Chapter 4
Raoul sat in the tub, letting the hot water soak away the beating he had taken earlier in the evening. Turns out, the thrashing was the least interesting thing that had happened to him that night.
Who would have thought I would run into Meg of all people? And dressed as a boy, for Christ sakes.
His mind then returned to the excruciatingly fetching sight of her in those breeches. Raoul could feel the familiar pull of lust taking hold, so he quickly pushed those thoughts away. No use in torturing himself by imagining being entwined in those legs, or burying his face in that curtain of golden hair.
Okay, so a little torture wouldn't kill him.
When she had declared that she would be sending LaFayette to meet his Maker when Raoul was done with him, he had begun to choke on his brandy. Meg had jumped up and began to pound on his back (a bit harder than Raoul thought was strictly necessary.)
When he had his breath back, he looked at her in wide-eyed shock. "Are you mad? Why would you kill him? What's he done to you?"
Meg shrugged. "That's between him and me. If you want my help then accept my terms. Either way, at the end of it, LaFayette will be dead. You might as well get what you need from him before that happens."
Hard to argue with that logic.
So for now they would do things Meg's way. Raoul had no real intention of allowing Meg to murder LaFayette though. But he was willing to allow the scene to play out up until that point and then step in. She didn't need to know that though.
About that time Raoul's butler, Tobias had knocked and announced that his bath was ready. Raoul bid Meg to stay until he returned – he still had no idea what she had been doing in the years since he had last seen her, and he was anxious to know how she had been faring. Of course she declined (stubborn woman) and had her hair tucked back up in her cap, and her coat back on before he could make further entreaties.
He told Tobias to order the carriage to return Meg to her lodgings, but again, she declined.
"I'm not comfortable with you walking the streets unaccompanied Meg. It's not safe for a woman alone."
"Says the man who was thrown through a window a few hours ago" she laughed.
"Exactly my point!" he exclaimed.
Meg rolled her eyes. "Hey, it wasn't me getting thrown through the window! Everybody loves me! I'm delightful!" She giggled.
"Meg, please let me see to this" Raoul implored.
"Tell you what, your Lordship, you may take me to luncheon tomorrow. I'll be back around eleven, and you will see that I am perfectly capable of making my way around town, even after dark." She was smiling, but he could see the resolve in her eyes.
Raoul sighed. "Very well" stubborn woman "If you insist"
He saw her to the door. He paused before opening it and releasing her into the night. He grasped her hand and smiled, looking into her eyes. "I have been remiss; I never properly thanked you for coming to my aid earlier this evening. Thank you." His gaze dropped to her lips and lingered there for a moment before returning to her eyes. He placed a kiss on her hand, still clasped in his. "I really am very happy to see you again, Meg."
Meg's pulse gave a jump, and a slight blush began to heat her cheeks. She smiled up at him in return and gave his hand a small squeeze. Quickly she gave him a small kiss at the corner of his mouth and whispered "Me too, your Lordship" and then she was out the door in a flash.
Raoul's mouth tingled where she had bussed him, and he smiled to himself. Again he felt that frisson of anticipation. This is going to be entertaining.
The bath water was getting cold, so Raoul removed himself from the tub and began to dry off in the frigid room. Nothing like a tub full of cold water to douse any lingering amorous inclinations – for which Raoul was actually grateful. He did not need the distraction of lusting after Meg like a green boy just out of the schoolroom when he had a job to do. And she probably thinks you're a half-wit anyway, he mused.
He finished readying for bed, climbed under the covers and fell into a deep sleep.
And dreamt of big blue eyes that were filled with laughter, and long blond hair that tickled when it fell across his chest.
*.*.*.*.*.
Raoul was seated at his desk in the library, going over some recent dispatches from the home office when Tobias entered, a calling card on the silver salver. "A Madame Roberta Gerard, to see you sir."
Raoul raised his eyebrows as he took the card. Who is she, and what does she want? He wasn't really interested in the answer to either question – he just wanted to get rid of her before Meg arrived.
"Show her in, Tobias."
Raoul stood up from behind his desk and was donning his coat when she walked in. Possibly the most arrestingly beautiful woman he had ever seen. Tall, with hair so black, in glinted blue in the sunlight, like a raven's feathers. She was wearing a blood red pelisse, trimmed with black fur, and a matching hat, with a long, curling black feather which nested on her mountain of cascading curls.
His eyes widened, for truly he had never seen such a strikingly attractive woman. With difficulty he looked away from her and towards his butler. "Thank you, that will be all, Tobias."
As Tobias closed the door, he returned his attention to Madame Gerard, and was taken aback by her clear, blue eyes. The same laughter filled blue eyes he had dreamt of last night.
"Meg?" he whispered.
She batted her eyes, and beamed, "Ready for luncheon, your Lordship?"
Raoul blinked several times. "What… why are you dressed like… who are you?"
Meg laughed, the sound which was rapidly becoming Raoul's favorite sound in the world. "That's different three questions there, your Lordship. Which would you like answered first?"
Raoul took a deep breath. Lord, this woman is going to be the death of me! "Why are you dressed like that?"
Meg twirled so he could appreciate the full effect of her costume. "You like? I always wanted to have black hair. Makes me feel like such a bad girl!" She laughed again and the sound went straight to Raoul's groin. "I thought it would be safer for us both if we aren't seen in each other's company."
Raoul swallowed. "Part of the plan."
"Exactly!" Meg exclaimed, her eyes dancing with delight. "Shall we go?"
Raoul had arranged for a picnic luncheon to be packed and waiting in his cabriolet. He wanted some time alone with Meg, and so had given his driver the afternoon off. Soon they were at the coast, on a bluff overlooking the sea. Raoul spread the blanket, and Meg set about unpacking the lunch and serving them.
Raoul watched her as she busied herself with setting out the meal. "So tell me, Meg, where have you been, what have you been doing these past three years?"
Meg hesitated for the briefest moment, before answering, not meeting his eyes. "Oh, nowhere in particular. Here and there, your Lordship. Nothing very interesting."
Raoul snorted. "I find that hard to believe." He took note of her habit of addressing him by his title whenever she was nervous. He didn't think she was even aware that she was doing it.
"What about you, Raoul? What have you been doing since Paris?"
Raoul regarded her for a moment, unsure of how much to tell her. "Well, for starters, I went back to the Opera Populaire about a week after our night together, to look for you, but you were gone."
She nodded, still not meeting his eyes. "You were looking for me?", a small, hopeful note in her voice.
He said nothing, willing her to look up, to meet his gaze.
At last, she raised her eyes to his. "Why?"
He smiled. "Because I was leaving on an adventure, and I needed the person who was in charge of making the plan."
Does that mean he wanted me to go with him? A very pleasant, warm feeling bloomed in her chest.
She nodded, "Well, I am famous for my fabulously executed plans" she agreed playfully. Meg tilted her head and regarded him. "Have you ever heard from Christine?" She watched him intently, blue eyes studying him as she waited for his answer.
He watched her pulse beating rapidly at the base of her throat. Interesting. He looked at her quizzically, "No, but then I never really expected to. She went on with her life, and I went on with mine. Truthfully, the prospect of hearing from her never even occurred to me."
He watched as she nodded, smiled, and released a deep breath. Was that a spark of relief in her eyes? "So why did you leave Paris in such a hurry Meg?"
"I didn't. Or not at first, anyway. I just left the Opera house. My mother found employment at another theatre, and I stayed with her for a little while, but I grew rather restless and wanted to see the world, so I left. Took my show on the road, as it were." She smiled.
Raoul was astonished. "You left all by yourself? Weren't you afraid? The world's not a safe place for a beautiful young woman out on her own."
Meg blushed. "You think I'm beautiful?"
You didn't just let that cat out of the bag, you yanked it out! Raoul mentally grimaced. Very smooth, old man. Raoul blushed rather spectacularly, and hoped she wouldn't notice in the bright sunshine. He cleared his throat and smiled. "You, my dear, are not like anyone I have ever known in my life."
Meg looked down, blushing now herself, and gave a small smile.
"I usually masquerade as a boy. Being as tall as I am comes in handy. I just have to take care to keep my hair out of sight. Other than that, I've found that people usually see what they expect to see. If I'm dressed as a boy, they see a boy."
Raoul motioned towards her with his hand, indicating her costume and wig. "You are definitely not a boy today!"
She laughed. "I'm glad you noticed! So after you came looking for me and suffered the crushing disappointment of not finding me, what did you do?"
He then told her the story of how he had helped out an old military colleague of his late father's with ferreting out a smuggling ring, and how that, in turn, had led to him becoming an agent for a governmental agency charged with defending the nation's interests, both foreign and domestic.
Meg's eyes widened. "So you're a spy?" she asked, her voice tinged with excitement, wonder and awe clearly shining in her eyes.
Raoul's chest swelled a bit with the admiration. "Well, yes" he admitted. "And I happen to have an opening for an assistant…one who's good with making plans."
Meg sat forward on her knees, bringing her nose to nose with Raoul, close enough so that their breaths comingled, close enough to kiss. She stared at him with bright, animated eyes.
"Oh, yes" she breathed.
