Page 51 of Only Pleasure Will Do

Chapter 22

Stillness after a long time of gentle movement brought Amorina back into consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open and the soft warmth of the cocoon in which she’d imagined she was wrapped became the bed and covers of Lord Edgemont’s carriage, now stopped. Reginald lay beside her, his eyes closed. She blinked and sighed. So tired. Reflexively, she swallowed and moaned aloud. Shards of glass seemed to prick the inside of her throat.

Reginald’s eyes popped open. “What’s wrong?”

“Hurts.” The croaked whisper sounded nothing like her usual voice.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” He stroked her cheek softly, as if touching a butterfly. “We seem to have arrived at the docks.”

The overpowering stench of fish and saltwater had told her that as well.

“I’ll check with Dalbury. Stay still. I’ll be right back.” He sat up, rubbing his face, then opened the door, bringing in more smells of the sea and the shriek of gulls.

When he shut the door, she closed her eyes once more and swallowed carefully. Less pain this time, thank goodness. Perhaps she would mend after all. She idly ran her hand over the covers where Reginald had lain, still warm from his big body. Unfortunate that she’d been so indisposed during the ride to the docks.

Why were they at the docks?

The fogs of sleep swirled away. Tommy Redmond.

She gasped and sat up, sending waves of pain through her neck and throat. Clenching her teeth to keep from crying out, she slid over to the door and looked out the window. The bustle of the busy docks swirled around the carriage, but Reginald was nowhere to be seen. She pushed the door open and slowly stepped onto the wooden planks. Turning her body this way and that, she finally spotted him and Lord Dalbury at the end of a pier. With halting steps, she joined them.

Motionless, the two men stared out at the choppy water, five or six large ships bobbing within easy reach of the wharf.

“Which one is Redmond’s ship?” The pain of speaking dulled a little, though the whispery quality did not seem to be diminishing. That it might never do so was not anything she wished to contemplate at the moment, so she peered at the ship closest to them. There were small boats rowing back and forth between the docks and ships. It would be easy enough for Reginald to commandeer one, row out to Redmond’s ship, and snatch him off it. She scanned the deck of the closest ship, trying to pick out the loathsome figure.

“Over here, Maddy.” Reginald pointed toward the London Bridge, to their right. “If you look through the pilings of the bridge, you can just see the Suzannah heading for the Channel.”

“He’s gone?” The tiny speck he indicated could scarcely be seen. Disappointment seemed to make her neck hurt worse. She’d never have justice served against either Redmond or Lord Edgemont.

“Put out to sea half an hour ago.” Lord Dalbury stared out at the water then sighed and turned away. “I suspected we would not be in time. And it’s perhaps best that he’s gone. Retribution may have been sweet, but I believe it would have come at a price, Miss Forrester.”

Amorina staggered so badly Reginald grasped her around the waist to keep her from sinking to the ground. “You know?”

Dalbury nodded. “For quite some time. When I first visited your establishment, I wondered how such a young woman had the means to set up an elaborate and expensive business on the scale of the House of Pleasure. So I made inquiries. Fitch’s name came up in connection with the previous brothel owner, and it was easy enough to discover he’d been made your guardian when your father died. Also notable was that Miss Forrester had disappeared from Fitch’s household about eight months before Amorina Vestry burst upon the scene in Covent Garden.” He smiled at her, his eyes kind. “You did once mention to me that you had a child. That was the final piece of information I needed to realize who you must be.”

“Why didn’t you do something, Dalbury?” The accusatory tone in Reginald’s voice was sharp.

“By the time I figured out who she was, I was being set upon by the Society hounds. Ferrers had died scandalously, Juliet’s life was in shambles thanks to St. Cyr, and I was being accused of owning the House of Pleasure.” He shrugged. “With my own reputation in tatters, I could scarcely have done anything that would’ve helped her. Then when I returned, it started all over again, thanks to Redmond’s treachery.” This time, he grinned. “He did do me the greatest favor, however, in arranging it so I was more or less forced to marry Katarina.”

“I wonder if she sees it that way as well?” Reginald chuckled.

“Oh, I think she would still like to see his head on a pike right up there.” Dalbury pointed to the bridge. “If such gruesome customs still existed.”

Amorina nestled against Reginald’s chest. At the moment, she simply wanted to go home, although just where home was she couldn’t quite decide. With Pearl here… “Pearl.” She looked up at Reginald. “Where did you say she is?”

“Bow Street, sweetheart. Being spoiled, no doubt, by Mrs. Dove and all the Runners. Our very next stop is to pick her up.”

“Once you do, please bring Miss Forrester and her daughter to Dunham House.” Dalbury’s tone made it a command. “She’ll be more comfortable there during her convalescence.”

“I don’t think he’ll take no for an answer,” Reginald whispered, making her smile. Such a secluded and private place would certainly make her life easier while Pearl was in town.

“Then, by all means, thank you for the invitation, my lord.” They started for the carriage, Reginald’s arm possessively around her waist, sending a wave of warm sadness through her. All her problems couldn’t be solved as easily, but she could be oh so content for the moment.

* * * *

Her reunion with her daughter was sweeter than Amorina had ever dared hope. The busy Runners’ office stopped as Pearl broke away from Mrs. Dove and ran into her mother’s arms.

“Mama, I missed you so much.” She tried to put her arms around her mother’s neck, but Amorina shied away.