Devon’s voice was soft. “No one’s but yours. And pardon me for pointing it out, but you seem to be greatly interested in the subject of money yourself.”
Lily snapped her mouth shut. Obviously, it was time to change the subject. Devon didn’t understand either. Money was nothing to him. But Lily understood the importance of money. Money meant the one thing she’d always longed for. Security.
She pulled the blanket to her nose. “While it’s unfortunate you do not agree with my decisions, it’s neither here nor there to me. As soon as we find Annie, she and I will go straight to Northumberland. Our cousin has agreed to have us. We must be close. I’ll send for our things.”
Devon’s eyes narrowed on her. “You’re really going to Northumberland?”
Lily’s heart fluttered. Was that regret she heard in his voice? Did he want her to stay?
“Yes,” she answered, holding her breath. “I have no choice. The earl has asked us to leave the town house and we have nowhere else to go.”
Devon shrugged and looked out the window. “Why don’t you find a man? Get married? Stay in London?”
Pain squeezed Lily’s heart. She turned to look out at the darkness. “It’s not as if I haven’t had offers. Just before I discovered Annie was missing, Medford asked me to marry him.” She lifted her chin and glanced back at Devon.
Devon’s face went completely blank. A tic appeared in his jaw. “Did he?”
She nodded.
He clenched his fist. “When are the happy nuptials to be?”
Lily let the blanket drop to her lap. “What makes you think I said yes?”
“You’d be a fool not to. Medford is wealthy, titled. Not to mention his disgustingly impeccable reputation.”
“You’d be a fool not to.”
That hurt. More than she expected. But she’d be skinned alive before she’d let Devon know it. She crossed her arms over her chest. “When you put it that way, I suppose it was quite an offer.”
Devon glanced out the window at the darkness this time. The muscle continued to tic in his jaw. “Are you telling me you said no?”
Lily traced the pattern of the velvet squabs with her fingertip. Her voice was quiet. “I didn’t have a chance to answer. We were interrupted by the news that Annie had gone missing.”
Devon pressed his lips together until they went white, but said no more on the subject. “There’s no time for you to go to Northumberland now. It should only take us a day or two to return to London if we find them tonight. I must get there myself by Saturday evening.”
Lily raised a brow. “Another young widow to seduce?” She winced. That sounded harsh, but she couldn’t help it after he’d practically told her she’d be an idiot if she didn’t marry Medford.
Devon ran a hand through his hair, making it look more tousled and irresistible. Lily glanced away. He didn’t answer, but it didn’t matter. She was thankful for his help with her sister, but she still had her plan to carry out. She would not be accepting Medford’s suit. She would soon be a governess in Northumberland.
“Why do you need to get back to London by Saturday night?”
He scrubbed his hands across his face. “Does it matter?”
“Tell me.”
Pushing out his cheek with his tongue, he regarded her down the length of his nose. “Very well, Lily. Since you’re full of questions tonight, I have my own question for you.” He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on both knees. He stared her straight in the eye. “How the hell were you a virgin until last night?”
CHAPTER 27
Lily clutched at the window ledge for support.
He knew
.
Of course he knew. He wasn’t a fool. She’d expected him to realize and to wonder. She hadn’t expected him to come out and ask her.
She needed time to invent an answer. She cleared her throat. “Wh … what do you mean?”
He gave her a skeptical look. “Don’t make me repeat the question. You know exactly what I mean.”
Lily turned to rest her forehead on the cool glass of the coach’s window. She squeezed her eyes shut. “My husband was very old and very…” Her voice trailed off. She could feel Devon’s eyes on her.
“How were you able to write
Secrets of a Wedding Night
when you were untouched?”
It was obvious that one could not die of embarrassment, for if that were possible Lily was quite sure she’d be gone by now. It was useless to continue to pretend she did not write the pamphlet. Devon knew. He’d known all along.
She kept her eyes squeezed shut. “I … I was so frightened on my wedding night, s-shaking. Merrill, tried, well … that is … we tried.” She winced. “Oh, suffice it to say that nothing happened. He couldn’t … and it was my fault. He said so. He said he’d never had such a problem before.” Guilt and shame washed over her. “No doubt he would have tried again, but he died so soon after we wed … it just … never happened.” She opened her eyes again to see Devon searching her face intently. Oh, God, were her cheeks scarlet or burgundy? “So you see, I have quite the experience in repulsing men, first you and then Merrill…”
Devon leaned forward and grabbed her hand, squeezing it. “Listen to me, Lily. It wasn’t you. Merrill was an old man. It’s very common for elderly men to be unable to perform. It had nothing to do with you.”
She opened her eyes and dared a glance at him. “Truly?”
“Yes. Quite common from what I understand.”
“But he told me it was my fault.”
“Also quite common, I’m afraid. No doubt his pride precluded him from admitting to his own physical shortcomings.”
Lily expelled her breath. “It’s something of a relief actually, to know that.” She gave him a half-smile. “Thank you.”
Devon squeezed her hand one more time before leaning back. “But how did you get your information for the pamphlet if nothing happened on your wedding night?”
She shrugged. “I’m a writer. I made it up.”
Devon’s eyes flashed wide. “Made it up?”
Another shrug. “I used my imagination. And bits and pieces of conversations I’ve heard through the years. Ever since I was widowed, everyone just assumed I knew anyway, so I’ve heard a great deal on the subject. I simply did nothing to set them straight. What would be the point?”
Silence rested between them.
When he finally spoke, Devon’s voice was oddly calm. “Why me? Why last night?”
“Why not?” But her third shrug held more pain than he would ever know.
“I thought the pamphlet described a physical act. I thought it was detailed.”
“Have you read it?”
He shook his head. “No. I merely heard it was so awful that young women were crying off over it. I knew that much was true because of Miss Templeton’s reaction.”
Lily sniffed and smiled barely. “Well, it doesn’t take much of an imagination to scare some young women apparently. And I did describe the truth. I merely skipped the details. I explained how frightened I was and how I wanted to die. I explained how awful the entire episode was.”
Devon cracked a smile. “Are you honestly telling me you’ve scared half of the young women in the
ton
with a pamphlet that describes nothing more than nerves and innuendo?”
Lily pushed up her chin. “I couldn’t very well come out and tell everyone my marriage wasn’t consummated, could I? Even if they didn’t know I wrote that pamphlet. And if I’d described the act in detail, the pamphlet would be absolutely indecent. And I am not
that
kind of lady.”
Devon laughed now. A full hearty laugh. He threw his head back and shouted with laughter while Lily watched him with ill-concealed ire.
“Good God, Lily, don’t ever change. Only you would have the nerve to carry out such a ruse.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down. “It wasn’t a ruse.”
“No, no, of course not.” His laughter finally died down and he looked serious again. “But you didn’t answer me. Why me? Why last night?”
Lily looked away. Tears sprang to her eyes. Horrifying tears. She hadn’t felt the sting of tears since … Devon had come back into her life. She shook her head and turned her face toward the window so he wouldn’t see. “Don’t make me answer that, Devon,” she whispered. “Besides, you never answered
me
. Why do you need to be back in London by Saturday night?”
He took a deep breath. “If you must know, I intend to play in a high-stakes card tournament in the Rookery on Saturday.”
* * *
“I’ll go in first and make inquiries. See if they’re here.” Devon pulled on his gloves as the carriage clattered to a stop in front of the Gray Horse Inn.
Lily didn’t argue with him. Arguing would take energy. Energy she did not have. Instead, she waited until Devon left, slowly counted one hundred, and stealthily followed him. In the coach, she’d been lulled by him, momentarily lulled, by his kindness and care. But his reminder that a card tournament lay in his future was all Lily needed to recall her objections to the man. It was extremely kind of him to assist her in finding her sister, but she wasn’t about to surrender control of this operation to a man. Let alone one whose entire future rested on gaming hells.
Lily arrived inside the inn to see Devon bestowing his most charming smile on a young woman who was obviously employed at the establishment. The two laughed as if they’d invented a jest. Lily sauntered up, arms crossed over her chest, and cleared her throat. Loudly.
Devon turned to look at her, a partly surprised look on his face. “Lily, I was just asking this nice young lady if she’d seen a couple.”
The girl smiled, revealing crooked teeth. She giggled. “And I told ye, I ’aven’t seen anyfing o’ the sort.”
Devon flashed her his trademark grin. “Think about it a bit longer,” he persuaded. “Now do you remember?”
The girl’s eyes widened and Lily could have sworn she batted her eyelashes at Devon.
“The couple? Have you seen them?” he asked.
The girl looked abashed for a moment before putting her finger to her cheek, appearing to contemplate the matter. “Why, yes. Now that ye mention it, I do recall seeing a young bloke. Fine-lookin’ man, I might add. And ’e with a nice, new young bride.” She guffawed. “’Course in these parts, everybody is already married, ye know?” The maid poked Devon with her elbow and laughed at her own joke. “Nobody’s on they way to Gretna, round ’ere. No, sir.”
Devon nodded. “Which room are they in?”
The crooked teeth reappeared in her lopsided smile. The girl pointed a finger toward the back of the inn. “First room at the top. Right up them stairs.”
“Thank you,” Devon said with a wink before he grabbed Lily by the hand and pulled her with him toward the darkened stairwell.
“I told you to stay in the coach,” he whispered, glancing back at her.
Lily batted her eyelashes at him. “You didn’t actually expect me to listen to you, did you? And by the way, charming the servant girl? A bit predictable, isn’t it?”
Devon rolled his eyes. “Come on.”
When they reached the top of the stairs, he put a finger to his lips. He motioned for Lily to remain silent. She waited in the shadows beside a wooden table with a rusty, flickering lantern resting atop it.
She took a deep breath. “I hope it’s them,” she whispered. “Or we’re about to rudely interrupt someone.”
Devon rapped twice on the door. No answer. They waited in the silence for what felt like minutes before he rapped again. This time a muffled male voice sounded through the door. “Blast it. It’s the crack of dawn. Who is it?”
Lily’s heart flipped. It was a young man’s voice. English. Aristocratic. She held her breath.
“Eggleston?” Devon’s voice boomed through the darkness.
Muttering and curses followed, then the door swung open. “Yes? What do you want?”
Devon grabbed the boy by the throat and pushed him back into the room. Lily rushed through the door, hoping against hope she wouldn’t find her sister naked in a tangle of bed sheets.
Devon lit a match and a lantern sprang to a soft glow in the corner of the room. Annie sat up in the bed, quite properly dressed in a night rail that covered every bit of her from head to toe. A pallet on the floor strewn with blankets and a pillow clearly indicated where Mr. Eggleston had been sleeping.
Lily let out a deep sigh. “Thank heavens.” She raced to the bed, grabbed Annie by the shoulders, and hugged her fiercely. Then, just as quickly, said, “What were you thinking, you little fool?”
Annie hugged Lily back and sobbed.
Eggleston had managed to wrangle himself from Devon’s grasp and he stood huddled in the corner, rubbing his throat and eyeing his captor. Devon paced back and forth in front of him like a lion guarding his prey.
Tears streaked down Annie’s face. “I’m sorry, Lily. Truly I am.”
Lily hugged her sister again, but she wanted to shake her. “Do you know what this escapade could do to your reputation if it ever got out?”
Eggleston cleared his throat. “We know, Lady Merrill, but with all due respect, it’s your own fault. If you hadn’t threatened Anne with exile, we wouldn’t have had to put her reputation at risk.”
Devon growled and lunged at the boy, but Lily got there first and slid between the two. She pointed her finger firmly in Eggleston’s face.
“How dare you accuse me! You know nothing of Annie’s situation. I am her guardian and I am doing the best I can for her. I daresay living in Northumberland is a far sight more respectable than running off to Gretna Green. Besides, I thought you’d heard a rumor that Annie has no dowry. You didn’t seem interested at her come-out ball.”
Arthur straightened his shoulders and raised his chin. “That was all a misunderstanding. Anne knows that. I don’t care if she doesn’t have a dowry. Anne wants a family. And so do I. We are in love. We plan to marry with or without your consent, Lady Merrill.”
Lily eyed the boy with disdain. “Don’t make me regret stopping the marquis from throttling you, Mr. Eggleston.”
Devon kept his eyes narrowed on the younger man. “Say the word.”
Annie leaped from the bed. “Please, Lily, don’t blame Arthur. He was only doing what I asked of him. It was I who wanted to go to Gretna.”
Lily paced across the floor. “Well, you’re
not
going to Gretna. Lord Colton and I have come to take you home.”