He’d said she was right. Unequivocally. No one had ever paid her a better compliment. They were usually too busy patronizing her. “Thank you—”
Her voice broke at the change in his manner. His brow had darkened as he looked down at her. “Your dress. Did Tommy do that?”
Elise glanced at her exposed shoulder. So much had happened, she forgotten he’d ripped her gowns. She’d been caught up in escape and arguing with Kit. “Apparently.” She tried to pull the pieces together. The soft muslin was shredded. It might not be able to be repaired. If Tommy had pulled harder, her left breast would have been exposed.
Kit jumped to his feet, already lifting the oilskin over his head. He removed his jacket and placed it on her shoulders. The stain of her tears still marred the fabric.
Gratefully, she slipped her hands through the sleeves. They hung well past her fingertips, but at least she was covered. “I’ll think of a way to repair the dresses. I’m good with a needle.”
“Dresses. One on top of the other.” He spoke as if solving a riddle. “You are a runaway, aren’t you, Elise?”
Instead of answering, she ran a hand along the front of his jacket. “This is excellent wool, Kit. The tailoring is good as well.”
“Elise?” There was a warning in his voice. He expected an answer.
He wouldn’t receive one. “My sisters and I make our own clothes,” she said as if he had asked.
An appraising look came to his eye. “Who are you, Elise? I thought at first you were some lady’s maid and yet I’ve never met one with an opinion of her own. And yet you sew your own gowns?”
She turned his question on him. “Who are you, Kit? I thought you were some poacher or vagabond, but you are well-spoken. What is your story?”
He pointed a knowing finger at her. “Like I said, you are a quick one.” He turned. “We’ll stay here, Elise, for the night.”
She nodded. It would soon be too dark to walk on. The growl in her stomach reminded her she would be going hungry, too. He started to move away from the tree. “Where are you going?”
“To check the area. You are safe with Tamsyn.”
“You will be back?” The words came out in a rush. She hadn’t meant to sound alarmed, but it had been a long day.
Kit turned, met her eye. “Iwillbe back in a moment. Will you behere?”
She copied his tone. “Iwillbe here.”
A grudging smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “Then we are fine. Good night, Elise. Sleep.”
“I don’t know that I can.”
“You’d best try. After all, I’m taking you to Ireland on the morrow. You need an escort. Andnoargument. I’m thinking of your safety.” With those words, he walked off, his tall figure silhouetted in the twilight.
Why would she argue with his offer? Today had been a very hard day. She realized she might not even have made it through last night without his help.
“He is not a bad sort,” she confided to the dog,and then she did a quick little jig. Tamsyn, tail wagging, tried to join her. Kit would accompany her to Ireland. Her relief was immeasurable because the trip would be easy now.
All at once, Elise found herself so tired she could barely think, and she knew it was because she was safe. She settled in to where the tree’s curved roots made a comfortable space to relax. Tamsyn moved to snuggle up to her. Huddled in Kit’s jacket, Elise curled her fingers in the dog’s long hair. She meant to stay awake for Kit to return. She couldn’t.
***
He had just promisedto see her all the way to Ireland.The offer had seemed natural, even nobly sensible... but as Kit circled their small camp, he wondered what he had gotten himself into.
And why?
Elise was a riddle he wasn’t certain he wished to solve. Wiltham was her family home? Her father had been in the military? Those clues smacked of landed gentry, a bloody innocent alone, and a problem for him if she ever discoveredhistrue identity. There wasn’t a soul in London, including his mother, who wouldn’t believe he hadn’t compromised her. His reputation had become that bad.
Still, he really had no choice but to offer to accompany her. There were dangers out there she couldn’t even imagine.
Butheneeded to be careful. Not only because Elise was a tempting bit, but also because his heart was still tender after Kate’s rejection. So much so, he didn’t know if he could ever trust himself or a woman again. He had clearly misunderstood Kate’s opinion of him. The humiliation had set him on his present course.
That didn’t mean he didn’t find Elise intriguing. In spite of her beauty, she was a bluestocking. She was too opinionated not to be, and he liked a challenging woman. Admired them. A woman should be more than her looks. She should have substance, which had made Kate’s rejection doubly hard. She’d foundhimlacking.
