A Kiss With Scandal (Scandals & Secrets 4) (7 page)

R
eturning
to his estate failed to produce the joyous sensations others experienced when retiring to their countryseat. Full of painful memories, Derek was just starting to tolerate coming back.

The trip had been uneventful. With Charlotte tucked into one of the guest suites, he was assured his staff, trained for much more than household duties, would keep her well protected. And if that failed, any person who entered her rooms would be greeted by a high-pitched barking, white fluff ball. He still wasn’t convinced the creature was a dog, but he had no desire to get close enough to the animal to find out for certain.

The animal had been sleeping in another room last night.
Thankfully
. The pup could have caused significant problems.

Henry entered the imposing study, and Derek nodded in greeting. His father had ruled the house with an iron fist, and this had been his throne room. The dark paneling and towering brick fireplace were meant to intimidate. Derek hated the space and the memories it held as much as he despised his father. “I’m sorry for the wait.”

“It’s no trouble.” The man shifted comfortably in the oversize leather chair.

Some in his household disapproved of Henry when they learned of his past life in crime, but Derek hadn’t cared. Henry had saved his life on more than one occasion, and when the man said he wanted to straighten out, Derek gave him the chance he needed to live an honest life.

Henry wasn’t opposed to doing anything Derek needed done.

Derek seated himself behind the massive cherry wood desk, ready for Henry’s report. “All protective measures are in place, I presume?”

“Guards are stationed at all check points, and the staff has been notified. The alert system has been tested and is functioning properly. Escape routes have been double checked, and safe houses have been stocked should the need arise.”

“Excellent.”

“Is there anything else, m’lord?”

“That should do it for now. As more guests arrive, I want it to look like a normal house party. Tell the guards to keep their distance unless they’re undercover.”

“All right.” Henry tapped his knees before standing. “I’ll go over the plan with everyone one more time before others arrive.”

Derek grabbed the letter opener and tore through the first of many envelopes piled on his desk. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“There is something, actually.”

Derek set down the letter. When Henry spoke in that tone, Derek gave his full attention. “Yes?”

“Is this really the last one?”

He didn’t need to say the last case. Derek had talked about ending his career several times in the past and couldn’t blame Henry for his disbelief. “Yes. It is. After this, I’m out. For good.”

“And me?”

“You are free to go or stay as you please. As you have always been. With my thanks.”

Henry’s shoulders relaxed as he grinned. “You’re going to go crazy without it.”

Derek laughed as his friend walked out the door. In all likelihood, Henry was right. Yet maybe, just maybe, he’d explore a few of the elements of normal life he’d forsaken. Family, perhaps.

Henry had spoken an absolute truth. Thoughts of Lady Charlotte would drive him crazy.

But crazy was immeasurably better than dead.

T
he prettiest room
in the world could still be a prison.

Charlotte had learned this lesson well in the last twenty-four hours as she hid in the safety of her bedchamber. It had been one day since she’d arrived at Derek’s estate, and already she was going batty. Not that she didn’t enjoy the country. She did. Usually. She just didn’t fancy hiding while two criminals hunted her down. That alone had kept her in her room.

She paced the length of the light blue runner beneath her shoes, ignoring the white and gold opulence of her room as firmly as she did the sunny weather. What would happen if the Black Dahlia was never caught? Must Charlotte go on like this? Locked away at one of Derek’s estates until she died? Always afraid? Hiding to escape notice?

She bristled at the thought. She would go mad. One bleak day would bleed into the rest, and she’d have nothing to live for. No adventure. No passion. Nothing. Just fear.

She stomped toward the door. Charlotte would not settle for that kind of life. She may be confined to the property, but that didn’t mean she had to stay in her room.

This was a house party, and there were abundant activities. Until the next outing was announced, she’d read in the library. Alone.

But first, she had to tell her mother the headache she’d pleaded was gone.

She exited her bedroom, her heart racing as she glanced down the empty hall. Anyone could be lurking in the shadows. It didn’t bother her most of the time. Generally, there were plenty of people around. Complete solitude was rare.

“Good morning,” she murmured to her mother, kissing her lightly talced cheek after entering the parlor.

“I’m glad to see you’re up, dear. Come join us. Lady Norland was just telling me about her estate not far from here.”

The woman’s smile wobbled. “Not my estate. Once my dear Robert died, it was passed to his heir. Offspring from his first marriage. But it was a place I enjoyed visiting from time to time when he wasn’t fulfilling his diplomatic duties for the queen.”

Lady Pembroke, never far away from her protégé even this far out of town, harrumphed. “You mustn’t focus on the past, Lydia. Robert is dead, God rest his soul, but you are not. You must move on. It’s time to find another husband.”

Charlotte gave Lady Norland a small smile of pity. Although Lady Norland had much more freedom than Charlotte enjoyed, they were in similar positions. Lady Norland was young enough that she could easily remarry and have children. Although without a large fortune, it was unlikely she’d ever make another great match, yet she wasn’t entirely plain looking. Without her spectacles and tight coiffure, Lady Norland would be much more appealing. The older woman might yet wed for love. But Lady Norland wasn’t a close enough friend that Charlotte felt she could impart an opinion. A fine line separated trying to help and giving offense.

Charlotte smiled regretfully to her mother. “I’m afraid I cannot stay.”

“No?”

“I skipped breakfast, and hope to find a light repast in the dining room. Then I thought I’d read in the library after.”

Her mother patted Charlotte’s hand. “You do look a little pale. Nourishment would do you good.”

After conversation resumed, Charlotte ducked out. Freedom. With no other obligations, Charlotte had the rest of the morning and early afternoon to read before she’d be forced to mingle.

At this hour, most of the guests contented themselves with games in the parlor or walks in the garden. Even with the opened windows, the library was dim, but it appealed to her. With books piled to the ceiling, it hinted at abundant secrets.

She browsed the titles, but didn’t find any that immediately struck her fancy. Sighing, she twisted toward the fireplace. Her head cocked to the side as she studied it.

Plenty of homes had secret doors that led to safe rooms or tunnels. Why not Derek’s? It seemed that if secret doorways were to be found, it would be in a spy’s home.

She marched to the mantle, looking over her shoulder before pushing and pulling objects on top. There might be a lever somewhere.

After Charlotte displaced the last candlestick, she huffed. This was ridiculous. Why on earth would the fireplace move anyway? Would someone need an escape after reading a good book?

She snickered and leaned unladylike against the mantle.

A click popped under her arm, and her breath whooshed out as the cream-marbled fireplace rotated, enclosing her into a new room. She regained her balance, and glanced at the massive cherry wood desk in front of her.

It worked!
She’d actually found her first secret passageway. With how many times she tossed figurines and candlesticks at other estates, she’d never found a door.

Paper rustled across the room, and hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

“You’ve been busy. No one has ever found that passage.” Derek folded his newspaper, eyeing her with appreciation from a large chair in the corner.

Her mouth fell open as she realized which room she’d invaded.

Derek’s private study.

“I am so, so sorry.”

“A spy should never apologize.”

“Oh! But I’m not!” She squeezed her eyes shut. She could just die now.

“No?” He stood slowly from his chair, watching her with an edge that both thrilled and terrified her.

“I had no idea I’d end up here.”

“And where exactly did you think you’d end up?”

She shifted and mumbled, “A secret tunnel.” Could she sound any more stupid? Secret tunnel, indeed. Why had she ever thought exploring was a good idea?

He stalked toward her. “Well, then. Since you weren’t able to find your tunnel, I think that’s something we should remedy.”

Her head jerked up. “Really?”

He smothered a grin.

Oh, sugar lumps
. He was laughing at her. She really couldn’t blame him. If their positions were reversed, she’d be laughing too. “You’re going to hold this against me, aren’t you?”

His eyes rounded with innocence. “I have no idea what you mean.”

But he knew exactly what she meant, and Charlotte knew it. Her sense of adventure occasionally got her into trouble, but most of the time, she wasn’t caught in the act. She hated feeling foolish.

He brushed past her toward a towering bookshelf, heavy with volumes. He glanced over his shoulder before reaching for a book. “You coming?”

“Coming where?” When a grin crested his lips, Charlotte sucked in a breath. A lock of dark hair fell over his brow, transforming him from a proper aristocrat into someone dangerous. Someone daring. She was drawn to him, to what he offered.

“To spy.” He pulled the top of the book and the bookshelf swung out on oiled hinges, revealing a passage. “If you’re not afraid, that is.”

Her heart sped up as she stepped toward the musty entrance. Finally, a real adventure. But as she looked down the dark tunnel, she realized the danger didn’t lie in the silent stone walls, it lay with the man beside her. “Let’s go.”

D
erek’s eyes
adjusted to the dark. He didn’t need light. He’d haunted these passages since childhood. He took Charlotte’s arm, pulling her to the right to avoid a jagged edge in the stone. He’d skinned his knee as a boy and never forgot it. Charlotte needn’t experience the same learning curve.

“I can hardly see.” Charlotte’s voice was hushed, muffled almost.

“Let me guide you,” he whispered in her ear. A shiver racked through her body, vibrating his hand. Her reaction to his nearness sparked his own.

He led her through a maze of halls. Skylights dotted along some of the passages, but there weren’t enough to fully illuminate their way. More often than not, the shadows swallowed the rays of light, allowing darkness to reign. That darkness had always benefited him.

He ruled the dark. It cloaked him, protected him. He basked in it as any creature of the night would. He was a nightmare. Not for the innocent, but for those who preyed on the weak, who hurt others for their own selfish gain. Those were the ones he went after.

Having Charlotte here was a glimmer of sunshine. She lifted his soul with her beauty and goodness.

He’d never allowed another besides Henry in these halls, but there was something about her that pushed him to bring her here. To show her what he truly was. To show her a side of him that he’d never given another.

“Where are we going?” she whispered.

“You’ll see. You’re about to receive your first lesson as a spy.” He slowed their steps. “Here we are. In a moment, I’ll open a hole in the wall. You’ll need to be silent once I do as any sound you make will carry. The first rule of a spy is to never be noticed. Never draw attention to yourself. If you’re on duty, your job is to blend in. You don’t exist. Understood?” A silky strand of hair brushed his face as she nodded. “Observe and listen.”

He unlocked the latch holding the small door. A ray of light sliced the hallway, and soft tones filtered through the opening.

She jerked when his lips touched the shell of her ear. “Look.”

She pushed up onto her toes, leaned forward, and peered through the hole. His hand rested upon her trim waist. But what fascinated him was the tight blue ribbon that accentuated her curve. His gaze moved from her middle to the lush curves below, and silently cursed his body’s reaction. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

She was here, in a place that had given him the most solitude in his life, the most loneliness. But with her by his side, everything was different. He hungered for her.

Oh, hell. He clenched his hand, rather than sweep it over her curves. Oh, how he hungered.

She snickered, lightly enough the sound wouldn’t trail into the room, and he wondered what she’d heard.

He tapped her shoulder, gently setting her aside so he could latch the door. He took her arm once more, forcing lascivious thoughts away. “Did you observe anything interesting?”

She snorted. “Lord Sanders’ father is trying to get him to make an offer for Miss Amelia Carlton, and he said he’d rather eat his own boot than make an offer for ‘the cow.’”

Derek choked. “Well, I can’t blame him for his taste. Miss Carlton might be rich and beautiful, but not much else recommends her.”

She stopped him in a watered-down patch of light. “When you do this, when you spy, do you ever hear something you wish you hadn’t?” Her brows lowered.

“More often than I’d like,” he said honestly.

“If I were the lady they had been speaking of, what would he have said about me? If he’d called me the cow? Or worse?”

“You are nothing like Miss Carlton.” Derek had heard enough from Miss Carlton’s own mouth to know that the cow reference was rather kind.

Charlotte shrugged and looked away, but not before he saw her despair. “I know that. But what I mean is, I do wonder how others view me. Too forward? Undesirable? I’ve had offers, but none that were worth considering.”

He moved closer to her. “I believe others find you beautiful. Exciting.”

Her eyes met his. “They do? I don’t see how that could be. I’m just a boring debutante. I’ve never had any real excitement or adventure in my life. I go to parties, to luncheons, to functions with people I see every day. I’m forbidden to speak my mind. I’m discouraged from
having
a mind.”

He drew close, his arms shooting out to the stones behind her, caging her in. “The mind is the only thing that matters. Wealth can be taken, can be lost. Looks,” —his gaze hotly burned down her body, her shiver only heating his blood—“fade with time. But this,” —he cupped the back of her neck as his eyes bored into hers—“your mind, never dulls. It strengthens in time. Don’t ever let anyone take it from you. Do not allow anyone to diminish you because you think for yourself.” If she only knew how much he wanted her, desired her. The world came to life with her near. Every breath felt like a gift.

Her mouth gaped open, her pink tongue darting out to moisten dry lips. He groaned as her attention dropped to his lips. He could see every thought, every desire in her expressive gaze. He wanted to give. And take.

She gasped as his lips swept down, claiming hers. His hand held her in place as his other arm slipped around her waist. Squeezing her to him, he waited for any sign that she didn’t want his kiss, or him. But she didn’t pull back.

His heart lurched when she pushed off the wall, fitting her body against his. She wasn’t passive anymore. Her shock had worn off, and instead of the outraged miss her station required her to play, she became eager, pliant. Every bit the aggressor.

Her arms twined around his neck, and she sighed in pleasure. Something snapped within him. Taking advantage of her open lips, he deepened the kiss, relishing the sounds she made in her throat.

She tasted like strawberries and sunshine. Like the forbidden picnics he used to take as a child. And just like when he was younger, he was greedy for more. He wanted to devour her, taste every inch of her until they were both sated. He pressed more firmly against her, intending to do just that when his arm scratched on the rough stone wall. The sensation jerked him out of the haze, and he reared away from her.

This was no place to seduce a lady.

Shame stung his cheeks, and he’d never been more grateful for the dim lighting. “We should head back.”

“Derek…”

He shuddered. His name on her lips, he could just imagine her saying it in a different setting.

She reached out to him, but he stepped away. If she touched him now… He closed his eyes in prayer. “Come on.” Gritting his teeth, he took her hand in his, her touch flaying his already tortured body.

He guided her through the passages in silence until he could remain quiet no longer. “Charlotte, I—”

A scream echoed through the house, penetrating their hiding spot. There was no way to tell where the sound originated. Nor could he identify the woman.

Charlotte jerked. “Heavens! What was that?”

Derek’s face settled like stone. He pulled on her hand, forcing her to continue walking in the dark. He’d heard screams like that enough to know what it was.

Death.

“When we leave the tunnels, you must do every single thing I tell you. Do you understand?”

“Why? What’s going on, Derek?”

“You’re in danger.”

She fell quiet, but he felt a subtle change in her, a distancing. The way she built up her shield. She was so much stronger than he first realized. Any other lady of his acquaintance would have buckled into a heap of tears by this point.

But not Charlotte.

No matter what had happened to her since that fateful night, she had persevered. She’d kept quiet after hearing about deeds no person should ever hear. She’d protected herself as best as she’d been able and fought off an attacker alone. She’d fled her home, journeyed to his estate after dozens of ruthless men attempted to kill her beneath the cloak of night. After everything, she’d stayed strong. She’d trusted him to see to her safety, and not once had she fallen apart.

He admired her. More so than he’d ever admired another. He’d been trained to handle situations such as this, but she had not. For someone who’d been taught to host a ball, entertain houseguests, and pour tea in the proper way, she handled herself better than most seasoned men.

The whoosh of fresh air and hints of cigar smoke hit them once they’d entered his study. He locked the bookcase behind him and strode toward the door. “Don’t leave my side.”

She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, but finally nodded, shaking out the dusty hems of her skirt. He looked at her rosy lips, the same lips he’d taken with such carelessness in the tunnel, and he swore the next time he kissed her, he’d show more restraint, finesse. Reverence. He’d kiss her the way she deserved.

And there would be a next time. He wouldn’t lie to himself. He wanted her. Not just any woman. Her. He wasn’t sure he was ready for what came with that line of thinking, but it didn’t matter.

A crowd gathered around the front entrance, peering at something on the graveled drive. Henry tried to break up the group, but with Lady Howard mid-swoon, Derek knew he wouldn’t have much luck. “What is going on here?” he called, pushing his way through the crowd and down the brick steps.

Henry’s eyes darted to Charlotte as he shook his head in warning. Understanding, Derek gripped Charlotte’s arm to remove her, but it was too late.

Her body jerked when a clear view opened up. She gulped as Derek rested his hands on her shoulders, urging her to turn away, but she wouldn’t. Her dog, the one she’d sequestered in her room, lay lifeless and broken on the drive, her neck turned at an unnatural angle.

Through his hands, he willed all of his strength into her. If she broke now, in front of the crowd, in front of whoever did this, the enemy would win.

Her lungs wheezed in and out before she jerked her chin up and looked away. “Poor thing. He must’ve had an accident. I wonder whom he belonged to.”

She turned, walking away with all the poise and breeding instilled from birth. She didn’t stagger under the heavy weight. She looked like she hadn’t a care in the world.

But she’d loved that dog.

Pride filled him.
Magnificent.
He’d never met another woman who equaled her. She’d stood on her own, shining through adversity. But she didn’t need to suffer though the grief of losing a beloved pet alone.

He calmed everyone, convincing the crowd to go back inside before approaching Henry. “Is everyone accounted for?”

Henry continued to watch the crowd, shrewd eyes taking in everything. “A sweep was done after the animal was discovered, and I’ve received word no one is missing.”

“Good.” At least that was one less thing to worry about. “Bury him in the family pet plot and get the stragglers to move along.”

When Derek knew his orders were understood, he went back to his study and locked the door.

Opening the bookcase, he stepped back into the tunnel where he’d been only moments before. Only he wasn’t heading out to spy.

He closed the passageway door, cut a sharp left, and climbed the narrow staircase.

He was going to Charlotte.