Heart's Debt (Lost Lords Book 5) (23 page)

He lifted her and laid her on the desk, and he loomed over her in a manner that was frightening. It was no longer quite so thrilling.

He didn’t appear to recognize her. She might have been any female, and she felt despoiled, as if she was a trollop he’d grabbed off the street and could use in a bad way.

“Damian,” she said, yanking away. “Damian, please stop.”

He was lost in a fog of emotion he couldn’t control so he didn’t heed her. She had to beseech him three more times before he finally realized she was speaking to him.

“What?” he snapped.

“You’re scaring me.”

He froze and gaped down at her, confused, as if he couldn’t figure out why she was stretched out beneath him.

“Pardon me,” he murmured.

He drew away and dropped into his chair, but he kept a hand on her thigh, as if he needed to be tethered to her, as if he might simply float away if he released her.

She was a muddle, her skirt rucked up, her stockings shoved down, a garter ripped off. She pushed herself up so she was perched on the edge of the desk.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“It’s all right,” she said, though it really wasn’t. She didn’t comprehend what had transpired, but she’d seen a side of him she didn’t care to see again.

“You should go.”

He picked up the whiskey decanter and took a long swig, and she slid to her feet. She hovered over him, and it occurred to her that she’d never witnessed a man who looked lonelier or more alone. She leaned down and pressed her forehead to his. They stayed like that, his palm on her waist, their breath mingling.

“Don’t fret,” she whispered. “Whatever it is, you and Mr. Roxbury will work it out. I have no doubt.”

“I told him to leave Kirkwood and never come back.”

“You didn’t mean it.”

“I did mean it.”

“What did he do, Damian? What was so terrible?”

He pulled away and muttered, “It doesn’t matter.”

“That’s a lie. From how distraught you are, I’d say it matters very, very much.”

“It doesn’t,” he insisted, his expression a blank slate.

“I heard you and Mr. Roxbury.”

“You shouldn’t have listened.”

“I didn’t intend to pry. I stumbled in while you were arguing. You mentioned some tragedies that happened when you were a boy—after you left Kirkwood.”

“You’re mistaken. I
never
discuss my past.” He pointed to the door. “Would you go? I don’t feel like chatting.”

She couldn’t bear to abandon him. It didn’t seem healthy or wise. “It’s a beautiful afternoon. Would you walk with me in the woods?”

“No.”

“Then how about if we sit in the front parlor and I play the pianoforte for you? I know some lovely songs, and I think it would calm you.”

“I’m fine, Georgina, and I’d like you to leave. Now.”

He was motionless, as if he had perfected the skill of being extremely quiet. It was almost as if there had been times in his life when he’d had to hide, as if he’d needed to be invisible. She shuddered with dread to imagine what those occasions might have entailed.

“Could I visit you tonight after everyone is in bed?” she asked.

“No. I don’t want that from you anymore.”

“What if
I
want it?” she brazenly inquired.

“You’re not safe with me. I’ve just proved that to both our satisfactions.”

“You didn’t hurt me.”

“I might have though.”

“You
couldn’t
hurt me. You never would.”

“You have no idea what I might or might not do.”

“I’m supposed to depart tomorrow. Is it still your wish?”

He pondered forever, his face still completely blank, not providing a hint of his opinion. Ultimately he said, “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

She rested her hand on his shoulder again. “If you change your mind and decide you’d like some company, send a servant to fetch me. I’ll come back.”

“I won’t send for you,” he claimed, but he reached up and squeezed her fingers.

She went to the door, and she paused, waiting for him to comment, hoping he might ask her to remain after all. But he didn’t, and she continued on into the silent hall.

I
t’s about time you
showed your sorry face at Kirkwood.”

“Always nice to see you too, dear sister.”

Sophia glared at Miles as he smiled a fake smile and plopped down across from her at the dining table. They were in Drummond Cottage, but the brief interval was about to end. Mr. Drummond was evicting them the following morning.

Sophia had arranged for a personal rescue. That
rescue
was to come from Mr. Roxbury, but it wasn’t finalized yet. He had to talk to Mr. Drummond, had to gain Mr. Drummond’s permission for Sophia to stay. Until that conversation was held, she wasn’t sure of any detail.

Her mother would have a fit. Miles would too. And Georgina? Sophia couldn’t guess what her cousin would think. As long as Sophia didn’t speak of it aloud, she could pretend it wasn’t really happening. She was dying to blurt out the news. Miles would explode with rage, and it would be a relief to get through the initial confrontation, but she couldn’t bring herself to initiate it.

“Where have you been?” she asked him.

“In town.”

“Honestly, Miles,” she scolded, “we’re supposed to leave tomorrow. Would it have killed you to keep us apprised of your location?”

“Why would I have?”

“We don’t know what to do, and Mother has been in an absolute state. She hasn’t made any arrangements for our departure, and we’ve needed your guidance and advice. After all, you created the entire mess.”

“How dare you blame me! If anyone is at fault, it’s that wretch, Damian Drummond.”

“Could you provide us with a bit of leadership?”

“On what topic?”

“Where is Mother to go? She hasn’t asked a single neighbor for assistance. She hasn’t written a single letter to any of our relatives. She’s so disordered in her logic that I’m beginning to fear for her sanity.”

He scoffed with disgust. “She’s always been a lunatic and could easily be pushed over the edge to total madness. Don’t expect me to supply a cure.”

“Why were you in town?”

“I was trying to obtain some aid.”

“And…?”

“There’s no aid to be had.”

“Why is that?”

“We don’t have any friends, Sophia. I’m positive it will shock you as much as it shocked me, but I couldn’t convince anyone to loan us a farthing. No one would take a chance on me. Nor were they willing to cross swords with Drummond.”

“What would you have done with borrowed money?”

“I’d have gambled with it to win an amount sufficient to buy back the estate.”

She gaped at him, desperate to figure out how he could have formulated such a ridiculous scheme. She and her mother had been frantic with worry over their bleak future, and Miles had been in London working to borrow funds to gamble.

She often thought her mother was the crazed one in the family, but clearly she’d been mistaken. Her brother was deranged too.

“Even if you’d won a large sum,” she said, “why would you imagine Mr. Drummond would sell Kirkwood to you?”

“He’d have to, Sophia. It’s how gentlemen conduct business.”

“Mr. Drummond isn’t a gentleman so those rules don’t apply to him.”

“Well,
I
am a gentleman, and they certainly apply to me.” He waved an impatient hand. “It’s futile to discuss it. I couldn’t get any money so there’s no point in conjecturing.”

“What now?” she asked.

“I have no idea. I was hoping Mother or Georgina might have devised a solution while I was away.”

As far as Sophia was aware,
she
was the only one with a solution, that being her marriage to Mr. Roxbury, but she kept that information to herself.

“Mother is useless,” she said, “and Georgina has simply been cleaning house so it’s been more habitable while we’ve been in exile.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Her efforts haven’t helped.”

“At least she’s made an effort. What have you been doing?”

“I told you, Sophia. I was trying to borrow money.”

“Yes, and you utterly failed so what would you suggest instead?”

Just then, Georgina came in. She was unusually glum, but then how was a person supposed to look in the middle of such a catastrophe?

“Hello, Miles.” She trudged over and sat down too. “It’s good to have you back. We’d about given up on you.”

“He’s been in town,” Sophia said, “begging acquaintances for a loan so he can gamble some more.”

“Oh, Miles,” Georgina murmured.

“Be silent, Sophia,” Miles snapped. “I was searching for a way out. I don’t see that you’ve contributed much energy to solving our dilemma.”

“What could I do?”

He focused his irate gaze on Georgina. “How about you, Cousin? Have you made any progress with Drummond?”

“No.”

Sophia scowled. “What sort of progress were you anticipating?”

He smirked as if he had a dozen secrets, then he frowned at Georgina. “Why haven’t you finagled him? He should be completely besotted by now.”

“He’s not,” Georgina said.

“Why isn’t he?” Miles demanded. “Don’t tell me you’re not his type. I’ve heard he’ll tumble anything in a skirt.”

“There’s no need to be crude, Miles,” Georgina said.

“What’s he talking about, Georgina?” Sophia asked.

“It’s nothing,” Georgina insisted.

“Nothing!” Miles interjected. “How can you say so when the grand and imperious Mr. Drummond has offered you
carte blanche?
”

“What is a
carte blanche,
Georgina
?
” Sophia asked. “Is it bad?”

“I mentioned it to you, Sophia. Mr. Drummond wanted to have an affair with me.”

“She could have saved us all,” Miles spitefully complained. “We agreed on this, Georgina. You promised you’d try whatever he requested.”

“I never promised that,” Georgina hotly retorted.

“You did! You were to work your feminine wiles on him. I expected to come home and find you ensconced in his bedchamber.”

Sophia was incensed. “Miles, you told her to have an affair with him?”

“I didn’t tell her. I ordered her to.” Sophia’s jaw dropped, and he felt compelled to add, “Don’t look so astonished. Mother advised the same. We both deemed it worth the attempt.”

“You thought she should…ruin herself with Mr. Drummond?”

“Why shouldn’t she?” Miles selfishly replied. “She owes us. Haven’t we fed and clothed her all these years? This one time—this one, paltry time—we beg her for a sacrifice in return, and she can’t be bothered.”

“Georgina doesn’t
owe
us for our support,” Sophia protested. “She’s family.”

“Just barely,” Miles muttered.

Sophia patted Georgina’s hand. “I’m sorry, Georgie. He’s an ass, and I don’t know why the servants didn’t drown him at birth.”

Georgina flashed a tepid smile. “I wish I could have coaxed Mr. Drummond to mercy. If a bit of carnal persuasion would have helped, I might have proceeded, but he’s determined to be rid of us. I wasn’t about to sacrifice myself for a lost cause.”

“Where are we then, Georgina?” Miles snidely nagged. “I’ve had no luck reversing my financial fortunes, and you wouldn’t so much as flirt with Drummond.”

“That’s not fair, Miles,” Georgina replied. “I’ve beseeched him over and over on your behalf, but it didn’t do any good.”

“We needed more than
beseeching
, Georgina.” He spun to Sophia. “Perhaps you should give it a try.”

“Give what a try?” Sophia asked.

“Drummond obviously isn’t interested in Georgina. Maybe he’d take you instead. Why don’t you put on a pretty gown and head over to the manor? You could probably locate him in the bedchamber he stole from me.”

“Every time you open your mouth,” she furiously spat, “you say something more outrageous.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, we’re out of options.”

“If you think I might be able to influence Mr. Drummond when Georgina has tried repeatedly and failed, you’re mad. Are you supposing I can bat my lashes and he’ll come to heel like a trained puppy?”

“You’re so smart. What would you propose then?”

“I don’t have any answers, but I definitely know that I’m sick of you. Why don’t you go upstairs and harangue at Mother? She’d love to listen to more of your ridiculous nonsense, but Georgina and I have had enough.”

“Don’t command me, Sophia. You can’t.” He glared at Georgina. “How about you, Georgina? What would you suggest?”

“I don’t have any answers either,” Georgina responded, “except to agree with Sophia. You exhaust me, and I’m weary of your insults. I did my best for you with Mr. Drummond, but it was a thankless endeavor.”

“Why is that precisely?
He
is the one who was smitten by you. Why, for pity’s sake, couldn’t you have used it to our advantage?”

“We never had a chance, Miles.”

“If we had no chance it’s only because you didn’t entice him.”

“I couldn’t have. He’s too angry with you.” Georgina appeared troubled, and she rubbed her brow. “You won’t believe what I learned about him, but it certainly explains much of his enmity.”

“What is it?” Sophia asked.

“Have you any idea what happened to him and his grandfather after they left Kirkwood?”

“No,” Sophia said. “There were always rumors, but no one knew the truth.”

“How about you, Miles?” Georgina asked.

“Why would I have heard a word about the Drummonds? The old man was fired for cause. I would hardly have kept track of them after that.”

“His grandfather died in London shortly after they arrived,” Georgina said.

“Mr. Drummond was what? Nine? Ten?” Sophia mused.

“Thereabouts.”

“Was he taken in by relatives or what?”

“I don’t know the whole story, but at some point, he embraced a life of crime.”

“What?” Sophia and Miles exclaimed in unison.

“Mr. Roxbury too,” Georgina said.

“That can’t be right,” Sophia murmured.

Miles waved Sophia to silence and leaned toward Georgina. “How did you discover this?”

“They were talking privately and weren’t aware that I was out in the hall. They mentioned they’d been transported to the penal colonies at Botany Bay.”

“Botany Bay!” Sophia shrieked.

“Yes,” Georgina said. “They have to be convicted felons.”

“Very likely so.” Miles was very smug. “You’re sure of this? You’re not making it up?”

“Making it
up
?” Georgina huffed.

“Why are they back in England?” Miles inquired. “Aren’t those types of dastardly brigands transported forever? I’ve never heard of one returning to live among civilized people. It’s not allowed, is it?”

“I can’t guess,” Georgina said, “but your dispute with him set in motion a series of mishaps that ended with him being sent to Australia.”

Miles studied Georgina, and clearly he was debating how to utilize the news to his own advantage. As to Sophia, she was struggling to decide where it left her with Mr. Roxbury. Was he a felon? Had he been transported?

He was so intriguing and cordial, and he had money to support her. Where had he come by it? Had he earned it honestly? Or was it through criminal enterprise?

Oh, why couldn’t anything be simple? It had been difficult enough to consent to marry him when she’d merely thought him far beneath her in social status. But to learn it was much more dreadful than that!

Miles interrupted her miserable reverie by leaping up and pulling Georgina up too. He twirled her in a merry circle, then he kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you, Cousin,” he said.

“For what?”

“You’ve provided me with the answer I sought.”

“What answer is that?”

His expression grew sly. “I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

“Tell me now,” Georgina said.

“I don’t dare.”

“Why not?”

“You’re both women and you gab like magpies. I don’t want others apprised of what I’m planning.”

“Does it involve Mr. Drummond?”

“Absolutely.” Miles sounded as if he was boasting. “I’m betting we’ll be shed of him by noon, and he’ll never be back to plague us.”

“How will you accomplish this miracle?” Sophia asked.

“It’s a secret, Sophia, and I don’t choose to share it with you.”

Georgina looked a tad alarmed. “Please don’t instigate any stupid schemes.”

“It’s not stupid, Georgina. In fact, it’s the best idea I’ve had in ages.”

He started out, and Sophia said, “Where are you going?”

“I need to hurry to town.”

“At this hour?”

“Yes, but I’ll be back in the morning.”

“To do what?”

“You’ll see when I arrive.”

He rushed out, and Georgina turned to Sophia.

“I have a bad feeling about this. I probably shouldn’t have told him about Mr. Drummond.”

“Probably not.”

“I’d hate to generate more discord. We’ve had enough conflict to last ten lifetimes.”

“You couldn’t make it any worse.”

“This is Miles, Sophia. He might commit any foolish deed.”

“Yes, he might.” Sophia sighed, then pushed herself to her feet. “Would you excuse me?”

“I was hoping we could discuss your mother. Despite what Miles assumes, we’ll have to leave, and she’s not prepared.”

“I can’t worry about it now. I have to…ah…speak with Mr. Roxbury.”

“About what?”

“About…nothing.” Sophia dashed out before Georgina could ask her what she meant.