“Bloody daft woman,” he murmured against her lips.
“Bloody daft man,” she said. “You blew yourself up.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have if I’d known you were coming.”
She pulled back and looked at him, her hands flat against his chest. He was so precious to her and so very angry. She was just as angry. Let him be enraged. Let them both be furious, as long as he was alive.
“I could have hurt you, Sarah,” he said softly, both hands touching her face. His fingers danced along her cheekbones, then threaded into the hair at her temples. His palms were rough against her cheeks, but she wouldn’t have moved for anything.
“You were in danger, and I never knew,” he said.
Her hands reached out and clasped his wrists. “I couldn’t just let him keep you there, Douglas. I had to do something.”
He shook his head. “You’re a Tulloch,” he said. “For all that you’re the daughter of a duke.”
The duke. She’d completely forgotten. She remembered seeing him being carried between Tim and Alano, then couldn’t recall anything about him.
“Did he survive?”
“The blast? He did. Unfortunately, part of the wall fell on him. I believe he has a broken arm, from what Alano says.”
“And Simons?”
“He and I both made it to the second floor before the explosion.”
At that moment, Douglas decided to kiss her again, so she couldn’t possibly concentrate on Simons’s fate.
A kiss or two later, she remembered something else and pulled back, staring into his shadowed face intently.
“Why do you want to end our marriage?” she asked.
Instead of answering her, he entered the carriage and pulled her in behind him. On another day, she would tell him that such actions were not those of a gentleman, and he would write the information in his journal. For now, she tumbled onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
He chuckled and pulled her closer, hugging her so tightly that she could feel his heart beat against her breast.
He spoke softly against her temple. “I would never let you go, Sarah,” he said. “It was your father who threatened me with the dissolution of the marriage if I didn’t produce his diamonds.”
She slapped against his shoulder, pushing back so she could stare into his face.
“He has no right! How dare he even threaten such a thing!”
“He has no rights,” Douglas said, “but I didn’t discover that until I inquired of my solicitor.” It was his turn to study her face. “Did you follow me?”
“I was trying to find where you disappeared. I thought you’d decided not to be married anymore.”
He pulled her closer as if to admonish her for such a thought.
“I actually went to try to negotiate with your father. I was going to give him all the small diamonds I had in return for the agreement we signed. I wanted him out of our lives. Unfortunately, I never got the chance.”
She stared at him. “I don’t think he’s my father,” she said, realizing that she hadn’t told him. “I may not even be Lady Sarah.” She explained what she knew about her mother and Michael Tulloch.
He was quiet when she finished.
“Would your life change all that much?” he finally said. “If you discovered it was true, and you were Michael’s daughter?”
She glanced at him, surprised. “It would explain why the duke has always disliked me. But I wouldn’t feel right living at Chavensworth.”
“You, of all people, have earned Chavensworth. I’ve never seen anyone work so hard or be responsible for so much.”
