Page 93 of His Sinful Touch

“I got a letter from them,” Sabrina explained. “Just a note and your cuff link.” She held it out to him.

“I wondered where that had gotten to.” Alex plucked it from her fingers, his eyes warm on hers. “So you went to sacrifice yourself to obtain my release.”

“Well, I hoped to discover your location from them somehow and rescue you before I had to go that far.”

“It was terribly dangerous. I’m sorry you were worried so.”

“You’ll find Alex manages to extricate himself from the places he keeps getting locked up in.” Con grinned at his brother. “At least no jumping across roofs this time, eh?”

“No. I was grateful. I’m no longer as agile as I was at ten.”

“But how did you and Con and Mr. Quick come to be there?” Sabrina asked Lilah.

“Did you think I would let you throw yourself into the fire? I sent a note to Con’s office, telling him where to go, and then I went after you. Just as I was leaving, Con ran up, shouting that something had happened to Alex.”

“I had one of those stabs of twin-ship.” Con glanced at Alex. “You know.”

“I do. I hoped you might.”

“I was in a meeting with the old man’s agent, pinning him down on the illegal payments, and suddenly it hit me. I jumped up and took off. No doubt he’s convinced I’m quite mad now.”

Lilah continued the story. “I told Con where Sabrina had gone, and we jumped in a hack. Tom had gotten my note, and since Con was not there, he came himself. He got there while Con was arguing with the footman at the door.” She turned toward Con. “I still think you could have gained entrance without resorting to violence.”

“It wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying,” Con retorted.

Sabrina jumped in to forestall an argument, saying, “Here we are. Oh, look, Megan and Theo are hailing a hack.” She paused, then added, “Um, Theo is carrying a gun.”

Alex stuck his head out the window to flag down the couple. “No need! Stay there.”

“How do they know where to go?” Lilah asked, staring in some astonishment.

“No doubt Phipps told them,” Con said lightly. “Nothing happens in that house that Phipps doesn’t know.”

It took some time to explain everything that had happened to the gathered members of the household. Leaving Con to describe the final scene, Alex slipped from the room, drawing Sabrina away with him. He led her down the hall and into the secluded room where she and Lilah had listened in on the Dearborns’ conversation. There he did what he had been longing to do from the moment he’d entered the Dearborns’ house. He pulled Sabrina to him and kissed her, then simply held her tightly.

“I was so scared when I got back here and Phipps told me where you had gone. I hoped Con would reach you in time, but I was scared you would jump into something dreadful to save me.” He pulled back and gave her a stern look. “Don’t ever do that again. Promise me. Con’s right. I’m like a cat. I’ll always manage to find a way out.”

Sabrina chuckled, but he could hear the tears in her voice. “I can’t promise that.” She tightened her arms around him for a moment, then sighed and said, “Oh, Alex...what a coil this is. You must know I will not hold you to your announcement of marrying me.”

Alex went cold inside and his arms fell away. “Of course. I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to obligate you.”

She nodded, stepping back and wiping away a tear.

Alex forced himself to go on. “I—I know that you are young, and it would be foolish to commit yourself. You need time to gauge your feelings. To have fun, meet other men and...” He could not manage to get anything else out.

“Meet other men? Why would I want to do that?”

“Well, you know...because you have a choice now. You can decide what you want to do freely, no longer under pressure from Dearborn. And away from the excitement and emotion of this moment, as well.” He smiled at her faintly, though his heart ached at releasing her. “But I must warn you, Sabrina, I won’t give up. I mean to court you, to win your heart.”

Sabrina stared. “Win my heart! What are you talking about? You have already done that.”

Alex gazed back at her, nonplussed. “But you just said you didn’t want to marry me simply because I told Dearborn I was going to.”

“Well, of course I don’t want to marry you because you said that!” she responded, putting her hands on her hips. “Who would want to marry for such a reason? I don’t want to...to use your sense of duty and obligation to trap you into a marriage you don’t want.”

“Don’t want! Sabrina—”

She rushed on over his words, pacing about. “I realize you cannot marry me. My name, my lineage, is not at all what one expects for a duke’s son, and even if you’ve scared the Dearborns into not revealing any of this, it wouldn’t be surprising if something leaked out. There have been many people who have seen us together—think of all the people at that party who witnessed the scene with the Dearborns. Not to mention servants and innkeepers and—” She swept her hands out in a vague gesture of inclusion.