A Dangerous Love (7 page)

“Well, that’s all right then,” Juliet put in quickly, the peacemaker as always. She dabbed at her lips with her damask napkin, then laid it across her plate with typical feminine delicacy. “Perhaps if you’re all finished with breakfast, we can go to Papa’s room. He’s expecting us.”

“Since I was late to breakfast and am not quite finished,” Mr. Brennan remarked in far too casual a tone, “why don’t the rest of you go on without me?” His gaze swung to his employer. “You won’t need me, will you?”

“No, of course not.”

“I’ll finish here and take a walk about the estate. If that meets with your approval.”

Despite Mr. Brennan’s perfectly subservient words, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was issuing an order—and he seemed very comfortable doing so. Their arrangement was peculiar indeed.
Of course, if she had a man as…unpredictable as Mr. Brennan working for her, she might be tempted to acquiesce herself for fear he’d murder her in her sleep if she didn’t.

“That’s a fine idea,” Mr. Knighton responded. “We don’t want to overwhelm his lordship by tramping in all together. The ladies and I will go on without you.”

Not a chance
, Rosalind thought. She wouldn’t allow that smuggler to do more foraging for Papa’s papers. “Actually, there’s no reason for
me
to go, either. Papa really does prefer smaller groups of visitors.” She flashed Mr. Brennan a brilliant smile. “I’ll join you, sir. You’ll need help finding your way about the estate.”

His lips tightened into a disapproving line. “Begging your pardon, Lady Rosalind, but I didn’t have a nursemaid when I was three, so I certainly don’t need one now. I’m perfectly capable of navigating an estate alone.”

“I’m sure you are—indeed, you demonstrated a remarkable proficiency for it last night, and in a strange house, too. But you’ll miss much of interest on our grounds without one of us along to point things out. No, it’s imperative that I accompany you.”

With a worried glance at her, Mr. Knighton shifted his bulky frame in the chair that was ill equipped to hold such a Goliath. “I was hoping to have you help
me
, cousin. Won’t your father like it better if all his daughters join us when he meets me for the first time?”

“Nonsense,” she said gaily. “It’ll be cozier without me. He won’t even notice I’m gone. And Mr. Brennan should certainly have company.”

Mr. Brennan drummed his fingers on the table, probably to keep from using them to throttle her. “Perhaps since you’re so fond of the bard, Lady
Rosalind, I can put this in terms even you will understand. ‘I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as lief have been myself alone.’”

As You Like It
again. “‘And so had I,’” she quoted back. “However, since Swan Park is still Papa’s estate, and I’m still the one who runs it, I must insist upon acting as your guide. After all, I’d hate it if something happened to you that I could have prevented.”

“What of your reputation, my lady? You shouldn’t walk out alone with a man.”

She laughed. “At twenty-three, I hardly need a chaperone, sir. Besides, this is the country. We don’t observe strict proprieties here, I assure you.” She’d done pretty much as she liked for the last few years, so who would stop her? Certainly not Papa, under the circumstances.

For a moment Mr. Brennan looked as if he might argue more, then resignation seemed to dull his enthusiasm for further argument. “Very well, whatever you wish. Though I warn you I’m a fast walker and can go for hours without any rest.”

“Excellent, so can I. It’s settled then.” She turned to her sister. “Juliet, why don’t you and Mr. Knighton go on? I’ll wait here for Mr. Brennan to finish his breakfast, and then we can embark on our tour of the estate.”

“To be truthful,” Mr. Knighton put in, “I need a word with Griff in private. If you ladies wouldn’t mind waiting for us in the hall…”

“Of course we don’t mind,” Juliet said, rising hastily from her place. “Rosalind?”

Rosalind rose, too, and followed her without a word. Now that she’d won, she could be gracious enough to let the men plot alone for a moment. But their plotting would accomplish nothing. Mr. Brennan would not get at Papa’s papers on
her
watch.

Once she and Juliet were in the hall, Juliet rounded on her, her face a mixture of admiration and worry. “You didn’t
really
draw a sword on Mr. Brennan, did you?”

“I certainly did. And you would have, too, if you’d seen what he was doing.”

Juliet peeked back into the dining room, her lashes fluttering like the wings of startled birds. “Not me. He frightens me even more than our cousin. I don’t know how you find the courage to speak to him as you do.”

“No one is born to courage, Juliet. Courage is a habit you develop after cowardice has gotten you nothing.” She squeezed her sister’s shoulder. “You’ll learn it as you grow older, trust me.”

Juliet shook her head. “I’ll never be as brave as you. Or Helena, for that matter.”

It suddenly occurred to Rosalind that her insistence on sticking close to Mr. Brennan would have another unwanted result. “You don’t mind that I’m leaving you alone with Mr. Knighton, do you? You’ll be all right?”

“I’ll be fine. We’re going straight to Papa’s room anyway.” Juliet glanced at her from beneath half-closed eyelids. “You…er…seem very eager to join Mr. Brennan.”

“Not eager.” She peered into the room, wondering what Mr. Brennan was saying to Mr. Knighton with such animation at the other end of the long dining room. “But I must keep an eye on him. I think he’s up to no good.” At Juliet’s drawn-out sigh, she added, “Don’t tell Papa, however—not until I’m sure what he’s planning. I can handle this on my own.”

Oh, yes, she would handle that devious man of affairs. Even if it meant sticking to him like flypaper for the rest of the men’s visit.

Chapter 5

He is only honest who is not discovered
.

Susannah Centlivre, English playwright
, The Artifice

“B
y God, why didn’t you dissuade the damnable woman from going off with me?” Griff hissed at Daniel over the table.

Daniel shrugged. “I tried, but she insisted. You heard her.”

“I don’t care. You were supposed to prevent her. I can’t; I’m no longer in charge, remember?” He scowled. “You obviously do, since you used your newfound station to chastise me publicly.”

“Don’t grumble at me! This was your idea, not mine. And if you can’t control the bloody woman, how the hell do you expect me to?”

“How the hell do you expect
me
to search the house with her on my heels?”

“I have no idea.” Daniel leaned forward, concern on his features. “I take it you didn’t find the proof last night.”

“No. She caught me before I could finish searching the desk. There’s something in there that prompted her concern, but it might not be what I’m looking for. The damnable piece of paper could be anywhere.” When Daniel shot him a look that said
I told you so
, he growled, “I’ll find it eventually, don’t worry.”

“In the meantime, what do you intend to do about her?”

“Do? Damnation, I don’t know.” Glancing across the room and into the hall, Griff noted how Lady Rosalind and her sister eyed him and Daniel with ill-disguised curiosity. He feigned interest in the sausages growing cold on his plate, shoving them about with his fork. “Since I roused her suspicions last night, I’d best humor her whim this morning.”

“Do you think she’s guessed what you’re up to?”

“I doubt it.” He couldn’t imagine that the earl would tell his daughters the true history of his dealings with the Knighton family. From the little Griff had gleaned of their characters, they would be appalled. “I think she’s a suspicious woman in general. And she feels some sort of responsibility for the estate.”

“Maybe you should try charming the girl. Flattery softens a woman.”

“It may work for you, but you know I’m bad at it, especially with a woman as clever as this.” He poured himself more tea, taking note of Swanlea’s expensive china. At least the man had better taste than his daughter. “Besides, I tried it last night. She took offense, told me I was a ne’er-do-well, then peppered me with questions about why I was in her father’s study.”

“She’s no soft, weak-willed light-o’-love, I’ll give you that. Never met a woman like her before—so ready to speak her mind and all.”

That was a fine understatement. “Maybe I should make myself so disagreeable that she’ll eagerly abandon me.”

“That’s playing to your strengths, all right.”

Griff glowered at him. “It’s playing to her rank, you ass. She’s a lady—squiring a man of affairs about can’t be her favorite choice for entertainment.”

“I’m not so sure. A woman who’ll come after a man with a sword…Did she really do that?”

“Oh, yes. Thrust a shield in my face, too.” Griff speared a sausage and bit off the end, then chewed it thoughtfully. “And all the while wearing only her chemise and wrapper. I swear the cheap silk was sheer enough to see through—I wouldn’t have paid that trader Hung Choi a farthing for it.”

“Hmmm, this grows more interesting each time you tell it. When you said she dressed like a soiled dove, I thought you meant her gown was gaudy.”

“That goes without saying.” He nodded in Lady Rosalind’s direction. “Look at that assault-upon-the-eyes she’s wearing today.”

The dizzying striped print of bright yellow and green rivaled her handiwork in the entrance hall. Didn’t the woman own a single piece of clothing that wasn’t vividly colored? And how did she still manage to look so damnably alluring in the things?

Daniel cast her a furtive glance. “I don’t notice anything wrong with it.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Daniel bristled. “See here, you got no cause to insult me. I’m doing what you asked.”

“Not entirely. I’m still saddled with Lady Amazon. You were supposed to play to
your
strengths and charm the woman out of my way.”

“Can I help it if the woman can’t be charmed?”

“Well, maybe she can be frightened off, if I can only think how to do it.” Griff mused a moment.
“She wasn’t entirely bold last night, after all. I did shut her up when I put a blade to her throat.” He threw down his silver fork. “I’ve got it! Did you see how she backed down when I lost my temper this morning? She’s confident when rebuffing a gentleman, but I’m not a gentleman, am I? I’m
you
—a highwayman’s son and an erstwhile smuggler. Doing her father’s bidding is one thing; keeping company with a dangerous fellow like me is quite another, even for an Amazon.”

Daniel went still. “You’re not going to tell her all that, do you hear? Unless by some chance the old bastard outlives you all, I’ll have to deal with these women after you inherit, y’know. While you’ll be in London running Knighton Trading, I’ll be packing them off to some cottage. No sense in making it more difficult by teaching them to fear me. They’ll hate me enough as it is without thinking I’m a bloody criminal.”

Daniel’s sudden reticence about his past took Griff by surprise. Although the man had never announced it to the world, he hadn’t bothered to hide it either. Indeed, he sometimes dredged it up if it would help him gain the advantage in his business dealings. Playing a wealthy gentleman was obviously affecting his vanity. “They won’t think you’re a criminal. Besides, once it’s over and they know of the masquerade, they won’t believe anything I said while it was going on.”

“All the same, I don’t think you should tell.”

“And I don’t think you should reprimand me before God and everybody, but that’s part of the masquerade, isn’t it? Even if you did get carried away.” Griff drained the rest of his tepid tea, wishing for something stronger. “After that performance, I ought to demand my money back—you’re having too much fun to be paid.”

A reluctant smile crossed Daniel’s lips. “And it
might be worth losing the money. You should have seen your face when I told you not to be impudent—”

“Wait until this is done,” Griff grumbled. “I’ll show you impudence, you dog.”

“Of course you will.” Daniel laughed. “If there’s anything left of you after the harridan is finished.”

“I’ll get the better of her, you’ll see.”
Now that I have a plan
. He shoved back from the table and stood. “I might as well go to it. She doesn’t look as if she intends to leave my side anytime soon.”

“For that I really am sorry.” Daniel rose from his chair, sobering. “I have the best of this; the other two ladies are prettier and more quiet, more the sort of woman you prefer.”

“Yes.” Although a man could conceivably change his preference, couldn’t he?

He dismissed that possibility with great violence. This ridiculous attraction came only from having seen the woman in her wrapper. A few hours with her would surely sour any fascination nurtured by last night’s lust. Perhaps it was just as well she was foisting herself on him today. If he began thinking of her in those terms, he’d find himself regretting his plans for Swan Park and her father.

“Wish me luck meeting your cousin, the earl,” Daniel murmured.

Griff thought grimly of the old sot scheming in his bedchamber down the hall. “I’m glad it’s you meeting him and not I.” Despite years of restraining his anger at the earl, he found it hard to do so now. Swan Park had roused old resentments. He wondered if he could manage even bare civility if forced to talk to the bastard.

Daniel shot him a sidelong glance as they neared the door. “What if the earl asks about the marriage arrangement?”

“Put him off. Say you’re still making up your mind.”

“I only hope I can convince him that I’m you.”

“Don’t worry—talk to him as you talked to me at breakfast and you’ll be perfectly believable.”

Daniel gave a low laugh. “I’ll remember that. And don’t go rousing Lady Rosalind against Daniel Brennan or I’ll make you pay me even
more
for this scheme, see if I don’t.”

Griff didn’t answer. He’d keep Daniel’s secrets if he could, but if they happened to slip out…A former smuggler and a highwayman’s son would surely send her running.