At his harsh outcry, the mare skittered sideways and knocked over her pail of water. With a muttered curse Julian lunged for the fallen bucket. When he rose, Nellie was still standing there, her arms wrapped around herself, a stricken look on her face. His jaw dropped, the pail tumbled to the straw as he strode forward and put his hands tentatively on her shoulders.
“Nellie…” All the rancour he’d worked up on the trip home dissolved as he stared down at her. “I didn’t mean to—”
“I don’t know why I married him. I was naive and yearning to escape from the asylum and my father…” Gulping, she pressed her fingers against her face. “I had these girlish notions of what it was to fall in love, and Phillip appeared, and I transferred all those fanciful ideas onto him, but—but it was a fantasy, I realise that now, for both of us. He was looking for solace, and I was seeking an escape from the loneliness of my life, but I should never have eloped with him. And then I insisted we get married with all possible haste. I badgered and pestered him. That’s why…” She broke off, her distress causing his gut to clench.
“What? What are you trying to tell me?”
She lifted darkened eyes to him. “Mr. Derringer sent me a note earlier today. You recall he offered to find out the truth about my marriage, whether Pip had concealed a prior betrothal from me. Well—” she drew in a quick gulp of air, “—it appears Sir Thaddeus was telling the truth. Pip has been engaged to a Miss Montague for more than two years and the wedding was to be held this spring.”
“My God!” Julian couldn’t help himself bursting out. “He’s as devious as his damned father!”
“No, I don’t believe that. He lied to me, yes, but not out of deviousness. He’s simply misguided and…and desperate.”
“He’s a fraud. He lied to you and tricked you into giving yourself to him.” He stopped short, gulping hard as the image of an innocent Nellie offering her maidenhood to the wretched Pip blighted his mind. With a small gasp, she turned her head, and the action hurt him even more than his taunting imagination.
“I’m not entirely without blame,” she muttered. “I was a prude, caught up in notions about my respectability and the fantasy of marriage. Pip is a soft soul; he needs someone who can be his stalwart, but I could never be that, especially when his father turned on him. After that, I became a burden to him.”
Julian tightened his grip on her trembling shoulders. “Ye gods, he doesn’t deserve you. He’s a lily-livered featherweight.”
“No, he’s a tortured soul. Isn’t it obvious? Why else does he visit Madame Olga so often?”
Julian wanted to howl with frustration at her stubbornness. “Because he’s wracked with guilt over your death. Because he connived with Thaddeus to have you abducted and murdered, that’s why.”
“No, I refuse to believe that!”
“But you’ve contemplated it.” She did not respond, but her clouded gaze gave him answer enough. “Of course it horrifies you to think your phony husband would plot your demise, but you know it is a distinct possibility. Phillip scurried back to his father while you were out looking for employment. He had no means of support, and he was utterly incapable of living in poverty. His only option was to go crawling back to his father, cap in hand. Sir Thaddeus wanted you gone, but a public divorce would be too scandalous and take much too long. So Sir Thaddeus gave him an ultimatum. Get rid of your inconvenient wife immediately or live a life of penury forever. Phillip agreed, but he was too yellow-bellied to carry out the deed himself, so Sir Thaddeus organised the ambush. The bastard who assaulted you was supposed to have drowned you in the river, no doubt, but he was greedy. He wanted those rings of yours, and when I came to your rescue, he was in a quandary. He’d fouled up the job he’d been given, but he didn’t want to confess to Thaddeus. So instead he killed some poor streetwalker, hacked up her face, and put your rings on her. And now you’re dead, Phillip can live life on the hog again, as long as he does his father’s bidding.”
During his impassioned speech she’d said not a word. Now, with face set, she slowly disentangled herself from his grip. He wondered if he’d gone too far, but when she spoke her voice was low and hesitant.
“Everything you say is probably true, but I cannot condemn Pip without giving him a chance to defend himself.”
His gut clenched in protest. She must still nurse feelings for Phillip Ormond. How could she not see how feeble that boy was?
“Well, then, you must accost him with the truth.” Folding his arms, he regarded her brusquely. “You must show yourself to him.”
“I…haven’t decided that yet.”
She dipped her head to hide her scars from his sight. That was the first time she’d ever done that to him. He reached out to her chin and tilted her face back to him.
“Don’t ever hide yourself from me like that,” he said roughly. “I’m not your pernickety spouse. To me your face is perfect. Perfect, I tell you.”
A tide of colour rose in her cheeks. “Now who is the fanciful one?”
He brushed his thumb over the dimple in her chin, relishing the feel of her warm skin and delicate bone structure. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If your boy flinches at the sight of your scars, then he is not worth having.”
“Perhaps, but…” She chewed her lower lip pensively. “Perhaps I will write him a letter first.”
“A letter? That is hardly the way to confront him.”
“But I have no desire for confrontation or accusation. I wish only to know the truth.”
Reluctantly Julian released her chin and tucked his hand into his trouser pocket. He would never stand a chance with Nellie if she continued to harbour these conflicted feelings for Phillip. Once and for all the truth had to be wheedled out of Phillip, and without the need for Nellie to show herself.
“I have an idea on how we could trick Phillip into revealing himself,” he said, “but you may not approve.”
She glanced up, her interest piqued. “Oh? Why not?”
“It involves Madame Olga.”
“I see. Well, go on.”
As he proceeded to outline his plan, she remained silent, only the startled flickering in her eyes showing her response. Finally he stopped. Her furrowed brow did not auger well for her reaction.
“Well, what do you think?” he prompted when he grew tired of waiting.
“I think your plan is quite outlandish.”
“I hardly think insults are—”
“And I approve.”
He blinked. “You do?”
“Yes. Yes, I think it’s so peculiar it just might work.”
He rocked back and forth on his heels. “Ah. Well. A lot depends on you, you realise. You will have to give quite a performance.”
“Indeed. I’ll take instruction from Madame Olga and practice my part thoroughly.” For a few more moments she contemplated his plan, and when she lifted her gaze to him there was suffusing warmth in her eyes. “Oh, Julian, you’re brilliant. This has given me fresh hope.”
The glimmer in her moss-green eyes lit a spark in him. Without warning, desire rippled through his veins, causing his fingers to tremble, but he made himself give her a bland smile. “At least you will have a resolution of sorts.”
She moved forward and touched his arm. “You’re so ingenious. I never would have thought of such a scheme. In fact, you’ve done so much for me already. Thank you, Julian.”
Leaning forward, she rose on tiptoe and planted a light kiss on his cheek. For a split second he just stood there, transfixed by her action. A moment later, his body responded viscerally, and he wrapped an arm around her waist and slid his mouth over hers. She made a tiny gasp, and he feared she would pull away, but then her lips softened and yielded against his, and it felt as though the blazing summer sun had burst through. The honey of her kiss poured out like hot lava through him, surging to every region. It was as if he’d been frozen for eons, and now the heat of her mouth was flooding his body, dissolving all the ice.
Lifting his hand to the back of her neck, he cradled her head as he bent her over his arm and ravished her mouth once more. Her fingernails dug into the sleeves of his coat. For a moment it seemed she was about to rip herself away, but instead she pulled him closer, so close their bodies were plastered together and he could feel
