Blood Lust (19 page)

But her father had chosen Benjamin Spencer. The thought of the duke made bile rise in her throat. It was a mistake she would pay for the rest of her life.

Murky, dark gray clouds hid the sky above. Katherine had come to this small parish church just on the outskirts of town to be married. The brief, boring ceremony delivered by the elderly, balding priest was not at an end. Wind whipped across the porch steps in front of Katherine as she and William descended the stairs leading from the chapel.

She didn’t feel married, not in the least. Since he had come for her, William had been polite, but distant. His usual attitude, making it clear this would never be a marriage in truth.

She wished Thomas could have been there, but her brother had been feeling poorly. She had told him about the wedding, of course. She had told him she had met Lord Habersham through Damien, the earl of York. They had become close friends, and that William had agreed to the marriage simply to help her. Thomas had thanked him profusely, and then had forgotten the reason for William’s visit.

It really did not matter, for in at way his forgetfulness actually helped their cause. With no other men in the family, and with no hope of her brother’s condition getting any better, it was obvious to all that Katherine needed a husband to see to her welfare.

Katherine looked up at the man she had just marred beneath hooded eyes, admiring his lean etched male features. He was a alarming man, a man who exuded power and presence. Another might have been afraid of the danger and darkness she sensed in him. She was however, unsure she was not.

Walking next to Damien, who had acted as a witness, she stepped down from the porch and unconsciously her hold grew tighter on William’s arm. She discovered she was trembling.

“You’re cold,” William said. Pausing for a moment, he draped her satin-lined cloak around her shoulders. “You’ll be warmer inside the carriage.”

But she wasn’t cold. In truth she was fighting the terrible weight of reality that she had set into motion after the wedding. She was now wife to William Sussex Habersham, or so the documents said. A wealthy distant cousin from the Northampton branch of the family. They had known each other since childhood. He made an obvious choice for a husband given her situation.

Once William obtained the dowry from her trust, there was no one to demand its return. Unless he was abducted, it was unlikely anyone would question the marriage, and given time her husband vowed the marriage would be annulled.

William helped her mount the iron steps into the carriage. He and Damien followed her out of the weather.

“I suppose congratulations are in order,” the earl said. He had been very kind and considerate throughout the morning’s events, a gentle buffer between her uncertainty and William’s brooding, which had continued to blacken every hour since his arrival.

“Quite amusing, Damien,” William said, his mood still as dark as the day.

“Thank you, my lord,” Katherine replied to Damien.

“This sham of a marriage is hardly a reason for celebration,” William observed. “The quicker it has served its purpose, the better for both of us. I am sure my bride will agree.”

She smiled just to goad his irritation. “I do, my lord. Marriage to a man as ill tempered as you would be a strain on any woman.”

“I am sorry if I do not play the role of husband as well as you might want. Perhaps it is the fact that instead of bedding my beautiful wife this night, instead of burying myself inside her as deeply and as often as I wish, I shall be spending the night alone.”

Katherine could feel her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment.

Damien, sitting across from her, merely smiled. “I had a notion that was the reason you are so out of sorts.”

“I cannot credit that you would be any happier about the situation than I am.”

The earl chuckled. “I would not be such a fool in the first place. If the lady were mine, her first night of marriage would be spent in my bed.”

William’s jaw went tight. He said nothing more. Katherine looked away from the two men, uncomfortable with the subject, one of which she knew far more about that she should have on the first day of her marriage. The inside of the carriage became quiet.

Ignoring the flush still burning in her cheeks, Katherine forced a calmness in her voice. “You haven’t said yet, my lord, now that we are wed, will you be returning to Damien’s or what?”

“Why duchess, I thought you understood. I’ll be moving in with you. I am your cousin, after all, a member of the family. Until we can return to the country, where else would a loving husband reside except with his new bride?”

“But you just said you would be sleeping alone. When you spoke earlier, you said you did not wish to bed me.”

His mocking smile was taken over by his brooding scowl. “I did not say I did not wish to bed you. It has been all I can do to keep my hands off you since the moment you stepped into this carriage. I said I would not bed you, that I did not wish a marriage in truth. The fact is that I must stay in the very same house with you is surely God’s own curse.”

For the first time, the dull throb in her chest began to ease. For a moment she said nothing. She had misunderstood him. He still desired her. It wasn’t simply that he needed a woman in his bed, it was his desire for her that had him so out of sorts. Now that he had said so, she realized it had been there in his eyes all along. The knowledge gave rise to hope where there had been none before.

“If you do not wish to stay with me, why are you?”

“Because your snooping has stirred Benjamin’s interest. Someone has been following you, watching the house whenever you are home.”

“There is no way he could have found out. Are you positive?”

“Yes, my lady, that I am. I have learned a great deal in the past years, including how to survive. That means knowing when someone is gauging your movements and finding out the reason why.”

“Sweet God.”

“Exactly.”

Damien said nothing, but his dark gaze indicated he agreed.

“If you are certain someone is watching, then you surely cannot stay. The man might tell Benjamin you are there.”

“William Habersham will be there. William Spencer is dead. Benjamin has no reason to suspect I am alive. He has no reason to believe you are anything more than curious. However, even that is too much. My loving brother will not tolerate your interference in any way. Someone has to be there to be certain you are safe.”

Katherine did not argue. If he was near, there was hope that she might sway him. She could help him clear his name and if she could keep him alive, perhaps she could persuade him not to leave.

Chapter Fourteen

The earl of York slid across the leather seat of the rented carriage so that William could climb in. A few feet away, a lamp burned beside the door of the home. Damien could see Katherine standing beside the heavily draped windows.

Moving his cloak out of the way William took the seat opposite Damien. “Won’t be many out in a cold drizzling rain like this.”

Damien’s eyes moved back toward the window as the carriage rolled away. “I don’t suppose so. Still, I have expected to see your bride accompany you into the carriage.”

“She actually suggested the idea,” William replied grinning. “She wanted to dress as a lad and wait out front of the tavern. She said she could warn us, if any sort of trouble arose, or go for help if it was needed. Can you believe it?” William shook his dark mane of hair. It was nearly as dark as Damien’s in the light pouring out of establishment windows.

Damien chuckled, leaning back in his seat. “I believe it. I can imagine how well that went over with you.”

“The woman is a handful, I tell you.”

“Quite a lovely handful, if I might say.”

“Spare me. If you’ve one ounce of pity left in you, you won’t remind me. I ache for her most of the time as it is.”

Damien said nothing, smiling as he looked out the window. Circumstances had brought the pair together. It was fate and Katherine as to whether or not their marriage would last.

“Good God, I hope this man shows tonight. I hope the gold we’ve offered him is enough to entice him.”

“Have no fear. A man like him won’t be able to resist the lure of gold.”

William said nothing further and the rest of the trip passed in silence. A heavy mist began to fall across the city and even the beggars had gone indoors. Once they reached the tavern, they paid the driver to wait out in front. They left the carriage, crossed the muddy street, and entered the filthy interior.

“Hello handsome.” The large-breasted tavern maid who had been there before, slid up to William and winked. “I wondered if you’d keep your word.”

He forced a smile. “I said we’d be here at midnight. We’re early at that. Is he here yet?”

“He’s here. He’s waiting over there in the corner.” She cocked her head in that direction. William followed the movement with his eyes.

Strangely, he remembered the big, rough-looking man from prison. He was tall and well built.

“Evenin’ gents.” The man came to his feet at their approach. “I heard you was lookin’ for me.”

“That’s right,” Damien said. They settled themselves on plank benches around the table. “You’ve some information we’re interested in purchasing. You supply it, and we’ll make it worth your while.”

The man eyed them warily. “I thought you had a job you wanted to do.”

“The job has already been done,” William told him. “Several years ago. What we want to know is who paid you to do it?”

His eyes stared at each man suspiciously. “I’m afraid you’ve lost me.”

“Prison,” William said. “There was a man, an aristocrat who was accused of murder. His name was William Spencer.”

“Spencer. It’s the bloody young duke you’re talkin’ about.” The air hissed out from between the space in the man’s front teeth.

“That’s the man,” Damien said. “We want to know who paid you to kill him.”

The bench scraped the floor as the man rose to his feet. William’s hand clamped down on the man’s shoulder, shoving him back down. A pistol pressed the man in the ribs.

“Easy,” William warned. “It isn’t you that we’re after. Tell us what we want to know and no harm will come to you.”

For a few long moments, the man said nothing. He just stood there gauging the toughness of his opponents.

“I suppose it doesn’t matter any more. I’m a wanted man anyway. Another murder more or less won’t make a difference.”

“Who was it?” William pressed the man. “Who paid you to kill William Spencer?”

“Believe it or not,” the man grunted, “it was the poor bastard’s own brother. Paid me a fortune to see the young duke dead.”

“You’re speaking of Benjamin Spencer,” Damien put in to be sure there was no mistake. “The current duke of Sussex.”

“That’s him. A rare bastard. But if you think I’ll be telling that to the law, you’ve got another thing comin’. That was not part of the bargain. Now hand over the coin and I’ll be gone.”

“Not quite yet.” William pressed the pistol harder into the man’s ribs while Damien drew a folded up piece of paper from the inside pocket of his tailcoat. They had anticipated the man would be reluctant. The only way he would admit to the crime was if he could somehow escape the consequences.

“I don’t suppose you can read?” Damien asked.

The man laughed at the question. “Believe it or not, I was a shop keep before I took up a life a crime.”

William noticed that his English was passable. His mark signed in front of a witness would have been good enough. This was a bonus they hadn’t expected.

“Then you can see this document says nothing more than what you’ve already admitted to,” William continued, “that Benjamin Spencer paid you to dispose of his brother during the time his brother was in prison.”

“Aye, that is what it says.”

“Sign it and you can get the gold and then you can be on your way. If you are smart, you’ll get out of the country. Refuse and we haul you into the magistrate’s office. Whether you admit to the murder or not, you’re sure to wind up swinging.”

William motioned to the barmaid to come to the table. “Bring us a quill and some ink please.” He tossed her a coin and she left, returning with the pen and a thick glass bottle. At William’s insistence, she remained at the table to witness the signature.

He allowed it to dry for a moment, then folded it up and shoved it into his pocket. Alone, the document wasn’t much at all, the word of a murderer, but combined with the documents he had found in Benjamin’s safe, it was more than they’d had before.

“I’d suggest, my friend,” Damien put in while William handed over a small pouch, “you get as far from here as you can manage.”

The man grumbled something. “Never much did like this city.”

“You’ll like it even less if our paths ever cross again,” William warned. “I don’t much like paying gold to a killer.”

The man took heed of the veiled threat and left the room, as did Damien and William. The two stepped into their waiting carriage and began to settle in until a voice drifted out of a corner of the carriage and they realized they were not alone.