Page 47 of Her Tempting Traitor
He felt her move closer, felt her heat press against his side. “I am not a spy,” she repeated. “I am…well, I suppose you could call me a detective. Not a very good one, obviously, but…”
From the corner of his eye, he saw her hands fold in her lap, and was surprised by how hard he had to resist the urge to reach over and gather them in his, twine his fingers through hers.
Ye dinnae need to becomfortingher, ye dobber! Ye need to figure out how to get out of here!
Sitting forward with a nonchalant grunt, Cassian began to roll down his trouser leg, just to give himself something to do. “A detective, no’ a spy? Ye’re certainly no’ a doctor?—”
Her laugh startled him, and he supposed he deserved it. Shehadmade his leg feel better, had she not?
Aye, but she lobbied too hard to get here into my room to “examine” the damned leg. I should’ve kenned then.
When Gabby’s hand closed around his arm again, Cassian hissed, almost throwing her off. Instead, he took a deep breath and turned to scowl at her. “Ye have another lie for me?”
“Iama good doctor,” she told him, pride—and something like hurt—sparkling in her midnight eyes as she lifted her chin. “It was the reason I was given this assignment. My uncle—well, sort of uncle—owns a detective agency, and was given a case from the Crown to find out the truth about you. Since Sir Dickie needed help with his elephant, Bull—my uncle—thought I would be the best choice.”
He frowned. “Ye mean, coming to Inverlochy as yer brother’s secretary?” Then why didn’t her uncle give the assignment to Hunter?Perhaps he did. Hunter has been trying to ingratiate himself with ye every chance he gets, which isnae many, seeing as how Sir Dickie has him ensconced in the elephant barn.
Christ, it all made sense now.
“I mean, sending me to Inverlochy at all. I really am not trained as a detective, Cassian, that is the truth. Bull justthought I might be able to get…close enough to learn some things.”
Snorting, he tried to pull away. Her grip wasn’t tight, but somehow, he couldn’t make himself… Instead, he found himself caught up in her dark gaze, studying her face, looking for more lies.
“Ye got close enough,” he muttered. “In the stables…”
Her cheeks began to pinken. “I…” A deep breath. “I was not thinking of my uncle or my assignment then, Cassian. And I was not thinking of it—not entirely—when I came to your room tonight.”
“Why did ye come, then?” he murmured.
Now Gabby’s hold tightened, but she dropped her gaze to where her fingers wrapped around his forearm. “Because of you,” she whispered. “I…I think you are a good man, Cassian. I see you with Gus—with Dickie and Zilphia. I would not give myself to a bad one. I do not know the details of your last mission, but I…I do not think I need to know them to know you.”
His eyes had widened slightly at her confession, glad she couldn’t see him.
What had happened to his fifteen years of undercover training? Of knowing how to hide his real thoughts and responses? Of knowing how to show the other person what he wanted them to see?
He’d forgotten everything he’d ever learned when confronted with Miss Gabby Butcombe.
Cassian cleared his throat. “I cannae tell ye the details,” he finally confessed. “The Crown has sworn me to secrecy?—”
Her gaze slammed up to his. “The Crown! Bull’s patron is…” She shook her head. “I cannae say. But perhaps…” Her nose scrunched in thought. “I wonder if we could help you.”
It was sweet and brave of her to want to try—but that was the woman he was coming to know: caring and kind, and bold enough to help.
Still, such a thing was impossible to imagine.
Cassian shook his head. “All I can tell ye is that I never betrayed the Crown’s interests or my country. Everything I did—everything my men did—was for our country.”
Gabby’s lips curled slightly, sadly, as her hand began to move up and down his forearm. “I believe you,” she finally whispered. “But Bull—my uncle, he will demand specifics?—”
“I cannae tell ye, lass. I would if I could, and I’m sorry for it.” It was impossible to keep the bitterness from his tone when he spat out, “I would do anything to publish the truth about my men—they died as heroes, and no one kens that.”
Curse the Prince and his blithe demand for secrecy!
She was studying him, but he saw only acceptance, not disappointment in her eyes. If he thought he was through being surprised by Gabby, he was wrong—and was about to be proved even more wrong.
“How can I help?”
He reared back at her offer. “What?” he rasped.
