Kane, Samantha - Brothers In Arms 06 (12 page)

again.”

Nat’s arms tightened around her. “Do you swear it, Hardington? If we stay away from Mr. Anderson you will not carry tales to the Society?”

Hardington bowed mockingly. “I swear it.” He rose and his smile was polite, his manner impeccable. “And I will have neatly accomplished both his punishment and yours for refusing me. It is a neat little package, don’t you think?”

Nat sighed in disgust. “He is indeed a very intelligent man.”

60

Love in Exile

Hardington lost his polished manners. “Mock if you will, Digby. But I shall be the one laughing in the end.” He opened the doors and began to leave, but stopped in the doorway and turned back to them. “Do not try to see him again, not even once, or I shall make sure tales of his adventures with you reach the appropriate ears.”

He closed the doors on Nat’s curse and Alecia’s tears. Nat lowered Alecia to the settee, but she didn’t want to sit there anymore, where Hardington had touched her.

She scampered over to a high backed chair before the window. She sniffed loudly, trying to stop her tears. Tears weren’t going to accomplish anything, and she’d already cried a bucket today. Nat was sitting at the small escritoire in the corner, writing something.

“What are you doing?” Alecia asked in a watery voice. She sniffed again. Nat reached behind him holding out his handkerchief to her. She got up and took it and then she peered over his shoulder.

“’Dear Mr. Anderson,’” she read, her voice wavering, “’It is with regret that we must cancel our engagement this evening. Events have unfolded that make it impossible to ascertain when we might see you again. Please accept our apologies. Nat and Alecia Digby.’”

“Oh, Natty!” she cried, trying to grab the paper. “It’s so cold. Can’t you just tell him what has happened?”

Nat held it out of her reach. “Are you mad? He’ll come storming over and attempt to protect us from Hardington, not caring a fig for his own reputation.” Nat turned and gripped her hand tightly. “Don’t you see, Lee? The Society is all he has here in England.

It is all that makes them accept him here. If he were to lose that…we can’t let that happen, Lee. We have to protect him. You know we do.” Nat’s grip loosened and he slumped in the chair. “Besides, what else can we expect from him? We used him terribly this morning. We hurt his feelings and betrayed his trust. There is no way he can forgive us. The shadow of our betrayal and the specter of discovery would always follow us. There is no future for him with us.” Nat looked at her beseechingly. “We’ll be all right, Lee. We still have each other, don’t we? We shall be all right.”

Yes, Alecia silently agreed as Nat laid his cheek against her stomach and she hugged him to her. They would be all right, but they would never be the same.

* * * * *

“What do you want, Hardington?” Palu asked in a tired voice. Hardington was the last person he wished to deal with today.

“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” Hardington replied pleasantly, flipping out his coattails as he took a seat in the chair across from Palu’s desk.

“No, but then you hardly classify as such,” Palu said dryly. “You barely warrant a listing under acquaintance.”

Hardington held a hand to his chest in mock distress. “You wound me, Anderson.”

61

Samantha Kane

Palu sighed in resignation. Clearly Hardington was in a strange mood. “State your business, Hardington,” he asked again. “Why are you here?”

“Why, I’ve just come to visit,” Hardington declared. “It seems that once again our interests have traveled in the same direction, and I thought we should compare research notes.”

Hardington laughed as if at a jest, but Palu was merely confused. “You wish to see my research notes?”

Hardington continued to laugh as he shook his head. “Good God, you didn’t actually take notes while you were fucking them, did you?”

Palu’s breath caught in his chest. “What?” he choked out.

“Nat and Alecia, of course,” Hardington said, as if speaking to a simpleton. “I heard that you got a taste of what all London raves about.” He grinned mischievously. “I know I certainly gave them high marks after our affair.”

Oh God. Palu tried to school his features into a mask of calm disinterest, but he knew he was failing miserably by the glee on Hardington’s face.

“Oh, dear, don’t tell me you thought that your encounter with them was something special?” Hardington said in tones of exaggerated sympathy. “Although perhaps it was, considering who and what you are. I’m sure they’ve never fucked anyone like you.” He paused for a moment. “Palu.”

Palu’s hands were clenched tightly around the end of his chair arms. “I was unaware that their entertainments were quite so lavishly attended as to include all of London,” Palu replied, rather proud of how even his voice was. “But, no, I did not think that I was the first to enjoy them.” Inside he was reeling. They’d spoken with Hardington about their nights together. They’d even told him Palu’s real name, something only a handful of people knew.

“Well, you were the talk of London, Palu,” Hardington told him with delight, “so it’s no wonder they pounced before someone else got you first.”

“Anderson,” Palu replied automatically. The sound of his name from Hardington’s mouth made his gut roil in revulsion.

“Oh?” Hardington said with a pout. “I suppose only those who get to fuck you are allowed to call you by your primitive name.”

“What do you want?” Palu asked again. He knew Hardington, knew his type. He did nothing without a selfish motive.

“Want? Why nothing!” he exclaimed jovially. “I really did just want to gossip about the experience. I mean, they are very good, aren’t they? And Alecia certainly loves to watch her husband fuck another man, doesn’t she?”

Palu thought he might throw up. He didn’t dare risk answering for fear of embarrassing himself.

“And Alecia, she’s so tiny, I was always afraid of hurting her.” Hardington smirked. “But she likes that, so it isn’t really a problem.”

62

Love in Exile

Palu took several deep breaths through his nose to fight the nausea.

“Did you get Nat to suck your cock?” Hardington said in a stage whisper, leaning toward the desk conspiratorially. “You really ought to, if you can. He simply loves to do it.”

Palu stood abruptly. “I do not understand why you are telling me these things,” he ground out.

Hardington stood as well with a sigh. “Anderson, believe it or not I have come with a word of advice.” He held up a hand as Palu started to give a sarcastic retort. “No, listen to me, I beseech you.” He walked around to sit on the edge of Palu’s desk next to where he stood. “Nat is a bit of an amateur naturalist, you know,” he said, watching Palu carefully. When he showed no reaction, Hardington continued. “He has long been fascinated with your writings and your travels. I’m sure the chance to fuck the strange and mysterious half-breed Anderson was irresistible to him. And Alecia, of course. She follows where Nat leads, but she has some…unusual appetites of her own.” Hardington rose with a weary sigh and turned toward the door. “I know you do not like me, Anderson,” he told him compassionately, “but I have always had a bit of a tendre for you, which you well know.” He smiled deprecatingly. “I may not be able to have you, but I do not want to see you hurt.” He held up a hand beseechingly. “You are naught but a curiosity to them, and I would hate to have tales of your sexual exploits with them bandied about London, as if you were some freak of nature to be studied and discussed.”

Palu could barely breathe for the disillusionment coursing through his veins. All his old fears were justified, his oddity made obvious. How had he not seen it? They had been so fascinated with his
tatau
, his primitive nature, his travels. He was nothing but an experiment to them, a curiosity. He’d already felt used by them, but now the feeling was tenfold. Would he never learn? Would he always find betrayal wherever he gave trust?

“I’m sorry, Anderson,” Hardington said, his words belied by the satisfied gleam in his eyes. That he should be the one to tell Palu these things doubled the perfidy of Nat and Alecia’s behavior.

Palu remained silent, and Hardington tipped his hat and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. As soon as it shut Palu sat gracelessly in his chair, shaken by the enormity of his disappointment. He had thought at last he’d found someone he could call his own. Yesterday he had actually entertained thoughts of falling in love with them. Then the morning encounter with Colby, and now this. He had become a fool while he’d been sailing the world.

He shook his head as he looked out the window at the grim, overcast day. It suited his mood perfectly, but not his person. He shivered. He was not made for England, or the deceits of Englishmen. The sooner he put his affairs in order the better. He would notify the captain of his ship to find a crew and prepare to sail in two months time. He could tolerate two months if it meant never having to see these shores again.

63

Samantha Kane

When Palu received Nat and Alecia’s note an hour later he was relieved. He had not wanted to see them again, but he had not known what to write when he sat down to pen a note canceling their meeting. Now he would not need to. In a strange way, the note ending their affair so quickly and neatly made him think better of Nat and Alecia.

They did not plan to deceive him and continue their affair based on lies. Clearly they had gotten what they wanted from him. If only Palu could say the same.

64

Love in Exile

“I cannot remember that last time I walked Hyde Park as if it were a graveyard,”

Simon lamented. “May we at least know the reason for your moribund countenance?”

Palu’s laugh was forced. “That bad, am I?”

It had been a week since he’d received Nat and Alecia’s note, but still he could not forget their time together. He tortured himself nightly with the memories. His work and lectures at the Royal Society did not occupy him as he’d thought they would.

Everything reminded him of Nat and Alecia and what could have been. He hadn’t been able to resist asking people at the Society about them. He’d discovered that Nat was indeed a respected amateur naturalist, avidly reading everything the members published and loyally attending lectures. He was well-liked among Palu’s peers, none of whom spoke a negative word about Nat and Alecia’s personal life.

Palu had avoided social engagements, but drinking himself into a stupor each night wasn’t helping either. When Daniel had sent a note around asking him to walk in the park today, he’d readily accepted. Perhaps his old friend could take his mind off them.

“Come,” Daniel said, turning off the main path to sit on an unoccupied bench. He patted the seat next to him. “Tell me what is wrong, Palu.”

“Palu?” Simon asked, walking around to stand behind the bench as Palu sat.

“It is an old childhood name,” Palu replied, desultorily watching the carriages and people pass by, showing off their latest gowns and conquests at the fashionable hour.

“It is the name my mother gave me.”

“I thought your name was Gregory?” Simon sounded only vaguely interested. A glance confirmed that he was busy smiling and flirting with a carriage full of blushing young women and an old harridan who kept slapping the poor girls’ wrists with her fan, admonishing them as they waved at acquaintances.

“That is my English name.”

Simon frowned and then smiled brightly. “Oh, are we all going to get native names? I should like that. How do you say huge in your native tongue, Anderson?”

Simon leered lasciviously and thrust his hips suggestively at the carriage and Palu heard the women squeal in delight as the old woman bellowed with rage. Beside him Daniel sighed with weary resignation at Simon’s antics.

“Palu,” he answered dryly, and Simon looked at him blankly and then laughed.

“Oh, I say, that was a good one,” Simon told him. “Palu. Huge. Very good.”

“Thank you,” Palu replied politely, amused in spite of his melancholy. The memory of Nat exclaiming how huge he was that first night wiped the amusement from his face.

65

Samantha Kane

“So Daniel calls you by your childhood name,” Simon said, waving his fingers at the retreating carriage. “How long have you two known one another?”

“Since we were young children,” Palu replied. “I cannot remember exactly when we met.”

“Yes,” Daniel agreed. “We were quite young, I believe, when our fathers became first correspondents and then acquaintances. My father was fascinated with Captain Cook’s voyages and Mr. Anderson’s discoveries.” He smiled at Palu. “Do you remember Mr. Cadley?”

Palu laughed. “Our first tutor? Yes, I remember him, poor man. What a trial we were to him.”

“So you were educated together?” Simon asked with interest. “At what school?”

Daniel shook his head. “No school. We had a private tutor, and of course Mr.

Anderson taught us the natural sciences.”

Simon looked agog at Daniel. “You were educated by one of the most brilliant scholars of our time and you’ve never mentioned it?”

Daniel shrugged. “I didn’t say I learned all that he had to teach.”

Palu shook his head and leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees, staring at the ground between his feet. “Nor did I,” he agreed solemnly. “He tried to teach me to always be careful here. But I have never given that lesson the credence it deserves.”

“Talk,” Daniel ordered firmly. He settled deeper onto the bench, crossing his legs, ignoring the people parading through the park around them.

“I have simply had an affair that ended badly,” Palu said dismissively. “I will get over it.”

Simon leaned his arms on the back of the bench between Daniel and Palu and frowned at him. “Oh, I say, not Nat and Alecia, surely? I really thought that would work out.”

“Let him finish, Simon,” Daniel said patiently.

“I am finished,” Palu told him. He had no wish to dissect his gullibility for Simon and Daniel’s edification.

“Hardly,” Daniel drawled. “What happened?”