Page 68 of When a Lady Dares
“What makes you say that?” His gaze bore through her. “What have you learned?”
She held back the truth. “More questions? You still haven’t explained why you sought out Trask. There are other mediums in London. Why him?”
Gavin shrugged. “You might say he was recommended…by an old friend.”
She held her chin firm, even as her hand trembled with tension. “Did you set out to ruin the man?”
“Yes.”
The blunt honesty of the single word stunned her. “Why…why Trask?”
“He is a dangerous man. Whether by intention or through the sheer callousness of his manipulations, he preys on grief-stricken souls when they are at their most desperate. I had no evidence against him, so I sought out hisservices. I anticipated documenting his deceptions.”
“You lost someone…someone you cared about.” She spoke the words as a statement, not a question.
“Yes.” The pain in his voice cut like a dull dagger.
“Will you tell me…who it was?”
He dropped his gaze, staring down at the plush carpet beneath his feet. “In time.”
“Gavin, I need to know. I have reason to believe you are in grave danger.”
He cocked his head. “Why should I tell you any more than what I have? We both have our little secrets. What reason is there to change that?”
“Survival.”
“Ah, that’s rich. Am I to believeyouwill save me from whatever menace is nipping at my heels?”
“No. But you must save yourself. Leave London. Now, while you can.”
He caught her forearms in a loose hold. “Tell me what you’ve learned. What has you convinced this attack was not an act of retribution?”
An invisible weight pressed against her chest. She could not tell him the full truth. Perhaps a taste would do.
“I found a picture of you in Trask’s office. It seems rather odd that the man would have acquired such a thing.”
He seemed to contemplate her words. “The blastedHeraldplastered my face all over the front page upon my return from the last expedition.”
“The image I found of you was not so recent. I’d say it dates back more than a year.”
“Where is this picture?”
“I do not have it in my possession at this time.”
He slowly shook his head. “Rather convenient, I’d say.”
“There was another man standing beside you. I understand his name was Peter Garner.”
Gavin froze. For an instant, he looked as if she’d struck him.
“How do you know…about Peter Garner?”
“His name was in the caption,” she fibbed.
He gave a nod, accepting her explanation. “You say this picture…it was in Trask’s office.”
“Yes.”
