"We have no proof he knew her, but he did attend a rout at Lady Castlereagh's last week. He could have seduced the girl over the past few months, before his visit to Yorkshire." Lucian met Dare's gaze gravely. "This is even more reason to hope your investigation of Riddingham bears fruit soon. I am having him watched, but my agents cannot be too obvious for fear of giving away our suspicions."

It was time to tell Lucian of his own scheme, Dare knew. "I'm planning to hold a house party at the end of next week and have invited Riddingham and some of his cronies. It might generate some new leads. I pressed Riddingham further about the dragon ring he wears-told him I wanted one like it and asked again about how he won it at piquet. He claimed he couldn't remember specifically who lost the ring to him, but he recalled some of his friends who were in the game."

"Indeed?" Lucian said thoughtfully.

"So I arranged to get them together. Riddingham intends to come, if only to keep me from worming my way into Miss Laurent's affections."

"Then your campaign to woo her is succeeding?"

Dare's mouth twisted wryly. "I wouldn't phrase it quite so optimistically. She is to be my houseguest at least. I made certain she will be there to give Riddingham an inducement to come. I mean to observe both of them more closely… perhaps search his possessions. When I was at Riddingham's estate last month, I never found myself alone long enough to examine the place or try to discover a vault."

"You should look for ciphers, names, anything that might lead us to determine if Riddingham has an alternate identity. Scrutinize his friends as well."

Dare nodded in understanding.

"As for your Miss Laurent…" Lucian added after a moment. "I've investigated her background, Dare. There's not even a whisper that she might be working for the French or have Bonapartist leanings."

"She claims to have no interest in politics, but I don't know that I can believe her or trust her avowals of patriotism. Caliban could have found some means to extort her cooperation. You've warned me often enough that blackmail is his specialty. Faith, your own wife and brother-in-law were caught in his clutches."

He felt Lucian studying him. "Miss Laurent's aristocratic heritage came as a surprise to me. Did you know she is a count's daughter?"

"Even more reason to be wary of her. Emigres make prime targets for bribery-forced into a life of exile with little or no income, dependent on the generosity of others. If Riddingham is Caliban, it's not beyond possibility that he corrupted her. She is certainly greedy enough to sell to the highest bidder."

Too late Dare recognized the bitterness in his tone and saw how his friend's penetrating regard sharpened.

"You once said you had offered marriage to a woman," Lucian observed slowly. "Is she the one?"

"Regrettably… yes." Glancing away, Dare stared out the carriage window to avoid his friend's scrutiny. "But our betrothal lasted less than a month."

"I'm surprised I never heard any rumors of it in the scandal sheets. I should have thought the prospect of your marriage would be considered an earthshaking event."

"We kept it private." He hadn't flaunted Julienne as he might have other women. In fact, his desire to protect her was one reason Dare had realized he was serious about her. He hadn't wanted her reputation to be tarnished by her associating with a man of his rakish notoriety.

How laughable his concern seemed now.

"You must have loved her a great deal to come the point of proposing."

Oh, yes, Dare thought darkly. He'd been young and in love for the first time in his life, as starry-eyed as any infatuated adolescent. According to the poets, first love was always wild, intense, fervent, but that magical summer with Julienne had blazed like a flame. Each small moment was burned deep into his heart… the pleasure, the torment…

"I believed I loved her at the time," Dare admitted tersely. "Certainly I would have wed her but for my grandfather's interference." And if I hadn't found her with her other lover.

"The old bastard??"

"Yes." His mouth curled as he glanced back at Lucian. "You're aware my father was killed in a duel? Well, Grandfather always feared I would become a wastrel just like my father-follow the same path to destruction. And wedding a ?scheming Frenchy' would not only have lead to my ruin, it would have tainted our illustrious line. When the old bastard learned of my betrothal to Miss Laurent, he threatened to disinherit me. And the lady wanted greater wealth than I could give her without the Wolverton fortune."

Lucian was silent for a moment as he digested that information. "And the experience was enough to make you shun the married state for good."

"Quite."

He had escaped countless marriage traps in the years since Julienne. But never again had he allowed any other woman to wield that kind of power over him. And he had always been coolly indifferent to any feelings of devotion he might have aroused in his lovers.

"I've noted your partiality for brunettes," Lucian remarked. "Does Miss Laurent have any bearing on your preference?"

A ripple of shock went through Dare. He had never realized it before, but he did indeed tend to choose women who resembled Julienne.

"A rather astute observation, my friend," he drawled, hiding his dismay beneath an amused smile.

"I trust you won't be offended if I make another astute observation, then. I think you might be more than a little prejudiced against Miss Laurent because of your past history with her."

"I won't dispute you. But what the devil does it matter?"

"Because your feelings can't be allowed to interfere with your mission. I want you to recruit her to work for us, Dare."

He narrowed his eyes in surprise as he returned Lucian's gaze. "You want Julienne Laurent to spy for the Foreign Office?"

"Why not? She has entree into the French emigre community and could pass on any information about traitorous activity. And it's possible she could help you prove whether or not Riddingham is Caliban."

"I just told you I don't trust her."

"And I suggested that your judgment may be clouded. Are you certain you aren't acting out of revenge for whatever wrongs she may have done you?"

He did indeed want revenge-Dare couldn't deny it. But he wasn't willing to acquit Julienne of complicity so easily.

"What if she actually is in league with Riddingham?" he asked. "And even if not, were I to request her help, she could warn him of our suspicions merely to spite me."

"It would be a risk, yes. But I have complete faith in your legendary charm. You'll be able to handle her. And with her own charms and skills as an actress, she can doubtless get closer to Riddingham than you will be able to. My advice is to find a way to test her loyalties without compromising your position. Devise a plan to determine if she is trustworthy."

Dare's jaw tightened. He would never be certain if Julienne was trustworthy, even when he had her writhing beneath him with both legs wrapped around his waist. Especially not then.

But his friend would not give up. "You need only use your instincts, Dare."

That was the trouble. He couldn't trust his instincts, for they had betrayed him once before. He was terrified they would do so again. Lucian was certainly right; his judgment of Julienne was clouded by the past. And his fierce urgency to claim her again only compounded the problem.

Lucian was right on another point, Dare knew. Whatever his feelings for her, he couldn't let them interfere with his task. Too much was at stake. And if he expected his doubts regarding Julienne to be believed, he would need to show proof of her guilt. More critically, he needed to prove it to himself. One way or another, he needed to know.

Whether or not she was a traitor, however, his mind was made up. Had been the second he had laid eyes on her again.

He wanted Julienne back in his bed. And he intended to have her.

Chapter Six

It was a large party that left London the following Friday. Julienne found herself surprised at the assortment of guests Dare had chosen. There were some two dozen of them, of varying ages and classes.

Of the females, she suspected at least three were demireps, including a noted actress who regularly performed at Covent Garden. But there were also some older ladies in addition to Madame Brogard, one of whom was a dowager countess. Most surprising were the two genteel wedded couples he had invited-to add respectability to the party, Julienne concluded.

As for the gentlemen, they were mostly members of the Quality. Several were high-ranking noblemen who seemed to be close acquaintances of Dare's-doubtless some of his Hellfire colleagues-while Viscount Riddingham had brought two of his friends. Bringing up the rear of the parade of vehicles were three coaches full of servants.

Julienne had no maid of her own. Normally she shared an arrangement with several other actresses at Drury Lane, dividing the services of a woman who functioned as dresser, seamstress, laundress, and wardrobe mistress. But Solange had offered the use of her own lady's maid during the house party.

The March day was crisp and clear and quite pleasant. Many of the gentlemen, including Dare, rode beside the carriages for the trip south, but Julienne was very glad not to be forced to endure his company in the intimate confines of a post chaise.

Instead she found herself enjoying the camaraderie of several of the ladies. Amazingly they seemed to accept her with little reservation, perhaps because of Solange's distinguished reputation. Or perhaps because anyone who was on familiar terms with the scandalous Dare North wouldn't recoil at knowing a mere actress.