The Virgin’s Secret Read online

  “Yes, Mother.” Lady Regina followed her mother out of the room.

  “We should retire as well,” the earl said. “You will find paper and pens in Mr. Dennison’s desk, although apparently you have already discovered that.”

  Gabriella smiled weakly.

  “Quinton?” The earl glanced at his brother.

  Quinton downed the rest of his brandy, set the glass on the mantel, and stepped to Gabriella. “Miss Montini.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “It has been a most enlightening evening.” His gaze never left hers, in precisely the same polished manner as his brother’s had when he’d kissed her hand. And yet, with this brother it was nothing more than overly practiced. “I look forward to many more.” He released her hand and started for the door.

  “Andrews will see you to your room when you’re ready,” the earl said. “Good evening, Miss Montini.”

  “Lord Wyldewood,” she murmured.

  He traded glances with Nathanial, and the younger brother followed him out of the room. A moment later Nathanial returned. “You should write your note, Miss Montini,” he said coolly.

  She moved to the secretary’s desk—Mr. Dennison’s desk—sat down in the chair and opened the top drawer, knowing full well Nathanial watched her every move, and ignoring a distinct twinge of embarrassment. After all, she wouldn’t know where the paper and pens were if she hadn’t broken into the desk.

  She would write two notes. One to Xerxes and Miriam assuring them that all was well, and another to Florence. She’d put both notes in the same envelope. Xerxes was no doubt watching the house, and he would certainly intercept her notes and make certain Florence saw only what she should.

  She would tell Florence the truth: she had been invited to stay with an old friend of her mother’s. It struck her that, at this point, her lies might well be at an end. Aside from the true state of her finances, and that nonsense about a second brother, there was little left to lie about.

  She scribbled a quick message to Xerxes, then took a fresh sheet of paper and started the note to Florence.

  “You’re writing rather a lot, aren’t you?”

  She resisted the urge to look at him. “I have rather a lot to say. I don’t want her to worry.”

  “Then I imagine you’re not telling her you broke into my house.”

  “No,” she said sharply. It was remarkably difficult to concentrate on her writing, knowing his unflinching gaze was fixed on her. “Are you going to keep staring at me?”

  “I assure you, Miss Montini,” he said smoothly, “I don’t intend to let you out of my sight.”

  Four

  Excellent,” Miss Montini murmured, her gaze still on the papers before her. “That will save me the effort of keeping you in my sight.”

  It was obvious, even from where Nate stood, that she was writing more than one note. He could question her about that, again, but she would no doubt evade his question. Again. “I do not appreciate being lied to.”

  She folded her notes, slid them into an envelope and sealed it. “I would imagine few people do.”

  Still, her dishonesty made her no less attractive, and somewhat more intriguing. Odd, as he had always thought he valued honestly above all else. Apparently not as much as he valued deep blue eyes and a nicely curved figure.

  “We have never met before, have we?” It was a statement more than a question.

  She addressed the envelope. “I never said we did. You said I looked familiar and asked if we had met. I asked if you remembered, and you did not.”

  “I didn’t remember because there was nothing to remember.” Hah. He had her there.

  “Regardless.” She finished writing the address with a refined flourish, set the pen down and looked up at him. “You didn’t realize that. You thought you had kissed me and couldn’t recall it. It was most insulting.”

  “How could it possibly be insulting?” He stared. “I couldn’t remember because it didn’t happen.”

  “If it had and you couldn’t remember, I would have been insulted.”

  “If it had, I would have remembered!”

  “No doubt,” she said in a tone that indicated she had a great many doubts about his ability to remember the women he’d kissed. She didn’t know anything about him but had made assumptions based on nothing more than her own suspicious nature. Although admittedly the fact that her dead brother had named himself and Quint among those who might have stolen the find of a lifetime from him could have adversely influenced her opinion.

  She held out the envelope. “Given the lateness of the hour, it would be best if this were delivered to Mr. Muldoon. He and his wife have been in my—in Miss Henry’s—employ for years. He is most discreet and trustworthy and will see that she receives it in the morning. I should hate to wake her up at this time of night, and I’m certain Mr. Muldoon will be awake.”

  Nate glanced at the address. It was in a respectable if not especially fashionable neighborhood. “I suspect the footman I send with this might well arrive before he does.”

  She smiled in a pleasant manner. “Oh?”

  “Come now, Miss Montini, you strike me as an intelligent woman. And an intelligent woman would not roam the streets of London alone late at night.” He waved the envelope. “Therefore it is logical to assume the trustworthy, discreet Mr. Muldoon accompanied you.”

  “I assure you, Mr. Harrington,” she said smoothly, “I am quite alone.”

  He raised a brow. “Are you?”

  “I have never been more alone in my life than I am at this very minute.” She rose to her feet and continued as if she had just said nothing of significance, rather than made a comment as enigmatic as it was perhaps revealing. There was a great deal more to Gabriella Montini than met the eye. “If you have no objections, I should like to retire now.” But what met the eye was most desirable. “It has been an eventful evening.”

  He raised a brow. “Then I take it you do not attempt to rob houses every night?”

  “Not every night,” she said in a casual manner. “No.”

  “Or ever before?”

  “Or ever before.” She sighed. “There now, are you reassured that robbing houses is not my chosen profession?”

  “I never imagined for a moment that you were a skilled burglar. A professional would not have been caught by a mere girl.”

  “A random act of circumstance.” She met his gaze directly. “You may be confident, the next time I attempt to rob a house I shall take additional precautions against discovery.”

  Was that a slight hint of amusement in her eye or was she mocking him? He bit back a smile of his own. “That is good to know, since the next time we might well be working together.”

  “Do you foresee our breaking into houses?”

  “I suspect making any prediction regarding you and I would be a mistake.” He stepped to the door and opened it. “Now, I would be happy to escort you to your rooms.”

  “I thought the earl said the butler would show me to my rooms?” She swept past him into the corridor with the same aplomb as if she wore a ball gown rather than somewhat shabby men’s attire. He had never before considered just how enticing men’s clothing might be on the right woman. While not an improper inch of skin was revealed anywhere—although the mere nature of the trousers themselves were improper—there was something about the vague suggestion of what the loosely fitting clothing concealed that was distinctly…exciting.

  “We thought it would be best if I accompanied you rather than a servant.” He started off, confident she would stay by his side.

  “So that you may keep an eye on me?”

  He paused for a moment, then nodded. “Exactly.”

  She smiled in a superior manner, as though somehow this had been her plan all along, but said nothing. He could well imagine what she might be thinking. Miss Montini did not appear to be the kind of woman to take well to anything less than total victory.

  He led her up the stairs to the next floor. While hi
s mother had told Andrews to prepare a room in the wing where she and Regina and Sterling had their rooms, Nate and his older brother had thought it better to put her into the unoccupied rooms next to Quint and across the hall from Nate. It was an excellent idea, he thought now, in so many ways.

  He stopped at the door to her rooms and opened it. “I hope this will be satisfactory.”

  She glanced inside. “It’s lovely.”

  “A footman will be here in the morning to escort you to breakfast.”

  Miss Montini slanted him an annoyed look. “Will a servant be stationed at my door all night as well?”

  He raised a brow. “Is that necessary?”

  “I wouldn’t think so.” Her tone was sharp. “Unless I am to be considered a prisoner.”

  “Not at all, Miss Montini. You are our guest.” He narrowed his eyes. “And I fully expect you to behave like one.”

  “I do know how to behave properly, Mr. Harrington.”

  “Oh, so these past few days of house breaking and attending parties you have not been invited to were an aberration?”

  “I believe I have already said that.” Her jaw clenched. “My actions were necessary.”

  “No, in truth they weren’t. You could have come to my mother or Sterling. You could have come to me. I would have listened to you.”

  “You didn’t listen in Egypt.”

  “Perhaps not. And when I next see your brother, he shall have my apologies.” He paused. “I’m sure you will hear from him soon.”

  “Yes, well, he’s never been very good about that sort of thing.” She shrugged as if her brother’s lack of communication didn’t worry her.

  “Miss Montini, if we are to work together, it’s not too soon to develop a certain level of trust between us. I suggest, in the morning, you tell me all of your older brother’s suspicions as well as everything regarding his search for the seal.” He thought for moment. “It might also be wise if I took a look at the letters you received from him. In spite of their questionable nature, there might be something you have overlooked.”

  “Very sensible.” She stared at him thoughtfully. “I must confess, I had the same thought. I requested his letters be sent along with my things.”

  He waved the sealed note in his hand. “I shall have this delivered at once.”

  “Thank you. Mr. Harrington?”

  “Yes?

  She pulled the door closed and leaned her back against it, as if concerned that he might be overcome by the mere sight of a bed and ravish her on the spot. With a little encouragement he would be more than willing to try. He brushed the intriguing thought from his mind. “Might I ask you a question?”

  “Go on.”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  He shrugged. “It is an exceptionally large house, and as I assume you did not explore the entire building—”

  “No, I didn’t mean escort me to my rooms.” She huffed in disdain. “I understand why your mother might wish to help me. She wishes to avoid even a hint of scandal, and I suspect that her tentative connection to my mother plays a part as well. But you.” She shook her head. “Why would you want to help me?”

  “A number of reasons.” At least one of which had to do with her blue eyes and the curve of her shoulder in an apricot dress. “To begin with, I have worked far too hard to improve my own brother’s reputation to have speculation damage it now. Nor do I wish to have my own honesty in question. Secondly, we are talking about a discovery of immense importance. I should like to play a role in that.” He rested his shoulder against the door frame and gazed down at her. “And because I wish to know you better.”

  She studied him suspiciously. “Do you?”

  “I do indeed.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I have thought of nothing but you since we first met. You see, Miss Montini, you made a rather serious error the other night.”

  “Did I?” Her eyes widened.

  “You did. You made me think, however briefly, that we had shared a kiss. The thought that I couldn’t recall such a kiss was driving me mad. However,” he leaned closer, “even before you vanished from the ball, I realized we had never met because I would never have forgotten kissing you.”

  “Nonsense,” she said weakly.

  “And I cannot get the idea of kissing you out of my head.”

  She swallowed hard. “Are you thinking of kissing me now?”

  “I can think of little else.”

  “Why?”

  “Surely, Miss Montini, you have looked in a mirror. You are quite lovely. The delicate curve of your cheek is only emphasized by the defiant tilt of your chin. I appreciate defiance almost as much as intelligence in a woman. Your eyes flash with fire, Miss Montini, when you’re angry or indignant or trapped. And your lips…” His gaze dropped to her mouth, then back to her eyes. “…beg to be kissed. Often and quite thoroughly. In short, Miss Montini, you are entirely…” He lowered his mouth to hers. “…irresistible.” His lips brushed across hers, and for a moment she stilled.

  Then she laughed. “Good Lord, is that really effective with women?”

  He straightened slowly. “What?”

  “All that ‘your eyes shimmer like stars and your lips are like cherries’ nonsense.”

  “I don’t believe I mentioned stars or cherries.” He smiled slowly.

  “You would have if you had thought of it.”

  “Probably.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “But you didn’t answer my question. Do you find that sort of thing is successful with women?”

  “Quite often, yes.”

  She shook her head. “They must be very stupid women.”

  “I’ll have you know I don’t like stupid women. I find them…” He searched for the right word. “…stupid. And not the least bit enjoyable.”

  “Oh?” She raised a brow. “Are you the type of man who likes a bit of a challenge in his carnal pursuits, then?”

  “Yes. No.” He paused. She had him so confused he had no idea what he meant. “I’m afraid however I answer that now will be wrong. But do tell me, Miss Montini, do you intend to be a challenge?”

  “I do not intend to be the object of your pursuit, if that’s what you’re asking. Furthermore, if by some wild alignment of the stars and the disappearance of all rational behavior in this world I were to become said object, I am not a challenge you can overcome with pretty words.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and he was compelled to step back. “Poor Mr. Harrington. Apparently you have never before encountered a woman who is not merely not stupid, but of an intelligence superior to yours.”

  “Nor have I done so now,” he said with a shrug, although he wasn’t entirely sure she might not be as intelligent as he.

  She scoffed. “We shall see.”

  “Indeed we shall.”

  “You do need to understand and acknowledge this, Mr. Harrington—I am not here to be your friend, and I am certainly not here to be your…your lover.” Again her eyes flashed at her words. It was most fetching. “We are uneasy allies in the pursuit of justice. We are together for the express purpose of recovering the seal. Nothing more than that.”

  “Yes, of course.” His gaze drifted to her lips once again. They did indeed beg to be kissed. “Yet it seems to me one relationship does not preclude the other.”

  “Nor does one ensure the other.”

  “You do owe me a kiss, you know.” He bent closer. “Preferably in the moonlight.”

  “I see no moonlight at the moment.”

  “Save that in your eyes.”

  “I thought there was fire in my eyes.”

  He chuckled. “They are most remarkable eyes.”

  “Ah, Mr. Harrington.” She rested her hand on his cheek and her voice softened. “You are a scoundrel, but a charming scoundrel. I can well imagine your words would make any number of women melt at your feet. Fortunately…” She gazed into his eyes, and his breath caught. “…I am not one of them.” She dropped her hand an
d pushed open the door. “Good evening.”

  “Miss Montini.” He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his lips. “You should know I am not the type of scoundrel to easily accept defeat. Be it the pursuit of artifacts…” He kissed her palm, then met her gaze firmly. “Or the pursuit of something far more exciting.” He released her hand and stepped back. “You may consider that fair warning.”

  “I shall consider it as nothing more than it was. A frivolous statement from an admitted scoundrel. As such, I see no need to take your warning as anything other than the inconsequential comment that it was.” She nodded. “Good evening.” She stepped into her room and closed the door firmly in his face. He heard the lock click into place.

  He knocked sharply on the door. “I did not admit to being a scoundrel.”

  Her voice on the other side of the door was faint. “You did not deny it.”

  “You do realize I fully intend to kiss you in moonlight or elsewhere.”

  “I wouldn’t wager on it, Mr. Harrington.”

  “Regardless, you do owe me a kiss.”

  Muffled laughter was the only response.

  He stared at the closed door for a moment, then smiled slowly. This—She—was no doubt going to be far more than he had bargained for. But there was time enough to consider her, and all that went with her, in the morning.

  At the top of his list of items needing consideration was his brother’s role in all this. He needed to make certain Quinton had had no part in this theft. Not that he didn’t believe his brother’s denial, but Quint had a habit of twisting facts to suit his own purposes. He wouldn’t put it past Quint to know more about this than he had said thus far.

  Regardless of his brother’s involvement or lack thereof, he felt that odd sense of anticipation, of impending excitement, that he always had at the beginning of a new adventure.

  Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what would be the greater adventure. The quest or the woman?

  And ultimately, which would be the greater find?

  Gabriella pressed her ear against the door, She heard his footsteps retreat, then another door opened. Apparently, Nathanial Harrington’s rooms were directly across the hall. Not that it mattered. He could be sleeping in the next bed for all the good it would do him.