A Bright Particular Star (19 page)

A
nother
quiver ran through her and she swallowed convulsively.
Surely onl
y a rake could imbue
such simple
words with
intimate
overtones?
Dimly, she became aware he was speaking again.

“
When I saw your mother and brother had arrived, I wondered if they had brought you along too.
I hardly know whether to be pleased
or
sorry
.
”

“
N
-N
ot a very gallant thing
to say,
”
she managed to utter
.

“
Believe me when I say
under normal circumstances, I would be de
lighted
but
with matters as they are, I wish you had remained in Bath for your own safety.
”

“
What do you
mean?
”

“
Never mind
…
forget what I
said.
It must be moon madness
ma
king me speak so.
Be glad
it was me you encountered in this passageway.
”

Olivia, who was feeling al
most lightheaded, found herself
rhythmically smoot
hing her hand over
his coa
t lapel
.
She was
fascinated by the raw
masculinity
lurking
beneath his
stillness, th
e astonishing strength constrained by
his elegant physique
.
Having his body pressed against hers was the most enjoyable f
eeling she had ever experienced
and yet Lucius Grey remained an enigma, a man of contradictions and secrets. What manner of man was he?
Honourable or rakish? Reck
less or prudent?
Good or evil, or a little of both?
Instinct told her he would do nothing against her will, but she also se
nsed
a
hidden ruthlessness, a
power
within him
which
could be unleashed wit
h unmitigated ferocity
.
The thought was unnerving
, but still she found herself whispering
in reply
,
“
I
am
glad
.
”

There was a
long pause.
S
he heard him drag in a tortured
breath before h
is hand covered
hers, stilling the movement of her palm over his chest.

“D
on
’t
tempt m
e
,
”
he pleaded huskily
.
“
I would like
t
o take further advant
age of this situation
—
it’s true
I am no sai
nt!
—
but tonight
…tonight
, I
must be a gentleman.
”

With that, cooler air swept
betwee
n them as he stepped back.
Olivia
was hard
-
pressed
not to
s
igh with
dismay
.

“
Allow me to see you to your door
.
”

“
Y
-Yes, of course.
”
S
he
allowed him to lead her
down the passageway
until she
stopped
.
“T
his is
my mother
’s
room
.
I must go in to her before I retire.
My room is next door so it will be safe to leave me here.
”
She
studied
his face, his features clearer now
her eyes ha
d
adjusted
.
“T
hank you
.
”

He
gave a soft laugh, but it held a bitter note
.
“
For what?
The pleasure was mine, although I doubt I will enjoy a rest
ful night
now
.
”
He
kiss
ed
the back of her hand.
“S
leep well.
”

Olivia watched
as he walked away, the shadowy outline of
his
torso filling the
passage
way
.
“
Will I see you in the morning
?
”
she called out in a low voice
.

“
Without a doubt
.
”

He did not turn around and a
s his figure was swal
lowed up by the gloom
, she caught his words
drifting back to her
as he spoke again
.

“
Lock your door, Olivia.
”

She stood unmoving, staring after him.
When she was certain he had gone, she
pulled herself together with an effort
.
The encou
nter h
ad disturbed
her
more than she
cared to admit.
After taking a
nother
moment
or two
to collect herself
, she knocked on her mother
’s
do
or, opening it when the curt command to
enter
reached her ears.

****

Theo found the parlour
empty
on his return from the stables
.
The covers
had been removed
and two bottles of wine had been set down alongside the brandy.
Pouring
himself a glass, he sa
t down and
stare
d
moodily into the embers
of the fire
.

His situation with Sophie had been difficult enough before, but things were in a devil of a coil now.
W
hen
Sophie had announced
her intention of getting married
, he
felt like
he had been kicked in th
e gut
by one of his horses
.
The thought
infuriated,
dep
ressed and dismayed
him.
From what he could recall, Verney was a reasonable sort,
but it would n
ot do for S
ophie to marry him.

For one thing, she had not seen him for five years.
She had been a child then, no
t the
woman she was
now
and
,
while
Theo
could not be certain
how deeply her
affections were
engaged
,
Sophie
did not
seem to fully appreciate
people could change.
That Verney
’s
feelin
gs might have altered
did not seem to have entere
d
into her plans.
Theo
had
considered voicing his concerns
more forcibly
but
, after much agonizing,
decided against it.
To do so would make him
hateful
in her eyes.
It was Verney
’s
res
ponsibility to disappoint her
, if indeed his feelings had altered
,
and
Theo
found he
very much
wanted
Sophie to be disappointed
when she met Verney
again
.

Sophie
evidently
considered herself still
plighted
and, gi
ven her
loyal
nature
and her
situation at Ludstone, it was
not
surprising she had set off for London as she did.

Havi
ng met Sophie
’s
aunt and cousin
, Theo couldn
’t
b
lame her.
A
more unpleasant
pair he had
yet to encounter
.
T
hey were grasping
enough to force her into marr
iage to get their hands on the
sapphire.
It must be worth ten thousand
pounds
at least, prob
ably more given its rarity
,
and
its presence added to an already fraught situation.
I
f word should
get out it was in Sophie
’s
possession, she would become a target for every fortune hunter, highwayman, thief and charlatan in England.

And what of Lucius Grey?
His explanation of why he had followed them did not ring true.
Theo
had
r
acked his bra
in
to remember where he had seen t
he man before
, but without success.
This irked
him as he felt it offered a clue to
the mystery of
Grey
’s
background.
Now they were a
ll putting up for the night at
The Pelican
, with
a confrontation
looming
tomorrow
and
a valuable
jewel thrown in f
or g
ood measure.

U
nsettled
, Theo
tossed back the rest of his wine
,
ready to search out Lucius Grey and engage
him in conversation
.
He was saved t
he trouble by Peregrine
,
who entered then
,
holding another bottle and tw
o more glasses and accompanied
by
Grey.

To Theo
’s
astonishment
, Peregrine
seemed in
an altogether more amicable mood.

“
Ah, Cavanagh!
”
was his genial greeting.
“
Glad to find you stil
l here.
”
He waved a hand in
Grey
’s
direction.
“
Look who I ran into in the tap room!
Luc is a
friend of mine.
”

“
W
e
’
ve already met,
”
said
Theo
.

Peregrine raised his brows.
“
Have you?
Well, I was surprised to find him here, but h
e
’s
explained why and
I’m
pleased
to have his company
.
After chasing my cousin most of the day, I
’d
like to relax with a hand or two of cards.
Care to join us?
”

“
If y
ou wish.
”
Theo
wondered at the reason
s
for Sloane
’s
altered mood
, but he was prepared to humour him for Sophie
’s
sake.

“
Wouldn
’t
have asked you otherwise,
”
said Peregrine.
“
Never play cards with people I
don
’t
like.
I suppose you
’
re thinking about that business earlier with m
’
cousin.
”
He smiled,
but it
did not reach his eyes.
“
No hard feelings, eh, Cavanagh?
She
’s
a provoking little chit at times, but engaging too.
I can imagine how she persuaded you to take her up.
Sophie
’s
given you some
story about the way she
’s
been treated at Ludstone, but let me tell you, it isn
’t
true.
My mother has done everything for the girl.
”

“
Including suggesting
she
marries you?
”
inquired
Theo
.

“
I do not
deny it
.
”
With a shrug,
Peregrine sat down at the table
.
“
I’m
a nota
ble figure in society
and
,
while Sophie
’s
not as up to snuff as I
’d
like her to be, and possesses an unfortunate degree of spirit
, I
’d
soon br
ing her
to heel.
”

Theo ground his teeth.

“
My mother thought it would
be a good match and I agreed
,
”
continued
Peregrine
blithely
.
“S
ophie
’s
a prett
y
package
,
but if she will have none of it
I
’
ll be dashed
if I
’
ll
press the issue now
.
”
He offered
Theo a wink.
“
Matter of fact,
been thinking about it
this evening.
It
’
ll need further discussion, of cou
rse, but I can
’t
see why she
shouldn
’t
be allowed to go to London if that
’s
what she wants.
I
’
ll talk my
mother round to the notion tomorrow.
”

Mr
Grey glanced
up at this, but stayed
silent,
shuffling the deck of cards
he had drawn from his pocket
.

“
Indeed?
”
observed Theo, in a
dry voice
.
“T
hi
s is an abrupt
volte
-
face
.
A short time ago
you were demanding Miss
Devereux
return home.
”

Peregrine shrugged again.
“
Perhaps my anger at pursuing the little baggage
made me
hasty
.
Now I have had time to consider,
dragging her back immediately
might
not be the best course
.
Show a filly like Sophie too much whip and she
’
ll
bolt
.
She needs more skilful
handling to break her
in.
”
He
sm
iled genially
then
at both men
, rubbing his hands together, his protuberant eyes gleaming with anticipation.
“
Now s
hall we begin?
What say you to
vingt-et-un
, Luc?
”

Grey nodded his
agreement and the game commenced.

L
ater
, Theo realized with
dissatisfaction
that
he was no
wiser.
Sloane
’s
propitious
mood had continued.
He had won well and drunk stead
ily, but not enough to
let his tongue run on too much.
He had
not
mentioned
Sophie
again.

Grey had been drinking, too, but with no obvious effects.
Theo, who had had drunk sparingly to remain watchful, observed him through narrowed eyes.
Mr
Grey was acting as banker and Theo was as
tounded
by th
e man
’s
capacity to stay
sober
after sharing three bottles of wine with Peregrine.
There was no
tremor in the hands dealing
the ca
rds and his gaze was as perceptive
as ever.
Only a touch of
heigh
tened colour on his cheekbones and
a
loosened cr
avat
gave a clue to his potations.

Theo was as
certain as he could be
that
Grey had let Peregrine win several times
, but whether this was through Grey
dealing Sloane
an advantageous hand or by
Grey throwing in his own cards
early, he could not tell.
Grey
was an expert and Theo,
well versed in
the ways of card sharps,
detect
ed
no flaw in his play or his dealing.
His expression remained the same whether he was winning or losing.
His speech was
still
precise;
no slurred or stammered syllable was uttered.
His conversation was sparse, but what he did say was
intelligent and witty
and raised the occasional boisterous laugh fro
m Peregrine, who was red
-faced and sprawled
back
in his chair.