Page 8 of Crash Landing
Florence sighed. “What a mess I’ve caused. Now everyone will think they’ve lost their bets because of our pretended betrothal. It was a foolish thing for you to do, but I cannot admonish you for it. Your quick thinking probably saved my life.”
“So, I am forgiven?”
She nodded. “Yes, without question. You had no time to come up with a better plan, and I came up with nothing at all. Yours was quite convincing. Brilliant, actually. But now we have to figure out how to get ourselves out of it.”
“We will in time, but not yet. You are going to need the protection of my name for a little while longer.”
“I hope you are proved wrong,” she said with a sigh. “But I fear you may be right.”
“Iamright,” he said with conviction. “You mustn’t let down your guard, Florence. I think Frampton was not completely convinced by our performance. He continued to eye you too intently. He still suspects you were the culprit peering through his windows, and this worries me.”
“Oh, that is not good.”
“Well, we instilled a small measure of doubt.”
“Enough to keep him from shooting us right here on the beach,” she said with little mirth, for those men had all been carrying rifles and would not have thought twice about discharging them into their bodies.
Aubrey rubbed a hand along the back of his neck and nodded. “I shudder to think what would have happened had he caught you alone in these woods.”
“He is scary, isn’t he? Do you think there is something more going on with him than a little extortion?”
“I don’t know.” He pursed his lips and pondered the question. “Butit is all the more reason to keep away from him. I mean it, Florence. You will end up dead if you poke that bear. More to the point, I have no intention of dying alongside you. All right? So, it is best you just drop the matter of retrieving those damaging letters. Has your friend paid you?”
“Only a retainer for my out-of-pocket expenses. I get the rest of the reward once the job is done.”
“Then give her back the advance,” he said with authority. “I will reimburse you for whatever you have spent. But this has to end now.”
He was right to be concerned, but was this not for her to decide?
And what if Frampton was plotting something really serious, such as the overthrow of the monarchy? Should this not be investigated and proof brought to the attention of the Home Office?
“Bloody hell, no!” he cried when she mentioned the possibility.
“But he might be a traitor.”
“I would not be surprised, but this is something to be investigated by the Home Office,notby you.”
“Then by you, perhaps?” She cast him a brilliant smile. “You are quite talented at this sort of intrigue. Clever. Fast on your feet. You were magnificent in the way you tricked Frampton into revealing exactly where he wanted us to keep away. I was certain those letters were hidden in his house, and he has now confirmed it.”
Sunlight shimmered on his hair as he raked a hand through those splendid golden waves and eyed her warily. “You aren’t going to break into his home, Florence. I forbid it.”
“Would you consider doing it?”
He emitted a bark of laughter. “Are you mad? No!”
She cast him a stubborn look. “Then I will have to do it.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “You are mistaken if you believe I am going to allow you to risk your life over some stupid letters. Whose are they? You never told me who you are working for.”
“Nor will I tell you now,” she said, loath to defy him after he hadcertainly saved her life, but she cast him an impudent look and tipped her chin up. “The matter is sensitive and private.”
“Not if it is about to get you killed.” He took her by the hand once more and marched her up the beach stairs.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked as they climbed.
“Back to my house.”
When they reached the top step, he led her along an unshaded path away from the beach and woodlands.
