Ruined by Moonlight (17 page)

“I see.” Andrews was no doubt good for it if he ever found the blasted man, but still a corner of his mouth twitched a little at her audacity. “Very well. As I am holding the watch I purchased back from a man who apparently was keeping it hostage, please do tell me you know how the blackmailer came to have it in his possession.”

Really, he doesn’t need to use such a condescending tone,
Alicia thought with irritation. Or maybe it was guilt, for, to a certain extent, she understood now that Ben was probably correct and she should not have gone off so blithely without even knowing exactly where she was headed. While she wouldn’t describe the neighborhood as downtrodden, it wasn’t prosperous either, and once they had arrived she wasn’t at all sure they should even exit the carriage.

“I wrote it all down,” she informed him as the carriage swayed along. “The man claimed he’d found it in the street after witnessing an altercation outside of the club that Lord Andrews frequents. When he saw the engraving he wondered if his lordship would not be interested in getting it back.”

Ben weighed the solid-gold case in his palm and nodded. “I am sure Andrews
will
want it. What else did he tell you? What sort of altercation? Did he describe it?”

Disappointingly, the man had seen very little.

“Three men seemed to be dragging another man into
a coach of some kind and he was protesting, but Mr. Crepshaw claimed it was dark and he couldn’t see very clearly what they looked like.” Alicia was derisive as she added, “Nor did he, it seems, have the courage to come to the rescue of anything but Lord Andrews’s watch. If I saw someone—”

For the second time that evening her husband interrupted her, which was very unusual. He was always almost too carefully polite. “I’ve no doubt you’d do something rash, my dear, but can we get back to the only witness we might have? What else did he say?”

Rash? That was a little insulting, but she wasn’t sure she should argue the point at the moment.

“He wasn’t all that helpful,” Janet Raine admitted. “I think the gleam of gold distracted him, and when he realized who it belonged to, he knew he could extort money for its return.”

“What was he doing in front of one of London’s most exclusive clubs in the first place?”

Both of them looked at him blankly and Alicia realized that perhaps she wasn’t experienced enough to properly interview witnesses. When she thought about it, why
had
the smarmy shopkeeper been in such an exclusive neighborhood?

“It’s clear he isn’t a member,” her husband went on. “And I admit I’m rather surprised he allowed you the watch without the money.”

“My pearl earbobs.” Alicia tilted her head so he could see her unadorned earlobe.

As he’d given them to her for a gift, he looked momentarily taken aback—or as much as Ben ever looked nonplussed, which was almost never—until she said with a hint of smugness, “Just one of them, of course, as collateral
to ensure we’d honor our word. I would never have given him both.”

“Clever,” he agreed after a slight pause. “I suppose one earring would be difficult to sell. Though the pair is a family heirloom.”

He’d never told her that but she shouldn’t be surprised. The day of their wedding he’d simply handed her the box and said they suited her beauty. No flowery words of love, of course, but, then, he never had said anything about his feelings except that he admired her looks.

Desire still wasn’t enough, but they
might
be making some headway, for he had certainly seemed concerned when he’d ridden up. Her purpose had not been to worry him but instead expediency. She was growing more and more upset about Elena each passing day. “I don’t think this particular man wants the jewelry as much as the money,” she informed her husband, noting how the shadowed light in the carriage accented his firm lips and lean jaw. Still in his riding clothes, he seemed to take up most of the space, his long legs stretched out enough his boots brushed her skirts.

“It was not a criticism; just an observation.” His tone was mild, his eyes inscrutable.

“Then we agree I did what was best under the circumstances?”

She’d asked it a touch too sweetly and he hesitated, but then did what he did best and circumvented a direct answer to the hint of sarcasm. “I agree this was certainly worth looking into, but you should have at least taken along one of the footmen for protection.” His gaze shifted to Janet. “There’s still no word, I take it, from your nephew?”

“None,” she confirmed in a slightly hollow voice. “I
am stymied as what to tell my niece, Lucy, for she is frantic, and I admit I am not easy about Randolph’s continued absence either.”

“I feel the same about my cousin.” Alicia pointed it out quietly, because, in truth, she now felt guilty about the earring. Surely Elena’s well-being when measured against something material—no matter how valuable—was more important.

“It has been long enough one does have to wonder.” In a mannerism she was coming to know, Ben gazed at the tip of his boot as if suddenly fascinated, his brow furrowed. “At least we have some indication of an abduction; however, nothing to explain why or if it has anything to do with Lady Elena.”

“It is not a lack of concern over Lady Heathton’s cousin, I assure you, but I would very much like to know what happened to my nephew, my lord. No one thinks he would leave with such callous disregard for our worry. He’s a very independent man, though perhaps a bit of a libertine, but he isn’t…thoughtless.”

And maybe I have been just that in my haste,
Alicia had to acknowledge, going off to an unknown and, as it turned out, not so safe part of London without waiting for her husband’s return. Still, she tried to rationalize her decision as they pulled up in front of the stately house,
he
hadn’t bothered to tell
her
where he was going either.

Once Ben had escorted Janet Raine to her waiting carriage, gifted her the watch, and promised he would investigate further, he climbed the steps to the house with athletic precision and motioned for Alicia to precede him inside. “After you, my dear.”

She hesitated, an apology hovering on her lips. After all, she had really just been trying to help.

He correctly interpreted her uncertain expression. “We can speak alone upstairs.”

There was enough understanding between them that she realized he was still angry under his calm demeanor and privacy did seem to be a good idea. Not that he really betrayed himself except for a tense set to his mouth and a slight glint in his hazel eyes, but she declined to argue and nodded at Yeats as she passed the older man in the hallway, doing her best to look unruffled and unconcerned.

Conscious of Ben right behind her, she climbed the stairs with as much dignity as possible, the slight acceleration of her pulse not due entirely to the exertion. When she reached the top and walked to her bedroom door, she paused. “I—”

“Inside,” her husband said with underlying steel in his tone that wasn’t easily missed, though he didn’t raise his voice even a fraction.

While a part of her bridled at the autocratic order, another part was curious as to what exactly he was going to say. When he politely opened the door for her and stood back, she entered the room and turned around to watch him follow her. He seemed somewhat taller all at once, his dark blond hair ruffled by their earlier ride, his boots a bit muddy, his eyes slightly narrowed.

“What were you thinking?”

“I had no idea I would make you angry.” Alicia did her best to not sound defensive.

“I was worried,” her husband said with equanimity. “I admit
now
I am a little irritated, for I know you are more intelligent than to go off to meet a man who would stoop to extortion in a neighborhood that is questionable at best and dangerous at worst, but no harm was done.
This time
.
I think perhaps it would better if we understood each other. That is what you want, is it not? For us to know each other in ways that do not include our marriage bed?”

“I never said I didn’t want to include the bedroom.…” She stopped, wondering, from the sudden intensity of his gaze, if she’d just fallen into some trap.

“That is good to hear.” He took a predatory step closer. “But we will discuss that in a moment. For now I’d like to ask you to give me your word that you will never do something so foolish again.”

“I didn’t go alone so it was hardly foolish,” she started to object, not sure if she wanted to concede the irrefutable fact it had not been a good idea. The shabby neighborhood had set her aback, but at that point they’d gone that far, so she had brazened it out.

Well, perhaps
foolish
did apply.

“Wasn’t it?” Ben moved again and his fingertips brushed her cheek in a ghost of a caress. “I beg to differ, my lady.”

The light touch made her unaccountably warm and was unexpected. Alicia could swear he was still not at all happy with her, and perhaps he had a right to be, yet the touch of his hand made her shiver in an interesting way.

She felt compelled to admit, “I might have been a little impetuous.”

“Might?” Ben’s long fingers caught her chin and tilted it upward.

At that moment she realized he was going to kiss her. It was one of those instinctive instances where no words were necessary…if he had spoken it would have ruined
everything
. He didn’t, thank goodness, but instead lowered his head and his mouth touched hers—gently at
first, their lips clinging, and then his tongue traced the line of her lips and slipped into her mouth. He began to explore in a way that made her tingle in curious places.

Six months of married life and he had never,
ever
kissed her like this.

Not with the palm of his hand warm on the small of her back, not with a change in the slant of his head in which he tasted her more fully, not with such heat and open desire.

It was intoxicating in a unique way that left her breathless when he finally broke it off, her chest lifting against his, she discovered, they stood so close. The tips of her breasts were tight and her lashes lowered in anticipation, but they fluttered up when he said in a matter-of-fact voice, “If you will excuse me, I have another pressing errand. I look forward to seeing you at dinner, my dear.”

Then he released her and left her there, standing with her arms at her sides, staring, as he exited the room and quietly closed the adjoining door. Bemused, Alicia wasn’t sure whether she should laugh or cry, but there was a glimmer of understanding that they’d just engaged in a subtle battle.

The real question was,
Who had won?
She’d definitely gotten her romantic kiss, but he’d walked away. There had never been any doubt in her mind that Ben was clever enough that he would be a formidable foe with no need of the weapons of his position of power or his wealth or even of male privilege. Not that she really considered this a war between them—it was not a struggle for power either, or at least she didn’t look at it that way. It was at the same time simpler and more complex than that.

Which, she was beginning to think, described being in love very well. It was the most simple yet evocative, intoxicating, complex emotion possible.

Thoughtfully, she reassessed her approach.

Maybe she needed a new strategy.

She was still musing over it a half hour later when the knock came, and she was undeniably startled out of her reverie. Alicia rose, straightened her dress, and went to the door. “Yes?”

A footman stood there, an apologetic look on his face. “I’m sorry, my lady, but you have a visitor. He insists on an audience.”

She took the card, saw the name with a sinking feeling, then nodded. “Please tell his lordship I will be down directly.”

Colbert. Elena’s fiancé. She barely knew the man but then she somehow doubted her uncle would give him much information, so even before she entered the drawing room she had a fair idea of why his lordship had chosen to pay her a visit.

“Countess,” he said formally, rising politely.

“My lord.” She inclined her head, wishing vehemently that Ben hadn’t hurried off to whatever appointment was so mysteriously important, so
he
could deal with this.

He had an irritating habit of doing just that.

Blond, tall, and diffident, Lord Colbert cleared his throat. “I’m here about your cousin. As you know we are affianced, and it appears…well, that she is nowhere to be found. I wondered if you could give any insight into this confusing matter.”

Coming up with an adequate answer wasn’t exactly easy. “I wish I could answer,” she told him, eschewing the niceties of offering refreshment and deciding that honesty
was, in fact, the best approach. “I am worried as well. We all are.”

“So you know nothing.”

“Nothing. I’m sorry.”

He bowed, his expression openly disgruntled. “Thank you, then.” With long strides he walked to the door, but then turned. “Does she know Andrews?”

“No. Not to my knowledge.”

When he had gone, she sat down and stared abstractedly at the painting above the fireplace.

Elena, where are you
?

B
en heard the little bell ring as he entered the shop. He had to force himself to forget the delectable sensation of having Alicia so soft and willing in his arms and focus on the matter at hand. Time was passing and it would not hurt his cause to please her by finding her errant cousin.

Three ingredients, not obviously connected, combined to make a witches’ brew of trouble and finally he had his first real possibility of a lead.

One lovely and innocent young woman. One infamously wicked lord. And their mutual absence all to a purpose Ben was starting more and more to believe had nothing to do with an impromptu elopement. So…where were they?

As much as he hated to admit it, Alicia’s impulsive dash across town had yielded a viable clue. Not from the mercenary opportunist who had ransomed the watch, but in another way entirely.

The shop smelled like old wood soaked in brandy with a hint of tobacco and an overtone of fine claret. Various bottles stood open with small glasses nearby for tasting, and the walls were lined with racks, varying
amounts of dust on them. When the proprietor hurried out, he took stock of Ben’s fashionable clothing and unerringly said, “May I be of assistance, my lord?”