“The goods were delivered without detection, but there was an incident on the continent and the package was detained.” Short with a rounded stomach, Cane paced the room, his troubled gaze locked on the curtained area where Langdon and Elizabeth hid. He halted just shy of their hiding place. Her grip on his arm increased in pressure, her breathing shallow.
“It is imperative the package be here by the end of next month or there will be hell to pay.” Randell’s grave tone spoke of anxiety. Shoulders hunched, he opened the safe with a soft click.
The sound triggered Cane to spin on his heel and go back to his employer.
Langdon chanced a glance at Elizabeth and could make out her pinched mouth. Her fingers continued to clutch his wrist, whether from fear or interest; he had no way of knowing. The package Randell referred to must hold great value, whether monetary or otherwise interested Langdon. He had helped catch a dangerous French spy the previous year. While the war with France was winding down, Napoleon wasn’t without his allies in England and abroad.
“I was assured by the captain you will receive the delivery as promised,” Cane said, a decided whine to the statement.
Of course, Randell might simply be embroiled in a local endeavor. Regardless, people had been hurt by his illegal undertakings. If Langdon didn’t stop them, Mrs. Adare would try to take matters into her own hands.
“Good. Now drop the invoices at Pike’s office and inform him of the circumstances,” Randell said, handing a bundle to Cane.
“Given the delay, I am sure Pike will be even more nervous than usual.”
“As am I. This does not bode well for our plans. I can assure youhewill be most displeased.” Randell moved to the door with Cane trailing him. “We can’t fail in this, or we might find ourselves swimming with the fishes.”
The door closed behind the two men and Elizabeth’s once tense hand on his arm tremored.
“That was close,” she said with a shaky laugh.
“Too close. Come on, we need to return to the ballroom.” With a turn of his wrist, he linked his hands with her slender ones. He hastened into the study proper but veered to the window. Cane had left with the evidence they needed. There was nothing else to be done but follow the leads. He opened the latch, pleased to see it was low enough to the ground not to cause injury. “If you climb onto the sill, I will lower you down.”
She hiked up her skirts to reveal long legs encased in white stockings, her pale skin peeking out between her garters. He averted his gaze from the tantalizing sight and gripped her about the waist. The visual would be forever burned into his mind, enhancing his need to do more than just kiss her. He lowered her to the ground and caught a waft of sweet lavender. Once he was assured she was safely on her feet, he dropped his hands, despite his urge to linger. He threw his legs over the side of the sill and pulled the window towards him. After he jumped down, he shut it. He only hoped Randell’s servants wouldn’t notice it was open until tomorrow.
Langdon was glad it was dark outside, lest she see the effect she had on him. He held out his arm to her, and she laid her hand on his sleeve. Her eyes were fixed on the lights in the near distance, and by her manner, she was clearly shaken by the near discovery.
“Are you all right?” he asked, concerned over her continued silence. It was unlike Mrs. Adare to keep her opinion to herself.
“I am determined, Lord Langdon.” She turned to look at him as she inhaled a calming breath. “Tonight has proven my suspicions that he is involved.”
“In what? A delayed business transaction?” While he was convinced she was onto something, he had to play the devil’s advocate. There were extenuating circumstances to be considered, and he had to presume Randell’s innocence.
She snapped her head around and glared at him. Her hair was askew from their earlier tryst, a curl falling onto her alabaster shoulder. “In obtaining illegal goods from France.”
Langdon shook his head at her argument and cleared his throat. “First, he said the Continent, and second, he mentioned nothing about illegal operations. Details matter, Mrs. Adare.”
“Then why else the comment about losing his life? A legitimate business transaction does not require one participant to die for its failure.”
“Many a man has faced financial ruin when a deal has gone bad.” Since becoming a guardian, he had come across many unscrupulous men who didn’t care who they hurt, as long as they got their goal. “Do you have any definitive proof what Cane and Randell are doing is illegal?”
“Cane has the invoices Randell ordered him to deliver. All we have to do is follow him to Pike’s office and catch him in the act.” She nodded at her own statement, her slender shoulders pulled back. The action pushed her breasts high. He averted his eyes from the seductive swell.
“In the act of what, delivering invoices?” The words came out harsher than he had intended. His unwelcome attraction to her was weighing heavily on his nerves and distracting him from his purpose; to bring justice for the victims. The kiss still seared a place in his consciousness.
“Do you always have to be so negative?” Elizabeth asked.
Langdon knew he was being rude, but he wanted her so badly, it was safer to fight with her than do what he really wanted; to sweep her into his embrace and seduce her until she cried out his name. “I am not being negative, just practical. What we need is proof of illicit activity, not just conjecture. The burden of proof is on us.”
“I have no proof, else Randell would be exposed as a smuggler.” She growled in frustration and seemed to catch herself. With a sigh, she relaxed her jaw. “I can tell you from the information I garnered in his ledgers, he has had a steady increase in income in the past two years.”
“You interpreted that from what bit of time you could examine his accounts?” he asked, doubtful she could garner such details from the brief time she had to examine the multiple ledgers.
“I can assure you, my lord, I am not lying.” Elizabeth slowed her steps, and he was forced to follow her lead. She raised her head just enough to peer down her nose at him. There was no denying her passionate determination to do right by the people of her village. “You’re of the mind I am working on conjecture only?”
His neck constricted and he chose his words with care. He wasn’t sure what to think. His instincts said she was on the right track. Getting the result would prove tricky. “If he invested with the Zander Trading Company, it would make sense that he made money. Therefore, he might be innocent of smuggling.”
“He is not innocent. I know that for a fact.” She made to withdraw her hand from the crook of his arm and scowled. “Please stop doing that.”
