“No. Gratified certainly, annoyed-not likely. You’re a captivating little puss, Miss Perceval. Tell me,” he said, curious when he never was, “do you do this often?”
“I don’t see that it’s any of your concern.”
“Forgive me,” he suavely returned. “Naturally, it’s not.”
“Do you do this often?”
“Too often. You’re a damned refreshing change.”
“Another jaded gentleman. Why am I not surprised?”
“If it’s any consolation, jaded is not a feeling I recommend.”
“Then why do you do it?”
“Boredom, ennui, who knows,” he finished with a shrug. “You must live in the country,” he added, preferring less-encumbered subjects.
“Yes.”
“And you don’t wish to disclose where.”
She sighed. “I don’t know why. After the papers come out tomorrow morning, you’ll know anyway.”
“So?”
“I live near Cambridge.”
“That’s not very definitive.”
“Two miles north of town.”
“Better. What do you do there?”
“Take care of my estates.”
His brows lifted faintly. “For your despicable cousin to inherit.”
“Don’t remind me,” she grumbled.
“Why not marry? That would solve your problem.”
“Are you asking?” she playfully inquired.
“Lord no.” For a frightening moment he wondered if his earlier fear of being gulled had been mere prologue to this authentic gulling. “Don’t say you planned this for I tell you straight out, no one can make me marry.”
“Rest easy, Lennox. I don’t wish to shackle you or myself for that matter.”
Reassured, Oz drew her into his arms and set out to please her and himself in the bargain.
They made love that night slowly and gently, fiercely and wildly, like young lovers learning the other’s likes and dislikes for the first time. Neither were innocents, and yet they experienced simple long-forgotten pleasures in each other’s arms. They talked as well with a degree of candor neither had previously offered their lovers. She discovered he was alone in the world, his family gone. He discovered she was living an equally solitary life without close family. Maybe their common singleness put them in sympathy, or maybe it was their declared ambition to remain unmarried that prompted their unusual accord.
They both meant it, too, for possibly similar and unspoken reasons.
Near sunrise, they finally fell asleep in each other’s embrace after what could only be characterized as a night of extraordinary pleasure.
CHAPTER 3
EXHAUSTED, THEY SLEPT late. And so they would have continued if they’d not been wakened by Malmsey shouting and pounding on the adjoining door.
“He’s your barrister,” Oz grumbled, levering his eyes open. “But I’d be more than happy to tell him to go to hell.”
Dragged from a glorious dream starring Lennox, Isolde struggled to come awake, to make sense of Malmsey’s clamorous outcries. Then she heard the name Frederick and instantly came alert. “It’s about my cousin,” she muttered, pulling away from Oz’s embrace, sitting up and throwing her legs over the side of the bed in one swift motion.
“The loathsome one,” he muttered, fully awake now, tossing aside the covers.
“The same.” Dashing to the armoire, she snatched up her dressing gown and called out, “I’ll be right there, Malmsey!”
Oz had already left the bed and was stepping into his trousers, proficient at dressing rapidly after being surprised in numerous boudoirs by irate husbands over the years. Slipping on his shirt, he quickly rummaged through his overcoat pocket, pulled out his pistol, and checked that it was loaded.
“Good God, don’t use that,” Isolde declared, casting a nervous glance his way as she knotted the belt of her dressing gown and ran for the door.
“Only if I have to.” He didn’t believe in turning the other cheek when it came to survival.
Isolde was unlocking the door as he spoke and didn’t have time to take issue with Oz’s reply. Jerking the door open, she took one look at Malmsey’s terror-stricken face and crisply said, “Is he on his way here?”
“Worse, my lady. He’s downstairs with a brace of bullies at his back. Only Fremont’s burly footmen are holding them at bay.”
“How did he find me?” A brisk query, collected rather than fearful.
“He must have a spy-in your household I suspect.”
“Has he seen the papers?”
“Indeed, my lady. He’s brandishing a copy of the
“Let him up,” Oz directed, coming up beside Isolde. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said, meeting Isolde’s startled gaze. “I’ll send the blackguard on his way and you’ll be rid of him.”
She swung back to Malmsey. “How many men are with him?”
“Five or six.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Oz asserted. “Cowards never stand their ground, retinue or not.”
“I don’t know,” Isolde equivocated. “What if they’re armed? Perhaps we should flee.”
“He’ll follow you wherever you go,” Oz gently observed. “Let me take care of this.” He glanced at the barrister. “Tell her I’m right, Malmsey.”
The barrister was ashen. “I’m not sure, sir-that is… Lord Compton has so many ruffians with him.”
“Then I’ll shoot Compton first,” Oz said in a level voice. “Once he’s dead, paid hooligans won’t stand their ground.”
“Dead? Good God, Lennox, don’t say such things!” Isolde exclaimed.
“Darling, he’s trying to take everything you have. He doesn’t deserve a great deal of charity.”
“Still… dead?” Her eyes were huge. “I find the prospect too awful to even contemplate!”
But a moment later, any further argument became moot as the heavy tramp of feet echoed up the stairs and a confrontation became inevitable.
“In or out, Malmsey?” Oz crisply queried. “I’m shutting this door.”
“Really, Robert, you needn’t become involved,” Isolde declared.
“No, miss, I couldn’t leave you unprotected.” The rotund little barrister pulled himself up to his middling height and tried to look fierce.
“Excellent,” Oz politely remarked, waving the little man into the bedroom, hoping he wouldn’t faint and cause a distraction. Quickly shutting the door behind him and locking it, he turned to his companions. “I want you both to stay out of sight. I’ve dealt with men like Compton before. Don’t argue, darling,” he firmly added, holding Isolde’s gaze. “You’ll only get in the way.”
“My dear Lennox,” Isolde said as firmly, “this confrontation is exactly what I need to confirm the story in the papers. I think he
Oz smiled. “You can’t be serious. Do you actually think I’d remain out of sight while he threatens you?”
“I’ll simply inform him that the gossip reports are true and he can go on his way.”
“Suit yourself.” He chose not to uselessly argue. The heavy tread of footsteps was almost upon them.
The knock on the hallway door a moment later was a rough tattoo, followed by Frederick’s petulant cry. “Open
