everything usually works out in the end."
"I cannot see how my being tricked, humiliated, and banished from the French court, let alone Paris, can be 'worked out' in the end. But never mind. I will have my revenge."
"Oh, good."
" Good? " Eva eyed her as though she'd lost her mind. "We're speaking about your brother-in-law here."
"I know." Celsie smiled and sipped her tea. "So what has he done?"
Eva had not intended to confide in her cousin, but there was something so genuine in Celsie's silvery-green gaze, something so compassionate and forgiving in her manner, that Eva succumbed to temptation. Sparing only the details that would sabotage her own pride, namely, that she'd bedded the notorious Duke of Blackheath and had the very best lovemaking of her life, Eva told all. She explained why she'd held up the de Montforte coach and stolen the supposed aphrodisiac. She told how she'd broken into Lucien's bedchamber and stolen the real potion upon discovering the first was a substitute. She related how Lucien had come to France seeking her help in locating Lord Brookhampton, and how she had left him tied up and helpless in her room, only to find him — and the aphrodisiac — gone upon her return.
"Tied up and helpless ?" Celsie cried, choking on her tea. " Lucien ?"
"It is not such a difficult thing, if one knows the proper methods," Eva admitted with a little smile.
At that, Celsie began to laugh so hard that she had to set down her teacup so as not to spill the hot beverage all over herself.
Eva said wryly, "I take it the Duke of Blackheath has made his own enemies, even within his own family."
"I'm not sure enemies is the right word, but let me just say this — he had it coming to him. He thrives on control. It is all that matters to him. It is good to see him taken down a peg or two. I just wish I had been there to see it."
Eva smiled, rather glad that Celsie had not.
"But you need my help, don't you?" Celsie asked, sobering. She touched Eva's hand, showing more kindness than Eva, given her recent behavior, felt she deserved. "What can I do for you, Eva?"
Eva gave a rueful smile. "I'm not sure there is anything you can do for me, Celsie. But I do need a place to stay, at least until things settle down in Paris." She looked away, trying to retain her pride, her dignity. "I hesitate to ask, knowing the trouble I've caused you and your new husband, but would you put me up for a short time, Celsie?"
" No. "
Both women looked up. Lord Andrew stood in the doorway, eyeing Eva with flat dislike.
"But Andrew —"
"No, Celsie. I will not have this woman under my roof."
"Andrew, you don't understand. She stole the aphrodisiac for a reason that was very important to her. A — a patriotic one."
"She threatened to shoot me, knocked Charles senseless, and would have had no qualms about killing any of us, yourself included."
"Oh, no, I would never harm a woman," Eva said, smiling. "Celsie and Lady Charles were really quite safe."
Andrew stalked into the room, six feet of angry male fire. He came right up to Eva and glared down at her. "What is your big complaint against men, then?"
Eva eyed him calmly. "The way they treat women."
Getting to her feet, Celsie laid a hand on her husband's arm.
"Andrew, my cousin needs refuge for a few days. I'm sure that once the two of you get to know each other, you might even learn to be civil to one another. Besides, she came here for a reason that even you will approve of." Celsie, grinning, stood on tiptoe to loudly whisper into her husband's ear. "To take Lucien down a peg or two."
"What?"
"Oh, yes, your brother has ruined my life," Eva said, picking up her teacup once more. "I really couldn't leave Europe without coming back for a final round with him."
Andrew turned away, paced toward the door, turned, and came back. Though his jaw was still set, the blazing coldness in his eyes was gone, to be replaced
"I cannot see how my being tricked, humiliated, and banished from the French court, let alone Paris, can be 'worked out' in the end. But never mind. I will have my revenge."
"Oh, good."
" Good? " Eva eyed her as though she'd lost her mind. "We're speaking about your brother-in-law here."
"I know." Celsie smiled and sipped her tea. "So what has he done?"
Eva had not intended to confide in her cousin, but there was something so genuine in Celsie's silvery-green gaze, something so compassionate and forgiving in her manner, that Eva succumbed to temptation. Sparing only the details that would sabotage her own pride, namely, that she'd bedded the notorious Duke of Blackheath and had the very best lovemaking of her life, Eva told all. She explained why she'd held up the de Montforte coach and stolen the supposed aphrodisiac. She told how she'd broken into Lucien's bedchamber and stolen the real potion upon discovering the first was a substitute. She related how Lucien had come to France seeking her help in locating Lord Brookhampton, and how she had left him tied up and helpless in her room, only to find him — and the aphrodisiac — gone upon her return.
"Tied up and helpless ?" Celsie cried, choking on her tea. " Lucien ?"
"It is not such a difficult thing, if one knows the proper methods," Eva admitted with a little smile.
At that, Celsie began to laugh so hard that she had to set down her teacup so as not to spill the hot beverage all over herself.
Eva said wryly, "I take it the Duke of Blackheath has made his own enemies, even within his own family."
"I'm not sure enemies is the right word, but let me just say this — he had it coming to him. He thrives on control. It is all that matters to him. It is good to see him taken down a peg or two. I just wish I had been there to see it."
Eva smiled, rather glad that Celsie had not.
"But you need my help, don't you?" Celsie asked, sobering. She touched Eva's hand, showing more kindness than Eva, given her recent behavior, felt she deserved. "What can I do for you, Eva?"
Eva gave a rueful smile. "I'm not sure there is anything you can do for me, Celsie. But I do need a place to stay, at least until things settle down in Paris." She looked away, trying to retain her pride, her dignity. "I hesitate to ask, knowing the trouble I've caused you and your new husband, but would you put me up for a short time, Celsie?"
" No. "
Both women looked up. Lord Andrew stood in the doorway, eyeing Eva with flat dislike.
"But Andrew —"
"No, Celsie. I will not have this woman under my roof."
"Andrew, you don't understand. She stole the aphrodisiac for a reason that was very important to her. A — a patriotic one."
"She threatened to shoot me, knocked Charles senseless, and would have had no qualms about killing any of us, yourself included."
"Oh, no, I would never harm a woman," Eva said, smiling. "Celsie and Lady Charles were really quite safe."
Andrew stalked into the room, six feet of angry male fire. He came right up to Eva and glared down at her. "What is your big complaint against men, then?"
Eva eyed him calmly. "The way they treat women."
Getting to her feet, Celsie laid a hand on her husband's arm.
"Andrew, my cousin needs refuge for a few days. I'm sure that once the two of you get to know each other, you might even learn to be civil to one another. Besides, she came here for a reason that even you will approve of." Celsie, grinning, stood on tiptoe to loudly whisper into her husband's ear. "To take Lucien down a peg or two."
"What?"
"Oh, yes, your brother has ruined my life," Eva said, picking up her teacup once more. "I really couldn't leave Europe without coming back for a final round with him."
Andrew turned away, paced toward the door, turned, and came back. Though his jaw was still set, the blazing coldness in his eyes was gone, to be replaced
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