Page 57 of If Not for the Duke

“Would it be possible to speak with your driver and the footman to see if they remember anything?”

“Of course.” She should’ve thought of that earlier. She directed her attention to Nancy. “Could you send for James and Stephen?”

“Of course, miss.” Nancy hurried away, leaving them alone.

“You’re certain you’re well?” Sterling asked again, moving closer as his warm gaze searched her face.

“Other than not sleeping well, yes. I kept seeing Bernie lying on the floor.” She couldn’t help a shudder as the image filled her mind once again. She’d been so worried that she had arrived too late. That her premonition had failed her as it so often did.

But she wasn’t about to share any of that with Sterling.

“How lucky that you happened to call when you did.”

Her face heated at his words, and it was all she could do to act naturally. “You would’ve arrived soon anyway.”

He ran a hand over the back of his neck, his distress obvious. “Yes, but would I have found her? I don’t always look in on her at that time of the night. If she’d remained there longer—”

“Sterling.” Lena reached out to touch him, wanting to offer comfort. The feel of his muscled forearm beneath the fabric of his suit coat sent a thrill through her. To her surprise, he took her hand, though she wasn’t certain he knew he had. “She’s going to be fine.”

“I don’t know how you happened to be there when Bernie needed you, but I am pleased you were.”

“Truly, it was nothing.” Lena searched her thoughts, desperate to turn his focus away from her involvement. “Her maid would’ve looked for her soon.”

“I suppose that’s true.” He ran the pad of his thumb back and forth along her bare hand, his touch both soothing and arousing at the same time. “But thank you.”

“Of course. She doesn’t remember anything more either?”

“No. My guess is that the person hid when she entered the study then struck her when her back was turned. How unfortunate that they didn’t simply wait until she left.”

“Perhaps it seemed as if she intended to stay for a time. Did they take something from your desk?” She hid a grimace, annoyed that the question had slipped out.

“My notes about the progress on Oak Island.” He frowned, suggesting it troubled him.

Lena bit her lip to keep from saying something she shouldn’t. This was not the time to state that she was certain Clarke was deceiving him. Besides, he would only ask why she thought that which was impossible to explain.

“I suppose that narrows the list of possible suspects,” she said at last.

“Given that was all they took, it seems a clue in itself.” He shook his head. “Taking the notes was bad enough, but hurting Bernie was a step too far. And I don’t understand why they left the map. I would’ve thought that was more important than my notes.”

“The map?”

“Clarke sent one that noted the location of the current shaft he’s excavating as well as the priority of the next ones.”

“That’s not what they were in search of,” Lena murmured as a chill seeped over her, the sense of knowing narrowing her focus.

“What? How do you know?”

Lena blinked as she tried to process what he’d asked. She pulled her hand from his grasp, trying to clear her thoughts and dispel the sensation. Why had she allowed that to slip out? Her gift was bad enough, but the urge to speak of what she suddenly knew was even worse.

She shook her head as she stepped back and forced a smile. “I’m only guessing.” Her thoughts raced as she tried to think of an explanation that sounded believable. “It seems unlikely that it’s important to know where Clarke is working if they believe he already found the Money Pit. Wouldn’t it make more sense that they’d be looking for something else? Something that might point to how to access the treasure? To navigate the flood tunnels?”

Sterling’s eyes narrowed as he considered what she’d said. “But his map stated where he thinks the treasure is located.”

“Not if he’s wrong. Not if he’s digging in the wrong place.”

“Lena, why would you think that? He’s said he found the Money Pit.” His lips pressed tight. “And if I had anything that clarified how to navigate it to find the treasure, I would’ve already shared it with Clarke.”

Lena only knew Clarke wasn’t being completely honest and that he was digging in the wrong location. How that connected to what was taken from Sterling’s desk drawer, she didn’t know.

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