Page 48 of A Bride for the Beastly Duke
Still, she resolved to confront Edward as soon as possible.
“You promised to come to dinner.”
Edward jumped in startlement before looking up to see Ava leaning against the door. He put down his file and got to his feet. “Ava, how?—”
“Do not Ava me.” She waggled her finger at him as she stepped away from the door toward him. “You promised.”
Edward opened his mouth to say something but then closed it again once he got a good look at her face. She was truly miffed. He raised his hands in surrender. “I am sorry. I got distracted.”
“By what?”
He blew out his breath. “Sit down, have a drink with me, and I will tell you.”
She stared suspiciously at him, and he returned her gaze with as much sincerity as he could manage. Finally, she took a seat on the brown leather Chesterfield sofa by the window, and he poured her a glass of brandy from the array of drinks wheeled in by Notley on a tray. He added ice before walking over to hand it to her. Then he sat opposite her in a winged leather armchair with a sigh.
“I received a letter from the Home Office tonight to do with my brother’s death.”
“I… see. Have they…”
“Caught the perpetrator? Unfortunately, no. But they do believe a person of interest is hiding out in this neighborhood, and I wish to hold a ball in order to lure him out.”
Ava frowned. “Why would he come to a ball if he is hiding?”
“Because he doesn’t know who I work for. And…” his lips twisted, “…well, people are curious about me, I suppose. You said yourself that when you go to the village, they ask after me. I…weare relying on that curiosity to bring everyone out should we have a ball.”
“The famed recluse, His Grace, the Duke of Barrington, opens his doors to the town gentry,” Ava announced dramatically.
“Yes exactly. While introducing his beautiful new bride, Her Grace Ava Marlow, the Duchess of Barrington.”
“It’s disingenuous, but it just might work. My question is, is it safe?”
Edward looked away. “There is very little that’s safe in this world, Ava. And I need to find this killer.”
“I understand that, but my daughter will be there, and I don’t want to be a widow.”
Edward smiled. “Thank you for the concern, but I was a soldier for a long time. I can handle this.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“Well, give me this promise—that you will not put yourself in danger. Neither at this ball, nor afterward. I want you to find your brother’s killer but not if it gets you killed as well.”
Edward wanted to tell her that she was being ridiculous and that there was no danger, but he didn’t want to lie to her. It was not as if she would believe him. His brother had beenmurdered. It was obvious that whoever did it was dangerous.
He sighed, tiredly. “I promise not to be reckless.”
“That is absolutelynotthe same thing.”
“Ava,” he said in a tired voice, “please, don’t ask of me things I can’t give you. Besides, we are getting ahead of ourselves. There is no reason to think this man would be aggressive toward anyone. More likely, if he thought he was surrounded, he would run.”
“If he doesn’t? What do you intend to do?”
“I intend to hold him in the dungeons until I can bring him to the Home Office.”
Ava shook her head slowly, taking a gulp of her drink. “Is it me? Am I cursed?”
He frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
