Regency Wagers (23 page)

Bart came into the room, his face pinched with worry.

‘What is it, Bart?’

‘Sophie is feeling very poorly.’ His voice was stressed.

‘Shall I go to her?’ Madeleine wiped her hands.

Bart nodded, giving her an agonised look.

Bart’s room was spare but as orderly as Devlin’s was disordered. Sophie lay on the bed, each breath coming with effort. Her face was nearly as pale as the linens she lay upon and dark circles showed under her eyes. She woke as Madeleine came to her side and gave a wan smile.

‘We shall get the doctor for you, I think,’ Madeleine said.

‘Oh, no,’ rasped Sophie, her voice thin and weak. ‘There is no need. I shall be all right directly.’

‘Indeed, you shall.’ Madeleine patted her reassuringly. ‘I will bring you some tea. Would you like that?’

Her waiflike friend nodded and wearily closed her eyes.

Madeleine returned to Bart in haste. ‘Fetch the doctor. I cannot like the way she breathes.’

Bart immediately grabbed his coat and hat, hanging on a hook by the back door. ‘I thought so, as well. I will get the man right now.’ He let the door slam behind him as he rushed out.

Not long after, Devlin came into the kitchen.

‘Deddy!’ Linette squealed, scattering her wooden horses with a clatter as she bounded into his arms.

Her heart lurching as it always did at such tender scenes, Madeleine asked, ‘May I prepare you some food, Devlin?’

He gave Linette a hug and a kiss and set her back on the floor. She happily returned to the corner where her horses lay. ‘No, I must be off…a…a piece of business that must not be delayed.’

Madeleine faced him. She’d been about to tell him of Sophie, but changed her mind. No need to add to the stress evident in his countenance.

‘Very well,’ she said, trying to keep her voice even.

His mouth was set in a firm determined line. He held her gaze for a moment before he turned on his heel and left.

Madeleine squeezed her eyes shut and took long steadying breaths. Linette banged her horses on the wooden floor, saying, ‘Gallump. Gallump,’ as they galloped around her. Before Madeleine allowed herself further thoughts of Devlin, she hurried to check on Sophie.

His first piece of business complete, Devlin proceeded to Mayfair, knowing the hour was early for calls, but he had no wish to postpone this meeting. Best to dispense with it.

The Duprey butler ushered him into the parlour. Devlin paced the room where he’d spent several exceedingly boring afternoons.

The door opened and Emily Duprey crept in, glancing furtively behind her.

‘Lord Devlin.’ She cast him an anxious glance and shut the door.

‘Miss Duprey, forgive the early hour. I wished to speak with your father.’

‘As I understand. But if I could have a moment…’ She regarded him with a worried expression.

He had no idea how to act with her. Since learning she was Madeleine’s sister, dealing with her seemed an impossibility.

Suddenly he realised what had attracted him to her. The tilt of her head, the gesture of her hand, the shape of her brow and chin were Madeleine’s. It was his attachment to Madeleine that led him to this woman, who at present was wringing her hands and regarding him anxiously.

He had wronged Emily Duprey. Led her to expect from him an offer now repugnant to him. According to her brother, the family considered it a settled matter, and it was for this sole reason he had returned to this house.

‘Miss Duprey, I must beg your forgiveness, but after yesterday, you must realise that any further—’

‘Never mind that, sir.’ She cast him a pleading glance. ‘My sister—’

Before she could continue, the butler arrived to escort him to Lord Duprey’s study. He bowed to Miss Duprey, who wore a stricken expression on her face.

Lord Duprey, sitting behind a large desk, rose when Devlin entered the room. Lean and sallow-skinned, with a shock of white hair framing an aristocratic face, he approached Devlin. As he came close, Devlin recognised eyes of the same shade of blue as Madeleine’s, except in this man bloodshot red surrounded the blue, and his lids were half closed in an expression of dissipation.

‘Lord Devlin,’ the man said formally, ‘please sit down.’ He gestured to a chair next to a table, where he poured them both generous glasses of sherry. Duprey, not waiting for his guest, took a long sip of the nut-brown liquid.

Devlin remained standing. ‘I am very conscious of the early hour and have no wish to detain you beyond a moment.’

Duprey peered at him through the slits in his eyes. ‘On the contrary. I am pleased that you have come. We have business to transact.’

‘We have no business to transact. I came to make that clear to you.’

The older man walked back behind the desk and sat, taking another sip of his drink. ‘You have singled out my daughter for your attentions in a way no one could dispute. It is time for you to honour this declaration you have implied so strongly.’

Devlin blanched. Surely this man had heard of the events of the previous day. ‘I dispute your words, sir. I have shown no partiality, as anyone on the town knows. I have no intentions toward your daughter Emily, and I wish to make that clear.’

Lord Duprey’s eyebrows lifted in a mocking expression. ‘And I wish to make clear to you that you will honour your obligations to my daughter. You have been sniffing around
her all Season, like some mongrel around a bitch. You will come up to scratch, or else.’

Devlin bristled under the crude threat, but he was determined not to lose his temper. He sent Duprey an equally mocking, but menacing look. ‘Of which daughter do you speak?’

Duprey drained the contents of his glass and poured himself another from a decanter on the desk. ‘So the chit told you, eh?’ He laughed, a dry mirthless sound. ‘Well, you will marry Emily Duprey and make this family an honourable connection to Heronvale’s fortune. I care not a whit how much you bed that little whore.’

Devlin dove across the desk, grabbing Duprey by the knot in his neckcloth and scattering the desk’s contents to the floor. The man’s cheeks turned red as he sputtered for breath.

‘You dare speak of her that way again and I will kill you.’ Devlin released him and Duprey fell back into his chair.

When Duprey regained his breath, he smiled sardonically. ‘I wonder what story she concocted for you, Steele. Probably some nonsense. I tell you, my luck was with me when she could not keep her skirts down for Farley—or, should I say, she could not keep her breeches up? Let me tell you, she was quite a sight in those clothes. Wished she wasn’t my daughter once or twice.’

Devlin clenched his fists. Duprey again laughed, the racking sound repellent. ‘Yes, indeed, her lustiness quite settled my debts. Got rid of the expense of another useless daughter, as well.’

‘Do you mean you gave her to Farley in payment of gaming debts?’

Duprey drained another glass of sherry. ‘Glad of it. Kept me from ruin.’

‘Damn you, Duprey,’ Devlin said through clenched teeth.

The smile remained frozen on the older man’s face. ‘Well, damn
you
, Steele, because you are going to marry Emily or suffer the scandal. Your brother dislikes scandal, I’ll wager.’

‘The scandal is on your head, Duprey. No one will receive any member of your family after I tell them what you did to Madeleine.’

‘If they would believe you. My youngest daughter died, you see. There is a grave to prove it.’

‘An empty grave.’

‘Oh, it is not empty. I purchased a suitable corpse as soon as it became available.’

Bile rose in Devlin’s throat.

Duprey raised the ante. ‘So you would only expose the chit to much sordid attention.’

Devlin gaped at the malevolent man seated so casually. Surely he was bluffing, a gamester playing the cards the only way possible when the deal was a poor one.

This wager, however, involved not cards, but the reputations of the people Devlin held most dear. What effect on them if he played the game poorly?

Devlin spun on his heel and left the suffocating atmosphere of the Duprey town house. Inhaling fresh air into his lungs. Devlin hurried to call upon his brother, only to discover he and Serena had left early for Heronvale. He begged paper and pen from Barclay and then rushed to his brother’s stable.

Jem was inside.

‘Jem, thank God you are here. I need your help,’ Devlin said, not bothering with a greeting. ‘Is there a mount to carry me to Heronvale?’

‘Yes, my lord,’ Jem responded. ‘His lordship took the carriage with m’lady. How may I serve you?’

‘Have someone get the horse ready immediately and you deliver this letter to my apartments.’

The doctor gestured for Madeleine and Bart to follow him out of the room where Sophie coughed softly as she lay abed.

The doctor spoke in hushed tones. ‘She has a touch of consumption.’

Bart wrung his hands. ‘Is there some palliative? A poultice?’

‘I am afraid there is little I can do. Country air would be as good as any tonic I could concoct. Alas, this city…’ The doctor shook his head. ‘It is bad for the lungs.’

Bart gave Madeleine an agonised glance.

‘Then she shall go to the country,’ Madeleine said. ‘Bart, you could take her, could you not?’

‘It might be the very thing,’ the doctor said.

Bart knitted his eyebrows. ‘Perhaps I could take her to Heronvale. They would take us in. The Marquess said he was in my debt. I should ask Dev.’

Madeleine grabbed his arm. ‘You must not wait, surely. He might be gone all day.’

‘But what of you, Miss Maddy? I should not leave you.’

She smiled. ‘You must. It is the only thing to do. I have become quite useful, you know. I am well able to care for things here. Do not give us a thought.’

Bart needed no more coaxing. As soon as the doctor took his leave, the worried new husband was off to hire a posting chaise for his ill wife. Madeleine set to the task of packing Sophie’s belongings, refusing to listen to her friend’s protests.

‘Do not be nonsensical, Sophie,’ Madeleine scolded. ‘Devlin and I can manage very well.’

Sophie curled up on her cot, making herself even smaller. ‘I cannot like being separated from you.’

Madeleine came to her side and put her arms around her. ‘Please do not fret. Bart will care for you very well. He loves you, you know.’

Sophie’s face took on a dreamy look. She nodded her head and lodged no further complaint.

Within two hours, Madeleine and Linette watched the chaise drive away, driven by four sturdy but otherwise unremarkable mis-matched horses. Linette, as always, was in raptures about the beasts, but whimpered to see the coach drive
away. She hugged her mother’s neck. Madeleine thought she might nap for a bit and took her upstairs.

She had no sooner put Linette down upon her small bed when she heard the knocker. Thinking perhaps Bart and Sophie had forgotten something, she rushed down the stairs and flung open the door.

Her sister Emily stood before her.

E
mily let out a gasp, her gloved hand flying up to cover her mouth. ‘I had thought…I thought this Lord Devlin’s residence.’

Madeleine eyed Emily warily. ‘It is, but he is not here presently.’ What could have induced her sister to come here? Surely their mother would not allow such an improper visit.

Emily twisted the cords of her reticule, looking even more discomposed. ‘Oh, dear.’ She glanced back at the street where a carriage drove out of sight. ‘The hack has left.’

‘Then you’d best come in.’ Madeleine stepped aside, holding the door ajar so Emily could pass into the hallway. She continued to look anxious and confused.

Madeleine’s heart beat with excitement. She had not spoken to a member of her family for almost four years.

Emily turned to her. ‘I did not know you would be here. That is, I did not realise…’ She gave a deep sigh. ‘I do not understand any of this!’

Madeleine remembered her sister Emily, two years older, as far more knowledgeable and worldly than she. At this moment, however, she felt herself to be the wiser one. Among the jumble of feelings swirling around inside her was a strong desire to throw her arms around Emily in a sisterly embrace.

‘Come into the parlour.’ Madeleine led the way and closed the door behind them.

Emily spun around to her. ‘Oh, Madeleine! I had no notion…’ Tears welled in her eyes. ‘I thought you were dead.’

Had news of Madeleine’s fall from respectability been kept from Emily? Madeleine always assumed her sisters knew all about it and welcomed the ruse of her demise as her parents must have.

Emily continued, ‘How came you to be with L…Lord Devlin? Oh, I do not understand any of it! And Mama would tell me nothing, and Papa said I was a fool and had better keep my mouth shut.’

‘You did not know?’ Madeleine still could not believe it. She took a tentative step toward her sister, who quickly closed the distance and gave her the embrace Madeleine had longed for.

‘Madeleine, Madeleine.’ Emily choked back sobs. ‘I have felt so guilty. Jessame and I had teased you so, and then you disappeared. You were not found for ages. Papa said no one could see the…the body, because it had been outside so long… Although it could not have been, because you are here, so it must have all been a hoax.’

Madeleine patted her back. ‘Now, do not cry, Emily. There is no need. Indeed, I am so sorry to have given you such a shock. Come, sit down and I will get us some tea.’

She persuaded Emily to sit on the settee until she brought the tea and, when they were seated together, gave her sister a somewhat amended version of the events that brought them both to the present moment. Among the details Madeleine neglected to mention were a precise description of the duties required of her by Farley, the exact nature of her relationship with Devlin, and, of course, the existence of Linette.

‘So, you see, Lord Devlin has been so kind as to assist me, and when he comes into his fortune he will lend me the money to set up a…a dress shop.’

Perhaps this rose-colored version would help to preserve
Devlin’s opportunity to marry Emily, if that were still his intent. To think he might become a part of the family Madeleine had lost, however, was very difficult to contemplate.

She changed the subject. ‘Emily, why have you come here? You really should not have. This is a single gentleman’s residence.’

‘I know I should not have come, but I could not let Papa—’ She grabbed Madeleine’s arm. ‘Papa means to force Lord Devlin to marry me. He threatens to send a notice to the
Gazette
that Lord Devlin has offered for me, but it is all untrue.’

‘It is untrue?’

‘Indeed.’ Emily sighed heavily. ‘I must stop him.’

Madeleine stared at her sister, fumbling at her words. ‘But I thought…I thought Devlin did wish to marry you.’

‘No, I do not think so.’ Emily’s brow furrowed. ‘He courted the Season’s Diamond as much as he did me, and I think she may have refused Greythorne for him…’

Madeleine’s eyebrows lifted. Devlin courted a Diamond of the
ton
?

Emily continued. ‘At least that is what they say. I am persuaded Lord Devlin never intended to marry me, no matter how much our brother Robert boasted of it all over town. Indeed, I tried to explain to Papa, but he would not listen.’

But Devlin said Emily had been his choice. Had that been untrue? Did he say that to cover up his wish to marry a Diamond?

‘Why do you think Devlin would not marry you?’

Emily gave a little laugh. ‘Oh, Madeleine, look at me. I am no beauty. There is nothing to distinguish me from other ladies. Certainly nothing to compete with the pick of the Season.’

Her sister looked well enough, Madeleine thought. Indeed, Emily’s face seemed comfortably dear. Madeleine had not realised how much she’d missed this sister she’d thought never cared a fig for her.

A door slammed and halting footsteps sounded on the stairs. ‘Mama! Mama!’

Madeleine froze. Emily stared at her, eyebrows raised.

Linette ran in, coming to a stop when she noticed the strange lady seated next to her mother. Her thumb went into her mouth.

Resigned, Madeleine said. ‘It is all right, Linette. Come give a curtsy to Miss Duprey.’

Linette, still sucking on her thumb, wobbled on one leg as she tried to accomplish her mother’s request.

‘Your child?’ Emily asked, her eyes wide.

Madeleine nodded.

‘Lord Farley’s?’ she asked.

Madeleine shook her head.

Emily stared at the little girl who climbed into her mother’s lap and laid her head against her mother’s breast, rubbing her eyes.

Emily’s gaze met Madeleine’s and held there for several moments. ‘She is Lord Devlin’s.’

Madeleine nodded. She did not expect Emily to understand how wonderful it was for her to have Linette, to believe that Devlin was indeed Linette’s father and that a part of him would always be with her in Linette.

Emily walked to the window. ‘Why should Lord Devlin pretend to be courting me or any other lady while living here with you and…and this child? What game has he been playing?’

A game to win money, money enough to support her and their daughter, a coil Madeleine had forced upon him.

She could not tell her sister this. The best she could do was preserve Devlin’s chances to marry whomever he wished.

‘I am not fit to be his wife, Emily. Not after Lord Farley. I assure you, I was no more than a momentary indiscretion on Devlin’s part, but he would not abandon us.’

Emily rubbed her brow. ‘It is of no consequence, I suppose. Tell Lord Devlin he may resist Father’s trickery. I will not
place any damage to my reputation at Lord Devlin’s door. He has no obligation to me, and so I will say to anyone. I’ll threaten to expose what Father has done to you. That will stop him.’

It would also expose her family to terrible scandal. ‘I do not wish for our family to be hurt—’

‘Father, hurt? He would never take such a chance. Leave it to me.’ Emily briskly retrieved her reticule from the side table and headed toward the door. ‘I must leave.’

‘No, not so soon,’ cried Madeleine, jumping to her feet with Linette still in her arms. Please, allow her a little bit of family for a few minutes more.

Emily turned back to her, the pinched expression on her face softening. Gently she touched Madeleine’s cheek. ‘I was always so jealous of you, Madeleine, more reason for me to feel guilt when I thought you dead.’

‘Jealous of me?’

‘You are quite a dazzling beauty.’ Emily smiled at her with a wistful expression. ‘That year before you disappeared, you had grown so pretty, you cast Jessame and me into the shade. We were green with envy.’ She gave a little sigh and kissed Madeleine’s cheek. ‘I am glad you are alive. Please thank Lord Devlin for being so kind to me. I have had the loveliest time this Season.’

Madeleine could think of nothing to say to this. Emily strode purposefully toward the door, pausing on the threshold. ‘Madeleine?’

Madeleine rushed to her side. ‘Yes?’

She gave a little laugh. ‘I do not have the least notion how to get back home. Do you know where I can find a hack?’

Madeleine gave a tentative smile. ‘Wait a moment. Linette and I will walk with you. There will be a hack near the shops.’

As they walked toward the shops, Madeleine begged for news about Jessame and Robert, thirstily drinking in each small tidbit of information Emily provided. Neither spoke of their parents. As they walked, a stylish phaeton came into
view, the gentleman holding the ribbons doing an admirable job controlling a pair of spirited chestnuts.

‘Oh, my goodness,’ said Emily. ‘It is Amanda Reynolds.’

The young lady seated next to the phaeton’s driver was the loveliest creature Madeleine had ever seen, fair, delicate, with blonde curls peeping out of a modish bonnet. Her stylish fawn-coloured dress, topped by a matching spencer, adorned a perfect figure.

‘Who is she?’ she asked.

The two sisters paused to watch these passers-by.

‘The Diamond I told you about,’ Emily said. ‘And I believe that is Devlin’s friend with her. She does not like him above half. How shocking for them to be riding together with no more than a tiger for chaperon. What could it mean?’

Madeleine only half attended to these words. Her eyes were fixed on the Diamond, who looked beautiful even seated in silence next to the gentleman. Devlin’s friend, another unknown piece of Devlin’s life on the town.

Her knowledge of him was confined to their apartments and the few places he could take her. She could not have known he’d attracted this exquisite lady.

As the phaeton rolled past, the Diamond turned around and caught Madeleine’s gaze.

Emily quickly covered her face with the brim of her bonnet. ‘I must not let her see me.’

A hack pulled up at the end of the street, and Madeleine and Emily rushed over to it. After a swift hug, Madeleine bundled her sister into the vehicle and waved her goodbye, watching until the hack drove completely out of sight.

Lord Farley paced the pavement across the street from Devlin Steele’s apartments, waiting. It had become his practice to spend some part of each day or night in this neighbourhood. He often caught a glimpse of Madeleine, but she was always accompanied by Steele, that brutish-looking man of his, or that insipid little maid.

He could hardly believe his good fortune when she bid goodbye to the female who walked out of the house with her. She was alone at last. The child did not matter. Farley crossed the street, timing it so that he placed himself between her and her door. She was as absorbed as ever in the child and did not attend to his approach.

He stepped directly in her path. She looked up and gave a strangled cry.

He smiled at her, his most winning smile, the one he’d used to attract her in the first place. ‘Madeleine, my dear, it is my pleasure to see you.’

Her eyes darted to both sides and she protectively grasped her daughter’s hand. ‘Let me by, if you please.’

‘I wish to speak to you.’ He placed his hand on her shoulder. She wrenched away.

She picked up the child and tried to walk past him. ‘I have no wish to speak to you.’

He blocked her way, putting his arm tightly around her waist so that she could not easily squirm away. She struggled nevertheless. He held her more tightly against his side. With his mouth tantalisingly close to her ear, he said, ‘I want you back, Madeleine.’ He did not resist the opportunity, but let his tongue lap the delicate skin of her earlobe.

The sharp heel of her walking boot pounded into his foot. Pain shot through him and he dropped his hold on her. She hurried away, but not quickly enough.

He caught her arm and held it vise-like, his lips again near her ear. ‘You will return to me, Madeleine, or one dark night that pretty soldier of yours will find a knife in his back.’

‘No!’ She struggled. The child began to cry.

Farley wrapped his fingers with Linette’s curls. ‘I wonder how easy it would be to snatch this child? The chimney sweeps would pay a pretty price for her, I own. Or perhaps a gentleman might fancy some sport with her?’

‘Do not touch her!’ shrieked Madeleine.

‘I repeat, Madeleine. Return to me or I will carry out my
threats. You will never know when I am about. I will get them, both of them, you may be sure.’

A man walked up to them with a swift step.

‘Sir! Sir! Help me!’

The man faced Farley. ‘Let the lady go.’

‘This is not your affair,’ Farley protested. ‘It is only a trifling bit of spirit from my fancy piece here. Nothing to trouble you.’

‘No, do not heed him,’ Madeleine pleaded.

The man grabbed Farley by the back of his collar, pulling so forcefully, his breath was cut off.

‘Unhand her,’ the man growled.

Farley, gasping futilely for air, knew when the cards dealt could not be played. He acquiesced.

‘Be gone.’

Farley brushed off his coat. Before he turned to leave, he bowed to Madeleine. ‘Remember what I said, my dear. I will carry out my plans.’

Farley strolled off, taking care not to look nonplussed.

Madeleine clutched at Linette, whose little arms were tight around her neck and whose head was buried into her shoulder. ‘I cannot thank you enough, sir. We are truly in your debt.’

The man bowed. ‘Glad to be of service. May I escort you to your destination?’

Madeleine recognised the gentleman as the man who, moments before, had driven by with the Diamond. Devlin’s friend.

‘Thank you, but I am near my residence…’ Madeleine glanced toward her door, just a few houses away.

The Diamond stood at the top of the steps at her door, watching her with interest. Madeleine could not avoid her, too afraid to go somewhere else until they drove off.

She allowed Devlin’s friend to walk her to her door as Miss Reynolds watched. Madeleine halted. ‘We are here. Thank you, sir.’

‘Here?’ he asked. ‘These are Devlin Steele’s apartments.’

As Miss Reynolds stood decorously, Madeleine said in a feeble voice, ‘I…I am in his employ.’

‘Indeed?’ A smile, somewhat cynical, flashed across his face. Miss Reynolds looked shocked.