“It matters not,” Mary said briskly because that look had flustered her. “I see my mother and sister. Good day, sir.” She dropped into a quick curtsey. Rising, she hurried away.
His fingers wrapped around her arm before she’d taken two steps.
“You are not walking anywhere here alone.” The words were growled into her ear. He then pulled her to his side once more. She briefly felt the heat from his large body and then he released her.
“I can see them, there is no n—”
“There is every need. It can be a dangerous world we live in. Many would see a sweet young lady like you and wish to take advantage. I cannot allow that to happen.”
“Zach, stop this,” she whispered.
“What?”
“You being different. You c-caring.”
“I do care, Mary.”
She didn’t know how to answer that. Her insides felt fluttery, and her head wasn’t sitting on her shoulders correctly all of a sudden. Why was he speaking to her like this?
“You look lovely today, by the way. I like your new clothes.”
“I, ah, thank you. It does not sit well that your brother and his wife clothed me.”
“They can afford it. Gabe is ridiculously wealthy.”
Her laugh sounded high-pitched and bordering on hysterical. “I’m not sure you should be speaking to me about something like that.”
“We are friends, and friends talk about all kinds of things with each other.”
Why did she feel as if his words had a deeper meaning, as if he was trying to convey something to her?
“I don’t see how two people who have been as we are can be friends.”
They stopped just behind the table her family sat at, as yet unseen.
“Many things in life are changeable, Mary. Perhaps we are too?” He then released her, bowed deeply after impaling her with another intent look, and walked away.
“Dear Lord, what was that about?”
He was part of Alexius too.
She felt at sea suddenly. Like her moorings had been cut and she was drifting in an ocean of uncertainty.
He couldn’t know I am Madame Lucienne… could he?
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
If Zach had any doubts about Mary being Madame Lucienne, seeing her walking toward him with Plunge confirmed his suspicions. That and her nervousness. Mary was never nervous around Zach.
Not telling her he knew her secret identity in that moment was one of the hardest things he had ever done, and there had been plenty of challenging moments in his life. Especially since he’d joined Alexius.
“Well done,” Forrest said when he reached him. “You did the right thing in not telling Mary we know who she is, Zach.”
“I wanted to.”
“For now you must not. Confronting her here today would be unwise. When you do, it must be in private and hopefully with more proof and facts than we currently have.”
Forrest was right, Zach knew that, but he wanted to gnash his teeth at the delay.
