The Handmaiden's Necklace (28 page)

“We’ll keep our eyes and ears open where Schrader is concerned,” Cord promised.

“Which reminds me…” Ethan said. “I was planning to stop by and see you in the morning. Carlton Baker has sailed for New York. His name showed up on the passenger list of a ship called the
Mariner.
”

“You’ve been keeping track of him?”

Ethan shrugged. “I’m in the shipping business. It wasn’t that difficult to do.”

“When did he leave?”

“The
Mariner
sailed yesterday morning. If he’s the man you are seeking, he’s no longer a threat.”

“You’re probably right. Baker’s the sort who would only enjoy my demise if he saw to it personally.” Rafe managed a smile. “Thank you.”

Cord clapped him on the shoulder. “We’re all on the
lookout for news. If we find out anything that might be useful we’ll let you know.”

Rafe just nodded. He had two of the best friends a man could have. Still, even with their help, he wasn’t much closer to finding out who was trying to kill them than he had been before.

Rafe’s hold tightened around Dani’s waist. “Time to go, love…before your admirer reappears and I have to call him out.”

Her big green eyes rounded and he actually smiled. “I’m jesting, love, though I wouldn’t mind going a few rounds with the rogue the next time we’re boxing at the club.”

Dani just smiled. She’d been quiet all evening, distracted in a way he hadn’t seen her. She was worried, he was sure, and he didn’t blame her.

He kept her close by his side as he led her back to the carriage. In minutes, they were headed for home.

Several extra lamps had been lit, their yellow light glowing through the windows of the mansion when they arrived at his house in Hanover Square.

Rafe’s senses went on alert as he helped Danielle down from the carriage and led her up the walkway to the door. Several guards stood their posts in various places around the mansion, and he relaxed a little when he saw them. Still, something was going on, and this late in the evening, it paid to be cautious.

Wooster pulled open the door and Rafe ushered Danielle into the domed, stained-glass entry.

“I realize it is late,” the butler said, “but you have visitors, Your Grace. Mr. McPhee is here. I told him you had
gone out for the evening and I wasn’t sure when you would return, but he said he wished to wait. I showed him into your study. Mr. McCabe and Miss Loon are in there, as well.”

“Thank you, Wooster.”

“Dear God, I hope nothing bad has happened,” Dani said. She hurried ahead of him down the hall and he held open the door for her as she swept into the study.

Near the fireplace, Robert, Caro and Jonas McPhee all rose from their seats as they walked in.

Jonas spoke first. “Good news, Your Grace. I believe the matter of the Earl of Leighton’s murder is about to come to an end.”

“That is good news.”

“Yes, and once that happens, Clifford Nash can be dealt with and the Leighton title and fortune can be returned to its rightful heir.”

Robert grinned so broadly he looked boyish. Standing at his side, nearly as tall as he, Caro beamed.

“I take it you’ve spoken to Burton Webster,” Rafe said to McPhee, guiding Dani over to the sofa. He sat down beside her and the others returned to their seats.

“It wasn’t as difficult as we imagined,” Jonas said. “Apparently Webster was afraid Nash’s scheme would come to a very bad end, and the man had wisely taken steps to protect himself.”

“Then you were able to persuade him to speak out against his employer,” Dani said.

Jonas shrugged his thick shoulders. “It took a bit of persuasion, but apparently Clifford Nash had been lording it over Webster from the moment he assumed the role of earl and Webster was extremely unhappy about it.”

“So Sweeney was telling the truth,” Rafe said. “Webster was the man who paid him to murder the earl, but it was done at Clifford Nash’s instruction.”

“That is correct. To prove it, Webster kept every note Nash wrote to him, including several letters detailing Lord Leighton’s movements. Apparently Nash had paid someone in the earl’s employ to keep him informed. That is how Sweeney knew Leighton would be stopping that night at the Boar and Hen and was able to carry out the murder.”

“Webster is willing to testify in exchange for leniency,” Robert added, casting a soft smile at Caro. “I’m hoping his testimony, combined with the notes written in Nash’s hand and Sweeney’s confession, will be enough to prove my innocence.”

“I don’t think there is any question,” Rafe said.

“And the marriage documents from the church of St. Margaret’s will verify Mr. McKay’s claim to the title,” McPhee added.

Rafe leaned back in his chair. “Well, Robert, it looks as if you are very nearly a free man.”

Robert squeezed Caro’s hand. “Which means I will soon be a married man, as well.”

Caro blushed.

“Congratulations,” Rafe said.

“We are so happy for you both.” Dani’s eyes glistened with tears.

“I’m turning the details over to my associate, Mr. Yarmouth,” Jonas said, “so that I may focus my attention on the matter of your safety, Your Grace, and of course that of the duchess.”

Rafe just nodded, but in truth, he was damned glad to
have McPhee back on the job. “Perhaps we can discuss the investigation in more detail in the morning.”

“My thoughts exactly. I shall plan on seeing you then.”

The runner left the study, followed by Caro and Robert, who had eyes only for each other.

Rafe ignored a twinge of envy. Once he and Dani had loved openly and freely as Caro and Robert did. Now both of them guarded their emotions, afraid of the pain they might suffer if they dared to love again.

Lately, Rafe had begun to wonder if living that way was truly what he wanted.

He shook his head. At present, his main concern was finding the man who was trying to kill them. Now was not the time to think about falling in love.

D
anielle wandered about the bedchamber she used next door to the one she shared with Rafe. It was early and yet the sun was up and it looked as if the cold February day might turn at least mildly warm. She walked over to the window. Through the wavy mullioned panes, she could see an empty bird’s nest perched in a barren tree outside the house. Dear Lord, how she yearned for spring.

Dani turned at the sound of a soft knock on her door, and a moment later, Caro walked into the room. “You are already up and dressed.”

“I spoke to one of the chambermaids. I asked her to act as my lady’s maid until we could hire a permanent replacement.” But so far, by Caro’s standards, no one suitable had been found.

Caro sighed. “I keep trying to imagine myself as a countess, but it is not that easy to do. I want so badly to please Robert, but I’m afraid I’ll disappoint him.”

“Don’t be silly. You aren’t going to disappoint him. You were gently reared and well educated. You acted as my
lady’s maid for the last five years. You know a great deal about being a lady.”

Caro turned away from her. “I pray you are right.”

“Besides that, you love him and he loves you. That is all that matters.”

The
only
thing that mattered, Dani now knew. She loved Rafael to the very depths of her soul. Her heart’s greatest desire was that Rafe should love her in return.

Caro walked up beside Dani at the window. For the first time, Danielle noticed the worry on her face. “What is it, dearest? What’s wrong?”

“There is something I must tell you…something Robert told me last night. I’ve been thinking about it all morning and I believe you ought to know. It concerns the American, Richard Clemens.”

“Robert told you something about Richard?”

Caro exhaled a breath. “Robert said that Richard had a terrible reputation, that he was considered a dreadful rake. He said that everyone knew he kept a mistress, more than one, in fact. Apparently, Richard told Edmund Steigler, the man who owned Robert’s indenture, that even after he married, he intended to continue his liaison with Madeleine Harris, the woman he kept in the country near his factory at Easton. Robert overheard them talking about it.”

Danielle’s face went pale. “Richard intended to be unfaithful even after we were wed?”

“That is what Robert believes. He thinks the duke discovered Richard’s intentions and that is the reason he forced you to marry him.”

Danielle stared out the window, her mind spinning. “Rafael said he believed marrying Richard would not make me happy.”

“He knew you, Dani. He must have known you could never be happy with a man who was unfaithful.”

For a moment, Dani couldn’t speak. Rafe had married her to save her from a life of misery with Richard. He was doing his best to protect her. A painful swell of emotion swept through her. From the day Rafe had reappeared in her life, he had shown nothing but concern for her. In return, she had destroyed his chance of ever having a child of his own.

There would be no heir, and if something happened to Rafael, his family would be at the mercy of Artie Bartholomew—and it would be completely her fault.

“Thank you for telling me,” she said softly.

“I know you love the duke. You haven’t said so, but I can see it in your eyes whenever you look at him. I thought you would wish to know.”

Danielle just nodded. Her throat was aching, her heart squeezing inside her chest. Caro loved Robert. She would never do anything to hurt him. Dani loved Rafe, more than she could have dreamed, but in leaving him childless, she was hurting him greatly.

Caro quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind her, and Dani stood staring out the window. Even now there was a very good chance that his cousin, Arthur Bartholomew, was plotting to kill him to gain the Sheffield fortune. His family was at risk and the fault was hers entirely.

Tears blurred her vision. She loved Rafael, had, in truth, never stopped loving him, not even in the years they had spent apart. After they had married, she had tried to convince herself that her barrenness did not matter. Aunt Flora believed it.

Even Rafe had said so.

But deep in her heart, Dani couldn’t make herself believe it. She felt as if she were only half a woman, half a wife. She had married Rafael under false pretenses. If she had told him the truth from the start, Rafe never would have married her.

Danielle drew in a shaky breath. Her heart was aching, beating dully in her chest. She had lied to herself long enough. No matter how painful, no matter the cost to herself, Dani knew what she had to do.

Danielle had retired upstairs for the night, but Rafe wasn’t ready to join her. Instead, as he had been doing of late, he made his way down the hall and went into his study. A fire burned there, one at each end of the two-story room, heating the interior against the February chill.

Absently, he moved toward the marble-manteled hearth, his mind on the carriage accident, the fire in his bedchamber and the man who might be responsible. As he passed one of the high-backed leather chairs, he caught the dim outline of a man, and his muscles tensed.

Then he recognized the tall, dark figure of his friend, Max Bradley.

“Dammit man, you have a knack for sneaking up on a fellow.” Rafe dropped wearily down in the chair across from Max. “There are guards all around the house. How in bloody hell did you get in here?”

Max just shrugged. “One of the French doors was unlocked. Not a good idea, considering someone wants you dead.”

He wasn’t surprised Max knew. There wasn’t much that happened Max didn’t know about.

Rafe sighed. “I wish to God I knew who it was.”

“I can tell you who it isn’t.”

Rafe leaned forward in his chair. “Who?”

“Bartel Schrader.”

“He’s here in London. I spoke to him last night. How can you be sure he isn’t the man?”

“Because the French made a decision not to purchase the Baltimore Clippers. That happened nearly two weeks ago—well before the fire in your bedchamber. We only just found out. Schrader is in England on a completely different matter and he is planning to leave at the end of the week.”

Rafe ran a hand through his hair. “Christ.”

“At least your list is one man shorter.”

“Two. Carlton Baker has sailed for Philadelphia, though to be honest, I never really believed he was involved. Which means, unfortunately, the two prime suspects remain.”

“Artie Bartholomew and Oliver Randall.”

“Exactly. Jonas McPhee is keeping tabs on Randall, while his associate, Mr. Yarmouth, watches dear ol’ cousin Artie.”

“I’ve put the word out for information. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Max stood up from his chair. “Keep a sharp eye, my friend.”

Rafe stood up, as well. “I’ll walk you out. No use getting shot by one of my own men.”

Max just smiled. Odds were the guards would never see him. Still, Rafe walked him to the door and opened it, making it clear to the men outside that he was an acquaintance. Max slipped quietly into the dark and disappeared.

With a sigh, Rafe closed the door and headed up the
stairs to his bedchamber, though he doubted he would sleep. Still, with Danielle at his side, he would rest, and until all of this was over and he could be certain of her safety, it would have to be enough.

Darkness enclosed the house. Pleading a headache, Danielle had retired upstairs to the room she shared with Rafe. She needed time to herself, time to deal with the decision she had made.

She knew it was the right one, knew that her conscience could never allow her to stand in the way of Rafael’s future. He needed children, needed a wife who could give them to him.

For weeks, she had been certain that once he knew the truth of her childless condition he would divorce her. Instead, he had taken the blame for the accident upon himself and said that her barrenness did not matter.

It wasn’t true and both of them knew it.

After listening to Caro, all the uncertainties she had buried rose up from deep inside her. She had known the truth almost from the start, known that sooner or later she would have to give him up.

The door opened and Rafe walked quietly into the bedchamber. Danielle listened to the sound of his footsteps as he moved around the room, preparing himself for bed. Even in this wing of the house, she slept beside him, and she reveled in the closeness. He slept naked and she had learned to do the same, their shared body heat enough to keep them warm during the night.

All day, she had thought of him, thought of the conversation she’d had with Caro and how Rafael had tried so hard
to make things right between them. He had been so determined to make her happy—and he had—more than she could have dreamed.

As she watched his quiet movements, her heart swelled with love for him. He thought that she was sleeping, but instead she watched as he disrobed with a casual grace most men lacked. He discarded his stock, tailcoat and waistcoat, then pulled off his shirt, leaving him bare to the waist. He was all lean muscle and smooth dark skin, the bands of sinew across his ribs contracting as he bent to remove his shoes and stockings.

He slid off his breeches and small clothes, baring his broad back and round, muscular buttocks, and she thought how much she loved to touch him, to feel his muscles moving beneath her hands. Naked he padded across the carpet toward the opposite side of the bed, a virile man whose masculine anatomy was impressive even when he wasn’t aroused.

Dani watched him and her heart constricted hard inside her. She had made her decision. She was leaving. She was setting him free, making things right, as she should have done long ago.

She felt his heavy weight settle on the bed beside her and ached to think this would be their last night together. He must have sensed that she was awake for he moved closer and gathered her into his arms.

“Trouble falling asleep?”

“I was waiting for you.”

Rafe leaned down and very softly kissed her. “I’m glad.”

Dani slid her arms around his neck and felt a wave of love for him. Desire quickly followed. She wanted him, more to
night than ever before. She wanted this last night with him, needed these last few hours, these final precious memories, to give her the courage to leave.

Dani blocked the sadness pouring through her and concentrated on his lovemaking, determined to enjoy these parting moments together. Rafe kissed her again, a deep, penetrating kiss that filled her senses and turned her insides to butter. She arched toward him, pressing her breasts into his chest, feeling the brush of his curly dark chest hair against her skin.

He lowered his head to her nipple, and a sob of pleasure caught in her throat. Another sob followed, this a cry of despair, though she couldn’t let him know. Every time he touched her, every time his body joined with hers, she fell more deeply in love with him, and because she loved him so much, she wanted him to have the life he deserved.

She wanted him to be able to protect his family, to fulfill his duty to them, a duty that meant so much to him.

There was only one way for that to happen and tomorrow she meant to see it done. They had only this one night, this last brief moment in time. It would have to last her a lifetime.

Arching upward to give him better access, she felt a deep tug low in her belly as he took the fullness of her breast into his mouth. He spread her legs with his knee and came up over her, kissing her all the while, taking her deeply with his tongue even as he slid himself inside her.

Rafael…my dearest love,
she silently cried out to him. But she didn’t say the words and never would. She would take this night of pleasure, join with him this one last time. On the morrow, she would leave.

Danielle wrapped her arms around Rafe’s neck and clung
to him as he moved deep inside her. She matched her rhythm to his, arching upward to meet his thrusts, her face buried against the side of his neck as they climbed the pinnacle together. With each stroke, pleasure filled her, and a sad, sweet yearning for what could never be.

She closed her eyes against the heart-wrenching pain that rose each time their bodies came together and concentrated, instead, on the passion and the incredible love she felt for him.

They reached their peak together, Rafe’s muscles tightening as he spilled his seed inside her. But there would be no child, not tonight, not for them. Not ever.

Dani bit back a cry of such despair her eyes filled with tears. She turned away so that Rafe would not see and let him settle her there on the mattress beside him.

“Sleep well, my love.” He kissed her forehead before he lay back down and his head sank into the pillow.

But Dani would not sleep. Not tonight, nor most of the empty nights ahead of her. Tears leaked from beneath her lashes as she lay in the darkness listening to Rafe’s deep breathing, memorizing the sound of it for the lonely years ahead.

It was late afternoon. Rafe hadn’t seen Danielle since he had left her that morning in his bed. Last night, she had slept very little, and he was worried about her.

Even more so since he had received her note asking him to meet her at three o’clock in the afternoon in the China Room.

With its black-and-gold marble columns, black-lacquer-and-gold-brocade furniture, the room was mostly used for
greeting guests or on special occasions, an extremely formal setting that made him wonder why his wife had summoned him there.

He walked in with the note in his hand and was surprised to find his mother sitting on one of the brocade sofas in a gown of dark blue silk, her silver-streaked hair perfectly coiffed, looking as puzzled as he.

“I received a message from Danielle,” she explained, holding up a note that looked much like the one he had received. “She asked if I would meet her here at three.”

“I received the same message.”

“Do you have any idea why she has asked us to come?”

“None whatsoever.” And for some odd reason, he had begun to grow uneasy.

“Perhaps I should ring for tea,” his mother suggested, glancing toward the open doorway while he sat down in the chair across from her.