What You Desire (Anything for Love 1)

“Most definitely,” he nodded. Although why he would risk his life for a servant girl was another matter.

“How very heroic of him,” she sighed clasping her hands to her bosom. “He can be extremely gallant when he has a mind to.”

“Indeed,” Sebastian replied with a hint of sarcasm. He was so gallant he had left his sister to fend for herself in his absence. “There was talk that a gentleman had offered Madame Labelle a rather large sum of money in exchange for the girl.”

“It could not have been James. He does not have that sort of money. Not when —” She paused briefly and then sighed. “He did not offer money, did he? You think he offered our mother’s necklace.”

“I’m afraid it is the only thing that makes sense,” Sebastian said. She looked down into her lap and Sebastian stretched across the table and lifted her chin. “He must have felt it was necessary,” he said softly in an attempt to soothe her. The way he felt at the moment, he would give everything he owned just to see her smile.

“It is not the money,” she said slowly. “James will find another way to secure the funds he needs.” She sighed once more. “My mother adored the necklace. But some things are more important than jewels, more important than money.”

He sat back in his chair. He wanted to tell her she was naïve. He knew what it was like to watch those he was responsible for, suffer from cold, illness, and hunger. In such circumstances, nothing was more important than money.

Lost in thought, she nibbled on a piece of cold toast. “The Comte de Dampierre, do you know where he fits into this?”

Sebastian shook his head. “No, Antoinette refused to discuss it. She said she had not told me anything I could not have found out from someone else. But she would say nothing against Madame Labelle or anyone else associated with her. She said she has no intention of ending up as Haymarket ware.”

“Perhaps he is a patron. Now I come to think of it, Dampierre did say that James had offered to exchange the necklace for something of value. If James offered the necklace in exchange for Annabel, then that means Dampierre is somehow involved with Madame Labelle.” She shook her head. “No, I don’t know why, but Madame Labelle does not seem the sort of woman to become entangled with a man like Dampierre.”

Now she did sound extremely naïve. He had suspected the connection but was waiting for proof. “I have asked Dudley Spencer to look into it,” he replied. “I must call round today and see if he has made any progress.”

“Will Mrs. Spencer be at home?” she asked. “I should love to make her acquaintance.”

He glanced across at her, admiring the way the simple ivory dress hugged her figure. “It would mean dressing as Mr. Shandy,” he sighed, a little disgruntled she would be changing into gentleman’s attire.

“Why so glum?” she asked, presenting him with a rather seductive smile. “You’ve always seemed so fond of my breeches.”

An image of her at Rockingham Pool flashed through his mind. He was just thinking of offering to help her squeeze into the said garment when Mrs. Cox entered and spoilt his little daydream.

“There’s a letter been delivered for you, miss,” Mrs. Cox said stepping around the table to hand it to Sophie.

“For me?” Sophie asked apprehensively. She took the letter and studied the script. “It is addressed to Miss Beaufort. Do you think it might be from James?” She hugged it to her chest, oblivious to the threat such a letter posed.

“Might I suggest you open it,” Sebastian replied with some trepidation. Whoever sent the letter was aware of her identity and that she was staying in a house with an unmarried gentleman.

Sophie tore open the seal and her eyes drifted down to the bottom of the page. “It’s from Madame Labelle,” she said, looking up with a puzzled expression and Sebastian resisted the urge to rip it from her hand. She continued reading and then glanced up at him. “She insists I meet with her this afternoon. She insists it is a matter of life or death.”

Chapter 18

Sophie noticed Dudley Spencer glance at his wife, Charlotte, who looked up from pouring tea and acknowledged his raised brow with a sly smirk.

The tension in the air was palpable.

Dane raked his fingers through his hair. “Please, Dudley,” he said with an exasperated sigh, “would you explain to Miss Beaufort that it would be nothing short of madness to meet with this woman.”

Mr. Spencer sat back in the chair and steepled his fingers. “But were you not the one who escorted Miss Beaufort to Labelles? You obviously had no problem leaving her alone with the woman,” he replied with a shrug as though challenging his friend to defy his reasoning.

“Thank you, Mr. Spencer,” Sophie said triumphantly, grateful someone could see there was an element of logic to her decision.

As Dudley Spencer had found no current record of the Comte de Dampierre, the previous comte having passed away without issue over three hundred years ago, then Madame Labelle was the only person who could shed any light on the matter.

Indeed, Dudley had discovered that Labelles was owned by an investment company. The company also held the deeds to an assortment of warehouses in Wapping and a trade ship called Le Pionnier.

Dane shifted uncomfortably in the chair. “That is entirely different,” he said with an air of arrogance. “For one, Madame Labelle was not aware of her connection to Beaufort. And at the time, she was in the guise of Mr. Shandy.”

Mr. Spencer glanced in Sophie’s direction, his gaze drifting slowly over her attire with some amusement. “Indeed.” He paused for a moment and turned his attention back to Dane. “What is it you are afraid of?” he challenged, cutting straight to the point.

The words seemed to strike Dane like a whip. “You more than anyone should know the answer to that.” He glanced across at Charlotte. “I fear Miss Beaufort would be placing herself at risk. One girl has already been held against her will and Madame Labelle had knowledge of it.”