Steam & Sorcery (22 page)

“There are exceptions. Mainly family members and staff. If you were to leave my employ, I’d be expected to have Lord Drood—a descendant of Merlin, in case you were wondering—come in and cast a spell to alter your memory.” He wasn’t ready to admit he planned to marry her in the near future. She deserved a proper courtship—as soon as this mission was over.

She pulled away from him. “Erase my memories? I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

“Not erase.” He untied the sash on her wrapper and drew it off her creamy shoulders. “Just…blur a little, for want of a better word. You’d be a little hazy about exactly what it was I do for a living and so on. Besides, I don’t see a problem. You don’t want to leave here, do you?” He ran a row of kisses along her shoulder, inhaling her fresh scent.

“Of course I don’t want to leave. But someday, when the children are grown, I’ll have to.” She’d untied his dressing gown and pushed it off as well, though unlike her, he still had trousers on beneath.

“We’ll see. A world of things can happen between now and then.” He stood to remove his trousers, before lying back down beside her. “You could decide you want to stay.”

“I don’t want to talk about the future,” Caro said, kissing him voraciously. “I just want to enjoy right now.” She reached down and circled his cock with her fingers. With slow precision, she stroked him up and down.

“
Right now
is going to be over very, very quickly if you don’t stop that.” The strangled sound of his voice might have embarrassed him if it were anyone but Caro.

“Oh, I have faith in your recuperative abilities.” She pushed him on his back and knelt above him. “You’ve proven them rather well over the last few nights.” With that, she began to kiss a line down between his pectoral muscles, past his navel. His shy little virgin had certainly come a long way in just a few sessions.

Perhaps it
was
time to talk to her about their future, even without a proper courtship. He started to tell her to wait, but when her lips closed around the tip of him, he stopped trying to think or speak at all. While untutored in some things, her instincts were unerring, and Merrick gave himself up to the pleasure offered by her hands and mouth. Just before the end, he gave her one last warning, tugging on her hair to bring her up to him. This time, she obeyed, sliding up his body to kiss him deeply. His own flavor on her lips was nearly as erotic as the way she straddled his hips, lowering herself onto his aching shaft. Her damp folds slid across his heated skin when she began to move.

In the back of his mind, he knew he should stop and don protection. But did it truly matter if they were going to marry soon anyway?

Yes. To Caro, it would.
Being illegitimate herself, her sensitivity on the subject was only natural. Besides, when she married him, he wanted it to be by choice, not necessity.

Rolling her onto her back and pulling away may have been the single most heroic thing he’d ever done. It was certainly the most difficult. She whimpered in protest, but sighed and nodded when she saw him reach for a packet from the nightstand drawer. Licking her lips, she watched him put the condom on then held out her arms. Merrick knelt above her and lifted her hips with his hands. Though they hadn’t done this before, she naturally draped her knees over his elbows, opening herself to him. Her fingers clenched around the rails of the bedstead and her eyes fluttered shut while he slid home.

For a few seconds, he just held himself there, feeling the hot clasp of her muscles surrounding him. Then the need grew too great, and he began to move. She was supported by her knees, so the position left him free to use his hands, and he did, bringing her to a shuddering peak. Finally, he let go of his own restraint, buried himself deep in her sheath, and came to his own explosive release.

At some point, he collapsed beside her, rolling them on their sides so they were still connected. How long they lay there, damp and gasping for breath, Merrick couldn’t be sure. He did know he never wanted to leave the warmth—literal and figurative—of her embrace. Idly, he stroked his fingers across her cheek, tucking stray strands of hair behind her pointed little ears.

“Mmm.” She smiled up at him, blinking. “I think I blacked out, just for a second.”

“
Le petit mort.
It happens sometimes, when the sensations are particularly intense.” He kissed her cheek and the tip of her nose and chuckled. “You’re welcome.”

She muffled her laugh in his shoulder. “Thank you. And thank you for remembering…”

His laughter stopped and he looked deeply into her eyes. “I’ll always take care of you, Caro. As long as there’s life in my body, I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Merrick. One day we will have to go our separate ways, but you must know, I’ll have no regrets.”

“We won’t, not if you marry me.” Hell, this was
not
how he’d envisioned proposing.

Her lower lip quivered as she gave him a tender smile. “Such a gallant. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. This is a moment I’ll treasure for the rest of my days. But you know it’s impossible.”

He was too sated and tired to fight with her now, but he had no intention of giving up. “We shall see about that.” He kissed her again, then left the bed to dispose of the used condom. By the time he returned, she was already asleep, a beatific smile on her face. Setting his mental clock to wake him before dawn, he climbed into bed beside her and doused the lamp. “One of these days, my dear, I’ll be able to stay with you until morning. You just wait and see.”

She didn’t waken, just snuggled back against his chest, into his arms—where she belonged.

May Day was a banner day that year for London—the opening of Prince Albert’s Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, at the sparkling glass-and-iron Crystal Palace in Hyde Park. Merrick had gotten tickets, and to the children’s delight, he and Dorothy accompanied them, including Tommy and his tutor, to the grand opening ceremonies. The children were agog at the idea of setting eyes on not just the Prince Consort, but the Queen herself and possibly even some of the royal children—along with all the exhibits of course.

Thousands of pedestrians jammed into Hyde Park, lining the walks and roads, but the Guards kept a route free so those who had purchased tickets for the ceremonies could pass. Caroline was as wide-eyed as the children at being one of the privileged “few” on the inside of the line of scarlet coats. From her place in the second carriage with Dorothy and the girls, she watched the crowd nearly as avidly as the crowd watched them.

Inside, Merrick led them all to a spot astonishingly close to the red-carpeted dais erected in the middle of the main hall, under a suspended purple canopy. Of some twenty-five hundred watchers, they were perhaps among the nearest two hundred. They stood amid the highest nobility in the land, and Caroline was very grateful for the jade-green walking dress decorated with ivory braid she’d let Dorothy talk her into. Her fashionable bonnet had matching silk ribbons and cream silk roses, making her feel like a princess herself.

Wink had been allowed to wear long skirts with a small hoop and put her hair up, while Tom looked like a perfect gentleman in his new charcoal-colored suit. As usual, Merrick and Dorothy introduced Caroline as a friend of the family, and for the first time, Merrick showed off his wards to society. Tommy blinked when he was introduced as Tom Devere, but in the three days since his visit with Sir Andrew, he seemed to have adapted well to his new circumstances. When the ceremonies themselves began, Merrick popped Piers up onto his shoulders for a better view, while Tommy did the same for Jamie. Finally, with a grumble and a sigh, Mr. Berry unbent far enough to hoist Nell, who weighed next to nothing, after all, onto his own. Caroline and Wink stood on tiptoe as the royal party ascended the platform.

They stood as a group—almost as a family, she thought wistfully—and watched the opening ceremonies as the Prince handed the Queen a copy of the catalogue of the exhibits. Then they mingled while the royal entourage made their own circuit of the Exhibition. Caroline was glad to see the Duke and Duchess of Trowbridge, who’d had a place at the very front of the crowd, and waved cheerfully at the MacKays, who came over to chat. Dorothy’s friend Miss Julian joined them, and soon they were a large, lively group.

“The Queen has granted Sir Andrew’s petition,” the duke said quietly when just Merrick and Caroline could hear. “Young Tom is officially legitimate and heir to the Devere title and estates.”

“That was fast.” Caroline hadn’t known the machinations of government
could
work that quickly.

“It’s good to have friends in high places.” Merrick smiled. “Thank you, your grace.”

Soon, of course, the royal party returned, the Exhibition was officially opened, and it was time to explore the thousands of items on display. As usual, there was dissension among the children, but Merrick stood firm on the concept of everyone staying together as a group. Gideon MacKay joined them, offering his arm to Caroline, who declined in favor of taking Jamie firmly by the hand. Dorothy, with Miss Julian beside her, took charge of Piers, while Tommy and Wink chattered together, leaving Gideon to chivalrously offer his arm to Nell.

Nell avoided him and instead took the arm of a reluctant Mr. Berry, but she did so with such grave hauteur that even such a stuffed shirt as he couldn’t resist. Merrick eyed the group and wisely caught Jamie’s other hand, then led the way to the first exhibit.

“I was here, yesterday, officially, and checked Lord Babbage’s personal engine,” he whispered to Caroline above Jamie’s coppery head. “I believe even this one has some pieces missing. It’s very possible our villain has compiled a complete set.”

Caroline shuddered. “You need to find him quickly, don’t you?”

Merrick nodded. “Watch for anything suspicious today.”

“I will, I promise.”

Jamie dragged them closer to a display of African masks and weaponry, and they shared a smile at his enthusiasm, just as if they were really his doting parents. Another pang went through Caroline’s heart.

Until Gideon intruded with his constant flirtation. Somehow, as they studied a case full of Chinese sculpture, he managed to switch things around so he walked with Caroline, and Merrick was left with a child on each hand.

“Will you go to the theatre with me tomorrow night?” he whispered into her ear, his breath tickling.

Caroline laughed and swatted his arm before extricating herself from his hold. “No. Now, stop it. I’m here to watch the children, remember?” She rolled her eyes as she picked up Jamie’s hand again. It was hard not to like the persistent young man, though clearly, the children still did not.

“You!”

The single word was shouted with such loathing that Caroline thought at first someone new must have entered the hall—a vagrant perhaps. Then she recognized the voice and dread curdled her stomach. Not here. Not now.

“Excuse me, sir?” Merrick’s voice was cold as ice, and Caroline turned to see her cousin, Viscount Buckley, and his wife, looking down their aristocratic noses at Caroline. Around them, other visitors grew silent, intent on viewing the human spectacle rather than the exhibits.

“I find it difficult to believe that you allow this sordid creature anywhere near your wards.” Victor sniffed. “Let alone bringing her out to such an auspicious gathering. Really, just look at her behavior. She’s clearly as much of a whore as her mother was.”

Several things happened at once.

Tommy pulled back his fist. “You take that back.”

Jamie lunged at Victor’s knees, was caught by Merrick and handed off to Mr. Berry, whose eyes had practically popped out of his shiny bald head.

Dorothy glared daggers at Victor. “Your aunt may have made a critical mistake, Victor Buckman, but at least she wasn’t a supercilious bully like her brother. Clearly, you’re just as much of a braying jackass as your father.”

Caroline winced.
Of course
Dorothy had known her mother and her uncle. It would have been too much to hope that she hadn’t.

Merrick stepped up to Victor and grabbed him by the shirtfront, lifting the smaller man up onto his toes. Merrick’s cold, menacing voice echoed off the high, glass ceiling. “You will keep your crude remarks to yourself in the presence of the ladies, Buckley. And, should I ever hear you say one more disparaging word about my fiancée, you’ll find yourself facing me at dawn. Is that perfectly clear?”

“F-fiancée?” Victor gurgled, his weasely face turning purple.

Fiancée?
Caroline staggered, but was propped up by Tommy and Wink on either side of her, both grinning widely. Oh, he was most certainly going to hear about this ludicrous claim when they got home.

“We hadn’t made the announcement yet.” Merrick dropped Victor and stepped back to wrap his arm around Caroline’s waist and haul her close against his side. “You may be among the first to wish your cousin happy, Buckley.”

Around them, the children burst into excited squeals and all tried to hug Caroline at once. Dorothy’s eyes misted as she embraced Caroline. “Welcome to the family, dear girl.” Even the austere Miss Julian gave her a pat on the shoulder with a suspicious sniffle, while Mr. Berry offered strained felicitations.

“I
said
you may wish us happy,
cousin.
” The threat in Merrick’s words rang out clear as a bell. While a viscount outranked a baronet, there was no doubt Merrick was more physically imposing and better connected within government and other circles of power.

“Of course we wish you both the best.” It was Victor’s wife who broke the simmering silence with her patently insincere offering.

Caroline responded in kind. “Thank you, Lady Buckley. I’ll own, it was most unexpected, on my part as well. Sir Merrick has quite swept me off my feet.” And she was going to knock him right off his with an umbrella as soon as they were alone. What on earth could he have been thinking to make such a claim?