What You Desire (Anything for Love 1)

Sebastian laughed. “You’re thinking of the time we traipsed halfway around France looking for Lord Pottersham’s mistress after she’d run off with his wife’s necklace.”

Dudley’s eyes flashed with amusement. “It would have been helpful if his wife had mentioned she’d swapped the gems for paste.”

“Here, you may see for yourself,” he said removing the pouch from the concealed pocket sewn inside his coat. He stepped forward and placed the pouch on the table before returning to his seat. “I couldn’t take the risk of leaving it behind.”

Dudley opened one of the desk drawers and removed a rosewood magnifying glass. Rolling out the pouch, he took the necklace to the window to examine it in the light. “I must say it is a rather fetching piece.”

The rubies twinkled like the stars and Sebastian caught his breath as his mind conjured an image of it draped around Miss Beaufort’s bare neck. Except in Sebastian’s mind, it was not just her neck that was bare.

“Most definitely not paste. There are too many imperfections, too many signs of nature’s impurities,” Dudley murmured. He returned to his chair and placed the necklace on top of the velvet pouch. “I’m not qualified to place any sort of value on it, but even so, the thought of value does raise a very important question.”

“I know what you are going to say,” Sebastian said, bringing his wayward thoughts to heel. “If no money has changed hands then why would Beaufort negating their deal be so important to Dampierre? Why would he travel all the way to Marchampton unless the deal had already been done?”

“I would wager, Miss Beaufort knows more than she is letting on. Else why would she be so determined to relieve you of the necklace?”

Sebastian knew she’d not been completely honest. It took an awful amount of courage to scheme one’s way into someone’s home and the act suggested an element of desperation. It was part of the reason why he’d insisted accompanying her.

“I think it is fair to assume that Beaufort has something belonging to this Dampierre fellow,” Dudley continued, glancing down at the necklace. “It must be something of great value to send a peer into hiding and a French comte scouring the country.”

An image of James Beaufort’s female companion flooded his mind: the disguise, the reluctance to call out her name, the need to take cover in the woods. “You’re not going to believe this,” Sebastian said as recognition dawned. “But I believe Beaufort and Dampierre are at odds over a woman.”

Chapter 11

It was late afternoon when Sebastian rode Argo into the mews. After dismounting, he gave the horse a reassuring pat before handing him over to Peter: an orphan boy of fourteen, whose passion for horses surpassed any young buck frequenting Tattersall’s.

“Don’t worry. Cronus is safe,” Sebastian said ruffling the boy’s hair in a bid to ease his troubled expression. “He’s stabled out of town, but I’ll collect him when I return to Marchampton.”

Peter sighed. “I thought you’d gone and sold him for this one,” he said, stroking Argo’s nose.

“I would never sell Cronus,” Sebastian said placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “This is Argo, but he’s only visiting so don’t get too attached.” He smiled at Peter’s look of wondrous appreciation. “Is Haines about?” Sebastian was curious to know how Haines had fared with his minx of a passenger.

The boy shook his head. “No, my lord. He said they need him in the house.”

With some trepidation, Sebastian made his way inside. No doubt, Miss Beaufort had been causing

all sorts of trouble in his absence. He wondered if she would be waiting for him, ready to pounce, ready to lash out with her sharp tongue and he imagined dodging books and ornaments while trying to calm her volatile temper.

He found Haines in the kitchen, sitting at the oak table in just his shirtsleeves, helping Amy polish cutlery. Mrs. Cox stood at the counter, rolling out pastry.

“Good afternoon,” Sebastian said. They were so busy chatting, no one seemed to notice he was standing there.

“My lord,” Haines replied looking a little embarrassed as he stood to attention. “I didn’t know you were back.”

Amy jumped up quickly, knocking over the chair, and Haines walked around and picked it up while she bobbed a curtsy.

The kitchen door burst open and a pale, thin girl scuttled in carrying a tea tray, coming to a crashing halt directly in front of Sebastian.

Mrs. Cox rushed forward, wiping her hands on her apron, her plump face dotted with flour. “You do remember me telling you about my niece, my lord?”

Sebastian nodded. “Yes, I do. It is Sarah, is it not?”

The girl attempted a curtsy but looked like she was ducking under a swinging branch. “Thank you, my lord, for giving me this position. There’s not many who would take a girl who’s got a kiddie.”

Sebastian smiled and helped her to steady the tray. “Is that Miss Beaufort’s luncheon?” he inquired, noticing she hadn’t touched a morsel. Perhaps she was still annoyed with him and this was a form of punishment. Given the option, he’d choose assault with a vase over silent manipulation. “I assume she’s still in her room?”

Haines spoke up. “She asked for a bath to be drawn, my lord, and for Amy to press her clothes.”

The thought of Miss Beaufort lounging in a bath, just a few feet above, sent his pulse racing and he placed his fingers behind the knot in his cravat to loosen it a little.