Brides of Fortune 00 - The Secrets of a Courtesan by Nicola Cornick

Author:Nicola Cornick [Cornick, Nicola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781426836572
Published: 2009-05-04T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4

“I don’t like it,” Rowarth said to Miles Vickery. The two of them were stationed on a stone

balcony directly above the open terrace windows that led from the library into the gardens. It

gave them a perfect means of eavesdropping on the conversation inside the room without being

so obvious as to be lurking suspiciously on the terrace. But Rowarth could also see the

disadvantages. If Sampson closed the terrace doors then they would hear nothing and more

importantly, if Eve needed help it would take them a long time to reach her. Nat Waterhouse,

who was downstairs making sure that no one sprung them, was nearer, but he could not know

what was happening inside the library.

At the moment Eve was alone and Rowarth was already feeling as strung out as a wire. His

tension had ratcheted higher and higher since the confrontation with Eve in the carriage. He had

despised the way in which Sampson had looked her over, his hands itching to plant the man a

facer. He had almost done the same to Miles, who was a childhood friend. And Eve’s words to

him in the hall had cut directly through all the bitterness and anger within him and had gone

straight to his heart.

You come here and insult me with your false accusations and coerce me into behaving like a

harlot…

Rowarth gritted his teeth. He was not proud of himself. There had been a time when he had been

a better man than this. Eve had made him so. Now he wondered what would be worse—being

obliged to listen to Eve seducing Warren Sampson, for the man was such an exhibitionist and the

party so uninhibited that Sampson probably would not trouble to close the windows—or being

unable to help her if Sampson turned threatening. Both thoughts were unendurable and it was he

who had placed her in this situation, using her as bait, driven by his anger and need for

revenge….

“Of course you don’t like it,” Miles Vickery said, breaking into his thoughts. “The woman you

used to love is down there in danger of either seduction or violence or worse.” Miles shook his

head. “To be honest, old chap, I think you are touched in the attic to have gone so far with this

scheme. When Hawkesbury first mooted the idea you should have told him to go hang. I could

not believe that you did not.”

“Yes,” Rowarth said, belatedly recognizing the truth of Miles’s assertions. “I should have done.”

“I know you were bitter after Eve left you,” Miles continued. “I know you were afraid to show

weakness like your father, but really, old chap…” He shook his head. “The two cases were very

different, were they not? And Eve had been ill, which I am sure must have made matters more

difficult—” He broke off, seeing Rowarth’s expression. “I know, I know. None of my business.”

Rowarth stared at him, wondering if he had misheard. The wind from the gardens came faintly to

him, carrying the scent of pine and jasmine with it. It also breathed suspicions into his mind,

faint but powerful, no longer possible to dismiss.

“I beg your pardon?” he said.

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