Shivering, she did as he asked. Even curled up in her hiding place, however, she didn’t feel safe. Her enemy’s footsteps made ashes rain from the walls, his rage reaching her through the bricks. She wanted to go to her beloved and fight by his side, but she’d given him her promise to stay safe and protect their future?—
A shot blasted.
“Die knowing this,” her enemy hissed. “The little whore is mine.”
She stuffed her fist in her mouth to stifle her scream.
The run-in with Alice and the Corrigans and the lack of sleep the night before took their toll on Xenia. Exhausted, she’d nodded off during the short carriage ride home. Lady Blackwood insisted that she take a nap, and when Xenia protested that she had too much to do, the marchioness pointed out that she would be far more efficient rested. Relenting, Xenia decided to have a short lie-down and asked Mrs. Johnson to wake her in half an hour.
But the cook didn’t need to; Xenia woke herself up screaming.
She didn’t have a chance to speak with Ethan as he didn’t return until suppertime. The nightmare lingered with her as she worked behind the scenes to help Brunswick and the staff serve the meal. She had other distractions too: namely, the Abbess’s demand to meet this evening. The idea of running away—of leaving Ethan—was impossible to fathom. Thus, Xenia would have to deal with the problem head-on and confront the bawd.
After supper, she was in the stillroom, taking stock of her supplies, when Ethan entered. Her heart thumped when he closed the door and took her into his arms, kissing her until she was swoony.
“I missed you, pet,” he murmured.
“I missed you too.” She inhaled his scent, letting it soothe her ragged nerves. “But you shouldn’t be here.”
He nuzzled her neck. “I wanted to invite you to drinks in the drawing room.”
While she liked his family very much, she couldn’t imagine sitting through an evening pretending all was normal when she had a meeting with the Abbess looming. She still had to figure out a way to protect herself—and Ethan—from the bawd’s extortion.
“Could you make excuses for me?” she asked. “While I would enjoy your family’s company, I am rather tired.”
“Understandably.” He tucked a loose curl behind her ear, his eyes warm. “Mama shared your exploits over supper. While you and I are going to discuss your recklessness, you’ve certainly won Mama over. She called you a heroine.”
Xenia was relieved that she hadn’t ruined her chances with the marchioness.
“As it turns out,” he added, “you were not the only ones to tangle with the Corrigans today.”
Ethan told her about his discovery that Gill had likely been a member of the gang. He had also spoken to other lodgers who’d described Gill as a loner and not well-liked. Gill had been a braggart who thought he was better than everyone else, and this got worse when he was in his cups. The night before he died, he’d apparently boasted that he had valuable information that was going to make him richer than Croesus.
“Given the timeline of events, I no longer think that revenge is the motive behind these hoaxes,” Ethan concluded somberly. “I think someone wants me to leave this place because there is something hidden here—something valuable.”
“If there is some sort of treasure hidden in Bottoms House,” she said, frowning, “surely we would have found it by now. We’ve cleaned the place top to bottom and done renovations.”
“We shall have to conduct a thorough search.” Ethan cupped her cheek. “In the morning, though, after you’ve rested. Sweet dreams, my love.”
My love.
She didn’t know if he meant anything by the endearment, but three words slipped from her heart, sticking in her throat. She was not yet free to say them. The dream from earlier constricted her chest and filled her with determination: unlike poor Rose, she wasn’t going to hide while her beloved died trying to slay her demons.
Tonight, she would battle them herself.
From a nearby wingchair, Ethan watched as Papa and James got trounced in a game of whist by Mama and Gigi.
“Someone is cheating, lad,” Papa said to James. “Obviously, it is not one of us.”
“Perhaps Lady Fortune favors Gigi and me tonight,” Mama said demurely.
“I cannot argue with that.” Looking amused, Papa said, “You are my lucky Penny, after all.”
He took Mama’s hand, kissing it with enough warmth to make her blush and James and Gigi groan, Ethan along with them. Growing up, protesting parental displays of affection had been an act of solidarity amongst the siblings, and one was never too old to act like a child, he supposed. Owen had always objected the most theatrically, slapping his hands over his eyes…
However, Owen wasn’t here. According to Gigi, he’d closeted himself in his room all day and opted to have supper delivered on a tray. Ethan couldn’t quell a trickle of concern regarding his younger brother’s behavior, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. Maybe he could extend an olive branch and ask Owen to help in the search for the valuables. With Parkhurst and Canning gone—they’d departed this morning for London, saying they didn’t wish to be a fifth wheel to the family reunion—Ethan could say he needed more hands on deck.
He decided to talk it over with Xenia. She was a good listener, and he trusted her opinion. Moreover, she was getting to know his family and vice versa, and he wasn’t surprised by how well they all got on. Xenia fit in like she was meant to be a Harrington…which was a good thing since he planned to make her one.
