Mistress - Amanda Quick [46]
“So?”
“So I am hoping to either find the second seal, which he no doubt keeps hidden, or to discover traces of the black wax in his wax jack.”
“The jack. Of course.” Marcus gave her a look of grudging respect. “Highly unlikely that he would have two jacks to melt wax.”
“Precisely. Even if he uses two different colors of wax, he would no doubt melt both in the same jack.” Iphiginia examined the wax jack on Lartmore’s desk. She could see only traces of red wax.
“Well?” Marcus asked blandly.
“I do not see any bits of black wax.”
“I believe I indicated earlier that you would not. Lartmore has his idiosyncrasies, but he is no blackmailer.”
Iphiginia set down the wax jack. “Nobody likes a person who is always saying ‘I told you so,’ my lord.”
His mouth curved slightly. “I’ll bear that in mind.”
“You do that.”
Marcus studied her. “Have you got anything else to go on besides the color of the blackmailer’s sealing wax and a phoenix design?”
“No.” She shot him a disgruntled look. “And even if I did, I’m not at all certain that I would share the information with you, now that I know you do not trust me.”
“It is obvious that our association is going to be of a somewhat tricky nature, Mrs. Bright.”
“It all seems quite simple to me.”
“Does it, indeed?”
“Yes, it does,” Iphiginia said coldly. “We are bound by a single mutual interest. We both wish to discover the identity of the blackmailer, although in your case I believe you are merely seeking proof that I am guilty.”
“On the contrary, Iphiginia. There is something else that binds us together as surely as the search for the blackmailer.”
She gave him a wary glance as she tried one of the desk drawers. “What is that?”
“Passion, my dear Mrs. Bright. Pure, unbridled, honest passion. Or have you already forgotten what happened out in the statuary hall?”
She blushed. “I have not forgotten. I will admit it was a very interesting experience.”
“Thank you.” He inclined his head with mocking grace.
“I have, however, begun to think that it might be best to avoid such experiences in the future.”
Marcus’s eyes gleamed in the candlelight. “What makes you think you will be able to avoid them?”
“You will find, my lord, that I am a woman of exceedingly strong willpower. I generally accomplish what I set out to accomplish.” She put out the candle. “Come, let’s be off. There is nothing of interest here.”
“I disagree.” Marcus’s voice was soft with challenge as he straightened away from the desk. He took her arm. “My interest has been well and truly whetted, my dear Mrs. Bright. And as is the case with yourself, I generally accomplish what I set out to accomplish.”
SEVEN
TWO DAYS LATER IPHIGINIA SAT AT THE DESK IN HER LIBRARY and studied a sketch of a design she was creating for the first level of a house. It was one of a series of designs that she was completing for the new construction project that she and Amelia were organizing.
The square of town houses was to be known as Bright Place in honor of her parents. The name of the project was still a secret known only to those in Iphiginia’s small circle of relatives and to her trusty man of affairs, Adam Manwaring. Until her masquerade was concluded, Iphiginia did not want the name of the square to become widely known. She feared the rumors. At the very least, she would be hounded to death at parties by potential investors. At worst, questions might be raised which could, in turn, invite inquiries into her past.
The houses in Bright Place would be unlike so many of those being built in English towns these days. She had not set out to re-create any one particular classical design. Rather, Iphiginia wanted to produce a harmonious blend of the best of ancient and modern designs.
She was concerned with both exterior and interior elements. Her efforts took into account such factors as the English temperament and the climate. Quality of the building