CHAPTER EIGHT
A MISSIVE CAME for Tynan the following morning, just as he was about to leave for the Whitpool residence. It was half past eight o’clock in the morning. Dr. Farthingale was due to visit there at nine, but Tynan hoped to arrive a few minutes earlier for a private word with Abby. He wanted to be sure that she was holding up all right and not quietly falling apart. Everyone, including Abby, had concentrated their attention on her brother.
Someone had to look out for her.
Why shouldn’t it be him?
He stared at the paper in his hand, recognizing the seal embossed on it, and frowned. Coventry. What else did he want?
He unfolded the parchment to find nothing more than an invitation to join him for tea at the Coventry residence. The invitation included a request to bring Abby with him. He nodded his approval, for that made sense. The three of them would need to review the details of her travel plans to Falmouth and the terms of her stay at Coventry’s cottage.
Of course, an earl’s cottage was no unassuming two room house with an aging thatched roof. Although Tynan had never seen the property, he expected the house to be a stately manor constructed of brick or local stone and containing at least twenty rooms. Those would include two or three dining rooms, a music room, a library, the earl’s study, two parlors, and no less than six or seven bedchambers.
He tucked the missive in his breast pocket, pleased with the speed at which matters were progressing.
Abby met him at the Whitpool front door, her brandy eyes wide and sparkling, and a heartwarming smile on her soft lips. Her woolen gown was the auburn color of her hair, and as usual, she had little adornment other than a bit of lace trim at her collar and the cuffs of her sleeves. “Jameson said you had good news to tell me. I’m so sorry I wasn’t awake to see you last night. Did you sleep well? You look wonderful. But don’t you always?”
He was a jaded, cynical earl, so how did she manage to send his heart careening every time he set eyes on her? “I think you will find it is very good news.”
He laughed when she suddenly took him by the forearm and dragged him into the drawing room. He understood that she was excited to hear of the plans for her brother’s recovery. “Tell me everything, Tynan. I’m so grateful. You’ve brought me yet another miracle. Oh, dear. Have you had a bite to eat yet? May I offer you–”
“Abby, I’m fine. Calm down and let me tell you what I’ve arranged. But first, tell me how your brother is faring.”
Her smile faltered a little. “He’s survived the night and is sleeping restfully.”
“Good.” He settled on the sofa and was pleased when she took a seat beside him. Since she was leaping out of her skin to hear the details, he wasted no more time on pleasantries. “The Earl of Coventry has agreed to help you.”
“Thank you, Tynan,” she said with such breathless ardor, one would think he’d just given her a necklace of diamonds. But to Abby, the means to save her brother was far more precious than any dazzling gemstone.
“The earl has a house in Falmouth that he will let to you for six months, or longer should the need arise. He’ll send word today to his housekeeper to have the house readied for your arrival and intends to accompany you there. But he can’t leave until the end of the week, so it will be another five or six days until you are underway.”
She listened intently and nodded as he set forth the details.
He felt the light curl of her fingers against his own. Somehow, she’d taken hold of his hand.
Or had he taken hers?
He supposed it didn’t matter, for their hands were entwined and neither one of them had any desire to let go.
He knew they shouldn’t be holding hands at all. He knew that he shouldn’t have kissed her yesterday. He was playing with fire by being here now, caring about this girl, and willing to move heaven and earth to help her.
He knew that he shouldn’t want to kiss her again, but he did want to and probably would kiss her because she was becoming a craving for him.
Hell, merely holding her hand was twisting him inside out.
He wasn’t going to release her, nor was he going to think about what was happening between them. He liked the way she made him feel. But everything could change tomorrow. He was a disreputable rogue and his feelings weren’t to be trusted.
He cleared his throat. “Coventry has invited us to tea at his residence this afternoon. I expect it will be just the three of us, perhaps his wife and one of his trusted clerks, too. We’ll need to work out the details of your stay and this is as good a time as any for you to get to know the Earl of Coventry. I’m sure he’s eager to meet you.”
“Tynan,” she said with a sweet ache to her voice, “thank you a thousand times over.”
He saw that she was getting sentimental and quickly sought to change the topic before he took her into his arms to soothe her. Of course, holding her in his arms would have the opposite effect on him, leaving him in fiery torment. Which would lead to more kisses, none of which would be tame or remotely proper.
He released her hand and stood, needing to put a little distance between him and Abby. “Shall we look in on Peter?”
“Not yet. Let’s wait for the doctor. My brother is sleeping peacefully and I wouldn’t like to disturb him. He was snoring when I tiptoed in earlier this morning.” She took a deep breath. “He was alive. He is alive.”
She appeared ready to say more, but rose instead and moved toward the window as a carriage clattered to a stop in front of her home. “Oh, excellent. Dr. Farthingale is here.”
Although she stood quietly and appeared calm, Tynan saw that her fingers were nervously playing with the lace on her collar. “Abby, he’s the best. If anyone can heal your brother, it’s Dr. Farthingale.”
She nodded. “I knew he had to be the best because you brought him to me. He put me at ease the moment I met him. You keep performing these miracles for me, Tynan. I… there’s too much I want to say to you… and I keep praying that I won’t ever lose you, which is ridiculous because it will happen. It’s just a question of when.”
“Abby, you exaggerate my importance.” He didn’t know what else to say.
She cast him the sweetest smile. “Not at all. Meeting you has been a precious gift for me. I may think of you as my angel, but I know you are very much a man of flesh and blood, with strengths and weaknesses as we all have. I know we will part ways, certainly once my brother and I ride off to Falmouth. But I also want you to know that I shall never forget you and all you’ve done for me.”
Jameson announced the doctor, sparing Tynan the need of a reply. He didn’t know what to say to Abby. Yes, he would leave. That’s what men like him did.
After briefly telling the doctor about the travel plans he’d arranged with Coventry, he followed Abby and the doctor upstairs to her brother’s chamber. “I know of an excellent man in Falmouth,” Dr. Farthingale said as they climbed the stairs. “I’ll write to him to let him know the situation and to expect Miss Croft or Lord Coventry to contact him upon their arrival.”
Abby graced the doctor with one of her generous smiles. “That sounds perfect.”
They entered Peter’s chamber. Tynan stood quietly beside Abby, his arms folded across his chest as the doctor checked Peter’s pulse, his heartbeat, and set his hand across his brow to check for fever.
Tynan knew that Abby’s brother was still fighting off a fever, for his complexion was sallow, except for his cheeks that were stained a bright pink, and he was shivering while, at the same time, his hair and forehead were soaked in sweat.
Abby began to fuss again with the lace at her collar. She’d noticed her brother’s condition, too. The fact that he appeared to be sleeping peacefully was no cause for rejoicing. In truth, as the drugs wore off, he should have been tossing and turning and grumbling. But he wasn’t, for the bad mix of drugs and fever were sapping the life from him. “Peter, the doctor is here. Open your eyes, my dearest. How do you feel?”
My dearest.
Tynan stifled his disappointment, realizing she’d thought he was Peter wishing her sweet dreams last night.
She hadn’t been responding to him at all, but to her brother.
Whatever disappointment he might have felt disappeared a moment later as Peter stirred awake and realized that he was being guarded.
“Damn you, Abby. Get the hell out of here,” he snarled, and then began to hurl curses at her that made even Tynan blush. Each vile epithet was like a punch to Abby’s heart, for the girl wore her heart on her sleeve and Tynan noticed the subtle recoil of her body with each blow Peter landed.
Heat flooded Abby’s cheeks and tears welled in her eyes.
Tynan put a protective arm around her, but it wasn’t enough to lend comfort. She had to be so deeply hurt by this brother who didn’t deserve her love. Was this the same man who’d uttered “I love you” to his sister only yesterday?
Dr. Farthingale exchanged a pitying glance with him. “My lord, would you escort Miss Croft downstairs?”
Since Tynan already had his hands on her trembling shoulders, he nodded and steered her out. “Come along, Abby.”
Had her brother not been at death’s door, Tynan would have taken his fists to him. The man deserved to have the stuffing beat out of him. He hated that Abby had to endure this treatment. “I know he doesn’t mean it,” she said as they descended the stairs. “He’s sick and doesn’t know what he’s saying.”
“Come with me. We’re going for a walk in the park. You need to get out of here for a while.”
“But the doctor–”
“He’ll wait for us to return. We won’t be long.” He called for Jameson to fetch Abby’s cloak.
“What about the need for discretion? You and me alone? It isn’t proper. We’ll draw everyone’s attention.”
The girl had almost been killed two days ago and had seen her brother almost die yesterday. She had endured being savagely cursed out by the wretch only moments ago. And she was worried about taking a walk in the park with him? He shook his head and sighed. “Your maid can follow us.”
“But the ton gossips will see us together.”
“My carriage is standing outside your front door, the Westcliff crest on prominent display. Every one of your neighbors has noticed that I’ve come around two days in a row now. It’s done, Abby. I’m not going to squirrel you away. You’re not my mistress or some indiscreet liaison that I need to hide from prying eyes.”
She frowned at him. “Then they’ll think you’re courting me.”
“So what?” In truth, he was no longer afraid to let their acquaintance take whatever course it was meant to take. He would be honest with Abby. She’d know the truth, whatever that truth was. “Are you ashamed to be seen with me?”
“No! Of course not.” She appeared genuinely surprised, and her eyes rounded in horror. “I should think it is the other way around, that you don’t wish to be seen with me.”
“I’m not objecting, so why should you?”
“But… I…” She shook her head and sighed. “Very well, I suppose I’d rather be respectably jilted than be considered a hidden mistress that you’ve ruined and abandoned.” She squared her shoulders and cast him a surprisingly innocent and earnest gaze. “But if the gossip does ruin me, I’m not going to let it be in vain.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I am ruined…” She paused to take a deep breath which she then released with a light groan. “If I am…”
“Ruined?”
She nodded and her cheeks took on a bright, pink glow. “Then I’d like to spend it productively… with you, and… and that peacock feather. I’d love to find out what you do with it. I’m quite intrigued and cannot imagine its purpose. Will you promise me–”
“No!”
Mother in heaven.
“Heaven ought to protect rakehells from innocent young women like you,” he muttered, his entire body catching fire.
She eyed him with confusion. “Don’t you mean it the other way around?”
“No. Stop chattering and come along.”
Although it was too early for most of the ton to be up and about, there were enough gentlemen and ladies strolling through the park at this late hour of the morning that he and Abby did not seem out of place. In addition, there were plenty of riders along Rotten Row, and children guarded by their nannies playing beside the Serpentine.
He and Abby drew attention because everyone knew who Tynan was, but no one dared approach without his permission which he did not grant. He could not recall ever escorting a young lady through the park before.
He never took genteel walks.
He glanced about, regarding the scenery with a cynical eye. Until this moment, these trees and surrounding shrubbery would have represented locations for seduction, hidden spots where he could take a willing lady for the purpose of a quick tumble before anyone – often a husband – noticed she was missing. Gardens served the same purpose, for there were lots of secluded alcoves where sunlight did not reach.
He shook out of his thoughts, suddenly not liking himself very much. This is what his life had been until Abby came along. He wasn’t a complete scoundrel, for he never seduced innocents, but he was still a wretched reprobate in many ways.
He found it odd that Abby seemed to bring out the better part of him. She walked beside him, unaware of what he was thinking. He liked having her beside him and was determined to behave himself around her, no matter how difficult she made it for him. She deserved to be treated like a princess, not like the whipping post her brother had used her for only moments ago. And not like some meaningless sexual escapade for him. “How do you feel, Abby? A little better, I hope.”
She nodded. “It’s a beautiful day. I love the warmth of the sun on my face and the cool, gentle wind in my hair.”
He’d been in such a rush to get her out of that house, he hadn’t given her time to put on a bonnet. But she didn’t seem to mind, nor did he. Her auburn hair was a fiery, dark brown that glistened in the sunshine, the deep reds and earthy browns caught in the shifting light depending on the tilt of her head.
The sky was a deep, clear blue and the sun was gently beating down on them. Tynan even heard birds chirping in the trees. He noticed the vivid reds and yellows of the changing leaves. The brilliant colors struck him all at once, the azure blue of the sky, the fiery reds and golds of the falling leaves, the white puffs of clouds. But nothing was as beautiful as Abby’s auburn hair and auburn gown and her smiling brandy eyes.
Abby closed her eyes and tilted her head upward to soak in the warmth of the sun. She looked even lovelier in the morning light than she had by the glow of firelight. Hell, she looked spectacular either way. “Thank you, Tynan. I did need this moment of peace.”
“Any time, Abby. I’m entirely at your disposal.”
She laughed and opened her eyes as they resumed walking. “I won’t hold you to your words. But I do enjoy your company. It isn’t every day I have a handsome earl willing to indulge my every whim.”
“I’m not indulging you. If I am, it’s quite a tame indulgence.”
She smiled up at him. “Ah, I almost forgot. Your indulgences include peacock feathers and black ribbons. I’m particularly fascinated by the peacock feather–”
He shook his head and groaned. “I noticed.”
“And I am determined to discover what depraved purpose you use it for.”
He growled softly. “Stop bringing it up or else I will show you, mercilessly and deliciously, until your body sings for me… only me.”
He shouldn’t have said that, but her innocent curiosity fascinated him as much as that damn feather fascinated her. He loved the way her cheeks suddenly turned crimson and her eyes widened in lurid surprise.
She laughed instead of berating him.
He liked that Abby was innocent, but not a prude.
There was a hidden naughty side to her that no man had yet drawn out. The possessive part of him wanted to be the first to teach her about lovemaking, and that same possessive part of him wanted to be the only man ever to make love to her. She was his.
I’m the wolf. She’s my rabbit.
Bollocks.
When had he turned into a blithering idiot?
He’d given his word to Coventry. He’d have to marry her if he ever touched her like that. Yet, that dire outcome did nothing to diminish his desire for the girl. She had a way of twisting him inside out. How ironic that she should wield such power over him when she had no idea what she was doing. “But the purpose of the peacock feather isn’t depraved. Perhaps improper, but that’s all.”
“It sounds utterly and completely depraved,” she said, but he saw the curiosity in her eyes and knew she wasn’t nearly as shocked as she pretended to be.
He stopped walking and tucked a finger under her chin, tipping her head upward to meet his gaze. He grinned wickedly. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Let me explain it to you in a way your innocent mind will understand. There is a distinct and important difference between the terms improper and depraved. Using a peacock feather to enhance sexual arousal is improper. Having sex with the peacock is depraved.”
She stared at him. “And you only use the feather?”
Lord, help him!
Did she think he kept a barnyard in his bedchamber?
“Yes, only the feather. I do not take animals into my bed.”
Bollocks.
How had their conversation spiraled so completely out of control? He’d brought her to the park to ease her mind, not fill it with indecent conversation. He was about to apologize, when she suddenly giggled.
The giggles soon turned into hearty laughter. “I do believe that W on your lapel pin stands for ‘wicked’ not ‘Westcliff’.”
“Ah, you’ve found me out.” In truth, she had. The W was the discreet pin worn by members of the Wicked Earls’ Club. It was mere coincidence that his title happened to be Westcliff and started with a W.
Her laughter faded, but she was still smiling and her eyes were still gleaming with mirth. “Perhaps that W stands for wonderful, too. That’s how you made me feel just now, Tynan. My brother’s words hurt me so deeply, I think I needed this bit of silliness to remind me not to despair.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Abby, don’t make me out to be heroic. I’m not.”
Her smile turned wistful. “You needn’t worry about my holding any illusions about you. I see you clearly for what you are… peacock feathers and all.”
He laughed.
This was one of the things he liked about Abby. He could tease her, be playfully outrageous with her, and she took it all in good nature. There was no mock prudery or false indignation about her. No doubt she’d developed her resilience by growing up with four brothers. That she was so young and had already lost three of them should have left her bitter and angry.
Instead, it had made her strong and compassionate.
“We had better return home,” she said, now glancing around to make certain they hadn’t attracted too much attention. “I don’t want to keep Dr. Farthingale waiting. I hope he’s calmed my brother.”
They turned back and entered the Whitpool townhouse a few moments before the doctor descended the stairs. “Miss Croft, I’ll return in the early evening. Your brother is still running a fever, but it is abating. Keep a close watch on him, especially as he improves. He’ll want to return to his opium club as soon as he finds the strength to climb out of bed.”
She nodded. “My staff is taking turns guarding him.”
“And I’ve hired Bow Street runners to watch this house,” Tynan added.
Abby turned to him in surprise. “You have?”
He nodded, knowing he ought to have mentioned it sooner, but he could see her calculating the cost of everything he offered, and didn’t want her worrying about all she believed she owed him. He would not accept repayment from her, but he wasn’t going to have that fight with her now. “They start this evening.”
Since he intended to escort Abby to Lord Coventry’s home in a few hours, he decided to spend the rest of the day with her, accompanying her on her morning errands. She needed to prepare for an extended journey and had only a few days in which to ready herself and her brother. It was agreed that her maid, Sally, would serve as her chaperone. While the situation wasn’t perfect, the maid’s watchful presence was enough to lend propriety to their outing.
Tongues would wag, but no permanent damage would be done. It could not be said that Abby had gone around town with him unsupervised.
“Where shall we stop first?” he asked, admiring her organizational skills. She made lists for herself and for her brother. She carefully mapped out their route so that there was no time lost going from shop to shop, and was genuinely appreciative when he offered to cut the chores in half by taking on the task of shopping for her brother.
“Are you certain you don’t mind, Lord Westcliff?” she asked, addressing him formally while they were in the company of Sally.
“Not at all,” he replied, surprised that he did not feel imposed upon.
He found it easy to be with Abby, enjoyed her smiles of delight and the fact that she made no demands on him. She was obviously relieved that he was willing to help, and at the same time would have been as understanding if he’d refused to assist her.
While she made stops at her modiste and milliner, he went to the men’s shops on Regent Street.
They met up again at one o’clock, having made inroads in their list of chores. After stopping at her home to drop off their purchases, they rode to Lord Coventry’s residence.
Tynan hadn’t felt so at ease in years.
He was almost gleeful by the time they were admitted into Coventry’s expansive home, for he was quite proud of Abby and looked forward to introducing her to the old earl. But all his good humor fled the moment they were shown into the drawing room. “Bastard,” Tynan muttered under his breath. “I should have known he’d pull something like this.”
Abby regarded him with concern. “What’s wrong? Who are these people? And why are they gawking at me?”