Page 56 of Marigold and the Marquess
But it did not hurt when he held onto her, breathed in her delicate scent, a hint of cinnamon today, and put his lips to her warm skin.
She was the balm for his torment.
“I’ll be spending a lot of time at the Huntsford Academy over the next few weeks as the new exhibit is readied for display. Huntsford and Adela will return in a few days with more artifacts to be studied.”
“Are you worried that I will stop you from going there? You love that place. I would never deprive you of it.”
“Thank you, Leo. But my friends will ask me questions about you and what led to today’s incident. Please, let me tell them something. Octavian and Julius can be of help to you.”
He tensed. “And bring them down along with me? No.”
“Syd and Gory will also help. My point is that they can all be trusted to keep whatever they are told in confidence.”
He emitted a mirthless laugh. “No, my pet. Too many people are involved already. The bloody Crown investigation already feels like too much of a circus.”
“But you confided in Homer Barrow.”
“Because you need protection. And this circus will continue since His Majesty intends to have me installed as a Knight of the Thistle. Everyone views it as an honor, but do you know what I hope happens?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“I’m hoping the traitor approaches me there so I can kill him in front of that crowd. I don’t care who it is, Beldon, Cummings, or Denby. I just want him to make a move, and I will gut him like a fish.”
She pushed off his lap and sat across from him. “Leo, are you purposely trying to upset me? Even you must realize how awful that sounds. To dream of avenging the wrong by shedding blood in front of the king and his entire court? You are too riled.”
He shrugged. “I know.”
“You have the best men in England on the task. Perhaps the best of all is Mr. Barrow because he seems able to get into places and talk to people no one else can. You must give them time, Leo.”
“Are you through slapping my hand and telling me I should behave?”
“Now you are just being contrary.”
“It is who I am, Marigold. I warned you to keep away. I did you no favor by marrying you.”
“We were caught in Ian’s library because neither of us wanted to pull away from the other. You kissed me first and only stopped kissing me because we were interrupted. If this is how you thought to warn me away, then you ought to rethink your approach.”
“Are you through lecturing me?” He did not mean to smile, but could not help it. He loved the way Marigold stood up to him, for she did it so sweetly even as she boxed his ears.
“You will not get through your torment on your own, Leo. Let others help you. Me, of course. You caused a scene in front of Huntsford’s museum and his brothers came to your rescue. Do you not think you owe them some explanation?”
“No. Nor did they come to my rescue. The notion is absurd. I had Beldon on the ground and–”
“You were about to kill him. Were you really going to do it?”
He refused to answer.
“Never mind. Your silence tells me all I need to know. They did not rescue you from Beldon but from yourself. You owe them for protecting you from your own anger and bile. If you do not care for your own safety, then think of mine. You ought to tell them what is going on so they can protectmewhenever I am not with you. Think about it, Leo.”
He groaned. “I will. Later, not now.”
“No, you won’t. You will dismiss it because it does not suit you to be contradicted in your plans. You think Beldon has been subdued, but what about the other suspects? None of my friends will understand the extent of the danger unless you tell them.”
“Marigold, stop belaboring the point. It is enough that Huntsford’s brothers know to keep Beldon away from you if they see him poking around the museum again.”
“I think you frightened the life out of Beldon. I would not be surprised if he disappeared from London for a few months. What of your cousin or this Denby fellow? They might start to poke around, too. Who will know to protect me from them?”
“I’ll take care of them.”
