“Thank God,” he whispered, and kissed her with a raw abandon that surprised him. It was as if he was baring everythingto her: his heart, his soul, even his bruised past. It all belonged to her, and he couldn’t be more grateful.
He wanted to extend this moment, to draw it out as long as possible, but there was a brisk knock at the door and he knew their time had come to an end.
Withdrawing, he stood and braced himself for the barrage of questions that were sure to follow. “Enter.”
As the butler announced “Constable Pierce,” Dominic waited as the man strode forward and bowed sharply. “Your Grace.” He flicked a glance at Lexie, who had risen from her seat.
“This is Miss Givenwald, my future duchess. You may speak freely in front of her.”
“Of course.” His demeanor didn’t change as he inclined his head politely toward her. It meant that he wasn’t interested in the pleasantries and took his job seriously.
After a brief recounting of what had taken place, with Lexie giving most of the descriptions, the constable folded his notepad and pencil and tucked them away. “You realize this gives us very little to go on,” he remarked.
“Perhaps,” Dominic returned. “But what if we were able to give you a suspect and a possible motive for such misdeeds?”
Once Dominic had relayed the information from Mr. Martin, the constable seemed interested, but the frown on his face was one of skepticism. “This is a very serious accusation, Your Grace. And I must discover some significant proof before I can point the finger of judgment at a member of the peerage.”
“I will secure what you require,” Dominic vowed. “I am tired of living in this villain’s shadow while he threatens our very lives.”
“Of course.” Constable Pierce nodded then turned to Lexie with a considering expression. “Are you the same Miss Givenwald who is related to Lady Devonly?”
She nodded. “She is my aunt.”
“I thought that might be the case.” His mouth thinned in a line before he added, “I am given to understand that she has been overset over your sudden disappearance. She has been in contact with the authorities in the belief you have been absconded with.” He looked back at Dominic. “Although I can see that is not the case.”
“Thank you,” Dominic murmured.
Lexie offered him a smile. “I planned to call upon her tomorrow to reassure her concern.”
Appearing satisfied, the constable tipped his hat and left the room.
Once he was gone, Lexie turned to him. “I suppose it’s inevitable that I go see Aunt Bonnie tomorrow since she has sent the watch after me.”
He reached out and gathered her within the circle of his arms. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he murmured, “Patience will seize the day. We just have to endure until then.”
What he didn’t say was that while the Duke of Cuthbert had to act with propriety, the same did not have to be said for Avalon and the Blue Boys.
Tonight, they would act.
Lexie pacedher chamber that evening wearing one of the new nightdresses that Dominic had procured for her. She had rather hoped he might call on her and remove it, but it was past midnight and she had yet to see a shadow beneath her door.
She had made sure to keep the lamp beside the bed burning so he would know that she was up, but… nothing.
Perhaps he believed that the stress of the day had been too much and she needed her rest. If so, he didn’t know her at all. She was restless and spending some time in his arms would go far to alleviate some of her apprehension about the following afternoon when she would return to her aunt’s residence. She nearlyexpected constables would be lining the streets when she arrived, prepared to take either her or Dominic, into custody.
When did everything become such a mess?
She never imagined that by coming to London, she would uncover so many secrets. And she had the feeling she had barely scratched the surface when it came to all of the intrigue that the city held.
Deciding that she wasn’t going to wait for Dominic to come to her, Lexie threw on her robe and opened her door. She listened for the sound of stirring servants, but hearing no one about, she crept toward the bedchamber of the master of the house. It was the only door at the end of the hall, just down from hers.
She raised her hand to knock, but thought surprise might be the better option, so she tested the handle. It opened to a darkened room and she frowned. Surely, he hadn’t already turned in while she was going crazy such a short distance away.
However, while her eyes were still adjusting, she caught sight of movement just before her mouth was covered with a strong hand. “What are you doing here?”
Dominic slowly removed his hand and as she glanced at him, she noticed that he was dressed in finery, from the red waistcoat and the crisp white cravat, to the black jacket and trousers. Her mouth went slack. “I think the question is where areyougoing?”
He set his jaw but must have decided he couldn’t withhold the truth from her, or wouldn’t do so, because he gave a heavy sigh and said, “I am going back to the gaming hell to see if I can’t find Lindley?—”
