Loving the Marquess (24 page)

A rueful smile crossed his face. “No excuses, Louisa. This
is me. And despite what you might have feared, last night was as well.”

She could feel a corresponding smile forming on her own
face. Whatever happened in the future, they had each other. Nicholas might not
love her, but he did want her. That was enough for now.

He dipped his head and took her mouth. The kiss was gentle,
but full of promise. She brought her hands up around his neck and held him to
her, afraid to let go while they explored each other. When Nicholas lifted his
head, his dark eyes smoldered with intensity. He took her by the hand and led
her to his bed. As she lay down with him following her, she caught sight of
what was on the nightstand. Anger sweeping through her, she placed her hands on
his chest to push him back and scrambled to sit up.

A hint of wariness crept into Nicholas’s expression. “Is
something wrong?”

She couldn’t believe he was going to act innocent. “Is
something wrong?” She buried her hands in her hair and shook her head. “What is
wrong with you, Nicholas? Are you trying to kill yourself?”

She didn’t have to tell him what had brought on her dismay.
His eyes traveled to the decanter of brandy and the glass that rested on his
nightstand. “I didn’t ask for that. Harrison brought it up on his own, thinking
I’d want it.”

She scoffed. “Is that your favorite brandy? The one I asked
the staff to dispose of? And you went out last night to drink. Why? Why would
you do that?”

To her horror, she started to cry. Nicholas gathered her to
him while she sobbed out all her fears. Almost seeing him die had brought home
to her just how little time she could very well have with him and she was
furious that he was taking such chances with his life. Furious and terrified.

When her sobs subsided, Nicholas drew back and looked down
at her. “I was drinking last night because of you.”

She laughed at that, but it ended on a choked sob. He shook
her slightly. “I wanted you so damn much… I was trying so hard to do the right
thing, but the thought of you and Kerrick together…” He looked away. “It was
killing me.”

Seeing the stark pain on his face, her anger began to ebb
away, to be replaced with a need to reassure him. She raised a hand to his
cheek. He nuzzled against it but kept his eyes lowered.

“Nicholas, look at me.”

He lifted his gaze and the anguish in his eyes almost made
her gasp.

“I like Kerrick,” she said. He started to turn his head
away, but she raised her other hand to his face to hold him still. “I like him
very much, but only as a friend. I could never be with him. My feelings for you
would never allow it.”

There were no words after that. He took her in his arms and
together they fell back into the pillows. Unlike the night before, their
lovemaking was more urgent this time. She had lost her inhibitions and ran
eager hands over every part of him she could reach. It was clear from his
reaction when she did something he liked, and it gave her the confidence she
needed to explore him as he did the same to her. They had not even shed all
their clothing when she found herself beneath him, her nightgown drawn up to
her waist. He opened his trousers and she shivered with anticipation at the
touch of his hard member against her hip. She opened her legs to welcome him
inside her, but he surprised her by rolling over and draping her over him.

“Like this,” he said, arranging her so that she was
straddling him, positioned right over his hard shaft.

She didn’t know what she was supposed to do. “I can’t—” she
started, but he interrupted her.

“Shh,” he said, dragging her down for a kiss.

He lined up their bodies again and then showed her how to
take him inside her. She eased down over him, loving the way he filled her. She
stopped when she hit bottom. He placed his hands on her hips and drew her up
along his length, then back down with more force than the first time. She found
her rhythm then, and he allowed her to set the pace while his hands moved to
her breasts, his strong fingers hefting their weight and stroking the hardened
tips through her nightgown. She luxuriated in the feel of him hard inside her
as she reached for her own climax. She should have been embarrassed at the
sounds she was making, almost panting as she moved over him, but his
corresponding groans told her that he was enjoying their lovemaking as much as she.

Impatient, he quickened their movements, thrusting up into
her as she slid down. His hands coursed over her body, trailing fire wherever
he touched her. Dazed, she stared down at him, at his beautiful face, as she
continued to move. The way he was looking at her, his eyes burning through
hers, she could almost make herself believe that he loved her.

“Nicholas,” she said on a moan, the steady rhythm
threatening to tear her apart. His hands settled on her hips and he held her
while he pushed into her again and again. She exploded, and he followed moments
later.

She collapsed on top of him. He held her to him, one hand
buried in her hair and the other laying possessively on her backside, just
above where they were still joined. Slowly, their heartbeats steadied and their
breathing slowed.

“Can I stay here tonight?” she asked.

For a moment she thought he was going to say no. He rolled
them over until they were on their side, facing each other, and she let out a
breath when he slipped out of her. He brought her mouth to his and kissed her
thoroughly. “I expect you’ll be staying here most nights,” he said, his
expression as satisfied as what she imagined hers to be.

Content, she snuggled against him and fell asleep.

* * * * *

The discovery that his valet might be in some sort of
relationship with his cousin’s maid unsettled Nicholas. He hadn’t paid the man
much attention before now because his valet had never been very friendly, but
now that he was watching him closely it seemed as though Harrison had the demeanor
of someone trying to hide his guilt. Surely Harrison wasn’t afraid of suffering
repercussions because of his relationship. Nicholas wasn’t so unfeeling that he
expected his staff to eschew personal relationships.

Nicholas turned the situation over and over in his mind, but
still couldn’t believe even the most foolish of women would send a love note to
his valet. In the end, he decided to speak to Catherine again before
approaching Harrison. Perhaps she’d misinterpreted the scene since his valet
didn’t have the appearance of a man in love. Lord knew Nicholas was intimately
acquainted with those very symptoms. Of course, it was also possible Harrison
was simply engaging in a romantic tryst and that his emotions weren’t involved
at all.

“My Lord,” Catherine exclaimed when he entered the
conservatory. “This is a surprise.”

“Catherine,” he said with a fond smile, “how many times do I
have to ask you to call me Nicholas?”

“Quite a few, it would seem.”

Nicholas chuckled in reply. He enjoyed Catherine’s youthful enthusiasm.
It reminded him of his own carefree youth. Those days seemed so long ago now.

“I have to show you these two plants I’ve just identified.”

She disappeared down the row of greenery that lined the wall
of glass along one side of the conservatory. Nicholas sighed and followed while
she rattled off the Latin names for two of the tropical plants. He idly
fingered a large white bloom while she exclaimed over the flower, feigning an
interest he was far from feeling.

“I wanted to thank you for giving me a Season next spring,”
she said, reclaiming his attention. “I am looking forward to it very much.” She
paused for a moment before continuing, heat creeping into her face. “Lord
Kerrick has promised to waltz with me at Almack’s.”

That innocent statement set off alarm bells in his mind and
he made a mental note to speak to Kerrick about his sister-in-law. His friend
wasn’t the type of person to trifle with a young girl’s affections, but it was
clear Catherine had developed a
tendre
for him.

Nicholas gave a shudder of mock horror. “As always, I will
leave the planning of such amusements to Grandmother and your sister.”

Catherine exhaled dramatically. “I cannot wait for spring to
arrive. I am trying to be patient, but it is so hard.”

Nicholas turned the subject to the true reason for his
visit. The stuffy atmosphere of the conservatory was starting to affect him.

“I wanted to speak to you about what you told us yesterday.
About the meeting between my valet and Mary’s maid.”

Her enthusiasm dimmed. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Will
they be in trouble now?”

Nicholas rushed to reassure her. “Not at all. As long as the
staff continues to do their jobs, I care not a whit whom they see privately.
However, that is the point of my visit. I simply cannot imagine Harrison
engaging in such behavior. Are you sure what you witnessed was a romantic
rendezvous?”

Catherine frowned in concentration. “Why else they would
meet? And he did accept a letter from her.”

A dull ache began behind his temple, which he massaged
absently. He couldn’t explain his sense of urgency, but he needed more
information without further arousing Catherine’s curiosity.

“Perhaps he was accepting the letter for someone else. I
want to reassure Harrison that his position here is secure, but I don’t want to
say anything if he was merely acting as an intermediary.”

She gave him a wide smile that reminded him of her sister.
“You are very kind. John didn’t think so, but I knew Louisa made the right
decision when she accepted your proposal.”

He felt a stab of guilt for lying to the girl and more than
a little unworthy of her compliment. Her brow furled in thought and he waited,
ignoring the increasing warmth of the conservatory.

“It is true that they did not appear overly affectionate
with one another. I was so surprised at what I had seen that I didn’t consider
their demeanor. Now that I think about it, however, they were quite serious.”

“Love can be a serious business, especially when one is
trying to conceal it,” he said, thinking of his own messy situation.

Catherine’s brow cleared. “Of course, that must be it.”

Nicholas’s vision momentarily blurred and dread settled in
his belly. Not again. Without a word, he started for the doorway leading
outside. He supposed he should head into the house, not outside, but at the
moment he was desperate for fresh air.

“My Lord… Nicholas,” Catherine said as she followed him, her
concern evident.

He fumbled with the door handle, unable to open it.
Catherine reached around him and opened the door for him. He stumbled through,
his head beginning to swim in earnest now. Teetering, on the verge of falling,
he took a few steps along the side of the conservatory in an effort to escape
the stifling air coming through the door before stopping to lean against the
outer wall. He took in great lungfuls of air.

Catherine had followed him, anxiety stamped on her features.
To be honest, Nicholas was more than a little worried himself. All he could
think about at that moment was Louisa and how much he didn’t want to lose her.
Not when he’d just found her.

“I’ll go fetch Sommers,” Catherine said.

Nicholas shook his head. He was unable to speak coherently,
but he could tell this episode was different from the others. His head was
already starting to clear. In a matter of minutes, his swimming vision had
cleared and his breathing was no longer constricted.

“Do you want me to help you back into the house? The
conservatory is the quickest route—”

“No!” In his panic he’d spoken louder than he intended. He
attempted a smile of reassurance. “It is most strange, but I am feeling better
now.”

Cautiously, he pushed away from the wall. He braced himself
for the inevitable stumble and was baffled when it didn’t come.

He turned to face Catherine. “You know about my condition?”
At her nod, he winced inwardly. Soon everyone would know. The thought made him
grim. “I thought I was having an attack, but it appears I was mistaken.”

“Has that ever happened before?”

“No, never. I have never had an attack just stop suddenly.”

Catherine’s brow wrinkled. “What were you feeling?”

He supposed he shouldn’t have been taken aback by the
forthrightness of her question. He hadn’t known his sister-in-law long, but he
already knew it was in her nature to be inquisitive.

“Light-headed, for the most part. I also found it difficult
to breathe.”

“And you broke out in a sweat.”

He raised a brow.

“I think I know what caused it. Some of the plants in the
conservatory are highly poisonous. Of course, most would only cause symptoms if
ingested. Some can leave oils on your skin if you touch them… and you were
rubbing your eyes.”

“I was?”

“Yes,” she said. “You were rubbing your temples, here.” She
gestured to her own face. “Then you briefly rubbed your eyes.” Sadness crept
into her expression. “I’m afraid you should avoid the conservatory. It appears
that given your illness, you may be more sensitive to the plants in there.”

His head was swimming again, but this time with the import
of her words. Was it possible…? He hated to even consider such a thing, but was
it possible that his family’s illness was not due to an inherited condition at
all? Was it possible that all the men in his family had suffered because they
were sensitive to one of his grandmother’s plants? Even more horrifying was the
suspicion that their exposure to that plant hadn’t been accidental.

He hadn’t realized he’d started to pace. He stopped and
turned back to face Catherine.

“I think perhaps you are correct. Do you think it would be
possible to provide me with a list of the plants that are the most likely
culprit?”

She was about to ask why, but he didn’t want her to know
about his suspicions until he had some proof. Anyone who had already murdered
two people and was attempting to kill a third would no doubt stop at nothing to
keep their secret.