Miss Verey’s Proposal

must look suspicious! However, have you considered that your own actions are also most questionable?’

‘Mine!’ Jane looked incredulous. ‘I have no notion what you mean-’

‘No?’ Alex was not smiling any longer. His face looked as cold and carved as stone. ‘Consider the circumstances. I find you skulking in the dark walks alone last night at Vauxhall. You tell me a very thin tale to explain the situation. When you are reunited with your brother, you give him a sign to say nothing. I had already seen him in very dubious company last night and tonight he is found dead drunk in a low neighbourhood. And I believe that you know what is going on.’ He brought his clenched fist down with heavy emphasis. ‘This seems most suspicious to me, Miss Verey!’

Jane’s head was spinning. ‘I assure you, there was nothing remotely suspect about my behaviour last night! I only gestured to Simon to keep quiet because-’ She broke off, suddenly aware that any explanation would incriminate Sophia and Philip in some way. Alex was waiting patiently, his dark gaze riveted on her face.

‘You appear to be in some difficulty, Miss Verey,’ he said after a moment. ‘The natural consequences of chicanery, I fear! And can you be surprised at my distrust? You have, after all, proved yourself adept at deception!’

Jane gasped. ‘How dare you, sir! I have done no such thing!’

‘No?’ Alex said again. ‘What about the exchange of partners at Lady Winterstoke’s dinner, the change of dominoes at the masquerade…I do not believe that you are to be trusted, Miss Verey!’

Jane found that she was on her feet with no real idea of how she got there. She reached for the door handle, but Alex was before her, resting one hand against the panels and blocking her path.

‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ he said pleasantly. ‘Not until you have told me what I need to know!’

‘This is outrageous!’ Jane realised that her voice was shaking. ‘You cannot behave in this high-handed manner, sir! How dare you accuse me of deception when all I have done is oppose your plan to marry me off to your brother!’

‘Perhaps we may discuss that on another occasion, Miss Verey,’ Alex said smoothly. ‘Just now it is very important that I know what it going on. The company your brother is keeping is dangerous-’

‘I know that!’ Jane glared at him. ‘I told you that that man was trying to kill you!’ She stopped suddenly, seeing the flash in his eyes and realising that she had been provoked into saying rather more than she had intended. She bit her lip.

‘And just how much do you know about that, Miss Verey?’ Alex said, very softly.

Suddenly Jane was frightened. There had always been something exciting about crossing swords with Alexander Delahaye, but now she realised that she was completely out of her depth. This was real, and dangerous and threatening. She thought of the way in which he had casually referred to her deceit, the fact that he did not trust her, and the tears stung her eyes.

Alex stood back with an ironic bow, gesturing to her to sit down again. Jane sat without a word, curling up as tight as she could for both warmth and comfort.

‘Shall we start again, Miss Verey?’ Alex said.

There was a little silence. The candle flame flickered. Jane capitulated.

‘Very well! There is no mystery! It is misfortunes in love rather than anything else that trouble Simon.’

‘Indeed. What matter of the heart could take him to Spitalfields?’

Jane’s eyes flashed at his disbelieving tone. ‘Something far less dubious than your own activities, I am sure, your Grace! Simon is looking for a young lady by the name of Therese, who apparently lives there. He wishes to marry her.’

There was a sharp silence. ‘Does he, by God!’ For the first time, Alex seemed startled. ‘Mademoiselle Therese de Beaurain?’

‘Mademoiselle-’ Jane broke off. ‘Is that her other name? You know her?’

‘I know of her,’ Alex admitted. ‘She is the daughter of the late Vicomte de Beaurain, who lost his head in the Revolution. Her mother fled to England with her daughter when the child was very young. I imagine that she must be about twenty years of age now. Her mother is an invalid and Mademoiselle de Beaurain supports both of them on a pittance from sewing. How did Simon meet her?’

‘She was at the masquerade ball,’ Jane said, in a small voice. Suddenly Simon’s Therese had become a real person and had taken on her own character. Jane looked at Alex, troubled.

‘Simon saw her again at Vauxhall last night, and rushed off to try to speak to her. She was with the man in the striped waistcoat, the one who-’ She broke off. ‘Oh, I do hope that Simon knows what he is doing…I would not like to think that Miss de Beaurain is involved in something criminal…’

‘Do not worry,’ Alex spoke quietly. ‘As far as I know, Mademoiselle de Beaurain is quite innocent. She has nothing to reproach herself for except a stubborn pride which I understand has led to a rupture with the English branch of the family!’

‘Oh, how unfortunate!’ Jane’s sympathies were already thoroughly engaged with the young emigree girl who had to struggle so hard to care for herself and her parent. ‘You mean that she has relatives who might help them?’

‘Yes, indeed, very respectable ones! Her mother is a distant cousin of General Sir John Huntington, who heard of their plight several years ago and summoned Therese de Beaurain to offer them a home.’ Alex smiled. ‘I only know of this because I heard him telling all and sundry of his kind condescension in offering a home to destitute relatives! Truth to tell, he was so patronising that I can only imagine he offended the girl mortally. Anyway, the whole ton was later regaled with the story of how he had had his generosity spurned and that the family could rot in hell for all he cared! Not a pretty tale!’

Jane shivered. ‘So they have been left to make shift as best they can? How cruel!’

‘It seems very harsh, certainly. But if Simon can rescue her from all that-’ Alex shrugged. ‘But we are becoming distracted from the main point. I am relieved to know that there is so innocuous an explanation for tonight’s escapade, although I suppose finding Simon drunk outside his beloved’s house is a sign that his suit is not prospering!’

‘No,’ Jane said cautiously, ‘I believe that it is not!’ She took her courage in both hands. ‘But Simon’s misfortunes are not the main concern, are they, your Grace? It was only coincidence that brought him into contact with the man in the striped waistcoat-oh, I wish I knew his name, for to refer to him as such sounds so foolish! But he is clearly the one who is dangerous!’

‘His name is Samways,’ Alex said, stirring the fire to a fresh blaze, ‘and he is, as you have surmised, Miss Verey, a dangerous man. I do not know what led you to disbelieve my excuse that he was merely a common pickpocket. I thought I was a better liar than that!’

Jane smiled faintly. ‘I am not really sure why I did not believe you, but-it was his demeanour, I suppose, and the fact that he did not look as though he intended to rob, but to kill.’ She shivered convulsively, despite the warmth of the fire. Looking up, she found that Alex was watching her with a thoughtful regard.

‘I suppose that you cannot tell me what this is all about,’ she finished, a little forlornly.

‘You suppose correctly, Miss Verey.’ Alex gave her a slight smile. ‘It really is safer that you do not know! Take comfort from the fact that Simon’s Therese is innocent and that her association with Samways is not a close one!’ He sighed. ‘It seems unfortunate that Simon should choose this of all times to visit Spitalfields! It is not a healthy place to be!’

Jane had other fears. ‘Upon my word,’ she burst out, ‘you do not seem very concerned that someone wishes to murder you! One might almost believe that you encounter such situations every day!’

Alex grinned. He got to his feet and stretched. Jane hastily averted her gaze.

‘You would be surprised, Miss Verey!’ he said easily. ‘Thank you for your help tonight. I regret that I cannot enlighten you on the reason for my interest and once again I must beg you to keep quiet about this. One day, perhaps, I will tell you why…’

His gaze travelled over her, lingering on the soft hair tumbling about her shoulders and the slender curves of her body beneath the thin robe. Jane, who had been about to uncurl from the chair and stand up, kept very still. Suddenly there was an expression on Alex’s face that she did not understand, but it turned her throat dry and started her heart racing.

‘I must also thank you for your concern,’ Alex said slowly. His voice had dropped several tones. ‘I do believe that you are genuinely upset at the thought of someone sticking a knife in me!’

‘Of course it concerns me!’ Jane’s voice had risen, anxiety overriding her natural reticence. ‘A strange creature