They wed and retired to the country, where he used his considerable knowledge of subterfuge and combat skills to train her. Most days they were up at dawn, and the sunlit hours were occupied in physical pursuits such as fencing and marksmanship. The evening hours were spent discussing topics such as cryptology and ways to hire men of dubious skill sets. There was nothing he left to chance, knowing she would do whatever was necessary to reclaim Amelia.
“How are you feeling this morn?” Simon asked as he stepped into her room. He was dressed for riding, in breeches and polished Hessians. His windswept hair and the scent of horseflesh told her that he was returning, rather than leaving. “Did you sleep well?”
She considered that question a moment, pushing fond memories of Dayton aside. “I did,” she noted with some wonder. Last night was the first occasion since seeing Amelia that she had managed to sleep without bad dreams. It was due to Christopher, she knew. The man was prepared for anything, and that made her feel safe. Odd, considering how dangerous he was.
“I went to Bernadette’s last night and spoke with Daphne.” He helped her sit up and arranged her on the pillows. “It appears we’ve had a stroke of luck. He had a favorite, a new girl named Beth. Apparently, she had a disliking for some of his carnal proclivities, so he has begun to spend more time with Daphne, whose tastes are more diverse.”
Maria smiled. “I am in need of good luck.”
“Truer words were never spoken.” He studied her carefully. “You look different this morning.”
“Better, I hope.”
“Much.” His smile was breathtaking. “I will order tea and breakfast for you.”
“Thank you, Simon.” She watched him as he walked away. “Eddington will come to call today,” she called after him.
“I haven’t forgotten,” he tossed over his shoulder.
Alone again, she considered her predicament. There had to be a way to delay all of them-Christopher, Welton, and Eddington. Her brain was still sleep fuzzy, but given the proper amount of time and clear thought, she knew there had to be a way to position the three men to assist her. They all had something she wanted, and if she was clever, she could see her ends met.
With this in mind, Maria spent the morning lost in thought, absentmindedly completing the steps required to prepare herself for Eddington’s visit. She dressed carefully in a creamcolored day gown and settled a fichu over her shoulders to disguise her bandages. By the time the earl was announced, she had settled upon a temporary plan. She felt confident enough in her idea to have him shown into her lower parlor rather than her study, where she usually conducted business.
“Good morning to you, my lord,” she said with exaggerated civility.
“My lady.” He bowed. Dressed in fawn-colored breeches and a dark green jacket, he cut quite a dashing figure. Every inch the lauded rakehell, he winked at her before settling in the pale blue settee on the other side of the low table.
“Tea?” she inquired.
“Yes, thank you.”
She was deliberately casual and unaffected in her preparation of the beverage, her hands moving with deliberate gracefulness. Twice she glanced aside at him with a secretive smile. The returning indulgent curve to his lips told her he knew her game, but still wished to play.
“You are a vision this morning,” he murmured as he accepted the cup and saucer from her.
“I know.”
Eddington laughed, his handsome features softening from their usual predatory alertness. He hid it well with his heavy-lidded gaze, but she knew his kind.
“A joy to meet a woman without artifice,” he said.
“I took pains to appeal to you, my lord. I would not live up to my reputation if I failed to know when I was most attractive.”
“Do you wish to bed me, then?” Both brows raised. “Insatiability is also something I admire.”
Maria laughed. “I’ve quite enough men in my life at the moment, thank you. Still, women’s wiles are a powerful tool, yes?”
His voice lowered. “Especially when they are wielded by a woman as seductive as you.”
“I’ve reached a decision regarding your proposal,” she said, her tone clipped to signal the end of their banter and the beginning of business.
The earl smiled against the rim of his cup. “Excellent.”
“It will cost you more than the removal of Welton and the agency from my life.”
“Oh?” His gaze narrowed.
“Much more,” she warned.
“How much more?” he demanded gruffly.
She waved her hand carelessly and smiled. “I refuse to discuss monetary matters with anyone other than my solicitor. I find it quite vulgar and oftentimes unpleasant. I will give you his direction and you can settle my accounts with him.”
Eddington set his cup down with undue care. “Coin?” He blew out his breath. He was an intelligent man. He knew she would be expensive. “Perhaps I do not think St. John is worth that much.”
“You have one witness, if he is even still alive. If not, you have nothing. Except for me.”
“You will testify against him?” Eddington asked, his alertness intensifying.
She nodded.
“What about the deaths of Dayton and Winter?”
“What about them?”
“You are the prime suspect.”
Maria smiled. “Perhaps I did murder them, my lord. Perhaps not. I give you leave to prove it, one way or the other.”
“How can I know if you are trustworthy or not?”
“There is no way to know that. Just as I cannot know whether this is merely an elaborate ruse designed to implicate me in the deaths of my husbands.” She shrugged. “You said I was a risk you were willing to take. If you’ve changed your mind, you may leave.”
He considered her for a long moment. “I cannot tell whether you are a demon disguised as a temptress, or a victim of those around you.”
“I ask myself the same every day, my lord. I suspect I am a little of both.” She rose to her feet, forcing him to rise as well. “If you find the answer with any certainty, please let me know.”
The earl rounded the table and came to a halt before her. He stood close, too close. He meant to intimidate her with his greater height and physical strength, but she wasn’t cowed. In their association, she held the power. He had nothing without her. Only conjecture, with no way to penetrate St. John’s defenses.
“Tread lightly,” Eddington warned, his voice low and filled with danger. “I leave Town this evening and will be gone a fortnight, but I will know what you do.”
“Of course.”
A few moments after the earl departed, Maria rose and moved to her study, where she penned a missive to Welton and sent it off. A knock came to the open study door, and she smiled as Simon entered.
“You look like a cat with cream,” he said.
“I have convinced Eddington to fund my search for Amelia.”
He arched a dark brow. “You told him?”
“No.” She grinned.
Walking toward her, Simon sank into one of the two chairs before the large desk. “Eddington wants the same information as Welton. Who do you intend to share it with?”
She blew out her breath. “I haven’t yet decided. If I tell Eddington, he might help me with Welton and then I could find Amelia. But Christopher would hang.”
“Christopher, is it?” he asked tightly.
“If I tell Welton,” she continued as if he had said nothing, “he will attempt to extort either St. John or whoever else may have been involved. I would be no further ahead than I am now, but St. John would live. Of course, St. John might then dispatch Welton and save himself the annoyance. Having become somewhat acquainted with the pirate, I can say for certain that Welton has overstepped himself this time.”
“Or you could tell St. John about Welton and Eddington in return for help with finding Amelia,” Simon suggested. She knew how much it cost him to say such a thing, to admit that St. John could help her in a way that he himself had been unable to. It was a testament of his affection for her that he would set aside his masculine pride to see her happy.