Page 26 of Venus in Disguise

Ash went still as the import of those words sank in.

“Impossible,” he said, shaking his head. “Viv would have seen, I’m sure.”

“Well, Maud knew we were together,” Narcissa asserted. “She must have followed me when I left the ballroom, before your sister came to stand guard.”

Ash had not considered that, and a feeling of dread swept over him.

“Tell me what happened, what she said.”

Concisely, Narcissa repeated what Miss Pinkerton had said to her, and her reasons for what she did to someone who had tried only to be kind.

Ash’s expression darkened as he realised just how bad this was. “What does she want? I presume her intention is blackmail, else we’d not be having this conversation.”

Narcissa nodded, her expression bleak, her beautiful face drained of colour and Ash cursed himself for getting her into this situation. This was his fault. It had been his idea to meet her in private, and he had assured her he would keep her safe.

“How much?”

Narcissa’s lip trembled. “F-Five hundred pounds,” she stammered, as well she might. “I don’t have it, Ash,” she admitted, wringing her hands together.

“Curse her,” he muttered angrily, and curse him for a reckless fool. That he, who was so discreet in his affairs, should have made such a fateful error. The one time when it mattered more than ever before, and he had messed up. Damn him to hell.

“What shall I do? The duke gives me very little pin money, all my bills are sent directly to him,” she said, and the fear in her voice was audible. Ash’s expression softened as he saw how she trembled, and he could not help but reach for her, holding her in his arms. The swell of tenderness rising in his chest, the overwhelming desire to protect her from harm, was startling, his fury with himself and with Maud bloody Pinkerton such that he had to work to keep his voice calm.

“Firstly, you won’t worry,” he told her, holding her gaze, asking her to trust in him, though why she should when he had created this unholy mess he had no idea. “I shall deal with this; I give you my word.”

“But how?” she asked fretfully.

“Leave it to me. I will deal with her,” he repeated, his voice firm.

She stared at him, searching his gaze, and he was hardly surprised when she shook her head, unconvinced. “No, that’s not good enough. Tell me how. Maud insists on having the money by the week’s end or she will tell Mrs Chandler.”

Ash raked a hand through his hair, wishing she might have given him time to think of a reassuring answer. “Well, I don’t exactly know at this precise moment!” he admitted grudgingly. “But I shall think of something, mark my words. I won’t let that woman upset you, Narcissa. I shall make it right, I promise. In the short term, tell her I will give her the money but that she will have to meet me, alone. That is non-negotiable.”

Narcissa stared at him, alarm in her eyes. “B-But you don’t m-mean to—”

“She will be quite safe, you may assure her of that. I’m not in the habit of murdering women,” he muttered. “Nor terrorising them, no matter how richly they deserve it,” he added reproachfully.

“I beg your pardon. No, of course you wouldn’t,” Narcissa said, sounding rather mortified. “Only I am so terribly frightened I hardly know what I am saying, what to think. If my father finds out—”

“I know,” he assured her grimly, well aware of just what was at stake. “Believe me, I shan’t rest until I have a solution that will keep you safe. Just tell her to go to the Calverley art gallery on Pall Mall and ask for Mr Weston. It’s a respectable establishment but I know the owner. There will be no risk to her reputation.”

She nodded, tilting her face up to stare at him. “You must regret ever speaking to me,” she said sadly.

Ash smiled at that despite the situation, knowing it was far more his doing than hers. “Yes, I must. What a lot of trouble you have caused me for the sake of a private conversation and a kiss.”

Her expression fell, her eyes swimming with tears, and he lifted his hands to her face, cradling it gently. “And yet I don’t. I could never regret that night, that kiss, it is imprinted upon my soul.”

“Then do it again,” she pleaded, and stood on tiptoe, raising her mouth to his.

Gentleman he may be, in his finer moments, but he was not fool enough to refuse such an offer. With a swift tug, he released the ribbon of her pretty but bothersome bonnet and deftly removed it before he lowered his mouth to hers.

His breath caught as their lips met, fire exploding inside him alongside the burning desire to shelter this woman from harm, from anything that could cause her distress. Yet it was his fault she was in this mess in the first place, and he was only making things worse by dallying with her. Though the knowledge tore at his heart, he knew he must keep her safe. Though it was the hardest thing to tear his mouth from hers instead of deepening the kiss, prolonging it in any way he could, he knew it was for the best.

Pulling away, he rested his forehead against hers.

“Narcissa,” he began, his voice low.

“No.”