Page 12 of Marigold and the Marquess
In truth, he probably owed his life to Marigold’s Uncle George. The man was a brilliant doctor. As for his rescue, he owed that to some very brave agents of the Crown operating abroad. He did not know how he would ever repay these men for their valorous acts.
And yet, he had been the one bestowed with England’s highest medal of honor, a medal he had placed in his bureau drawer and did not care to see again. He wanted to forget about his ordeal, not be reminded of it every time he pinned that medal on.
Well, this was not a discussion he wished to have with this tender girl.
“Oh, thank goodness! Here comes your carriage! Poor Bessie. She is pale as a ghost. Oh, drat. Now she is going to report what happened to John and Sophie, and they might never let me out of their home again. But they must let me go. I have to help organize this exhibit. Mr. Smythe-Owens and his team cannot manage without me.”
Leo cast her a wry smile. “Cannot? Or is it that you do not want them to work on it without you?”
She blushed. “I would be devastated if I could not participate. I know it is terribly wrong of me, but I would sneak out of the house if I were forbidden. There is a lovely oak tree with branches that lean close to my bedroom window. It would not be so hard to climb down and–”
“Marigold! It is bad enough you would defy John and Sophie, but to then think you can make your way here on your own? How do you intend to do it? Steal money for a hackney?”
She gasped. “I would never steal!”
“Then you would walk the entire way? A girl like you? All alone? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Has this incident not made clear the depravity of your fossil hunters? They would not hesitate to abduct you if it served their purpose. You are as much a prize to them as these skulls and bones. No, you must always come to me. I must insist on it.”
“How does this help me? Would you not stop me if you disapproved?”
“No, I would protect you even though I disagreed wholeheartedly with what you were doing. It is more important that you trust me and know you can always rely on me to keep you safe. I would not lecture you. I am not your father.”
She blushed, gave a small cough, and then smiled up at him. “I am quite aware. Do you think I have not noticed?”
He sighed. “You are still holding my hand.”
“Because it is hurt. You are too stubborn to admit it.”
“It isn’t very sore. I hardly feel any discomfort.” She had no idea just how badly he had been injured while locked away in that black hole and regularly beaten. “Mr. Smythe-Owens and more guards are here to carry the crate inside. Let us keep out of their way.”
“All right.”
They stepped aside, but Marigold was still stubbornly holding onto his hand. Well, perhaps it was not so much to soothe him as it was to calm herself down. If she needed to hold onto him, use him as her anchor, he was not going to complain.
“You have called me Marigold a time or two. Does this mean I may now call you Leo?”
Drat, he had slipped and used her given name. That was a mistake, for he was already feeling too drawn to this girl. “No, you may not. I apologize for the familiarity. It should not have happened.”
“I did not mind.”
“That is all the more reason for us to keep to formality, Miss Farthingale.”
She let go of his hand after easing it to his side. “I understand.”
In truth, she did not understand at all.
She thought he was rejecting her when, in fact, he was feeling far too strongly attracted to her. “Come, Miss Farthingale. Let’s go inside.”
The guards had carried the crate in, so they followed.
Marigold then instructed the men to carry it up to the duke’s office. “Mr. Smythe-Owens, we ought to start immediately entering each artifact into the logbook.”
“If you wish. The book is here on His Grace’s desk.” He motioned to it.
“Once we are done, we ought to keep the crate and its contents locked in His Grace’s office. I think it is safer than anywhere else for now.”
“I agree, Miss Farthingale.”
The hour was getting late and Leo expected the Huntsford staff wished to go home. “It will not take us long to get through this inventory,” Marigold assured him when he mentioned it. “Besides, we should remain at least until the constables arrive. They’ll have questions for us. By your expression, I do not think you like to answer questions.”
