What You Desire (Anything for Love 1)

He placed his hands on Sophie’s bare shoulders, dismissing the urge to trail his fingers over the smooth, creamy-white skin,

dismissing the urge to stroke and caress her worries away. “Marie must not say anything about what has happened to Dampierre or Morgan.”

Sophie looked soulfully at Marie. “What will happen to her?” she whispered. “You cannot let her hang for this, Dane.”

He thought for a moment. “She has suffered enough at the hands of Dampierre,” he said. “But if I am to lie for her, then I need to know she will not contradict my story.”

“But how will you explain all of this?” Sophie asked nodding to the dead men, an anxious frown marring her brow.

“I will have to make it look as though Morgan stabbed Dampierre and before he fell, Dampierre shot him in retaliation,” he explained and then added with some confidence, “Lord Delmont will corroborate the story. No one will question the word of two peers.”

Sophie glanced at Lord Delmont who had managed to sit upright, albeit with a groan. “You should go to him,” she urged. “He’s in a bad way.”

“Wait here,” Sebastian said as he turned and left the warehouse. He used the bird call to alert Haines and when the carriage rumbled into view he returned to Sophie. “Haines will take you now.” He bent down and brushed his lips against hers. “Be as quick as you can at Labelles and then return to Red Lion Square.”

Sophie pursed her lips and nodded. He watched her walk over to Marie, rubbing the red marks on her wrists where the rope had dug in. “Come, let me take you home,” she said putting her arm around Marie and lifting her up from the chair.

Marie made no comment and simply allowed Sophie to escort her from the building.

Sebastian stepped over Dampierre’s lifeless body and knelt down next to Delmont. His right eye had swelled to twice its normal size; he had a split lip and a deep graze on his forehead.

“Delmont,” Sebastian said softly, placing his hand on the man’s arm. “Do you feel well enough to stand?”

With his breathing slow and measured, Delmont turned to Sebastian, grimacing as he gave a weak smile. “The next time … you invite me to … to one of your gatherings,” he said, wincing as he held his arm across his abdomen, “remind me to decline.”

Sebastian bit back a chuckle. “I believe you invited yourself,” he replied, surprised that Delmont was still able to deliver one of his witty quips with his face so badly beaten. “I need to call at the Thames office to fetch a constable and a doctor to look at your injuries.”

“The only thing injured,” Delmont panted, “is my pride … and perhaps a rib or two.” He glanced towards Morgan. “You could have warned me … I’d be up against a champion boxer. The man was an animal.”

“An animal with a heart, apparently. He saved Madame Labelle’s life.”

Delmont gestured towards the comte’s listless body. “I take it Dampierre shot him. But who killed Dampierre?”

“I did,” Sebastian replied without hesitation. He did not know Delmont well enough to trust him with the truth. “I did not think it necessary to involve the ladies, so I sent them home.”

Delmont’s eyes scanned the floor and settled on the blood-stained handle of the knife. He examined Sebastian’s clean hands and coat and offered a dubious frown. “I understand you do not wish to embroil your wife in a scandal. But how will you explain …” Delmont paused and put a hand to his ribs, “how will you explain our presence here?”

Sebastian raised a brow and with a sly grin said, “Well, that’s where you come in. I thought we could say that Dampierre kidnapped you with the intention of —”

“Kidnapped me!” Delmont cried. “Kidnapped … I shall never be able to show my face in my club again.” Delmont shook his head. “Can you not think of some other reason, something more heroic?”

“There was nothing heroic about the way you escorted my wife out into the mews and left her alone to deal with Dampierre,” Sebastian growled, reminding Delmont he had still not forgiven him entirely for the part he had played.

“I understand that,” Delmont sighed, “but … but to say I was kidnapped.” He thought for a moment. “Could you not say that Dampierre discovered me helping this Madame Labelle? Perhaps she was running away and I had met her here to pay for her passage to … well, you could think of somewhere.”

Sebastian considered the request. If Madame Labelle went abroad for a while, it would add credence to their story while ensuring she did not confess to the crime out of a sense of guilt. He could send her to France, to stay with Marcus Danbury, just for a month or two.

“Very well,” Sebastian agreed. “You were helping a poor woman flee the country and paid for her fare to France. I came along to assist and we were both held against our will. Dampierre will have gunpowder on his hands, so we’ll say an argument broke out when we offered Morgan a substantial sum of money to help us. Morgan stabbed Dampierre, who swung around and shot him. It’s best if you say you can’t remember much. One look at your face and no one will dare argue.”

“And I suffered these injuries while protecting a lady,” Delmont added. “I’ve always wanted to play the hero. When word gets around, the ladies will be hanging from my arms like fruit bats.”

Chapter 29

Marie had not spoken a single word during the carriage ride from Wapping to Marylebone.

Before they entered Labelles, Sophie gave Marie her gloves to wear and draped the blue cloak around her blood-stained dress, so as not to draw undue attention. Luckily, the patrons had either retired to the privacy of the upstairs rooms or were too engrossed in their activities to pass comment.

It had been Sophie who had packed Marie’s things, choosing a couple of dresses and undergarments, just enough for a few days away. The only item Marie picked up was a small leather bible, which she clutched to her chest instead of packing it with the rest of her things. When they were about to leave, Marie paused and rushed back up the stairs to her bedchamber. She returned a few minutes later, carrying a square wooden box.