Gah!He took another sip of brandy and returned the flask to his pocket.
“I am, as you pointed out, the Earl of Marshfield. Thesixthearl to be precise. How is it possible I am running from pursuers, hearing Bow Street men yelling my name for all to hear in Grosvenor Square?” He looked skyward before resting his gaze directly onher, the object of all his woes. “Because of you, Miss Sudbury, that’s why.”
She started to open her mouth, but he shook his head.
“Don’t say anything.”
“I just—” she began.
“For a moment, don’t speak,” he ordered. “Let me look at you and recall how much I desire you and forget that you’re a thief and have convinced half of London I’m going into bankruptcy and am most probably your willing accomplice.”
Her eyes widened at his words, and then she nodded. However, she remained silent for barely a minute.
“I simply want to know where we are going.”
“To Marshfield Manor. I am fleeing London for the country.” He smiled. It was his turn to discomfit her. “And you are going with me.”
Her mouth dropped open.
“That’s impossible. You must take me back home. I can’t possibly go anywhere, certainly not all the way to Gloucestershire. I don’t even have any clothing.”
Jasper couldn’t help grinning. He liked the idea of her without a stitch to wear.
“We can’t possibly go back to Hanover Square,” he told her. “You are on the run, and like it or not, so am I. Besides, Bow Street’s finest will be waiting on your doorstep if they know who you are. Do they?”
She looked unsure. “I don’t really know.”
“If they’ve followed you more than once, then they must have identified you, or how would they have found you a second time? And then you led them to my door. To my coach, in fact.”
She bit her lower lip, drawing every tiny speck of his attention, and then she turned and looked out the window.
“I have brought this upon myself,” she said miserably.
“Undoubtedly, you have. And now you’ve brought it upon me, and I am paying the price with you. They will be watching my house for the notorious blonde jewel thief. No matter, we won’t be there, will we?”
“How long?” she asked, still looking out the window.
“The journey takes all day if we ride straight through. And since there are so many feed merchants and farriers along the way, no reason to think we won’t be there by one in the morning.”
“Travel in the dark?” She looked at him as if he’d suggested a trip to the moon.
“We have four large lanterns and good wheels. If there are any hold-ups on the road to delay us, and I don’t mean highwaymen but disagreeable ruts the size of caverns or accidents or even toll-takers asleep in their little houses, then we may have to stay the night at an inn.”
This brought her gaze around to his.
“Don’t sound so pleased about the prospect,” Julia said, regaining her usual gumption. “But that’s not what I meant anyway. How long will we be away from London?”
“Until the Epiphany, at least, if Mother has her way.”
“Mother?” she echoed.
“Yes, the dowager countess is there already. She expects me anytime.”
Poor Julia Sudbury paled, and he had a dreadful thought.
“You haven’t taken any of my mother’s jewelry, have you?”
“Certainly not.”
