Page 48 of Entrancing the Earl
But he nodded respectfully as Lord Ives casually brushed off his suit coat as if he engaged in fisticuffs on a regular basis. “Yes, my lord. The miscreants do nae usually attack in day.”
“The lady does not go out at night for fear of such attacks. Craigmore has apparently become desperate. We’ll follow in your path in case they return.” Lord Ives briefly squeezed Iona’s shoulders, then more appropriately offered his arm.
She needed it. She was still trembling. How had Mortimer discovered she was in town—and learned where she was? They’d been so careful! She was quite certain he had not seen through her baron’s disguise and had only intruded on the Dares to see if Ives had followed her false claim.
Several of the passersby who had run to their aid also followed to be certain the large scoundrel did not escape from the much slighter policeman. Iona felt as if eyes stared at her from behind windows up and down the street.
“I don’t like this,” she murmured. “I don’t want to lead anyone back to Lord Dare’s.”
“Agreed,” the earl whispered back.
After depositing the policeman and his captive at the police station, Lord Ives caught a hansom and helped her in. Climbing up beside her, he ordered the cab to the train station.
“If you send me back to Isobel, I cannot appear for the reward to prove you’ve found me,” she objected.
“I am considering leading White and Mortimer out to Calder Castle and shoving them off a cliff,” he said grimly.
“It might be easier to do so from the fort.” She indicated the high bluff supporting the ancient fortress ahead.
“Tempting,” he agreed. “But I intend to pretend I’m putting you on a train. You will sneak off further down the cars while I stand there idiotically waving at strangers in the windows. The Royal hotel is just down the block. Do you think you can slip in a back door as if you’re part of the staff?”
“Give me your cloak. I’ll put it in my bag and wear it when I get off. It’s not much, but it will hide me and the bag. I should be able to find a crowd of people to walk with.” She was still breathing too fast, and her pulse was racing. That had been much too close an encounter.
She prayed Mortimer knew nothing of her twin’s hiding place. There were strange workmen all over the grounds at the castle. She’d have to send a telegram and caution Isobel to stay inside.
Without warning, the earl leaned over, placed his mouth over hers, and captured her breath.
The unimaginable sweetness of his kiss filled her head and drove away any lingering fear.
This was where she belonged.
And she could never have him.
Nineteen
All the furyand confusion of the morning melted away while Gerard held Iona in his arms. Her kiss soothed the savage beast that had unexpectedly awakened when he’d seen her attacked. Her breasts pressing into him caused his racing heart to send blood to more intimate places than his fists. The world almost made sense when she snuggled into his embrace.
And then the carriage stopped and she pushed away and looked like a wide-eyed doe. Not frightened, thankfully, but definitely startled. He had to remember that, despite her confidence, she was young and inexperienced.
Still unbalanced but recovering his usual composure, he handed her the borrowed cloak he carried over his arm as if their embrace was an everyday occurrence. “Hold the hood over your head after you don it. Changing your hair doesnotdisguise you. And put those horrible spectacles back on.”
She took a breath and nodded, pulling out the spectacles and fumbling with them. “You’ll be in the hotel lobby?”
“Probably hiding behind a newspaper,” he agreed, trying to sound whatever in hell normal might be when his blood raced and his mind swirled. He climbed out and held out his hand to help her down.
“I will find you.” She took his hand and clung to it a little longer than necessary, as if needing to steady herself.
He knew the feeling. Thank all that was holy, there was a train already in the station. She climbed on, leaving him standing there like an idiot, watching the packed car and waving as it pulled away from the platform.
He prayed she wouldn’t stay on the train, leaving him behind. He noted its destination, just in case.
Then crossing the track, he climbed up to Princes Street and strode hurriedly for the hotel. He didn’t see any sign of a cloaked female in the scattering of passengers ahead, but she’d had several minutes to run ahead of him.
In the lobby, Gerard stopped at the desk to let Rainford know he was there, and to take a room, ostensibly for his sister. The clerk couldn’t give him a second room nearby. That fretted at him, but he couldn’t endanger friends and family by taking Iona back to Dare’s. A large, anonymous hotel somehow seemed safer than a residence Mortimer might recognize as a refuge.
They had to act soon, faster than he liked.
He settled in a chair with a newspaper, watching over the top of it. To his dismay, Lady Alice sailed down the grand staircase. Of course, as long as she was in the north, she’d be visiting her father. Gerard yanked his newspaper up and peered from the side until he saw the lady gliding out the door in a flurry of ruffles and petticoats.
