“I am standing in the entrance way. There is nowhere for you to go,” he added in that deep drawl she loathed.
Evie realized he was right. She couldn’t escape. Regaining her feet, she climbed back up to the lane.
He stood there, waiting for her. Evie said nothing, simply walked past him and back out to the street. He fell into step beside her.
The clop of hooves had her moving to the left, but large fingers clamped around her upper arm, and then she was being tugged into the road.
Was he going to throw her under a carriage?
He raised a hand, and the hackney slowed.
“What is your address?”
“I will walk,” Evie said.
“No, you will not,” he replied. “Address. Now, or I will tell everyone you dress in men’s clothes and gamble.”
“You will do that, anyway,” she said, trying not to let the fear she felt show in her voice.
“Now, Miss Spencer,” he said, looking as malleable as a one-hundred-year-old oak tree.
Defeated, Evie told him. The game was up, but perhaps if she promised to never again dress like Mr. Renee, he would tell noone? The hope was faint at best, considering his reputation. Why would he care about the Spencers? They were nothing to him.
Before she could climb into the hackney, Lord Hamilton had picked her up and tossed Evie inside. She landed on a seat, bracing her hands to right herself. He then climbed in and shut the door with enough force to have it rocking on its chases.
The carriage started rolling as he sat across from her. Dragging her eyes from him she looked out the window. Her family’s fate was in his hands, and that did not sit well with Evie.
“Why are you taking such risks, Miss Spencer?”
“Because I must.”
“Why must you?”
She watched the streetlamps cast shadows on the buildings as they passed and felt her desperation climb. How was she to get out of this? How would she stop him from exposing her and ruining any chance Prue had of happiness? Evie fixed things, but this was beyond her.
“Because I must.” She heard the defeat in her words.
“That does not answer my question, and considering you are seated across from me dressed as a man and I could ruin you for it, I suggest you do so.”
“Will you?” She faced him.
“Ruin you?” His amber eyes held hers.
Evie nodded. “We do not like each other, so I know there is no reason you would keep my secrets, but if I must, I will beg.” The thought actually left a foul taste in her mouth. This man was the last person she would ever want to beg for anything.
“Watching you beg would, I admit, be entertaining.”
Evie bit back the words she wanted to hurl at him.
“But that will not be necessary,” he added. “However, I do want the truth.”
“Why?”
He simply stared at Evie. Unlike her he was relaxed. His large body rested against the seat, hands on his thighs. Big and imposing, which she guessed helped him intimidate people when required. Well, she was not one of those. Evie’s back was to the wall, and she was out of options, but she would never show this man weakness, even if she felt the sting of tears. Those she would keep at bay until she was alone, if it killed her.
“What I do is no concern of yours, Lord Hamilton.”
“Just tell me your reasons, Miss Spencer.”
