Octavian shook his head. “No venomous snakes or spiders. Just lost gloves and handkerchiefs, a few pouches. But there was nothing nefarious in them. No explosives.”
Adela gasped. “Did you really think Runyon would blow this place up?”
Octavian shrugged. “It cannot be overlooked.”
Her friends were also gaping at him, for the three of them were stunned by the possibility. How could any scholar ever think to destroy a place of higher learning such as this magnificent structure?
“Dear heaven,” Adela said, clutching her stomach. “He couldn’t be that mad.”
“The mind is a tricky thing,” Gory said. “Who knows what any of us is capable of when pushed to the edge?”
“Well, on that jolly note…let’s eat. I’m starved.” Julius took both Gory and Syd by the elbow and starting for the exit.
Adela followed them, surprised when Ambrose and Octavian hung back.
Octavian had looked serious the entire time. She assumed it was just his nature to be stern and brooding, but what if it was not?
What were he and Ambrose discussing with such seriousness?
Had he noticed something dangerous?
CHAPTER 13
AMBROSE INSISTED ONhaving Eloise and Phoebe join them for supper. While he and Adela could have dined together without setting tongues wagging because they were to marry within a few days, Ambrose knew her friends required a chaperone. For the six of them to be seen alone would have landed them right back on the front page of the gossip rags. Adela’s friends might not particularly care, but he did.
Someone had to look after these girls since their families were obviously neglecting them. It made him sad to think they were being treated as hopeless and discarded when they had so much more to offer than most young ladies who entered the marriage mart.
Well, he was not their father.
Why should he get involved?
He sent word to Eloise and Phoebe to join them at the Wilton Hotel for supper, so it was a lively party of eight who sat at the finest table in the hotel dining room. Ambrose did not stint on the meal or the wine and champagne.
Adela was excited about the mystery of the missing book coming to a resolution tonight and kept glancing toward the entry for Mr. Barrow to appear. “Why is he not here yet?”
“My dear, these things take time,” Eloise said, patting Adela’s hand. She and Phoebe had been brought up to date on all that had transpired during their busy day.
Adela smiled at her. “I know, but I cannot help wishing the wait was over already.”
“It will be,” Ambrose assured. “I think the first thing you must learn as my duchess is patience.”
“Yes,” she said with a groan, “But it eats at my soul, especially because it is you I have hurt. I will not rest easy until you have the book restored to your library.”
“Adela, I have told you before–”
“That it does not matter? But it does and I cannot absolve myself of the blame. However, I shall put it aside and think of happier things.”
Ambrose arched an eyebrow. “Such as our wedding day?”
She laughed and nodded eagerly. “How do young ladies wait a year in the planning? These next few days already feel interminable.”
Indeed, quite interminable for him as well.
He looked forward to waking to her warm body pressed against his, sharing his days and nights with her.
“Everyone seems to know you,” Adela remarked as he acknowledged several old friends and acquaintances, some of whom were exceptionally pretty ladies he’d gotten to know rather well over the years, some more intimately than he should have. “Oh, heavens. That lady is so beautiful. Who is she?”
Ambrose stifled a groan, for Adela was referring to Lady Victoria Chambers, now the Marchioness of Windhurst and formerly one of his intimate acquaintances. Everyone thought he would marry her. Even he had thought to offer for her hand, but something always held him back. As lovely as she was, and as good as they were together in bed, he had never felt that mad, wild passion or any desperation in losing her. Nor had he ever been ready to sacrifice his entire being in order to make her happy.
