The blue of his eyes seemed to darken as he considered her. “I must, however, ask you about the man’s motive.”
Juliana blinked, her brows turning downward as she frowned.
“Not the cad from last evening, but the person from whom the orders came,” he clarified. “Do you know of any reason that someone would wish to cause you harm?”
A weary sigh escaped Juliana. She shook her head, her gaze locked on the lapel of Mr. Notley’s coat.
In Derby, she’d lived a sheltered life, to be sure; the weather was often cold, but she had formed acquaintances with all of the local farmers and their daughters. During the season, Juliana attended every London social event, including Astley’s, Covent Garden, and the opera. But being a wallflower, she had very rarely been noticed by anyone that wasn’t a fortune hunter, andthosemen had been given a set-down directly they approached. She genuinely couldn’t imagine it being any one of them. “I’ve wondered that, myself, and truthfully, I do not know. I’ve always gotten on with everyone at home. I believe I would need to ask that question to my brother, Jasper.”
“I imagine that you would.” His lips thinned, causing his whiskers to move like a wave. “I also wonder if it has something to do withyou.”
“What do you mean?” she asked breathlessly.
“What if the reason is both simpler and moresinister? You say that you’d visited a pub in order to find conveyance. When you arrived there, did you tell anyone your name? Mayhap the man intended as your betrothed found his way to you. Or perhaps your brother sent someone in search of you, and the man deviated from the plan.”
Her heart dropped into her stomach. It had been the local pub in Derby, under her brother’s thumb, of course. Everyone knew her name. Mr. Notley didn’t know the truth of her identity—he couldn’t know—but he could certainly be correct in his guesses.
She covered her face and groaned, her stomach twisting. “I didn’t think—”
“Whoever he is, he must have followed you from that pub.”
“That might explain the man who attacked me, but not his orders. And notwhy.” Juliana chewed on her lips as she thought. She couldn’t say it aloud, but it did, in fact, make sense if it was a pair of men who had planned some sort of abduction with the intent to ransom her to Jasper. Or, perhaps, someone owed Jasper money and was trying to exchange her for their debts. There were several plausible options, and each had everything to do with who she was. A shiver ran down her spine. Lord, but she was in a muddle.
Her bedchamber fell silent once more, the air heavy with unsaid words.
Juliana brushed her fingers nervously over the carved bedpost, her gaze locked on Mr. Notley’s as their silence stretched.
The fire crackled, and the sound of their soft breathing filled the room. She was very aware of his presence, as though his body called to hers.
She wanted to kiss him, to apologize for thinking to use him, but also to shout and ask him why he’d spurned her. It left her feeling hot and cold, the fire both too warm and not warm enough. The odd combination of emotions made her flustered and confused, and all of it made her chest feel heavy.
His jaw tightened. “Despite our lack of understanding regarding this villain’s motivation, we must continue on with our plans. Once Lizzy has safely vacated Woodhaven Hall, we will arrange for your transportation.”
Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, Juliana nodded. As much as she appreciated the protection he offered, more guilt suffused her. This was entirely her fault. She’d brought danger to his door that threatened not only him and his staff, but his loveable niece, as well. She’d not wished for any of this. “Thank you,” she said, her voice just above a whisper.
“Before we disembark, I must say this: I’ll not bring you to London. The answers and protection that you require will come from your brother, and as such, I will return you to him.”
* * *
Leo eyed MissSmith carefully as she stilled, her complexion growing slightly ashen and putting her fresh bruises in stark relief. The pulse at her throat began to flutter, and he had the absurd urge to flick his tongue over it.
Kitty yawned, stretched, and lowered herself to the floor, walking languidly to the corner of the room where she curled upon a folded blanket.
“I understand,” Miss Smith replied softly.
“Good.” He wished on her behalf that she could avoid her brother’s matchmaking machinations, but Leo was not a member of her family, and she was certainly safer where she belonged. It made sense that she would be worried about the repercussions of her decisions—no matter how just—but it was, again, something from which he could not protect her.
He shifted his stance. “And where might your home be?”
A soft pink tongue darted out from between her bite-swollen lips as her gaze slid sideways. Leo’s gut tightened. He’d wanted to kiss her the moment he’d entered her bedchamber, to tangle his fingers in her mass of curls and feel her body mould perfectly against his as he tasted her sweet mouth and explored the source of her scent. It was madness, naturally. He’d done his best to force his lascivious urges away, but the sight of that tongue sent his blood to thrumming once more.
“Derby,” she said, cutting through his momentary haze of lust. “I-It’s a small estate.”
Fisting his hands, he dug his nails into his palms in an attempt to quiet the surge of hot blood through his veins. “Derby.” He nodded once. “Very good.”
The colour seemed to come back to Miss Smith’s cheeks, and she sighed long and slow.
The urge to trail his fingertips along the soft skin of her jaw as he took those lips with his nearly overwhelmed him. Miss Smith was a dangerous woman, indeed. Years of well-deserved celibacy had passed without such intense temptation, but withher…his body simply fought valiantly to be with her. And he was tired of the internal battle.
