Page 111 of Miss Prim and the Duke of Wylde
Finally, with a swift glance at her, Toby stated, “The only way forward that I can see is for Meg to act as a lure of sorts—as very well-protected bait.”
Drago’s lips tightened. “I would prefer any other way. There must be one.”
Gamely, Aidan shook his head. “If so, I can’t see it, and none of us have despite the past hours of racking our brains.”
“None of us,” Denton told his brother, “are happy about the prospect of Meg being in any sort of danger, however slight, but the alternative—letting this situation go on—is potentially worse.”
“Indeed.” Meg decided it was time she spoke up and reminded them all that she had a mind of her own. She fixed her gaze on Drago. “As one who has a large stake in this matter, on multiple fronts, I, too, can see no other way to achieve our necessary goal, and I believe we need to accept what must be and direct our energies into crafting a plan that will draw the villain into the open while simultaneously ensuring my absolute safety.”
Drago held her gaze for a very long moment, and everyone else held their breath. Then almost imperceptibly, his stony features eased a fraction, and he inclined his head to her before shifting his dark gaze to the others. “Very well. Given those parameters, what can we devise?”
Subtle relief spread through the company, and once again, the ideas started flying, although now the suggestions were a great deal more focused and practical.
Step by step, they constructed a sequence of events that, they hoped, would cast Meg as an obvious target, apparently unprotected and alone, although in reality, she would never be out of sight of several—always more than one—of her dedicated champions.
Naturally, Drago didn’t like the plan, but he reluctantly agreed.
“This way,” Toby assured him, “should Hubert prove to be the villain, we’ll be able to watch him all the way to the point where he incriminates himself and then step in, yet at the same time, should the villain prove to be someone else and close enough to see our lure and think to take advantage—as we would hope—then our guards will ensure that he won’t be able to reach Meg, either.”
Denton nodded eagerly. “Whoever he is, we’ll have him.” He looked at Drago. “Tomorrow.”
His expression utterly impassive, Drago looked at them all, then raised the hand of Meg’s that he’d appropriated during the discussion, pressed a kiss to her knuckles, and met her gaze. “We’d better.”
CHAPTER18
Soon after, the gathering broke up, and anticipating a day full of activity on the morrow, the company made their way up the stairs. Denton volunteered to show the others to their rooms, leaving Drago and Meg to continue down the family wing to the ducal suite.
Drago followed Meg into their bedroom and shut the door on the world. He stood watching her as, lit by the warm glow of the lamps set on various side tables, she reached up to unpin her hair.
She turned and saw him watching. She met his gaze, her own direct yet mysterious, embodying the age-old allure of a confident lady, a siren’s call to which he’d always been susceptible.
She studied his expression, then softly smiled. “I know you don’t like the plan, but it is the only one we have, and at base, you’re as determined as I am to bring this nonsense to an end.”
He prowled toward her. “You’re right. I’ll never approve of, much less like, any venture that places you at any risk whatsoever. And yes, I’ve had more than enough of our joker’s games. They end tomorrow. One way or another.” He slid an arm around her waist and drew her to him. “There’s just one thing.”
She settled against him and, with gentle playfulness, arched her brows. “Just one?”
“Yes, you confounding woman—just one.” He looked into her upturned face and felt all levity drain from him. “Regardless of what happens, you have to remain safe. When I get back here, you have to promise you’ll be here, unharmed, untouched, waiting for me.”
She smiled reassuringly. “With all my guards about me, there’s no chance Hubert or anyone else will reach me.”
Drago knew the plan, yet something in him still paced, uncertain, unconvinced. “Remember, before our engagement ball, we spoke of what we felt for each other and what we hoped to find in our marriage?”
She thought back, then refocused on his eyes. “We wanted a love match. Both of us did, even if we didn’t know if it would come.”
“But it did come, didn’t it?” He raised a hand and wound his fingers in one curling tress, then he shifted, raised both hands, and sank his fingers into the rich bounty of her golden hair. Holding her face between his palms, he searched her eyes. “Love came and caught us, and the very thought that the next attempt on your life might succeed is enough to bring me to my knees.” He tipped his head forward and rested his forehead on hers. “I find that now, I cannot conceive of a life without you.” He raised his head and looked into her eyes. “How did that happen in just a few weeks?”
Her smile turned rueful. “I really don’t know.” Raising her hands, she curled her fingers about his wrists. “But rest assured that what you feel for me, I feel for you. I cannot conceive of a life without you, either.”
“Good.”
The fierceness in the response didn’t shock Meg. She’d long realized that the glibly sophisticated, charming veneer Drago displayed to the world overlay a much more serious man. Practical, sensible, compassionate; he was all those things and more. And people like Emily Temple and the more senior in political and social circles had seen through the façade to the real man, and it was he they wanted in their ranks.
She understood that he was torn over allowing her to play her part in their plan. She understood exactly what he was feeling because over his involvement, she felt much the same. Perhaps not with the same intensity and force, but the quality of the emotion was identical.
In his dark eyes, she could see the turmoil that racked him. Knowing of no other way, certainly no more appropriate way, to distract him and herself, using her hold on his wrists, she stretched up and pressed a kiss—an open-mouthed invitation—to his lips.
His response, immediate and heated and so very much in tune with their needs, was everything and more than she’d hoped for.
