Chapter 16
Genevieve walked off the dance floor, deliberately heading in the opposite direction of her mother and Aunt Louisa. All she wanted to do was go home and sob her heart out in her bedroom.
No one would hear her crying, and she’d be spared questions and an inquisition. Locking herself in her room would give Genevieve time to collect her emotions until she could maintain her composure in the face of all the well-meaning meddling.
The moment Theo had pointed out the Rockwood trait for meddling, Genevieve’s heart had sunk to the pit of her stomach, where it had churned unpleasantly.
The fact that Uncle Sebastian had spoken to Theo about them was a sign of just how far the family would go to interfere.
Her uncle never intervened in the personal affairs of others, except under duress.
And dear God, her mother’s smile of happiness.
What would her mother’s reaction be when Genevieve stated she wouldn’t marry Theo?
Then there was her father. Percy Rockwood had already said he and her mother would approve of Theo as a son-in-law.
They would want to know why she refused to marry Theo, and she couldn’t tell them.
Perhaps if Peter hadn’t died, but not now.
She couldn’t devastate her parents with her shame. It was bad enough she was flirting with danger in a clandestine battle of wits that Peter had lost his life in. But finding his killer was far too important to leave the foreign section now.
Slipping out of the ballroom, she walked along the hallway leading to the main foyer.
She’d have the family carriage take her home, and then come back for her parents.
Genevieve was grateful the only people she saw were the footmen at the end of the hall at the front door.
She was about to pass a partially closed door when Genevieve heard Arthur Warrington’s voice.
Without thinking twice, she came to an abrupt halt.
Pressing her back to the wall, at a spot closest to where the door’s hinges connected to the frame.
The voices were muffled, and Genevieve tipped her head so her ear was close to the thin opening between the door and its frame.
“Please let go of me.” The words were clipped and sharp, and while Genevieve didn’t recognize the woman’s voice, she heard the fear running beneath the demand.
“Come, come, my dear. The Count has told me how clever and resourceful you are. Surely, you can tell me a little bit about the Rockwoods.” Warrington’s words made Genevieve’s breath catch in her throat.
“I don’t know any of the Rockwoods, except for Viscount Selbourne.”
Jealousy pulled the air out of Genevieve’s lungs.
Warrington had to be talking with Lady Halliwell.
She’d overheard Jamie and Charles discussing Theo’s relationship with the viscountess more than a year ago.
She knew Theo and the woman had remained friends, but Theo had never introduced the two of them.
Genevieve pushed aside the small nugget of jealousy trying to rear its head.
“Come, my dear. I understand you and the viscount are quite close.”
“We were at one time, but we ended our liaison more than a year ago.” The woman gasped as if in pain. “It’s the truth, Lord Selbourne is the only Rockwood I know.”
“And what about Lord Westbury?”
“Lord Westbury and I met recently, but the only contact I’ve had with him was one dance. I’ve not seen him since.”
“Then I suggest you ask your old lover about his family and report back to me. I want to know as much about the Rockwoods as possible.” There was a slight pause before Warrington chuckled. “In fact, I think it would be in your best interest to form a friendship with Lord Westbury.”
“I couldn’t…I—” The woman uttered another gasp as her protest was cut off.
“Forgive me, Lady Halliwell, but we both know that you’re in the Count’s debt, and he’s in mine. So, you are mine to use whenever I see fit.”
Warrington’s voice was smooth and pleasant, but Genevieve heard the insidious, reptilian threat beneath his words.
It was as if Ruckley were in the next room issuing orders.
The request might seem harmful, but one could hear the threat beneath the beguiling tone.
It made you all too aware that if you didn’t do what was asked of you, the punishment you received would be brutal.
A small tremor rippled through Genevieve as she remembered standing next to her mother as Ruckley had whipped Vincent for some misdeed Ruckley’s underling had accused him of.
Genevieve had known the minute Warrington asked her to dance he wasn’t someone she wanted to spend any time with.
But now, his affable manner of earlier was gone, and Genevieve knew this was the man’s true character.
“I will do as you ask,” Lady Halliwick said, her voice filled with resigned defeat.
“Excellent, my dear. I’m delighted to have your assistance.”
Panic swept through Genevieve as she realized the two would be coming out of the room any second.
In three quick steps, she darted across the hall and into a small, softly lit library.
Stepping behind the open door to hide, Genevieve breathed a silent sigh of relief as she heard Warrington and the Viscountess leaving the room across from her and moving down the hallway toward the ballroom.
She remained still for several minutes, fearing Warrington might return.
Genevieve took two steps forward only to have a hand cover her mouth and a strong arm wrap around her waist.
“Not yet, Ginny.” Vincent’s quiet command made her sag with relief. “The man might have heard you and could come back. And I want to know what you heard.”
Her oldest adopted brother released her and closed the small library’s door.
With a gesture, he directed her to sit down in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.
The low-burning fire in the hearth kept the room pleasantly warm, and as Vincent sank down into his chair, he exhaled a harsh breath.
“Tell me,” he commanded in a soft, but unyielding voice.
“He wants to know more about us, the family,” Genevieve signed.
“Fuck,” Vincent exclaimed viciously.
“The next time you think to chastise me for vulgar language, I’m going to remind you of this moment,” she signed in quick, rapid gestures, scowling at him. Vincent’s soft snort indicated he wasn’t the least bit worried about her threat.
“What else?”
“Lady Halliwell is in Count Ansbach’s debt, and Ansbach owes Warrington something. I don’t know who owes what, but Warrington is using the viscountess to learn more about me.” Genevieve paused as she closed her eyes. Vincent’s hand wrapped around hers.
“Tell me. What is it?”
“He’s Ruckley all over again, Vincent. He even sounded just like Ruckley a few moments ago. Not even his accent or his pleasant-sounding words could hide that subtle, but deadly threat of punishment if lady Halliwell doesn’t do what he asked.”
Dark memories pushed their way up out of the deep recesses of her soul, and she buried her face in her hands as one hard shudder after another made her shake in her chair. Desperate not to cry, she fought back the tears as she was pulled up out of her chair and into Vincent’s comforting embrace.
“It will be all right, Ginny. Now that we know what he’s up to, we’ll be prepared.” At his quiet words, Genevieve shook her head and pushed away from him, signing her reply.
“It’s not Warrington. It’s what Ruckley did to us. The bastard took everything from us. He destroyed our lives, and even from the grave, he’s making life unbearable.” Genevieve’s signed words made Vincent’s face darken with anger.
“This is about Theo, isn’t it?” Her brother’s question made her shake her head.
“No…it’s that I was foolish enough to think I could outrun the past. That I could leave all of it behind me because Mama and Papa saved all of us.
” Genevieve closed her eyes for a brief moment before she met Vincent’s gaze again.
“Ruckley made sure it would never happen, and I deceived myself into believing otherwise. I should have known better.”
Vincent didn’t speak for a long moment, and from his expression, he was lost in thought.
When he focused his eyes on her again, alarm streaked through her.
There was something in his eyes that said he’d made a decision of some sort, and when Vincent set his mind to something, it was a rare occasion when he failed to accomplish his goal.
“Theo’s in love with you, Ginny. Everyone can see it. He doesn’t stand guard over you because you’re a Rockwood. He does it because he’d give his life to keep you safe.”
“But he doesn’t love me enough, Vincent. Don’t ask me how I know that, but it’s why I know Ruckley has won again, even though he’s dead and buried.” The moment her hand gestures stopped, Vincent rubbed a hand over his face.
“That doesn’t sound like Theo. He’s never cared about our past, Ginny. If anything, he’s been sympathetic and understanding about what all of us have gone through.”
“This isn’t about Theo not caring about my past. This is something altogether different, and he proved that this matters.” Genevieve blinked back the tears welling up in her eyes as Vincent scowled down at her.
“Do you love him, Ginny?” At the question, Genevieve looked away from her brother. “Answer me, Ginny. I know the answer already, we all do, but I want you to confirm it.”
“Yes, I love him. But I know there’s no point to it all. He will come to regret marrying me.”
“You’re as hard-headed as Mama.” The reprimand was filled with irritation. “Father says Mama fought him tooth and nail to get her to marry him. Like Mama, you don’t think you’re worthy of Theo.
“I’m not as strong as Mama. I could never have done what she did, offering herself up to Ruckley to ensure we were free of that devil. She was willing to sacrifice herself to save us.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Ginny. No matter what stands between the two of you, Theo doesn’t give a damn.