to help his mother straighten out the mess left behind after Raymond’s death. He was no expert businessman, but Leon had thought it advisable to have a family member in the Paris office to keep things tidy and running the way the Nightsongs wanted them run. Marcus knew he was little more than a figurehead, but he was a Nightsong and the employees and officers of the company gave him every courtesy even though he did nothing more than look at their reports and insist upon seeing receipts and expense and production figures the two or three days he visited the offices each week.
He didn’t much like the idea of working as a perfume manufacturer, but it was his father’s business as well as his mother’s and he felt duty-bound to do what he could for them.
“You and Leon are the only two sons I have,” his mother had told him after Peter MacNair’s funeral. “Empress Cosmetics and MacNair Products will belong to you when I’m gone. It isn’t too soon for you to start learning the trade, Marcus.”
But the trade was of no interest to him. Marcus could read a balance sheet and knew how to study a journal and a ledger book. He was quick with figures, but his mind kept wandering away to thoughts of motor acceleration units and pressure gauge readings and numbers of miles per minute. These were the figures that really fascinated him.
Although he felt somewhat guilty about it, he couldn’t help resenting Amelia’s ill-timed visit. There was a race at Le Mans this weekend, which he’d been planning to attend. Perhaps he could talk her into coming with him, but then he’d be forced to stay on the sidelines instead of mingling with the mechanics and drivers and examine the engines of the newer racing cars, his usual practice. He wanted to get grease on his face and hands, smell the oil and gasoline and the burning of rubber.
He touched the pocket where he’d put Amelia’s cablegram. Suddenly he had no interest in going to see Denise. Instead he’d go up to his rooms, change his clothes, and stop in at the Empress Cosmetics offices. There were a lot of things he could do to keep himself busy in Paris until Amelia arrived in Southampton. He didn’t have to see Denise. He didn’t want to see her.
Back in his rooms, he started to think of Amelia’s beautiful face and her perfect, young, exciting body. Maybe he should go to Southampton tomorrow in case her ship docked early. His blood started to race as he considered the possibility that she might even let him make love to her for the first time.
He found himself becoming aroused at the thought of holding Amelia naked in his arms. Denise was nothing but a physical outlet, he admitted to himself. Amelia was the true treasure of whom he knew he would never tire. God, how he wanted her. Denise had introduced him to pleasures he never thought a man could possibly experience. To enjoy those pleasures with Amelia, a woman he truly loved, would surely be like heaven on earth.
As it happened, the Lusitania docked a day late, and Marcus was annoyed at having missed the races at Le Mans. When he saw Amelia stepping down the passageway, however, he felt no emotion except the terrible ache of love. She was carrying a small jewel case and wore a pale blue travelling outfit that set off her dark hair and enchanting blue eyes. She had on a small hat with a long pheasant feather and a tight-fitting, ankle-length skirt that flared slightly at the bottom and clung seductively to the sensual curve of her hips and buttocks.
She ran into his arms the moment she saw him. “Oh my beautiful Marcus,” she cried as she flung herself at him, kissing him unashamedly on the mouth. “I’ve missed you so terribly.”
“Amelia.” It was all he could say. His heart was so full, his love so great. Everything was forgotten, all his restlessness and indecision. He wanted nothing more than to stay in her arms forever.
Once inside their compartment on the night train to London, his thoughts veered in another direction. He remembered having shared a similar compartment with the whore Denise, who’d taken him into her mouth and brought him to orgasm. He was thinking of that now, looking at the delicate fullness of Amelia’s mouth and wondering if she would ever do such a thing. It seemed unlikely, yet he wanted it more than he’d ever wanted anything.
“Darling,” he said, drawing her into his arms and kissing her passionately. He moved his hand down slightly and cupped her breast.
“Marcus, behave yourself,” she said, blushing and looking at the raised curtains on the door leading to the corridor.
“I can’t help myself. I want to touch you all over.”
“Marcus,” she admonished, adjusting her hat and patting her hair nervously. “Living in Paris has changed you, I see.” She smiled seductively. “I’m not sure I approve of the change. You’re looking at me quite lewdly, you realize.”
His penis was pulsing to erection as he kissed her again. “I feel quite lewd,” he murmured.
“Please, Marcus,” she whispered, pushing him away gently.
“I want you so badly, Amelia.”
She wanted him as badly and damned her righteous upbringing, her sense of propriety, for keeping her from throwing herself into his arms, ripping away his suit, baring herself to him, and letting him ravage her. She saw the lust in his eyes and lowered her eyelids to hide her own desire. She began to tremble as he took her hand and placed it over the erection that was pulsing under his trouser leg.
She let her hand touch it for an instant and then immediately pulled away. The temptation was too great. She couldn’t trust herself.
“Don’t you want me?”
“Oh yes, darling, I do want you so very much. But can’t we wait until things are as they should be?”
“Damn,” he swore as he backed up into the corner of the seat and started pouting like a little boy.
“I’m sorry, Marcus. I just don’t think we should.”
He scowled at her as he felt his erection begin to subside. “You still haven’t told me the reason for this sudden visit and why you kept it secret from me until you were almost here,” he snapped.
“Please, Marcus, don’t be angry with me.”
“I’m not angry. I just want to know why you’ve come.” He knew he was acting like a schoolboy, but he couldn’t help it. He had grown accustomed to Denise’s compliance; she always was so quick to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. He’d expected as much from Amelia. And now he felt a little cheated. Or was he acting spoiled? he asked himself. Whichever, he was aching for sex and she was depriving him of it.
“Well,” she said brightly, ignoring his dark mood. “There’s quite a to-do going on between your mother and Lorna MacNair.”
“What kind of a to-do?”
“There’s going to be another lawsuit unless we do something to avoid it.”
“Lawsuit,” Marcus groaned. “Good Lord, I had hoped we were finished with the Nightsong-MacNair scandals.”
Amelia hurriedly told him how Lydia had invited her to the mansion and explained the whole situation. “Lorna MacNair is instituting a suit against Lydia for control of fifty percent of Empress Cosmetics and all of MacNair Products,” Amelia said.
“Mother mentioned something about it in her last letter, but she said it was nothing to worry about.” He started to reach for Amelia’s hand but decided against it. “At least Mother’s back at the helm of the company
