“Touché.” He smiled at her ferocity. Clearly she protected her own. And they in turn protected her as evidenced by Kavi’s hesitance to leave her alone with him. “Now suppose we get back to the matter at hand, and you tell me the reason you had a change of heart. I assume you have one beyond a sudden desire to help someone as wrong minded as myself.”
“Perhaps I have a desire to see first hand the city my father spent a lifetime trying to find,” she said quietly. “Perhaps I’d like to see what took him away from me.”
He felt a rush of pity at the sadness in her voice, and she must have seen it in his eyes.
“Donotfeel sorry for me,” she gritted out, her eyes bright with anger. “If you do not want my help then stop wasting both our time and tell me so that I may be on my way.”
He held out his hands in a placating manner. “Forgive me. I do want...need your help. And I agree to your conditions.”
“There is one other,” she spoke up.
He raised a brow, not sure he wanted to hear it.
“We go alone. No entourage, no group to help with excavation. Just me and my companions and you and whatever servants you require.”
He clenched his jaw and glared openly at her. “So you wish me to make two journeys?”
She stared back at him, undaunted by his tone. “Perhaps, my lord, I’ll be sparing you the expense of hiring an excavation group. Has it ever occurred to you that there will be nothing to bring back? Besides, there are always locals to hire. If you choose to remain, that is your choice, but I have no desire to travel with a large group.”
Despite his irritation, he knew she had a solid point, though he was loathe to admit it.
“Very well, Miss Ashton. Shall we shake on it?” He stretched his hand out to her.
She slid her cool hand into his, and he experienced a jolt of pleasure at her touch. But the look in her eyes made him wonder if he’d just signed away his soul.
Chapter Four
India slowly withdrew her hand from Lord Ridgewood’s, regretting the loss of warmth. There was something remarkably soothing about the man, even when he was being irksome.
The odd tingling she felt when she came into contact with him was disturbing, and yet intriguing. It surprised her that she would be attracted to this man. He was everything she should avoid and very different than the kind of man she was used to being acquainted with.
He wasn’t handsome in the dashing, debonair way Henry had been. Henry was charming, a soldier in the British army, a man she had taken a fancy to long ago in India.
Lord Ridgewood was handsome in a quiet, studious way. His hair was as carelessly fashioned as his demeanor, and he didn’t appear to be overly concerned with societal conventions.
Despite her reservations, she felt herself drawn to him.
He studied her for a moment, his dark eyes simmering with excitement. “I propose we form a partnership, Miss Ashton. I do not feel as though our journey will work as well if we travel as employer and employee.”
The idea flooded her with warmth. A partnership. Though she knew her father respected and cultivated her ideas and intelligence, she never felt she shared a partnership with him. No. He talked, she listened. He led, she followed. But now she would have a hand in the decision making, and more importantly, the direction they would follow.
She shook her head, angry with herself for weakening for a moment. She worked for no one but herself, and it was an arrogant assumption on his part to even think he needed to clarify their positions. She could not afford to allow him into a position of power over her.
“I assure you, Lord Ridgewood. As partners is the only way we will travel. I am accountable only to myself. You would do well to remember that.”
“Indeed, I shall,” he murmured. “I want to thank you for reconsidering, Miss Ashton. I cannot tell you how grateful I am. This expedition means more to me than I can possibly relate.”
She looked up at him and their eyes connected. Passion, enthusiasm, a burning need for knowledge glowed brightly in his gaze, and for a moment, she saw a kindred spirit.
The thought of having someone who understood her stirred her soul and awakened a need in her that had long gone unheeded. Friendship. Companionship. Someone who didn’t make her feel so terribly alone.
When she realized how long she stood staring at him, she looked quickly away. Of course he was passionate about Pagoria. He intended to loot the city and return the conquering hero.
Not if she could help it.
She felt a brief pang of guilt over her deceit, but she waved it away as quickly as it singed her. Purposely lying to the viscount was far removed from her nature, but drastic measures were called for in a drastic situation.
Using him to recover the bracelet was far better than allowing her father to die.
