A Persistant Attraction (13 page)

“Not really. I searched Aunt Claire’s room, hoping to find her correspondence from our father.”

Elise’s eyes widened. “You don’t really think Father would send someone to kill you?”

“No, but someone he owed might try to punish him by harming one of us.”

Elise nodded. “Did you find any letters?”

“I did. He recently asked Aunt Claire for a loan. Mr. Stanton is going to try to find out why.”

“Isn’t there anything I could do to help?”

Amanda’s heart beat accelerated. She absolutely did not want Elise involved, but before she said so, she realized there was something Elise could do without endangering herself. “Do you still read to Aunt Claire some evenings?” Elise looked confused but she said that she did

“Does she still fall asleep after a few chapters?” Elise laughed. “Of course. Hasn’t she always?”

“Would you return the letters from Father the next time you read to her? Nan caught me in Aunt Claire’s room when I took them, and neither she nor Aunt Claire believed my explanation. The letters belong in the second drawer of the desk under a ledger. You’ll have to pick the lock with a hairpin.” Amanda gave her sister a questioning look.

Elise smiled. “I had plenty of practice with that at school. It will be easy to slip them in after Aunt Claire is asleep. What else can I do?” Amanda shook her head. “Not a thing. Now will you tell me why you came to my room?”

Elise frowned. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“And you wanted to see if I was still awake.”

“Not exactly. I needed someone to talk to. I…” Tears began to pour down Elise’s cheeks. “It’s Ben. We can’t marry. His father expects him to go to India.”

“Is this why he was distant the other night? Did he already know he was to leave London?”

Elise nodded. “Yes. I really thought he was angry with me, but he was just trying to find a way to tell me.” Her silent tears changed to sobs. Amanda pulled her sister into her arms, wishing she could take her pain away.

*

Rhys stared at his reflection in the cheval glass as he tied his cravat. Meadows had been sullen all morning. No doubt he disapproved of what he imagined Rhys had done to send Amanda fleeing from the house. Unable to bear the man’s reproachful looks any longer, Rhys had dismissed him in favor of dressing himself. Unfortunately, the solitude allowed him more time to curse himself for behaving as he had the night before then being too cowardly to go after Amanda and set things right.

Not that he was exactly sure what to apologize for. In his mind, his highest crime was not stopping things before he did. Apparently, Amanda was angry that he hadn’t gone further.

Whether she ever spoke to him civilly again or not, he would continue to see to her safety. But, reluctant as he was to admit it, the thought of not spending time with her every day made him feel lonelier than he had in years.

Once his anger had calmed, he had gone after her. He’d gotten as far as the courtyard of her aunt’s house before he’d lost his nerve. He’d stood there, staring up at the light flickering in her window, thinking about her in there, undressing and nestling down between the sheets. The balcony had called to him, begging him to climb up, burst inside and tell her…what? That he was sorry he hadn’t taken advantage of her and he was ready to do the deed now?

The ridiculous situation made his head ache. Where had this chivalry come from anyway? Since when did he worry so much about the reputation of another? If he felt nothing besides lust for Amanda, he would have taken her to bed without a care. Even Mark and Cassandra’s opinion wouldn’t have stopped him. The problem was he felt far more than that.

With a snarl, he pulled on his coat. As if his difficulties with Amanda weren’t enough to face, he had to go tell Farrington he’d been recognized. This was going to be one hell of a morning.

A half hour later, after a quick breakfast, Rhys approached Farrington’s house on horseback, having determined that the amount of late morning traffic would make carriage travel too slow. At least there was one bright spot in this otherwise hellish day.

As early as it was, Farrington wouldn’t have risen yet. What a joy to be able to irritate the man even in so small a way.

Rhys raised the ornate pewter knocker and rapped loudly. A footman opened the door immediately, and Rhys presented his card, fully expecting the man to try to send him away. Instead, the servant took one glance at his name and said, “Right this way, sir.

Lord Farrington is in his study. He’s been expecting you.” So much for waking Farrington. Word must have gotten back to him about last night’s fiasco. Rhys cursed himself for not reporting in. He would have if it not been for Amanda. But as badly as the evening had turned out, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Amanda’s reaction to him and the feel of her lying beneath him.

“Unless there has been a turn of events this morning, you have absolutely nothing to smile about,” Farrington snapped as Rhys entered his study behind the footman.

Farrington sat as his desk trying to give off his usual bored air. The man had changed into morning clothes, but Rhys seriously doubted he’d been to bed, despite his appearing well-groomed and rested. “Believe it or not, I have things going on in my life that have nothing to do with you or your missions.”

Farrington’s lips curled up. “So the lovely Miss Halverston finally succumbed to your charms?”

Rhys squeezed his hands into fists as heat rose to his face. “Miss Halverston is an innocent young woman whom I consider a friend. I will not tolerate you speaking of her that way again.”

“Little details like innocence have never mattered to you before.” Rhys stepped forward and slammed his hands down on Farrington’s desk. “Don’t push me on this.”

“My God, I can’t believe it.” Farrington looked truly shocked.

“What?”

“You really care for her.”

“Of course I do. I intend to protect her no matter the cost.”

“You wanted to protect Therese, but you weren’t like this, even with her.”

“I told you never to mention Therese’s name again.” Farrington smiled but said nothing further.

“As I told you before, I consider Amanda a friend.” Farrington laughed. “I couldn’t really expect you to admit it, could I?”

“Admit what?” Rhys was growing more exasperated every minute.

“That you’re in love with her.”

Rhys felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Love. The emotion he had not dared name in connection with Amanda. The force he’d feared was creeping up on him, ready to slam him over the head at any second. He’d tried damn hard to hide it, even from himself. How could Farrington know what was going on inside him?

Knowing he’d already given away too much of himself, Rhys attempted to school his face. “You’re free to believe whatever you like. My relationship with Miss Halverston is no longer open for discussion. I thought you would be eager to know what went on at the tavern last night.”

“Yes, I am most eager to hear about your abysmal failure to keep yourself hidden.” Rhys gripped the arms of his chair lest he jump up and knock the smug look off Farrington’s face. The man loved getting under other people’s skin. It was a miracle Farrington had not been murdered by one of his own agents years ago.

“We’d just settled ourselves at a table when I noticed Faron d’Eglantine across the room. He has grown out his hair in an attempt to blend in with the lowlifes who frequent such establishments, but I know it was him.”

“I should have guessed they would send him. He’s just the sort of power-hungry weasel who would agree to such a mission. Did I hear you correctly when you said,

‘we’?”

Rhys took a deep breath. “Miss Halverston insisted on accompanying me.” Farrington raised his brows. “And you were unable to stop her?”

“When she sets her mind on something, God himself would struggle to stop her.”

“She sounds perfect for you.”

“I told you—”

0

Farrington held up his hand. “Please explain why she felt a need to accompany you.” Rhys weighed his options. He didn’t want to tell Farrington any more about Amanda’s situation than he absolutely had to. So far, he’d kept quiet about his suspicion that her attackers and the men they were after were one and the same. He would have to mention it sooner or later, but he wanted a bit more time to investigate on his own.

“As I told you earlier, someone has been threatening her. In one of the notes he sent, he asked her to meet him at the Black Eagle. I promised her I would go there and make inquiries.”

Farrington smiled. “That’s why you’d heard of the place.” Rhys nodded. “I tried to persuade her it was too dangerous, but she doesn’t seem to understand the need for healthy fear.”

Farrington laughed. “She sounds delightful.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you were the one trying to dissuade her. I determined that it was safer for her to come with me than to risk her striking out on her own. So she costumed herself as a lad and came with me.

“Once I saw d’Eglantine, I knew I had to get her out of there. On the way out, we were ambushed. Fortunately, I’d brought a few friends along and stationed them outside.”

“Yes, fortunate indeed. Otherwise, I might now be looking for someone else to help me, and Miss Halverston might have faced a very different evening than you provided for her.”

Rhys jumped out of his chair, reached across the desk and grabbed Farrington by the front of his jacket. “I’m the best man for this assignment, or you would never have asked me. But if you make one more comment about Miss Halverston, I’m walking away. You and the whole damn country can go to hell.”

“If I can goad you this easily, then perhaps you are not the right man for the job after all.”

Rhys let go of Farrington and stood “I’ll have all the control I need when dealing with d’Eglantine or anyone else from his set. I have no need for it with you. In fact, I’m itching for a chance to smash your smug face in.”

“You’ve always had an abysmal temper.” Farrington sank back into his seat and gestured for Rhys to do the same. “How do you plan to correct the error of being recognized?”

“I don’t.”

Farrington raised a brow.

“I want d’Eglantine to think I meant for him to see me and that I intended a conversation rather than a confrontation. If you can keep your distance from me rather than insisting I report my every step to you, then I hope to convince him that I’m finished with you and your organization, and I’m willing to work with him.” Farrington drummed his fingers on the desk for a few moments. “I think this could be quite useful. In fact, I like it immensely.” Rhys stood. “Excellent, I’ll proceed with my first attempt to contact him.

Farrington held up a hand, asking Rhys to wait. “One more thing. Just an added touch I think might help.”

“What?” Rhys asked, his suspicion rising. Farrington’s added touches were never to his liking.

“If Miss Halverston is truly as forceful as you say, I think you should bring her in on this.”

“No!” Rhys’s chest constricted until he could hardly breathe.

“She’d make the perfect accomplice for you. She sounds like someone whom I would love to have in the organization.”

“I don’t need an accomplice. I will take care of this on my own.”

“As you well know, women can often learn things men never could.”

“Things that get them killed.”

“There is that risk, but it’s a worthy cause.” Rhys couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was Farrington really so callous? Rhys had at least thought the man had grieved over Therese. “Amanda will not become involved in this.”

“I could simply contact her myself.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Farrington smiled. “Talk to her. Let her know about the opportunity and see what she says.”

“I know exactly what she’ll say, so I have no intention of mentioning it to her.” Rhys stormed out of the townhouse, paying no attention to Farrington’s attempt to call him back.

*

Caitlin entered Amanda’s sitting room and informed her that Rhys was waiting in drawing room. Amanda considered telling her maid she was not receiving. Her anger at him had not cooled, and the thought of facing him after what they had done the night before made her stomach churn.

However, she wanted to find out why the men at the tavern had gone after him instead of her. In the end, curiosity won out. She told Caitlin to inform him she would be down shortly.

She walked through the connecting door to her bedroom and checked her appearance in the glass. She was afraid the yellow gown she’d selected that morning made her look sallow. She considered changing, but when she realized what she was doing, she wanted to scream at herself. Under no circumstances would she alter her appearance to impress Rhys.

She would extract the necessary information from him. Then they would part ways.

If only that were what she really wanted. But she wanted to experience more pleasure like she had the night before. And sadly enough, she would miss their quarrels. She’d come to think of antagonizing him as one of her favorite pursuits.

It was madness to continue seeing him when her only reason for doing so would be to conduct an affair he wasn’t even interested in. How pathetic was she? No, she would have to either find someone else who stirred her as he did, or better yet, give up this notion of exploring her capacity for passion. Maintaining a state of maidenly innocence would be easier without Rhys hanging about.

If only she hadn’t promised to stay in London for the remainder of the Season. But she had no choice. Her aunt needed her, and she could hardly leave Elise in the middle of her crisis with Mr. Whittaker. Besides, she couldn’t go anywhere until she figured out who was after her and whether he intended to make another attempt at obtaining the money he’d demanded.

She needed to find out everything she could about the men who’d attacked Rhys the night before. The only way to do that was to force herself down the stairs and into the drawing room where Rhys waited.

She repinned a strand of hair that had escaped from her topknot, took a deep breath, and pulled open the door to the hallway. Rhys looked up when she opened the drawing room door. He looked exhausted and none too happy. For just a moment, she felt sorry for him, but she refused to give him even an inch.