Her words stunned him, warmth flaring in his chest. The flame was extinguished in the next instant by unadulterated horror. His every muscle tensed in denial.
“You are not getting involved,” he stated.
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m already involved. I foiled Freddy’s kidnapping, after all. Who is to say that I can’t be helpful in this instance?”
Aware of their audience, Gabriel strove to hold onto his control. No way in hell would he let his noxious history touch her. Time to nip this in the bud.
“This is a dangerous affair. A woman has no place in it,” he said firmly.
“But a womanisinvolved. Lady Blackwood is a suspect.” She canted her head. “Actually, at her ball, she was quite friendly to me. I could call upon her, use the opportunity to investigate—”
“Out of the question,” he growled.
“Tremont’s right, Thea.” Her brother, thank God, had the sense to back him up. “This is too dangerous for you.”
“Emma works with you. She’s in dangerous situations all the time,” Thea pointed out.
The duchess cleared her throat. “That’s not entirely true. I do help with cases, yes, but not the ones involving physical peril.”
Thea’s eyes narrowed. “You helped to find Strathaven’s would-bemurderer.”
“In that instance, I had no choice. His life was in danger,” her sister said earnestly. “I couldn’t stand by and watch the man I love come to harm.”
Strathaven put an arm around his wife’s shoulders.
Thea folded her arms beneath her bosom. “Then you’ll understand why I can’t bear to see the manIcare about get killed.”
Her declaration struck the room into silence. A rush filled Gabriel’s ears, his heartbeat spinning into an exhilarated rhythm. She cared… abouthim?
She doesn’t know all your dark secrets.All that you’ve done and what you are, his inner voice whispered.She’s too bloody innocent to recognize the beast inside you.
Seeing the glances being exchanged around the room, he knew he had to act. To protect Thea from a future of disillusionment and pain. Whatever it took, he had to head this off at the pass.
“Your concern over a guest is a testament to your kindness, Miss Kent,” he said with chilly civility, “but, I assure you, unnecessary. I have everything in hand.”
She stared at him. “Concern over a guest?Thatis how you characterize our relationship?”
“How else would I characterize it?” he said tonelessly. “Your hospitality to me and my son do you credit, but the last thing I need is an interfering female. Especially one with a delicate constitution.”
A coral flush spread over her cheeks. “Damn you, Tremont.”
He couldn’t have been more surprised if she’d slapped him in the face. The Thea he knew never used anything but gentle language. She surged to her feet, and all the men hastily followed, himself included. Even though he towered over her,hewas the one held captive—by a slender princess with honeyed hair and golden fire in her eyes.
“If you think forone secondthat I’m going to let you face this danger alone, then you don’t know me at all.” Her voice trembled not with fear but… anger? “For the last time, I amnotdelicate. Play hot and cold if you wish, but I am not going to stand by wringing my hands, waiting for you to get killed.”
Her hands clenched in elegant little fists, she walked out of the room.
Well… damn.He suddenly had trouble breathing. Beneath his jacket, he’d gone rock-hard, arousal rushing through his veins.
“He has a point,” Kent muttered to the room in general. “It isn’t safe for Thea.”
“Wouldn’t want my wife Annabel mixed up in such business,” McLeod agreed with masculine sympathy. “Ladies have no place in murder and mayhem.”
Mrs. Kent rose, her skirts swishing. “Weladiesshould make ourselves useful, then, don’t you think, Emma?” she said in saccharine tones. “We could, for instance, check on the housekeeping or do some embroidery.”
“Or we could just wring hands with Thea,” Her Grace said.
As the two swept out of the room, Strathaven muttered, “God help us, gentlemen. Prepare yourselves for battle—on more than one front.”
