“Has nothing to do with the other?” He was silent for a long moment, and she used the time to gather her scattered wits. “Very well. I will speak no more of it.” His tone held a strange note in it. As if he made fun of himself with his words. “And I apologize.”
“For what?” she asked.
“For what, what?”
She huffed out in exasperation. “What do you apologize for? Men always say that without actually being sorry for anything.”
He cleared his throat. “I apologize for taking advantage, Miss Gohar. I apologize for thinking you were one thing when you are decidedly not.” There was definitely a wry note to his voice. “And I apologize for underestimating you.”
Did she hear admiration in his tone as well? The idea made her lips curve in a wry smile. “You are not alone in making that mistake,” she said. Most men underestimated a smart woman.
“I am not in the least bit surprised.” Then he raised her hand to his mouth, bestowing the most courtly of kisses. “May I call upon you tomorrow afternoon?”
“Yes, my lord. I should be happy to see you then.”
As if he had timed it specifically for this, the carriage rolled to a stop. They were at his sister’s house. She did a last check of her hair and dress. Her hairpiece had fallen out, and she gasped as she tried to find the lion.
“Here,” he said, handing it to her.
She took it from his hand, but he kept hold of it such that their fingers were entwined for a very long moment. She thought he would say something. She looked at his face and saw his mouth open, but no words came out. And in that awkward silence, the coachman opened the door.
That was enough to break the spell. Elliott released her hand and stepped out, only to turn and offer his hand again as she climbed out. It was all very polite, and every motion had been lived a million times in her imagination. A gentleman handed her out of the carriage and walked her to the front door. But never in her wildest dreams had she conceived of the reality of it. That the walk was nothing compared to what the ride had been. That the polite bow at the end of the night was nothing compared to what they had done in the dark.
“Good night, Miss Gohar,” he said after the butler had opened the door.
“I had a lovely evening, Lord Byrn. Thank you.”
Then he turned and walked away while the butler took her cloak from her shoulders. The door shut, and she heard the rumble as the carriage rolled away. The evening was done, and she had no idea how to feel about that.
She went to her room, undressed with the help of Diana’s very sleepy maid, climbed into bed, and remembered. And tonight, unlike every night before, there were no fantasies at all. Only remembering. And curiosity about what would happen tomorrow.
Chapter Ten
Amber woke late, which wasn’t surprising given that she’d stayed up until dawn remembering her evening. But even after being awake all night, she couldn’t stay in bed. Not when his lordship was coming to see her again this afternoon. Not when she was nervous and excited about all the things that might happen.
She knew none of them would. Today they were back to being aristocrat and merchant. He had a plan for how to get the brooch he needed. She had to return to her cage where she dreamed of lovely things but never lived them. Except, of course, for one wonderful night when she had.
She hummed as she dressed.
Until the moment she opened her bedroom door and there, lounging against the wall, was a large man with a dour look, dark circles under his eyes and a maimed hand. “Titan!” she gasped as she jerked backward in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
He was in charge of the bouncers who guarded the doors at the Lyon’s Den. He’d been wounded at Waterloo like so many others, but since he was an officer and a natural leader, Mrs. Dove-Lyon had set him in charge of the others at her establishment. He was kind in a gruff way, and Amber liked him. The other girls adored him because many had reason to be grateful for his help at one time or another.
“I’m called Lucifer here,” he grumbled.
What? But she didn’t get a chance to ask as he pushed off the wall to tower over her. He was a tall man, and she had to fight her instinct to cringe away. Especially as he spoke, his words clipped and angry.
“I know how late you came back last night.”
“I was at—”
“I know your hair was down, your face flushed, and your dress mussed.”
Um…really?
“And I know that you took several circles around Hyde Park.”
Oh, no.
“I am five and twenty, Titan—”
“Lucifer!” he snapped.
Right. “Lucifer, then. I am able to make my own choices.”
He touched her chin, tilting her face up until she looked him in the eyes. “Did he take advantage of you?” There was a growl to his words that made her shudder in fear. He was angry, but maybe not at her.
“No,” she rasped. “He did not take advantage.”
Silence while her face heated.
“Then, you allowed it.” His voice was low, but the violent edge was stronger.
“No!” she gasped. “Well, yes. A little. I… He…” Oh, my. His face was purpling in rage, but no more than hers was burning. She took a deep breath and invested strength into her words. “He asked, and I said no.”
“He asked!” The two words came exploding out of him, and though anybody else would have run away, she was used to loud men. Bellows of whatever emotion rarely rattled her.
“All men ask!” she retorted. “Unlike others, he accepted my answer.”
Titan…er, Lucifer’s eyes widened. “But you allowed him. You said—”
She sighed. “A little, yes. I’m five and twenty. Surely I’m allowed a kiss or two? You know where I work. You know that I’m not respectable.”
“On the contrary,” he responded. “I know exactly how respectable you are. Thisbe, there are any number of good men who would offer you marriage. Lysander and Demetrius—”
“Look more at my jewelry than they do at me,” she said. At least she knew Lord Byrn wanted her for herself and not her family’s business.
Lucifer sighed. “There are others who know the truth about you. Do not throw your lot in here.” He gave an expansive gesture that was meant to encompass what? The entire house? The ton? “They do not play by the same rules,” he said, his voice heavy.
She knew that. Didn’t she see them every night gaming at the tables or taking their pleasure from the upstairs girls? She shook her head about to say that she would make her own decisions. That she already knew all his warnings and had made the right choice last night. But this morning, her heart was singing another tune. Lord Byrn was coming to the house to see her. Her heart wanted to perform arias on the rooftop.
She never got a chance to voice her thoughts as Diana’s voice filled the hallway.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Both she and Lucifer jumped at her sharp tone. Diana was a petite woman, but her voice could cut as sharp as a knife. Lucifer sketched a bow.
“My lady—”
“Footmen do not belong up here, Mr. Lucifer. And they certainly don’t harangue guests.”