The Viscount's Rose (The Farthingale Series Book 5) (16 page)

“You promise? How can you know for certain that they’re safe?” He eyed her curiously while untying the bindings at her wrist. She seemed to be as frightened of him as she was of their captors. No, he’d been drugged and was still off his stride. She had no reason to be afraid of him.

“I… I saw them. Those ruffians only took you and me.” Her eyes widened and the pulse at the base of her throat began to throb wildly.

He gently rubbed his thumb along that errant pulse in the hope that it might soothe her, but the gesture only seemed to make matters worse, so he stopped. “Why you? Do you believe your pottery ruffians are behind this scheme?”

“I… I don’t… I’m not sure. But it makes sense of a sort, doesn’t it?” She nodded emphatically.

In truth, it made no sense whatsoever. Sir Milton Aubrey, the fiend responsible for the sabotage of her kiln, could not possibly be so demented as to attempt this abduction. The last Julian had heard, the man had run off to cower in some remote corner of the world.

And why weren’t there any guards? Or locked doors?

This scheme had been so incompetently carried out he dismissed the possibility that Napoleon’s agents were involved. Nor was this a hoax. So what was the reason? “We have to get out of here before whoever is behind this mischief returns.”

“No! I mean…” Rose glanced at the window panes, her attention caught by the patter of rain against the glass. “We can’t go out there. We’ll be soaked.”

He shook his head. “What’s a few drops compared to the danger of remaining here?” Obviously, she wasn’t thinking straight. Poor thing, she’d had a bad fright. “We must go while we can.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

“I… I… think we ought to stay. They aren’t coming back and there’s a storm approaching. Look how dark the sky has become.”

He ignored her comment, for there was no telling what their abductors might do or when they might return. Rose may have been drugged well after him, but she had definitely lost consciousness for a period of time, he could tell by the condition of her eyes. Whatever plans she thought she’d overheard could have been changed a dozen times and she wouldn’t know it.

He strode to the window and carefully peered out, first surveying the grounds by the door where a guard would logically be positioned. Still no one in sight. He looked upward to the gathering swirls of dark gray and the more ominous purple-black clouds in the distance. “Just our luck,” he grumbled, securing the window so that it would remain shut as the wind gusted, “storm of the century.”

The strength of the gusts had picked up, forcing air to whistle down the chimney. Rain now pelted the window panes and rattled the jambs with torrential force. Surely their guards would come inside soon. Not even beasts could stay out in this weather. “We’ll find shelter somewhere close by. Somewhere safe.”

Rose now stood beside him, leaning against the wall for support as she followed his gaze to the more ominous storm clouds in the distance. They would soon be caught in a heavier downpour. “They’ve gone,” she insisted, casting worried glances between him and the rain pounding on the window. “We’re on our own… and… we’d hear them if they came back, wouldn’t we? They wouldn’t bother to be quiet because they’d think we were still tied up.”

He sighed and did his best to keep his voice gentle despite his exasperation. “Rose, we’re in danger so long as we remain here. I may be able to get the better of one or two of our abductors, but what if there are a dozen men and they’re all carrying weapons?”

Her lips tipped upward at the corners in a hesitant smile and her gaze turned soft and worshipful. “I think you could vanquish every one of those rogues. There’s no one smarter or braver than you. I feel quite safe and protected when I’m with you.”

He groaned and closed his eyes while struggling to contain his urges. He wanted to take Rose in his arms and kiss her into tomorrow. Hell, he just wanted to take Rose… into his bed. Into his heart. No, she was there already.
Bloody nuisance.
When had that happened? “Flattery will get you everywhere, but I beg to differ. You’re not safe at all, especially not from me. Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

“No, but I hope you’ll show me.”

“Rose, don’t make this harder than it needs to be. I have no wish to ruin you.”

Her smile faded. “I’m ruined already. Alone in a cabin with you? And you’re indecently dressed. If word gets out, I’ll be as popular as a leper among society. I don’t care for my own circumstances. Being shunned will allow me to concentrate on my pottery business, but the gossip will tarnish my sisters, and they’ve done nothing to deserve the insults they’ll face. I fear for them.”

“All the more reason for us to leave right now. We’ll find our way back to Darnley Cottage before any outsiders realize we were ever gone.” He cupped his hand against her cheek, loving the soft feel of her skin and the way she warmed to his touch. “I’d never abandon you to suffer the consequences alone. You know that, don’t you? You needn’t fret on that account.”

Her eyes rounded in surprise. “Are you suggesting that you’d marry me if necessary?”

“You’re my sister’s best friend and obviously loved by all my siblings. You’re kind and talented and beautiful. Lord, you’re so beautiful you take my breath away.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her lightly on the mouth. Thunder rolled overhead. Lightning struck nearby. More thunder and lightning erupted within him. “Don’t allow me to kiss you again. I don’t think I’ll have the power to stop.” He tore his gaze away from her beckoning lips and moved away to gather a few supplies to be used for their escape.

Curiously, the hunting lodge was quite well stocked with the sort of fare one might find in a fine country home. He paused a moment and frowned again. Their abductors were remarkably refined. Indeed, their tastes were far too refined for blackguards. “Rose, tell me everything you know about what happened to us over these past few hours.”

She let out a soft
eep
. “I don’t know anything.”

He paused in gathering their supplies and gave her an encouraging smile. “Yes, you do. You’ve already told me that the villains only took the two of us and left my siblings safe.”

“Um, yes. Truly, they are safe.”

He smiled again to coax her into talking. “And…”

She rubbed her hands along the fabric of her gown. “And then we were here.”

“But they’d drugged me first, which means someone tampered with the picnic basket and got to the wine bottle before it was sent down to us. This was not the work of an outsider. Someone inside the household was involved in this plot. But it still doesn’t make sense. If they were after me, why take you? The same is true for the other possibility. If they were after you, why take me as well?”

She now clasped her hands together and swallowed hard. “Perhaps they were afraid you’d follow them and find me.”

He arched an eyebrow. “So they brought me along, thereby making certain I would find you? Rose, it still doesn’t make any sense.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “And what about these supplies?”

She swallowed again. “What about them?”

Was she being purposely dense or had the sedative affected her badly? Or did she know more than she was telling him? He studied the room once more, his gaze coming to rest on the storage chest that served as a window seat. “Do you suppose we might find a shirt and a pair of boots tucked in here for me?”

Rose shook her head in vehement denial and promptly sat down on the chest. She began to nibble her lip. The window seat was an obvious place to sit on a gloriously sunny day, but right now the window was rattling so hard it threatened to break the glass panes. The spot was not safe. Rose was no fool, so why was she suddenly sitting there?

He gazed at her and then shifted his attention to the supplies he’d just gathered and set upon the table. A lantern, matches, bread that was still fresh. So was the cheese. He crossed to the cupboard and began to forage, finding a large tin. He shook it. “Let’s see what’s in here. Ah, currant scones.”

No one made currant scones as well as Florence, the Darnley cook. He took a bite of one to test it. “Blast.”

“What’s wrong?” Rose was still fretting, not only nipping at her luscious lower lip but wringing her hands as well.

“Everything about this scheme feels odd. I have no doubt our cook made these. So why would our extremely loyal, would-never-betray-the-family, long-time household retainer happen to bake up a fresh batch and store them here?”

Rose paled.

He eyed her curiously. What did she know that he didn’t? “Rose, get up.”

She stopped wringing her hands and curled them tightly on the edge of the window seat. “I’d rather not. I suddenly feel quite weak.”

He plucked her off the chest, but held onto her on the chance she truly was feeling poorly, which he doubted, for her cheeks that were ashen only moments ago now blazed a hot pink.

He lifted the lid off the chest with one hand and peered inside. “Damn it, these are mine.” He released her and knelt down to sift through the contents, picking up his boots, shirt, jacket, and cravat to hold up to her view. He dug down deeper and found a comb, razor, and strop. Unfortunately, no pistol. “What is going on? Everything in here is mine. Even more curious, there’s a change of clothes in here for you as well.”

Her silence was palpable, cutting through the thick air like a knife. He dropped the contents back into the chest and stood to face her. “Rose? You’re going to cut your lip if you chew on it any harder.”

“I… I can’t.”

“What? Betray Nicola’s scheme? My aunt and uncle were in on it as well, I assume, for she would have needed their permission to use one of their carriages to transport us here. Perhaps they all rode along in several carriages and made a jolly good outing of it.” He tried to stifle his mounting anger for he had no wish to scare Rose. The poor girl was also a victim and deserved his comfort and protection.

Her eyes widened and she gasped. “How can you be certain?”

“They’ve made no secret of their desperate desire to keep me away from Valentina. Of course I know. The entire family disapproves of her.” He groaned. “Rose, you must have suspected something. Were all my siblings involved? Even little Emily?”

“No, she went in to take her nap before the effects of the wine overcame you. She’s completely unaware.” She began to wring her hands again. “Well, mostly unaware. She might have overheard a snippet or two of the plot, but I’m sure she didn’t understand it.”

“You must have overheard some of it, too. Obviously not all of it or you would have warned me, even if it was only to save your pretty neck.” No, he wasn’t being fair to accuse Rose. “Sorry, I spoke out of turn. I know you’re confused and trying to be loyal to my sister. Loyalty is a commendable trait, but it is misplaced here. My family is to blame and will be punished.”

She frowned at him. “Will you take no responsibility for this situation? Granted, your family might have stepped a little over the line.”

He laughed in disbelief. “A little over the line? Surely you jest? They are leaps and bounds across any possible—”

“Them? And what of your behavior?” Rose tipped her chin up in defiance. “Your siblings love you and only wish to see you happy.”

“They have an odd way of showing it. Come to think of it, why are you still protecting them? You ought to be furious about what they did to you. Or have you not been quite truthful with me?”

She emitted a huff of indignation. “Me? How am I to blame for your poor judgment?”

“My…” He raked a hand through his hair. Of course, they all had to be wondering how he could be so idiotic as to worship Valentina. He knew his family loved him, but it was a little frightening to realize the extent to which they’d go to protect him from himself. They’d drugged and abducted him! No wonder their grandfather had referred to him and his siblings as little savages.

In truth, they were, but so was his uncle, that old badger. Julian had dismissed the wild stories he’d heard about the earl’s exploits in his younger days as mere exaggeration, but no longer. “Rose, I need to know all of it now. Were you in on this scheme to some extent? Perhaps hoping to trap me into marriage? Tell me the truth and I’ll go easy on you. But you must tell me everything. You must have been aware that something was going on. Nicola adores you. She’d keep nothing from you.”

Her eyes widened and her chin began to quiver.
Oh, hell.
He’d pushed her too hard and she was about to cry. “Not this!” she said with a gasp. “Not drugging you and bringing you here. And I would never agree to being stranded here with you. How dare you presume such a thing! How dare you believe I’m a base creature who would scheme to trap you into marriage! I’d never do such a thing.”

She was working herself into a temper and he was fully to blame. Now that she was riled, not even his attempt at apology slowed her down.

“What’s happened is a mere inconvenience to you, but the consequences are disastrous for me,” she said, her hands now curled into fists. “Surely, you understand this. I wish to marry for love, not out of necessity and shame. I wish to marry a man who loves me with all his heart and looks forward to sharing the rest of his life with me, not one who’ll feel resentful whenever he looks upon me.”

He expected tears, for he had been a bit harsh with the girl. Instead she frowned, regarding him as though this mess was one of his own making and entirely his fault. “If you knew how much they disliked your icy countess, then why did you continue to court her? You obviously love your family and care very deeply for their feelings. More important, why did you kiss me? Or tell me that I take your breath away?” She appeared to grow angrier as she spoke. “You have a scheme as well.” Her chin was no longer quivering but tipped upward in defiance. “Kindly keep me out of your family disagreements. I don’t wish to be hurt by whatever game it is
you’re
playing.”

He raked his fingers through his hair again, irritated that she’d managed to cast the blame on him and not his outrageously impulsive family. “It’s no game.” But he couldn’t tell her the real purpose of his courtship of Valentina. “Rose, you’ll just have to trust that I know what I’m doing. I promise you that I shall make things right in due course.”