Adrian’s attention stayed on Clive Newton for one more second before shifting to Birchwood.“How did you prove your innocence?”
“I was sick on the night in question.My butler and the physician he called – Doctor Wentworth is his name – both attested to me being home in bed with a fever.”
“What about Walker and Lundquist?”
Birchwood shoved one hand in his pocket.“I’ve no idea, but I suppose they must have had solid alibis too or else charges would have been pressed against them by now.”
Provided neither man had bought his witnesses.
Adrian sent Birchwood a thoughtful look.At least Doctor Wentworth was known to be a man of good standing.He wasn’t the sort who’d protect a possible murderer in exchange for a bribe.
“Thank you for the information,” Adrian said.“If you’ll please excuse us, I promised I’d help Miss Carmichael find a seat and have already kept her from it too long.Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
“Please forgive me for stopping to speak with those gentlemen,” Adrian said when they’d gone a few paces, “but I had to know more when I overhead the subject of their discussion.”
“You need not apologize.”Miss Carmichael sent him a warm smile.“I completely understand.”
Satisfied with her response, Adrian steered her toward a sofa in the corner of the room and waited for her to take a seat before lowering himself to the spot beside her.“Better?”
“Very much so.Thank you.”She toed off her slippers allowing only a brief glimpse of her stocking-clad feet before they disappeared beneath the hem of her skirt.Bashfulness stole across her face when her gaze caught his.“I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not if it eases your discomfort.”A sharp burst of laughter caused him to glance across the room to where Birchwood still stood with the Newtons.
“Are you all right?”Miss Carmichael asked.
He glanced at her.With her cheeks flushed, a few of her locks in slight disarray and her too-tight slippers discarded for the moment, she conveyed a sense of normality that made her all the lovelier.
Adrian hesitated briefly before admitting, “I let Mr.Clive Newton rile me.”
“Something tells me you think that a weakness.”She tilted her head, studying him with curiosity.
“Only because it is.”How many times had his father tested his ability to keep his emotions in check?
“A lesser man would have issued an invitation to Reed’s – make sure he got the chance to punch him.”
“To do so would serve no purpose other than proving myself to be everything he accused me of.”He grimaced.“You’re probably wondering if any of it is true.”
The prudent decision right now would be for him to sever all ties with Miss Carmichael.Already, he’d caught himself thinking of her much more than what was wise.And tonight when he’d spotted her on the terrace, a lonely beauty gazing into the darkness, he’d gone to her with far too much enthusiasm.
Holding her in his arms while they danced had only worsened the heated effect she had upon him.This woman, with her humble beginnings and zest for life, was like a balm to his tortured soul.The innocence she embodied with her sweet smiles and slightly shy manner made him crave more.But could he trust her?
She was only mentioned briefly in Harlowe’s file, which Adrian had read on his way back to London from Deerhaven.Nothing in there warned him to stay away from her, so he decided to let his instinct guide him.Especially since he genuinely liked her company and found her easy to talk to.The only other person he could say the same of was Edward.
Still he hesitated, torn between honesty and shielding her from the ugliness of his world.But as he gazed into her lovely blue eyes, his conscience compelled him to tell her the truth and to let her choose.
“My father was a ruthless man who did terrible things to gain power and fortune.When he died, I did what I could to distance myself from that world, but then my sister was murdered and stepping back became impossible.”
Miss Carmichael’s eyes widened, but she didn’t retreat.“Why?”
“Because someone went to great lengths, convincing the murderer she should be his next victim.”
“You’re certain of this?”
Adrian nodded, then explained how the column describing Evie’s indiscretions had come to be.“Someone is playing a brutal game.I’ve not yet discerned their motive, but I’m starting to suspect that I am the true target in all this.”
“Are you suggesting that someone engineered the murder of an innocent woman in order to somehow manipulate you?”Miss Carmichael asked, her voice filled with outrage.
“Yes.”Anger and guilt twisted inside his chest.
