Desire and Deception (40 page)

Kyle hesitated. "Jason wouldn't thank me. The casino isn't exactly a proper place for a lady."

"So I've been told," Lauren said wryly. But she accepted his answer as a refusal and withdrew a roll of bills from her reticule, holding it out to him. "Then will you give Veronique this when you next see her? It's the money she loaned me the other day."

Kyle whistled. "She must be rich. Do you suppose I've found myself an heiress?" he asked with a laugh as he pocketed the wad.

"Veronique understands the necessity for being frugal," Lauren replied stiffly. "She is saving for what she calls her lean years."

"I'll wager they'll be a long time in coming."

"Would you?"

Subjected to Lauren's cool stare, Kyle looked as if he might like to squirm. "Have I said something I to offend you, Miss
DeVries
?"

Hearing his contrite tone, Lauren lowered her gaze. "No, I'm sorry. I just don't care for jests about heiresses."

"Poor taste, was it? How about honor among thieves, virtue among— No, that's worse. Perhaps I'd better keep my mouth shut. You and Veronique are close, are you not?"

"Very close. She's one of the few people I know who doesn't try to wrap me in swaddling as if I were a child."

"Is that a hint, ma'am? All right, then. I can't share Jason's reasons for leaving town, but I don't see why I can't tell you how it first started."

As Kyle proceeded to relate what he knew of Jason's past, Lauren listened attentively.

"Jason's the younger son of the sixth
Marquess
of
Effing
—an interfering old autocrat if there ever was one. Jason attended Oxford because his father wanted him to, but found it easier to keep his independence by refusing the income Lord
Effing
offered.
Which means that while other young gents frequented gaming hells for sport, Jason did it from necessity.

"Lord
Effing
got on his high ropes when Jason used his gambling winnings to purchase a commission in the Royal Navy. The
marquess
considered a naval career an unfit occupation for someone of Stuart lineage, you see, and he used his connections in the government to make Jason's position extremely uncomfortable. So Jason gave in gracefully and resigned, then removed himself from Lord
Effing's
sphere of power by going to America."

"That's when he became a trapper?" Lauren asked.

Kyle nodded. "And that was the same year he acquired the
Leucothea
as the result of a wager. I met him shortly afterward, and we made the bargain that proved profitable to us both. In all, Jason was here for nearly two years. After he returned to England, his father tried again to bring him in line, insisting that he marry and settle down. Jason refused—until the
marquess
made that arrangement with your guardian.

"I probably shouldn't be telling you this," Kyle admitted with a frown. "Whatever is—or will be—between you and Jason is
for
you two to work out. I promised not to get involved. But
Jase
is dearer to me than a brother, and I care what happens to him. I've never seen a man change so . . .
Well,
he was just different after you left England." Kyle paused, noting Lauren's bent head. "But the Carlin Line has been good for him.
Gave him something to think about.
He's treated those ships as if they were his own children, Miss
DeVries
.
And made you a lot of money in the process.
Of course, he set London on its ear. A
marquess
in trade is next to sedition in England. But
Jase
has never been one to sit back and let others work. He nigh gave his father an apoplexy every time he started some new venture."

Disturbed by the turn their conversation had taken, Lauren nevertheless tried to keep her tone casual. "I presume Jason inherited the title from his father? He neglected to mention anything about it."

"Well, I suppose he considers it unimportant here. Americans don't put much stock in titles. But Jason is Lord
Effing
now. He never expected to inherit, but two years ago his older brother and nephews were killed in a fire, a tragic accident.
Jase
never thought much of his brother, but I think he would give quite a lot to have him back. Of course, now he has to marry, carry on the line. The old lord would have wanted it. Jason rarely was what you could call a dutiful son, but I think he feels obligated to respect his father's wishes."

Lauren kept her gaze carefully averted. "But surely he could have found a wife before now."

"Oh, I don't doubt that at all," Kyle said mildly. "In England, the ladies were standing in line."

"Then why did he not?"

Kyle gave her a long, penetrating look. "That's not hard to explain, Miss
DeVries
.
He
was waiting for you to return."

Lauren felt her cheeks grow warm, knowing there was no reply she could make. She was beginning to understand the depth of Jason's determination to marry her, but now more than ever she could see what a misalliance that would be. A
marquess
was such an exalted position, close to royalty. Lauren mentally shook her head. Renegade nobleman or no, Jason could never marry a bastard. He would face social
ostracisim
.

And then there was her involvement with Burroughs's deception. Jason would be swept into a horrendous scandal if she went to prison.

Deploring this recent tendency of hers to blush, Lauren lapsed into silence once more. Neither she nor Kyle said another word until the plantation was reached.

Lauren found herself counting the days till Jason's return. It wasn't that she had too little to occupy her time. Kyle called daily and took her for long drives around the countryside, and he even brought Veronique along once. When Veronique told her Felix Duval had been asking about her, Lauren wrote the gambler a long missive, saying that Marguerite regretfully declined his offer of protection and adding that she would no longer be entertaining at the casino since she was leaving the city. She hoped he would accept her explanations at face value.

The books Jason had given her on the shipping industry also kept her busy. She discovered, to her chagrin, that complete concentration was required if she were to understand one- tenth of what she read, yet she doggedly plowed through the heavy material since it gave her enough background to ask intelligent questions during her discussions with both Kyle and Jean-Paul.

And of course there was her wardrobe. Lila was ecstatic that Lauren was at last dressing like a lady of quality, and Lauren frequently had to bite her tongue while Lila supervised the final fittings and offered detailed and mostly unneeded advice.

In all, Lauren was quite, quite busy. During all this activity, though, she was aware of a budding sense of anticipation and excitement. She refused to admit that it was because she was looking forward to Jason's return, and instead attributed it to her plan to rid herself of the Carlin fortune for good, along with Jason's unwelcome attentions. The idea had occurred to her one day when she was talking to Jean-Paul about the new office.

She had already discovered, much to her surprise, that while Jean-Paul was willing for her to marry the "English lord", he was unwilling to commit himself to the distribution venture. He wanted to hear more about such things as assets and debits and insurance underwriters and profit margins before throwing his weight behind the project. He had not become rich, he said, by investing in firms that had no strong guiding hand.

Since she was unable to respond knowledgeably about the stability of the Carlin Line, Lauren deferred that discussion till Jason returned. But she did argue that Jean-Paul would not be required to make any investment.

"Ah, but there you are wrong,
m'amie
,"
Beauvais countered. "You ask me to stake my reputation, my honor. I have heard of the Carlin ships and their success, but what of their future? Perhaps it is true that your Englishman, as the trustee, has been responsible for this success. But what will happen when he is no longer there to offer you advice? Could you run the company yourself? Would you even wish to do such a thing? For many men it would be difficult.
For a woman with no experience, nearly impossible.
Let us say, for hypothetical purposes, that I agree to this distribution scheme. I obtain the customers you seek. For a time everyone is satisfied. Then one day your ships fail to deliver what has been promised.
Ppff
! My reputation is diminished, my integrity is questioned.
Non
, Laurie,
ma belle.
It is better for me to avoid such risks altogether. Without some guarantee that my investment is protected, I should have to decline."

"And I suppose," she said warily, suspecting that she was again being manipulated, "that such a guarantee might come in the form of my marriage to a man who could run the company?"

"That would be the most convincing argument I could think of, yes. But I understand your feelings. You do not wish to marry. So that is that."

Lauren focused her cool stare on the Creole. "No, that is
blackmail."

Jean-Paul shook his dark head.
"
Mais
,
non
!
It is smart business." He did, however, have the grace to look the tiniest bit ashamed. "But I do not pressure you to accept this marriage you do not want. It is your choice. To me, your happiness is more important than the fee I might earn. My Lila thinks you would be happy with this
Anglais
, but it is you who must live with the decision. If you cannot, then you cannot."

"I cannot," Lauren declared with determination. "But there must be an alternative. What if Jason agreed to remain as the trustee, or perhaps a permanent officer of the company?"

"Then I would reconsider. But I do not believe he will agree to such a thing.
Think,
m'amie
!
Would you if you were in his place? He could marry you and gain all the Carlin ships, since the law says all property belongs to the husband."

"Do you think that is why Jason offered to marry me?
Because of the Carlin ships?"

"I expect he has thought of that, yes. But do not underestimate yourself, Laurie. You are a beautiful young woman. And he is a man. If he could have both you and the ships, why should he wish for less than the whole?"

"He will have to be satisfied with less. Jason understands that I won't marry him. Actually," she added thoughtfully, "he already owns the ships. I suppose I should just refuse to take them back, for then he would have control."

"You would be giving up a fortune," Jean-Paul reminded her.

Lauren looked up at that. "Yes," she said slowly. "I would be giving up a fortune. But," she added, "
if
I accept the Carlin inheritance, I would probably have to live in England, which I don't want. And to be fair, Jason deserves to be rewarded for his efforts. According to Kyle, were it not for Jason, the Carlin Line might not even have survived. So, what would your position be if Jason just kept the ships?"

Jean-Paul nodded. "There would be no problem for me. Of course I would have to speak with him first. I will do so when he returns, if you are sure that is what you want."

"I am sure," Lauren replied. "At least one person died because of my father's fortune, and I want no part of it."

Nor could Jason convince her to change her mind, Lauren added to herself. She wouldn't allow him the opportunity. For that reason, she was glad Jean-Paul had volunteered to talk to him. Of course, Jason couldn't
force
her to take the Carlin
inheritance. But still, she didn't trust her ability to withstand Jason Stuart if he decided to truly exert himself at persuasion.