Miss Lavigne's Little White Lie Read online

  The perpetually foxed vicar could drink his weight in burgundy, rum, or brandy. Perhaps all three at once. He wouldn’t be the best candidate to assist Daniel, but he was all that was available.

  Daniel stalked across the terrace, his boots striking the stone. “Come with me.” Grabbing the clergyman’s upper arm, he dragged the man toward the gardens.

  Mr. Ramsey’s shrill scream sounded like a lady. “Don’t hurt me. I’ll give you anything you want.”

  “Silence. I have no cause to harm you.”

  The vicar released a loud sigh.

  “Yet,” Daniel added for good measure, earning a pathetic whimper. “When we find Mademoiselle Vistoire, you must escort her inside where she’ll be safe. Her reputation will be less damaged if she is discovered with you. Now, help me locate her.”

  Together, they infiltrated the gardens. Daniel called her name quietly. Mr. Ramsey attempted to call to her as well, but his mouth issued a series of slurs before he tripped over a flagstone.

  Daniel caught him before he fell. “Perhaps you should lay off the spirits, sir.”

  “I only had one drink. Maybe two, but the glass was half empty each time.”

  Daniel didn’t care to argue the point. “Try to be of assistance,” he snapped and released the vicar.

  If Daniel were smart, he would leave the man in Port Albis. He wouldn’t, of course, not after he had given his word to carry the man to England in exchange for performing the marriage ceremony for his brother.

  They scoured the gardens until Daniel was ready to give up, but a rustle in the bushes brought him up short. A soft mewling sound came from the other side of the hedge. He put his finger to his lips to signal for the vicar to remain quiet. Easing around the hedge, Daniel discovered Mademoiselle Vistoire sitting on the ground with her knees hugged to her chest. Her head rested on her arms folded across her knees, and her lithe frame shook with suppressed sobs. Light from one of the garden torches cast her in shadow.

  “Mademoiselle, please don’t cry.”

  She looked up, but Daniel’s request had the opposite effect of what he intended. The woman dropped her head back down and wept in earnest.

  “What the bloody hell?” Mr. Ramsey rounded the hedge in haste and careened into a rose bush. “Damnation! What the devil has me?” A thorn had snagged the man’s coat, and he thrashed like a fish in a net. When the connection was severed, he stumbled forward and plopped to his knees. Another round of curse words not fit for anyone’s ears, much less a lady’s, flew from the vicar’s mouth with amazing clarity given his drunken state.

  Mademoiselle Vistoire’s tears had ceased, and she stared at the vicar with wide eyes. “Gracious, Father. Perhaps you should ask for forgiveness as long as you are on your knees.”

  Daniel met her gaze. A soft giggle escaped her, soon followed by a full belly laugh. Her reaction caught him by surprise, but laughter was an improvement over her tears.

  Mr. Ramsey fixed his blurry eyes on her and frowned. “Father? I’m your father? How could that be? I’ve always been so bloody cautious.”

  Mademoiselle Vistoire hooted, doubling over and holding her stomach. Her laughter was so intense she tipped over to lie on the grass.

  The corners of Mr. Ramsey’s mouth inched upward. “What’s so bloody funny?” He chuckled. His expression brightened, and he chuckled once more. Mademoiselle Vistoire’s laughter proved to be contagious, and soon the vicar issued hearty guffaws despite having no clue he was the joke.

  For Pete’s sake. They both were insane. And Daniel must have been deranged himself to expect any help from the vicar. Hooking the man under his arms, Daniel hauled him to his feet.

  “Mademoiselle, would you lend your assistance? Mr. Ramsey is three sheets to the wind.”

  She wiped the tears from her cheeks before pushing to her feet and dusting off her gown. “What will you do with him?”

  Daniel clamped an arm around the man’s waist and urged him back toward the house. “Deliver him to his chambers where he may sleep off his fog.”

  “How shall I provide assistance?”

  He glanced at her over his shoulder. “If you follow us inside, I need not be concerned for your safety.”

  She nodded sagely. “I see.” Falling in place, she walked back to the house behind Daniel and the vicar. They passed through a back door and ascended the servants’ staircase. She waited outside Mr. Ramsey’s chamber door while Daniel tucked him into bed.

  When Daniel rejoined her in the corridor, her gaze dropped, reminding him of Lisette. A rush of affection softened his attitude toward her cousin.

  “I’m mortified by my earlier behavior, sir. I hope you do not think ill of me.”

  He lifted her chin so she must look him in the eye. “I consider you brave beyond your years, mademoiselle, and your family loyalty is to be commended. I’ll do nothing to bring harm to you, Lisette, or Rafe. On my honor, I shall protect you with my life. You needn’t trouble yourself over your cousin either. I promise not to take advantage of her.”

  She blinked back more tears and inhaled a shaky breath. “I shall hold you to your word, Captain.”

  “I have full confidence that you will, mademoiselle.” He offered his arm. “Shall we return to the ball?”

  “I prefer to retire, if it is all the same to you. I’ll send a message to Lisette so she won’t worry.”

  “As you wish.” Daniel escorted her to her chamber door then returned to the ballroom. The quartet was playing a minuet. He searched the sidelines for Lisette, but a swirl of plum skirts on the ballroom floor demanded his attention. She was dancing with a gentleman who ogled her like a dog eyeing a juicy steak, probably thinking her widowhood marked her as an easy conquest.

  Daniel had thought the same of her when they first met, as would every man making her acquaintance. Widows were fair game in the art of seduction.

  Fire streaked through his veins when her dance partner’s hand missed hers and brushed the side of her breast. The man was too conveniently clumsy for Daniel’s liking.

  Lisette flushed, her lashes fluttering as she seemed to be working out if the man’s action was intentional or a true accident. Daniel held his breath, hoping she would trust her intuition, but she continued the dance, offering a polite smile to her partner.

  Damn Lisette for lying. She had risked her virtue by boarding the Cecily and pretending to be a widow. Even now, her reputation would be destroyed if word of her traveling without a chaperone reached London. For the love of God, she had slept in his bed. Touched his bare chest. Reverently. Admiringly. The memory aroused him to no end.

  The only honorable response was to offer marriage.

  Daniel’s fingers curled into fists when the bloody gent’s hand slipped again and grazed her arse. Lisette needed to be saved from herself. Unfortunately for her partner, nothing would save him from a sound beating.

  Sixteen

  Lisette allowed Monsieur Ethelbert to parade her around the perimeter of the ballroom floor at the end of the dance, following a long line of other couples. Daniel had failed to mention anything about a promenade in his lessons. She would take him to task for his omission later. She would have felt foolish had she left Monsieur Ethelbert alone on the ballroom floor, especially after he had pledged to make arrangements on her behalf to travel aboard the Lena Mae.

  She had been observing a quadrille when Monsieur Ethelbert discovered her hiding in an alcove and requested her dance card. Too embarrassed to hand him her card allotting every dance to Daniel, she had slipped it into a potted fern, linked arms with Monsieur Ethelbert, and led him toward the dance floor. Her bold acceptance had the poor man turning two shades of red, but she hadn’t wanted him to discover her card in the plant. Fortunately, he seemed unaffected by her lack of decorum in the long term and what he lacked in grace while performing the minuet, he made up for it in eagerness to help solve her dilemma.

  When they rounded the corner of the dance floor, Daniel moved into their path. A sco
wl darkened his handsome face.

  “Egads,” Monsieur Ethelbert mumbled, coming up short and dragging Lisette to a stop.

  She ignored Daniel’s menacing presence and turned her back on him. “Thank you for the turn about the floor, monsieur. You will keep your promise to call on me tomorrow, will you not?”

  “My pleasure, madame.” Monsieur Ethelbert lifted her hand to place a kiss on her knuckles but flinched and dropped her hand as if contact might sear his lips.

  Monsieur Ethelbert shot another look beyond her shoulder where Daniel lurked. She had known he was there. She felt his eyes burning holes into her back.

  “Nice to have made your acquaintance, madame. Until tomorrow.” Monsieur Ethelbert was still uttering his good-bye as he scooted away.

  Lisette swung back toward her self-appointed protector. She too had been wary in their first encounter, but the captain possessed a soft heart underneath his hard exterior. Yet, when he behaved like Attila the Hun, his ability to be kind was overshadowed. Daniel had best not have frightened the man away for good or she would box his ears.

  She could overlook his boorishness for the moment, however. After all, they would part ways soon, and she wouldn’t attempt to fool herself into believing she wouldn’t miss him.

  Offering a grin in greeting, she approached him. When he didn’t return her smile or give evidence of meeting her in the middle, a sense of foreboding settled on her shoulders. She searched the faces around her. Serafine was nowhere in the vicinity.

  Quickly closing the distance between her and Daniel, Lisette drew in a shaky breath. “Where’s Serafine? Is something wrong?”

  “She has retired for the evening.” His expression gave away nothing.

  “Is she ill? Perhaps I should go to her.”

  “Your cousin is fine. Dance with me.” Grasping her upper arm, he led her onto the floor without waiting for her consent.

  She jerked her arm from his grip. “You needn’t manhandle me, monsieur.”

  “Well, pardon me, madame.” Daniel took her hand with exaggerated care, mocking her, as they assumed position for the waltz. She narrowed her eyes. If he insisted on being unpleasant, Lisette could match him deed for deed. They locked gazes as the interlude between sets stretched out. She refused to look away first.

  “Don’t try my patience any more than you already have, Lisette.”

  “Do not try mine.”

  The viola’s smooth voice lifted on the air and soon swept over her, dulling the edge of her irritation. When the cello’s deep wail took lead and high-pitched violins wove in and out in the background, she set aside her desire to do battle with Daniel, at least while they waltzed. Afterward, his ears would receive a blistering.

  She loved twirling the floor in his arms. He danced like a gentleman and made her forget for a moment what a scoundrel he was. Daniel’s gracefulness made her feel beautiful and skillful. With the lightest of touches to her upper back, he guided her around the floor, gazing down at her the entire time, his eyes burning with something she didn’t recognize. Her stomach began to make loops to rival the most experienced of couples on the dance floor.

  Daniel shook his head. “It’s baffling how I couldn’t see the truth until this moment.”

  “I fear I missed a vital part of this conversation. Please enlighten me as to the topic.”

  “You’re untouched, an innocent.”

  Lisette stumbled over his boot but recovered her footing thanks to his quick assistance. “How absurd. You are well aware I’m a wi—” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, but her protest to his accusation refused to dislodge.

  “Look at me.” Daniel’s tone discouraged argument, and she met his heated blue gaze for a moment before looking away. Why did it seem he could see inside her?

  “Tell me I am mistaken, Lis.”

  “I’m sorry. I cannot.”

  A grim smile softened his features. “I’m relieved to see lies don’t come easily to you. Explain yourself.”

  “I believe you already know the details. You wish to test me.”

  “I want to know the reason you misrepresented yourself,” he said with uncharacteristic calm. “Your actions were reckless and foolish. I demand an explanation. You slept in my bed, Lis.”

  “You were ill,” she murmured. A light perspiration dampened her brow.

  Daniel’s placid expression while he chastised her rankled, and she didn’t appreciate his candor in a public venue. She would not defend her actions here with onlookers.

  “I don’t wish to discuss my circumstances, monsieur. Upon our first meeting, you said my troubles are not your concern. We agreed on that point.”

  The music ended moments later, and Lisette stalked from the floor. Daniel matched her stride and linked arms.

  “You’ll not escape easily, mademoiselle.”

  His iron hold kept her in place as they performed the promenade in strained silence. Instead of releasing her at the end of the parade as she expected, he directed her toward the exit.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Somewhere private. We have a matter of great importance to discuss.”

  Lisette clenched her teeth. “You have no authority over me, monsieur.”

  “That’s to change.”

  She tried to break his grip. “Release me at once.”

  “No.” He didn’t slow his pace or loosen his grasp on her arm.

  The governor’s wife emerged from the crowd and moved into their path. “Captain Hillary, there you are.”

  He slid to a stop, jerking Lisette back when she didn’t anticipate his sudden halt.

  “Your Excellency.” Daniel bowed stiffly but kept a firm hold on Lisette.

  Cecily’s mother swept her assessing gaze over her then turned a grave look on Daniel. “You aren’t leaving, are you, Captain? I had hoped we might share a dance.”

  Lisette seized the opportunity to rid herself of his boorish company. “Captain Hillary was escorting me to the door. I am retiring for the evening.”

  “So soon, madame?” she asked. “I do hope you aren’t feeling under the weather.”

  “I’m fit, Your Excellency, but unaccustomed to this amount of activity. The evening has been delightful, but I pray you will excuse me.”

  Cecily’s mother tipped her head. Gray streaked through her golden tresses and fine lines etched the corners of her nearly translucent blue eyes, but the bloom of her youthful beauty remained. Had Cecily resembled her mother? If so, she’d been lovely. It was no wonder Daniel couldn’t forget her.

  A pain throbbed in Lisette’s chest, but she forced a polite smile for Daniel so as not to alert the first lady to their troubles. “Please, dance with Her Excellency, Captain Hillary. I’m capable of finding the door.”

  His jaw twitched, and Lisette held her breath, steeling herself for an argument. Slowly, his fingers uncurled from her forearm, and he offered his hand to Cecily’s mother.

  “Indeed, madame.” His pointed stare communicated that their conversation was not over. “Your Excellency, shall we?”

  “Splendid.” Cecily’s mother accepted his hand and moved toward the dance floor. “Good evening, Madame Lavigne,” she said without looking back.

  The first lady’s dismissal stung, but not as much as Daniel’s low opinion of her. Surely, he thought her a trollop after their kisses and presence in his bedchamber. And maybe he was correct. Maybe she was a wicked young woman, because Mary help her, she couldn’t trust herself in his presence.

  ***

  Daniel’s gaze strayed to the ballroom entrance for signs of Lisette returning. His teeth ground together as he ruminated on their situation. Her recklessness left him no choice but to offer for her. At his core, he remained a gentleman, and compromising an innocent was not to be tolerated.

  Damnation. A rush of frustration made him shake. He’d had no choice in his first marriage either, and he hated being the casualty of a young woman’s carelessness again.

  Yet, this ha
d never been a game for Lisette as it had been for Cecily. In the corridor at The Abyss, Lisette had pleaded with him through her eyes. She had denied any danger, but he’d recognized the truth and ignored his misgivings. Daniel wanted answers now. He wanted to know what had made her so desperate to leave New Orleans.

  “What do you think you are doing in regards to Madame Lavigne, Daniel?”

  His mother-in-law’s cutting tone snatched him back to the present. He hadn’t been the recipient of her stern frown since the morning he’d stood before Cecily’s father and accepted responsibility for compromising their daughter. Cecily’s mother had stared at him that day, shaking her head as if she couldn’t comprehend his gall, much like now.

  Did she realize his intentions with Lisette? He hadn’t considered how Cecily’s parents would look upon him taking another wife.

  “You misunderstand, Your Excellency.”

  Her brows migrated together, displaying her increasing disapproval.

  “I promised to deliver Madame Lavigne and her family to England,” he rushed to explain. “Our association is impersonal, or it has been.”

  “Balderdash. I saw you whisking the young woman to the terrace, and I suspect your intentions were less than honorable.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’ve been aware of your appetites for some time, sir. There are no secrets in Port Albis, no matter how discreet one might think he is.”

  Daniel hadn’t blushed since he was an untried youth, yet he burned with the intensity of a flame doused with oil.

  “Enough of this foolishness. It is past time we spoke of Cecily and set things to rights. I shall summon you on the morrow. Be ready.”

  She walked away before the music ended, leaving him alone to face the curious stares of the other guests.

  Seventeen

  Daniel paced the gallery as he waited for Cecily’s parents. He stopped to check his watch. Was this part of their punishment? To build up his dread until he wanted to climb the walls? He started to put his watch away, but checked it once more to reassure himself he hadn’t read it wrong.