downstairs.”
“I can take a hack, my lord.” She tried to wrench her hand from his. The longer she spent in Welles’s company, the more unsettled Margaret became with the thought of trapping Carstairs. But what choice did she have? Her aunt was only waiting to receive the final contracts from Winthrop’s solicitors. If Carstairs did not compromise her, she would be married to Winthrop in less than a month if not sooner. Trapped forever beneath a giant, sweating pear with no music.
I couldn’t bear it.
“You can take a hack, but you aren’t going to.” He grabbed her fingers, ignoring her efforts to pull free again. Gently, he laced their fingers together and some of the chill left his words. “I’ll make sure you get home safely. Pull your cloak tightly around your face.”
Nothing more was said between them as Welles led her out of his rooms and down the hall to a door set so perfectly into the paneling you would miss it if you weren’t looking. Opening the door, he grabbed a lamp sitting on a small shelf just inside the passageway and lit it. Holding the lamp high, he led her down three flights of steps.
When they reached what she assumed to be the bottom, Welles finally spoke.
“Almost there.” Another door appeared, barely discernible in the arc of light from the lamp he held. Welles pushed the door with a hard shove of one shoulder to reveal a wrought iron gate opening into a lovely garden. A fountain bubbled before them and just on the other side sat a carriage and driver.
The moonlight cast Welles in shadow with only his profile visible. She held tightly to his hand, a part of her wanting never to let go. “Elysium has a garden?” she said to break the silence.
“Not open to our patrons. Only Leo and I use it.” He led her through the carefully maintained beds to the carriage. He dropped her hand and spoke quietly to the driver before assisting her inside.
Margaret slid back against the leather. The carriage held Welles’s scent and she inhaled deeply, taking comfort that a part of him would be with her as she returned to her aunt.
“No. You mustn’t.” She held out a hand as he tried to climb in beside her. “If I am caught, I’ll be in enough trouble. Please instruct the driver he needs to drop me a block from the house. I’ll walk the remainder of the way. You can’t be seen with me, Welles, for both our sakes.” She bit her lip, not knowing what more she could say. “Especially with my…upcoming plans.”
He raked a hand through his hair, frowning at her.
“Please, Welles.” Her voice broke. “If you care for me even a little—”
A disgruntled sound came from him as he looked away.
Margaret pressed her lips together. She shouldn’t have said that. It sounded as if she were begging him to admit to feelings he didn’t have. “What I mean to say is, I would appreciate it if you don’t interfere with what I need to do.” She gave a brittle laugh. “I should never have presumed upon our acquaintance in such a way nor asked for your help. I hope you can forgive me for having to be slightly dishonest in my dealings with Carstairs. I’ve little choice. All I wished was for my aunt to leave me in peace, allow me to become a spinster, and play the piano. But I threw up into my aunt’s rose bushes as Winthrop proposed. I cannot go the rest of my days doing such.” God, she sounded pathetic. Pitiful. Like the little mouse everyone thought she was. “And he doesn’t even own a piano,” she said with a small laugh. “Can you imagine?”
20
Tony didn’t wish to imagine Maggie wed to either Winthrop or Carstairs.
He should be thrilled he’d barely had to crook a finger to entice the object of his obsession into his bed. Maggie had climbed in of her own accord, with very little persuasion on his part. She’d come to Elysium, titillated by his improper request, just as he’d originally wished. Better yet, she expected nothing from Tony because she was intent on marrying another man.
A pinch of pain crossed the region of his heart.
Carstairs was honorable. If she managed to compromise herself with him, which Tony had no doubt she would, Carstairs would marry her instantly. Hell, Carstairs would probably have offered for Maggie on his own if Tony hadn’t interfered and sent his friend