“You think it was done on purpose.” He sent her a glance that must have been speaking, because she added, “You could be in danger!”
Again, there was that keen perceptiveness. “I’m not sure yet, but until I know for certain, I would ask that you don’t leave the house without proper protection, either me or Amos.”
She nodded her assent. “Do you have any idea who it might be?”
He looked at her hard. “You saw those articles. I have more enemies than friends. There are several possibilities, but it will take some time to sift through who would go to such lengths to see my end.”
“I’d like to help. It does concern me, after all.”
He couldn’t dispute the truth. He would rather she wasn’t involved at all, but he had brought her into his circle which made her a victim just as much as he was.
He inclined his head. “Amos and I are going to compile a list. After that, it’s a matter of elimination.”
She winced. “I hope you don’t mean literally.”
He believed she was serious but the slight lift of her mouth told him she was teasing. He was grateful for the brief reprieve. Thus, he offered an olive branch in return.
“Are you hungry?”
Her eyes lit up. “Famished.”
As they started to head downstairs, she asked, “Where did you take all of your paintings? I noticed they were all missing.”
“I had Amos gather them up and take them to another house.” He paused. “Coincidentally, it was the same one that burned this afternoon.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It was a part of my life I would soon forget.”
There was a brief silence, and then she noted, “Perhaps that is what happened today. The person responsible for the fire might have thought you were staying there which is why it was targeted.”
His mouth kicked up at the corner. “You’re almost too intelligent for your own good, Miss Davies.”
She offered a coy expression that would have hit him directly in the heart if he wasn’t so sure that particular organ was dusty from so many years of neglect. It was odd to feel any sort of emotion other than anger or frustration and he wasn’t sure if he would even know joy if it struck him directly.
“I shall take that as a compliment,” she preened, and then threaded her arm through his. With a faux pout, she moaned, “Does this mean no more outings? I have all those new clothes and no chance to wear them.”
Drake snorted. “I have never been one to hide from anyone, no matter what their end result may be. I will be more wary of my surroundings as your escort, but I will not be waylaid. I thought you might like to see Vauxhall this evening. I understand it’s going to be quite a show.”
Her green eyes instantly lit up and Drake felt as if he had accomplished some great feat. He vowed he would do whatever it took to keep that blazing look in her gaze. “I have long wanted to visit the pleasure gardens.”
His focus warmed on her and he bent down slightly to whisper in her ear, “As to the pleasure part of the gardens, I am more than happy to supply that portion of the entertainment.”
CHAPTER14
That evening, walking next to Drake in his formal attire, his Baker’s boy hat ever present so that there was no doubt who he truly was, Fleur lifted her chin with pride. She had chosen a deep violet gown to wear, complete with a fur lined pelisse. Although it wasn’t that cool during the day, the nights were starting to bring a slight chill with the autumn. Knowing that Drake would share her bed from that night on, she decided that she would remain quite warm.
It was odd, that a few hours earlier, she wasn’t sure what sort of man she had sold herself to at that auction. Although the stories she’d read were horrible and she knew that Mr. Porter was responsible for the demise of so many, she couldn’t seem to feel as though he was the same man at her side.Drakeseemed far removed from such a calculating criminal, even if she knew he was still that dangerous man who had stopped at nothing to gain what he wanted. The fact he seemed to wantherwas somewhat… flattering.
It made no sense, of course, nor this heated attraction that she felt toward him, but perhaps she was hoping that he was sincere, that he did intend to alter his life. She wanted to cheer him on if that were true, not chastise him for the misdeeds of his past.
She could certainly atone for some things herself. Masquerading as her brother during a fencing duel certainly came to mind. She could have ruined herself long before now if anyone had discovered the true identity behind that dark shroud.
But something had led her here—to Drake. Her mother had always said things happen for a reason. Perhaps that reason was she was meant to rescue Drake from himself.
Unfortunately, memories of how she’d failed her brother so terribly flooded her thoughts. She had demanded they leave Greenwich and thus, put them both in an untenable situation that they might never recover. She yearned to know how Flavian was faring but she hadn’t the courage to go to that house again. She couldn’t bear to see the smug expression on Harriette’s face and know that dreadful woman had taken everything away from Fleur in one night.
For now, she would content herself by being with Drake and finding the peace she’d long been searching for. She hoped that her brother was able to do the same. As much as she loved Flavian, he was a man grown and he had to make his own choices. She could no longer take care of his mistakes. He would have to find a way to take care of them on his own.
