Page 78 of A Lord Apart (The Way to a Lord's Heart 2)

Of course she had to explain, even if the truth was humiliating. “I saw your visitors riding away, and I recognized one of them as a man who questioned me in Manchester.”

“Wendell?”

“I don’t know his name. He never told me. He had blond side-whiskers.”

“That one? Not the other?” Whitfield looked surprised.

Penelope nodded. “Seeing him overset me, I’m afraid. He was…quite chilling.” She made a slashing gesture. “How I hate feeling like this!”

“I won’t let them near you.”

“You won’t be able to stop them. Nothing stops them.” When he would have objected, she shook her head. “What were they doing here?”

“The Foreign Office sent them to fetch my mother’s notebooks.”

Penelope felt a surge of relief. They hadn’t been hunting her. “They want her journals?”

Whitfield nodded. “To keep them secret. They intend to lock them away in some government vault in London, along with the code key naturally.”

Penelope nodded. And once they got their way, the government men wouldn’t come back. A dreadful thought struck her. “Does that man know I’m here? Does he know I saw the key? He’ll suspect me of…everything.”

Whitfield’s expression was all the answer she needed.

“I suppose I’m a spy now.” Penelope didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. “Do they think I’m stealing state secrets? For what? That man will want to lock me up again.”

“Nonsense.”

“You don’t know what it’s like.”

“It’s true I don’t.” He came close and took her hands. “But I will make certain it never happens to you again.”

“That’s kind of you to say, but you can’t make such guarantees.”

“It isn’t kind. It’s…the deepest wish of my heart. I will do whatever is necessary.”

Penelope blinked back tears. He’d stood by her as friends of long standing had not, with the authorities coming for him.

“Even…” he added, and stopped.

“What?”

“I suppose if you cut all connection with Frithgerd and me, went away somewhere for a while, you would be safer from them,” he said. He looked melancholy. “I must tell you that I mean to keep the notebooks for a bit. I won’t be bullied. I intend to manage this matter on my own terms.”

“They do bully,” she replied.

“They may try, but you shouldn’t be subjected to it.”

“You want me to go away?” The idea was dismal.

“No! It’s the last thing I want. I hate the thought.” The truth of this was obvious in his face. “But your well-being is more important than my…gratification.”

He was so dear to her. “I wouldn’t leave you to those men. You don’t know how bad they can be.”

“Even though you’re afraid.”

She swallowed. “Yes. Some things are more important than mere fear.”

“Mere fear. You really are the most amazing creature.” Whitfield’s hands tightened on hers. “This would all be simpler if you married me.”

---