Ecstasy (Notorious 4)

Trying desperately to think, Raven turned to pace the room and caught a glimpse of herself in the cheval glass. Merciful heaven. She hardly recognized the woman standing there. She looked wild and wanton, her hair a tousled mane around her shoulders, her cheeks and mouth flushed with color as if she’d just passed a passionate night engaged in lovemaking-as indeed she had. With Kell Lasseter.

She groaned again. No wonder he thought she’d seduced his brother for sport. This brazen creature appeared perfectly capable of such cruelty.

Reminded of Lasseter, Raven gritted her teeth. His behavior had been far from gentlemanly. He’d not only treated her with disdain, but he seemed to be almost deliberately goading her-and enjoying her bristling response. How she would have liked to wipe that mocking smile off his compelling face. But at the moment she was powerless. She glanced around the room. What she needed was protection of some kind, a weapon…

She searched the armoire first and then the bureau drawers. When she encountered a pistol, she almost shouted in triumph. It looked very much like the one Sean had threatened her with yesterday. And it was primed and loaded. A tight smile compressed Raven’s mouth. She still might not have the means to return home, but she felt less helpless armed. And now she would have the upper hand with Lasseter. She could force him to accede to her demands.

Buoyed by a surge of hope, Raven grew calmer. By the time two footmen carried in a copper hip bath and numerous pails of hot water, she had her emotions passably under control. Still, it was difficult to remain composed. Although the servants politely averted their gazes, she had to suffer the mortification of being seen in these iniquitous circumstances. And it vexed her when they locked the door behind them upon leaving, calling attention to her imprisonment.

The bath felt soothing to her aches and bruises but stung her various scrapes and raw patches, a fresh reminder of the outrages perpetrated against her yesterday. Beginning to stew again, she gingerly washed her body and then her hair. She spent the next half hour brushing it out and letting it dry before the fire, all the while nursing her anger at Kell Lasseter and his villainous brother. Having a target for her wrath at least kept despair from overwhelming her.

She could find no hairpins, so she plaited her long tresses and fashioned them into a knot at her nape. When she finished, however, there was still no sign of Mr. Lasseter or any clothing for her. Her temper started to simmer. When at last he appeared, she was seated in the chair, facing the door, with the pistol hidden beneath the folds of her robe.

“Finally you deign to show yourself,” Raven said with no little asperity. “Perhaps I neglected to inform you, sir, that I don’t relish being held prisoner.”

“You are not a prisoner, Miss Kendrick. You are availing yourself of my hospitality.”

“Indeed?” Her voice dripped with disbelief. “Your hospitality leaves much to be desired. First you lock me in, then you keep me waiting for hours.”

“It has been but an hour.”

“An hour longer than necessary. And I have nothing to wear. Miss Walsh promised ages ago to find me some decent clothing.”

“I told her to delay. I didn’t want you disappearing before we had a chance to discuss your situation.”

“We have nothing to discuss. I wish to go home immediately.”

His midnight eyes regarded her speculatively. “I hoped I could prevail on your better nature.”

“At this moment, sir, I have no better nature.”

The half smile he gave her held a wry charm that might or might not have been deliberate. “I have a name, Miss Kendrick.”

“I don’t doubt it. Blackguard, knave, miscreant…”

The smile became a wince. “I can understand your sense of ill-usage-”

“Ill-usage! Is that what you call what you and your brother did to me?”

He went on as if she hadn’t interrupted. “But you seem intelligent enough. You must comprehend the predicament you are in.”

“Oh, I comprehend perfectly.” She looked away for a moment, striving for composure. “I am facing catastrophe.”

“It would benefit us both if we could come to some mutual agreement. What will it take to have you forget this incident ever occurred?”

Her gaze flew to his. “You think to bribe me to secure my silence?” She gave him a smoldering glance. “If you expect me to let your brother go unpunished, you have taken leave of your senses. Even if I were willing to overlook his transgressions-which I am not-my grandfather will be enraged enough to prosecute. Your scoundrel of a brother will be fortunate if he doesn’t spend the rest of his life in prison.”

His dark eyes narrowing, Lasseter studied her from beneath heavy black lashes. “Naturally you would wish redress for your grievances. But I’m a gamester. I’d lay odds you would prefer to find a way out of this debacle.”

“Of course I would. But there is no possible way to hush up a scandal of this nature.”

“You could go abroad till the tempest dies down. I am a wealthy man. I would be willing to fund an extended stay.”

Her own smile held scorn. “No amount of wealth or time will salvage my reputation.”

He hesitated. “There is always marriage.”

Raven stared. “Are you mad?”