“Wait!” Alex acted without thinking, gripping hold of the lady's arm.
She looked at his hand on her forearm before turning her gaze to his. “Yes?”
“The club is not safe after dark, My Lady,” Alex stated, “It would be wise not to come unaccompanied.”
“If this devil lord is only in residence in the evenings, then I see no other way. Good day, Your Grace.”
With that, she dismissed herself with another curt dip of her head.
“Sean, see Lady Moreau safely home!” Alex called through the open doorway, unable to move.
This was a most dangerous game of cat and mouse. The evening of the Beaufort Ball, Lady Moreau had been elegant, witty and attractive. Today she had been all of those things and more.
Her bravery, determination and vibrancy spoke volumes to her character and Alex wasn't sure he had ever met another woman like her.
She was entirely too attractive in mind and body for him to ignore. And that frightened him more than anything ever had in his life.
He would face the ruining of his flesh one hundred times over before he dared to find out where the sensation in his chest might lead.
She is to return tonight,Alex thought, both terrified and excited. The lair truly was no place for a lady and nor was the company of the devil lord, even if it was only him in disguise.
His entire reputation, the reputation and success of his club rested upon the devil lord and all the character had accomplished over its two masters. He couldn't let it slip for the sake of one girl, no matter how lovely she might be.
Yet, when Sean returned almost an hour later, Alex instructed him, “If Lady Moreau returns this evening, ensure she is safe and well cared for. I shall not have her put in harm's way by her father's personal matters.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Sean dipped his head, standing in the doorway. “Might I dare to say, Alex, Lady Moreau's presence has quite overcome you.”
“Excuse me?” Alex demanded, sitting at his desk once more.
“Not seconds before her arrival you had taken that whisky bottle in hand and now look at you!” Sean pointed out as Alex's blood ran cold.
His hand raised, he stroked his fingers contemplatively over the whisky bottle on his desk.
“She is a remarkable woman indeed,” he whispered, shivering.
“Pardon?”
For a second, Alex had been lost in thoughts of the lady. He could still smell her orange blossom perfume.
Clearing his throat, he turned to Sean and said, “See that the club is prepared for the evening. We must make a small fortune this evening if we are to have a chance of making it through the month.”
Sean made no argument, only dipped his head and disappeared again down the hall.
How am I even to make it through the evening?Alex asked himself. If she turned up, he fearedthe devil lordwould be lost for good.
Chapter 7
“Em, you can't truly mean to do this,” Jane said even as she stood behind her, placing the last pins into Emmaline's hair.
“I must,” Emmaline responded. Her heart hammered to think of what she intended to do.
Facing Lord Westmarch had been fearful enough but to return again to the club that had been dark, sinful and threatening enough in daylight was quite another. Not to mention the fact she was now to faceThe Devil Lordhimself.
How bad can he be if a nobleman such as Lord Westmarch resides in his employ?she reasoned with herself, but that was nothing compared to the horrid tales she had heard of the man.
Sending his thugs to roughhouse and blackmail any who displeased him, taking payments in blood when a man could not pay his debts, leaving families destitute for the sake of lining his own pockets. All this and more she had heard whispered about among her father's friends during late night conversations at balls, dinners and other parties when they believed none of the fairer sex were paying any notice.
But Emmaline had a head for information, and she stored it all. Even if she did not realize it at the time, she soaked up information like a sponge.
