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Once the goodbyes were said and Miss Fowley shuffled back into her house, Gage threw a glance toward Adam. “You do realize that Miss Fowley’s well-being is now resting solely upon your shoulders?”

Adam shrugged. “Don’t worry. She won’t be making any trouble.” In fact, if everything went as planned, she would leave London before her allotted month was over.

With a bow toward Gage’s new bride, Adam hopped back into the carriage.

He waited for his brother to leave before instructing the driver to take him home. He leaned against the back of the seat, his hands curled into fists, crushing a piece of paper between his fingers.

He frowned and brought the paper closer to his eyes.

Right. He still had Miss Fowley’s list in his hand.

He shook his head and smiled, remembering the interaction he’d just had with a fiery bluestocking. Not only had she stood up to the viscount, but he had to admit, it had been a long time since sparring with someone brought Adam that much joy.

She was different from his acquaintances because she was too innocent, too sheltered, even compared to his beloved sisters. As much as their family tried to shield them, they were worldly beyond their years. Perhaps that had to do with the fact that they were brought up among older brothers, one of whom had died during the war, changing the entire family’s lives forever. Or perhaps it was because Miss Fowley had never had a debut and never truly experienced life outside of her little village. Either way, her naive outlook on the world entertained Adam.

However, he did not dare underestimate the young bluestocking. As naive as she seemed, she was not one to scare easily. She stood up to him in Hades’ Hell, and she stood her ground against him later when he ordered her to forget her foolish list.

She was not someone who would easily follow orders. Her father must have had his hands full raising such a stubborn miss. And her future husband, the old Lansdowne, would have to keep up with her too. If he wanted to marry a young miss who would obey him without question, he had chosen the wrong one.

Adam grimaced, his chest constricting unpleasantly at the thought of Miss Fowley in the old leech’s arms. But that was the way of the world. Miss Fowley needed to marry to save her family from poverty, and Lansdowne needed a young miss to bear his children.

Adam swallowed hard and forced the thoughts out of his mind. Instead, he focused on the problem at hand. He unfolded the paper again and ran through the list.

His chest gave another dull ache. Adam almost felt sorry for the young lady. Certain items on her list were so innocent that he felt compelled to help her complete all of them. For instance, one item read: Visit Gunter’s and try several flavors of ices in one day. Why would such a simple task be on her list? It should have been easily accomplished. Another one read: To race along the Serpentine before dawn.

Granted, this would be a major blow to her reputation if caught, but it could be easily accomplished without anyone finding out. And as she said, she didn’t care about her reputation since she was about to get married anyway.

Perhaps if it were a few years earlier, when he was less jaded and weary, he would have agreed to go along with this young lady’s scheme. Perhaps she should have found another gentleman as an escort. But as it was, Adam was the one who’d crossed her path. And he wasn’t about to be led by a leading string tugged by a young, innocent miss.

He was deeply tired of living his entire life for everyone else.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault, truly. But as a third son, he was often directionless in his pursuits.

When their brother Benedict went to war, Adam found a position under the Secretary at War to be closer to him and to act as a liaison between his brother and his family. After Gage inherited the title, Adam resigned from his position and chose to help his brother with his estates. He took on the responsibility of escorting his sisters to London when Alan, their youngest brother, left for the Continent.

Everyone in the family was following their own path, except for him.

And now, when all his siblings were settled and content, Adam had this pit in his stomach, screaming at him: my turn!

Unfortunately for him, it was easier said than done. He wanted to travel the world, and at the same time, he wanted to find his place in this life, a purpose. Something that would ignite a fire within him. Something that would help him leave a mark on this world.

In short, he had enough issues of his own without getting roped into spending a month running around London, bending to the whims of a naive young lady. He didn’t have to help her at all. But he couldn’t leave her to her own devices, risking not only her reputation but also her life.

So, he would do as he promised. He would pick three items off her list. Except he would make sure that she gave up her quest much sooner than that.

He scanned the paper, thinking of the easiest ways to dissuade the lady from continuing with her idea.

The fact was, it was too dangerous for her to do those things on her own. Some of the things were entirely too ridiculous to contemplate. One item read: To bid at an auction.

With what? Adam knew Miss Fowley’s circumstances. She had no money to bid on a handkerchief, let alone attend an actual auction. And without Adam’s help, how had she ever expected to get into an auction? Sneak in the way she sneaked into a masquerade?

She clearly had no understanding of reality. Living in her tiny village, reading all those books that filled her mind with ridiculous ideas, she was far removed from the real world.

However, he had promised. So, he would pick three items off this list. And he would make sure that before one item was crossed off, she’d have no willingness left to complete the others.

He drummed his fingers against the seat in nervous contemplation. One of his fingers caught on something, and Adam squinted in the dimly lit carriage. He lifted his hand and studied a piece of white silk threaded with ornate golden flowers. No, it wasn’t just a cloth or a handkerchief. It was a mask. Miss Fowley’s mask.

Adam heaved a long sigh. Some adventuress she was, getting in trouble and losing things as easily as breathing. He folded the mask and hid it inside his coat pocket.