The Duke's Indiscretion (27 page)

Colin swallowed with emotion as the words, sung by his enchanting, beautiful, loving wife, struck him hard. She had become Arlene, the Bohemian girl who vaguely remembered she'd been born in the aristocracy, dreamed of it. Just as Charlotte had dreamed of being her real self in the world of Lottie English. In her life with her brother she'd been a lady denied recognition as she sang upon the stage, and as the married Duchess of Newark, he'd done nothing more to give her the acclaim she deserved.

Give me the world and I'll stay…

He now understood exactly what she wanted—his name
and
his love. She wanted it all, and with great pleasure, he would give it to her.

N
ear the end of the second act, Colin rose from his seat and exited his box unnoticed. Just as he had all those months ago when he met the marvelous Lottie English, he made his way through the curtain and down the hallway that led to the backstage area. This time, however, he didn't need to announce himself, so he simply nodded to the young man guarding the wooden door before walking into the darkness and on toward Sadie's dressing room.

His nerves were afire, his heart pounding in anticipation as he listened to the chorus from behind the curtain, knowing time was valuable and the second interval would soon begin. But unlike the last time he ventured into the backstage area during a performance, tonight no one paid him the least bit of attention. Everyone associated with the production had grown accustomed to his presence as Lottie English's lazy nobleman lover. A benefit made useful, for now.

After walking by the closed door of Lottie's dressing room, he glanced around him to make certain nobody watched him, then turned the knob on Sadie's door and opened it.

A small lamp burned by a vanity at the far end, though he saw no one inside. Swiftly, he closed the door behind him and took in the room as it was.

Much smaller than Lottie's, Sadie's dressing room contained only the small vanity with a mirror, and one small chair placed beside it for cosmetic application. Not only was it modest in size, it had no window, no room for a wardrobe, and not one flower to offer a scent or a hint of praise.

It only took Colin a second to surmise that Sadie's jealousy had to be greater than he or Charlotte expected. She clearly possessed the ambition of his wife, but not the talent, not the fame of an adoring public, and always being in Lottie's shadow made the Frenchwoman's desperation all that more understandable to him.

Suddenly cheers and applause broke out from the audience, and Colin quickly moved back to the door, standing behind it in a desire to surprise the entrants who would, hopefully, be arriving at any minute.

It didn't even take that long. Within seconds, the knob turned and Sadie walked in—followed by Charles Hughes, Earl of Brixham.

Colin had never been more shocked in his life. In the tiny room, next to the Frenchwoman, stood his brother-in-law, clearly dressed for the opera as he wore an excellent evening suit in navy, with high collar and cravat. For a moment he seemed confused. Then the earl turned and spotted him, his eyes growing wide
with alarm as his mouth dropped open and the color drained from his face.

“Well, Brixham, I'm surprised to see you here,” he said pleasantly, keeping his own anger in check as he closed the door and positioned himself in front of it to block an unceremonious exit. “And with a woman of the stage, no less. I thought being in the company of such ladies was beneath you.”

Charles Hughes's instantaneous rage permeated the air like a tangible thing as he began to put the pieces together. His nostrils flared as his skin went from white to an unsightly shade of red. Sadie remained at the man's side, though her eyes had narrowed with suspicion.

Colin just smiled at them both and relaxed against the door, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Your grace,” Sadie began, her accent laced with heavy sarcasm, “I had no idea you could be so very deceitful.”

“I adore fine music,” he returned with a shrug, though he never dropped his hard gaze from Brixham.

“Where is it?” Sadie charged. “What kind of deal do you want, bringing us here when you can sell it yourself?”

“Stop talking,” Brixham finally uttered, his tone low and raw. “This isn't about music.”

The Frenchwoman momentarily glanced at the earl, pulling a face of distaste. Then she turned her back on him, effectively ignoring his demand.

“Why did you bring us here, Colin?” she asked, moving slowly toward him. “Where is the music?”

“I want answers from him,” he said, keeping his voice light in spite of his resentment and tightly controlled fury. “Why are you here, Brixham?”

“How do you know each other?” she asked with a growing suspicion.

A sudden knock at the door interrupted them. Colin reached behind him to turn the knob, never taking his eyes off his brother-in-law. “How convenient for us all,” he said jovially. “The police have arrived.”

Both Sadie and the earl took a step back in a brush of panic as Sir Thomas entered, pulling down on his cuffs.

“Your grace,” he said with a nod and his usual stately flair. Then he turned and acknowledged Brixham. “My lord, you seem disturbed.”

Indeed, the man looked increasingly uncomfortable, his face red, his lips almost white as they stretched across his teeth.

“He's not disturbed, Sir Thomas,” Colin replied for him, closing the door again. “I just don't think he's enjoying the opera very much, especially when someone might notice just how closely he resembles the leading lady.”

Sadie recovered herself quickly. “I think I need to be on the stage—”

“Not so fast, miss,” Sir Thomas cut in, smiling. “I'm here at the request of his grace, the Duke of Newark, and I think he wants this party to continue.” He glanced at Colin. “Am I right?”

“Oh, absolutely,” he agreed. “And since you're only in the chorus, I don't suppose anyone will notice your absence if you don't return for the final act.”

Sadie blinked, made speechless as she looked him up and down.

He ignored her, staying focused on his brother-in-law as he discarded the pretense of humor, his expression turning to one of contempt. “I'll ask you a final time. Why are you here, Brixham?”

The sudden commotion of Lottie's arrival, the sound of her voice outside the dressing room, kept the man from an immediate answer, though sweat had beaded on his forehead and he pulled at his collar as if it choked him.

“Sir Thomas is not from the police,” he said, his voice pinched, “and this little inquest is a sham. I am here only for the welfare of my sister because I heard someone is trying to steal her priceless manuscript.”

Sadie gasped. “That's a lie. Lottie's not his sister—”

“Shut up, you ignorant girl,” Brixham spat, his eyes narrowed to slits.

“What is going on?” she asked, anger replacing her confusion.

Colin shrugged. “Let's ask Lottie, shall we?”

According to plan, he opened the door a second time and his wife entered, eyes sparkling, her cheeks dewy and pink from her exertion on the stage—until she beheld her brother standing next to Sadie.

She stopped short at Colin's side, casting a quick glance to everyone in the room, her face going pale as she suddenly realized just who was behind the treachery. She started shaking, and he reached down for her hand and held it tightly.

“You were saying, Brixham?” he repeated. “Please explain to your sister why you did this.”

“I did nothing,” the man said in a whispered fury.

Sadie took two steps back and dropped into the chair at her vanity, gaping at them. “My lord, she is not a lady,” she murmured, seemingly in an effort to convince herself more than anyone else in the room.

Colin drew in a deep breath and acknowledged her for the first time. “Not only is she a lady, Miss Piaget, she is my
wife
, the Duchess of Newark. And I believe it's time you showed her a little more respect than you have thus far.”

Sadie's eyes grew round as saucers, and she appeared, for the first time, as if she might faint.

Brixham suddenly straightened, pulling down on his coat tails, and began walking toward the door in an attempt to leave the room. Sir Thomas quickly positioned himself in front of the man, his own expression now hard with distaste.

“I'd like you to explain yourself as well, my lord,” he said coldly. “Did you, in fact, seek to harm your sister in an effort to secure a rare piece of music?”

Brixham took a step back, appalled as he looked the older man up and down. “Of course not.”

“He wouldn't hurt me,” Charlotte said at last, her voice dampened by shock. “But you would steal the Handel masterwork, wouldn't you, Charles? Did you think to sell it to pay off your debts?”

Brixham wiped the sweat off his expansive forehead with the back of his hand. “This is not the place to discuss this—”

“Oh, I think it's the perfect place to discuss this,” Charlotte chided, color returning to her face as she grew more incensed by the second.

“We're all here and dressed for the occasion,” Co
lin added. “You have about five minutes to do so before your sister takes the stage again.”

His wife released his hand and planted her fists on her hips as she moved closer to her brother to confront him. “How did you know I owned it, Charles?”

“He saw it,” Sadie replied for him, her composure returning. “At least that's what he told me.”

“Shut up!” Brixham bellowed.

“I will not,” she countered, standing again and facing him. “You told me you saw it once, but you failed to tell me the details. Is this why? Because Lottie English is your
sister
?”

The Earl of Brixham looked as if he might explode.

Colin crossed his arms over his chest as he slowly began to walk toward his brother-in-law. “How did you find out about the music? Charlotte had it hidden and said she told nobody.”

Still, the earl refused to answer until at last Sir Thomas cleared his throat. “Perhaps you'd be more comfortable discussing this with a detective, my lord—”

“Absolutely not,” he cut in, the fear of disgrace loosening his tongue. “I want nothing to do with the police.”

“Good,” Sir Thomas replied, clasping his hands behind him. “Now, you were just about to say?”

Brixham swallowed so hard his Adam's apple appeared to get stuck. Then finally, seething, he looked directly at Charlotte and replied, “I knew you had it. Your tutor came to see me soon after I forbade you to continue with your ridiculous les
sons. I explained to him that you needed to marry, to quit your singing nonsense, and settle down as a lady of your
station.
The stage is not the place for the sister of an
earl!
”

Sadie winced; Sir Thomas dropped his shaking head. Even Colin was taken aback by the man's vehemence. But Charlotte seemed unmoved by her brother's confession, remaining self-possessed as she began to draw her own conclusions.

“Sir Randolph told you he was going to give it to me, didn't he, Charles?” she asked matter-of-factly. “He told you he knew of my dreams, that he was going to give me the music to secure my future.” She shook her head in disdain. “But why look for it now? I've owned it for years.”

Brixham glared at her. “Because you haven't sold it and left for the Continent, have you, Charlotte? And here you are again tonight, in London, risking our family name by appearing in this…costume.” He threw Colin a look of disgust. “Even your husband hasn't been able to curb this indecency.”

In controlled fury, Charlotte replied, “There is nothing indecent about opera. And my husband is a fair-minded gentleman who knows I
belong
on the stage.”

“You
belong
at home having babies!”

Suddenly livid, Colin walked to his brother-in-law, grabbed him by his tidy cravat, and shoved him up against the wall. “What she does now is no longer up to you,” he muttered through clenched teeth.

“Colin, stop it,” Charlotte said from behind him.

Brixham looked startled and unable to speak.

Reigning in his anger, he loosened his grip on his
brother-in-law, but his gaze never left the man's face. “Why now?”

“I wanted Lottie English
gone,
” he replied at once, seething through his words. “With the sale of such a rare manuscript, I could rid myself of the threat of her being discovered, then live in luxury the rest of my life, my debts wiped clean.” He raised his chin a fraction and looked directly at Charlotte. “If you weren't going to sell it to save us, I would.”

Colin released the man abruptly and took a step back as clarity washed over him. “You're responsible for her invitation to Italy, aren't you?”

“What?” Charlotte said through a fast breath.

Brixham's eyes narrowed. “Unhand me, sir.”

Colin released him and stood back, but with one glance at Sadie and the smug, crooked smile on her face, he knew he was right in his assessment.

“And you knew about it, didn't you?” he directed to the Frenchwoman.

“I don't believe this,” Charlotte cried out from behind him.

“It's true, isn't it, Brixham?” he murmured, fisting his hands at his sides. “What did you do, contact the theater managers directly? Offer to pay for her because you'd so soon have the funds? Having her leave for the Continent would be a relief to you, wouldn't it?”

“Charles, tell me that's not true,” Charlotte whispered, moving closer to her brother.

“Of course it's true,” Colin replied for him. “And he told Sadie, which is why she knew of the opportunities before you did.” He looked at the Frenchwoman again. “What did he promise you? Money? And the
ridiculous notion that you'd be left here to take her place?”

Utter silence reigned supreme for a long, tense moment. Yet even when faced with the evidence of his own deceit, the Earl of Brixham couldn't acknowledge it.

Finally, Sir Thomas inhaled a deep breath and blew it out loudly. “Unfortunately, although the two of you deserve to be fed to the ridicule of the lions of society, I see no crime here—”

“Yes, there is,” Colin cut in, looking at Sadie. “Someone tried to hurt my wife physically.”

“I had nothing whatsoever to do with that,” Brixham blurted defensively. “I never asked anyone to hurt my sister; the thought appalls me.”

“Because she's managed to help you out of debt by marrying me?” he returned snidely.