Dangerous Weakness (16 page)

Chapter 26

The bathhouse echoed with every move Lily took. The high ceilings and ornate tiled walls normally rang with the happy voices of women starting their day. Lily came late the day after her confrontation with Richard, late and without pleasure. She bathed alone with a single attendant seeing to her needs.

“Does the lady wish rosemary oil?” the little bath attendant asked in an effort to elicit a response from Lily when she rose from the warm water.

Lily shrugged. A sleepless night punctuated with bouts of tears left her wrung out. “Please, yes,” she murmured more out of concern for the girl than because she cared.

I deserved his anger,
she repeated to herself for the hundredth time.

The attendant began helping her dress. This morning Lily didn’t notice the feeling of silk sliding on skin, the sensation she normally loved.

He ought to have raged at me, but he didn’t. Cool, calm, and in control. That’s the Marble Marquess.
Richards’s immovable self-control made her irrationally irritable.
Just once I’d like to see him lose control. Just once.
Lily hoped she wouldn’t be on the receiving end if that ever happened.

She thought of the look on his face when he recognized her pregnancy, the wonder in his eyes when he felt the baby move.
Just because he stays in control doesn’t mean he doesn’t care.

The attendant bowed out. Lily, alone in the warm confines of the bathhouse, lingered. Memories of Richard’s friends and family ran circuits in her mind as they had all night: Richard teasing with Chadbourn and Catherine, Richard’s affection for the Mallets in defiance of his parents, Richard minimizing his mother’s sharp unkindness to wallflowers at the ball. Above all, she kept coming back to Richard in the foyer of Aunt Marianne’s house, discreetly helping his friend Baron Ross financially.
He cares for them all,
she realized.
He takes care of those he loves; he—

A stab of grief stabbed Lily to the heart.
I’ve been an idiot. He takes care of those he loves.
She fought the storm of tears that threatened to overcome her and rose to leave.

She reached the anteroom by the outside door when a group of older women entered, the Valide Sultan and her closest attendants. Lily opened her mouth to give a proper greeting, but anguish froze it in her throat.

The Valide Sultan gestured the other women on and put out her arms to Lily. The attendants passed by with curious glances and respectful silence. Lily sank into the older woman’s arms and began to sob.

“One has worries for you, Zambak. Your tears in the night did not go unnoticed.”

“I’m sorry,” Lily sniffed, struggling for control. “I didn’t know anyone heard.”

“You should know by now most things come to my ears eventually.” The woman smiled down at her. “Better?”

Lily nodded.

“Most but not everything. Was that English lord unkind to you, Zambak? I would not have permitted the meeting if I thought you would be harmed.”

“No! He had reason to be angry with me, but he was not.” Tears threatened again. “He had a shock, seeing me like this and—” Lily swallowed hard, twice.

“I’ve been an idiot!” she exclaimed.

“Hardly that, Zambak, but perhaps you’ve behaved foolishly, no?” The older woman gently touched Lily’s belly.

“I told him I would not marry him. I rejected him in insulting terms.”

“You rejected this wealthy, powerful man’s offer of marriage?”

“Three times,” Lily mumbled.

“Foolish behavior indeed, almost as foolish as conceiving this child in the first place. It is his child?”

Lily nodded.

“He is honor bound.”

“He believes so.”

“And you wish protestations of love. You are as silly as those girls you teach, Zambak. He honored you three times and you insulted him. I do not think he will ask again.”

Tears leaked from Lily’s eyes in spite of her best efforts. “I must talk with him.”

Valide Sultan’s shrewd eyes hardened. “You wish us to arrange another such meeting? It can be done, but to what purpose?”

Lily clamped her jaw tight.
What purpose indeed?

“Men do not like to be commanded,” her companion said.

“No.” Lily’s laugh held little amusement. “He would not want to be commanded.”

“What then, Zambak? What is it you wish?”

I could write. I could tell him I changed my mind. I could apologize. I could—

“I think I must go to him,” Lily said. “Nothing less than an apology and surrender will do.”

The Valide Sultan took Lily’s shoulders in her hands.

“If you go, you cannot come back,” she said.

Lily didn’t respond right away.

“You’ve led your marquess in a complicated dance. You will not do the same to us.” The woman’s imperial power, firm and unyielding, radiated from her.

“I understand, Highness. Your great kindness will rest in my heart forever. I will not abuse it,” Lily said.

The old woman searched Lily’s face as if looking for any weakness. “Sahin has told you of dangers.”

“Yes. I’ll be safe at the British embassy.”

“I can see that you are guarded that far, but Zambak, you must be certain.”

“I am.”

As certain as I can be.

The sun began its descent to the horizon behind the towers of Hagia Sophia when Lily, swathed in veils, stepped onto the boat that would take her across the Golden Horne. The fabled waterway that divided Stamboul, the Muslim quarter and seat of power, from Petra and the foreign quarter of Constantinople glowed orange in its light.

Ahmet stepped in front of her, inspecting the quay and the crowd beyond. Satisfied, he helped her to shore.

“Thank you,” Lily smiled, even though he could not see her face beneath its covering.

“Are you sure of this, Zambak?” he asked without looking at her. His eyes, she noted, scanned the crowd continually. He had approved of her decision to meet Richard but not this trip to the embassy.

“As sure as we can be.” She also scanned the quay. At another time, without Volkov’s threats, she might have found this place exhilarating. Not this time. She shivered.
Sahin warned you. Even if Volkov were not loose, this place is not safe for a woman alone.

Another bodyguard, a man she didn’t recognize, followed her to shore. He clambered up stone steps behind her. Both men were tall, towering above the crowds. Both looked strong. Both wore ornate swords in their belts. Lily suspected other less decorative and perhaps more deadly weapons were hidden on their person.

Don’t be a ninny, Lily. These men will protect you. If you fear anything, it should be Richard’s reaction to your about-face. What if he sends you away? You can’t go back.

The crowd alone would have been difficult to manage in her condition. In another time, without child, she might have enjoyed the flow of humanity and cacophony of languages. This time, she pulled her arms around herself protectively, fearing she might be jostled. In the face of her two companions, however, the crowd parted before them.

They made their way past sellers of figs and silver, vendors of fruits and sandalwood. In that other time, without her concerns about Richard’s reaction hanging over her, she might have lingered. This time, she had to be careful not to get lost in thought.

Ahmet reached a narrow passage paved in worn cobbles that opened next to a booth of rug sellers. Lily followed him into the shadows between two stone walls. The rear guard had just followed in behind her when it happened.

Lily heard a grunt behind her and turned to see her keeper on the ground, blood spilling over cobblestones from the gaping incision across his neck. When she spun to run for Ahmet, unseen hands pulled at her veils. She twisted loose but found herself trapped between the unseen danger behind and shadowy figures swarming the man in front of her. He fought like a madman but looked about to fall.

Lily clutched her middle and began to pray.

Chapter 27

Liston’s secretary shot Richard a cautious glance and made himself scarce.

When they had returned from Richard’s disastrous meeting with Lily the previous night, the ambassador had suggested, politely, that they avoid “disturbing” Sahin Pasha or other officials for a few days. He hinted that Richard might calm himself first. “Delicate diplomacy, Glenaire, delicate is called for.” Richard had raged; the ambassador had reasoned. This afternoon Liston merely disappeared.

The first time Richard asked to see Liston, the man’s secretary cheerfully refused him. The second time he tugged at his elaborate cravat and fidgeted nervously in his chair. The third time the full wrath of a frustrated marquess came down on the man’s thinning hair. His swift departure prevented a fourth.

You know better than to berate a servant. It isn’t his fault Liston made himself unavailable all morning. Damn Liston anyway.

Liston wouldn’t dare forbid the Marquess of Glenaire, son and heir of the Duke of Sudbury and Castlereagh’s own protégé, from appearing at the palace unannounced and alone, but he had come damned close, and now he avoided Richard completely.

The image of Lily pregnant with his child haunted his dreams and bedeviled his day.
She’s locked in the damned Seraglio and won’t talk to me
—
not that talk has gotten me anywhere so far
. His urge to act, frustrated at every turn, refused to die. It roiled in his gut and drove him to pace like a madman.

Richard prowled the embassy, frightening the maids and growling at footmen. Only the boy who cleaned the steps found him amusing.

“Sunny day, Lord English,” the boy said. “Good day for walk.”

I haven’t slept, Lily refuses to see reason, and Liston refuses to petition Sahin Pasha. Why should I care about the day?
He spun on his heels, went back in, and slammed the door. In the reverberating sound of the slamming door, a second thought struck him.

Why not a walk—to the wharf perhaps? What harm would it do to leave a calling card for Sahin Pasha?

Moments later, hat on head and cane in hand, he went back out the door. The cane, with its cleverly concealed sword, normally sat in Liston’s private office. He took it without qualms.
It serves him right for avoiding me all afternoon.

“Best not get lost,” the boy told him when he ran down the steps. “I can show you where you want to go. I know everything.”

Richard ignored him. He gripped the cane, glad for its support.
I’m not a total fool.

“Getting late, Lord English! Best not go far,” the boy shouted after him.

After the second wrong turn, he wished he’d taken the boy for a guide. After a third, he thought he had his bearings, but light faded and he dared not retrace his steps through the maze of streets. He peered downhill through a narrow passage to see golden light at the far end.
The docks are all downhill
.
From there I can pay someone to take me back to the embassy. What a fool’s errand!

He gripped the sword cane tightly and started down the narrow passage. After he passed one heavy wooden door and then another, he reached the halfway point. Below him, a tall turbaned figure turned into the passage, briefly blocking the light. Richard could see a small person covered with veils behind him followed closely by another tall man.

A wealthy woman and her guards
, he supposed.
Those bruisers won’t look kindly on a foreigner blocking her way.

Caught in the narrow passage, he would have to go back or push himself against the wall. Before he could formulate a response, the farthest man fell like a rock, a door opened in front of the trio, and a swarm of dark figures spewed out.

Richard could see the taller guard under attack from at least three men; the woman needed help. He ran toward the attack when hands reached out to grab her. Sprinting downhill, he saw her twist to escape and run toward her first guard. Her veils fell away.

Lily! What on earth?

Richard ran faster; icy fear and blood red rage drove him downhill into Lily’s attackers. The remaining bodyguard blocked his way. The man wrestled with three of them, knife slashing, arms straining. Richard’s sword found one attacker, but another took his place. They seemed to multiply in the dark.

Brief snatches of Lily appeared behind the melee. He could see flowing ribbons of bright green silk ripple and jerk. He struggled to focus on the attackers. He felled one attacker with an uppercut that would make Jackson proud, but another blocked him.

Concentrate. You’re no good to her dead
.

Lily’s screams tore at him, and he fought like an animal. The guard went down at last, a dagger in his ribs. Over his body Richard saw a hood go over Lily’s head, muffling her screams. He pulled his attention back a moment too late. Searing pain exploded in his head, and he fell forward into darkness.

The voice Richard longed to hear all day came to him in the dark.
It must be a dream
.

A moment later hands attached to the dream began prodding him in places that hurt like the devil. “Richard! Damn it, wake up.”

Lily
?

“Did you have me kidnapped? Those men could have injured me, you insane man.”

Don’t be an idiot. How could Lily believe that, even in a nightmare?

Cool hands pushed his hair from his brow.
Not my head; it hurts like hell itself.

“Please wake up. Don’t die on me. Please don’t die and leave me alone with these men.”

Men—Lily!
The shot of memory sent him bolt upright. The pain in his head put him back down with a groan. His eyes flickered open and blinked twice to clear.

Lily’s face, deep in shadow, came close, concern marring it. “Not so fast,” she said. “I think they hit you very hard.”

“They nearly took my head off,” he groaned.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t waken,” she said, her voice sounded wet with tears.

“I have a hard head,” he reassured her. Memory flickered. “I thought I heard you a moment ago. Did you really accuse me of having you kidnapped?”

“Maybe.” She sounded guilty. “But that wouldn’t make sense. You wouldn’t harm the baby. I know you wouldn’t.”

“Is he—” He tried to rise again but she pushed him back down.

“She’s fine. I’m fine, for now at least.”

“I would never hurt you either, Lily.”

Did she just sniff?

“I thought you had left us.”

“I’m here,” he said, looking around. He could see little in deepening darkness. “Where ever ‘here’ is. Is there no light, or are my eyes failing?”

“No windows, and I fear night has fallen.”

He could see her in outline, one shadow darker than the rest of the room.

“Do you have any idea where we are?”

She shook her head. “They hooded me. They pulled off the hood and pushed me in the door before I got a good look. We can’t have gone far from the quay because two of them carried me here.”

“From the feel of my back, I was dragged.”

“Possibly. A few moments after they left me here, they opened the door and dropped you on the floor.”

Richard felt along his sides. “Stone floor. No wonder I’m cold. Help me to sit.”

He cried out in pain when Lily put an arm under his shoulders, but he pushed himself forward. She helped him feel his way to the wall. He sagged against it and pulled her close with one arm, savoring her warmth.

“No furniture?”

“Nothing. An empty room. I’m not even sure it is a room exactly.” She put one arm around his waist and lay her head against his shoulder. He could feel the swell of the growing child by his side. He forced himself not to shudder.
Don’t give in to fear now. It won’t help her.

“Tell me what you saw. Tell me what you heard.” He fought back waves of pain and focused his mind on what mattered.
Lily. Danger. The baby. Our baby.

“I heard nothing until the attack,” she said. He heard her gulp. When she spoke again, her voice sounded thick. “I turned on a sound and saw the guard—that poor man—they cut his throat. My fault. I insisted on coming even though Sahin warned me.”

“Hush, hush.”
Time for recrimination later
. “What next?”

“I tried to run, but they grabbed at me from behind, and more of them attacked—” She swallowed convulsively. “Oh God! They killed Ahmet. He was my friend.”

He could hear rising panic from the memories she voiced.

“Concentrate on details.” He tightened his arm around her.

“Attackers wore black, but you must know that. I saw you. You ran down the passage like a madman.”

Like a fool right into their hands. If I had stopped to think I might have been able to—what?
He didn’t know. “It was not my finest hour,” he said.

“You were magnificent.”

Her praise gave him courage.
I have to get Lily out of here.

“I don’t feel magnificent. What else do you remember? Did you hear their voices?”

“Not well. The hood muffled sound. Some Turkish and something else—Arabic perhaps. I heard an odd word or two of Russian, ‘woman’ and ‘money.’”

“Volkov.”

“Perhaps. They didn’t talk to me. They just put me here. I called for help. I called for light. I called to demand their names. I heard nothing until they brought you in.”

“What did you see when the door opened?”

“Not much. This space is tiny. I think it is a storage closet.”

No room. No weapons. No light.
Richard let out a groan of frustration.
No strength either
. He cursed loudly.

The door swung open.

“Such language in front of a lady!” A disembodied voice mocked him in heavily accented English. Light from a lantern in the hands of the man in the doorway blinded Richard.

“The lady
and
the marquess. What a delightful, unexpected bonus.”