An Agent for Belle (The Pinkerton Matchmaker Book 11) Read online

  He affected a look of indignation. “Hey, I’ll have you know that waving a palm leaf requires a great deal of skill. You can’t just flap it up and down willy-nilly.” He waved his arm up and down haphazardly to demonstrate. “There’s the angle to calculate, speed of movement, whether to go for one-handed or two, wind velocity, air resistance. There are a whole host of considerations that are vital to the successful palm wave that amateurs such as yourself have no idea about.”

  By the time he’d finished, her shoulders were shaking, her lips pressed together to suppress her giggles. How he wanted to kiss those pink lips until she softened against his bare chest, her hands sliding…

  He gave himself a mental shake. This wasn’t the time.

  “I wouldn’t ask you to do it, but if we do, it will make Maria happy, and that will make Horton happy, and if he’s happy he’ll continue to feed the agency useful information.” He reached out to touch his fingertips to her cheek. “You can do this. You’re incredible.”

  He hadn’t meant to add the last part, coming uncomfortably close to admitting how he felt about her as it did, but the words slipped out anyway. He lowered his hand and hoped he hadn’t made her feel uncomfortable.

  Her shoulders rose and fell in a deep sigh and she nodded. “You’re right, I can do it. A Pinkerton agent doesn’t let fear stop them. Right?”

  He became more proud of her by the second.

  “They should add that to the slogan.”

  “There’s a slogan?”

  “Sure is.” He waved one hand as if tracing the words in the air. “‘We never sleep.’”

  There was a moment of silence before she spoke. “We don’t?”

  “Nope. Didn’t I mention that?”

  She pressed her hand to her chest in exaggerated horror. “No! I like sleeping! I may have to rethink joining the agency.”

  “If you’re nice to me, I could ask Archie to make an exception for you.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  She gave him a smile that made his heart thud. “You’re terrible.”

  “But you like me anyway.”

  His kissing fantasy was returning with a vengeance. Would it really be so bad if he just stepped in close, cupped her face in his hands, tilted his head down and…

  “Curtain up in thirty seconds!” Joan yelled as she rushed past them.

  The smile melted from Belle’s face, but then she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “I can do this.”

  He gave her a grin that he hoped conveyed his complete confidence in her without betraying how badly he wanted to hug her. “Yes, you can.”

  She gave him one final, shaky smile and hurried off to her place on the far side of the stage.

  Val sent up a prayer for her courage and peace. He’d never wanted anything as much as he wanted her to succeed at that moment.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Performing on stage in front of an audience turned out to be a lot less disastrously terrifying than Belle had been anticipating.

  Maybe it was a result of the lingering euphoria of having survived her first life or death experience, but once she got out onto the stage, the enthusiastic applause, whistles and cheers from the energetic crowd was even a little exhilarating.

  When it was over, however, she vowed never, ever to do it again.

  Mostly it was Val’s constant presence, either onstage or in the wings, that kept her going. He gave her a courage she never knew she’d possessed, both down in the basement when their lives were at stake and out on the stage when the only danger came from her own imagination.

  She couldn’t help wondering how she’d manage when they were no longer working together. Although the truth was, she didn’t know how she’d do anything, work-related or otherwise, when they were no longer together. He’d become more important to her than she could have ever imagined when they’d first met, and her feelings for him went far beyond mere colleagues, or even friends. She no longer regarded marriage as a prison sentence, not when it came to Val. With him, it was more like bliss.

  She was beginning to suspect she was in love, and she couldn’t work out if that was good or bad. Although with Val encouraging her, making her laugh, and proudly smiling at her as she left the stage for the final time, it felt like the best thing in the world.

  The moment they got offstage from their final bow, the rest of the women in the chorus surrounded her, laughing and congratulating each other.

  “That was wonderful!” Phyllis exclaimed. “Did you hear that applause? They love us!”

  “I forgot my steps during the sphinx number,” Violet said, pouting.

  Charlotte wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “No one noticed. They loved you.”

  “They loved all of us,” Petunia said. “We’re going to be stars!”

  They all laughed and agreed, and if it hadn’t been for the whole going on stage element, Belle would have regretted she wouldn’t be staying with them.

  “I’m sorry you’re leaving,” Phyllis said to her. “You were wonderful out there tonight.”

  “I was terrified,” Belle admitted, “but you all made me look like I knew what I was doing.”

  Petunia gave her a warm hug. “You were just as good as the rest of us.”

  “I can’t believe you’re a real life Pinkerton agent,” Charlotte said.

  “Technically, I’m still in training. This was my first case.”

  “But you got rid of that awful Jacob Curtis,” Phyllis said. “We’ll be forever grateful to you for that. We’re going to miss you,”

  “And Valentine,” Violet added. “We’ll definitely miss Valentine, especially in costume.”

  Petunia slapped her arm with the back of her hand. “You’re shameless.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not wrong.”

  They all dissolved into giggles, including Belle.

  “I think Maria will miss him most of all though,” Violet said, nodding to the far side of the backstage area.

  Belle followed her gaze to where Maria was leading Val into her dressing room. As the door closed, she slipped her hands around the back of his neck and pressed her lips to his.

  All the light fled from the room, a void wrenching open in Belle’s heart so big she thought she’d fall into it. How could she have been so wrong? Maria hadn’t hidden her attraction to him, but Belle had been certain Val didn’t return it.

  What was she going to do now?

  “Belle, are you coming?”

  She started at the sound of her name, wrenching her eyes from the dressing room. She had to gasp in a breath before she could reply. “Um, yes. Of course.”

  With one last glance at the door, she followed the rest of the women to their dressing room.

  Numbly, she changed into her clothing, made her excuses for leaving so soon, said her goodbyes, and left the theater as fast as she could. She hurried along the darkened streets, ignoring the comments and whistles she got from the men she passed and not slowing until she reached her room in the hotel.

  For a few seconds she simply stood in the darkness, the moon painting the room around her in shades of gray and silver. Even in monochrome, the place reminded her of Val and all the time she’d spent there falling in love with him.

  When it became too much to bear, she collapsed onto the bed and dissolved into tears.

  ~ ~ ~

  Belle was perfect, just as he knew she would be.

  Val grinned at her as she came off the stage and the smile she gave him in return made his heart stutter. He would have gone straight to her and given her a congratulatory hug, but she was quickly surrounded by the rest of the women in the chorus and he didn’t want to interrupt her moment. So he watched her from a distance, filled with pride.

  “Valentine?” Maria sashayed up to him.

  Her predatory gaze made him wish he had more clothes on.

  “Congratulations,” he said. “You had the audience enthralled. I think the show is going to be a huge success.”

  Her full
lips curled into a smile. “Without you, it may never have happened at all. You have my undying gratitude.”

  “Just doing my job.”

  She reached out to grasp his hand, tugging him towards the door to her dressing room. “I’d like to speak to you in private. Would you mind?”

  He glanced back at Belle where she was still chatting with the rest of the chorus. “Um, sure. I have a few minutes.” He followed her into the dressing room. “So what…”

  Before he knew what was happening, her hands were all over him and her lips found his. The door slammed shut.

  He jerked back and grabbed at her wrists, unwinding her from his neck. “What are you doing?”

  An amused smile played on her lips. “I would have thought that was obvious.”

  Her gaze drifted down to his bare chest and he resisted the urge to wrap his arms around himself.

  “It would be inappropriate for me to take advantage of my position as a Pinkerton agent working on your case…”

  “But you’ve caught them now.” Her fingers drifted up his chest. “So there is no longer any case. You’re free to do whatever you want.”

  He took a step back. He would have taken another, but the cursed wall was in the way. “I’m flattered, I truly am, but…”

  She closed the distance between them again. “I’m not asking you to marry me. I’m not even asking you to stay, although if you did I would have no objections. But you’re a very attractive man and, much as I love it, my life can be lonely.” Touching her fingers to his jaw, she pressed up against him. “A night with me is an unforgettable experience.”

  He’d been trying to spare her feelings, but enough was enough. Taking hold of her arms, he gently moved her away from him. “I’m sorry, but the answer is no. You’re an amazing, beautiful woman, but I can’t.”

  With a pinched smile, she stepped back. “You can’t blame a girl for trying, but I guess I just can’t compete.”

  He frowned in confusion. “Compete?”

  “With Belle. Do you love her?”

  “Belle?” He shook his head a little too vehemently. “We just work together. I’m training her. Our relationship is purely professional.” Apart from being married, but that wasn’t real.

  Maria rolled her eyes. “Men. Always so afraid to admit their feelings.”

  His mouth was suddenly uncomfortably dry. “I-I don’t, I mean, we aren’t…”

  Wandering over to her couch, she waved him away. “Please, spare me. And face up to the fact that you’re in love with her, before it’s too late.” She picked up a blue silk robe draped over the couch and shrugged it on. “Thank you for saving my show. You can go now.”

  For some reason, being dismissed in such a blunt fashion made him smile. “I hope the show is a big success.”

  “Oh, it will be. No doubt about that.”

  When he got back outside, Belle had disappeared, along with the other members of the chorus. Figuring they were probably in the ladies’ dressing room, he headed for the wardrobe room.

  He really did want to get out of the ridiculous red jeweled outfit and into his own clothes.

  Especially his shirt.

  ~ ~ ~

  Belle didn’t know how long she lay sobbing on her bed before she fell asleep, but when a knock awakened her, the moon had moved and the room was bathed in darkness.

  The knock came again on the door separating her room from Val’s and a line of light shone beneath the door.

  “Belle, are you awake?”

  She lay silent, not even daring to breathe. If he saw her like this, her eyes raw from crying, he’d know how he’d broken her heart.

  After a few seconds, she heard his footsteps walk away from the door. A while later, the light disappeared.

  And Belle began to cry softly into her pillow again.

  Chapter Sixteen

  There was a knock on Belle’s door as she packed her valise the following morning.

  She chastised herself for being disappointed it wasn’t the connecting door leading to Val’s room. He’d made his choice. She wasn’t going to waste any more tears over it.

  She placed the skirt she was folding onto the bed and answered the knock, almost falling over in shock when Maria, dressed demurely in a dark blue day dress, smiled at her.

  “Good morning, Maria. Is something wrong?” She couldn’t think why else she would be there.

  “No, nothing’s wrong. I’d like to speak to you, if that’s all right.”

  It would be rude to refuse, wouldn’t it? She came close anyway, but a lifetime of having perfect manners ingrained into her forced her into civility.

  “Please, come in.”

  Maria walked in and looked around. “I see a Pinkerton detective doesn’t warrant the best hotels. Still, I’ve stayed in worse.”

  Her words reminded Belle of what Val had said when they first arrived. She pushed the thought away. She didn’t want anything about Maria reminding her of Val.

  “Would you like a seat?” She indicated the chairs by the window.

  “No, thank you. I won’t be long. I can see you’re about to leave.” Maria glanced at the open valise on the bed.

  “The train leaves at eleven.”

  “In that case I’ll get straight to the point. You should give Valentine a chance.”

  Maria was giving her advice about Val?

  Belle turned to the bed and began stuffing items of clothing into the valise. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. “A chance to what?”

  “A chance with you.”

  “And why should I do that?” What would be the point anyway? He obviously didn’t want her.

  “Because yesterday I offered him something most men would jump at – a night with me. And he turned me down.”

  Belle’s frantic packing came to a halt. Slowly, she turned to look at Maria. “He what?”

  A small smile flitted across her lips. “And I have a very strong suspicion the reason he did has everything to do with you.”

  Belle tried to speak but couldn’t think of a single response.

  “He looks at you the way I wish a good man like him would look at me,” Maria continued. “I’m not the woman he wants.”

  That freed Belle’s tongue. “And yet you propositioned him anyway.”

  She shrugged. “When I want something, I go after it. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don’t. It doesn’t stop me from trying though.”

  Belle had no idea what to make of any of that. Was Maria making fun of her? “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I like you. You remind me of myself when I was younger, if I’d been infinitely more prim. And I don’t want you to miss out on something with him because you think he chose me when he didn’t.”

  Belle started to say she wasn’t prim then thought better of it. She was. Considering her upbringing, it was unavoidable.

  “Anyway, that’s all I came to say.” She turned for the door.

  “Maria.” She glanced back and Belle smiled. “I hope your show is a big success. And that you’ll find a good man for yourself one day.”

  “Oh, Infamy & Cleopatra will undoubtedly be a success. As for the man, maybe I will find one, maybe I won’t.” She grinned. “But I’ll have a lot of fun trying.”

  In spite of herself, Belle laughed. “I’m sure that you will.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Val raised his hand to knock on the door to Belle’s room and dropped it again with a groan of frustration. What was happening to him? He’d never been nervous about a simple thing like knocking on a door before.

  She’d left the theatre without him. He knew she’d made it back to the hotel safely because the night clerk had told him she’d arrived and seemed fine. But she’d ignored his knock when he got back to his room. It was possible she’d fallen asleep after all the excitement of the evening, but surely she’d have woken up? Now he had no idea what to do.

  Was she angry with him? Did she blame him for making her perform in
the show when she was so afraid? How did he fix this? Having Belle unhappy with him felt like a knife twisting in his heart.

  How had this happened? Valentine Stevens didn’t fall for women this way. Yes, he loved women; they were fun to be around and exceedingly pleasurable to look at. But he didn’t become attached. Not him.

  Not until he’d married a beautiful, quick-witted, frustrating, smart, fiery redhead.

  Sighing, he raised his hand again. What was the worst she could do? Punch him in the diaphragm? The physical pain wouldn’t be any worse than what he was feeling now.

  She answered his knock within seconds and, to his boundless relief, gave him a genuine smile. “Good morning.”

  He breathed out and returned her smile. “Morning. Are you ready to go? We can get breakfast on the way.”

  “Sounds good to me. I’ll just get my valise.”

  She turned away from him and he sagged against the doorframe.

  At least she didn’t appear to be angry or upset with him. He could take anything but that.

  ~ ~ ~

  They went to their usual restaurant for breakfast on the way to the station.

  Val had wanted to have this final time with her, but unlike with all their previous meals there, their conversation was sparse and mundane. He had no idea what was causing Belle to be so subdued, but for his own part there was no doubt it was the imminent annulment of their marriage.

  Only nine days ago he’d have rather faced an angry bear than got married. Now he would rather face a whole herd of angry bears than stop being married to Belle.

  He didn’t know how it had happened so fast, but she had become important to him, maybe more important than anyone else in his life. He knew annulling the marriage was the smart thing to do, he just didn’t want to do it right away. It was too soon. He wanted more time with her.

  The Denver-bound train arrived ten minutes after they reached the station and they found a seat opposite an older woman industriously knitting a colorful shawl piled on the seat beside her.