CHAPTER TWO
MERCEDES VON DEM EBERBACH

Dorian found himself wondering why he had decided to come to Germany again. It was bad enough that he had been unable to prevent Klaus from marrying that…Amazon, but now it seemed the whole bloody country had turned against him. The artwork he had set his heart on turned out to be a forgery. He had narrowly escaped bumping into Klaus on the street. And when he ducked into a restaurant, he ran smack into Mercedes, Klaus’s bride of two months. He had expected her to give him a wide berth. Instead, she looked him in the eye, her expression as hard as her husband’s.

“Lord Gloria,” she said coldly.

“Frau von dem Eberbach,” the Earl replied, equally coldly.

“I’m glad I bumped into you.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I need to talk to you.”

Dorian’s large eyes grew even larger. “You do? What could you possibly have to talk to me about now?”

“Your relationship with my husband,” came the startling reply.

“My what…?” Dorian blinked. At first, he thought she was joking, but she looked completely serious. He nodded to the back of the room. “How about back there?”

“Fine.”

The bewildered Earl led the way and took a seat, giving the woman opposite him a searching look. He had been trying for nearly a year and a half to end the relationship that had finally ended in her marriage to Iron Klaus. Finally ended, for all intents and purposes, his pursuit of the Iron Maj—no, not Major. Not for some time, although he still could not get the fact that Klaus was now a Lieutenant Colonel through his head. It seemed he would always think of him as his Major.

“Lord Gloria, I’m not a brainless female, so kindly refrain from treating me as such,” Mercedes replied coolly. “You and I both know the reason Klaus married me.”

Dorian’s eyebrows went up and he sat back in his seat, idly twisting one of his long curls around a finger. “We do? I thought it was because he loved you. Isn’t that the usual reason a man marries a woman?”

The woman studied him a moment. “Lord Gloria, take a good look at me,” she challenged. “You’ve been calling me an Amazon from the moment we met, and it’s true. I’m almost as tall as you are. I’m not even remotely pretty. I’ve been described as being a handsome woman, which to me means I look like a man in drag. And I have very long blond hair that looks remarkably like yours.”

“Yes, that is your most attractive feature, I must admit,” the Earl replied sharply, tossing his own hair over his shoulders.

Mercedes glared at him before adding, “And the other day, one of my husband’s agents mistook me for you.”

“Really?” Dorian laughed delightedly. Then he realized the full implications and his eyes widened. “Oh!” he gasped. His voice dropped in pitch. “Oh…” He shook his head. “Oh, no…”

“No? You’re telling me I’m not a showpiece to hide an ongoing relationship?”

“Oh, my dear woman, if only that were true,” Dorian sighed longingly. “There is no relationship. There has never been a relationship, although Lord knows I’ve tried.”

“Never?”

“Not even so much as a kiss on the lips.” Dorian held up his right hand. “Cross my heart and swear on the Bible.”

“Don’t do that,” Mercedes snapped. “It just makes it worse.” She sat staring into space a few minutes, her mind spinning. The implications of what she suspected were far too devastating to contemplate all at once. Why hadn’t she listened to those rumors before the wedding? Before it was too late? Before she’d fallen in love with the man?

Dorian saw tears starting to well up in the woman’s eyes and drew a deep breath. Great. Now she’s going to cause a scene and the Major will blame me. To his amazement, Mercedes thanked him for his time and left.

* * *

Several weeks after his chance encounter, Dorian found Mercedes waiting for him in the lobby of his hotel. He had no idea how she knew where to find him and looked around, wondering if her husband were lurking in the shadows.

“If I didn’t know better,” the Earl said calmly as he strode up to her, “I’d think you were stalking me, Frau von dem Eberbach.”

“Listen to the pot calling the kettle black,” Mercedes replied as she got to her feet. “I need to speak with you again, Lord Gloria.”

“About my non-existent relationship with your husband?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

Dorian sighed heavily. “Fine. If you don’t think it’s inappropriate, we could go to my room.”

“That will be fine. I don’t think I’m in any danger of being attacked by you, am I?”

Dorian was amazed when the woman actually smiled at him. My God, she’s actually trying to be friendly. What the hell is she up to? He held out a hand. “This way.”

Within a few minutes, Dorian was unlocking the door to his suite. He was inwardly grateful that he had told his team to go on to a celebration without him. He had claimed he wanted to change into something more festive. In truth, he had simply wanted to have some time to himself. So much for that.

“I’m afraid I can only offer you the contents of the mini-bar,” the Earl said as he led the way into the room. “Or I could order room service.”

Mercedes shook her head as she took a seat. “No, thank you.” She drew a deep breath, wondering exactly how to start the bizarre conversation. To her relief, she did not have to.

“So, you still think I’m having some sort of an affair with your husband, Frau von dem Eberbach?” Dorian asked pointedly.

“No,” came the startling reply. “And…my name is Mercedes.”

“I know. The Major always preferred a Mercedes,” Dorian replied coldly as he took a seat.

Mercedes let this pass. She had heard all the jokes about her name to last a lifetime. “Lord Gloria, I’ve thought long and hard about several things since you and I last spoke,” she said slowly. “And I’ve come to several…disconcerting conclusions.”

Dorian sat back in his seat, his head cocked to one side. “Oh? Such as?”

“Klaus doesn’t love me.”

“I’m not really interested in your personal—”

“He loves you.”

Mercedes gave him a steady look. “I’m a…substitute for you.” She paused a moment before admitting, “No one ever gave me a second look until I moved to Bonn. Then, suddenly, I’m being courted by the most eligible bachelor in town.”

“What do you expect me to say? Congratulations?”

“No.” Mercedes sighed heavily. “We both know Klaus is a man driven by duty. I’m to run the Schloss, produce an heir, and be the perfect officer’s wife.”

Dorian nodded. “That seems to sum it up nicely.” He paused, asking, “So, why come to me?”

“I…I want your help.”

“What?” This was the last thing Dorian expected to hear. “You want my help? How? Why?”

“Do you still love Klaus?”

“Oh, God, yes!”

“Then tell me…how do I make him happy?”

Check that, Dorian thought, not the last thing he expected to hear. He looked at the woman across from him and found himself intrigued. Then he realized why Klaus had found her worthy enough to marry, even for duty’s sake. There were hidden depths to this woman.

“Frau von dem Eberbach, I’m not sure the man is capable of being happy,” Dorian replied knowingly.

“Let me put it this way…” Mercedes cleared her throat nervously. “How would you make him happy?”

Dorian waved a hand in the air. “Oh, that’s easy, I’d—” He broke off, his eyes widening. “Oh! Are you asking me what I think you’re asking me?”

“Lord Gloria, I’m hardly a Victorian maiden.”

“I’m going to assume that you and he have…”

“Yes.”

“Bitch. You could’ve lied to me.” To Dorian’s surprise, Mercedes actually laughed. He was surprised to find she had a very pleasant laugh.

“Lord Gloria…”

“Dorian.”

This brought a smile to the woman’s face, and Dorian was surprised again when he realize how her face lit up when she smiled. For the first time in his life, he found himself fascinated by a woman. Then he wondered if it was just his own narcissism. She did look an awful lot like him.

“Dorian. How do I…?”

“My dear Mercedes, need I remind you I’m gay?”

Again, Mercedes laughed. “You’re also a man,” she pointed out. “If I’m a surrogate for you then… What do you advise as the best way to…?”

Dorian held up a hand. “I need a drink,” he said as he got to his feet.

“Now, there’s a surprise.”

“What?”

“I never expected you to be embarrassed talking about sex.”

“You want me to give you advice on having sex with the man I love,” Dorian pointed out. “You don’t find that…odd?”

“I find it all kinds of things related to the both of you as being odd, to be honest,” Mercedes replied calmly. “But I’m afraid I’ve fallen in love with him, too. He’s complicated, infuriating, and quite possibly the most fascinating man I’ve ever met.”

Dorian gave the woman a look of amazement. “That just how I feel!”

Mercedes drew a deep breath. “Then…will you help me make him happy?”

“On one condition.”

Mercedes gave the Earl a suspicious sideways glance. “Which is?”

“Everything? As in…everything? You want me to write you pornographic e-mails?”

“Agreed.”

Dorian almost dropped his glass. “What?”

“I said I agree to your terms.”

Dorian stood staring, his mouth agape. Now what do I do?

“I think I’ll have a drink, too,” Mercedes said mildly. “I’ve a feeling I’m going to need it.”

* * *