The Seduction of Emily (21 page)

His mother’s face filled his mind’s eye. How did Milne come to know her? Was he a regular visitor to their patch of Bristol for business reasons? Social reasons? He started when the shop door opened. Two women walked out, talking and laughing. He touched his hat to them and quickly swept into the shop before the bell above the door announced his entrance.

“Good afternoon, Miss Carter.”

Katherine spun around from the hat stand. Her wide smile dissolved with almost comical rapidity. “Mr. . . .”

Will stepped forward and bowed. “Samson. How are you today?”

She glanced over his shoulder toward the door, as though debating whether to make a dash through it. “I am quite well. How . . . how are you?”

“Very well.”

A flush colored her cheeks and her gaze left his. She turned to the various velvet-lined trays lying on the counter. Her fingers trembled as she laid ribbons and feathers back in their allocated spaces. She slid the trays back onto the shelves beneath the glass-topped counter.

“I need your help, Katherine.” Will softened his tone in the hope she’d detect he meant her no harm.

She met his eyes and her gaze deepened with concern. “It’s not Emily, is it?”

Will arched an eyebrow. “What makes you ask that?”

Her gaze darted to the door and back again. “Because I know Mr. Darson is insisting you accompany her and if she isn’t with you . . . have you bad news? Has his condition worsened?”

“No. He is as well as can be expected.”

“And Emily? Is she all right? I haven’t seen her since you and Nich . . . Mr. Milne had your argument.”

“She is well, I promise you. I didn’t mean to distress you.”

She gripped the counter. “If anyone should hurt her, it would be too much to bear.”

Will’s heartbeat quickened. “Who would have cause to hurt her?”

Her manic gaze darted over his face as she pulled her lips tightly shut. The skin at her throat shifted. “Mr. Milne has been known to have a temper.” She shook her head. “Ignore me. I’m being silly.”

Will stared at her bowed head. She knew of Milne’s temper yet continued to fornicate with him behind her friend’s back. The guilt he had for upsetting her promptly vanished. “I’m confused.”

She looked up. “Pardon?”

“If you know about Milne’s temper, why would you invite him to share your bed?”

Her mouth dropped open and her gasp sounded loud in the empty shop. “Shame on you, Mr. Samson. How dare you suggest such a thing.”

“Do I not speak the truth? You and Milne are lovers, are you not?”

Closing her eyes, she covered her ears with her hands. “I will not have this conversation with you, Mr. Samson. I would like you to leave.”

The seconds passed like heartbeats. He hated having to do this to her but his motivation lingered far too deep for any other choice. He reached forward and gently lowered her hands from her ears.

He held them as he stared deep into her eyes. “Talk to me, Katherine. Please. I want to help you—and Emily. Tell me about your relationship with Milne. Why on earth would you want to be with someone like that? A violent man. A man engaged to someone else. Your friend. Are you not worthy of more?”

For a long moment, she said nothing and then snatched her hands from his. “Why do you care? What is your interest in Nicholas? Or does your interest really lie in Emily?”

He shook his head and huffed out a breath. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Apportion blame to me for your misdeeds. You are having relations with a man who belongs with someone else. Why?”

Her chest rose and fell until she looked away and a tear slipped from beneath her lashes. “You are a horrible man.”

Guilt pressed down on Will’s chest and he fought it with all he had. “You know that’s not true. I want to help you. Is Emily not a good friend to you?”

She whipped her head around. “Of course she is. I love her.”

“Then why would you sleep with her fiancé?”

She closed her eyes. “Nicholas and I have known each other forever. We were friends before I met Emily.”

“Friendship is one thing, but your relationship with Milne far surpasses—”

She glowered. “When Nicholas wants something, he takes it.”

Nausea struck at Will’s gut. “Are you telling me he forces himself on you?”

She stared at him, her eyes wide with fear and her cheeks flushed. She lifted her hands to her mouth and they trembled.

“Katherine, please. Think of Aimee.”

She shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t bring my baby into this.”

“She is the most important person here, isn’t she?” The trembling became more ardent and Will took one of her hands in his. He held it tight. “Help me to help you.”

“He wouldn’t hurt Aimee.”

Will gripped her fingers tighter. “Can you guarantee that? Forever?”

Snatching her hand from his, she crossed her arms. “Why are you doing this? Do you love Emily? Is that it?”

He tightened his jaw, struggled to maintain eye contact. All too soon his feelings surpassed redemption, attraction, and the need to see Milne suffer. He now loved the woman he had only intended to tempt away from his target. He swallowed and met her gaze.

“Yes. Yes, I do.”

She studied him. Her brown eyes intense and unwavering. After the longest moment, she sighed and her shoulders slumped. Dropping her arms, she gripped the counter once more. “Nicholas is a man you do not argue with. I learned that a long time ago. The first time was forced. After . . . afterwards, Nicholas made it clear he would make sure everyone knew I was ruined unless I maintained my relationship with him. So I did. I didn’t want to be a social outcast. I was willing to pay the price. That, Mr. Samson, is the sort of woman I am. Why would you want to help me? There is no reason. Now go. Leave me to wallow in my own mistakes.”

Will tightened his jaw. “You were fifteen or sixteen?”

“Yes, and now it’s too late to do anything about it. You’re right. I have Aimee. She is all I have. Nicholas owns every other aspect of my life.” She gave a wry smile, a spark of malice showing in her eyes. “Children are of no importance to him, so he leaves Aimee to me. That’s the way I want it. Always.”

Will balled his hands into fists. “He’s an animal.”

She nodded. “Yes, I believe he is.”

“What of Emily? What will happen to her?”

Her eyes glazed with tears. “If there was something I could do or say—”

“You could save her from having to marry him.”

“How? Why would you say such a thing? I know about the contract. I know Emily. She will never see her father’s money go to Nicholas. Not ever. There is little either of us can do to change our circumstances.”

“You’re wrong.” He turned around and paced a distance away from her lest his growing frustration spill over and drown Katherine in its depths. “Milne not only shares his time between you and Emily but also with a prostitute.”

Silence.

He stopped pacing and turned.

Katherine had paled and her lips turned white.

He returned to the counter. “Katherine?”

She shook her head and lifted a hand to her mouth. “Don’t be absurd.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Nicholas would never lower himself to visit a prostitute. To even suggest he does and then comes to my bed is disgusting. You should be ashamed. Now get out of my shop.”

Will glared. “I am telling you the truth. If you can’t help yourself, then for God’s sake, think of your daughter.”

She flinched, her eyes brimming with tears. “Get out.”

Heat pinched his cheeks and anger smoldered like burning coal in his gut. “I have just left the woman Milne pays to spend time with. A woman who has never felt the thrust of his fists but gave me the names of two other prostitutes who have. I am not lying about this, Katherine. I am telling you the honest truth and intend to tell the same truth to Miss Darson as soon as possible.”

Her eyes widened. “You can’t. The shame will kill her.”

Will shook his head. “Emily can handle whatever is thrown at her. That is the one thing I am absolutely sure of in this entire mess. My revelation will further fuel her desire to be rid of him and the absurd contract she is bound in.”

She stared. “Even if what you say is true, I have no idea what you expect of me. Nicholas is not a man to cross. I know it, as does Emily . . . and maybe even these other women you speak of. He is strong and powerful with a reputation that precedes him.”

“These women are willing to testify against him in a court of law. They will stand before a judge and tell him what Milne has done to them . . . and what of you? What are you willing to do to ensure Aimee’s safety?”

“This is madness. Whatever you feel for Emily, it cannot be such that you would risk your life, having only known her three or four weeks.”

“My life?”

“If Nicholas finds out what you are doing . . .” She shook her head.

“My motivation originally had nothing to do with Emily. When I came to Bath in search of Milne, I didn’t even know of her existence.”

“So what has Nicholas done to deserve your vengeance?”

Will tipped his head back, closed his eyes, and told her about his mother. When he opened them several minutes later, he stared at her, pleading with her to join him in battle.

“I hate him. I hate him with every fiber of my body.” He pulled his hat from his head and pushed his hand into his hair. He held it there. “But I am tired of that hatred digging its claws deeper and deeper into my soul. I want to cut it out of me. The only way to do that is to see Milne locked away and unable to hurt anyone else.”

Their gazes locked. The curtain behind her swished back and little Aimee came running out, holding a wooden doll by its leg. Hastily swiping at her eyes, Katherine lifted the curly-haired little girl into her arms and pulled her close. She pressed a kiss to Aimee’s temple, her eyes closed.

“I’ll help you, Mr. Samson.” She met Will’s eyes over Aimee’s head. “I’ll do whatever I can to stop Nicholas from ever coming near my little girl again.”

Excitement fluttered in her stomach, relief in her heart. He had returned. She should be afraid, wanting to banish him out of the house, to leave her in peace to face her destiny. Yet nothing but happiness that he was on the other side of the door reigned supreme. Opening her eyes, she inhaled a deep breath. It was time to face him—see what he had to say about his altercation with Nicholas.

She opened the door. “Will.”

He turned from the window.

Emily walked farther into the room, not stopping until barely three feet separated them.

“You’re back.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He nodded and then his gaze darted over her face before coming to rest on her lips. “I told you I would not leave you open to Milne’s harm. I meant it.” His jaw tightened.

Heat flushed her cheeks and then her entire body as desire lit his eyes. “I don’t . . . know what to say to you, Will. This can’t go on.”

“What can’t?”

Why had she said that? “I mean . . . I don’t know what I mean, but this is wrong. It isn’t what is supposed to be happening.”

“I won’t leave you open to his mistreatment. I can’t.”

She closed her eyes. “I’m strong. You know that. Whatever Nicholas thinks he can do to me, he can’t.” She opened her eyes. “I will survive.”

He shook his head. “My fear that you won’t means I can’t stay away. My passion that the man is not fit to lick your boots or even look at you burns right here.” He pushed a fist into his stomach. “I can’t ignore that.”

Emily fought the urge to close the space that lingered like a chasm between them. She tilted her chin against her attraction to him, her need for him. “I will marry him, Will. I have to. My father’s legacy means too much to me.”

Color stained his cheeks and he whirled away from her to stare through the window. Her heart ached to go to him, to steal her hands over his back and shoulders. To whisper promises she could not keep. If only things were different. She blinked the tears from her eyes and clamped her hands together in front of her. “I’m sorry.”

He huffed out a laugh. “You are the last person who needs to be sorry. It is I who has brought this trouble to your door. If I wasn’t here, you would have married him in blissful ignorance. At least for a while until the son of a bitch showed you his true colors.”

“Will, look at me.”

He turned and their gazes locked. His eyes shone with fervor, with a passion she longed to have in her life every single day. “This is madness.”

She forced a smile. “But it’s my madness. You need to move on, forget you ever met me. Whatever it is you think Nicholas capable of—”

“It’s not what I think, it’s what I know.” He blew out a breath through pursed lips and gestured to the settee. “Sit, please. I have something to tell you. Something I think will change your mind and make you see that no one needs to sacrifice their life in the name of loyalty and duty. Especially you.”

The sincerity in his gaze alerted Emily’s intuition. Whatever Will was about to tell her was about to turn her life upside down. On trembling legs, she moved to the settee and sat. He moved silently across the carpet, lowered beside her, and took her cold hand in his.

He stared deep into her eyes. “I’ve been busy these past two days. Very busy.”

Emily swallowed. “And?”

“What I have to tell you is not pleasant for me to repeat nor for you to hear.”

She drew in a strengthening breath. “Just tell me.”

“Milne is Aimee’s father.”

For a long moment, Emily stared and then slumped her shoulders, a defeated smile curving her lips. “I suspected as much. I have for a while.” She looked away from his penetrating gaze. “His infidelity doesn’t surprise me . . . but Katherine’s betrayal hurts more than you will ever know.” Tears smarted her eyes.