Regina glanced up at him. “But you’ll be there to protect me, and Mark can place himself wherever we go ahead of time for added protection.”
“No,” Nicole replied. “I refuse to allow you to put yourself in danger, Regina.”
Regina leaned forward and grasped her cousin’s hands. She stared her in the eye. “Nicole, you taught me to be brave. I don’t want to live hiding away in fear. Let me do this. Please.”
“I don’t like it.” Mark glanced at Daffin. “But it may bethe only way, and Regina makes a good point. We’ll both be there to protect her.”
“You cannot be truly considering this madness,” Nicole said to her husband.
“Please, Nicole. I have to do this,” Regina said.
Both ladies were tearful. Nicole leaned over and hugged Regina. “I love you, Regina. Are you certain?”
“Yes. I’m looking forward to it, actually. It makes me feel as if I’m taking my future into my own hands. You of all people know how good that feels.”
Nicole turned to Daffin. “Are you all right with it?”
Daffin expelled his breath. He scrubbed the back of his neck. “On one condition… I want to be the one in the coach with her.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The next day, the duke’s coach pulled to a stop behind another coach in front of the little village bookshop. Regina’s belly was a riotous mass of nerves, but she’d never felt more alive. Whoever this lunatic was, she refused to cower from him.
“Stay with me,” Daffin warned. Regina nodded. On the way to the village, Daffin had turned from the flirtatious Bow Street Runner to a consummate professional. His eyes were trained on every object at once. He spoke to her in short, clipped tones, his words clear and precise. She could tell by the look in his eyes, by the hard edge to his voice, that he was afraid for her, but he intended to keep her safe.
The coachman let down the steps. Daffin alighted first, then turned to help Regina. They walked toward the shop, doing their best to pretend they were merely a couple out for a stroll and some shopping on St. Stephen’s Day. A manknocked Daffin’s arm as he hurried past. Daffin nearly pulled his pistol on him.
“Sorry, sir,” the man said, tipping his hat and moving on.
Daffin and Regina exchanged tense glances.
Daffin held the shop door for Regina to precede him inside. She made a show of casually looking about the small shop. It smelled like books and mold and dust. She’d been here the other day and had a long chat with Mr. Tillworthy, the proprietor. Today, Mr. Tillworthy was engaged in a conversation with another customer and hadn’t seemed to notice that the Duke of Colchester’s coach had arrived in front of his place of business. When Mr. Tillworthy talked about books, he became quite single-minded.
Daffin kept his own hat low over his eyes and folded his hands behind his back, perusing the store as if he hadn’t a care in the world, but Regina knew his senses were fully attuned to the two other people in the store, and he paid close attention to the front door.
It was possible, of course, that the man after Regina wouldn’t risk exposing himself today. Perhaps the jaunt to the village would result in nothing. But Daffin and Mark had been certain it would coax him from his lair.
After several minutes passed, Daffin strolled to where Regina stood before a shelf, pretending to browse. His hands remained folded behind his back. He faced the opposite direction from her. “Don’t look,” he whispered.
Regina caught her breath. “What is it?”
“There is a man across the street. He appears to be casually milling about, but I’ve seen him glance in here several times. He also appears to be watching our coach.”
Regina’s heart pounded, but she forced herself to continueperusing the book she’d chosen from the shelf. “Should we remain here?”
Daffin’s mouth was tight. “I’m hesitant to put you in harm’s way by going outside, but it may help if you move closer to the front windows. I’ll be able to see if his interest picks up.”
Regina nodded. She spent another few moments looking at the book, while Daffin strolled off as if continuing his own shopping. She lifted her skirts and took her time inching toward the front of the store so her actions seemed natural.
By the time she reached a stack of books on a table near the front window, Daffin had positioned himself on the other side of the door.
The customer speaking to Mr. Tillworthy became louder. The two men were engaged in a heated discussion about politics.
Keeping her chin tucked down, Regina surreptitiously glanced out the window. The man across the street leaned against the brick wall of a storefront. His hat was pulled low, but she could see why Daffin questioned whether he was watching them. His eyes darted between their coach and the shop. It was impossible to tell his age, but he was of medium build and height and wore the clothes of a decent, but far from wealthy, man. It was the regular garb of anyone in the village.
She sucked in a breath. If the man across the street was indeed the one who wanted to hurt her, Regina refused to allow him to get away. Daffin and Mark wanted to nab him as much as she did, but they were also preoccupied by their concern for her safety.
She turned to the windows. The man didn’t move. After many moments had passed, she strolled toward Daffin. “Can you tell anything?”
