Alice gazed at him, her expression unreadable. “This is my living, Aubrey. It’s all I know. Besides which, I’m the best in the business, I can’t—”
“You could, if—” Aubrey hesitated, biting back the words bursting inside him, knowing now was not the time. “If you need to work, I could find you something legitimate something that uses your er…unique skills. Please, Alice. I know giving up something you excel at is a lot to ask, but it’s going to get you hanged sooner or later. At least promise me you’ll think about it.”
He saw the fury in her eyes, the frustration, and knew he was in a sorry way when she gave a little growl of anger, and he only wanted to kiss her for it. “Very well. I will think about it. No promises.”
“Thank God.” He let out a breath, staring at her with undisguised adoration. “You won’t regret it.”
“I already do,” she grumbled.
“And whilst we’re at it, I’ll have your word that you won’t run away and hide, thinking you’re being honourable by keeping me out of your life,” he said, her earlier words still making his nerves prickle. “I swear I won’t stop looking until I find you, and the only thing you’ll accomplish is breaking my heart and making us both miserable.”
“That’s not fair,” she complained, pushing at his chest. “Stop trying to read my mind. Besides, you’d be far better off if I just went away and—”
Delighted by her bad temper and terrified by her desire to be honourable, he kissed her again, pleased when her stiff, unyielding frame melted against him.
She pulled back with a sigh and he knew he’d won. “Would it really break your heart?” This time she looked far less sure of herself, the vulnerability he had only ever glimpsed shining in her eyes.
“Into a million pieces,” he assured her, and kissed her again, tightening his hold on her, even whilst he knew they had not the time to spare. She was too delicious to resist, and it was only for a moment.
And then the door flew open.
“Aha!”The pair of them jumped in shock, springing apart and staring at the Duke of Hawkney, standing in the doorway and looking every inch the pantomime villain. “I knew it!”
Lady Jefferson’s Ball, Mayfair, London, 19th ofJanuary 1816
Alice stared in horror. The duke! What in the name of everything holy had Aubrey been thinking, bringinghim?
Whatever had inspired him into such madness, from the look on his face, Aubrey was regretting it now, gazing at his cousin in shock.
“Hawk,” he said, his voice quavering. “Hawk, you don’t understand. It’s not—”
“I understand perfectly well,” the duke growled, his voice carrying so that the milling guests were torn between watching the villains and this new, unfolding drama.“Thisis the woman you wished to keep a secret from me. No wonder you did notwish me to come tonight, you hoped to meet with her alone. Admit it, you wicked philanderer!”
Aubrey blinked, staring at his cousin blankly for a long moment before exclaiming, “It’strue!”and shocking Alice with the force of his delivery. What the devil was going on? Did theywanteveryone to notice them? “I love her, and I shall marry her, no matter what you say, no matter if you convince my father to cut me off. It changes nothing. I shall never give her up!”
“We shall discuss this at home, in private,” Hawkney snarled, throwing Aubrey’s cloak at him.
Aubrey moved swiftly, settling it around Alice’s shoulders and putting the hood up to cover her face. “Come, my love,” he said, guiding her out of the room and into the entrance hall, which appeared to be packed to the rafters with spectators. Bewildered by both men’s antics, she put her confusion aside. Getting those lockpicks was all that mattered now.
Alice searched the room, her heart thudding. “There!” she whispered, tugging at Aubrey’s arm.
Tommy Greaves was being dragged, struggling all the way, towards the servants' stairs.
“We’ll go out the back way,” Aubrey said, still speaking too loudly. “I’ll not have the world and his wife gaping at my beloved.”
“You ought to have thought of that earlier. Damn me, but I shall make you pay for this,” the duke replied wrathfully, and Alice heard the anger in his voice. Oh, lord. Whatever had Aubrey done? That the duke was involved in Aubrey’s mad scheme appeared to be the only explanation, but that he was not pleased about it was undeniable.
They headed towards the stairs as Alice willed Aubrey to hurry. Closer, closer to the servant’s door they got, as did the footmen struggling to keep Tommy Greaves in hand.
“Leave go of me!” he protested. “It’s a fit up, I tell you. I ain’t taken nowt. It’s that bleedin’ Alfie Marwick and I’ll slit his bedamned—”
“Shut your mouth, you devil, ladies present,” one of the footmen said, twisting Tommy’s arm savagely up being him until the man yelled in pain. “You can explain it all to the magistrate.”
Alice’s heart thudded hard. That her estimation of Tommy’s reaction and his desire to throw Alfie to the wolves was spot on was not the least bit surprising, but she felt sick all the same. If she didn’t get those lockpicks, there would be a trail back to Alfie, back to her.
Time seemed to slow as they moved through the throng, people gawking on all sides, trying to get a look at the usually austere and prideful Duke of Hawkney as he escorted his scandalous cousin and the fellow’s chère amie from the house. Simultaneously trying to keep her head down and her eyes on Tommy was not easy, but they drew closer and she knew this was her only chance.
“Let me go,” she whispered urgently, feeling Aubrey’s grasp on her loosen.
