Worth Any Price (Bow Street Runners #3)(68)

"You look beautiful, my lady," Mrs. Trench commented with obvious pleasure.

Pausing in mid-whirl, Lottie stared at her with a wondering smile. As Nick had not brought himself to make any kind of announcement to the servants about reclaiming his family name and title, it had been left to Lottie to tell them about their master's noble origins. After their initial amazement had faded, the servants had seemed more than a little pleased by the turn of events. If they were to become servants of a peer's household, their own status in the world would be greatly enhanced.

"Thank you, Mrs. Trench," Lottie replied. "As always, you have been invaluable this evening. We couldn't manage without you, especially in the days to come."

"Yes, my lady." The housekeeper wore an expression of frank anticipation. As they had previously discussed, a brand-new household would have to be established in Worcestershire, with at least thirty servants to start with. Mrs. Trench would be largely responsible for selecting and hiring the new staff.

Lottie left the room, her gown swishing and rustling as she moved. As she descended the grand staircase, she saw Nick waiting in the entrance hall, his body as tense as that of a panther about to strike. His broad-shouldered form was dressed to perfection in the formal scheme of a dark coat, silver waistcoat, and a charcoal silk necktie. With his dark brown hair neatly brushed and his face gleaming from a close shave, he was both virile and elegant. His head turned toward her, and suddenly his narrow-eyed impatience was replaced by an arrested expression.

Lottie felt a rush of elation at the look in his eyes. She deliberately took her time about reaching him. "Do I look like a viscountess?" she asked.

His lips quirked wryly. "No viscountess I've ever seen looks like you, Lottie."

She smiled. "Is that a compliment?"

"Oh, yes. In fact..." Nick took her gloved hand and assisted her down the last step. He held her gaze compulsively, his fingers tightening around hers, and he answered her light question with a gravity that stunned her. "You are the most beautiful woman in the world," he said huskily.

"Theworld ?" she repeated with a laugh.

"When I say you're beautiful," he murmured, "I refuse to qualify the statement in any way. Except to add that the only way you could be more so is if you were naked."

She laughed at his audacity. "I am afraid that you will have to reconcile yourself to the fact that I'm going to remain fully clothed tonight."

"Until after the ball," he countered. He tugged at the fingertips of her left glove, loosening them one by one.

"What are you doing?" Lottie asked, suddenly breathless.

His blue eyes taunted her. "Removing your glove."

"For what purpose?"

"To admire your hand." Drawing the glove completely away, he draped it over the nearby banister of the stairs and lifted her tapered fingers to his mouth. Lottie watched as he kissed them each in turn, his lips warm on her skin. By the time he finished with a soft kiss in the center of her palm, her entire arm was tingling. Lowering her hand, Nick regarded it thoughtfully. "It lacks something." Reaching into his pocket, he murmured, "Close your eyes."

Lottie obeyed with a slight smile. She felt something cool and heavy slide over her fourth finger, fitting snugly at the base. Realizing what it was, she opened her eyes and caught her breath.

The ring was a huge, dome-shaped sapphire, a blue that nearly approached the dark, sparkling depth of her husband's eyes. The gem was set in gold, with a ring of smaller diamonds surrounding it. What made the sapphire so remarkable, however, was the star that danced on the silky surface of the gem, appearing to slide across it with the light. Awestruck, Lottie looked up into Nick's dark face.

"Does it please you?" he asked.

Words eluded her. She tightened her fingers on his, her mouth opening and closing before she could manage to speak. "I've never seen anything so lovely. I didn't expect anything like this. Oh, how generous of you!" Impulsively she threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

Nick's arms closed around her. She felt his hot breath on the side of her neck, while his hand drew gently over her lace-covered back. "Don't you know that I would give you anything you wanted?" he said softly. "Anything at all."

Afraid to let him see her expression, Lottie remained close against him, her face averted. He had spoken without thinking. Either that, or the words could not possibly reveal what she thought they did. Nick stiffened, as if realizing what he had just said, and he stepped back from her quickly. Risking a glance at him, Lottie saw the careful blankness of his face, and she remained silent, giving him control of the moment.

Nick shook his head as he painstakingly reassembled his self-possession. When his gaze returned to hers, his eyes were bright with self-mockery. "Shall we depart, Lady Sydney?"

"Yes, Nick," she whispered, and reached for his proffered arm.

Sir Ross had prevailed on a friend in the first tier of society, the duke of Newcastle himself, to host the ball at which the long-lost Lord Sydney would be introduced. The duke and duchess were a distinguished pair, a well-respected couple who had been married for forty years. Their unimpeachable reputations would be quite useful in this situation, for a man as infamous as Nick would certainly need sponsors who were above reproach.

The duke's London estate featured what was tactfully referred to as an "important" house, one so mammoth in scale that visitors frequently lost their way from one circuit of rooms to another. There were innumerable parlors, rooms for breakfasting, supping, or taking coffee, a library, dining hall, and a hunting hall, rooms for studying, smoking, and music. The drawing room was floored with what seemed to be acres of highly polished parquet-work, reflecting light from a half-dozen celestial chandeliers hung two stories above. Lined with balconied galleries above and below, the room provided many pockets of privacy for gossip and intrigue.