Finally she opened the door. Her puffy, red eyes drew his immediate attention. His heart broke, and he wanted to take her in his arms and soothe her fears.
“I don’t feel well,” she whispered, her voice cracking.
“I can see that, my dear.” He walked inside and closed the door. “But I don’t want you to be alone, either.”
Without waiting for an invitation, he pulled her in his arms and brought her head to his chest. Her body shook with silent sobs as she clutched his waistcoat. Helplessness washed over him. If he could take away her pain, he would. If only he could help her regain her memory, he would do that as well. She shouldn’t have to suffer.
Once her sobs diminished, he pulled her toward the two-seat sofa and they sat. He wouldn’t let go of her even though she tried to pull away.
“Tell me what happened,” he said.
She wiped her eyes. “When I went to get the roasted peanuts, I saw…” She swallowed noisily then looked at him. “I saw someone from my past… when I was a thief.”
“Someone like David?”
“Yes.”
“Then what happened?”
“I was so stunned, Trevor. I couldn’t think. I just stood and stared.” Her voice rose and her body trembled.
“Shhh…” He swiped his thumb under her eyes to dry her tears. “Calm down and tell me what else happened.”
She took a deep breath. “When I realized how I knew him, my memory opened and I saw him in a room with me while I was being… whipped.” Tears filled her eyes again. “I’d begged Macgregor not to punish me. I pleaded for his forgiveness, but he continued to whip me, laughing the whole time.”
Trevor gnashed his teeth and held Louisa tight again. He’d kill that man if it was the last thing he’d do. Macgregor deserved his fate.
Kissing her forehead, Trevor cuddled her closer. “I’m so sorry you had to remember that. It is no wonder your mind chose to block that part of your life.”
“Yes, that is what I thought as well.”
He withdrew slightly, only enough to lift her chin so she would look at him. Her eyes swam with huge tears. Seeing her this way tore him apart inside. Beyond anything, he wanted to take away her pain, and his. He kissed above each eye, then her nose, before finally kissing her lips. He hoped she’d allow him to comfort her this way.
But when she pulled back, he realized his wish went unheard.
“Trevor, I need to have time to think about everything. Thank you for listening to me, but I really need to be alone.”
He nodded. “Just remember I’m here for you. I will protect you at all times. Your past is where it should be now—in the past. Let it stay there. You have a new life here with me.”
Her lips quaked, but she didn’t say anything.
As he left her room, his heart grew heavier. Hopefully, she’d not have any more horrid memories. Then again, with the life she’d lived, there were probably many more terrible experiences just waiting to be revealed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“There is abet going here in White’s,” Lord Hawthorne said cheerfully as he aimed his focus on Tristan, “that the police will not be able to discover who killed Lord Hollingsworth.”
Trevor and his brothers sat at a table, and looked up as Dominic approached. Trevor silently groaned, wishing Hawthorne had stayed away. Yet, it seemed since the marquess and Trey were good friends, they always were seen together.
Quickly, before he could say anything condemning about Dominic’s statement, Trevor tossed down his brandy in one gulp. The drink burned his throat and stung his eyes.
“What do you mean, my good man?” Trey asked.
Dominic pulled a chair from another table to join the brothers. “I have it on good authority that Lord Hollingsworth had many enemies.”
Tristan tilted back his head and laughed heartily. “I would think so, Hawthorne. As crooked and deceitful as that lord was, I would imagine half of London would want to cut the lord’s throat.” He lifted his glass of whiskey, then drank it. “Put me down in the book for one thousand pounds. This will be an easy bet to win.”
“I’ll bet one thousand as well,” Trey said, laughing.
