Page 91 of A Dangerous Lord (Regency Spies & Secrets 3)

“Then he is an utter fool,” Percy remarked.

“Thank you for saying so.”

He stared at her for a long moment before he rose. “It would be best if I departed.”

“I would like for us to part as friends,” she said, rising.

With a smile on his lips, he replied, “I would like that as well.”

As Jane watched Percy depart, she felt sorry for him. He was a good man, and she hoped that he would find love, but it wouldn’t be with her.

“Has the coachbeen brought around front?” Corbyn asked as he stepped into the entry hall and adjusted his gloves.

“It has,” Rudd confirmed.

“Excellent.”

“A letter from your mother was delivered this morning.”

“Put it on my desk in the study. No doubt, she’s asking when I will visit my father again.”

Rudd opened the door and stood to the side. “I hope you have a pleasant day, my lord.”

“Thank you,” Corbyn replied as he stepped outside.

After he was situated in the coach, he removed his top hat and placed it on the bench next to him. His eyes watched a young woman walking with a servant trailing behind her, causing him to conjure up the image of Jane.

How he adored her, and he found himself thinking about her at the most inopportune times. But he couldn’t possibly act on his feelings. Jane was innocent and kind. Two things that he most assuredly was not. She needed someone who would love her for who she truly was and would protect her from the evils of this world.

He was most definitely not the man for her. He couldn’t bring her into his web of lies, corrupting her in the process. She deserved better than him. Besides, his life was not conducive to having a wife. He knew that, which made it irksome that he found himself constantly thinking about her. From the moment he had met Jane, he had been beguiled by her. She was a refreshing change from the other girls amongst theton.

Jane had no problem with speaking her mind, and he appreciated that. Nor did she try to hide behind coy smiles and thinly veiled insults. But it was her eyes that told him everything he needed to know. She may try to conceal her feelings, but her eyes never lied to him. They held a genuineness about them.

He cared for Jane too much to ever trap her in a marriage with him. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he saw the same distrust in her eyes that she had for her brother, Oliver, which would be inevitable. He wouldn’t be able to tell her the truth about his day and who he met with. No. He could only dream about a future with Jane, but nothing more.

The coach came to a stop and a footman opened the door. Corbyn reached for his top hat before stepping onto the road.

“Would you like for us to wait for you, milord?” the footman asked.

Corbyn placed his hat on top of his head. “That won’t be necessary,” he replied. “I’ll secure a hackney when I am ready to return home.”

The footman tipped his head in acknowledgment and returned to his perch on the back of the coach. As the coach merged back into traffic, Corbyn felt as if he were being watched. His eyes scanned the buildings and the people walking along the street, but he saw nothing that would give him any pause. Not that he was expecting to find someone blatantly staring at him. If someone truly was following him, they would be discreet about it.

Appearing unconcerned, Corbyn started walking down the street at a steady pace. He didn’t want to give anyone the impression that he’d caught on to them. He was a few blocks from his office, but he didn’t want to lead whoever was following him to that building. Instead, he calmly stepped into an alleyway and retrieved a pistol from the back of his trousers.

He remained in the shadows and waited to see if the person would follow him into the alley. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long. Stewart stepped into the alleyway, dressed in a brown suit and red waistcoat.

“How did you know I was following you?” Stewart asked.

“I had a feeling,” Corbyn replied, keeping the pistol tucked to his side.

Stewart lifted his brow. “A feeling?”

“I have learned never to discount my gut,” Corbyn admitted. “It’s what has kept me alive for all these years.”

“I can imagine.”

“May I ask why you are following me?”

---