Page 38 of The Moonstone Pirate
He frowned at her. “I know you will think me rude, but must it be pounded into your inquisitive head to keep out of this from now on?”
He could see the frustration in the downward curve of her mouth—that beautifully lush mouth—and the narrowing of her eyes that were still stunning in the way they shimmered. He saw it in the tight curl of her slender hands as they rested at her sides. Finally, she nodded. “You are extremely irritating. I expect you know this.”
“I do. I’m sorry for this abrupt turnabout.” He glanced down at the sketches in his hands. “I meant it when I said Driscoll’s death could be a far more serious matter than any of us realized. Please, Imogen. Do not tell anyone what I am doing, or where I am going, or what you have given me. I will talk to your uncle tonight and tell him as much as I can about what is going on.”
“But you won’t confide in me.”
He ought to have just shut up instead of opening up that raw wound inside of her. She wanted to help, but he simply could not allow it. “Trust me, Imogen. This must remain our secret.”
“It is hard to trust you when you are so mysterious about everything. And how is itoursecret when you haven’t shared anything with me?”
“I am not being mysterious, just cautious. A man died on my property. Something is going on…was going on between Driscoll and the man who killed him. I do not think it was an unplanned, heat-of-the-moment incident. We now know he meant to go after Driscoll, and I am determined to find out the reason.”
“Yes, figure out the motive and we will likely find the culprit. Which leads us back to Lord and Lady Trewick, doesn’t it? Did we not move them up in our list of suspects?”
He nodded. “Yes, but they are not the only ones who need investigating.”
“Driscoll’s wastrel friends, too.” She studied his face, trying to discern what he was thinking, but he had mastered the art of hiding his feelings from an early age. “And now you have added someone new, someone connected to this ship you are so interested in learning more about. Someone dangerous enough to frighten even you.”
“Imogen, did I not warn you to stop asking questions?”
She emitted a breathy sigh of frustration. “I wasn’t asking a question. I was trying to puzzle out what you pieced together after looking at my drawings.”
“Then stop puzzling things out.” The sun shone down on the courtyard as the groom trotted out Draco’s horse, a beautiful gray built for battle. Then Parrot suddenly came barreling at them from the side of the house.
Draco secured the wizard sketches and Imogen’s sketchbook to his saddle pouch and then bent to pet Parrot and give him playful scratches behind his ears. “I’ll be back for you later, you big baby. Take care of Imogen for me. And do not let her go anywhere on her own. Best if she stays right here at Westgate Hall with her aunt and uncle. Got it?”
Parrot barked his assent.
Imogen eyed Draco doubtfully. “Are you suggesting he understands what you say?”
“Yes, every word. Rest assured, he will tug on your gown to hold you back if you attempt to run off on your own.”
“Parrot, you mustn’t hold me back,” she said, petting him as Draco had done a few moments ago. “You’ll ruin my gown. You spit drool everywhere.”
Parrot barked indignantly.
Draco laughed. “Send the cleaning bill to me, but then I will know you disobeyed my orders. Stay put, Imogen. Can you not do this for a couple of weeks?”
“Weeks? I will go mad if I have to do this for anhour.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You cannot tell me what to do, Draco. We are not related in any way, nor are we betrothed. You are merely one of my uncle’s neighbors. I am nothing to you.”
He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Now that is an utter falsehood, and you know it. How can you doubt you mean something to me? Do you think I go around kissing just any butterfly?”
She blushed.
He loved this innocence about her. She had wanted that first kiss so badly, felt guilty about receiving it, then thought she was wanton because she had enjoyed it thoroughly, and despite thinking what she had done was sinful, she wanted him to kiss her again.
He sure as blazes wanted to kiss her again, too.
He rubbed her shoulders lightly. “Please, Imogen. Stay close to your family and do not ask me any more questions. I will tell you everything once this investigation is over.”
“I am not happy about this, Draco. But I have one more question to ask you before you go.”
He sighed. “What is it?”
“Should my aunt and uncle invite Deandra and her father to stay with us the entire week? Parrot, too.”
He liked this about Imogen. No matter how irritated she was with him, she still was concerned about his family. “Yes, except for Parrot. I will take him back with me this evening after supper.”
