Amanda Scott - [Dangerous 04] (42 page)

Daintry smiled at her husband. “I can recall your saying much the same thing, sir,” she said.

He smiled at her.

“Augustus knew everything that went on in London,” the admiral said. “He certainly knew that Mrs. Linford and Miss Abby lacked sufficient funds to live here in the style they preferred without his support, and he knew almost to the day when they began their little enterprise here.”

“He did?” Both Mrs. Linford and Miss Abby spoke at once.

“Oh, yes, of course. He thought it was clever of them to take advantage of the great many members of the beau monde who so casually discounted their marriage vows. It was he who suggested that I place Liza here, saying you would be glad of the money. I did not tell you that, of course. It would have been most impolite. I merely expressed my gratitude when you agreed to take her off my hands.”

“But what has this to do with his bequest to my daughter?” Jervaulx asked.

“I suspect that Augustus thought it would be amusing to cast the whole business into your father’s lap. Recall that he deplored the sixth marquess’s lack of humor. He expressed a desire more than once to liven him up, so I think it amused him to think of Jervaulx’s discovering that his granddaughter had inherited what amounted to a house of ill repute. Forgive me, ladies, if I am speaking too bluntly.”

“Good God,” Jervaulx said with feeling. “But there is one small flaw in your reasoning. My father died before Benthall did.”

“Only by a week or so,” the admiral reminded him. “Augustus learned of Jervaulx’s death after he himself became ill. He wrote me that he had thought of changing his will, but decided it was proof of his belief in the hereafter that he did not. He believed Jervaulx would know exactly what he had done and why, and would be utterly unable to do anything about it.”

“I wish you had told me of this,” Jervaulx said grimly.

“I meant to do so, but I did not want to try to put my suspicions in a letter that would have seemed most inappropriate to someone who did not know me. Moreover, you and your daughter were fixed in Paris, the ladies had been managing well for years, and there was no reason to think that would change before you reached England. By the time I realized that your daughter was here and had become so nearly acquainted with them, I had no means to reach you.”

“I can see that my daughter and I still have much to discuss,” Jervaulx said, giving Letty another look.

The admiral said, “You will want to do that privately, however, so I’ll take my leave now. Don’t trouble yourself to ring for someone to show me out, Miranda. I’ll take my sleepy daughter up to her bedchamber and then be on my way.”

When he and Liza had gone, Letty braced herself for the storm.

“This is perhaps not the best time for a declaration,” Justin said casually.

After a pause during which one might have heard a pin drop, Jervaulx said, “Are you daring to choose just this moment to ask for my daughter’s hand, sir?”

“If she will have me,” Justin said.

“Why should I want you?” Letty asked, hoping he could not detect the tremors of exhilaration shooting through her body.

He said blandly, “It occurs to me that an engagement between one of the great Whig families and one of the great Tory families will provide enough grist for the rumor mills that it may take the light off of everything else. Also, I thought perhaps you and I might eventually move into this house. My great-aunts can remain here until we return from our wedding trip, at which time they might perhaps enjoy a holiday in a little house I own in Richmond until we have arranged things so that they can live comfortably here with us if they choose. I am not trying to order everyone’s lives, mind you, but that did seem like a plan that might prosper.”

“Horrid creature.”

Daintry chuckled. “I hope you have more reason for marrying my daughter than simply to smother the flames of rumor, young man.”

“Does the fact that I find myself tail over top in love with her count, ma’am? Because I am persuaded that exasperating as she can be, not to mention stubborn and outspoken, I shall not enjoy life nearly so much without her as I will with her.”

“It counts with me,” Daintry said. “I’m not sure that Letty believes in love.”

“I do now,” Letty said, looking into Justin’s eyes.

He stepped forward and took both her hands in his. “Do you think you can put up with me, sweetheart?”

“Gladly, sir.”

Daintry said, “I think perhaps we should leave, Gideon. Justin can see Letty safely home.”

“We’ll walk out with you,” Mrs. Linford said, getting up. “Come, Abigail.”

“But, Miranda, do you think we shall like Richmond?”

“I believe we’ll enjoy the change, Abigail, and if Letitia is to join our family, we need not worry about Justin telling us what to do. She is equal to anything.”

Letty found herself alone with Justin and felt annoyed to see that the twinkle in his eyes had deepened. “Do you doubt that I am equal to anything, sir?”

“Not a bit. It’s what I love best about you.”

The door opened, and Miss Abby put her head in to say, “Justin, it has occurred to me that people may think you married dearest Letitia just to get the house. You won’t like that, I daresay, so perhaps—”

“With fond respect, Aunt Abby, go away,” he said.

She shut the door again, and Letty said, “I hope they do think you married me for the house. It’s better than thinking I married you for your money.”

“Whatever they think, my love, it will keep them talking, and with luck it will keep them from speculating on the interesting things that went on in this house. Now, are you going to kiss me or not?” She did.

July 1839

L
ADY RAVENTHORPE’S FIRST ORDER
of business that warm summer morning was to waken her lord and give him the news she had been hugging to herself for nearly two days. It was his own fault, of course, that she had been unable to tell him earlier, because although he had joined her in her bed upon his return to Raventhorpe from London late the previous night, he had failed to waken her.

He looked very peaceful, lying there asleep with one hand tucked behind his head and a little half-smile playing upon his lips. As she wondered what he was dreaming, a mischievous impulse stirred; and, moving slowly, ever so gently, she slid a hand beneath the covers to clear her way, then inched down beneath them until she could touch her lips to his warm, bare thigh.

He did not move, nor did the pattern of his breathing change straightaway, but as she pressed a line of kisses up and over his thigh, moving ever closer to the juncture of his legs, she felt him tense. Soon it became obvious that whether he still slept or not, his body was aware of her attention. She felt a surge of power, the same feeling she had enjoyed often in the weeks since their marriage. Knowing that she could stir him so gave her immense satisfaction.

He moved, and in nearly the same instant the quilt covering her rose, and she felt the caress of the light breeze from the open window.

He said with amusement in his voice, “So you missed me, did you?”

“You were gone three whole days, Justin.”

“I was indeed, and I fretted about my beautiful wife the entire time. Don’t stop what you are doing, sweetheart. You’ve hardly got started.”

“Did Her Majesty notice that you had left your wife at home?”

“She did, and she sent her kind wishes for a speedy recovery when I told her you had been taken ill. She did not even object when I declared that I intended to return at the earliest possible moment. I collect, by the way, that you have recovered from your unfortunate indisposition.”

“Yes, of course,” she said, hoping that she spoke truly. From what she had heard, most women in her condition became sick only in the mornings. She felt wonderful when she awoke, but for the past fortnight, she had felt anything but well in the afternoon. Still, if this day followed the pattern of its predecessors, she would enjoy a fine morning with Justin first. She grinned at him. “Shall I go on with what I was doing, or would you like to hear about the surprise I’ve got for you first?”

“Surprise? You terrify me, Letty. Neither of my parents has been near Raventhorpe, so it can have nothing to do with them. Ned has behaved like a saint these past two months, the aunts are safely in Richmond for the summer, and everything here has been running smoothly. Or so I thought.” He frowned. “You cannot have come up with another threat to the queen here at home, so my imagination fails to conjure up anything you might have found to surprise me with now. Is it Jeremiah? Has that damned monkey of yours got into mischief again?”

“I don’t think I will tell you what it is,” she said, raising her chin. “Jeremiah has been an angel, and I think that for maligning him you deserve that I shall not continue seeing to your pleasure, sir. What do you say to that?”

In response, he grasped her nearest arm and pulled her up until she was looking into his eyes. She noted a distinct hint of laughter there when he said, “You have frequently said that you admire plain speaking, have you not?”

“I have,” she agreed, “and I tell you plainly, sir, that I will not allow you to tease me this morning.”

“Will you not? What if I were to tickle you instead?”

“I should very likely cast up my accounts, as my brothers would say.”

He frowned. “So you are not entirely well yet. Why did you tell me that you were, then?”

More to turn the subject than to satisfy curiosity, she said, “Did you find it as hot in London as we heard that it was?”

“Worse. I was glad to get away. When we rode in the park yesterday, the air was as hot as an oven. It was even worse at the opera last night.”

“Still, you must have news,” Letty said. “Has Melbourne got his new government in order? Have there been any more ructions from the queen?”

“Melbourne met with as much trouble as your father predicted, but things look well enough for him now. As to the queen, she is planning her cousin Albert’s visit in October, and she grows quite pink whenever anyone speaks his name.”

“If the wind truly sits in that quarter, her Uncle Leopold will have won a few more points over Cumberland. Albert is part of his family, after all.”

“I don’t much care who she marries, myself.” He was looking at her, his eyes narrowed, as if he would peer into her mind.

She said, “It is rude to stare like that, sir. I had a governess once who told me my eyes would fall out if I did that sort of thing.”

“I was wondering why you changed the subject a moment ago.”

“I don’t recall,” she said mendaciously, “but thinking of Victoria brings to mind the meeting I had with Papa’s solicitor when I first got to London in April. When I declared my intention to look after the Upper Brook Street house myself, he said it was unheard of for a young woman to take interest in matters of finance or property, and he believed Victoria needed a strong man to guide her. I wonder what he thinks of her now.”

“He certainly didn’t think much of your retaining the rights to your property when we drew up the marriage contracts,” Justin said with a reminiscent chuckle.

“I daresay he thought you as mad as he thinks Papa. He said he would not be surprised to learn, years from now, that I had left all my property to my daughters and ignored the claims of my poor sons. I daresay I shall, too, you know.”

“You may do as you please with what’s yours, my love. I will struggle to take care of our sons by myself.” A new, more gentle note had entered his voice.

Letty grimaced ruefully. “You’ve guessed, Justin! That’s not fair. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Then you should have told me straightaway.”

“Justin, I—”

She broke off when the door opened, and Jenifry entered.

The maid stopped short when she saw Justin. “Oh, dear, I beg your pardon, my lord. I thought you were in your—That is to say, sir, I didn’t stop to think anything, because that dratted monkey’s got into the kitchen again. Cook says monkeys in kitchens is something she won’t abide, and the little beast has got into the racks over her ovens and won’t come down to me, so I came to tell the mis—”

“Go away, Jenifry,” Justin said.

“Just a moment, Jen,” Letty said. “Perhaps if you ask Cook to find Jeremiah some nuts or fruit, the pair of you can coax him down.”

“I tried that, but—”

“You go and try again,” Justin recommended, “and don’t come back until her ladyship rings for you.”

With a glance at Letty and another at Justin, Jenifry said, “I’ll get Leyton to help us. We’ll get him.”

Justin said dryly, “I trust, my love, that she will not encourage Leyton to become as dictatorial as Morden’s chap was.”

“As if Jenifry encouraged that man, or that Leyton would ever—” Noting the deepening twinkle in her husband’s eyes, Letty broke off. “You! I don’t know what you deserve for teasing me so.”

“I deserve that you should finish what you began, sweetheart, but first I want to hear your news.”

“You know it. You already guessed.”

“I want to hear it from your own sweet lips, however. Are you quite sure?”

“Yes, quite. Dr. Morrisey came out yesterday from Cambridge, and he confirmed what Jenifry and I had already guessed. I wanted to be certain before I told you that we are going to have a daughter.”

“Good lord,” Justin exclaimed. “Can Morrisey tell as much as that? I had no … You wretch,” he added in quite a different tone, giving her a shake. “You dare to talk of what I deserve and then serve me such a trick!”

“Would it distress you so to have a daughter, my lord?”

“It would not, and you know it would not, so you need not poker up like that, little wife, or call me ‘my lord’ in such a haughty tone.”

She chuckled, snuggling down beside him. “Still, sir, you ought to have seen the look on your face.”

In response, he took her chin firmly in one hand and turned her face so that he could kiss her. As his warm lips touched hers, her body ignited, and soon they had both forgotten everything but each other. When or exactly how her nightdress ended up on the floor in an untidy heap, Letty could not have said, for her thoughts were all on Justin.