Chapter 12 #2
Her lips quivered and she pressed an elegant hand over them.
“I am unreasonable, but are not all women so? You are asking me to take a great risk, Nicky, all for love of you. You are asking me to abandon all my friends, my means of livelihood … I am afraid. If you abandon me again, I could not bear it. I will surely die.”
Her acting was so powerful he began to feel guilty.
She came to cling to him and her musky perfume swept over him like a wave. The pungent, erotic smell of her sickened him, and it was as much as he could do not to thrust her away.
“If I see you tell your wife it is I you love,” she said tearfully. “If I see you tell her you will be leaving with me forever. If I see you destroy any remnant of kindness she still might hold for you, then perhaps I can believe.”
He felt a strong urge to hit her. What insane game was this? With difficulty he kept his tone moderate. “I consider this unreasonable, Therese. What happens if I do not?”
“Then the plot goes forward,” she said bleakly. “If I have not you, I have no alternative. And,” she added sadly, “you and your wife will have to die. Her little friend also, I suppose.”
He could feel his heartbeats. “And if I agree to your whims they will go free?”
“Of course.” She caressed his face. “Am I a vicious woman, Nicky? You know I hate violence. If the plot is exposed and we are gone there is no danger from them. Once I know she hates you I will fear no threat from your wife and child. I will own you forever.”
Her words chilled him. God help him if she demanded he make love to her tonight. Not even all her amorous skills could achieve it.
“Do not be angry with me, my darling.”
He took a risk and pushed her away. He walked to the fireplace, stealing time to think.
He could overpower her and take the papers, though she was supple as a snake and always kept a small knife on her body.
What would that achieve? One of her guards was always stationed outside the boudoir door, and Eleanor would still be in their hands.
He could take her hostage, but that would be less easy. It would also put an end to their supposed grand passion. Any slip from there would see them all dead.
No, the only safe course was to comply with her mad plans. Which meant, of course, that Eleanor would be hurt again and any chance of happiness for them would be diminished. Still, he believed he could make it up to his wife once he had a chance to explain. Just a few hours more.
He turned around, making no attempt to pretend fondness. He just hoped she wouldn’t touch him. “Tell me again what you wish me to do.”
“Go to her. Tell her it is I you love.” She came closer, a picture of womanly gentleness.
She was an amazing actress. “It is kinder so anyway. Then she will make a new life with someone else. We can stage your death, you see, and she will be a rich widow. But first you must cut her free of you, for I know how you affect women. Do not think such a plain, boring woman is immune. They are the worst, but even they have their pride, tell her you are to go with me and will not return. Be angry with her, then she will be angry in return.”
As if the idea had suddenly come into her mind, she clapped her hands. “Pretend you believe she came to me of her own free will, abusing me for having won your affections. Show disgust for her behavior. She will hate you and be free. Then I will know you love me and only me.”
He allowed some of his true feelings to show. “If anything could kill my love for you, Therese, it would be this insanity. I adore you, but I respect my wife.”
Her eyes suddenly lit with fire. “So. You do not respect me!”
Bleak amusement filled him. “Not in the same way, Therese, no.”
“You do not love me!” she shrieked and hurled a china figurine, which crashed into the wall by his head.
Hell, he’d gone too far. He steeled himself for one last effort. He swept her into a crushing embrace. “I wish to God I did not!” he groaned. “But Therese, you are asking me to behave dishonorably. No woman should do that.”
“What do I care for honor!” she cried. “I am willing to sacrifice all for you. Can you not do such a little thing for me?”
He sighed his acceptance and kissed her. “And afterward she will go home safe?”
She was all sweet compliance again. She kissed his hands in tender reverence. “I give you my word, my golden child.”
She could well call him so. She was in command here and they both knew it.
“Very well,” he said. “Take me to her.”
She led him up the back stairs to a locked door, in front of which stood a man with a pistol. “She is in here. By the way,” she said as if it were of no consequence, “there is a spy hole. I will see and hear all.”
He watched her go. Anger burned fiercely inside him but he could control it. He always controlled things. Or so he had thought.
“Open the door,” he curtly ordered the guard, longing to smash his fist into his face. He walked into the room.
Amy! My God, did he have to put on this performance in front of her?
The two women leaped up with cries of joy when he came in, but he broke in quickly. “What do you mean by coming here?” he snarled at Eleanor. “And bringing Amy to such a place.”
They both paled. “What do you mean?” protested Eleanor.
“I was under the opinion you were at least well-bred,” he snapped.
If he could prevent them speaking he might get through this.
“To come charging in here, where no decent woman would ever go, creating ugly scenes with my mistress! You should not even know of such matters. If you were not breeding, I’d beat you. ”
Eleanor simply stood and stared but Amy sprang forward. “Nicholas, are you mad? We were brought here by force!”
He pushed her away. “Don’t support her foolish schemes!”
As Amy fell back in horror, he redirected his attack at his wife.
“Since you have been so unwise as to come here,” he said coldly, meeting her wide blue eyes, “you may as well know the truth. Tonight I leave with Madame Bellaire, the woman I have always loved. You know I would never have married you if my brother had not forced me by threatening me with penury. You have my name. I will not let you or the brat starve. Be grateful for that.”
At the admission, Eleanor felt an icy rage boiling in her and was glad of it.
It killed, for the moment, the pain. “I want nothing from you,” she choked out.
“You are despicable!” She struggled for words to express her feelings, and then spat, “Oh, go wallow with your middle-aged whore!” and turned her face crying to the wall.
He lunged to lean over her before the spark of laughter could be seen in his eyes. God, he wished he’d seen Therese’s face at that hit.
“Better than a silly chit always wanting my attention and creating scenes!” he choked out.
When Amy started a protest he swung on her. “Shut up!”
He looked around in desperation, hoping he looked as if he was speechless with anger and trying to be sure he had covered enough ground to satisfy the watcher. He decided he had. Now to see if he could salvage something for his brave, wonderful darling.
“I have had enough of this,” he said coldly. “I am having you sent home.” He turned Eleanor and put his hands tight around her neck. Blue eyes clashed with brown. “If we ever meet again, madam, you will be more controlled and discreet. Do you understand? Controlled and discreet.”
Eleanor’s face seemed to freeze and she swallowed. “Yes, I understand,” she whispered, staring at him.
“Remember,” he snapped and strode out of the room.
Amy ran to Eleanor. Eleanor wrapped shaking arms around her.
“How could he?” choked the younger woman.
“Because he is despicable,” said Eleanor stonily. “Don’t speak to me of him.”
In a few moments their captor came to lead them down the stairs again to the same curtained carriage.
“Are they really taking us home?” whispered Amy as soon as they were inside. “Just like that?”
“I’m sure they are. Nicholas would never let them hurt you, at least.”
“Oh, Eleanor!” Tears of disillusion ran down Amy’s face. “How could he?”
“We will not discuss it,” said Eleanor, dry-eyed.
The coach came to a stop. Their guard helped them quickly down. “There you are ladies. Just a few streets from home. I said you had nothing to fear. Good night!”
Eleanor watched the carriage disappear and then set off briskly for Lauriston Street and home, refusing to respond to anything Amy said. Hollygirt nearly collapsed when he opened the door to them.
“Mrs. Delaney! Thank God. And Miss Haile. Heaven be praised!”
Instantly Mrs. Hollygirt was there too, with the rest of the staff following.
Jenny fussed over Eleanor until she put a stop to it.
“Hollygirt, I want tea,” Eleanor said in a brisk voice. “Sweet and well laced with brandy. Send a message to Lord Middlethorpe immediately.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said the butler, patently relieved to find her in command. “But we were to send a message to Mr. Cavanagh’s.”
“Then do so, Hollygirt. Who knows we were missing?”
“Mr. Layering gave the alarm, ma’am. But I don’t know who he told.”
The tea came quickly and Eleanor made Amy drink some of it, though she did not like it. Eleanor herself found it very comforting.
As she sipped and grimaced, Amy looked anxiously at her friend. “Eleanor, are you all right?”
“I’m thinking. I wish Peter were here. I wonder if he is waiting at Cavanagh’s.” With sudden exasperation she said, “I need to know what’s happening!”
After a few more minutes of silence, Amy asked in a small voice, “Eleanor, is Nicholas usually so horrid to you?”
“No.” Eleanor looked at the girl, knowing her faith in all mankind had been sadly shaken.
She couldn’t help her yet. “Please, Amy, I can’t discuss it at the moment.
I must know what’s been happening first. Don’t you see?
If Nicholas knew we’d been kidnapped, then he would not believe we had gone there of our own free will. ”
“But then why say it?”