“Yes,” Will said testily before muttering a curse. “I’m fine.”
Then she bent down to peer through the slight crack in the door and ignore how dangerously close their bodies still were. But apparently that wasn’t enough for Will and he continued shifting behind her, trying to create as much space as possible.
“Will you stopmoving?” she hissed after a moment. “I promise I won’t touch you again.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
Outside, Maude opened the door to her room and a distinguished-looking man with salt-and-pepper hair immediately strolled in. Lord Fairbanks, Phoebe presumed.
“Why was your door locked?” he demanded.
Maude’s entire demeanor changed upon the earl’s entrance. She batted her eyelashes and gave a careless shrug. “I forgot. Force of habit, I guess. Still getting used to this place.”
The earl stepped closer and gave her a look of such blatant, naked interest that it made Phoebe’s skin crawl. “That’s a pretty gown. Is it new?”
Maude beamed with pride as she did a little turn. “I bought it just yesterday down at Harvey Nicks. Paid for it all by myself.”
A corner of the earl’s mouth turned up, but the smile was closer to a sneer. “What a resourceful little madam you are,” he murmured as he reached out and rubbed the fabric of her skirt between his thumb and forefinger. Even Phoebe could see her flinch. The earl then pulled her against him and moved to kiss Maude’s neck.
“John,” she whispered and leaned away. “You promised…”
He pulled back but his grip tightened around her waist. “And so did you,” he replied darkly.
Maude turned her head to the side. “You can’t blame me for that.”
“Only because I can’t prove it,” he replied in a silky tone edged with venom. Then his manner suddenly lightened as he released her and clapped his hands together. “I’d nearly forgotten why Icame up here in the first place.” Phoebe and Maude both released a breath. “Lord Harcourt is downstairs. You remember him, don’t you? He was in Paris when we—”
“Yes, I remember,” Maude replied wearily as she slumped into a chair.
The earl gave her an expectant look. “Well, he’s asked for you.”
Maude stilled for a moment. “I’m not here to do that,” she said with some of her earlier bravado, but it couldn’t hide the tremble in her words. “It wasn’t part of our arrangement.”
The earl nodded as if mulling over her words and casually walked toward her. “Yes, I know, Maudie. But I don’t really care. I need his support on a vote and this is his price: another evening in your enchanting company, but without my participation this time.”
Phoebe managed to swallow as she grasped what, exactly, had happened in Paris, then felt ashamed by her own naivete. But Will had warned her about what went on in places like these.
Maude began to object, but he grabbed her by the chin and brought her to her feet. “You can buy as many gowns atHarvey Nicksas you damn well please, but that won’t change a thing about you. Ever. You were born in the gutter, and you will die there. This is just a pleasant stop along the way. And until then you will do whatever it is I ask of you. Unless you want to meet your maker a little bit sooner.”
Maude managed to nod even in his tight grip and the earl flashed her an unnerving smile that turned Phoebe’s stomach. “That’s my good girl.”
He then shoved her back down in the chair and looked at his reflection in the mirror by the fireplace. “You have five minutes to come downstairs, or else I’m sending someone up after you,” hesaid calmly as he fixed his perfectly groomed hair. “And they won’t be as nice about it as me.”
The earl then swept out of the room. After a moment, Maude got up and locked the door.
“It’s safe now,” she called to them as she sank back into the chair.
Phoebe burst out of the closet and rushed to her side. “Are you all right?” Before Maude could respond, she pulled a blanket off the sofa and draped it around the woman’s shoulders. “Here, you’re shivering.”
But Maude shrugged it off. “I’m fine,” she snapped.
“Come with us,” Phoebe said impulsively. “We can keep you safe.”
As her bright blue eyes met Phoebe’s, she seemed to consider it for a brief moment, but then her gaze shuttered. “Just—just go.” Then she turned to Will and shot him a fierce look. “And for God’s sake, don’t let her come back here. The earl is a powerful man with even more powerful friends. And they won’t like having anyone interfere with their plans.”
Will seemed to consider revealing his own identity, but the urgency in her voice must have given him pause. “Understood,” he said with a nod, then turned to Phoebe. “Come on. I think we’ve taken up enough of this lady’s time.”
Though Maude had regained some of her earlier bluster, Phoebe still didn’t like the idea of leaving her here. “If you ever change your mind—”
