She sniffed. “As a lady, one must hide one’s true feelings. Undoubtedly, that is why I do not seem horrified by you. However, rest assured that I am.”
The other corner of his mouth lifted. “If you say so, milady.”
His scent was coiling around her now. Much as she imagined a serpent would. She had to put some distance between them. “No more counting, Mr. Nothing.”
Once more, he declined to respond, simply watching her with that mocking smile on his sensual lips.
On a huff, Evie turned and resumed her pacing.
“One-and-twenty.”
She whirled back to him. “I did not finish my twentieth pace. How can we now be at one-and-twenty?”
He cocked his head. “Devil.”
“What is your true Christian name? No mother would name her child Devil.”
“You do not know the woman who birthed me.”
That was a decidedly strange manner to refer to one’s mother, she thought. His jaw had tightened. A sensitive subject, she sensed.Hmm. Interesting.His intellect and his mother. Twin weaknesses from the monster of a man who was to haunt her every day. She would save the knowledge, lest she needed it.
“I wish to read,” she announced, deciding a change of subject was in order. “There is no need for you to remain here.”
“I stay where you are.”
She glared. “You cannot be where I am at every hour of the day.”
“When I was not, you were shot.”
“No one knows I am here.”
He shrugged. “We hope.”
Her stomach felt as if it dropped to the floor. “What was the meaning of the five carriages, if not to confuse anyone who could be watching?”
“It is early to tell if we were followed. I saw no sign of it, but nothing in life is certain.”
Evie frowned. “That is a grim view of the world, sir.”
“A truthful view.” Another shrug of those impossibly broad shoulders.
Her gaze dipped to his chest. To his throat. To his jaw, shadowed with a fine layer of whiskers. Back to his lips. She wondered for the first time why he was so quiet, so solemn, so jaded. What had happened to Devil Winter in his past to make him the man he was?
Then she wondered why she cared.
Most certainly, she should not. Thinking of him at all was dangerous. As was lingering near to him. And yet she did.
They stared at each other, at an impasse.
“I do not wish to be here,” she said.
He raised an inky brow, saying nothing.
Fair enough. He had made his opinion on the matter clear as well. Some of her irritation with him faded. He was not the source of her ire. Indeed, mayhap he was every bit as trapped as she was.
“You have more of a choice than I do,” she countered, as if he had spoken aloud.
Sky-blue eyes burned into hers, unwavering. “You do not know my brother.”
