Scandalous Deception

“It would be a preferable fate than remaining with you.”

“How can you say that, after all I have done for you and your mother?”

Brianna pressed even closer to Edmond, clearly taking comfort in his presence.

“You destroyed any loyalty I might have felt toward you when you attempted to rape me,” she hissed.

“I think that is a fitting end to this unpleasant encounter.” Keeping his grim hold on the lapels of Wade’s jacket, Edmond hauled him toward the door. “It is time you return to the gutter that spit you out.”

Struggling against his inevitable fate, Thomas Wade wrenched his head around to cast Brianna a frantic gaze.

“No, damn you. Brianna. You belong with me, and I will not allow anyone to stand between us.”

With a violent shove, Edmond had the man through the vast foyer and out the door held open by his footman.

“Boris, keep an eye on the bastard,” he commanded, turning his back as Thomas Wade stumbled down the steps, followed closely by the massive Russian assassin.

Halting before the mirror, Edmond calmly adjusted his cravat and smoothed his jacket. He had rid himself of one rodent, now he had to decide what was to be done with his beautiful little mouse.

STANDING BESIDE THE TALL window, Brianna watched in a numbed sort of fascination as Thomas climbed unsteadily into his carriage and was driven away.

A part of her wanted to feel relief that she was seemingly safe from her stepfather, who had been well and truly trounced by Edmond. What man would dare to return after such a humiliation?

Her far more sensible part, however, knew that whatever had prompted Edmond to dismiss Thomas with such disdain had nothing to do with assisting her. He cared only for his mysterious reasons for being in London, and if she threatened those plans, she would be offered the same brutal treatment.

If not worse.

A shiver shook her body as she sensed Edmond return. She had no need to turn and confirm his presence. Every nerve she possessed seemed suddenly attuned to him.

It was odd. As a child, she had been overawed by his intimidating presence, at times even frightened by those brilliant blue eyes that seemed to see everything. She never would have thought she could feel anything but unease while in his company. He was nothing at all like sweet, gentle Stefan, who had somehow understood the stark loneliness of her childhood and always made her feel welcome at Meadowland.

She certainly hadn’t thought she’d feel this powerful awareness that made her heart jump and her stomach clench in pleasure.

“Why did you not turn me over to him?” she demanded, needing the answer to the question that had haunted her since she had walked down the staircase and heard Edmond threaten to castrate her stepfather.

There was the sound of approaching footsteps as he moved to stand directly at her back. A tingle of excitement trickled down her spine and, stifling a gasp, she turned to confront him.

That, of course, only made matters worse. Her breath caught in her throat. He was so…beautiful. The elegant line of his masculine features, eyes the perfect blue of a cloudless sky, dark curls that held the gloss of polished ebony, blended together to create nothing less than a masterpiece.

Edmond studied her with a brooding expression.

“Because I am not yet done with you, ma souris.”

Brianna frowned, uncertain what to make of his words, then with an inward shrug, she turned her thoughts back to her most pressing concern.

“Do you think he is gone for good?”

“I do not believe he will dare to attempt to storm this citadel again, but I should be very surprised if he has actually given up his obsession to have you.” His expression hardened. “The very fact that you have become inaccessible will only feed his madness.”

She pressed a hand to her heaving stomach. Damn Thomas Wade. And damn her mother for leaving her at the mercy of the demented monster.

“I must leave London.”

“And go where?”

“You could send me to Meadowland in your coach.” Without even realizing what she was doing, Brianna reached out to grasp his arm in sudden hope. Of course. She should have thought of it the moment she realized that it was Edmond rather than Stefan in London. “I would surely be safe with your servants to protect me.”

“Why did you not flee to Stefan before now?” he demanded.

“Because I would have been forced to take a stagecoach, and Thomas could easily have overtaken me before I reached Meadowland.” She shrugged. “Besides, Stefan never responded to my letters. For all I knew, he might have been away from the estate and then what would I have done?”

He studied her with a hooded gaze. “I do not doubt you would have thought of something. You are a very…” He deliberately allowed his words to trail away as his gaze lowered to the modest neckline of her gown. “Resourceful sort of female.”

A blush stole beneath her cheeks, but she refused to rise to the bait. She had done what was necessary. She would not feel shame for that.

She squared her shoulders and pasted a smile to her lips. “Now, however, I can be certain Stefan is there and with your carriage…”

“No.”

“Why ever not? You do not want me here and I would far prefer to be with Stefan. It is the perfect solution.”

“Except for the fact that, so far as the world is concerned, Stefan is here in London while Edmond is in charge of Meadowland,” he said succinctly. “Do you not think it would stir curiosity if I were to send my newly acquired ward to stay in a home with my renowned rake of a brother?”

She dropped her hand and stared at him with a wary confusion. Why was he being so difficult? He could not have made it more obvious that he wanted nothing more than to be rid of her. He should be delighted by the notion of sending her off to Meadowland.

“You could say that I was ill and in need of the country air,” she pointed out slowly.

His lips twisted. “Then it will be speculated that I made you pregnant and banished you to Meadowland until the babe is born.”

“That is absurd,” she choked out, her skin feeling oddly hot and far too tight for her body. “You just arrived in London, how could you possibly have made me pregnant?”

Edmond shrugged, his lightly bronzed features unreadable. “Stefan does come to London to attend his duties in the House of Lords, although he rarely opens the town house. Besides, gossip has no need to make sense.”

It was true enough. She had been in London long enough to know that spreading rumors was the ton’s favorite pastime. And the more outrageous and titillating the scandal, the more it was enjoyed.

Still, she found it ridiculous to suppose anyone would believe Stefan capable of seducing and abandoning his own ward.

“Even supposing that a few spiteful tongues wag, it hardly matters.”

“It happens to matter a great deal,” he snapped, stepping close enough for the heat of his body to sear through her thin muslin gown. “I am attempting to avoid any unnecessary attention being drawn to my visit here in London, a task that has become considerably more difficult, thanks to your interference.”

Brianna was effectively trapped as she struggled not to react to the scent of sandalwood and warm male.

“You still have not told me why you are pretending to be Stefan.”

“I rarely reveal my secrets to a proven blackmailer.”

Stung by his mocking tone, Brianna lifted her hands to shove them against his chest.

“But you are willing to take one as your lover?”

The blue eyes darkened, and without warning, his hands grasped her arms to jerk her against his chest.

“Do you need further proof, ma souris? Shall I take you here and now?”

Not at all certain that she could resist the desire to allow him to do whatever he wanted to her trembling body, Brianna gave a desperate shake of her head.

“Please, Edmond.”

“Please, what?”

“Please send me to Stefan.”

Edmond stepped back, his nose flaring with something that might have been anger.

“Never.”

“But…”

“Enough.” Turning on his heel, Edmond stormed toward the door, pausing at the threshold to scowl over his shoulder. “You were foolish enough to force your way into this house. Now you will endure the consequences.”

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