Late for the Wedding Page 9

  Emeline felt Anthony stiffen angrily. She hastened to take charge of the conversation.

  “I thought today’s lecture was particularly enlightening,” she said quickly. “Especially the last demonstration, with the model volcano.”

  “Positively exhilarating,” Priscilla declared.

  “It was entertaining.” Dominic shrugged. “I will grant you that. But when you come right down to it, I’m afraid Professor Kirk is more showman than chemist.”

  Priscilla frowned slightly. “What do you mean, Mr. Hood?”

  Dominic switched his attention to her. “I am currently working on a new formula for fireworks explosives that I assure you would produce effects far more spectacular than those Kirk created with his silly volcano.”

  Priscilla’s eyes widened. “You have your own laboratory, sir?”

  “Yes.”

  “But that is wonderful,” Priscilla breathed. “What instruments and apparatus do you own, if I may ask?”

  Dominic hesitated, looking torn. Emeline got the distinct impression that he’d had another goal in mind when he had intercepted them at the door. She thought it best to keep pushing him in this other direction.

  “Indeed, Mr. Hood,” she said, “this sounds very intriguing. Please tell us about your laboratory equipment.”

  “I possess the usual assortment,” he allowed finally. “A microscope, an electrical machine, telescope, a balance, some chemical apparatus.”

  “Your very own electrical machine.” Priscilla was clearly dazzled. “You are extremely fortunate, sir. I would give anything to possess a properly equipped laboratory.”

  Emeline felt a small rush of curiosity. “Can you create little balls of fire that fly about, the way Professor Kirk did today?”

  “Certainly. Kirk’s lightning show was no more than a simple trick.” He paused, glanced at Priscilla, and then smiled very deliberately at Emeline. “I can arrange some demonstrations that I think you would find even more exciting than those Kirk performed for you this afternoon.”

  “I would love to see them,” Priscilla said quickly.

  “It does sound intriguing,” Emeline agreed. “I must admit, I have not taken a great interest in science until recently, but Mr. Kirk’s lectures have been quite stimulating.”

  Anthony’s jaw hardened. “Out of the question. The two of you cannot possibly go to Hood’s lodgings unaccompanied. You both know that very well.”

  Priscilla looked crestfallen. “I wonder if I could persuade Mama to accompany us.”

  She did not sound hopeful, Emeline thought.

  “I doubt that Lady Wortham would care to spend a morning viewing science demonstrations,” Anthony said flatly.

  “I suppose you are right,” Priscilla said. She looked resigned. “Mama is more concerned with fashion.”

  Dominic’s jaw tensed.

  “Well, that is that.” Anthony checked his pocket watch. “It is getting late, ladies. We had best be on our way if we are to stop for ice cream.”

  Emeline could not abide the deep disappointment in Priscilla’s eyes. “I’m sure that I would have no difficulty persuading Aunt Lavinia to escort us to a demonstration at your laboratory, Mr. Hood.”

  Priscilla’s expression warmed with gratitude. “Do you really think Mrs. Lake would be willing to do that?”

  “I do not see why not,” Emeline said. “When she returns from her visit to the country I will ask her.”

  “Thank you.” Priscilla was buoyant. “That is so kind of you, Emeline.”

  Dominic shot Anthony a triumphant smile and then bowed politely to Emeline and Priscilla.

  “I shall look forward to entertaining the two of you and Mrs. Lake as well at your earliest convenience,” he said. “My lodgings are in Stelling Street.”

  He turned on the heel of one gleaming Hessian and walked out of the hall and down the steps without a backward glance.

  Anthony said nothing, but Emeline could feel the anger simmering in him.

  For the first time in their relationship, she was worried.

  An hour and a half later, after escorting a still-exuberant Priscilla to her door, Emeline and Anthony walked back to Number 7 Claremont Lane.

  It was a lovely day for a stroll, Emeline thought. Surely there was no finer place on earth than London on a summer afternoon. Sunlight warmed the lush green parks where children played with balls and small wagons. The flower sellers’ carts brimmed with a profusion of colorful blossoms. Fruitmongers offered an array of juicy peaches and pears, sweet grapes, and an assortment of berries. Everyone seemed more cheerful and more brightly garbed than they did in winter.

  Then again, maybe she felt that way because she was with the man she loved, she thought. What a pity Anthony was in such a foul mood.

  “Do you know,” she said, aiming for a harmless topic, “until she suggested that we subscribe to Mr. Kirk’s lectures, I had no notion that Priscilla had such a great interest in science. She told me that her mama warned her not to discuss the subject in polite company because she would be labeled a bore by her friends.”

  “Lady Wortham is the bore in that family.”

  “I suspect it would be more accurate to say that she is merely a devoted parent attempting to do her best to make an excellent match for Priscilla.”

  “Huh,” Anthony said without a great deal of interest.

  So much for attempting to lighten his mood. There were times, she reflected, when Anthony took after his brother-in-law. She was coming to understand why Lavinia occasionally lost her temper with Mr. March.

  “Out with it,” she said when they reached Number 7. “You are annoyed with me because I agreed to ask Aunt Lavinia to accompany Priscilla and me to see Dominic’s laboratory.”

  “I’d rather not discuss the subject.”

  “No, you would rather seethe in silence. Allow me to tell you, sir, that while such a mood is quite dramatic for a short time, it rapidly becomes annoying.”

  She reached into her reticule for her key and opened the door. A gentle breeze wafted down the long hall that ran the length of the house. The back door stood open. She glanced toward the far end of the passageway and caught a glimpse of gray skirts moving about in the kitchen garden. Mrs. Chilton was collecting vegetables and lettuces.

  Emeline removed her bonnet and gloves. “Why don’t you tell me why you have taken such a dislike to Mr. Hood?”

  Anthony shut the front door and turned to face her. “I dislike him because I know his intentions.”

  “Indeed? What, in your opinion, are Mr. Hood’s intentions?”

  “He has taken to hanging about wherever we happen to be because he wants to entice you away from me.”

  Startled, she paused in the act of hanging her bonnet on a hook and stared at him. “That is absolute rubbish.”

  “On the contrary, it is the absolute truth.”

  “Tony, I really do not think that is the case at all.”

  “It bloody well is the case.”

  “You’re jealous,” she said, more than a little amazed.

  “Do you blame me?”

  “Yes, I do, sir. There is no need for you to worry about my association with Mr. Hood. I think he is just somewhat lonely, that’s all. He is obviously new in town and he evidently has no friends or social connections.”

  “The lack of friends is perfectly understandable.” Anthony tossed his hat down onto a table. “Hood does not possess what anyone would call a winning personality.”

  She thought about the manner in which Dominic had held himself apart from the crowd in the lecture hall. “He is rather aloof, is he not? And I will grant you that there is a certain intensity about him that no doubt makes it difficult for him to be at ease with people. I have the impression that he has not spent much time in Society.”

  “I do not know about his experience in Society, but I can tell you that he must have some connections. He is a member of my club.”

  “Is that where you were introduced?”<
br />
  “Unfortunately, yes,” he muttered. “He has become my shadow because he seeks to find a way to separate you and me.”

  “Anthony, you are behaving in the most ridiculous fashion. I assure you there is absolutely no need—”

  She broke off on a small gasp, because he abruptly took a long stride forward, gripped her forearms, and pinned her hard against him.

  “He is not like the other gentlemen who flirt with you, Emeline,” Anthony said quietly. “They are annoying but harmless. Hood is different. He is dangerous.”

  Her irritation was suddenly transformed into anger. “Surely you do not believe for one moment that I am attracted to him? How can you even imply such a thing? Do you really think that I am so fickle?”

  “Of course not. I trust you completely, Emeline. Don’t you understand? It is Hood’s determination to destroy what you and I have found together that alarms me.”

  She relaxed a little. “I still do not believe that is his goal, but even if it were, I promise you he could not possibly tear me away from you.”

  He shook his head once, as if she were the most naive creature in the world. “You still do not comprehend my real fear. It is that he will do you some great harm.”

  “What on earth are you talking about?”

  “I would not put it past him to attempt to compromise you in some fashion.” He paused grimly. “Perhaps worse.”

  She searched his face and saw that he believed every word of what he had just said. “You think he would . . . would . . .” She could not bring herself to say the word rape. “But that makes no sense. Why would Mr. Hood want to do something so utterly beyond the pale?”

  “I wish to God I knew,” he said quietly.

  “He cannot possibly hate me so much,” she whispered. “He is barely acquainted with me.”

  “You misunderstand, my love.” Anthony raised his hands to cup her face. “I do not believe that he hates you.”

  “Then why would he want to hurt me?”

  “It is me he despises. I am the one he wants to hurt. And he has guessed quite correctly that nothing in the world would cause me more pain and grief than seeing you harmed.”

  She gazed at him, shocked at the deep certainty in his words. “But you have only just met him. What possible reason could he have for conceiving such a strong dislike of you?”

  “I do not know. But I mean to find out. Meanwhile, I do not want you anywhere near him.”

  “Even if I were to agree to keep my distance from Mr. Hood, you know very well that you cannot prevent him from coming near me. Not unless you intend to keep me locked up in this house, which I will never allow.”

  “Damn it, Emeline.”

  She covered his mouth with her fingertips, silencing him gently. “Listen to us. Once again we sound like Aunt Lavinia and Mr. March when they are engaging in one of their heated discussions. It was our intention to go about things much differently, if you will recall.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “This is not about our personal relationship.”

  “On the contrary, it goes to the very heart of it. Our association is supposed to be a harmonious metaphysical connection of two like-minded souls. We agreed that we would not quarrel and snap at each other as my aunt and your brother-in-law are so inclined to do. We vowed that we would not become as stubborn and set in our ways as they are, that we would not follow the same prickly path that they have chosen to travel.”

  Anthony’s mouth curved slightly. For the first time that day, she glimpsed a dash of genuine amusement in his eyes.

  “I am starting to think that we are each just as strong-willed, opinionated, and stubborn as Mrs. Lake and Tobias. I regret to say, Emeline, that we may indeed be headed down the same thorny path.”

  “Nonsense. I’m certain that with a bit of effort we can avoid that fate.”

  “There, you see? You have just proven my point. We cannot even refrain from arguing about whether or not we are doomed to argue.”

  His mouth was very close to hers now, and she could feel the sparkling excitement uncurling within her. She tried to retain her concentration.

  “We are not quarreling,” she insisted, a little breathless. “We are having a serious-minded discussion.”

  “Call it what you will.” He contemplated her mouth as though it were a rare and precious fruit that he planned to eat. “At the moment I do not particularly care.”

  “But we must settle this matter.”

  “In my opinion, we cannot settle it satisfactorily, so we may as well do something else that is infinitely more satisfying.”

  “Anthony, you are trying to change the subject.”

  “How did you guess?”

  Her kissed her, cutting off the remainder of her protests. She told herself they could finish the discussion later. It was exceedingly difficult to think clearly when he held her like this.

  She slid her arms around his neck and abandoned herself to the exquisite delight of the moment. A heavy shudder of desire swept through him, leaving her in no doubt about the depth of his passion.

  It had not escaped her notice that Anthony had begun to find an increasing number of opportunities to embrace her of late. Each kiss was more bold and more daring than the last. She had never allowed any other man such liberties, but, then, she had never loved any other man.

  Society had rules about this sort of thing. She knew those rules. It was all very well for a widow such as Lavinia to indulge in a discreet affair. But a young lady who had never been wed was obliged to avoid any action that might possibly taint her reputation. Perception was all in the polite world.

  But this was Anthony, and she loved him, and lately she found herself less and less concerned with being careful.

  “Emeline,” he whispered against her throat. “What are we to do? I love you. Even when we quarrel, I want you.”

  “I love you too.” She tightened her arms around his neck. “So very much.”

  He raised his head slightly to look into her eyes. “I am not yet in a position to ask you to marry me. You know that. The sad truth is that I cannot yet afford to keep you in proper style.”

  “How many times must I tell you that I do not care about the state of your finances?”

  “I most certainly care. I will not ask you to marry me until I am in a position to establish a household.”

  “You are too proud.”

  “That may be, but it does not matter, because I have made up my mind on the subject. In the meantime, my great fear is that you will lose patience waiting. Some other man may come along who is financially secure, one who can give you everything.”

  “Never,” she vowed. “I will wait forever, if need be. But I refuse to believe that two people as clever as you and I cannot find a way to be together sooner than that.”

  He smiled slightly. “I hope that you are right.” He hesitated. “Sweetheart, there is something I want you to know. I was not going to tell you, because things may not work out as I wish. But the truth is, I took the fees that I earned assisting Tobias in his last case and I purchased a share in one of Lord Crackenburne’s shipping ventures. It will be several months before I will know whether or not I shall see a profit, however. There is always a risk in that sort of investment.”

  She smiled. “I, too, have a confession to make. Mrs. Dove invited Aunt Lavinia and me to invest in one of her building projects. The houses are to be completed within the next six months. They will be sold or leased. If all goes well, I shall have some money of my own before the end of the year. If we combine our incomes I’m sure we shall manage.”

  “Speaking of houses, that is another problem. Even if we marry, we must find a decent place to live.”

  “We can move into your lodgings.”

  “Absolutely not. My rooms do well enough for a single gentleman such as myself, but I would not dream of taking you out of this very comfortable little house and installing you in Jasper Street.”

  “I would not mind,” she said q
uickly. “Really, I wouldn’t.”

  “Well, I would most certainly mind.” He scowled. “There is not even enough space for a housekeeper, always assuming we could afford one.” He groaned and folded her close. “Any way you look at it, we must wait months before we can even announce our engagement.” He broke off abruptly, looking as though he had been struck by a sudden dazzling vision. “Unless . . .”

  She heard the sudden change of tone in his voice and recognized it immediately. Pulling back slightly, she looked up at him. “I perceive that you have concocted a plan. What is it?”

  “It is all a bit vague at the moment.” He spoke cautiously, clearly not wanting to raise her hopes at this early juncture. “It would require a great deal of strategy. I shall have to proceed carefully, but there just may be a way to move matters along a bit faster.”

  She was torn between excitement and frustration. “You must tell me.”

  “No. Not until I have some notion of whether or not it will work.”

  “This is too much. You try my patience, sir.” She seized his lapels and attempted to give him a small shake. He did not move, but he did look amused.

  His hand closed over hers. “You are not the only one who is impatient, my love. There are nights when I wonder if I will go mad with the waiting.”

  “I understand.” Reluctantly she released him and smoothed the lapels she had just crushed. “It is very odd, is it not? One would think that a few kisses now and again would serve to release the frustration. But for some reason, the more often we embrace, the more I wish to do so.”

  He smiled a wicked, sensual smile. “Indeed, I have noticed the same strange effect.”

  He bent his head to nibble on her ear.

  She sighed. “Perhaps it would be best if we refrained from this sort of thing.”

  “No more kisses?” He raised his head quite suddenly. “I would rather go mad, thank you very much.”

  She started to laugh, but he found her mouth with his own and she moaned softly instead. He was right, she decided. Better to go mad than to deprive herself of his kisses.

  His hand slipped to the back of her waist. He pressed her hips against his. She was intensely aware of the hard, bold contours of his aroused body. His kiss deepened.