Читать книгу A Midsummer Night's Sin - Kasey Michaels, Кейси Майклс, Kasey Michaels - Страница 11

“M’SIEUR PUCK. IF you were to do me the kindness to lift your chin so that I might button your collar,” the valet, Gaston, crooned in that way he had about him, a politeness of expression far from the rough gutter French he’d spoken when Puck first found him, rescuing the slim, slight fellow from a gang of rough men who had been demonstrating their displeasure with what they believed to be his perversion of nature.

Puck liked his servants loyal, and in saving Gaston, he had found a treasure beyond price. He also held an affection for other misfits in this world. With Gaston, he could say what he liked, show what he felt, without fear of being misunderstood, without worrying about possible betrayal.

“She’s magnificent, Gaston. You’ve never seen eyes like that. A mouth so impossible to resist. And spirit! And intelligence!”

“As you’ve said, m’sieur. Repeatedly. I am so happy for you I am beyond words. The chin if you please, m’sieur.”

“I should walk away,” Puck said, at last doing as his valet asked. “That would be the decent thing to do. There’s no reason I can’t conduct my search for her cousin without ever seeing Regina again. None. In fact, it would be pure selfishness for me to involve her at all. I’ll tell her that.”

“When you meet her in the park, having taken such an unconscionable time dressing for this meeting,” Gaston said without expression—which was as good as tapping his employer over the head with a strong mallet.

Puck waved Gaston away and took a step toward the mirror to inspect the man’s handiwork. As usual, the valet’s effort was perfection itself. “Sending a note around to her residence could be risky for her. Anything put to paper can be risky.”

“And I am risky, as well, m’sieur? You could send me in your place, to repeat your words of farewell to her, without need for a note. I can remain committed to my purpose when exposed to magnificent female eyes and mouths.”

Puck eyed Gaston as he was reflected in the mirror. “You make a valid point. I believe I shall ignore it.”

At last Gaston allowed himself a small smile. “I have never before seen you like this, m’sieur. The beautiful women, yes, you like them all, romance them all. And then like a bee always in search of nectar, you fly on to the next flower, and the next. How is this one so different?”

Puck snatched up his gloves and softly slapped them against his valet’s shoulder. “That, Gaston, is what I wonder myself. And what I do believe I have no choice but to find out. Beginning this morning, in the park. Feel free to pray for me. I very well may be human after all.”

His own words still ringing in his ears, Puck then took himself off for the stroll to the park. He headed for the entrance closest to Berkeley Square, careful to arrive well in advance of the appointed time, to look over the lay of the land, as it were. Not that he was overly concerned that Regina had told her father about the scheduled meeting, but one could never be too careful, and Puck wasn’t fond of surprises, unless they were of his own making.

He saw the man immediately. Dressed well enough but appearing to be somewhat uncomfortable in his clothes, his eyes shifting left and right, as if looking for something he did not know but hoped to recognize when he saw it. With every second visual sweep of the area, his gaze would hold for some moments on the female form clad in a light green walking gown and pelisse, a red-haired maid standing just behind her.

So much for the notion of a leisurely stroll with Miss Regina Hackett, who had also seen fit to arrive early. Puck deftly turned and left the park, heading via a slightly roundabout way in the direction of Berkeley Square.

London churches had just completed their noon hour competition of bells when his most recent peek out from his hiding place alerted Puck to the fact that Regina was returning to her residence, her swift steps firm on the flagway, a reflection of her anger and forcing her maid to nearly skip to keep up with her longer strides.

Oh, there was going to be the devil to pay if he didn’t get his apology in quickly!

She and her maid were the only ones taking advantage of the fine, sunny day, save a few nurses and their charges and a spattering of old women out seeking fresh air for their health. The rest of the inhabitants of this exalted area of London were just now waking up to their hot chocolate and newspapers.

“Psst!” Oh, for the love of Heaven, she hadn’t heard him. “Psssst!”

Regina’s steps faltered slightly, and she turned her head toward the narrow alleyway where Puck was standing. But when he commanded her to pretend there was something in her shoe and to tell her maid to bend down and help her remove it, Regina reacted with the sort of alacrity a drill sergeant would admire in his recruits.

“Where were you? I waited for nearly an hour,” she told him quietly as she braced one hand against a nearby railing and stuck her right foot out to the maid, who quickly fell into enacting her role. Clearly, Regina had shared what the trip to the park was about this morning and had enlisted her aid.

“Someone was watching. You weren’t alone. Your father suspects something?”

She bent her head, as if talking to the maid. “My father knows everything. He saw me at the ball.”

“And now you’ve grown a tail.”

She very nearly turned her head to look at him. “I’ve what?”

Puck smiled at her horror. “And it will wag after you everywhere you go. He’s behind you somewhere now—no, don’t turn around. He’ll be much happier and become more lax in his surveillance the longer you pretend to not notice him.”

“Oh,” she said quietly. “But what shall we do? He can’t see you with me. I didn’t tell my father your name when he asked.”

“A determined man won’t have much problem finding his own answer. Your uncle will probably be delighted to assist him.”

“Miss?” Hanks, speaking with her position much lower to the ground than she obviously liked, sounded slightly oppressed. “My knees are aching that much.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Hanks.” Regina put her foot down and let go of the railing. “I have to go. If you’ve been waiting for me here all of this time, surely you’ve managed to think of something, some way we can meet?”

“Cheeky. That’s what it is. You’re cheeky. I never knew I admired that in a woman,” Puck said, longing to pull her into the alleyway and kiss her senseless. “Continue back to your residence and go inside. Wait ten minutes, and then come back out, turn to your right and then right again at the end of the building. I’ll meet you there.”

“But—but my tail?”

“He won’t expect you to reemerge quite so quickly, and it’s likely past his lunchtime. He’ll be nipping off to some pub to drink his the moment he feels you’re safely inside. If he hasn’t gone when you stick your pretty head outside—lovely bonnet, by the way, though I’d like to see more of your face—you’ll hear my warning whistle, and I’ll have to think of something else.”

“And what would that something else be?” Regina asked as she rifled inside her reticule as if searching for something.

First, the required action with the shoe, and now, the inspection of the reticule, both executed flawlessly and all the while carrying on a conversation with him. What a quick mind she had. She could have been born for the stage … or simply born to deceive. And to delight.

“Miss, we really must go.”

“I don’t know,” Puck said, unable to resist. “How wide are your chimneys?”

Regina lifted her chin and marched on down the flagway, clearly unimpressed by his answer, leaving him to sink farther into the shadow of the buildings and compliment himself on his good taste. He’d used the correct word to describe her to Gaston. She really was magnificent.

And then he was off, cutting through alleyways until he emerged on the flagway of Berkeley Square, nearly gaining it ahead of the man still following Regina. He watched as the man walked on and determined that the fellow was or at least had been a sailor, forever marked by his rolling gait.

Sailors most often meant knives, not pistols, and they usually kept them tucked into their waistbands. Puck stored the information in his brain and continued walking, following the tail until he’d passed the door that had so recently closed behind Regina, and then continued to keep pace with him as he exited the Square and turned to his left. Another three blocks took them both to a small, discreet basement tavern, patronized mostly by the servants from the local neighborhoods. The tail stepped inside and was greeted by several people who recognized him before the door could close once more.

Clearly, the man was a frequent visitor to the establishment. How nice. Gaston always enjoyed meeting new people. In his previous life, before his encounter with Puck, he had met many new people, most only briefly, deftly relieving them of their valuables as he’d been one of the premiere pickpockets in the city.

Puck wanted a look at the sort of sticker the man preferred, and Gaston would delight in practicing his old skills. It was always the details that lessened the odds.

Puck hastened back to Berkeley Square and the mews behind the Hackett residence, then nipped into the narrow passageway that divided it from the equally impressive mansion directly next door to it. The two residences had been built so closely together that occupants of the houses could have, if they’d so desired, simply opened their windows and indulged in quiet conversations with their neighbor. Or listened to conversations. Or gotten a peek at their neighbor in his or her underclothes or caught them out in some compromising position.

Which were several of the many reasons that these particular windows in both buildings were closed, and the drapes drawn, and both remained that way no matter what the time of day or the weather. The cobbled pathway still wasn’t the perfect meeting place, and a tradesman with a delivery to either house could still appear and discover them, but they’d be here only for a few minutes, and, as Puck reasoned the thing, if he couldn’t stare down a curious tradesman, then he didn’t deserve to live.

And then she was there, and Puck forgot about everything else as he stepped out of the shadows and took her hands in his. “You bring the sun with you,” he told her, “chasing away any shadows.”

She tugged her hands free. “We don’t have time for your nonsense,” she warned him, and then added, “but … thank you.”

“The pleasure, and the nonsense, remain mine. Tell me what happened after you left me last night,” he said, not liking that she looked faintly drawn, even for all her beauty. She could not have passed a quiet night.

“I already told you that he saw me at the ball. I couldn’t believe it! He didn’t realize that Miranda had been taken. He thought perhaps she’d arranged an elopement or something with someone she’d planned to meet there. I told him what we believe, and all he had to say to that was that Uncle Seth will be applying to him for the money to hire Bow Street.”

He took her hands again, and this time she didn’t pull away. “Really? If he does, Regina, please tell me.”

She tipped her head to one side. “Why?”

“Why? Let’s just say that there is no such thing as too much knowledge when you’re … getting to know someone. You should have given your father my name when he asked. I’ll assume your refusal didn’t delight him.”

“He gave up asking quickly enough. But no, he wasn’t happy. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is how to save Miranda before it’s too late. My father says it already is, that she’s either ruined or dead or both, but I refuse to believe that. Why risk kidnapping the daughter of a viscount, the granddaughter of an earl, if you’re only going to … that is, if you only want to—don’t make me finish this sentence, Puck, please.”

He squeezed her fingers. “I won’t. But, informing me of your uncle’s actions to one side, your involvement has to end now, Regina. That’s the only reason I came here today. To tell you that.”

She sighed. “I came here to tell you that you should forget about helping me, because it’s too dangerous for you to continue seeing me. My father would definitely disapprove.”

“Thanks to my parents’ unmarried state,” Puck said, nodding. “I understand that. Your father has set his sights considerably higher for his daughter’s future.”

She seemed relieved that he understood. “Yes. An earl, at the least. He’s never made it a secret that I am the ladder he plans to climb to the next level of London Society.”

“I’m sure he has your best interests at heart,” Puck told her, watching her closely for her reaction to that statement. She simply didn’t seem the sort who took orders cheerfully.