Had any man ever been more potent in his allure? Not even Adam had drawn her to him with such intense magnetism. It was the sort of reaction which could drown a woman alive.
“My head aches,” she told him honestly. “And my ribs are painful. But I am grateful to you, Arden, for charging after me and finding me. I would not be sitting here, if it were not for you.”
“You are sitting here bleeding and woundedbecauseof me,” he argued stubbornly once more, his voice rife with disgust. “But I will make amends, to you, Hazel. This, I swear.”
Chapter Ten
Just as heshould not have been surprised Hazel had refused to do as he had bid her that night in the hotel, he also knew he should not be surprised to find her stowing away in his carriage. But when he climbed inside the vehicle and saw her sitting there upon the leather bench, dressed in her outlandish trousers, of all things, he knew a brief moment of astonishment.
It was replaced quickly by outrage.
“Out,” he ordered her.
Her supple lips fell open, no doubt in shock at his brusqueness. But she found her voice in no time. “No.”
“Yes.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Madam, Dr. Kelly was strict in his orders. You are to rest. You suffered a concussion. Moreover, there is a pair of vicious criminals on the loose in London, who know you are not what you claimed to be. You need to remain where you are safe and incapable of injuring yourself further.”
She crossed her arms and glared at him. Due to the injuries she had sustained, she wore no hat today, and though her hair was dressed simply to also accommodate for her wounds, she had never looked lovelier.
“I told you I do not rest, Arden,” she informed him. “If you are going to examine the scene today with the Scotland Yard investigators, I wish to accompany you.”
“It is no place for a lady,” he said, regretting the words the instant they emerged.
Her shoulders straightened. “Fortunately, I am not a lady.”
“I meant to say it is no place for a woman who has so recently suffered such grievous injuries and is attempting to gad about the city, against the doctor’s orders,” he corrected. “Now out with you.”
“No.”
Devil take the woman.Did her stubborn foolishness know no bounds? “This is my carriage, Miss Montgomery, and you are trespassing.”
“Very well.” She rose from her seat. “I will hire a hack as before.”
Damn it.
“You will do no such thing,” he gritted.
She met his gaze, unflinching. “Either I will travel to the Praed Street station in your carriage, or I will hire a hack, Arden. Which would you prefer?”
“Clearly, I would prefer for you to do neither.” He clenched his jaw. “You suffered terrible injuries yesterday. I have no wish for you to injure yourself further.”
“I will not injure myself if I have you as my escort,” she countered. “But if you want me to hire a hack, that can be accomplished as well.”
It occurred to him she was more stubborn than a goat. He could either stand here, arguing with the infernal woman, or he could allow her to win and do his damnedest to keep her from landing herself in further scrapes.
“Sit down,” he ordered her.
She beamed and settled herself back down with her signature lack of grace. Despite her complete disregard for the uniquely feminine art of gracefulness, she was the most mesmerizing, infuriating,deliciouscreature he had ever laid eyes upon. What he wouldn’t give to have her in his bed. To watch her find her pleasure once more, but this time, to be inside her when she spent.
Bloody hell, this would not do. He had obligations, duties.Honor, he reminded himself. He had that as well. Or at least, hehadpossessed it, until a certain vexing American Pinkerton agent had forced her way into his life.
On a sigh at his own lack of control, Lucien entered the carriage and sat opposite her, knowing seating himself at her side, as he had done the day prior, was a danger he could not entertain. Her scent in the carriage—crisp clean soap, with just a hint of lavender, nothing so effusive as orris root or rose—was enough to affect him. She was too tempting, with her long legs on display and her hair uncovered. And so stubborn, he wanted to kiss her into submission, which he had also vowed he would never do again.
Desiring Hazel Montgomery was a very bad idea indeed.
One he could not afford to entertain.
“Thank you for the lemonade,” she told him in her mellifluous drawl, as the carriage lurched forward and they set upon the same course they had taken the evening before.
