Wicked Deception (18 page)

He became her puppet then, taken in by
her blonde, angelic beauty. He promised to take her back that
night. The driver was due to return here at a designated time. She
had hours in which to slake her passions with the unknown man. She
was eager to meet the one who had written such heated love letters
these last months. Surely the man knew of her crimes?

All of London knew. Obviously the man
had no idea the woman he wrote to was the notorious Countess all of
London was agog over during her long trial. She thought he was some
commoner or laborer who spied her and sent notes to the residence
having no idea who she was. It reminded her of her time with
Nicholas when he’d been unaware of who she was and they fell in
love.

Lilly smiled as she pulled the cloak
over her head. She walked to the building where she would meet the
man, her steps eager. Just being back here gave the whole tryst the
element of danger to get her blood pumping in
excitement.

She went up the stairs eagerly and
opened the door. She walked into the room and pulled back her hood
and looked about. Before she could sigh with disappointment her
lover wasn’t there yet, she was grabbed about the throat and held
fast against the wall.

“
Hello, Lilly, we meet
again,” Nicholas murmured against her ear, making her shiver in
fear and fury that it was him all along who was writing to her. “I
have been looking forward to this day for some time.”

“
It was you all along!”
Lilly cried in fury as she struggled futilely to get out of his
grasp. “Who would have known an imbecile like you could ever write
such sweet, poetic prose!”

“
You don’t know everything
about me, Lilly. My instructors back in Norway would be proud to
know I paid some attention during my lessons. I’m glad you liked my
letters,” he said and chuckled against her ear.

“
What do you want,
Nicholas?” she demanded harshly against the wall. “You won’t get
away with this. Dartmouth will know his plans have failed when I’m
gone. It won’t stop what has already begun. You will die and your
precious wife will be his.”

Learning Dartmouth had plans for
Catherine made shove her harder against the wall, making her cry
out in protest at his roughness. “The scum will not touch my wife,”
he informed her and chuckled evilly. “With you gone, he will be
beside himself in trying to find you. He will have little time to
enjoy my wife’s favors. Spare me your warnings. I have planned all
down to the last. You should thank me, my love. You have no idea
what they planned for you.”

“
You lie! They saved me from
hanging! You would say anything to save that twit you have for a
wife!” Lilly cried and he shoved her harder into the
wall.

“
Think very hard, my dear.
Ask yourself if they really do need you anymore to see their ends
met,” Nicholas taunted coldly, his eyes frosty at her words. “As
soon as Gabriel gave them the list, they’ve planned to be rid of
you. You would no doubt be buried next to Annabel if I hadn’t lured
you here. I suggest you thank me properly, Lady Iverleigh, for if
not for me, you’d be as dead as she!”

“
What do you want,
Nicholas?” she asked and seethed, her mind turning over everything
he said, knowing he was telling her the truth. Dartmouth’s long
absences of late had given her much reflection. As soon as she
learned Rudd dismissed his plan to kill Gabriel, she questioned her
own value to them both.

“
All in good time, my lady,
we have much time to discuss your future. I have all the time in
the world to get you to assist me in this,” he told her and twisted
her arm harder for good measure of his words, making her cry out as
pain shot through her.

He retrieved the handkerchief from his
pocket as he leaned against her and removed a bottle from his coat.
He poured a liberal amount of the liquid into the handkerchief and
smiled as he whispered into her ear. “I have enough time to show
you to your new accommodations, and then we’ll see to the rest of
my plan, darling.”

Before she knew his intent he reached
around and held the handkerchief over her nose and mouth, forcing
her to breathe in the contents. She cursed and thrashed wildly in
his arms but soon went still.

~ ~ ~

Catherine soaked in the bubble bath,
sighing over her daring plan to seduce her husband. Tulley and
Martha were staying at the residence to keep the children. She
secured a room at a luxurious hotel where she would regain the man
she loved.

Catherine thought she planned it all
very cleverly. She intended to lure her handsome husband to her
this night, had every intentions of keeping him tied to a bed until
he came to his senses. All was in place. She chuckled when she
thought of his anger over being duped by her. She hummed as she
went about her bath. Eagerness filled her to think of his
reaction.

She got out of her bath and patted her
skin dry, using the scented oils liberally she purchased for this
night of seduction. She slid into her dressing robe to await her
maid and eyed the decadent gown hanging on the armoire with
appreciation.

It was almost an exact duplicate of
what she’d worn when she arrived at Clarice’s house so long ago.
She knew he would recognize it instantly. Jenny arrived and helped
her with her dressing. She sat as the maid did her hair, telling
her exactly what she wished for her to do.

The maid smiled and went about it.
Jenny applied the makeup sparingly, saying she didn’t need the
artificial enhancement but gave into her mistress’s wishes. When
she was done, Catherine looked into the mirror, startled as she
looked at herself.

She had enough time since her husband
left her to know that part of her life was over. Fate had put her
in Nicholas’s arms. She was determined to stay there. She donned
paste ruby and diamond jewels and surveyed her appearance. With any
luck, she would have his heart back after this night. He would
never again have cause to question her love.

She glared at the stiletto heels she
dreaded putting on but slipped into them and smoothed the gown
around her hips, marveling at Jenny’s talent with a needle. The
gown was beautiful. She swallowed hard as she saw the daring
neckline. Her breasts were practically falling out of the gown. She
donned the cloak and took her reticule and informed Jenny she was
ready.

Catherine went below and left
instructions with Hennessey, seeing his delighted grin when she
told him what to tell Nicholas when he arrived home. She left him
whistling under his breath as he watched her leave.

~ ~ ~

Nicholas arrived home and sat back
against the cushions, delaying going in. Removing Lilly to the
prison that had once been Catherine’s went off without a hitch.
Chumley’s men were there to see to the Countess’s needs until his
return.

He questioned his intentions to let her
go when she gave him the proof he needed. Gabriel would be furious
if he knew, but his wife’s safety came at a high price. She could
very well come back to wreak more havoc upon their lives. He rather
doubted it. Lilly would always find ways of tormenting new people
wherever she went. His wife would be safe at last.

He cared little about himself,
determining he would go back to sea. His crew was chomping at the
bit, he knew. Hennessey approached when he arrived, looking
concerned, his face lined with worry.

“
I’m so glad your home,
Captain. A note arrived earlier and your wife was called away. I
tried to stop her, but she was adamant to meet the person who sent
it,” the wily butler stated, fidgeting nervously under his
employer’s scowl.

“
Where did she go?” Nicholas
asked paling to think Dartmouth had tricked Catherine
somehow.

“
The note said to go to the
Hotel Clairemont at room number thirteen, I believe,” Hennessey
said and quailed under the man’s look. “She only just left, sir, if
you hurry you will surely catch her before something befalls
her.”

Nicholas was fairly snarling in fury as
he swung about and stomped out the door, whistling for his driver.
He snapped out instructions and stewed as the coach raced to the
Clairemont in all haste.

What in the bloody hell was his wife
doing? She knew the risks. He was feeling a fair amount of fear as
the coach rumbled down the road. His heart clenched at the thought
of anything happening to his wife. He was certain if the driver
didn’t move faster he’d toss the man off his perch and take over.
The drive to the hotel was excruciating for Nicholas. He jumped
down before they stopped at the curb and he ran into the hotel, not
stopping at the desk as he took the stairs two at a time, growing
wary as he approached the door, praying he’d come in
time.

Nicholas opened the door and walked in,
every sense alert to the presence of danger as he looked about. He
closed the door as he eyed the service set for two and the candles
all lit in the room. He swallowed hard with difficulty as he
noticed the bed. He saw no sign of his wife.

He was cursing under his breath when
she stepped out behind the changing screen, his heart reeling at
the sight of her. The memory of her that night had forever haunted
him as she sauntered forward in the decadent crimson gown, his eyes
drawn to the sway of her hips as she stalked him.

He felt himself harden instantly as she
walked towards him, her kohl-lined eyes large and catlike. He was
tongue-tied as she approached him, staring at her lush, ruby lips
as they parted in a seductive smile.

He grinned slowly and pushed away from
the door, knowing at once she tricked him here. He was angry she
caused him such worry. The stern lecture died upon his lips as she
grasped his arm and led him to the table, seating him and bending
over him to purr seductively into his ear.

“
I thought we might enjoy
some private time to talk, Nicholas,” she spoke in a husky breathy
voice, giving him an unprecedented view of her daring décolletage
before she took her seat opposite him. He was falling under her
spell as she sat and poured him a glass of champagne. His eyes were
stunned as he watched her lips part and a small smile appeared.
“You want to talk, do you not? I thought getting away from it all
would give us a chance to come to an understanding,” she said in
such a throaty purr he was hanging upon her every nuanced vowel,
aching at the way she fulfilled his every fantasy by bringing him
back here to the night he first saw her so cleverly.

His eyes darkened. His lazy grin was
slow and reminiscent of the night he first saw her. She handed him
a flute, her lips pouting subtly as she gave him a smoky, long
stare. He raised the flute to his lips, delighted to play
along.

“
I’m at your disposal wife,”
he whispered with a sensual look, sipping the champagne as his eyes
traced her artfully made up face. “I see you and Jenny have been
playing dress up again in your spare time. I approve of your
choices this time.”

~ ~ ~

She wanted to giggle at his words. Her
eyes glowed as she looked at him with fresh eyes this time, seeing
how the stubble gave him such a rakish look. His hair was far too
long, the curls springing adorably like Brionne’s did.

The rich ebony hair made her long to
slide her hands through its lustrous thickness. She still
questioned the gold earring he would not part with, slapped her
hands away every time she tried to take it out.

Her husband met her hot look with such
intensity Catherine was unaware of a soft sound that escaped her
lips. He tossed down his champagne and rose. He reached for her and
pulled her up. She gasped as his lips descended upon hers, hot and
seeking, parting hers hungrily.

He worked her fastenings with his hands
from behind, driving her breathless as he yanked at the dress and
pulled it down to her waist. Never breaking the kiss, he lifted her
up and walked her to the bed.

”
The shoes will stay on,
wife,” he conceded as he tossed her on the bed, reaching for the
buttons of his shirt. He slid it off his muscled shoulders
revealing the wicked scar crossing his torso. The reminder of how
her sister once betrayed him made her shiver as it always did. It
told her of how lucky he was to be alive.

She lay back and smiled as he pulled
off his boots and tossed them aside. His arousal was so pronounced
in his breeches she felt a stab of hunger for his touch she hadn’t
felt for months. He moved over her and pulled the red silk dress
down her stocking-clad thighs and calves, mouth wetting to see that
was all she wore beneath. He kissed the indention of her knee as he
slid the garment over her feet, careful to keep the heels
there.

“
You like the shoes?” she
whispered softly, her eyes filled with love and desire as he came
down next to her, the feel of his body arousing her as she felt his
warmth.

“
I like the woman in them
better,” Nicholas murmured and reached out to draw her near, eyes
filled with such tender emotion she wanted to cry. “I love you,
Catherine, do not ever doubt it.”

Catherine felt a desperate note in his
voice before he kissed her, his lips parting hers urgently,
pressing her flat to the bed. He moved to leisurely explore her
cheek and ear, before going to adore her ear, nibbling upon her
sensitive lobe. He cupped her heavy, snowy breasts, delighting in
their firmness during her pregnancy, despite her assertions they
were utterly destroyed by his children.