruefully. "The properties I inherited are left, and I receive my income out of the rents. I purchased the Somerset property myself."

"But..."Eleanor broke off what could be seen as an impertinent question.

"But what?" he prompted her.

After a moment she asked her question. "But how can you afford to purchase these properties?"

He was not put out. "An economical style of living," he replied with a grin. "Kit considers my income modest, but he is used to bearing the burden of two estates, the town house, the hunting box, the Scottish property, the Jamaica plantation... You see what I mean? For someone who travels alone and by simple means, my 'allowance' is a ridiculously large amount of money on top of the income from the properties, particularly as living abroad costs so much less. I could live like a prince in Italy on a half of my income, but I have no taste for that. And so I have invested it. My man of business had instructions to purchase a small house in town and a comfortable property in the country and he has done so. There are moneys in funds, in addition. On some of my journeys I have even managed to earn a little something extra, such as the pearls, for example."

"But if you wanted an estate, why did you not simply take over one of your own?"

He shrugged and a trace of sadness flickered on his face, as it so often did when the subject of his brother arose. "It is not clear under my father's will, and his instructions to Kit, whether that is permitted. Besides, I find it desirable to have something independent of him. After all, he might take it into his head someday to try to pressure me into doing something unwise."

Eleanor caught her breath and would have commented on that but he carried on, "If you can, I would prefer that you not tell Kit of the country estate just yet. He is still coming to terms with the fact that I own this house."

Eleanor stiffened. "Well, no wonder you will not tell me any of your affairs if you think I will babble of them to all and sundry!"

He looked up quickly. "Of course I don't. But you might speak of family matters with Kit. You seem to have rubbed along very well before our marriage."

Eleanor could not believe her ears. "I was under a misapprehension at the time."

Nicholas looked at her. "And you cannot forgive him? But how were you planning to live in harmony with me when you thought I was the cause of your problems?"

"I anticipated seeing very little of you," she snapped and then stopped, horrified at how rude that sounded.

He did look shocked for a moment, and then he laughed. "It's all right. I do understand. I would ask you to try to forgive Kit, however, and to forget if possible. For better or worse we are a family now. Though I don't always like what Kit does, the bond between us is too strong to be broken. We must all three find a way of living in harmony."

Harmony!

Bitter feeling surged in her. "Good heavens, I had quite forgotten," Eleanor exclaimed, leaping to her feet so abruptly that he had to rescue the tea stand from her skirts. "I am the Delaney bride. Share and share alike, I suppose. So I am to forgive Kit, am I? And behave with him as if nothing had ever happened. And what else? Perhaps I should live with him three days a week. And three nights?" She stopped suddenly, horrified at her words.

Nicholas was just looking at her with astonishment. She covered her face with her hands in shame.

He came to her and put gentle arms around her. He began to rub her back soothingly. "Do you know, my dear, I think you must be
enceinte
. I understand women are given to strange notions at such a time. You are my wife and no one else's, and I will know how to protect my own if the question should arise." He put a finger under her chin and raised her face to his. His eyes were smiling. "If you think you married a complaisant husband, my dear, you are quite out. I merely thought, as you had rubbed along well together at one point, you might be able to put that one aberration behind you. He would make a good friend when I am occupied, as I am likely to be."

Eleanor stiffened in outrage at the thought of what he was doing when he was "occupied" and hid her face once more in his shoulder until she could command her emotions. There was, after all, no point and no justice in berating him.

When she was back in control she detached herself from his arms and blew her nose fiercely. "You are probably correct about the child," she said. "It becomes more likely every day, and I am not usually given to such shrewish behavior. Forgive me, if you will." The words were conciliatory, but she could not make her tone anything but hard.

He turned her set face to him, studying it with concern. "There is nothing to forgive," he said at last. His thumb came up to tease at the corner of her mouth, softening her expression even as the bitterness ached within her. "Do you realize, Eleanor, that this is only our third day of marriage? I feel so comfortable with you I sometimes forget. But when I think of what you have endured, I wonder you don't throw fits by the hour. Do as you wish with regard to Kit."

With a start, she realized he was manipulating her again. He probably did it all the time, but at least there was no need for her to succumb to such a blatant attempt.

Eleanor removed herself from his arms. "I would prefer," she said firmly, "to see as little of your brother as possible. Not only was he responsible for my ruin, he practiced a gross deception, and one against you as well. I find his total lack of contrition, of even awareness, unacceptable."

She faced Nicholas, prepared for further intercession.

"It is your right to feel that way," he said evenly. "I say again, you must do as you wish."

In the face of such acceptance she weakened. "I will try to brush along with him when we have to meet, Nicholas. I will try." With that she escaped to dress for dinner before she melted entirely.

How was she to behave with such a man, who could bend her so easily into bedazzled delight and then go off to dally with another? It was impossible. She could only do her best and hope in the end he chose wife over mistress.

Later, in Madame Augustine's other dress—a deep blue lace over a pale lilac slip—she considered the box of jewelry she had been given. Because the dress was rather fine for a bachelor party, she chose only simple accessories. Jenny clasped a silver collar with an ivory cameo set in the front around her neck, and a plain silver bangle around her wrist. Surveying herself in the mirror, Eleanor knew she had never looked finer, but she still felt overdressed, and said so to Nicholas when he came into her dressing room.

"Not a bit of it," he replied. "You will need all your dignity to keep such an unruly mob in line. And anyway, I want them to see you at your best and envy me my good fortune."

It was the laughter in his eyes that robbed this absurd flattery of offense. While discounting it, it still raised Eleanor's spirits and he continued such lighthearted flirtation as they descended the stairs.

As a consequence Eleanor felt lively and confident as they greeted their guests, six handsome and fashionable young men ranging in rank from Miles Cavanagh, a simple Irish gentleman, to Lucien de Vaux, Marquess of Arden. Despite the presence of high nobility, the atmosphere was more reminiscent of the young men's Harrow days.

The six young bucks certainly appeared to admire her and vied with each other in showering her with compliments until she felt quite overwhelmed. She looked around and saw Nicholas watching her with a proud smile that swelled her heart. She held out her hand to him in appeal, and he came to claim it with a kiss.

"What have these rogues been saying that you must summon a mere husband to your side?"

"Oh," she said with a blush, "nothing..."

"Indeed." He looked round at his friends severely. "I felt sure you could do better than that. Eleanor, I see you were appealing to me to rescue you from boredom."

The men all laughed and would have set out to prove his words wrong, but he led the talk into other channels and Eleanor could be comfortable again.

She saw how he was accepted as leader, even though none of these men was a nonentity. The marquess, for example, though pleasant, was coated with the arrogance one would expect of the handsome heir to a dukedom. She had already heard of Sir Stephen Ball, who was making a reputation for himself in Parliament. What had brought these men together?

When dinner was announced, Nicholas led her to the dining room and seated her at the head of the table. He took the seat at the other end and she rather wished he were closer. On her right hand, however, she had Lord Middlethorpe, who had the soulful beauty of a poet and exquisite manners. She could not be afraid of him. On her left, she had no less a person than the glittering marquess. She should be awed, she supposed. A few weeks ago she would have laughed to think she would sit beside the heir to a dukedom, but he was so roguishly charming that she could only enjoy the occasion.

"It seems damned unfair," he said with a distinctly warm look from his clear blue eyes, "that I only meet perfect women when they're already married."

Eleanor was not immune to this, and when he took her hand she didn't object.

"Luce," said Nicholas lazily. "Hands to yourself. Your definition of a perfect woman is one who's already married."

The marquess obeyed the instruction, but only after placing a soft, lingering kiss on Eleanor's knuckles. "He doesn't appreciate you," he said with a naughty twinkle. "Elope with me."

Eleanor flicked a glance at her husband, who appeared merely amused. "To elope twice in one month," she said dryly, "would be a trifle excessive, my lord."

The marquess laughed and conversation became general. No pretense at this party of talking only to your neighbors. Eleanor, taking a lead from her husband, played a passive role, entering the conversation only when necessary and constantly alert for any way in which their guests' comfort could be assured.