Surrender (2 page)

 
It was not a general announcement, I

assure you. He was most discreet. After

all, his sister is involved, is she not? If you

must know the truth, I believe Lyndwood

confided in me because he was feeling the

strain of the situation."

 
Strain? What strain? There is absolutely

nothing about any of this that should make

him anxious. He is simply going to escort

Annabella and me to the park where the

fair is being held. What could be simpler?"

she snapped.

 
As I understand it, you and his sister

applied a certain degree of pressure on

Lyndwood to get him to agree to your

plans. The poor boy is still green enough

to be manipulated by such feminine tactics.

Fortunately, he is also wise enough to

regret his weakness and smart enough to

seek assistance."

 
Poor boy, indeed. What nonsense. You

make it sound as though Annabella and I

coerced Bertie into this."

 
Didn't you?" stone vale shot back.

 
Of course not. We merely impressed

upon him that we have every intention of

going to the fair tonight and he insisted

on accompanying us. Very gallant of him.

Or so we thought."

 
You left him little choice as a gentleman.

He could hardly agree to let you go on your

own and you knew it. It was blackmail.

Furthermore, I suspect it was largely your

idea, Miss Huntington."

 
Blackmail" Victoria was now furious.
 
I

resent that accusation, my lord."

 
Why? it is little more than the truth. Do

you think Lyndwood would have willingly

consented to escort you and his sister

to such a disreputable event unless you

threatened to go on your own? Miss

Lyndwood's mama would have a fit of

the vapors if she got word of this little

escapade tonight, and so, I imagine, would

your aunt."

 
I assure you. Aunt Cleo is far too sturdy

to indulge in a fit of the vapors," Victoria

declared loyally. But she knew stone vale

was perfectly correct about Annabella's

mama. Lady Lyndwood would indeed have

hysterics if she discovered her daughter's

plans for this evening. Proper young ladies

of the ton did not go to the fair-grounds

at night.

 
Your aunt may be a sturdy character. I

will take your word for it, as I have not yet

had the honor of meeting Lady Nettleship.

But I sincerely doubt she would approve of

your plans for this evening/ stone vale said.

 
I shall throttle Lord Lyndwood when

I see him. He is no gentleman to have

betrayed a confidence in this manner."

 
It was not entirely his fault he confided

in me. I spent enough years as an officer to

know when a young man is agitated about

something. It was not that difficult to press

him for the details."

Victoria narrowed her eyes.
 
Why?"

 
Let us say I had a great curiosity about

the matter. When Lyndwood discovered

I was only too happy to come to his

assistance tonight, he confessed all and

pleaded for a companion."

 
You have not answered my question.

Why was your curiosity so great?"

 
My reasons are not particularly im

portant," stone vale's long fingers rippled

easily through the deck of cards again.
 
It

seems to me we have a more immediate

problem."

 
I see no problem." Other than getting

rid of you, Victoria added silently. Her

first instincts had been correct. She should

have run when she had the chance. But it

was beginning to appear as though she'd

never had the opportunity in the first

place. Everything suddenly seemed to be

proceeding according to some master plan

that had been set in motion and over which

she had less and less control.

 
We should go over the details of the

evening's adventure, don't you think?"

 
The details have already been taken care

of, thank you." Victoria did not like the

feeling of not being in charge.

 
Please understand. Perhaps it is the

ex-soldier in me or perhaps it is mere

curiosity, but I like to know exactly what

is involved in a venture before it begins.

Would you be so good as to outline the

schedule of events more clearly for me?"

stone vale asked innocently.

 
I do not see why I should. I did not

invite you along."

 
I merely wish to be of assistance, Miss

Huntington. Not only is Lyndwood grateful

for my help tonight, but you, yourself,

might also find it very convenient to

have an extra escort on hand. The mob

can become very boisterous and rowdy at

night."

i'm not in the least concerned with the

rowdy crowds. That is part of what will

make the entire venture exciting."

 
Then I'm sure you will at least be

grateful for my continued silence on the

matter should I happen to be introduced

to your aunt this evening."

Victoria studied him mutely for a short,

taut moment.
 
It would seem that Lord

Lyndwood is not the only one in danger

of being blackmailed. It appears I am also

slated to become a victim."

 
You wound me, Miss Huntington."

 
Not fatally, unfortunately, else I would

be rid of my problem, wouldn't I?"

 
I urge you to look upon me as a solution

rather than a problem." stone vale smiled

his slow smile. It did not affect the ghosts

in his eyes.
 
I ask only to serve you in the

capacity of escort this evening when you

venture out into the dangerous streets of

the city. I am most anxious to discharge

my gaming debt."

 
And if I decline to collect my winnings

by accepting your escort, you will tell my

aunt what is planned, is that it?"

stone vale sighed.
 
It would be most

unpleasant for all concerned if Miss

Lyndwood's mama or your aunt discovered

your scheme for tonight, but one can never

tell what topics of conversation will arise in

the course of an evening, can one?"

Victoria snapped her closed fan against

the table.
 
I knew it. This is blackmail."

 
A nasty word for it, but, yes, I suppose

in a manner of speaking, it is blackmail."

Fortune hunter. That was the only

explanation. She had never before encountered

one quite so bold and aggressive. The

type generally tended to be extremely well

mannered and gracious, at least initially.

But Victoria trusted her instincts. She

locked eyes with stone vale for an instant,

fascinated by the waiting, expectant gleam

in his hard, gray gaze. When she started

to rise from the card table, the earl got to

his feet to assist her.

 
I shall look forward to seeing you later

this evening," he murmured in her ear as

she rose.

 
If you are fishing for a fortune, my

lord," Victoria drawled,
 
cast your lures

elsewhere. You are wasting your time with

me. I will grant that your technique is a

novel one, but I do not find it at all

attractive. I assure you, I have resisted far

more agreeable bait."

 
So I have been told."

He paced beside her as they moved into

the glittering, crowded ballroom. Victoria

became aware again, as she had earlier, of

stone vale's curiously balanced, but uneven

stride. The elegant black evening clothes,

finely tied cravat, close-fitting breeches,

and polished boots did not disguise the

limp that marred the movement of his

left leg.

 
What, precisely, have you been told, my

lord?" Victoria demanded.

He shrugged.
 
It is said you have little

interest in marriage, Miss Huntington."

 
Your sources are wrong." She smiled

thinly.
 
I do not have even a little interest

in the married state. I have absolutely no

interest in it, whatsoever."

stone vale slanted her a considering

glance.
 
A pity. Perhaps if you had a

husband and a family to occupy your time

in the evenings, you would not be obliged

to amuse yourself with risky adventures

such as the one you have planned for

tonight."

Victoria's smile widened.
 
I am certain

that the sort of adventure I have planned for

this evening will be vastly more entertaining

than the evening duties of a wife."

 
What makes you so certain of that?"

 
Personal history, my lord. My mother

was married for her fortune and it

destroyed her. My dear aunt was also

married for her money. Fortunately for her

my uncle had the grace to die early on in a

hunting accident. But since I cannot count

on similar good fortune, I have chosen not

to take the risk of marriage."

 
You do not fear that you might be

missing an important part of a woman's

life?" he ventured.

 
Not in the least. I have seen nothing

of marriage to recommend it." Victoria

opened her gilded fan to conceal a shudder.

Memories of her stepfather's casual little

cruelties and drunken acts of violence

toward her mother were never far below

the surface. Even the bright lights of the

ballroom could not entirely banish them.

She fanned herself languidly once or

twice, hoping stone vale would gain the

impression that she was acutely bored with

the direction of the conversation.
 
Now, if

you will excuse me, my lord, I see a friend

I must speak to."

He followed her glance.
 
Ah, yes, the

intrepid Annabella Lyndwood. She is no

doubt anxious to discuss the evening's

plans, too. It appears, since you are