Page 12 of The Viscount's Code
“You’re right about that,” he said, placing the book upon the desk, folding it open, dusting the pages reverently.
“Is this the one we were looking for?” she asked, and he nodded.
“It is the companion copy to the book we found in Castleton’s stables,” he said. “I think with the letter that accompanied it, I should be able to determine from the pages where to look within it. We won’t know for certain if I am correct until I begin to work on the code and we see whether anything intelligible comes from it.”
“I’m sure you can do it,” she murmured.
He was surprised at her faith in him but accepted it, nonetheless. She was such a quiet presence, and he found that she calmed him when she was near. She brought peace with her, whether it was through saying the right thing, saying nothing at all, or even playing music, as she had last night. Unlike her mother – or her sister – she didn’t speak unless it was necessary, and when she did, it was always in such a serene manner, even if the subject was tense.
His gaze lifted from the book, locked on her instead.
“Hope,” he began, his voice husky, and she looked up at him, her lids blinking over those beautiful blue eyes.
“Yes?”
The truth was, he didn’t know what he was going to say. He just knew that he wanted to continue to have a reason to keep her here with him, for her to think something – anything – about him besides that he was a surly man with a traitor of a father.
“I—”
“What is the meaning of this?”
They turned as one to the anger in the doorway, and Anthony’s heart sank when he saw the earl standing there, his feet planted, his arms over his chest, his entire body vibrating in his anger.
“Good evening, Father,” Hope said from beside Anthony, and as she slightly tremored against his arm, he felt the need to reach out and pull her in next to him.
But of course, in his rational mind, he knew that would do nothing but stoke her father’s temper.
“Good evening?” her father repeated, his low voice gruff and angry. “It is not the dinner hour, Hope. It is well past midnight.” He looked between the two of them, rage simmering in his voice; however, the fact that he kept it quiet and even actually scared Anthony more than if he were bellowing at them.
Not that anything ever truly scared Anthony.
“You are both well-bred enough to be aware that your presence here – alone – at this time of night should cause Hope to be compromised.” He drew a visibly deep breath, obviously calming himself. “However. As I am the only one aware of this… indiscretion, I am willing to overlook it and forget about it – as long as the two of you do as well. Understand?”
Hope nodded, as did Anthony, even as a piece of him was filled with disappointment that the man would think so little of him that he would not even force him to make good on the situation.
“You are being very rational about this, Father,” Hope said, surprise in her voice, and her father then turned a dark gaze onto Anthony.
“It is because I would rather see you ruined then married to a traitor.”
“Father!” Hope gasped.
“Now see here,” Anthony said, standing straight, pride filling him, causing him to lose rational thought. “I am no traitor.”
“Your father was,” the earl said now, entering the room completely.
“That is a lie!” Anthony returned, stepping toward him.
“You cannot prove that.”
“But I will,” Anthony seethed.
“Do what you want. I do not care,” the earl said. “But I will not have my daughter married off to you, compromised or not.”
“I will prove you wrong,” Anthony said, his fingernails biting into his palms, as he slowly came back to his body and realized that he and the earl were standing toe-to-toe, as near to blows as he had ever come with a nobleman his senior.
“It sounds like there has been a misunderstanding,” Hope said, standing and holding out one of her hands to each of them. “And now is not the time to return to the past, except to assure you that nothing untoward occurred between me and Lord Whitehall, and I think we are all in agreement that we may continue on.”
“Very well,” the earl said, bringing his fingers to his temples and stepping backward. “Now, we should all retire, as—”
