Heaven Scent (10 page)

“
Look here, young man,”
Pensworthy said, as he glanced at Isabel, “I was a father long
before you were even born.”

“Congratulations to you, sir,” he
replied. “And what did you have – a daughter? A son?”

The question obviously caught
Pensworthy off guard. “A-a daughter.”

“And I assume you would not abide a man
speaking to her in the same manner you’re speaking to these ladies.
Am I right?” Rafe looked down on the man with a patient
frown.

The hackles on Pensworthy’s back were
up again. “This country is free, and our fifth amendment allows
freedom of speech.”

Rafe nodded. “And our Declaration of
Independence allows these ladies, as citizens, to pursue their own
happiness. Now, they may disagree with me, but I don’t believe that
having a man of your station bellowing at them is a means toward
that happiness.”

Pensworthy did not respond. He simply
stared at Rafe with a thunderstruck frown. Tarin could not believe
her eyes. Pensworthy was actually speechless.

“Obviously, you are a man well informed
of current events,” Rafe said with a smile, as he clapped him on
the back. He turned Mr. Pensworthy towards the street. “What is
your view on the acquisition of Texas?” The gentlemen walked a few
feet away and continued their conversation.

“Did you see that?” Kitty asked in a
fierce whisper.

“I was sitting right here,” Tarin
replied, her eyes glued to the conversation going on a few feet
away.

“Yes, my son is rather defensive of
women that are badgered by men.” Isabel stood before them, smiling.
Tarin’s heart flipped in her chest. Rafe had actually defended
their cause. Had actually fought a demon that had haunted them
since the inception of their crusade. It took all of her will not
to run and throw her arms around his neck.

“That was most kind of him,” Tarin told
Isabel. “Mr. Pensworthy visits us often to state his
view.”

“Yes, men are rather narrow-minded when
it comes to change, aren’t they?” Isabel commented, as she watched
the men in deep discussion. “Particularly when that change involves
women.”

A few minutes later, the men approached
the table to stand in front of Tarin. She glanced first at
Pensworthy, then Rafe. He winked at her with a smile.

“Well, young lady, where do I sign?”
Pensworthy asked, in a gruff voice.

Kitty stilled. Tarin knew her eyes were
like carriage wheels. How did Rafe do it? She searched his gaze for
some sign, some clue as to how he had persuaded such a staunch
opponent to change his mind.

“Right here,” she replied, handing
Pensworthy the pen and pointing at the next available line on the
petition.

She watched as he scrawled his
signature on the form. “Thank you for supporting our
cause.”

“You have this young man to thank,” he
replied, handing her the pen and straightening. “He’s made me see
things in a new light. No one can accuse me of being set in my
ways.”

Turning around to shake Rafe’s hand,
Mr. Pensworthy bid them all a good day and left.

Tarin stared at Rafe in awe. “I don’t
know what to say…”

He smiled at her. “Thank you would work
for me.”

The man was positively irresistible
when he smiled. Tarin clasped her hands behind her back to keep
from throwing herself at him.

“Thank you,” Kitty said, her eyes no
less round.

“You’re welcome,” Rafe
replied, smiling at them before turning back to Tarin. “Looks like
you owe me, Miss Worthington.
Again
.”

Her heart picked up speed until she
thought it would jump out of her chest. “Rafe Sutherland, you are
not going to try that again.”

He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Try? I thought I’d succeeded rather well last night.”

Blushing feverishly, Tarin glanced at
Isabel, then her friend who stared at her as though she wore
drawers on her head.

“Oh, don’t mind me,” Kitty said with
obvious interest. “I’m just listening.”

Rafe laughed before giving Tarin one of
his arrogant grins. He enjoyed making her blush, the brute. He
enjoyed making her feel self-conscious in front of her friend. How
could a man be so… honorable one moment, and such a scoundrel the
next?

“I don’t recall you signing the
petition, son,” Isabel said, pointing at the petition on the
table.

“Yes, Mr. Sutherland,” Tarin chimed in,
“your signature is suspiciously absent from our
document.”

Rafe stared at Tarin a long moment, his
eyes leisurely perusing her body in that maddening way of his. The
air was suddenly stifling, her stomach barely containing the
butterflies that had taken flight within it. Why, oh why, couldn’t
she control herself?

“Looks like Miss Worthington wants to
run a tab.”

Rafe’s fingers brushed hers as he took
the pen. Tarin snatched her hand away. Just that brief touch caused
her mind to flood with memories of his hands caressing her back,
his soft, coaxing lips on hers, his clean, spicy scent enveloping
her.

In that moment, she vowed to do
whatever it took to stay away from Rafe Sutherland. He affected her
as no other man before, and at the worst possible time.

As she watched him scrawl his name on
the petition, she couldn’t help but notice the hues of red in his
rich, chocolate-colored hair.

Tarin?! Stop
it
.

“Thank you again for what you did with
Pensworthy. No one will believe it.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, tossing the
pen on the table. His eyes were serious when they met hers. “Tarin,
I - “

“Rafe Sutherland. Just the man I want
to see."

Tarin turned to find Dr. Randall Kent
standing close behind her. He was elegantly dressed, as usual, in a
long, blue coat of finest satin, a snowy white cravat and black
trousers. He wore a welcoming smile on his face.

The middle-aged man was like a father
to Tarin, having taken over care of her father’s gout since the
demise of Dr. Longfellow. He supported her fascination with
medicine by allowing her use of his library and answering any
questions she had.

However, his hand at the small of her
back caused an uncomfortable shiver to run through her. She took a
step aside.

“Randall,” Isabel cried, as she came
forward to kiss his cheek. “It’s good to see you.”

“Isabel,” he replied, holding her hands
out in front of him. “What a pleasure. How are you?”

She glanced at Rafe then back at Dr.
Kent. “Well, now that Rafe is up and about, we have fallen into a
household routine. With my sons keeping a strict work schedule,
this is the first chance I‘ve had to attend one of the
seminars.”

Dr. Kent looked to Rafe as he released
Isabel’s hands. “Work is just what I’d like to speak with you
about, Rafe. I’ve got a business proposition for you and
Patrick.”

“We’re not interested,” Rafe said over
Tarin’s head, his tone brisk.

The smile disappeared from Dr. Kent’s
face. Tarin glanced at Rafe, then back at Dr. Kent. Tension
radiated from them like the heat of a violent fire.

“You have not heard it yet. How can you
make such a decision?” Dr. Kent’s brows furrowed.

“I’ve heard rumor and we’re not
interested,” Rafe replied, looking away from Kent. “Tarin, I‘d like
to speak with you a moment.”

“Rafe…” Isabel interjected, her tone
questioning.

Rafe stared at Tarin as he spoke.
“Worthington told us of Kent’s intentions. We’re not interested.”
He held out his hand to Tarin. “Tarin, a moment…”

“Of, of course,” she replied, moving to
step around the table. What could he possibly have to speak with
her about? And didn’t she just vow to stay away from
him?

Dr. Kent stopped her with a hand on her
arm, his eyes dark, dilated. “You need to collect petition
signatures.”

Tarin swallowed hard. “Yes, I realize
that - “

“It won’t take long,” Rafe interrupted,
his eyes bouncing off of Dr. Kent’s grip before shooting to his
face.

Rafe’s clenched jaw and glittering eyes
were intimidating in a man so large. Dr. Kent, ever relaxed, was
more anxious than she had ever seen him.

“Tarin knows what is required of her to
become a student of Dr. Gregory’s college.” His grip grew firm.
“Perhaps, another time.”

Tarin clenched and unclenched her
fists. Was that a threat? Did Dr. Kent just inform her that if she
left to speak with Rafe, she would jeopardize her position with Dr.
Gregory? Tarin knew Dr. Kent had great influence with Samuel
Gregory. She could not risk it.

Tarin’s eyes pleaded with Rafe, who’s
thunderous expression worried her. He knew how important this was
to her. Surely, he would not insist.

“Rafe, perhaps we - “

Suddenly, a swarm of women descended
upon them. Rafe and Isabel were caught up in a maelstrom of
introductions, though he continued to glance her way. It was only
once Dr. Kent had left her side that he lost interest.

Seeing Rafe knee-deep in feminine wiles
reared that green facet of Tarin’s personality that had been
non-existent until she met the rogue. He was surrounded by women of
all ages gushing over him as though he were Isabel’s newborn babe
seen for the first time.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,
Miss Worthington,” Kitty leaned in and whispered in her
ear.

She wasn’t the only one.

What was going on between Dr. Kent and
Rafe? And what could he have to speak with her about?

Chapter 6

“So, are you going to tell me what that
was all about?”

Rafe knew his mother referred to his
animosity towards Kent. His mother idolized the doctor, having
known him as a friend of his father’s, and the physician that
treated him prior to his death.

Rafe, on the other hand, had felt an
instant dislike for the man, although he had been in no shape to
argue the matter when he first returned to Boston. And now that
Kent had actually put his hands on Tarin and threatened her
position with Dr. Gregory, Rafe simply wanted to kill him.
Slowly.

“Kent wants to buy the business.” Rafe
maneuvered the horses down Templar, away from the hall. Rather than
riding inside the carriage, his mother had opted to sit beside him
in the seat. Interrogation was so much more effective
face-to-face.

“That explains much.” She turned
towards Rafe. “What would a doctor want with a shipping
business?”

Rafe didn’t want to tell his mother
that opium was big business these days. From the look of Kent’s
wardrobe, he was definitely bringing in more money than a mere
doctor made.

He shrugged. “Who knows. Either way,
Patrick and I are not interested in selling.”

Nodding, her voice turned soft. “Your
father would be proud of you.”

Rafe wanted to laugh aloud, but saved
his mother the anguish. His father had found fault in everything
Rafe did, no matter how honorable and forthright it might have
been. Rafe had quickly learned that he could never win with Colin
Sutherland, so he quit trying at an early age.

However, in doing so, he had caused his
mother constant distress. And in that, he hoped to make it up to
her.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here for
you.”

Isabel rubbed Rafe’s shoulder. “I’m
just thankful you are here now, and well.”

Rafe glanced at her with a small grin.
“So am I. I forgot how much I missed chauffeuring my mother
around.”

Isabel feigned outrage. “Do not act
like I forced this on you. I see now you had an ulterior motive for
taking me to that seminar.”

Rafe laughed into his mother’s
sparkling eyes. It was good to see her smile. “And what motive
might that be? My yearning to rescue damsels in distress from
cantankerous old men?”

“There were two, quite lovely damsels
at that petition table, son. Your penchant for beautiful women has
not dulled in the least.”

Sobering, Rafe knew he had to broach
the subject of marriage with his mother. Like it or not, he was now
in a position where he had to make something happen with Tarin. If
not for all of the obvious reasons, just to keep Kent away from
her. He was a threat, a serious one, and far more dangerous than
anyone around him realized.

That’s why Rafe had to be careful with
the legal document he drew up for Henry. While he wanted to protect
his rights in this blackmail scheme, he also didn’t want to scare
him off. The deal was a godsend, no doubt, but it came with more
baggage than the noon train.

“I have to admit, some recent events
have made me start thinking about… marriage.” He turned to her with
a small grin.

Her eyes glowed with excitement. “Oh
Rafe, there are so many wonderful, marriageable girls in the
Brahmin. You will have your pick.”