Page 29 of A Night of Forever
“Tonight,” he said. “I want to hear everything. And if I think you are in any danger, I’m taking you to Christian’s in Dorset.”
Isobel’s teasing smile dropped away. “Fine. But I am not stupid. I know how dangerous it is to cross her. She killed my father and his mistress without a second thought.”
He wanted to say more, to warn her not to be flippant, but Victoria’s keen gaze was back on them.
So outwardly he smiled and twirled her among the candlelit dancers, while in his heart he fumed and wished they were already alone in her stables in the gray morning light.
Chapter 8
By the time Isobel reached the stable she was cursing herself for wearing her sleepwear. It was not ideal clothing for a stable.
She should have remained fully dressed, but she’d been scared Victoria might suddenly pop into her room to say good night. Besides, if she was caught slipping fully dressed from her room, she’d not be able to use the excuse of sleeplessness.
She trod carefully in slippered feet, trying to avoid stepping in animal waste. Fortunately, the groom kept a very clean stable.
The straw deadened any sound she made, and yet somehow Arend heard her coming. As his large arm swept her into the third stall and pressed her tight to his chest, he put a warning finger to his lips.
She could feel the heat of his hand through her clothes. The flimsy nightgown and silken robe was no barrier against the virile man she shared the dark with. She was woefully underdressed.
He peered out of the stall and looked around the stable, obviously checking that they were alone.
The only light through the open door was from the half moon. It gave enough illumination to make out shapes, and Isobel saw he’d been waiting in the darkened stable for her, still wearing his evening attire.
“I don’t think you were followed,” he said.
“I know I wasn’t.”
Swallowing past the dryness in her throat, she pushed out of his grasp. She needed space between them.
Quickly she told him of her search of Dufort’s room and her discovery of the map with his name on it. She did not, however, tell him that Dufort might guess he’d had an intruder.
“Do you still have the map?”
“Of course,” she said. “It’s in my reticule.”
He rolled his eyes. “An obvious place to look.”
“But hard to do without my knowing, since I have it with me all the time.”
A gleam of humor sparkled in his eyes at her challenging tone. “It’s not with you now.”
“It’s not something I take to bed,” she said, and her face heated as she heard what she’d said.
“So I see.” He smiled, his eyes swept her from head to foot, and he moved closer. “Do you think Victoria knows the map is missing? Is that why she has been so attentive?”
She couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I’m unsure, but they may know someone was in Dufort’s room.” She explained about the feather.
He pursed his mouth, and then placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “You’re not safe here. They will eventually suspect you, especially if they learn the map is missing. A servant might risk a peek into Dufort’s room, but no servant would look for a map.”
She shook her head. “They may not even know the map is missing. Dufort might not realize that I didn’t need to move the trunks out from under his bed to see inside them. Or that one trunk was unlocked.”
She nibbled her bottom lip in thought. “I can’t leave yet. I need to search through those papers. I promise, if I feel threatened, I’ll leave immediately and go straight to His Grace’s townhouse.”
He was torn. She could see it in his stance. He wanted her to search, but he was concerned for her.
She reached for his hand where it still rested on her shoulder, and she patted it. “I’ll be careful, I promise. Let me do this. For all of us.”
They stood looking at each other, her hand still resting on his. The intensity of his gaze warmed her. He looked so genuinely disturbed that she did something totally out of character.
