Seduced at Midnight

hair, widening his eyes to keep them from closing. Because he sure as hell didn't want to see the image in his dream again. The image of Julianne, trapped inside a glass coffin, screaming and pounding on the glass, begging to be set free. And himself, tossing shovelful after shovelful of dirt onto her glass coffin.

Chapter 18

With the disturbing dream ®

'So the princess still sleeps,' he murmured, pushing aside an image of Julianne in bed.

Caesar licked his chops and sent a longing look toward the door, and Gideon shook his head. 'Ah, I see. You thought I was referring to your princess rather than mine.' He frowned at his unfortunate choice of words. Mine was the one thing Julianne could never be.

'I'm headed to the kitchen, where I'll scare up something good for you. Then you can go outdoors for a while and smell every blade of grass you care to smell. Does that sound good?'

Caesar made a noise that sounded like a grunt of approval.

'Excellent.' Gideon stood, murmured, 'Guard,' then made his way to the kitchen where he was greeted by Mrs. Linquist, who was very relieved to hear his report that there had been no disturbances the night before.

Gideon had just finished his breakfast of eggs, ham, and coffee when Ethan entered the kitchen. 'Someone to see ye, Mr. Mayne,' the footman said. 'Says his name is Mr. Henry Locke. I showed him to the morning room. Are ye available?'

'Yes, thank you.' Hopefully Henry had some news for him. After securing Mrs. Linquist's promise to see that food was brought to Caesar, Gideon followed Ethan from the kitchen. The footman escorted him to an elaborately decorated chamber with a distinctly feminine flare. Henry sat perched on a ridiculous little chair with a pink velvet cushion, eyeing the multitude of trinkets in the room. Gideon could almost see him running a tally in his head as to their value.

'You have news for me?' Gideon asked the moment the door closed behind Ethan.

'Yes,' Henry said. His gaze scanned the room. 'Quite the palace yor set up in here, Gid.' His eyes glittered, and he flashed a smile. 'Best ye not get used to it.'

'Don't worry. I know where I come from. What have you found out?'

'Been checking the names on the list ye sent me. Nothing out of the ordinary with any of the servants. All have been with the family for over a year, some for more than a decade, except a footman named Ethan Weller, who was hired on eight months ago.'

'He's the one who escorted you to this room.'

Henry nodded. 'Seemed a decent lad, but as ye know, looks can be deceivin'. Other than him being employed here the shortest amount of time, nothing stood out about him.' He looked down to consult the list he held. 'The three delivery people who were here have all been in business for years and are well respected. One of them, the coal porter, a young man named Johnny Burns, seemed a bit nervous when I questioned him, but that could be 'cause the missus just had a baby. Tends to make a man jumpy.'

'How jumpy?' Gideon asked, narrowing his eyes.

Henry shrugged. 'Enough so I noticed it. But ?otiidelike I said, the wife just popped out a babe. That's enough to put any man off, if ye ask me.'

'What about the gentlemen callers?'

Henry's eyes lit up. 'Ah, now that's where things get interestin'.'

'In what way?'

Henry again consulted his list. 'First, there's Lord Beechmore. Good thing the man has his looks, because he doesn't have much else. Likes to gamble, Lord Beechmore does. Unfortunately for him, he's not real lucky. Owes a lot of money to a lot people. Had some recent financial setbacks.'

Information Gideon had already discovered. 'So marrying a wealthy heiress would work out nicely for him.'

'Based on how much he owes, I'd say it's essential he marry an heiress. As for Lord Haverly,' Henry's lips flattened into a grim line, 'apparently his lordship likes to rough up his women. Heard from one doxie that he hurt her pretty bad.'

Gideon clenched his hands and swallowed his revulsion. 'Bastard.'

'Agreed. Then there's the Duke of Eastling. His first wife died a year and a half ago, after only ten months of marriage.'

'How did she die?'

'Reports said suicide. She left a note claimin' she were distraught over losin' the baby she carried.'

'You sound skeptical. Any reason to believe that's not the case?'

'The duchess's maid, who the duke dismissed right after the funeral, told me the real reason her mistress was upset, and subsequently lost her baby, was she found out her husband had been dippin' his wick in other wells. Lots of other wells.'

Gideon clenched his jaw. He tried to dredge up some inkling of sympathy for a man who'd lost his unborn child and wife, but came up empty. The only one he felt sorry for was the unfortunate duchess who was married to the adulterous bastard. A habit the duke would no doubt continue after marrying Julianne, a fact that coated Gideon's stomach with hot fury.

Henry continued, 'The maid also said that even though the duchess was saddened over the state of her marriage and losing her child, she just couldn't believe she would take her own life. And then there was the way she died. Put a pistol in her mouth and pulled the trigger. Maid insisted she'd never do that. Claimed the duchess had a fear of firearms.'

Gideon mulled that over. Was it possible it hadn't been suicide? Had the duke had a hand in his young wife's demise? But why would he? The death had been ruled a suicide, a note had been left, and losing a child was certainly something that could send a woman into a deep melancholy. Gideon knew from experience that people often couldn't credit that their loved one would end their own life. But why would she shoot herself if she were afraid of firearms? Was he casting a suspicious eye on the duke because the man deserved it? Or was he allowing his personal dislike and jealousy of the man who would marry Julianne to color his thinking? He hated the thought of that bastard touching her, of cheating on her, but that didn't make the man a murderer. In truth, Gideon hated the thought of any man touching her.

Unable to come up with any answers, he instead asked, 'What about Penniwick?'

'He'll apparently tup anything that stands still long enough. Has fathered a number of by-blows. Found the mother of one of them. A former mistress he deserted when she became pregnant. Apparently Penniwick refused to acknowledge he was responsible. She claims the child is his and couldn't be anyone else's. She also claims Penniwick stole two bracelets and a necklace from her.'

Gideon's brows raised at this interesting piece of news. 'Did she report the thefts?'

Henry shook his head. 'No. The pieces were paste, although she says Penniwick didn't know they were. She decided the laugh was on him.' Henry folded his paper and tucked it into his waistcoat.

'What about Lord Walston?'

Henry shook his head. 'Couldn't find the slightest whiff of scandal or bad behavior about the man.'

Gideon's brows rose. 'Nothing?'