Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath Read Free Book Online

“Helen, please pack a few things for Henry and yourself. I’m having a coach brought ’round to the front. We dare not tarry.”
    She could hardly believe the desperate measures to which Lovingdon’s death had brought her. He’d been only fifty-one. When she’d married him six years ago, he’d seemed so frightfully mature, but in death he’d suddenly seemed so terribly young, taken before his time. She’d hardly had a spare moment to think about him, about what life would be like without him. And if she had, she’d have certainly never envisioned it taking the turn it had tonight. Still, she had responsibilities and she would see to them as best she could. Duty did not have the luxury of taking time to mourn.
    Once everything was ready and Henry was properly attired, Olivia took his hand and led him down the stairs. Her lady’s maid was waiting for her in the foyer.
    â€œThe footmen have loaded our things into the boot of the coach,” Maggie told Olivia.
    They’d packed very little because a hasty retreat was required in order to gain an effective escape. Escape. Not a word she’d ever thought to associate with herlife, but there she was, fleeing into the night as though she were a thief. If she weren’t so tired, perhaps she could think of another strategy, but at that moment she wanted only to be away from the madness. “Good. Let’s be off.”
    With a footman carrying a lantern and leading the way, and another carrying her son, Olivia dashed out into the night. Down the grand steps that led up to the home she’d fallen in love with. Scurrying off into the darkness of night left a crushing ache in her chest. If she were a weaker woman, she thought she’d succumb to tears, but they wouldn’t change her circumstance. She had to remain strong for Henry. She had to protect him at all costs. She knew Jack Dodger’s sort. He wanted everything easily, without effort. Once they were gone, he’d not bother to come after them. He would have the residence and its contents, which she was convinced was all he truly wanted.
    She hurried across the cobblestone drive, aware of the thick fog absorbing and muting the echo of her footsteps. This night seemed perfectly designed for stealing away.
    A liveried footman opened the door to the waiting coach and assisted her inside. As she settled onto the plush bench, she became aware of a familiar scent—
    â€œGoing somewhere, Duchess?”
    She released a blood-curdling scream at the unexpected smoky voice reverberating from the shadowy corner of the coach. She might have continued to scream if not for the infuriatingly dark chuckle that quickly followed. She now knew the echo of Satan’s laughter, and it was not a sound that invited others to join in the merriment.
    â€œYour Grace?” one of the footmen questioned.
    â€œShe’s fine,” Jack Dodger said as he grabbed the lantern from the footman and hung it from an inside hook, the lantern’s golden glow illuminating the confines of the coach, illuminating him. He somehow managed to look amused and irritated at the same time. And so very, very dangerous.
    Just inside the doorway, still held by the other footman, Henry had yelled when she’d screamed and now he was crying forcefully. Reaching out, she took him and pressed her trembling child to her quaking bosom. “Shh. Henry, it’s all right. Mummy just had a fright, that’s all. But this man will not harm you, darling. I promise you that.”
    As though reassured by her words, Henry stopped his crying and began to noisily suck his thumb. It was a habit of which Olivia wasn’t particularly fond, but neither she nor his nanny had encountered any success in breaking it. At that particular moment, it didn’t seem worth the bother of worrying over. She had much larger concerns to address.
    If she were prone to using obscenities, Olivia thought, now