Further Than Passion (28 page)

"
I refuse to go!"

He shrugged. "Then I shall physically toss you out onto the street."

"But this is my home! This has been my home for fourteen years!"

"Well, you'll have to find a new one. You claim you're about to be the next Countess of Doncaster, so you may have others to impose upon." Grimly, he smiled. "A
l
though I don't think you should depend on it."

"You can't just evict me!"

"I can, and I have."

252
     
Cheryl Holt

"Bu
t
...
bu
t
..."

"You'll be off as soon as you're dressed."

"No!" She leapt up and shouted, "I won't permit you to do this to me. You've no right. No right at all!"

He didn't rise with her, but sipped his whiskey and watched her tremble and rage, and he was surprised by his limited emotion. It was as if, with Kate gone, any lingering spark of humanity he'd possessed had been snuffed out.

"You shouldn't have told Regina about myself and Miss Duncan. I'm curious as to how you learned of it."

"Who the hell is Miss Duncan?" She studied him, puzzled over Kate's identity, but recollection rapidly dawned. "Ah ... she's the bit of fluff you were tumbling upstairs."

"Had you ordered the servants to spy on me?" He hoped not. It would be a shame to have to fire somebody because of her.

"No. I saw you myself." She turned cunning, then cruel. "Is that what this is about? I discovered your peccadillo, so you're having a tantrum?"

He unfolded from his seat, working to keep his temper under control. "How dare you tell anyone my private business. Especially Regina Lewis."

She realized that she'd struck a nerve, and stupid female that she was, she was determined to use it to her advantage. "You've really lowered your standards."

"Have I?" He was lethally calm.

"You're utterly smitten," she crowed. "How droll! I can't wait to share the news that you've finally been caught, and it's by Regina's maid!"

She chortled with glee, her nasty disposition flooding over him, and in a flash, he was round the desk and

Further Than Passion
              
253

gripping her by the throat, tightly enough to cut off her air. "If you mention her name to a single soul, I'll kill you."

He shoved her away, and she lost her balance and fell to her knees, and she hovered, rubbing her neck and steadying her breathing. She glared up at him, malice rolling off her in waves, but she had the foresight to hold her tongue, and in a way, he was relieved that Kate might be on the road to Doncaster.

Pamela could be a treacherous adversary, but she'd never have the courage to seek revenge at himself. She'd retaliate against someone weaker, someone more vulnerable. Kate would have been an easy target.

Slowly, Pamela crawled to her feet, biting down on the insults she was dying to hurl, but she recognized that she'd pushed him too far.

"What am I to live on?"

"I'll have my solicitor contact you regarding an allowance."

"How much will it be?"

"I'm considering five hundred."

"A month?"

"A year."

It was a pittance, and once he'd cooled down, he'd relent and grant her more, but it pleased him to have her fretting.

"You can't mean it!"

"What have you done to earn more? Besides spreading your legs for me and my father?"

"I
hate you!"

Then again, maybe he wouldn't increase the amount. "So you've said. Many times. Now get out."

254

"I've always hated you."

She spun and ran out the door.

******************

Christopher tarried in his mother's sitting room, riffling through the documents on her desk and rudely snooping through the satchel she routinely carried. He was perplexed as to where she was and what could have distracted her so that she'd left it behind, but he wasn't concerned over his prying. After all,
he
was the Earl of Doncaster. Any records dealt with his people and his properties, and suddenly he was frantic to ascertain what information she kept hidden from him.

To his amazement, the first item he stumbled upon was Kate's letter to the attorney, about Selena's trust fund discrepancies. Why hadn't Regina dispatched it?

A feeling of dread washed over him. There was a malevolent ambiance in the house that he didn't like. All afternoon, he'd been searching for Kate, but her bedchamber was empty, her clothing missing, and he was growing alarmed. Where would Kate go? Why would she leave without a good-bye?

The butler had revealed that she'd been summoned to an appointment with Regina and Stamford. He'd claimed not to know what was discusse
d
—
a
n out-and-out lie, Chris was sur
e
—
b
ut after the meeting Kate had vanished.

He couldn't imagine what Regina and Stamford could have wanted with Kate and was worried that they'd forced her departure. But why would they?

Farther into the satchel, his curiosity was rewarded in spades as he encountered a ledger listing the disbursements from Selena's trust. Kate's tidy handwriting was

Further Than Passion
              
255

visible on every page, and he scanned the columns. The sums didn't square with Selena's level of poverty, so he was more conf
u
sed than ever.

Where had the money gone?

He pulled out an envelope, stunned to find Kate's father's will. It seemed odd that Regina would be lugging it around, so he skimmed through it. Kate was to have been reared by an old friend of her father'
s
—
a
nd not by Regina, as his mother had regularly contende
d
—and she'd been bequeathed her
own
trust fund, as well as assets for a dowry.

Staggered, he collapsed into a chair. Regina had tortured Kate with stories of how her parents had beggared her, with how every penny had passed to the Lewis family and not a farthing directed to Kate's welfare. She'd flailed Kate over her penury, over what a burden she was, over how Regina had to provide for her when her own parents hadn't bothered.

Why was no one aware of Regina's shenanigans? Where were the guardians and acquaintances who'd been charged with Kate's interests? Why had no one assisted her?

Regina must have tricked them all. How and why? When they'd initially moved to Doncaster, Kate had been a child. What had generated Regina's animosity toward her? Or, considering his mother's parsimonious habits, had it simply been greed?

Clutching the portfolio, he exited, crossed to Melanie's room, and entered without knocking. She was pacing, a kerchief dabbed to her reddened eyes, and in the middle of a protracted bout of weeping.

She glared at him. "Did you hear me invite you in?"

256
                          
Cheryl
H
o
h

Any normal brother might have asked the cause of her upset, but he didn't care enough to inquire. "Where's Mother?"

"How should I know?"

"Have you seen Kate?"

She snorted in disgust. "She's been sent back to Doncaster. In disgrace!"

His blood boiled. "Why?"

"She's been having a torrid affair with Lord Stamford. She's shamed us all."

"Not me," Chris insisted. "She couldn't possibly. No matter what she did."

"You are such an idiot."
   
-

"As opposed to you, I've always regarded Kate as my friend."

"Well, Stamford is to be
my
husband," she maintained.

"He is not." Stamford had said as much himself. He had no desire to marry Melanie.

"He is, too!" she whined. "I'm to be wed to him next week, after Kate has been fornicating with him like a common slattern. Oh, how could he do such a thing to me? I'll never be able to gaze at him without picturing
her
!
 
I'm sick
,
I tell you! Just sick!"

She slumped into a chair, fresh tears welling, and he sneaked out so she could wallow in her misery.

The conversation had him more anxious than ever. Regina had probably delivered Kate home, unaccompanied, on the public coach. Was Stamford cognizant of Regina's capacity for cruelty? If so, why would he permit her to abuse Kate so horridly? Particularly if he'd been involved with her? What type of gentleman would be so crass?

Further Than Passion
              
257

Chris would never have picked him as the sort who would seduce Kate, or abandon her after, but with women, who could predict how a man might conduct himself? His actions with Pamela were a prime example of male folly.

He'd philandered to excess, had continued even after he'd met Selena, after he'd fallen in love. He'd been too willing to seek the pleasures of the flesh, so he wouldn't judge Stamford too harshly. At least not until he'd had a chance to question him as to what had occurred, but heaven help him if he'd mistreated Kate.

Panicked, Chris bounded down the stairs, eager to determine whether Stamford was still on the premises.

He arrived in the foyer when, to his great dismay, Pamela emerged from the library. She was disheveled and blindly careening toward him, so there was no way to avoid a confrontation, but gad, he couldn't bear to speak with her!

Their rendezvous the previous evening had left him so groggy and disoriented that he wondered if she hadn't drugged him. He didn't remember much of what had happened, and what he recalled was foul and humiliating.

Stamford had warned him that she'd had dozens of lovers, mat she burrowed through men like a plow in a field, and Chris was appalled that events had proceeded so far. Where she was concerned, he'd been so spineless! But currently, he had pressing business to attend to, and he couldn't be delayed.

She espied him and rushed over, pulling him into a tight hug. "Chris! Oh, Chris! Save me!"

She was making a general spectacle of herself, and he was mortified.

258
                          
Cheryl Holt

"Lady Pamela, please." He tried to pry her loose, but she was fiercely attached and wouldn't release him.

"My darling, my darling," she kept repeating, sounding almost deranged. "Where have you been? I've searched high and low. I was so desperate to locate you."

She was kissing his cheek, his neck
,
his chest, and he was revolted. Had she no dignity? No sense? Two maids hovered down the corridor, witnessing the tawdry scene.

"Stop it, Pamela," he commanded sharply. "You're embarrassing me."

"I can come to Doncaster with you, can't I? You won't desert me; I know you won't. Fate brought us together! We can't be torn asunder by mere mortals!"

She was babbling incoherently, and he was frightened. She didn't seem sane, and he wrenched free and held her at arm's length.

"Pamela, listen to me."

"What a fabulous countess I'll be. The people of Doncaster will adore me! They will! I'll show you!"

"No, Pamela, you're talking crazy."

"It's meant to be, Chris. We drank the potion. We can't change our destiny."

"But I'm in love with someone else. I'm engaged to be married."

His admission interrupted her keening diatribe. She began to tremble. "What did you say?"

"I'm betrothed."

"No." Vigorously, she shook her head. "No, you can't be. You can't be!" She dropped to her knees and grabbed his jacket, her fists clasping at the fabric. "You're lying!
"

She was screeching, imploring him to deny it, when

Further Than Passion
              
259

Stamford appeared from the library. Chris shot him a pleading look.

"Pamela," he barked, "leave the boy alone."

She heard him, but pretended not to have. "Chris, I'm begging you! Don't forsake me."

"Pa
m
!" Stamford shouted. "Get hold of yourself."

In a few quick strides, he was down the hall, and he yanked her to her feet. She wrestled to escape, but he wouldn't ease his grip.

"Don't touch me, you beast! You churl!"

He drew her close, so that they were eye to eye, and he spoke softly but furiously. "As this is no longer your residence, I am not required to suffer such a distasteful display of histrionics in my foyer. Desist at once, before I take a belt to you!"