An Earl to Enchant (25 page)

That surprised Morgan. “Well, I’m impressed.”

Gibby picked up his wine glass and smiled. “The hell you are.”

Morgan smiled, too. “No, really, I am.” Morgan pulled out the chair and sat down. He caught the server’s attention and pointed to Gibby’s glass and held up two fingers. “So the two of you are going to talk?”

“We’re going to have a drink, but we’ll probably do a little talking, too.”

“I bet you do. And let me guess. I bet it will be about the twins?”

Gibby’s eyes sparkled with mischief. Morgan hadn’t seen the dapper old man’s eyes brim with such excitement in months.

“He’s the one who asked to meet with me. I have no idea what he wants to talk about.”

“I think you can easily guess that he plans to talk about his brothers.”

“The twins?” the cagey whipster questioned. “I don’t know. As for me, I don’t have any plans. I take each day as it comes. As Lord Chesterfield used to say: ‘Every morning I wake up it’s a good day.’”

As the server placed a glass of wine in front of Morgan and put another in front of Gib, Morgan smiled. “I don’t think Chesterfield said that. I think you made it up just now as you were talking.”

Gibby smiled, too. “No, he said it. I heard him say it more than once.”

Morgan nodded and sipped his wine, though he was still unconvinced. Turning serious, he wrinkled his forehead and asked, “Gib, what the devil are you going to do about the fact that everyone in the ton is talking about Brentwood’s brothers looking just like you?”

Gibby held out his empty hands, palms up. “What can I do about what other people say?”

“You could say something like, yes, these men are my sons, or no, they aren’t.”

Gibby laughed good-naturedly. “Now why would I want to say anything like that? You should know without my having to tell you that the best way to handle gossip is not to acknowledge it.”

“That sounds like more wise words from Lord Chesterfield.”

“Yes, he probably said that, too.”

Morgan picked up his wine, leaned back in his chair, and looked at Gibby. The dandy loved all the notoriety he was getting, and it probably ratcheted up his virility and his ego, too. That’s why he wasn’t trying to clear up everyone’s questions.

Morgan took him to task by saying, “You don’t want to say anything because you are enjoying all the attention.”

“What’s wrong with attention? Now, instead of trying to mind my business, why don’t you tell me about Miss Arianna Sweet?”

Morgan’s eyes narrowed. It made his stomach clinch just hearing her name. “So you think it’s all right for you to remain as closemouthed as a turtle in its shell, but you expect me to spill everything to you?”

Gibby grinned. “Yes, I do.”

Morgan grinned, too. “It’s not going to happen, old man.”

“You do know that your not wanting to talk about her tells me quite a bit about what your real feelings are for her, don’t you?”

Morgan slowly sipped his wine. It was impossible to outsmart Gibby. “No, I didn’t know that.”

“Excuse me, my lord.”

Morgan turned toward the server who had just walked up. “Yes?”

“There’s a man at the front door, insisting that he speak to you immediately. He said it’s quite urgent.”

“Me? All right, I suppose I can go see what he wants.” Obviously it wasn’t a member of the ton, or they would have brought the gentleman to him.

“Gib, I’ll come back and join you and the viscount after I see what this fellow wants.”

“Hell’s bells, Morgan, come back for what? We’re just going to have a drink together. I can manage my own affairs quite nicely without you and your cousins’ interference. Now go on, and you take care of your own urgent business. I’m doing quite well on my own.”

Morgan polished off his wine and nodded to Gibby before walking to the front door where the server said the man was waiting for him.

“Where is he?”

“He’s waiting outside, my lord.”

“All right.” Morgan opened the door and stepped outside. He saw his footman standing under the small portico, trying to stay away from the driving rain.

“My lord,” he said rushing up to Morgan.

“What is it?” Morgan asked, seeing real fear in the man’s eyes.

“One of your grooms just arrived from Valleydale, my lord. He says someone killed your servant Jessup, and that Post is at death’s door.”

Morgan’s stomach lurched. “Damnation!” he swore. “What’s going on? Did he say who did this and why?”

“He didn’t know the man, had never seen him before, my lord, but he said he was a foreigner, maybe from India.”

A chill ran up Morgan’s back and made the hair on the back of his neck spike.

The footman clasped his hands together in front of him and added, “He also said the man was looking for a lady named Miss Sweet.”

Nineteen

My Dearest Grandson Lucas,

You would do well to remember these words from Lord Chesterfield: “Wrongs are often forgiven, but contempt never is. Our pride remembers it forever. It implies a discovery of weaknesses, which we are much more careful to conceal than crimes.”

Your loving Grandmother,

Lady Elder

As Arianna walked down the stairs, her slippers were soundless, her chest was tight, and her stomach felt jumpy. It was half past eight in the evening, and Mrs. Hartford just informed her that Morgan had called on her. It was sheer luck that Arianna was still appropriately dressed in a simple capped-sleeved high-waisted dress with a lightweight woolen shawl tied around her arms to keep away the chill.

What could have brought him to her door at this time of evening? It was well beyond the respectable time to visit anyone. And it had been storming for over an hour. Hardly the kind of weather or time of evening someone would make a hospitable call.

“Cook has already retired, Miss Sweet,” her housekeeper said, following in Arianna’s footsteps down the staircase. “Should I make tea?”

“That won’t be necessary, Mrs. Hartford. The earl isn’t given much for tea. I had Benson pick a bottle of fine brandy. I know he likes that. I will pour it myself should he care for a glass while he is here.”

“What do you suppose he wants at this late hour?”

“I would have no idea, but I’m sure you know that the titled few feel quite entitled to call on whom they wish whenever they wish. He is an earl after all.”

“Very true, Miss Sweet.”

“You may wait in my music room until I call on you to show him out.”

“But that room is at the end of the other side of the house.”

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Arianna turned back and smiled at the woman. “I’m quite aware of that, Mrs. Hartford. Should I be so fortunate that the earl wants to ravish me, I certainly wouldn’t want you to hear him.”

The woman gasped so loudly that for a moment, Arianna wondered if the poor woman had choked.

“I apologize, Mrs. Hartford. My attempt at humor was in poor taste. I assure you that you have no need to fear. I will be perfectly safe with Lord Morgandale. If you’ll remember, he took me in when I was so ill I could hardly place one foot in front of the other, and I stayed in his care for more than a week.”

“Yes, miss, I do remember that.”

“Good. In fact, if you don’t mind, I’d love to hear you playing some of your lovely tunes on the pianoforte for me. That will remind the earl that you are nearby. I’ll call you when I need you.”

Mrs. Hartford hesitated but finally nodded and turned to the left toward the music room. Arianna went in the opposite direction and headed down the darkened corridor to the drawing room. When she rounded the doorway, she saw Morgan pacing restlessly back and forth in front of the window. Only one lamp was lit in the room. She couldn’t see him well, but she knew immediately something was terribly wrong. Her throat tightened, and a cold feeling of apprehension chilled her. She pulled her shawl tighter about her arms.

“Good evening, Morgan,” she said, walking farther into the room.

Morgan stopped and stared at her for a moment before striding toward her. “We have to talk.”

Arianna couldn’t imagine what had caused the concerned expression on his face. “All right, sit down. Shall I pour you a brandy?”

“No, I won’t sit down, and I don’t want anything to drink. What I want from you is the truth.”

That statement stunned her for a moment. She studied his face. She had never seen such strain around his eyes and mouth. Something disturbed him greatly, and that worried her.

Arianna moved closer to him and stopped by the upholstered side chair. She quietly said, “That implies I have lied to you, my lord, and I have not.”

He remained in front of the settee. His arms hung stiffly by his side. A frown twisted between his eyes. “Haven’t you, if only by not telling me the whole truth?”

She didn’t know exactly what he might have discovered about her but she was about to find out. “That can hardly be called a prevarication, my lord.”

“What happened in India that caused you to leave?”

Although she remained calm on the outside, all of a sudden her insides were shaking, “I told you my father died, and—”

He took another step toward her. His blue eyes pierced hers. “The truth, Arianna, I need the whole truth.”

Within a second or two he covered the short distance between them. He grabbed her upper arms and held her firmly. For a moment fear gripped her, but she quickly saw that he wasn’t really angry at her but at something else.

She gazed into his troubled eyes. “What’s wrong, Morgan?”

“I just received word that an Indian man went to Valleydale looking for you, and when he left, my groom Jessup was dead, and Post is barely clinging to life.”

“No, oh, no!” Suddenly, Arianna couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. She managed to whisper, “He killed someone? Post is injured! How?”

“You tell me, Arianna.”

“I can’t. I don’t know. Beabe told me she thought she saw him, and I didn’t believe her. I should go to Post right away and check on him. I have medicines from my father that might help him.”

“Arianna, slow down and take one thing at a time. Your maid saw whom?”

“Mr. Rajaratnum. He was my father’s Indian
bhagidar.
”

“What? Blast it, Arianna, use English. This isn’t the time to use Indian words.”

“Partner. He was my father’s research partner in India. He killed my father and stole the formula he was working on.”

“Formula? What kind of formula is worth killing someone for?”

“My father discovered a cure for consumption. That is the kind of discovery that would bring fame and fortune to any man.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this at Valleydale? You are the impulsive one. You should have blurted it all out to me.”

She struggled to find the right words to say to make him understand her feelings at the time. “I don’t know. When I first arrived, you were so brusque I hesitated to tell you anything. And later, I didn’t want to burden you with my troubles. You were already doing so much for me by allowing me to stay in your home. I had no idea Mr. Rajaratnum would follow me to England or that he would harm anyone. He has the formula. Why would he come for me? Why would he kill anyone else?”

Morgan let go of her and said, “Sit down and tell me everything, from the beginning. And do not leave anything out.”

They sat on the settee facing each other, and Arianna quickly told him the story, starting with when her father said they would be going back to England. Morgan sat quietly and didn’t interrupt her. She finished with Beabe telling her she thought she had seen Mr. Rajaratnum a day or so ago near Mr. Warburton’s house.

“And you didn’t think your maid would know the man who killed your father?”

For the first time since he arrived, Arianna felt his tone was accusing, and that hurt. A breathless fluttering filled her chest. “I think I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe he had followed us to England. It’s not the first time she thought she saw him.”

She gazed into his anxious eyes and, all of a sudden, it hit her anew that this tragedy was her fault. She shouldered the blame because one servant was dead and another was severely wounded. That grieved her.

What have I done!

She must do something. She rose from the settee. “I’ve put your employees and mine in danger. You are at risk, too, and Mr. Warburton. I must warn Mr. Warburton, and then I’ll leave London immediately.” She spun and was going for the door, but Morgan jumped up and grabbed her arms, holding her back.

“Arianna, you aren’t going anywhere.”

“I have to,” she said, knowing she was close to losing control. “I can’t put anyone else in danger. Let me go, Morgan.” She struggled against his hold. “He’s killed twice now. I can’t let him hurt anyone else. It’s me he wants. If I leave London, he will follow me, and then you will be safe. Beabe will be safe, and Mr. Warburton will be safe to continue to search for the formula.”

“Where do you think to go?”

Her chest heaved, and her heartbeat raced. Inside she trembled. Her forearms rested tentatively on his chest. His face was so close to hers she heard his raspy breathing.

Her heart was so heavy with pain and guilt she could hardly speak, yet she continued to try to wrest herself free from his grasp. “I don’t know where I’ll go. I don’t care. I can’t let him hurt you or anyone else. Please, Morgan, let me go.”

His hands tightened on her arms, but his eyes softened, and his features relaxed. “I’m not going to let you run away.”

She couldn’t bear his sympathy.

No, not that!

She didn’t deserve it. She was unable to keep her eyes from filling with tears.

“Don’t cry, Arianna. Do not let that monster reduce you to tears. You are too strong for that.”

She bit back a sob. “No, you don’t understand. I’m not.”

He gave her a little shake. “Yes, you are. You are too strong for him. He will not make you cry, and he will not make you run. Do you hear me?”

Morgan was right. Her father deserved her tears, but his killer did not.

“I don’t know what else to do,” she said on a broken gasp and felt the first tear roll down her cheek.

He placed his warm hands on each side of her face, his thumb raking away the lone tear. He looked deeply into her eyes. “You don’t have to do anything. I’m here. Trust me, Arianna.”

She closed her eyes against his compassion. She loved him so much her body ached. “I do trust you,” she whispered earnestly. “You know I trust you.”

“Arianna.”

As if with a will of their own, her lashes lifted and she met his blue, blue gaze. She knew he was going to kiss her. She didn’t want to stop him but knew she must.

His head descended toward hers, and she twisted her face away from his. “Don’t,” she said softly. “Don’t kiss me, Morgan. I’ve told you I don’t want your kisses.”

“I don’t believe you,” he said huskily. “You said you have never lied to me. Are you lying now?”

Why must her own words come back to haunt her? Especially at a time like this when her own heart was wounded from the pain of what Mr. Rajaratnum had done to her father and Morgan’s servants.

“Yes,” she said honestly. “You know I want your kisses.”

“Yes, I do know.”

Morgan’s lips came down on hers with such hard driving passion and desperation it took her breath away. Arianna had never felt such intensity in his kisses. The depth of feeling should have frightened her, but it thrilled her, and she matched his ferocity. She shoved her hands beneath his coat, her body craving his warmth. His hands tangled in her hair. Their lips and tongues clung together. There were no words, no thoughts, just hunger, deeply rooted hunger.

With nimble fingers, Morgan quickly untied the knot in her shawl and threw it onto the settee. They fell together on top of the shawl, and Morgan rolled on top of her. With frantic movements of hands working together for a common goal, her dress was thrown up and her drawers pushed down. His trousers were unbuttoned. Their kisses were wild, fierce, and uncontrolled. The feral sounds they made were soft, whispered, but eager and passionate.

Morgan’s body bore down on hers with something thick, hard, and probing. In a single motion he thrust inside her. It was sharp, burning, and painful. Her gasp of surprise was caught by his mouth and swallowed. As the pressure built inside her, she felt full. Suddenly Morgan moaned as if something exploded inside him, and then he collapsed on top of her, shuddering and quietly gasping.

Arianna winced silently when she realized it was over almost before it began. It hadn’t lasted nearly long enough.

“Oh, damn,” Morgan whispered on an uneven breath into the warmth of her neck. “I can’t believe I did that to you. Arianna, I didn’t mean to be such a violent, greedy beast.”