Chapter Nineteen

The air of good humour with which they had begun their journey dwindled into silence before the carriage had travelled very far.

Pip and Allegra found themselves each busy with their own thoughts as the steady clop of the horses’ hooves drew them towards their destination. A slight drizzle softened the night and the streets through which they drove were, for the moment, quiet.

Pip let a sigh escape him, which caught her attention. There was little light inside the hired hack, but enough for her to make out the silhouette of his face and the occasional reflected glint in his eyes as they scanned the damp London roads.

“Worried, Pip?”

“Oh, no.” His voice was dry. “I’m only about to go into one of the worst parts of this city, in an atrocious disguise, accompanied by my wife, who has decided to dress like a third-rate doxy, and spy on a man who was supposed to have been dead for years and who is almost certainly up to no good at all. He will see us as a serious impediment to his plans if he finds out we’re there and will most likely do his best to see we never reveal his nefarious plot by contriving to do away with both of us. No, I’m not worried.”

“Ah, irony,” commented his wife sagely.

“Actually, that was unbridled sarcasm,” muttered the unhappy man.

“Look Pip, I may be rash at times, but I have no intention of jeopardising either you, myself, or this plan of ours. I think it’s important that we find out what this villain is doing, and I can’t see any other way open to us. You know I’m right.” Allegra placed a reassuring hand on Pip’s sleeve, only to remove it and wipe it on her dress with a little wince of distaste.

“I know. Yes, you’re right. But I’m still going to worry anyway, no matter what you say.” His answer contained an unspoken pout, rare for a peer of the realm.

“That’s perfectly acceptable,” she replied soothingly. “I expect it’s the waiting that you’re finding difficult. I know I wish that we were there...”

It seemed that Ally’s wishes were to be granted, because as soon as the words were out of her mouth, the carriage slowed and a tap on the roof from Vivian gave them the prearranged signal.

They were indeed “there”.

After whispered farewells to Vivian, the couple began their stroll towards the “Angel’s Wing”. The drizzle didn’t seem to keep people at their firesides in this part of London, and these streets were busier than Allegra had expected.

All kinds of folks were abroad this night plying all kinds of different trades.

In addition to the women on the street, there were the sellers of hot chestnuts, their stands always welcome on a chilly evening.

There were the city criers calling the hour of the night, peddlers of various sundries—one never knew what time one might need a kettle or a new knife—and, as always, the lurking undercurrent of darkness muttering the secrets of fortunes to be made, women to be pleasured, and vices to be explored.

As they walked, Allegra noticed that Pip was doing his best to shield her from the more blatant sights and sounds of the night.

She did not see the beating that was taking place down one poorly lit alley, she only heard a scuffle. She could not make out the more graphic advances being proffered by the local doxies to their prospective clients.

But he could not protect her from the smell of open sewers, or the sounds from some of the houses they passed. She shuddered and tried not to imagine what was going on behind the shuttered windows. When people came too close to the couple, Pip would slide an arm around Allegra’s waist and look down into her face, shadowing her from anyone else’s sight.

“We are near now, I think...” She was breathless, but whether from the tightness of her corset or the closeness of her husband, she couldn’t tell.

A shadowed doorway loomed just ahead of them, and Pip urged Allegra into it. From this position he could protect her with his body and yet still keep an eye on the door of the tavern through which light was shining.

“This is as good a spot as any to keep watch for Falworth.” His whisper warmed her neck. “I can see the Angel’s Wing and pretend to be sampling your wares at the same time...sort of killing two birds with one stone.”

“Just as long as we can spot him coming,” mouthed Allegra.

She could see nothing but Pip looming against the ineffective light from the street behind him. He filled her vision, and for a moment she was content to have it so.

“All quiet at the moment.” He eased himself slightly closer so that he could watch the street more effectively.

It might have been a mistake.

His movement brought him into intimate contact with Allegra’s cleavage, which was, in all fairness to his Lordship, thrusting its way into his consciousness.

“Oh God, Ally, this is not easy...” Pip lowered his head to drop a light kiss on the soft and fragrant skin above her lace. A brief thought about her reaction crossed his mind, but the lure of her bosom was too great.

A sudden intake of breath was all the answer he needed, but before he could follow his inclinations, his wife went rigid against him.

“Listen, Pip...listen...” she hissed.

Obediently he froze, head cocked slightly, trying to hear whatever it was that she had detected. After a few moments, he heard it. Over the noise of the streets, there was a distinct yapping sound that hadn’t been there before.

“A dog? Allegra, what is it? You hear a dog?”

“Not any dog, but a dog I know. That’s Dauphin’s bark, I’m positive of it.”

“Who the devil is Dauphin?”

“He’s Madame’s pug, and completely obnoxious. I’m sure it’s him...oh lord, it is him and Madame’s with him...and they’re coming this way...”

Pip heard the silent panic in her voice as the dog’s yippy bark became louder and the voice that accompanied it became unmistakable.

“Her pug isn’t the only thing with her...” He darted a quick glance down the street. “Follow my lead Ally...trust me.”

And with those words, Pip wrapped both arms round Allegra and lowered his lips to hers.

The kiss that followed drove all thoughts of everything as mundane as French émigrés and Indian Rajahs completely out of Pip’s mind. Some little part of his consciousness realised that they were perfectly concealed from sight, but the rest of his world was whirling in a vortex of sensations.

His lips heated as they moved against hers—his hands holding her closer, stroking her back and shoulders and anything else he could reach. His tongue thrust deeply, tasting her, learning her, and urging her to respond.

“See ze passion of ze young, mon ami?” A heavily accented voice pierced the darkness. “Mon Dieu, I would give ze world for to have it encore...Oh ze naughty Dauphin...come queeek an’ maybe ze greedy lover will not notice ze boots, heh?”

A hoarse laugh followed this comment, and two sets of footsteps receded toward the tavern.

Pip tried to relax, but nothing could have made him stop what he was doing at that moment.

Having denied himself Allegra’s charms for so long, he shamelessly took advantage of the situation. For several moments after the imminent danger of exposure was past, he continued to explore the delicacies offered by his wife who, it should be mentioned, was in full support of his activities.

Their lips continued to meet, sometimes softly, sometimes passionately, and Pip urged Ally’s movements to follow his as his tongue explored the contours of her mouth.

Not to be outdone, his hands roved over every inch of his wife that he could reach, caressing, pulling, squeezing, and stroking until he thought that he might explode from the pleasure of it.

Her soft moan penetrated Pip’s consciousness, and he relaxed his hold on her at last. “Oh God Ally...” he murmured. “Why are we doing this in some damnable doorway? Let’s go home where I can show you the right way...” His lips returned to hers.

“Pip...” gasped Allegra. “Remember why we’re here—please.” Using all the strength she had left, she pushed Pip away from her slightly, enough to allow them both to recover themselves.

“Damn...damn....” he muttered under his breath. “This is getting rather more complicated than I’d thought...”

“I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have let you get so—er—I shouldn’t have kissed you back. Um—I’m sorry—” Allegra knew she was babbling and trying to hide her embarrassment, but that her eyes and lips were probably giving her away.

“No, sweetheart—not that...” Pip gave her a quick, hard kiss to silence her protestations. “I’m talking about the woman who just passed us. You said you know her?”

She drew a deep breath and found that a sharp stay was digging painfully into her ribcage. The uncomfortable sensation helped her refocus her attention on matters at hand and stopped the whirling of her heart.

“Ow...” She wriggled in an effort to find a more comfortable position. “Yes...that’s Madame. The Frenchwoman I worked for after I left Falworth. I’d know that dog’s bark anywhere because I heard it often enough from morning to night...”

“And if I’m not mistaken, the little pest has expressed his opinion of me by watering my boot...” said Pip, disgustedly shaking the offending piece of footwear.

“That would be just like Dauphin...” She nobly fought down the urge to giggle.

“Well, the dog isn’t our immediate problem.” He leaned against the doorjamb thoughtfully. “What was Madame’s full name? I don’t think you ever mentioned it?”

Allegra frowned. “You know, that’s a difficult question. She was just Madame to all of us for so long. Let me think...oh yes...her letters were addressed to Madame de Boisvert, I think, but...”

“But?” Pip prompted her as she continued to ponder the question.

“I seem to remember seeing a crest of some description and there was a wolf on it. I couldn’t associate it with de Boisvert at all. It was on a brooch in her dresser. I had to clean her room you see....”

Her words trailed off, and she found herself not only unwilling to recall her days as a maid but also realising that she had lost Pip’s attention.

“A wolf, eh? Well, well. I think we’ve discovered quite an interesting little conundrum here, my love...”

“You do?” Allegra blinked at his words of endearment.

“Are you familiar with the name von Grunewald?”

“No? Er...wait a minute...it sounds as though I have heard it before, but I can’t quite place it...” She frowned and tilted her head to try and see an expression on Pip’s face.

“Count von Grunewald was a highly respected intelligence officer for the French who turned traitor. He had an entrée into an assortment of European courts, and he used his contacts to devastating advantage. He was able to insinuate himself into a high-ranking circle around General Blucher by virtue of his Prussian connections, and did quite a bit of damage before he was finally unmasked and executed. It was held that his wife was an accomplice, but she disappeared before charges could be brought. I think you may have been working for the notorious Countess von Grunewald without realising it.”

“Incredible.” muttered Allegra. “One would never guess. She certainly had a commanding personality...and I could sense a certain coldness and ability to use others as she needed. She made no bones about using me and my title, if it helped her at all. I suppose that I shouldn’t be surprised—but where does the wolf come in?”

“It was part of their family crest. Something to do with the Bavarian forest—do you see the association? ‘Boisvert’ from ‘Grunewald’—both can loosely be translated to mean ‘green woods’. However, her identity only deepens the puzzle, because you may not have noticed that the erstwhile Countess’s companion was none other than our quarry, Charles Falworth.”

“What?” She almost screeched her surprise.

“Yes indeed. It appears that the Rajah Gupil has made the acquaintance of Madame de Boisvert—a particularly appropriate set of circumstances, don’t you think?” Pip suppressed a laugh.

“I don’t see any humour in this,” said Allegra worriedly. “I’m starting to feel like I’m in a nightmare where all the terrible things that have happened to me are going to combine into some dreadful disaster.”

“Oh, but you’re missing the delightful symmetry of the situation. The Rajah—who isn’t—is a friend of Madame—who also isn’t—so they both are and are not at the same time. And I would wager that they both know that they are not who they say they are...”

“Pip, for Heaven’s sake....” moaned Allegra, clutching his lapels. “My head is starting to ache, and I think my ears are bleeding.”

“Sorry. My thoughts were running off my tongue too quickly. If you feel up to it, we should complete our original plan. Neither party would expect to see us at such a disreputable tavern, and I think we can probably get in without occasioning much attention...”

As his words were punctuated with a burst of noise from the Angel’s Wing Inn, Allegra was forced to agree with him. Swallowing her fears, she nodded.

“Well, let’s get on with it, then...” She tucked her hand through her husband’s arm.

“That’s my girl...” They moved off, both striving to appear casual. “You may be sure that I shall take very good care of you. We have some unfinished business to attend to, you and I.”

His wicked grin and the warmth in his murmured words sent a fiery blush chasing over Allegra’s skin, and she blessed the darkness for concealing her expression, which was, she was sure, revealing how much she was looking forward to finishing that particular piece of “business”.