“After I saw you dragging your bruised bones off the ground, of course.”
“Of course.” Anthony finally smiled. “My thanks, George. His trail was cold by the time I’d mounted up again.”
“He the one you’ve been looking for?”
“I’d say it’s a safe bet.”
“You going to pay him a call?”
“You may depend upon it.”
George wasn’t too sure he liked the cold sparkle in his friend’s eyes. “Need some company?”
“Not this time, old man,” Anthony replied. “This meeting’s long overdue.”
Roslynn opened the door to the study but was brought up short to find Anthony seated behind his desk, cleaning a pair of dueling pistols. She hadn’t heard him return from his morning ride. She had purposely stayed in her room until she heard him leave,not wanting to face him after having made a fool of herself last night.
Anthony had been so amused when she dragged Jeremy home with them from the ball, against the lad’s protests too. He knew exactly why she didn’t trust herself alone with him, even for such a short ride. But James had left the ball early with his friend, Conrad Sharp. Jeremy was her only buffer. It had been inconceivable for her to think of being alone with Anthony after the way he had taunted her all evening.
Now here she was alone with him, having come to exchange one book for another from his small library. But he hadn’t glanced up when she entered. Perhaps if she left quietly…
“Did you want something, my dear?”
He still hadn’t glanced up. Roslynn gritted her teeth. “Nothing that can’t wait.”
Anthony finally gave her his attention, his eyes flitting to the book she was grasping so tightly in her hands. “Ah, the companion of spinsters and widows. There’s nothing like a good book to while away an evening when you’ve nothing else to do, is there?”
She felt like throwing the book at him. Would he always allude to their estrangement every time they encountered each other? Couldn’t he back off long enough for her to come to terms with his unfaithfulness? He acted as ifshewere the guilty party.
Her hackles rose with the unfairness of it, and she attacked. “Preparing for a duel, my lord? I’ve heard it’s one of your more favorite pastimes. Which unfortunate husband is it to be this time?”
“Husband?” Anthony smiled tightly. “Not at all, sweetheart. I thought I’d challenge you. Perhaps if Ilet you draw some of my blood, you might be moved to sympathy, and our little war can end.”
Her mouth dropped open for at least five seconds before she snapped it shut. “Be serious!”
He shrugged. “Your dear cousin has decided that if he can get rid of your current husband, he will have another chance at you.”
“No!” Roslynn gasped, her eyes flaring wide. “I never considered—”
“Didn’t you?” he cut in dryly. “Well, don’t let it concern you, sweetheart. I did.”
“You mean you married me knowing you were putting your life in danger?”
“Some things are worth putting one’s life in jeopardy for—at least I used to think so.”
The dig stung, so much so that she couldn’t bear to face him another moment and ran from the study, up to her room, where she felt safe to burst into tears. Oh, God, she had thought it would be over once she married. She never dreamed Geordie would try to kill her husband. And her husband was Anthony. She couldn’t bear it if anything happened to him because of her.
She had to do something. She had to find Geordie and talk to him herself, give him her fortune, anything. Nothing must happen to Anthony.
Having made up her mind, Roslynn dried her eyes and went back downstairs to tell Anthony what she had decided to do. They would buy Geordie off. All he wanted was the money anyway. But Anthony was gone.
Chapter Thirty-five
Anthony saw now why neither he nor his agents had had any luck in locating Cameron. The Scot had moved away from the docks, letting a flat in a better part of town, which was amazing when such accommodations were at a high premium during the season. The landlord, a congenial chap, admitted that Cameron had been there only a few days, and yes, he was in at present. Whether he was alone, the landlord couldn’t say. It made no difference to Anthony.
Campbell was the name Cameron was assuming, and Anthony had little doubt it was assumed. He had found his man. He felt it. His blood pumped with that certainty, the adrenaline flowing through his veins. And once he had settled with Cameron, he would settle with Roslynn. Letting her dictate the rules had gone on long enough.
The room was on the second floor, third door on the left. Anthony knocked softly and had only a few seconds to wait before the door swung open, giving him his first look at Geordie Cameron. The eyes were the giveaway, sky-blue, and bright with recognition.
