Page 19 of His Wicked Secret
“James has never taken any mistresses.” Audrey got out of her bed and made Archimedes leave her pages alone. “Gilly, we must talk about you and James.” She kept her tone gentle, determined to hide her excitement and determination. If anyone was going to have a lovely wedding and a happy marriage, by God, it was going to be Gillian.
Her friend’s face fell. “Having or not having mistresses is beside the point. He and I could never—” Gillian closed her mouth, trembling slightly, and Audrey saw the glitter of tears in her eyes that she barely held at bay as her face reddened.
Audrey bit her lip, her heart aching for her friend. The bond between them was like that of sisters, and it was killing her to see her friend hurt so. She enveloped Gillian in a hug, and Gillian suddenly burst into tears.
“Have a good cry. I always feel better afterward. Men simply don’t understand the power of a good cry.” Lord knows Jonathan had made her shed tears many times.
Gillian sniffed and laughed nervously. “There are far too many things men don’t understand.”
“That is certainly the truth.” Audrey laughed and let go of Gillian, but she sobered again as she came up with an idea. “Let me ask you something, and I want an honest answer, even if it pains you greatly.”
When her friend nodded, she continued.
“If you were a lady and James was an ordinary gentleman and there was no issue of risk of social standing and such nonsense, would you want to be with him?” She waited, watching her friend’s face as she took the time to answer. Gillian squared her shoulders and raised her chin bravely.
“Yes.”
A brave girl. “That’s all I needed to hear.” She contained a giggle of triumph. She had every intention of bringing Gillian and James together. The only question was how. She sat back on her bed and reached for her papers.
“You aren’t planning on interfering?” Gillian’s tone was accusatory, but also fearful.
She had long ago learned how to keep a straight face playing at cards. “Interfering? I simply needed to know where you stand so that I might best deal with this matter should it come up in the future. I understand your fears. Loath though I am to say it, an earl and a lady’s maid would be quite an impossible situation. But I do not wish to see hearts broken, either. So forewarned is forearmed, as they say. Rest assured, I will deal with the matter appropriately should it ever come up.” Audrey pretended to read the article as she considered how to bring together her two friends. A ball? House party? Secret rendezvous?
“Why do I not believe that?” Gillian muttered.
Audrey ignored her maid’s grim tone. “You look a bit peaky, dear. Why don’t you go down to the kitchens, have a little rest and some tea? I’ll be here working on the article, and I won’t need you for a while.” If she had Gillian resting, she might get her in a better mood, and that would give Audrey time to dream up a matchmaking scheme.
“Very well.” Gillian exited the chamber, leaving Audrey and Archimedes alone. The black cat sat on the window seat, licking one paw and rubbing it over his ear.
She addressed the cat. “What do you think? Should I ask my brother to throw a ball?” Archimedes stared at her. “No? Well, my sister is having a house party in a week. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind inviting James. Everyone simply adores him. So what do you think? A party would create forced intimacy. They would be pushed together in a country house until they simply couldn’t resist each other! It’s perfect, don’t you agree?”
Archimedes licked his nose and purred.
She could see it all now. It would work out marvelously. “That’s settled then. The house party in the country.” She took a leaf of fresh paper and wrote a note to her sister, explaining the situation. Horatia was the more sensible of the two, but like Audrey she was also a hopeless romantic. Horatia would be happy to help bring James and Gillian together. She finished her note and folded it up before she took it to her desk, then carefully sealed it with wax.
Once it cooled, she sat down at the vanity and rested her chin in her hands, thinking. Last night had been a disaster, and she felt duly chastened knowing that her hasty actions had caused Gillian harm. But all would soon be mended. Even though their lives had been in danger, one good thing had come from the incident—James and Gillian had spent more time together, which would only further her plans to see them married.
She noticed one of her gloves on the ground and picked it up, figuring Gillian must have missed it. She studied the ripped silk and sighed. A scent that carried from the glove made her pause and raise it to her nose. Jonathan’s scent, just a hint of it, still lingered on the expensive cloth. Memories from last night came flooding back, of them seated by the fire, of her asking him to teach her to fight. The bargain they’d struck and the fact that she’d spent the night untouched in his bed. Had she really done that? She could not imagine facing him again after doing such a silly thing.
Lord, that had been foolish, yet she did want to learn as much as she could. Avery had taught her about spycraft, Evangeline how to use her femininity to her greatest advantage, yet neither had taught her to defend herself. She needed Jonathan as a teacher. And as much as she didn’t wish to admit it, she wanted to spend more time with him. She knew she shouldn’t. Her heart was already broken, and if she spent more time around him it would only get worse. Yet she was going to because she craved some contact with him, however small it was.
I am determined to punish myself for my desires, aren’t I?
There was a soft knock on the door. Audrey wiped away the tear she suddenly realized was on her cheek and picked up Horatia’s letter.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Sean Hartley stepped inside. The tall red-headed footman had a warm heart and a handsome smile. He was her most trusted confidant outside of Gillian, and one of the few who knew her identity as Lady Society. She handed him the letter.
“Sean, would you see this is delivered to my sister?”
“Of course, milady.” He tucked the letter into his waistcoat, then cleared his throat. “Also, you have a visitor at the door.”
“Oh?” She tensed. Was it Jonathan? She wasn’t ready to face him. Not yet. “Who is it?”
“The visitor is Lord Pembroke. Shall I tell him you are receiving visitors?”
“James? Oh, this is excellent timing. Yes. Please tell him I will see him in the drawing room.” Audrey paused. “Oh, never mind, I will come down with you. I simply can’t wait.” She put away her writing implements and left her room, barely able to contain her excitement. This was too perfect! She didn’t even need to invite him. He’d simply shown up! James was standing in the foyer, hat in hand, his face a mixture of eagerness and nerves.
