For heaven’s sake, you’ve only known of the man’s existence for three days!

  She dropped her head into her hands with a groan. It would be extremely foolish to actually wed someone like Rafe. While unions were routinely based on much less than mutual affection, she actually desired a happy marriage, like her parents had been fortunate enough to share until her mother’s untimely demise.

  She let her hands fall away until she was staring at her reflection in the glass. The woman looking back at her appeared weary and quite lost. A single tear fell from her lid and coursed down her cheek. In that moment, she had never felt more alone. She loved her father and her brothers dearly, but they couldn’t take the place of a mother’s gentle hand and softly spoken words telling her that all of her troubles would work themselves out.

  She brushed away the moisture and got to her feet to ready herself for bed. There was no use lamenting what was gone. For some reason, a higher power had decreed that Mrs. Younghusband should leave this earth. This same force had likely put Garnett in this difficult position.

  Now all she had to do was fix it.

  ***

  Later the next afternoon, Rafe called upon the chandlery to take his betrothed out riding. The more he thought of her as his future wife, the less the prospect unsettled him, for she actually had several good qualities that he admired. The least of which was her dedication to her family and her father’s business. He imagined similar women of his acquaintance with the same commitment to anything other than fashion, and he realized that they all fell short of the mark.

  Of course, it also didn’t hurt that he quite enjoyed kissing her.

  With a grin, he walked into the shop to find the very lady who was monopolizing all his thoughts of late standing behind the counter. He was somewhat disappointed that she wasn’t wearing her new dress but had reverted to a serviceable brown. However, her lovely smile as she sent the latest customer on her way with a paper-wrapped parcel was as brilliant as ever.

  When her attention shifted to him, her face fell. “Is it that time already?”

  He glanced at the clock, which read nearly three in the afternoon. “It would appear so.”

  She came around the counter and took his hands in hers. “I fear I’m going to have to cancel our outing. I have to help customers while Father is upstairs making soap. Since the process has to be supervised, he isn’t able to leave, and my brothers are both out making deliveries.”

  “It sounds like a busy day,” he murmured, more disappointed than he would admit.

  “That is an understatement.” She sighed. “I’m so sorry. I promise that I’ll make it up to you somehow, for we need to talk.”

  Rafe’s mind was whirling with all the possibilities of how she might beg his forgiveness, but then when she mentioned talk, his fantasies withered. “Do you think I might spirit you away for a time this weekend? Beckett’s sister is hosting a ball on Saturday, and I daresay he would stop talking to me if I made him suffer alone.”

  A gentle smile lit her face. “That sounds lovely.”

  As another customer walked in, they were forced apart and Rafe reluctantly departed rather than stay behind and pine over Garnett’s attentions like a lost puppy dog. Instead of riding back to his residence at Pall Mall, he decided to walk. If nothing else, perhaps the brisk, spring breeze would help to put his thoughts into some semblance of order. He certainly had a lot to contemplate, and if Garnett wished to discuss their current situation, which he thought was likely the case, then he had to decide how far he was going to take this little charade.

  Four days. That’s all he’d known Miss Garnett Younghusband, and yet, as he lay awake at night, his mind swirling with images of her, every other woman paled in comparison. In such a short amount of time she had managed to worm her adorable way into his heart, and for some reason, he couldn’t find it within him to mind.

  As Rafe was sauntering through St. James Park, he heard his name being called. He turned to see Lennox jogging up to him. “I was just coming to see you.”

  “I’m out,” Rafe said in a rejoinder.

  “Very funny,” his friend muttered dryly. “I figured that out when you didn’t answer the door.”

  All merriment aside, Rafe said, “What’s on your mind, Lennox?”

  “I’m afraid I don’t come with very good tidings.”

  Rafe’s instincts went on alert. “How so?”

  “It’s Beckett.” He sighed heavily. “I don’t know what he is thinking to disrespect you in such a manner, but—”

  He stopped and pinned the other man with a glare. “Get to the point.”

  After a brief hesitation, Lennox said grimly, “He’s the reason Delphine has returned to London. Beckett is her protector.”

  ***

  Rafe pounded on Beckett’s bachelor residence, but when there was no answer, he walked back down the steps with his fists clenched. After he was invited to that blasted ball, he should have known something was up, but for what purpose? He’d always known Beckett to be rather competitive, and he had never hidden the fact he resented Rafe for winning the affections of the raven-haired actress. However, since the man liked to jest most of the time, he’d thought nothing of it.

  And it had been two years since he’d ended his affair with Delphine, so why should Beckett wish to cause trouble now?

  Unless…

  Rafe stopped. Was Beckett such a bastard that he would dare to interfere in his relationship with Garnett? He’d just reestablished her trust in him. He didn’t want anything to sabotage that.

  He considered going to Boodle’s to see if Beckett was there, but since he didn’t really want to call him out in front of so many prying eyes, he decided that his next step would be to return to Drury Lane and question Delphine. Only this time, he intended to tell Garnett that he’d been to see her, as well as the reason for it.

  After he paid the hackney driver, instead of sending him away, he told him to wait, for he planned to only be there long enough to question Delphine about Beckett.

  He went around to the side entrance of the theatre, where the actors entered, and knocked. After a moment with no one coming to answer, he tried his luck and found the door to be unlocked. He pushed his way inside, paused at the edge of the auditorium, and shouted, “Hallo? Anyone here?”

  He frowned, wondering if perhaps no one could hear him behind the stage if they were in their dressing room preparing for a rehearsal, so he made his way up the stairs where he’d met Delphine the night of the play. This time, he wasn’t so lucky. A quick glance around showed that the area was empty, devoid of any sign of life.

  With a grumble of frustration, he decided that he’d hit another dead end. He left the theatre and had just started to walk back down the alley to the street when he heard the sound of horse hooves and carriage wheels coming forward at a fast clip.

  Rafe thought for sure that the hooded driver would see that there was someone in the middle of the road, but when it became apparent that they had no intention of stopping, he cursed and began to run.

  He burst out of the alley and barely had time to jump out of the way as the carriage went barreling past him. He landed on his backside, grimacing at the pain that shot up his right leg, but he realized his pride hurt more than anything else. However, it was nothing compared to the annoyance he felt at nearly being crushed.

  He stood up and dusted himself off. When he tested his weight, he found that other than a slight limp and a bruised backside, he was none the worse for wear. The accident could have been so much worse.

  He abruptly paused. Unless…this little scene had been on purpose?

  Rafe couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps Beckett or Delphine was behind this little escapade. His friend did enjoy a bit of fun, after all.

  Stop it. You’re being ridiculous.

  He shook his head and discounted the notion, although he knew he hadn’t just been envisioning that rushing carriage.

  ***

  Exhausted, Garnett nearly collapsed into bed that night. But as tired as she was, she found that sleep wouldn’t come. She stared at the wall for about twenty minutes before she sat up and lit the lamp on the bedside table that she’d just extinguished. She picked up the book that was lying next to it and decided that a bit of reading would calm her enough where she could get some much needed rest. The rest of the week was likely going to be just as busy as today had been, but it would be worth it to spend an entire weekend with Rafe. Not only was she eager about that, but she’d also never been to a ball before. Needless to say, she was looking forward to both, when she shouldn’t be excited about either one.

  But she decided to look at this as an opportunity to speak with Rafe about their future association. How long were they expecting to allow this faux betrothal to continue? The longer it lasted; she was in real danger of her heart becoming fully engaged and her father’s disappointment to linger when he learned the truth. A week should be sufficient time for her to cry off, shouldn’t it?

  Garnett sighed. Unfortunately, she wasn’t an authority on such matters.

  She turned her attention to her novel and began to read.

  At some point, she must have dozed off, for something scared her awake. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was enough for her to toss the covers off herself and go downstairs to investigate. The Tompion clock ticked in the stillness, the only sign of life. After glancing in all the rooms, Garnett decided that it was merely an overactive imagination playing tricks on her, but then there was a slight scratching noise coming from the front door.

  With a frown, she grabbed the fireplace poker from the parlor and held it up as she unlocked the door and opened it. The street was deserted, the only light coming from the dim candle lamps that lined the neighborhood. It wasn’t until she was starting to go back inside that she looked down — and froze. Sitting on top of the front step was a single white camellia.

  She instantly scanned the area around her to see if she could see anyone lurking in the shadows, but there was nothing. She reluctantly picked up the flower, for how else would she explain it to her father? She didn’t even know what to think of it.

  Upon returning to her bedchamber, she rubbed her arms as a chill crawled up her spine, but everything was just as she’d left it. Although, what had she been expecting? She walked over to the bed and sat down. She stared at the perfect bloom, and while it was one of the most beautiful she had ever seen, she wondered who had left it there—and why. Surely it had been Rafe. It had to be, for she refused to entertain the idea of a secret admirer.

  She would have to speak with him about this at the first opportunity, for she didn’t appreciate this sort of romance. It was rather unnerving to find such a treasure in the middle of the night.

  Chapter Nine

  There was a persistent knock at Rafe’s front door early that morning. He reached out and pulled back the curtain to see that it wasn’t long past dawn. With a groan, he let the material fall into place as he shoved back the covers and got to his feet. He winced the moment he put all his weight on his right side, the incident from the day before a firm reminder to be more cautious.

  As he slipped on a pair of trousers and threw a shirt on, he decided that was as decent as he was going to have to be. If someone was calling this early, they likely wouldn’t care if he was barefoot or missing a waistcoat.

  He reached the top of the stairs to another round of persistent hammering. “I’m coming!” he shouted.

  Grumbling the rest of the way, he wrenched open the door to give the person on the other side a proper set down, but when he was confronted with the tear streaked face of Delphine, he hesitated.

  “Oh, Rafe, thank goodness!” She launched herself into his arms and began to sob.

  For a moment he was unsure what to do, but then he gently disentangled himself from her and opened the door wider. “Why don’t you come into the parlor where we can talk?” he suggested.

  She sniffled, but nodded her assent.

  He shut the door and led her to the settee. There, he walked over to the sideboard and poured a draught of brandy. He returned and pressed the glass into her hand, along with a handkerchief.

  “Thank you,” she murmured despondently.

  He took a seat across from her and rested his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands loosely before him as he waited patiently for her to talk.

  After she’d taken a few sips, she was a bit more calm. With a heavy sigh, she tossed her dark head and regarded him with those wide blue eyes that used to enchant him. Now, he didn’t even feel a single stirring of interest. Further proof that Garnett had bewitched him.

  “It’s Derek.” She gave a shuddering sigh. “I fear he’s gone quite mad.”

  Her words ended on a whisper, as if just speaking the words would make it so. Rafe, on the other hand, merely snorted. “Beckett has been many things over the years, but he’s as lucid as I am.”

  Her expression paled. “But you weren’t there. You didn’t see the way he looked. I believe that he could have killed me.”

  Rafe wanted to discount her statement again, but then he recalled what Lennox had said and his brows drew together. “While I doubt he would harm you, I agree that Beckett doesn’t seem to be himself of late.”

  She reached out and grasped his hands, almost desperately. “I know I shouldn’t have come here to talk about him since we have our own history, but I just didn’t know who else to turn to for help.”

  Rafe gently disengaged from her, but he said, “You will always have my friendship, Delphine, but I fear I’m not the one you should approach on this matter. If you truly feel that you are in danger from Beckett, you should turn to the authorities or perhaps a relative—”

  She was already shaking her head. “There is no one else, and I can’t involve the watch.” She glanced at him guiltily. “I fear that I made some powerful enemies with the Italian government. I dare not trust anyone but you.”

  Rafe hesitated only a moment, but then decided that his conscience wouldn’t allow him to toss Delphine into the street, so he relented. “Very well. I will see if I can talk to Beckett.”

  Tears sparkled in her eyes once more. “You are a true gem among men, Rafe. I’ve truly been lost without you.”

  Rafe chose not to reply to such an intimate statement, for it inferred a closer relationship that he was willing to give and the only woman he wanted in his life was Garnett. He no longer had any doubt that she was the one he wished to spend the rest of his life with, and when they spoke next, if she intended to break things off with him, he would do his best to convince her why they should be together.

  ***

  The bell above the chandlery tinkled, signaling yet another customer. Garnett wiped a hand across her forehead, for she had been busy filling orders all morning, while her brothers had been taking turns dipping more candles and making deliveries. Their father was still sequestered upstairs working on the soap order for the royal household.

  To say that it had been another busy day would almost be laughable. But at least she hadn’t had time to dwell upon the cryptic flower lying on her front stoop last night, nor the man she missed so terribly. She’d had every intention of breaking things off with Rafe, but now she was rather conflicted.

  She shook off her misgivings and glanced up to greet the new arrival. But when she saw a man there, holding a bouquet of while camellias, her attention abruptly shifted. This newcomer had found the one thing sure to switch her focus off Rafe.

  “Miss Younghusband?” The gentleman moved forward with an almost sheepish grin.

  Garnett thought that he looked vaguely familiar, but she decided she would let him be the first to explain who he was and what he was doing there. “Yes?”

  He moved closer and handed her the flowers. “I realize you don’t know me very well, perhaps not at all, but my name is Derek Hartville, Lord Beckett. I’m a friend of Rafe’s.”

  It was that velvety voice that sparked her memory. He was one of the bold men she’d encountered that fateful night at Vauxhall. He had the same smooth manner of speaking. He hadn’t endeared himself to her then, and he wasn’t doing a remarkable job of it now. “Thank you, Lord Beckett, but I don’t understand what all this is about?”

  “Allow me to explain.” He glanced around at the empty shop. “Perhaps you might have an opportunity to take a turn about the square with me.”

  That was the last thing she wanted to do. Something about him rubbed her the wrong way, and all of her senses instantly went on alert practically screaming danger. “Perhaps another time,” she hedged. “I can’t possibly leave—”

  “Take a break, Nettie.” Xavier came striding over. “I don’t have another delivery for at least an hour. Let me take over for a bit.”

  Garnett narrowed her eyes on him, hoping that he might get the message that his interference wasn’t appreciated, but he appeared perfectly oblivious. Untying her apron, she flung it on the counter, “Very well. I’ll return shortly.” She shoved the flowers at him. “Put these in water, if you will.”

  Lord Beckett offered his arm as they walked outside. Garnett held up a hand to shield her eyes from the bright sunshine. “What’s this all about, Lord Beckett?”

  He said nothing for a time, but walked steadily along the side of the road. “I’m not really sure how to begin, except to say that I’m enchanted with you. From the first moment I saw you at Vauxhall, I wanted to gain an introduction, but Rafe can be such a stickler when it comes to monopolizing all the attention from a lovely lady.”

  She laughed. “Somehow I doubt that you suffer from a lack of female company, my lord.”

  He chuckled, but then sobered. “No, it’s true. It’s how I lost Delphine’s affections.”

  She stopped, finally regarding him in a new light. “You loved her?”

  He nodded. “As much as a man could love a woman, but I could tell she cared for Rafe, so I stepped back.” He paused to look at her. “And now it seems as though history is repeating itself, but I’m not sure that this time I could give you up so easily.”

 

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