Page 12 of Persuasions of an Earl's Daughter

That’sifthey were looking after him properly. And if they did not have help elsewhere. Somewhere to hide out perhaps.

“It’s all about plucking at strings,” she muttered, and the boy cocked his head and peered at her as though she were truly mad.

She couldn’t recall who had even said that whether it was one of her sisters or even Aunt Sarah or perhaps a cousin in a letter. But mysteries were about picking at threads until everything unraveled, even when the threads seemed to lead nowhere.

At least that was what she had been told. The truth of the matter was, she hadn’t been too interested in this investigation business. It seemed too slow, too tiresome. If she could not find out an answer instantly, she lost interest swiftly.

But for Icarus’s sake, she would have to be patient.

“If you could inform Tommy that I wish to speak to him when he arrives, I shall be in the taproom.”

The lad peered at the unsaddled horse, rubbed his forehead leaving a slight smudge of dirt on his face, then nodded. “Right you are.”

Lilly strode out of the courtyard and headed toward the front door. The sound of horse hooves didn’t snare her attention until they ceased but before she could turn to see who had arrived in the vague hope she had somehow already found Icarus and the thieves, a hand curled firmly around her upper arm.

Instinctively, she tugged against it.

“I don’t think so,” August said.

∞∞∞

August told himself the fury he felt was natural. Entirely expected really. Even when it made his hand shake as he gripped her arm and felt the warmth of her skin seeping through a thin spencer. Surely he’d feel the same worry and fear for any young woman behaving so recklessly?

And now she was here. About to step into a coaching inn entirely alone. No wonder he was furious. She hadn’t fallen to the ground, hadn’t been thrown from the horse, hadn’t been set upon by highwaymen. No, she was here, alive and well with her gaze narrowed to slits as thoughhewas the one in the wrong for pursuing her.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

Lilly glanced down at where his hands pressed into the velvet of her spencer. “I could ask the same of you.”

He wasn’t falling for that trick. The moment he released her, she’d dart into the inn. There could be drunkards in there or criminals. Someone hoping to take advantage. But as he followed her gaze down, he came to the realization this was the first time he’d touched her. He felt strength beneath his fingertips which shouldn’t have surprised him given he’d already seen her mount two horses with the ease of someone who was unaccustomed to sitting around and embroidering or whatever it was genteel ladies did. But what was worse, was the strange sensation that shot up his arm and made the hairs on the back of his arms prick.

He’d touched plenty of woman. Not, perhaps, in the way the scandal sheets assumed, however, a mere grasp on an arm shouldn’t have affected him in such a manner, most especially when the arm belonged to someone who was steadily becoming the most irritating woman in the world.

“Let me go.” She pulled against his hold, but he kept his grip firm. Her jaw firmed. “I said, release me.”

“You cannot go in there.”

“Watch me.” She stepped forward and he dragged her back.

As strong as she might be, she was no match for him. She might not spend time embroidering but he didn’t waste time sitting around in gentleman’s clubs either. If he wasn’t riding about the estate, he was fencing or boxing.

“Blast you, August Beresford, release me.”

Well, it was better than Augie and he’d been thinking of her as Lilly ever since he’d seen her with curls plastered to her pale face.

“You cannot go in there and you most certainly should not have ridden off. What the devil were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that someone had stolenmyhorse and that I was not going to waste a moment more. For all you know the horse thieves could be in there right now and you are letting them get away.”

“Icarus wasn’t in the stables. Do you think they’re hiding him in the taproom?” He let his lips quirk though he wasn’t certain how amused he felt right now really. The quirk came easily, though. His practice of being the charming, scandalous, and never serious marquis had paid off.

She huffed out a breath. “I’m going to wait for the stable boy who worked last night,” she admitted. “He might have seen something.”

August swung his attention to the main road. No carriages or speeding horses made their way down the lane and it could be some time before the aunt and her men caught up with them and took her niece in hand. Short of tying her up somewhere, there was little he could do to keep her safe. His best bet was to let her wait and watch over her until her aunt arrived. Slowly, he eased his grip, one finger at a time.

Just let her go,he told his fingers.

His fingers struggled to give up the odd sensation that came with holding onto her. Perhaps it was simply his survival instincts kicking in. After all, letting this woman go was like releasing a wild stallion in a busy crowd. Anyone could be harmed in her wake.

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