Page 63 of Black Widow

He tugged her out of the cot, his urgency propelling her up the stairs. Panic and the remnants of sleep jumbled her thoughts. It didn’t help that Gideon was acting as if they were undersiege.

He had no weapon, but his massive body was alert and battle ready. He approached the window with caution, flattening himself against the wall to peek through the curtains at the gardenbelow.

“Is someone there?” she asked anxiously. “What is goingon?”

She had never seen Gideon behave this way. Frightened despite her resolve to remain calm, she fumbled with the buttons of hergown.

Gideon was silent so long she thought he wasn’t going to answer her. “Sir Clarence isdead.”

“What?”

“Clarke sent word just a few minutes ago. Sir Clarence was found dead in his townhouse less than an hour ago. Now hurry, we don’t have muchtime.”

Trembling, Amelia threw on the rest of her clothes and slipped her feet into a pair of kid half-boots. Gideon was taking her to his townhouse, but from there, they might end upanywhere.

“Wasitthere?” Had the demon beenfound?

“No. No one saw the murderer. Mrs. Spencer and the servants said Clarence retired to his study with a bottle of spirits. He was found a few hours later when he did not join his mistressupstairs.”

Gideon threw her cloak over her and tugged her downstairs to the kitchen door. “Could it have been an attack of apoplexy or his heart?” sheasked

“No.”

Amelia’s breath stuttered. There was a wealth of meaning in that one syllable. She no longer wanted to know the details of how Sir Clarence had been found. Her imagination was more than up to thetask.

Trying to block out the gruesome images, she reached for Gideon’s hand and held ittight.

“Do you think it will come after us?” she asked once they were in the privacy of hiscoach.

“On the contrary,” Gideon said, his shoulders dropping visibly in the moonlight filtering in from the window. “I think our problem is over. I had a talk with Clarence at one of his clubs a few days ago. I warned him against further action against you. I can only guess he took my threat to heart and called off his giant. The man must have been enraged over his dismissal—Sir Clarence has never been known for hisdiplomacy.”

Amelia’s mind struggled to keep up. Sir Clarence wasdead. Gideon still didn’t believe the servant was supernatural in nature, but did that matter? If Sir Clarence had been involved—and his death certainly suggested as much—would this be the end ofit?

“Where could the murderer be? Will it come forus?”

Gideon focused on her, his expression softening. “I’m sorry, love. I know I’ve frightened you pulling you out of bed so abruptly. But it’s unlikely Sir Clarence’s henchman has stuck around. Even in the stews, a man of his size and description won’t blend in. He probably hied it out of London just after themurder.”

Amelia’s uncertainty must have been written all over her face because Gideon stepped across the coach to pull her into his side. “I really believe it is over my love. I would stake my life on it…and do you remember what you promised to do when the danger hadpassed?”

Shock held her immobile for a few seconds. He couldn’t be serious! “Gideon. There’s been amurder!”

He squeezed her hand. “And I’m not going to wait for you to finish mourning Sir Clarence to marryyou.”

Her head drew back. “I willnotmourn thatman.”

His lips twisted with resignation. “I won’t either, not in my heart. But in public, I think we must given thecircumstances.”

Gideon forestalled her diatribe with a raised hand. “There is more. The watch was summoned to the scene of the murder. And given the state of the body, there will be no question it was a murder. The news of my argument with Clarence is making the rounds at the clubs. I never intended to hide it, but truthfully, I did not foresee Sir Clarence’sdeath.”

Her blood chilled as she began to understand his meaning. “You believe you’ll be a suspect.” It wasn’t aquestion.

His shrug was infuriatingly casual. Did he not take this seriously? They could hang him formurder!

“They will tread carefully, of course, but it’s only a matter of time before they come to interview me. I don’t expect anything to come of it. I can account for my whereabouts to the minute. My title will help, but it’s still necessary for us to marry as soon aspossible.”

“But why? There is no prohibition to marrying while in mourning. Aside from the impropriety, that is, which given what we’ve been doing the last few weeks, seems of littleimportance.”

He stroked her palm with his thumb. “Love, it’s only a matter of time before they draw you into this investigation as well. Despite my best efforts to quell the rumors, enough people have guessed you are the reason behind my quarrel with Clarence. And I’m not going let anyone near you until you are the Countess of Flint, with all the dignity and protection that positionaffords.”

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