Romney Marsh Trilogy: A Gentleman by Any Other Name / The Dangerous Debutante / Beware of Virtuous Women. Kasey Michaels
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won’t do anything. Besides, Papa doesn’t pay attention.”
Chance patted her cheek. “Things change, Morgan. He’s paying attention now.”
She made a face at him before saying, “I don’t really remember the island much at all, you know? Court said I don’t need to either, that I should just remember being Morgan Becket of Romney Marsh. Was Papa really—”
“Oh, yes, he was, and the very best of them, too. You might want to think twice before getting on his bad side.”
“Now you’re just trying to frighten me.”
“I know. Is it working?” Chance asked, grinning.
“I think so, yes. Does he really know what I’ve done? I mean, really? You told him? It had to be you.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure he won’t call you on the carpet. Just spend some time letting Elly teach you how to embroider or something.”
“I’d rather die the death of a thousand cuts,” Morgan said sincerely. “I read about that, you know. There’s this method of torture, you see, and they—”
Chance raised his hand to silence her before he was gifted with all the gory details. “Thank God you aren’t the oldest or you’d have trained the rest of the girls up to be hellions just like you. When I go back to London, I want to arrange for you to come up for the season next spring. We’ve got to marry you off, definitely. Let you become someone else’s headache.”
“Wretch. But I’ll be eighteen by then, won’t I? Maybe a year will help, and I’ll be civilized by then. Elly says she doesn’t think London is ready for me yet,” Morgan said not at all unhappily.
“And I agree with her. But I’ve some penance owing here, so I might as well start with getting you out of the way.”
Morgan kissed him on the cheek. “I know you love me, so I’ll let your insults pass. And I think I might enjoy London, riding in the park and all of that, as long as I can come back here once the season is over.”
“You might find Becket Hall dull after London. Now do I have your promise you’ll keep your nose out of the Black Ghost’s business? Morgan? A season in Mayfair hobnobbing with all the handsome young lords hangs in the balance. Answer me.”
“Oh, all right, I promise. But they’re landing on the sands and will come along the beach to the village, so I’ll see everything anyway. I’ll just stay on the terrace, all hidden behind the balustrades, and watch.”
Chance looked at her closely. “And how would you know that? Have you taken to listening at keyholes now?”
“No, I’d never do that,” she said happily. “I just happened to see Court talking to Jacob as he was cleaning the grate in Elly’s bedchamber and I traded a kiss for what he knew.”
“Of all things wonderful. My sister has grown into a manipulating minx. You could get yourself in trouble, you know, toying with a man’s affections.”
“Pooh! Jacob’s no more than a boy.”
“As I remember it, Jacob is Spencer’s age, a good several years your senior. Hardly a boy.”
“He is to me. Besides, I wouldn’t have done it if you or Court ever told me what’s happening, so if you’re placing blame, place it on yourself,” she said, seeming not the least insulted. “I only do what I have to do because you men think women are too delicate to know anything. But don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone I saw you leaving Julia’s bedchamber late last night, and you won’t tell anybody that I know what I know. And I will stay on the terrace.”
Believing that was as close as he was going to come to having Morgan obey him and already wishing he didn’t know so much about his enterprising sister—or she about him—Chance headed once more for Julia’s bedchamber.
He was going to keep Billy waiting and would probably have to simply hope that Billy had folded his clothing and not merely stuffed them in a traveling case.
There also was no time to personally check and make sure Billy had remembered to pack such superfluous things as hose and several sets of fresh underclothes—Billy never having quite grasped the idea of changing his own underclothes with any regularity. Still, thank God he’d decided to leave Oswald behind in Upper Brook Street rather than have the valet poking his long nose around Becket Hall.
Chance stopped in front of the door to Julia’s bedchamber, took a few slow breaths and then knocked.
Moments later Julia answered that knock, opening the door only slightly to peer out at him with one eye. One hour, she thought. Less than one hour after making their pact and already he was breaking the rules. That was rather nice—not that she’d let him know she felt that way. “I believe we’d agreed that you would not—”
“I’m here to say goodbye,” Chance said, then smiled as Julia stepped back, opened the door for him.
She instantly understood and was immediately worried for him, drat the man. “You’re going to Dover Castle?”
“And several places in between, yes. To perform the duties to which I have been assigned.”
Julia rolled her eyes, then walked over to the window, feeling the need for some space between them. “Oh, please, don’t ask me to swallow that crammer. You’re off to see what the Preventative Waterguard knows about the Black Ghost. And don’t pull a face at me, because it’s you who is insulting me, not the other way round. What if someone finds you out, what then? Lieutenant Diamond didn’t appear particularly stupid, except perhaps when he looked at Morgan.”
Chance rubbed at his forehead. “I don’t know why men plan wars. You females seem to have more talent for the finer points of the thing.”
Julia would have laughed except for the fact that she was not amused. Rubbing her hands together so that she wouldn’t be tempted to walk over to him, touch a hand to his cheek, she asked, “How long will you be away?”
“Ah,” Chance said, closing the distance between them, “the lady will be lonely without me.”
“Devastatingly so, yes. Just as I would miss any headache. Please answer the question. Did you know about this when you forced that ring on me? Am I supposed to wear it to protect myself from your family, keep them reminded that I’m…that I’m your property?”
“I didn’t know I was leaving so soon but, yes, that was the general idea, and you knew it. But not the family. Jacko. Nobody likes to worry an old man, especially one who doesn’t much trust women and who is built like a bull, with the temper to match. Now kiss me goodbye like a good fiancée, because the Respite is nearly ready to sail.”
“You’re going up the coast by boat?” Julia asked, if only to delay the inevitable: Chance kissing her, she unable to help kissing him back, the rotter. She’d barely been able to think of anything else but Chance, the way he’d made her body respond to his touch, and it had been impossible to convince herself that she could fool him into thinking she didn’t hope for his attentions again. And again. For as long as he wanted her…even if he didn’t really want her.
Chance frowned, as Julia had seemed to ask the question while not interested in the answer but was much more interested in simply looking at him. And a flush was making its way into her cheeks. His reaction to her, he realized, was lower than that and would soon become obvious. He had to leave—now.
“I haven’t been on the water for a long time. Besides, I’ll travel faster this way.” He put his hands on her waist, drew her closer. “I won’t be away from you a moment longer than necessary, I promise. I want to see you wearing my ring.”
She lowered her head. “There’s nobody here to listen, so you can stop that now.”
“I must flatter you more often, as you respond so winningly.” Chance laughed and tipped up her chin so she had no choice but to look at him again,