“Until Thursday,” he told the duke as he passed him on his way to the door.Wrengate, who was already in the process of murdering another boxing bag, responded with a gruff grunt.
A quick word of parting to Reed, who was going over some paperwork in his office, and Adrian was off.He looked forward to getting home and enjoying a hearty breakfast with Samantha.Hopefully, she wouldn’t be too upset by the prospect of playing hostess to Wrengate in three days’ time.
He frowned on that thought as he climbed into his awaiting carriage.Actually, there was a very good chance she’d be furious.
* * *
Unsure of how to respond, Samantha stared across the breakfast table at Adrian while he buttered a piece of toast.As if he’d not just swept the rug out from under her feet.
She’d been in the middle of pouring her second cup of tea when he’d entered the dining room.Although she’d heard him return from Reed’s, he’d needed freshening up before he joined her.By the time he arrived, Isak, the street urchin they’d taken in, had gone to join his tutor in the library.
Encouraging the boy to engage in lessons of any kind had been trying, but he’d eventually agreed to the benefit of knowing how to read and write.One could only hope he’d warm to other areas of study later.
As for her husband…
His gaze had heated the moment he’d seen her, making her toes curl with pleasure.A tender kiss upon her cheek had softened her even more.They’d exchanged a few pleasantries.She’d told him to wake her the next time he wanted a bit of sparring.
And that was when he’d mentioned the duke.
Wrengate.
A man whose head she’d like to see on a pike.
Adrian had crossed paths with the man before leaving Reed’s, but that wasn’t all.Was it?
Samantha tried to grapple with what he’d told her.And finally chose to spit out the only words that continued circling her brain.“You did what?”
“I realize he’s not your favorite person in the world.”
“Not my favorite person?”She shook her head.Was he mad?
“However, considering our suspicions, I thought it might be prudent to bring him into our inner circle.See if he lets something slip.”Adrian looked at her as he bit into the toast he’d prepared.
She blinked.“I could have died because of him.”
His expression tightened, hard eyes holding hers as he stopped chewing.A swift nod followed.He swallowed his food, chased it with some coffee, and returned the toast to his plate.“Because of him or your dealings with Wycliff?”
A question she’d no wish to think of, never mind answer.“Adrian, you know I—”
“Let’s not forget that Wrengate had no idea who you were.Had he done, I doubt he’d have ordered his men to kill you.”
Samantha wasn’t so sure.The harsh gleam she’d seen in the duke’s eyes on more than one occasion warned her he wasn’t a man to be trusted for any reason.
“Most importantly,” Adrian said, his voice dropping to a cool whisper, “I have to know whether or not he played a part in Evie’s death.”
“And to find out, you need to take a closer look at him.”She understood his motivation.Sometimes a single conversation could reveal someone’s character and what that person might be capable of.However, the very idea of letting Wrengate into their home – of having to entertain him – was enough to send a dark shiver straight down her spine.
“A dinner can take several hours,” Adrian pointed out.“And with the Moorlands and Eldridge also in attendance, I aim to distract Wrengate from my real reason for asking him to join us.”
Samantha picked up her cup and took a sip.“My biggest concern is that my acting skills won’t be sufficient to hide the extent of my loathing for him.”
A hint of humor finally flickered in Adrian’s eyes.His lips twitched but gravity filled every word when he finally said, “We’ve just had our lives restored.Let’s not change that by skewering a duke at our table.”
Samantha pressed her lips together, though not enough to contain the chuckle that forced its way up her throat.She dropped her gaze.“He’d look rather nice though, don’t you think?With a carving knife pinning him down.”
“What I think, dearest, is that I’m lucky you’re no longer huntingme.”
Samantha’s gaze snapped to Adrian’s, but rather than the accusation she feared she’d find in his intense expression, there was nothing but warmth.And a teasing bit of affection.
