Angel's Devil (27 page)

James jammed the letter into his pocket. "No, they damn well have
not," he snarled, and pushed past Alcott. "Have Toombs saddle
Demon!" he yelled over his shoulder.

He took the stairs two at a time, ignoring the ache in his leg. From the
landing he could hear Brutus scratching at Angelique's door, and as soon as
he'd found his greatcoat and gloves he headed for her bedchamber. When he
yanked open the door the mastiff reared up on his shoulders. "Brutus,
come," he said, turning for the stairs.

Elizabeth was at the stables when he and Brutus entered. "James,
calm down," she ordered.

He pushed by her and grabbed Demon's reins. "I will bloody well not
calm down," he retorted. Elizabeth started to protest, and he swung up
into the saddle. "You can't have it both ways, Grandmama. And I've made
my
decision. She's not marrying Simon."

"James!" she called after him, as he whistled at Brutus and
kicked Demon in the ribs. "James!"

Bumping along the road to Scotland was not nearly as fun as Angelique
had thought it would be. Of course, if she'd had someone to hold hands with she
might have felt differently, but it was swiftly beginning to look as though
being Lily and Simon's chaperon was going to be quite dull. She sighed and
crossed her arms.

"Do you think they've missed us yet?" Lily queried, giving an
anxious look out the window into the darkness.

"Probably," Angel responded, "though by the time they
figure out exactly what's happened, we'll be too far along for them to catch
up."

"You think they'll pursue us?" Lily asked faintly.

"I doubt it, Lily," Simon comforted. "I'm certain your
parents will understand eventually, and no one would have any reason to follow
me."

"Or me," Angel said forlornly. Something faint and vaguely
familiar came to her ears, and she looked toward the window. "Do you hear
something?"

Simon looked over at her. "Like what?"

"I don't know." Faintly over the rolling meadows the sound
came again. "Barking?"

"It's probably the Earl of Dusson, running his hounds."

Angel raised an eyebrow. "In the middle of the night?" The
noise came again, louder, and Simon frowned.

"Definitely hounds," he muttered. "Maybe they got
loose."

Angel shook her head. "I know that sound." It came again, from
quite nearby, and she frowned. "Oh, no."

"What?" Lily quavered.

"It's Brutus."

"I thought you closed that damned beast up," Simon snapped.

"I did," she protested. "Someone must have let him
out."

"Well, he's not coming with us."

"Oh, yes he—"

"Stop that bloody coach!"

Angel jumped at James's stentorian bellow. Her heart began hammering.

"James?" Simon queried, and leaned up to bang on the ceiling.
"Stop the coach, Wicking."

"Aye, sir."

"What in the world does he think he's doing?" Simon grumbled,
unlatching the door as the coach rolled to a halt.

"You don't think he's after me, do you?" Lily stammered. Simon
looked back at her as he pushed open the door. "I don't think so, Lil—"

He disappeared from view, closely followed by the sound of a body
hitting the grass. With a gasp Angelique rushed to the door. Abbonley stood
over his cousin, his face in the moonlight a mask of wounded fury.
"James," she said, jumping to the ground.

James raised his head. "I know you were angry at me," he
growled, "but by God, Angelique, would you really marry him just to spite
me?"

That was it, she abruptly realized. Henry hadn't seen Lily climb into
the coach. Everyone thought it was just the two of them. James was jealous. The
Devil was jealous, and that was marvelous. "James," she began, taking
a step forward, "it's not—"

"It's not any of your damned affair," Simon cut in, pushing
to his feet.

"You made it my affair, when you sent me "after your
woman," James snarled.

"She doesn't want you, James. Can't you see that?"

"Simon," Angel protested, appalled. "I can speak for
myself."
      
 

Abbonley looked at her for a long moment. "I don't blame her for
not wanting me," he said slowly, otherwise ignoring his cousin. "I
just don't want her to be miserable because of me."

"You came after me?" she whispered.

"Of course I did. Angelique, I love you." He reached out as
though to touch her, then lowered his hand again. "But even if you don't
love me, you deserve to be with someone who will make you happy. More than
anything else, I want you to be happy. I never want to see that sparkle leave
your eyes."

"Oh, James," she murmured.

"Now just a moment!" Simon protested indignantly, red-faced.
"What's going on here?"
  
"

"Angelique is not going to marry you," James informed him,
dangerous wariness running across his features.

"I know that. Why in Lucifer's name did you drag me out of my coach
and threaten to beat me to death?"

"So you wouldn't—"

"You didn't beat him, did you?" Lily gasped, climbing down
from the coach and flouncing forward to confront James. "You evil, evil
man!" She punched him in the chest.

James raised a hand and took a step backward, his look completely
befuddled. "Will someone please explain what's going on here?" He
eyed Lily warily.

Angelique stifled a grin. "Simon and Lily are eloping to Gretna
Green," she said. "I'm chaperoning them."

James blinked. "You're eloping with
Lily?"
he repeated,
turning on his cousin.

"Yes, I am."

"I knew you were mooning over her, but you,
you,
are
actually eloping with someone you're not supposed to be with?"

It was Angel's turn to scowl. "What do you mean, you knew he was
mooning over Lily?"

"I, ah, heard them, when we were looking for Brutus." Angel
stalked up to him. "And you didn't tell me?" James stood his ground.
"I wanted to make you fall in love with me, first."

"I was already in love with you."

"You were?" Simon queried.

"You were?" James echoed softly.

"I was. But then you were so awful to me . . . " Tears began
to fill her eyes, and she angrily blinked them away .

“Angelique," he murmured.

"And then Simon told me Desiree came to Abbonley to see you."

"She did. But all I could think of was you."

Simon cleared his throat. "Angel, we can't stay here all night.
Come on." He gestured her back at the coach.

"Angelique, don't leave," James whispered.

She turned to look back at him. "I ... I gave my word I'd go with
them. To lessen the scandal."

James pulled a missive out of his pocket and tossed it at Simon.
"There's no scandal except what they cause for themselves."

Simon looked down at the parchment. "The announcement?" he
exclaimed.

"Grandmama stole it There's no engagement." He put out a hand
and wrapped his fingers around Angelique's arm. "This is your decision,
and you're going to have to do it on your own. Angelique's not going to
Scotland with you."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

Simon and Lily looked at one another, and after a moment Lily nodded.
"We'll go back with you," Simon said. "We'll do it right."

Angel wanted to ride back to Abbonley with James, and she rather thought
that was what he wanted, as well. Simon's more proper sense prevailed, though,
and so she and Brutus climbed into the coach and they turned back for Abbonley.
Simon and Lily seemed much relieved at having avoided a scandal, but all Angel
could think of was James riding out in the dark beside them.

It was nearly dawn when they turned back up toward Abbonley. Every
window was blazing with light, and all of the guests and members of the
household seemed to have crowded into the yard as James dismounted and pulled
open the door of the coach.

"You brought them back," Angel's mother sobbed.

"Thank you, my lord."

James shook his head. "They brought themselves back."
Apparently everyone had realized Lily's absence as well, and another hour of
explanations and apologies followed. At first Lily's parents seemed less than
pleased by the ordeal, but when pressed about his interest in her, James
pleaded baffled ignorance, a sterling performance, Angel thought, and after
that everything seemed to fall into place quite well. Except where she was
concerned.

James had said that he loved her, but when they all repaired to the
dining room for a hurried breakfast, he vanished. Amid all of the
congratulations being offered to Lily and Simon, she was beginning to feel
quite put out. Even Percival's nearly hysterical ravings over Lily did little
to cheer her up.

Angel couldn't stifle the tears that kept welling in her eyes. “Oh,
bother," she muttered, surreptitiously wiping at them.

She raised her head to find Lady Elizabeth looking at her. "I'm
becoming such a watering pot," she complained, forcing a smile.

"Nonsense. When someone sensible as you cries, there's always a
reason."

"Sensible? Me?"

"Yes, you. You know, my dear, I was thinking how foolish my
grandson must be feeling right now, knowing what it must have looked like when
he went galloping after you when you weren't even eloping. Especially after the
fight the two of you had."

"He wasn't foolish," Angel stated. "He was
romantic."

"Hmm, Even so, it might take our devilish marquis quite some time
to decide whether or not he is worthy of you. You, however, are supposed to be
leaving Abbonley in two days. " Elizabeth smiled. "They say all is
fair in love and war. I'm not certain what you two are facing, but I think you
would have a wonderful time together finding out."

Angelique stared at her. It was actually quite a simple solution, if she
had the courage to do it. "Where is he?"

The viscountess's smile broadened. "In the library, hiding."
She squeezed Angelique's hand. "And you didn't hear that from me."

Angelique smiled and stood.

"Where are you going, Angel?" her mother queried.

"I asked her to fetch me a shawl," Lady Elizabeth supplied,
and motioned Angel out the door.

Angel nearly stopped in her tracks when her father gave her a small nod
and a wink. He knew, but then he'd always had a better understanding of her
than her mother had. "I'll be right back," she said with a grin.

The library door was closed, but with a deep breath she opened it and
barged in. James was throwing pieces of parchment one by one into the
fireplace. He jumped as she entered, then smiled. "Angelique." He
picked up the remaining pile of papers and tossed them onto the flames.

"Letters?" she queried.

He nodded. "To and from Desiree. It seemed well past time to get
rid of the damned things."

"After
what she did to you, I can think of something I'd like to send her," she
snarled. "Something poisonous."

"Steady,
Galahad," James grinned, crossing his arms over his chest. "There's
no more rescuing to be done today." He grimaced. "And I rather
botched last night, as well. I should have realized. If I know anything, it's
that you're no fool."

Angel shut the
door behind her and took another breath. It had to be now, or she'd never get
up the nerve again. "Do you like children, James?"

He frowned and
tilted his head at her, his gaze alone making her feel weak-kneed.
"Children? If they're like your brother and sister, yes, I like them. Very
much. Why?"

She nodded,
pursing her lips, and torn between amusement and terror. "How about the
theater? Do you like theater?"

This time he
raised an eyebrow. "I'm not overly fond of Johnson," he said,
"but I rather like the opera."

Again Angel
nodded. "As do I. And horses?"

"I'm quite
fond of horses." James's emerald eyes were dancing, and she thought he was
catching on. "I also like strawberries, and am developing a decided
fondness for a certain large brown mastiff."

He wasn't
trying to escape, anyway. Angel clasped her hands behind her and rocked back on
her heels. "Well, in that case, my lord, I think—"

Shaking his
head and frowning, James stepped forward and put his hand over her mouth.
"No, you don't, Angelique. Sit down."

"But—"

"Down."

"I don't
want—"

James grabbed
her arm, dragged her over to the couch, I and sat her down on it. "After
everything you and I have been through," he said, "I'll take care of
this, if you don't mind."

He sank down
onto one knee in front of her and took her hands. His own were shaking. It was
then she knew everything would be all right. He looked up into her eyes for a
long time, then briefly lowered his head.