He didn’t wait for a polite dismissal but turned and bolted for the foyer, rushing after the thief who was now long gone.
Leaving Rosie standing in the middle of the gallery room—a hysterical young woman clutching a sketchbook being comforted by the three scholars while a countess and her companion limped closer—searching for her disguise’s hat.
Oh! There it was. She scooped it up off the ground, jammed it on her head, and remembered her manners in time to turn to Lady Mistree. She didnot, however, remember thatRobert Hoylewouldn’t curtsey, and thus, when she sunk into a quick respectful bob, he had to turn it into an awkward bow on the way up.
“My lady,” she murmured gruffly, shuffling backward out of the room. “Have a good day.”
“Yes, goodbye,Robert.” The old woman seemed entirely too cheerful for someone who had just witnessed a robbery, an uncomfortably knowing glint in her eyes. “Have a lovely afternoon!”
As soon as she reached the foyer, Rosie clapped her hand to her head to hold onto the hat, turned, and bolted for the front door. She might have gained the suspicions of all the staff milling around, chattering in alarm, had she notagainrun smack into Bull’s chest.
Every inch of her burned.
Oh dear.
“Hoyle,” Bull growled, his hand closing around her upper arm. He raised his voice, bobbing his head to the uniformed man he’d been speaking to on the front steps. “My art expert and I will continue this investigation at my office, Sergeant. Ye ken where to find me?”
“Aye, Mr. Lindsay,” the rotund man was saying as Bull hustled her down the steps. “We’ll be expecting your notes by tomorrow!”
“Who was that?” Rosie asked breathlessly, concentrating on not tripping over the too-large men’s boots Merida had insisted she wear.
“I regularly take cases for the Metropolitan Police.” He flagged down a hack, not looking at her. “Since the theft seems entirely too coincidental, I have to assume it’s related to my current case. I’ll give them what information they need.” As the vehicle came to a stop, he shoved her toward it. “Get in, be quiet, and keep yer head down.”
My head down?
Frowning, Rosie did as he’d commanded, her heart pounding in irritation and quite a significant amount of worry. She hunched in the seat, her hat hiding her features from anyone who glanced their way. Bull’s attention remained on their surroundings.
“What are—” she began, but he cut off her words with an impatient slash of his palm, without turning to look at her.
“Keep yer head down and yer mouth shut,Robbie. We’re going to my office.”
Well, that told her little, didn’t it? Rosie crossed her arms over her chest and slouched in her seat.
Yes, she might appear to be pouting, but she told herself she was just following his idiotic orders.
A million years later, the hack was trotting down the proper street lined with pleasant red brick townhouses. When it pulled to a stop, Bull leaned past her without hesitation, causing her to shrink into the seat, tossed a coin to the driver, then reached in to take her arm once more.
“I can walk myself, you know,” she snapped at him. It wasn’t that his grip hurt, but itwasrather demeaning. She was hardly a child.
“I dinnae trust ye to disappear.” Bull didn’t even look at her as he marched them both up the interior stairs. “Ye’re no’ supposed to be here. Yecannaebe here. Therefore ye’re an apparition, and if I dinnae hold ye here, ye’ll flit awaylike ye’re bloody well supposed to!”
That last part was said as he kicked the door to his office closed behind them. Only then did he release her—only to turn the lock on the door and stomp across the room toyank the curtains closed on the large window overlooking the street.
Rosie’s brows rose.
He seemed a little…worried, did he not?
Was that a good sign? Did she want it to be a good sign?
She pulled the hat from her hair and clutched it in front of her, watching Bull as he stalked around the room, lighting each of the lamps. Finally, he turned and crossed his arms and leaned his arse against his desk.
“Ye’re still here,” he accused.
Rosie peeked over her shoulder, fighting a strange inclination to laugh. “I could leave if you preferred.”
“Dinnae evenconsiderit, Rosie.” Bull jerked away from the desk as if ready to reach for her again, then stopped himself with a muttered curse and switched his attention to the hearth. “Rosie. Fook me, I cannae believe ye’re even here.”
She tried to keep her tone reasonable as she explained again. “If Merida had told you who her expert friend was, would you have hired me?” When his scowl deepened, she shook her head. “No, forgethiringme. Would you have evenlistenedto me?”
