Midnight Temptations With a Forbidden Lord (11 page)

Tristan put his hands in his pockets and watched Bea head for the door. “You are too kindhearted and gentle a soul, sister. Warren does not deserve your forgiveness.”

“And why not? I’ve moved on, and managed to build a decent life for myself.”

Though she had a point, it didn’t mean Warren wouldn’t pay dearly for the undue suffering he’d caused Bea, whether Bea acknowledged the other man’s mistakes or not. Whether she forgave him or not.

Bea didn’t argue or agree with him, but she did give him a sad smile before she left the study to attend to her duties for the rest of the day.

Sitting back down at his desk, he pulled out a pen and dipped it in ink. He must return a letter to Lady Charlotte without delay. It simply wouldn’t do for her to find someone else to create the scandal of the season. Tristan would send away any man that tried to step in his path. Lady Charlotte was his and his alone.

Examining why that was so might prove interesting but would have to wait for another time. The one certainty he had was that once he won Lady Charlotte’s affections, he would stare Warren in the eye and dare him to challenge him. Had his sister revealed the whole truth of her ruin at the time her name was put through the wringer, Tristan would have challenged Warren then, but as it was, too much time had passed, and now an end needed to be found so he could move on.

My dearest lady,
There was no end to my delight upon opening your missive. And the enticement to create a social flurry spoke of a kindred spirit indeed. Intrigue me further—the Zoological Society, one in the afternoon. I will find you.
Yours
He gazed down at the letter in his hands. There was nothing of significance that would indicate the author of the letter or its recipient. Tristan would have his valet deliver it personally to Lady Charlotte’s maid. Folding the letter, he tucked it into a plain envelope, heated wax over the back flap, and used the flat end of his seal to press it down. He tucked the letter in his breast pocket and headed toward his room.

Next, he needed to pay Hayden a visit and see what his friend had found out about Jez’s fortune. Jez was unlikely to marry again after the violence her husband had subjected her to. It was only fair that she be given a chance to live the independent life she craved and needed most.

Not that her receiving compensation for the horrendous marriage she had lived through would keep him from seeking to ruin the one man he reviled above all.

*   *   *

Charlotte hadn’t been to the Zoological Society since she was in apron strings. It felt wonderful and exhilarating and oddly nostalgic. How she’d convinced Genny to attend with her was a wonder. Her cousin had looked at her oddly when she requested that they visit a place reserved for family entertainment. But she didn’t care what her cousin might think because they’d have fun regardless.

The best part of it was that she’d managed to convince Ariel and her mother to attend, and, of course, Mr. Torrance and his sister had joined them. Charlotte hoped that because they were a large group, she would be able to sneak away from their company unnoticed.

Her heart skipped in her chest and her fingers shook with anticipation as they made their way from one cage to the next. She barely took note of all the animals; she was too eager to meet with the marquess and wondered when he would show himself to her.

Comments went around about the fowl that came from Canada and China in the same pen with a small pond. Directly across from them there were various species of geese. Next on their walk were the pelicans from the Americas—such a majestic bird with its odd, long beak that nearly touched the ground and a large pouch to hold fish in its mouth. The birds made loud squawking and coughing noises.

“Goodness, if I ever met a bird like that on the seaside, I’d probably run away terrified,” Lady Hargrove commented as the great white bird’s wings opened and flapped futilely and it made an odd growling noise.

Genny covered her ears. “What a dreadful sound it makes.”

“Indeed, madam,” Mr. Torrance said. “I don’t think the bird cares to impress us in the least. He’d rather steal fish from a fisherman’s net than amuse anyone visiting the zoo. He’s merely making his displeasure known.”

“I think the bird rather handsome,” Ariel said. “I can’t imagine they would be threatened in the wild, since they are so large.”

“It’s possible,” Charlotte said. “But I prefer the birds from the jungles around the world. The hyacinth macaw is a favorite of mine, actually.”

Everyone took her hint and moved along to the wired cages that housed a number of brightly colored parrots. They varied in size and color. Everyone oohed and aahed over the beautiful birds. When she came to the one she admired most, she put her hands against the wiring, wishing the bird would come closer. She clucked her tongue, trying to draw its attention, but the bird stared somewhere else, its head tilted inquisitively as it chawed loudly enough to make her ears ring. The blue of the bird was so vivid, so beautiful that she stood there staring at it for a spell.

Because her party had wandered off, she said to the bird, “You are far more majestic than any other bird here.”

“I wouldn’t get too close, Lady Charlotte. That bird is liable to take your thumb before you can blink,” a low, delectable voice said close to her ear.

Her heart slammed against her chest and an excitement she couldn’t possibly contain or explain overcame her. Instead of releasing the fence, her fingers curled tighter around the heavy wire.

She didn’t turn around because she knew who stood behind her, and she didn’t want to draw the notice of anyone from her party.

Finally able to think coherently, she dropped her hand away from the wire fence and took a step back … closer to him. Her skirts pushed forward when they pressed up against the man behind her. She closed her eyes to savor their proximity, and she swore there was a whole minute that she was unable to draw a single breath.

Why did he have this effect on her? Why couldn’t she remain cool and distant in her dealings with him? Why did she want him to press close enough that they were touching? She reminded herself that she barely knew this man. Though that hadn’t stopped her from constantly thinking about him since their first meeting.

“Be at the monkey house in fifteen minutes, my lady. I will find you,” he promised. The back of his hand brushed a tantalizing line over her shoulder and down the length of her back to her hip.

She nodded and gave him a breathless, “I’ll be there.” She daren’t turn and reveal that she was talking with anyone. The marquess was her secret alone; she hadn’t even told Ariel yet that she was meeting the man in so public a setting and with so many potential witnesses, but she had every confidence that the marquess would keep his presence hidden from the rest of her party.

She’d been counting down the minutes till she saw him today, and now she’d have to wait a while longer. But how could she spend much time with him when her cousin was close at hand? Panic rose for a moment and she feared that the next encounter she would have with the marquess would be just as fleeting as the private words they’d just shared.

There was no denying that she wanted more. And what more with this man entailed she was all too eager to discover.

What was wrong with her? She took a few steps back from the cage and turned to follow her party farther into the park. She knew a flush covered her cheeks and was happy that she’d put on her powder this morning, so it would conceal the color on her face.

“The animals are exquisite,” Lady Hargrove said. “I don’t think I’ve been here since you and Ariel were eight years old.”

“Has it been so long?” Ariel mused.

Falling back a few steps, Genny chuckled next to Charlotte.

“What’s so amusing?” Charlotte asked.

They were coming upon the camel house. Next were the elephants if she was reading the map correctly, and then the monkeys. And the marquess.

“I don’t know why,” Genny said, “but I find the camel to be such an odd and funny creature.”

“Do you realize you are giggling?” Charlotte was amused by her cousin’s good spirits.

“I can’t help it. The way they stand and stare at everyone, chewing whatever it is they chew. It’s like they are cutting you, glaring at you as though you are inferior, yet they are the ones in the pen.”

Charlotte shook her head, laughing as they neared the brown beasts.

Lady Hargrove held a monocle to her eye to read the sign set up outside the camels’ arid enclosure. And sure enough, a tall humpbacked creature stood near the fence glaring disdainfully down at them as though they were unamusing pests. Charlotte leaned on her parasol as though it were a cane and stared at the stubborn-looking animal.

“He’s thinking rather ferociously,” Charlotte said.

Lady Hargrove held a handkerchief in front of her nose, made a sound as though she were short of breath, and stepped away from the camel, which had moved ominously close to inspect them. “Dirty beasts,” she murmured. “Ariel, dearest, read the sign to me.”

Ariel, apparently not bothered by the smell, stood closer to the sign and read the information about the animal out loud. “It’s called a dromedary camel, and hails all the way from the African and Arabian countries.”

The camel, not shy of their presence in the least, reached for the feather in the top of Ariel’s hat. Charlotte stepped forward quickly and yanked her friend back so hard that they both nearly fell to the ground.

“Easy there,” a man said, catching them both and helping them back on their feet as they giggled. They whipped around at the newcomer’s voice.

Mr. Torrance moved forward to assist them.

“We’re well enough now,” Charlotte said to him, still laughing.