Wicked Seduction (27 page)

“Exactly!” the earl gloated as he pulled down his waistcoat. “You are nothing but a savage compared to me.”

Kit nodded. “True, true, but the thing about reputations is that they are hard to maintain and easy to destroy. Just look at how easily you destroyed Maddy’s. A whisper here, a knowing look there, and suddenly you have destroyed the one thing she wants most of all: a husband and a good, respectable life.” He lifted his chin and stared hard at the bastard. “You broke Maddy, my lord, you took what she most wanted and destroyed it before her very eyes. And for that you should die.”

“I was not the one who rutted with her tonight.”

Guilt was a sour burn in his stomach. One day, perhaps, he would forgive himself for the things he had done. But tonight was for the earl.

“She offered herself to me, and I was too weak to refuse. But if she has taught me anything, it is that broken men can be healed. And broken women too, if I have anything to say about it.”

“You bore me, sirrah.” The earl turned to leave, but Kit was faster. Before the man could do more than turn, Kit threw his knife such that it embedded in the wall right before his nose. And then lest the man have any other ideas, Kit retrieved two other blades from a nearby drawer. In truth, he had seven different weapons spaced throughout his tiny two rooms. He did not need to move more than a step to put his hands on a gun.

Kit breathed deep as he pushed to his feet. It was time to end the banter and get on with the punishment. “I have let it be known that you stole all of your niece’s money. She never was your whore, but you let it out that she was so that she would never marry and no one would learn what you had done.”

“It’s a lie!” bellowed the earl. “She had nothing when she came to me.”

“Yes, it is a lie, but one that is well founded. I have paid a young man very well to make noise about his investigation into those allegations. Eventually he will find nothing, but he will take a great deal of time to find nothing. And he will be quite noisy about his suspicions.”

“The devil you say!” the man exploded. “I will be ruined in the financial circles!”

“Just as you ruined Maddy in the Marriage Mart.”

The earl rubbed a hand over his fleshy face. “I am well known. No one will believe it!”

“Ah, but you have a penchant for gambling, don’t you? The earldom is not so well seated as you would have people believe. I am sure that could come to light. And the fact that you had your wife killed because she discovered you had wasted all your money. She was going to tell everyone of your crime.”

“That’s a lie! I never touched Susan!”

And there, Kit saw the real brokenness in the man. His voice shook with rage at the mention of his wife. There had been true love there, he guessed, and perhaps her death is what had turned the man into a villain. If Kit were still a slave, he would push the advantage. He would pull up the haunting specter of Susan’s death and find a way to make everyone believe that the man had murdered his beloved wife.

But Kit was no longer a slave, and so he had enough mercy to bow his head. “No one will hear that rumor, my lord, and all the whispers of an investigation will fade to silence if you do one thing.”

The earl narrowed his eyes. “I could have you killed. Taken by footpads in the middle of the night. Have your guts spilled in the London streets for the dogs to piss on.”

As threats go, that would probably have most London men shaking in their boots. But such a threat had little impact on a man who had once been a pirate slave.

“You could try,” Kit returned, “but even if you succeed, it would not silence any rumors. Quite the opposite, in fact, for I have already given instructions should I suffer an untimely demise.”

The earl swallowed. His pasty skin was slick with sweat. “What do you want?”

“Gift Maddy with a showy dowry. Something that would prove to one and all that you have not embezzled anything. Ten thousand pounds should do it, I believe.”

“Ten thousand pounds! You’re mad!”

“You have the money, my lord. You might have to stop gambling for a while, forego the investment in that mining venture up north, and perhaps economize at home for a time.”

“But I never touched her!”

“You said you did. You ruined her, and now you will pay. Eleven thousand, I believe. More if you argue further.”

“You bastard!”

Kit merely raised his eyebrows. He saw no point in trading insults with the man. The punishment was already given. All that was left was to make sure the lesson stuck.

Kit took a slow turn around the room. The earl was still huffing and spitting, but it was a losing battle. He had no other recourse, and so he would bow to the inevitable.

“Fine, you bloody thief! I will gift her with six thousand pounds, and not a groat more.”

“It will be twelve thousand now or I shall begin to spread rumors regarding your lovely wife. Where there other reasons to kill her? Was she cheating on you? Did she find you so disgusting that she turned to a lover half her age?”

He expected the earl to attack then. The man was not subtle, and his fury burned the air between them. But the man was also not stupid. He would lose a fight and lose badly. There was more bluster, more dickering, but the end was inevitable. An hour later, a bargain was struck.

“Twelve thousand pounds. Agreed.”

Chapter 26

It was an hour before dawn by the time Maddy made it home. Questions and worries piled up in her brain until she was numb. What did the men have to discuss? What would she do now as a mistress instead of a miss in search of a man? How would she tell Rose? And how had Uncle Frank found her anyway?

The house was silent when she entered, but there was a candle still burning for her. She took it with her, her hands shaking so bad she spilled wax on her dress. Would she have money to buy a new one? As a mistress, would Kit pay for her gowns? Or would he keep her naked and in his bed every day?

The thought had some appeal, especially given how wonderful this night had been. She was immersed in memories of all that had happened when she pushed open her bedroom door and squeaked in alarm. There was a dark shape on her bed that momentarily terrified her. But it quickly resolved itself into a girl with a spill of golden blond curls. Rose. Asleep in her bed.

“Rose, honey, what are you doing here?” Maddy gasped.

Rose came grudgingly awake, rubbing her eyes and rolling onto her back in a twist of blankets. “You’re home. I was so worried,” she mumbled.

“Yes, sweetheart, I’m home. I’m sorry I upset you.”

Rose pushed herself upright. “Did he hurt you?” she asked before a huge yawn distorted her features.

“Who?”

Rose grimaced. “Mr. Frazier, of course. I saw him carry you off. His brother said it was nothing. That he would make sure you were all right, but when you didn’t come home . . .” Rose shrugged. “I had to tell Father.”

Now she knew how Uncle Frank had found them. “Well, it’s over now,” she lied. “You can go back to your bed.”

Rose pushed her hair out of her face. “I don’t think so,” she said slowly. “Father said he had to throw you out now. I told him Mr. Frazier had a fit and abducted you, but he said it didn’t matter.”

Maddy nodded. “I know. But we can talk about this tomorrow—”

“No!” Rose cried. “I don’t want you to leave! And I don’t want him abducting
you
. Not when he loves
me
.”

Maddy froze halfway through pulling off her shoes. In all the commotion, she had forgotten that Rose believed herself destined to be married to Kit. “Sweetheart, you know that Mr. Frazier’s mind isn’t strong enough to marry. Not yet. What did you think of his brother?”

Rose smiled, and her cheeks colored prettily. “He was very nice, but not very helpful. I knew more about his brother than he did.”

“Ah. So you grilled him about Kit.”

“I
asked
him about his brother. It’s only natural if I’m going to marry him.”

“But—”

“Oh, never mind!” she huffed as she suddenly scrambled out of bed. “You don’t understand!”

“Rose,” Maddy said, trying to make sense of her mercurial cousin. “Wait—”

But the girl was already at the door, releasing a longsuffering sigh before she spoke. “Don’t worry, Maddy. And don’t pack! I have it all worked out.”

Maddy pushed to her feet. “What do you mean? What have you worked out?”

“It will all be settled tomorrow. I have a plan. You’ll see.”

“Rose—”

“No! This time I am not telling you. My plans go awry when I let you do all the work. It’s time for me to take matters in my own hands.”

“But—”

“No,” Rose said, looking more serious and more determined than ever before. “I won’t let you live on the street. I won’t!” And with that she left, firmly shutting the door behind her.

Maddy stared at the closed door, her mind whirling. Obviously Rose had some fool notion in her head, but whatever the plan, it wouldn’t happen until tomorrow. Right now, she had plenty to sort through, first and foremost being how to face Uncle Frank when he returned home. But no matter how she tried, she couldn’t decide on anything.

In disgust, she fell backward on her bed and flopped her arm across her eyes. Moments later, her mind surrendered and she fell asleep.

She woke hours later, stiff and embarrassed. One look out the window told her it was abominably late. Possibly after noon! How could she have slept so long? Kit would be here any minute!

She bolted upright and rang for the maid while trying to strip out of yesterday’s clothing and comb out her rat’s nest hair. Gilly, the upstairs maid, came quickly enough, her eyes alight with curiosity.

Maddy began with the easiest question. “Why wasn’t I woken earlier?”

“Lady Rose left absolute instructions to not wake you. Said you were mighty ill.”

“That was very kind of her,” she said, fully aware that “kind” was not a word she often used for Rose. “But I’m doing better now. Is anyone waiting downstairs?”

“No, miss.”

“Well, thank heaven for that,” she said as she studied the maid’s face. Gilly’s eyes were lively and she was biting her lip as if she had something desperately important she wanted to say. “Is there something I should know?” she asked.

“No, miss,” the girl answered as she pulled out a fresh gown from the wardrobe. “It’s just that we’re all right worried, is all, with you sick and Rose gone and the earl not home yet.”

Maddy froze. “The earl never returned home last night?”

“No, miss. Sammy heard him come home last night and speak with Rose, but then he left again right afterward.”

Maddy nearly groaned. The gossip belowstairs was likely flying! “Well,” she lied, “that certainly is a mystery. Do you think you could ask Rose to come up here while I brush out my hair?”

“Oh no, miss. Lady Rose got up early this morning and declared that she would go shopping in Mayfair. Didn’t want me to come along,” she said with a sniff, “but took the little scullery girl Tessa.”

Maddy frowned. Her mind was too slow. “Why would Rose want Tessa? The girl is barely ten years old.”

“I wouldn’t know, miss,” Gilly answered with yet another sniff.

It made no sense at all. None of it did. Where was Uncle Frank? And Kit? She grimaced in the mirror. She would get no answers staring at herself in half dress. “Very well,” she said, as she ruthlessly pulled her brush through the knots in her hair. “Help me dress quickly and I shall see what I can discover.”

Except, of course, there was nothing to discover. No one else had any more information. Uncle Frank was gone. Rose was in Mayfair for whatever reason. And Kit had not yet called. Maddy had no choice but to drink tepid tea and toy with her breakfast. A breakfast eaten at ten past noon, no less. Certainly most of the
ton
lived like that, sleeping in until one or two, but not Maddy. She always had tasks to do, a menu to plan, shopping to organize. Yet even those mundane tasks eluded her today. All she was good for was drawing wet circles from the tea she’d spilled on the table.

And then—thank heaven—the knocker sounded. She rushed to the door, even though it was unseemly. Kit stood in the doorway, looking relaxed and confident as she hadn’t seen . . . ever! She barely restrained herself from throwing herself into his arms.

“Mr. Frazier!” she said warmly. “How wonderful of you to call. Please, would you care to step inside the front salon?”

He nodded politely, but his eyes were hungry as they roved over her features. She blushed at his look. Had he been thinking of her as much—and as graphically—as she had been thinking of him?

She led him into the parlor, keeping the door open out of habit. It was, after all, the proper thing to do when she had no chaperone. It wasn’t until after he bowed over her hand and began murmuring things that she realized just how silly an open door was.

“I have been thinking of you every second,” he said against her skin. Then he straightened slowly. “I have been dreaming of kissing your breasts, of pulling your tight nipples into my mouth and sucking on them as I spread your legs and—”

“Kit!” she gasped.

“Yes, Miss Wilson?” His face was the picture of innocence.

She swallowed. Her mind suffused with images of exactly what he’d described. “I think I shall like being your mistress,” she said.

Oddly enough, his smile faded at that. She had thought he would be pleased. “Kit?”

“I should tell you what has occurred,” he said as he led her to a settee.

She nodded. “Yes, please. Uncle Frank came back only briefly last night. He’s been out all morning.”

Kit nodded. “I know. He has decided to repair to his family seat as the Season is now over.”

She blinked. “But he hasn’t gotten any of his things. And he hates—”

“I’m sure he will send for them.”

“But—”

“He is gone, Maddy. You need never worry about him touching you again.”

It took a moment for his words to penetrate. But when they did, a huge weight slid from her shoulders. She hadn’t even realized how much strain she carried until it magically disappeared. She exhaled a long sigh of relief. “He never actually touched me, Kit,” she said softly. “He just—”

“He did enough. He ruined your reputation and was cornering you into a life you did not want.”

She nodded, but her eyes lifted slowly to his. “But I do want it,” she said. “With you.”

He smiled, his expression moving from urbane to passionate in a blink of an eye. But then it was quickly shuttered, and he did not allow her to touch him.

“There is more,” he said softly. “You need to hear it all.”

She nodded, encouraging him to go on.

“I would have come earlier, but I was with your uncle and his solicitor.”

She blinked. “His solicitor? Whatever for?”

“The earl has decided to gift you with a dowry, Maddy. Twelve thousand pounds.”

“What!” She was so shocked she straightened bolt upright. “No! It’s not possible,” she said, shaking her head. “He wouldn’t.”

“He did, Maddy. He has.”

Maddy tried to imagine it, but she couldn’t. It just didn’t fit. “No, Kit, he wouldn’t. What did you do?”

“I pointed out his sins, that is all. Told him he has to make up for what he did to you.”

“But—”

“He was the one who made it that amount, Maddy. Twelve thousand pounds. The documents were signed this morning.” Then he pressed her hands between his. “Think on it for a moment. You are an heiress, now. You can have another Season, pay for your own clothes, look as high as you want for your husband.”

She shook her head. “No, no. I don’t want someone else.”

“Think on it!” he said, his voice harsh. “You can have anything you want. Even . . .” He swallowed. “Even virginity can be faked,” he said softly. “Women have been doing it for centuries.”

She didn’t know what to say. What she wanted was so clear in her mind. She wanted to stay in society, selling Kit’s jewelry and being his lover. She wanted a husband and children and a respectable life. But apparently those weren’t possible all together. Kit had done everything he could to give her what she wanted . . . except for himself.

“What about you?” she whispered. It wasn’t a clear question. She wasn’t sure if she meant would he offer for her? Or would he disappear to the country again?

“I know what I want, Maddy. Thanks to you, I am temporarily employed with Sysselmann Shipping, teaching them how to protect against pirates. Brandon and Scher’s money is repairing my ship, and Alex—sweet young Alex—has worked a miracle as well. He and his father have found a cargo for me. I shall have income and purpose again. And there is always the sale of the jewelry.”

“You won’t stop that?”

He shook his head. “You are too good a saleswoman for me to walk away from that much money.”

She smiled, but it was only a halfhearted smile as it was only half her desires. “Kit . . .” she began, not even knowing what she wanted to say. Then the door suddenly burst wide as Gilly rushed forward, a tiny Tessa stumbling after.

“Miss! Miss, you must hear this!”

Both Maddy and Kit jumped to their feet. The poor scullery girl Tessa was shaking in terror, tears streaking down her cheeks. In her fist was a crumpled piece of paper.

“Easy, easy,” murmured Kit as he smiled at the girl.

“Really, Gilly!” said Maddy with a voice that struggled to be calm. “You’re scaring us and the girl.”

“Lady Rose has been stolen!” Gilly cried. “Tell her!” She shoved Tessa forward.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Maddy snapped, much too used to Rose’s flights of fancy to tolerate it in the servants. But neither girl appeared to be exaggerating.

“What’s this you have in your hand?” asked Kit gently as he went to touch the crumpled paper. The girl jerked it away from him, her eyes huge, but then she did extend it to Maddy.

“They took ’er right off the street!” said Gilly. “That’s what she said. Right off the street!”

“Hush!” admonished Maddy, though confusion warred with fear in her heart. How could a person be stolen? Meanwhile, she had finally gotten the linen out of Tessa’s hand. She didn’t even look at it, but kept her eyes on the girl while passing the page to Kit. He would read it for her while she focused on the girl. “Now let’s start from the beginning,” she said. “You went to Mayfair with Lady Rose?”

Tessa nodded, her eyes huge, but at least she wasn’t crying so hard now.

“Then what happened?”

It took three tries before the girl would speak, but eventually she got the words out. “She t-told me to w-wait. Said I was to stand on the c-corner and watch.”

“Which corner?” Kit asked.

The girl started, shying away from his curt tone. Maddy didn’t have to look to know that his face had gone dark and cold. So she interspersed her body between his and Tessa’s, going down on her knees so that she could be eye-to-eye with young girl.

“Don’t look at him. Look at me,” she said gently. “Where were you?”

“Outside the milliner. She t-told m-me to stand on the corner. Two stores away! I couldn’t help her, mum. I t-tried, but I couldn’t! She were gone afore I could do anything!”

“Of course you tried, Tessa, but let’s go back a moment. You were standing on the corner. What happened next?”

“She went into the shop. Then she came out. Then s-she went back in. Then she came out again.”

“She went in and out twice?”

“Yes, miss.”