Surrender (30 page)

monogrammed scarf on the conservatory

door a few nights earlier.

With a small, niggling sense of dread,

Victoria picked up the tiny snuffbox

and examined it carefully. It was a

nicely worked box but not particularly

distinguished except for the letter
 
W

engraved on the inside of the lid.

For a minute she was short of breath.

She reminded herself violently that she did

not believe in ghosts. But the thought that

someone might be playing a macabre game

with her was even more chilling than the

prospect of a phantom.

And even more impossible, she told

herself, taking several deep breaths to calm

her nerves. She had to be sensible. This

could not be her stepfather's snuffbox any

more than the scarf could possibly have

belonged to him.

This was all some sort of bizarre

coincidence. One of her aunt's numerous

acquaintances had been on a visit to the

conservatory and had left the scarf and

snuffbox behind. The scarf had been found

immediately but the snuffbox had been set

down and forgotten only to be discovered

much later. By her.

It was the only possible explanation

because no one, no one except herself

knew what had really happened on that

dreadful
 
night
 
when
 
her
 
stepfather
 
had

died at the foot of a flight of stairs.

Four days later Victoria looked around

the Middleships" glittering ballroom at

the sea of fashionably dressed guests and

realized she was as nervous and excited as

a bride at her own wedding party. This was

the night.

As this was as close as she ever intended

to get to a genuine wedding celebration,

she had best enjoy it, she decided.

Three days ago Lucas had calmly told

 
her that he had made all the arrangements

for their first night together. The plans were

 
contingent on Lady Nettleship accepting

a long-standing invitation to a weekend

house party in the country, he had

warned. But that had been no problem.

This morning Cleo had set off cheerfully

for the nearby country home of one of her

 
dearest friends.

 
You are quite certain you do not mind

 
staying here alone for one evening?" Aunt

Cleo had demanded for the third time as

she tied her bonnet and prepared to follow

several bags into her traveling coach.

 
Hardly alone, Aunt Cleo. I have all the

servants including Nan. I shall do very

well. You will recall that I am invited

to the Middleships" ball tonight and their

soirees never end before dawn. I shan't be

home until sunrise and you will be back

in the afternoon."

 
Well, you are nearly twenty-five. I

daresay no one can remark upon you

staying here in your own home for one

night without having me, and you will be

accompanied by Lady Lyndwood and her

daughter when you attend the ball, so all

is well. Take care, Vicky." Cleo had given

her a good-bye peck on the cheek before

settling into the coach for the trip.

Victoria had waved from the steps and

then felt her stomach do a series of strange

little flips as anticipation set in with a

vengeance.

This was the night. There was no turning

back now. This was what she wanted;

Lucas was the man she wanted. She was

on the brink of a romantic liaison with the

man she loved. The dazzling prospect of

this sort of intellectual inquiry was enough

to take away her breath.

The time had come. Victoria began

to edge through the crowd, making her

way unobtrusively toward the door. Lucas

would be waiting.

 
Off so soon, Victoria?" Isabel Rycott

seemed to materialize out of nowhere.

 
I fear I have a number of engagements

this evening," Victoria said politely.
 
I

promised a friend I would drop in at the

Bridge waters" for a while and then I have

to go on to yet another rout after that."

Isabel tapped Victoria's gloved wrist

admonishingly with her fan and smiled her

mysterious smile.
 
I understand completely,

my dear. You will slip from one party to

another until you happen across your earl,

will you not?"

Victoria flushed.
 
I have no idea what

you are talking about, Lady Rycott."

Isabel laughed softly but with a strange

touch of bitterness.
 
Don't be embarrassed,

my dear. It is not so very unique to find

oneself attracted to an interesting man. It

is part of the female condition. But a wise

woman takes care to remain in command

of her emotions and the situation at all

times. She is careful to choose men who

are not particularly strong, men who can

be easily managed."

 
Really, Lady Rycott, I must be off."

 
Yes, of course. But do keep my words in

 
mind. As Samuel's and Caroline's friend, I

want only the best for you." Isabel's eyes

glittered with sudden harshness.
 
And you

needn't act so superior, damn you."

Victoria was shocked.
 
I assure you, it

is not my intention to offend you in

any way."

Isabel's mouth twisted in a smile that

was not in the least charming or even

particularly mysterious.
 
Yes. You are

noted for your kindness, are you not?

But I know what you think of my friend

Edgeworth. I saw it in your eyes the day

we met in the park. You find him sadly

lacking when you compare him to your

precious earl."

Victoria started.
 
I never said"

 
You did not have to say anything. I saw

it in your eyes. Such arrogance. You think

I have landed the spavined, broken-down

pony while you have got the fine-blooded

stallion. But you will be sorry for your

choice," Isabel hissed.

 
Please, Lady Rycott, do not upset

yourself."

 
I am not in the least upset. I will tell

you something, my dear. I will take an

Edgeworth over a man like stone vale any

day, and if you were smart you would

do the same. Your failure to do so will

probably be your downfall."

Victoria was nonplussed by the bizarre

conversation. She wondered how many

glasses of wine Lady Rycott had consumed.

The gem-hard glitter in Isabel's beautiful

eyes was almost frightening.
 
Please excuse

me, Lady Rycott." She made to move

away, but Isabel's fingers reached out to

grip her bare arm.

 
You think you have chosen the more

exciting, more interesting man, but you

are a fool. The plain truth is that men

are of little use to a woman if they cannot

be manipulated. Don't you understand?

We are trapped by Society into being

dependent on men for so much. Our

only defense is to be stronger than they

are in all the ways that count. When a

strong woman allies herself with a weak,

manageable man, she can have everything

she wants. Everything."

 
Lady Rycott, you are hurting my arm."

Isabel glanced down at her own fingers,

registering surprise. She instantly removed

her hand from Victoria's arm, quickly

regaining total control of herself.
 
Never

mind. It is undoubtedly too late for you

anyway. But you should have been shrewd

enough to know by now that a strong

man is very dangerous. If you'd had any

sense, Vicky, you would have picked an

Edgeworth, not a stone vale."

Isabel turned away and disappeared into

the crowd, but not before Victoria thought

she glimpsed the brightness of tears in her

exotic eyes.

Victoria stood staring after the other

woman for a moment, utterly at a loss.

Her happy anticipation was briefly dimmed

by the startling encounter. But by the time

she had collected her cloak and pulled the

hood up over her head to conceal her

features, she was back in the grip of

excitement. She hurried down the steps

of the town house.

The closed carriage was waiting for her,

just as Lucas had promised. The coachman

sat on the box, heavily shrouded in his top

hat and enveloping cape. She shot him a

quick, laughing glance and then allowed

one of the Middleships" footmen to assist

her into the carriage.

A few minutes later the vehicle was

making excellent progress through the

streets of London, and within a short while

they had reached the quieter, outlying

areas of the city. The noise of passing traffic

faded and the buildings grew more sparse.

Moonlit meadows, fields, and farms came

into view.

Then, without any warning, the carriage

came to a halt in an inn yard. Victoria's

mouth went dry. The time had come

and she was suddenly awash in a sea of

contradictory emotions. Anticipation and

excitement and longing did battle with

anxiety, uncertainty, and a few second

thoughts. She was forced to wonder once

more if she was doing the right thing.

But she was four and twenty, she

reminded herself, not a silly little seven

teen-year-old chit fresh out of the school

room. She knew her own mind and she

had already made her decision. She would

not back out now.

She glanced out at the courtyard,

listening to her
 
coachman" give directions

to the young boy who came out of the inn

to assist with the horses. No matter what

sort of orders he was issuing, Lucas always

sounded so very much in command.

A moment later the carriage door opened

and Lucas stood looking at her. He had

removed the hat and coachman's cape.

Without a word he held out his hand.

 
Are you very certain this is what you

want, Victoria?" he asked quietly.