“Then we will say you are my mistress under my personal protection.”
Her eyes widened. “And that is supposed to set my mind at ease? It is the same concept!”
“Hardly. A mistress expresses that you are not a whore who jumps from one man’s bed to another. You are devoted to one alone. It is not as rare as you might think for an actress to share the bed of her preferred benefactor. In truth, it is quite common.”
While the prospect of sharing his bed was quite tempting, Aislynn couldn’t allow herself to sink to such depths. “No. I am sorry, but I cannot let people get the wrong impression. My reputation and my talent are all I have. Once they are gone, so is any chance I have of obtaining a respectable survival.”
Chapter
Five
Although Cordell could respect what Miss Sims was saying, the idea that she would be left alone with a murderer on the loose targeting young actresses, was not something he felt comfortable with. Tonight had been entirely too close for comfort. Had the villain been successful in his attempt on her life, Cordell would be staring down into her lifeless green eyes in the morning, rather than trying to convince her that she was safe with him. Her virtue included. His cock might have other ideas on the matter, and while he might have been a licentious libertine at one time, he had turned his focus to understanding his father’s illness and trying to protect others who might be under the same threat. It was that link that he needed her to understand.
“Miss Sims, I am afraid I must insist that you remain here. I will do my best to maintain the utmost discretion, but I feel your life will be in constant danger until this criminal is apprehended or you are dead. I would prefer that the former be the outcome in this scenario.”
She lifted her defiant chin a notch, and he admired her spirit, if not her obstinance. “Then I will see if I can stay with Mia until this all settles down.”
Cordell exhaled slowly. “Let me explain something to you, Miss Sims.” He threaded his hands together and bent forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “If you will recall, I mentioned that my father had been a mass murderer. He killed his wife, my mother, but she was not his only victim.” He paused to allow that to sink in, but when there was nothing forthcoming from his companion other than a silent understanding, he went on. “He was spared the noose and sent to Bedlam because it was believed that the voices he heard contributed to his madness, that they were the result of some sort of deficiency in the brain. When he died, I gave the doctors permission to study him thoroughly, but they were unable to find any sort of contributing factor that caused him to act with such a violent and unpredictable nature.” He took a deep breath, the memory of his sordid past something that always caused his chest to tighten whenever he spoke of it. “I do not speak of this to gather sorrow but to inform you of the reason for my determination to see this latest string of murders brought to an end. It is my hope that they can discover whatever was missing in my father so that I can finally have the closure I have long been denied. After all, there must be a reason that he suddenly changed and went mad.”
There was a brief pause, and when Miss Sims spoke, it was with a quiet conviction. “I completely understand your drive regarding this situation, Mr. Steele, but I do not see what it has to do with me.”
“It has everything to do with you, Miss Sims, because it seems you are the next target, and yet we do not know why. If you are out of the killer’s reach, will the murders stop until he believes he is able to enact his brand of torture on you, or will he move on to his next victim?”
Her eyes widened slightly. “You think I could be the key to his demise?”
“It is a consideration I have had, yes.” He leaned back against the settee, feeling that his point had finally been made clear. “So now you see why I cannot allow you to leave. As much as I would love to grant your request, the need to see this criminal caught outweighs all else. Again, I reiterate that there will be high discretion involved. You need not worry that anything untoward will happen between us. Believe me when I say this is not the first time this house has sheltered its share of refugees from the streets of London, nor will you be the last to walk through those front doors seeking sanctuary.”
Again, surprise was evident in her gaze. “You have turned your home into a refuge?”
Cordell waved a hand. “Look around you. There is nothing personal gracing the walls, no priceless artifacts that might end up being missed. Only one room in this house has any value to me and that is my personal chamber, which is locked whenever I am not in attendance. If there was a time I had to leave, I can promise that anything in there can also be replaced.”
“What sort of ruffians do you allow to enter the front door?” she asked with a shake of her head. “It sounds to me as though you are the one in danger, Mr. Steele, and not I.”
He smiled. “I am an inquiry agent who has not always made friends in my line of work, so there is the possibility that I am not admired by everyone in London, no matter what you might think to the contrary about me gracing every society ballroom. However, I have methods in place in which to protect myself, nor am I without the skill or resources if a dangerous situation warrants action.”
“I am sure that is true,” she murmured, her narrowed eyes appearing to regard him a bit differently now that he had divulged his secrets. Or was he just imagining the slightly smoky appearance in those green depths?
Thinking now was a good time for them to part ways, he rose to his feet. “I’ll show you to your room for the night.”
“You mean for however long you intend I remain?”
He heard the mocking tone in her voice, but he decided it wasn’t in his best interest to continue a losing argument that she was never going to win. Cordell had been focused on this path for too long to be deterred now. This killer could finally unravel the mystery that had eluded him for so long.
He climbed the stairs and made his way down the hall. He did not pause at the mistress’ chamber, but continued down the hall and entered the room farthest from his own. He opened the door and stepped inside to light the lamp on the bedside table. As he allowed the glow to permeate the room, he glanced back at his guest.
She was looking around, and he wondered if she found it lacking. It was very plain—a wardrobe, washstand, and dressing table devoid of any accessories—and the bed. At least he ensured that the sheets were laundered after each guest departed, so she shouldn’t have any qualms about that. “I shall tend to the fire.”
Her gaze slid to him. “You do not employ servants? It seems as if you could afford to do so.”
He decided not to point out that it wasn’t polite to discuss finances, and he wasn’t a prude who felt it necessary not to be proud that his efforts had paid off quite handsomely over the years. “I chose a solitary life because it suits those who wish to find sanctuary here. But I do have a cook who comes by twice a week to fill the lauders, a housekeeper who keeps things neat and tidy, and a washerwoman who takes care of the linens. As for the rest, I am not without the faculties to dress myself and prepare a pot of tea.”
There was a slight softening of her face. “I would have thought you were a gentleman who preferred coffee.”
“I will enjoy a cup on occasion, but I am British through and through. I enjoy my tea.” He moved toward the door, finding it was entirely too intimate to be in such close confines with a woman he was starting to notice more and more. “Feel free to settle in. I will return shortly to stoke the fire.”
At his departure, Aislynn meandered about the room but after a few moments, she gave up and settled on the edge of the bed with a sigh. How was she going to make it through an entire night under the same roof as a virile, enigmatic man like Mr. Steele and sleep soundly? No doubt she would be tossing and turning, imagining sliding into his bed. She had no doubt that he would be a superb lover, and the attraction was certainly there. It was so palpable that she could hardly draw a full breath when he looked at her so boldly with that dark gaze. It was a mistake to stay here but with his highhanded demeanor, it didn’t appear as though she had any other choice in the matter. And after comparing this comfortable room with the drafty, and at times vermin-ridden flat, she had to admit this was the sort of existence that she had always dreamed of enjoying.
However, it was fanciful dreams like that which could be just as dangerous as her handsome host. She had told Mr. Steele that her career was what mattered above all else. Then again, if she was dead, it wasn’t as if any sort of fame would help to revive her. That would be it, the curtain drawn.
