Mine Till Midnight (The Hathaways #1)(68)

"I'd enjoy it, too," Beatrix said plaintively, "if I only knew what we're talking about."

Cam led the way along the yew hedge, going away from the manor until they reached a sunken lane stretching toward the wood. They stopped beside a thicket of Saint-John's-wort, its golden flowers in full bloom, and sedge spiked with bottlebrush stems in leaf. Deceptively relaxed, Cam folded his arms loosely across his chest. He was puzzled by the large, irate chal, a Roma with the air of a loner. The mysterious Merripen had no affiliation with a Gypsy tribe, but had instead chosen to make himself the watchdog of a gadje family. Why? What did he owe to them?

Perhaps Merripen was mahrime, designated by the Rom as one unworthy of trust. An outcast. If so, Cam wondered what Merripen had done to deserve such status.

"You took advantage of Amelia," Merripen said.

"Not that it matters," Cam said in Romany, "but how did you find out?"

Merripen's huge hands flexed as if longing to rip him apart. Lucifer himself could not have had blacker, more burning eyes. "Speak in English," he said harshly. "I don't like the old language."

Frowning in curiosity, Cam readily complied.

"The maids were talking about it," Merripen replied. "I heard them standing outside my door. You dishonored one of my family."

"Yes, I know," Cam said quietly.

"You're not good enough for her."

"I know that, too." Watching, him intently, Cam asked, "Do you want her for yourself, chal?"

Merripen looked mortally offended. "She's a sister to me."

"That's good. Because I want her for my wife. And as far as I can see"—Cam gestured wide with his hands?"there aren't exactly queues forming to help the Hathaways. So I may be able to help the family."

"They don't need your money. Ramsay has an annuity."

"Ramsay will be dead soon. We both know it. And after he turns up his toes, the title will go to the next poor bastard in line, and there'll be four unmarried Hathaway sisters with few practical skills to speak of. What do you think will become of them? What about the invalid? She'll need medical care?

"She's not an invalid!" Merripen made his face expressionless, but not before Cam had seen a flash of extraordinary emotion, something ferocious and tormented.

Apparently, Cam thought, not all of the Hathaways were like sisters to Merripen. Perhaps this was the key to him. Perhaps Merripen harbored a secret passion for a woman who was too innocent to realize it, and too frail ever to marry.

"Merripen," Cam said slowly, "you're going to have to find a way to tolerate me. Because there are things I can do for Amelia, and the rest of them, that you can't." He continued in a level tone despite the look on Merripen's face, which would have terrified a lesser man. "And I don't have the patience to battle you every step of the way. If you want what's best for them, either leave, or accept this. I'm not going anywhere."

As the huge chal glared at him, Cam could almost see the progression of his thoughts, the weighing of options, the violent desire to mow down his enemy, all of it overshadowed by the urge to do what was right for his family.

"Besides," Cam said, "if Amelia doesn't marry me, the gadjo will be after her again. And you know she'll be better off with me."

Merripen's eyes narrowed. "Frost broke her heart. You took her innocence. Why does that make you any better?"

"Because I'm not going to leave her. Unlike the gadjos, the Rom are faithful to our women." Cam paused and measured out five seconds before adding deliberately, "You probably know that better than I."

Merripen fixed his furious gaze at a point in the distance. "If you hurt her in any way? he finally said, "I'm going to kill you."

"Fair enough."

"I may kill you anyway."

Cam smiled slightly. "You'd be surprised how many people have said that to me before."

"No," Merripen said, "I wouldn't."

Amelia paused nervously at the door of Cam's room. There were sounds of movement within, drawers opening and closing, objects being moved. She realized he must be preparing to leave for London.

The residents and guests of Stony Cross Manor had discreetly left the back terrace before Cam and Merripen had returned. Amelia had just caught sight of Merripen returning to his room, his ferocious scowl deepening as he had glanced at her. She had opened her mouth to ask something, apologize, she wasn't certain what, but he had cut her off. "Your choice," he muttered. "And it affects all of us. Don't forget that." He had closed the door before she could say a word.

Glancing up and down the hallway, Amelia made certain she was unobserved before she gave a feather-light rap at the door and let herself into the room.

Cam pushed a stack of neatly folded garments into a small gentleman's trunk at the foot of the bed. He looked up at her, a spill of black silk falling down to his eyes. He was so vibrant, so dark and beautiful, his skin like polished rosewood.

Amelia's voice came unevenly from her constricted throat. "I was afraid Merripen would bring you back in pieces."

Stepping away from the bed, toward her, Cam smiled. "All still here."

As Amelia glanced at the lean, fascinating contours of his body, she felt her temperature rise. She turned to the side and spoke rapidly.