Page 90 of Nothing Compares to the Duke
I love you.
How long had she yearned to hear those words? How long had she ached to hearhimsay those three words? Yes, it had been at the pinnacle of his passion, at a moment when his body was in fact loving hers. But she couldn’t convince herself it was just hyperbole born of a heated moment.
Bella headed down the stairs, but she had no idea where she might find a conservatory or a room where she could surreptitiously open a window. Stepping out of the front door was likely the best option but with her luck she’d end up locked out and on the darkened streets of Belgravia in nothing but an unbuttoned gown and a chemise.
Servants approached, chatting to each other as they walked side by side, and Bella panicked. She pushed open the door of the closest room and looked around curiously. It seemed to be a study or library, almost as well stocked as her father’s.
Though the servants passed quickly, Bella lingered in the room.
While Rhys had quite eclectic tastes in decor, this room was far more reflective of his father. Stern, unwelcoming, and a bit too cluttered to be truly appealing. She found she missed feeling a sense of Rhys in the room.
One thing was for certain. Rhys’s father had been as fascinated with maps as her own. There were no landscapes or framed portraits on the walls. Only maps.One of Essex and the county where Edgecombe sat, one that encompassed all of the British Isles and Ireland, and several London maps.
She drew closer to the largest London map that took up most of one wall. The image was very focused in, showing streets and squares and a few landmarks. Bella traced her finger down roads and found Belgravia, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, and then she looked closer and began searching.
Bishopsgate.
Recalling the scrap of paper they’d found in the fireplace in Margate, she searched for any street name that started with aB. It had to be Bury Street. Mr. Radley would likely be there. Unless, of course, Rhys was right and he’d hied off to France.
“I woke and you were gone.”
Bella turned to find Rhys in the doorway wearing only trousers and his unbuttoned shirt.
“I didn’t want to disturb you. I thought I’d explore.”
“And what did you find?” He still hovered at the doorway, and she hated the wariness in his tone.
“The street where Mr. Radley might be residing, I think. Remember the scrap of paper? We have the house number, unless there was a part missing.” She pointed to the map. “And this must be the street.”
He approached until they were shoulder to shoulder and stared at the point near her finger.
“Bury Street. I’ll send a note to Inspector Macadams.”
“No.” Bella hadn’t meant to shout but didn’t regret emphasizing her protest.
“We started the search for him together. That clue we found at Margate, we found together. Contact Inspector Macadams if you like, but I think we should finish it together.”
“You’re determined.”
“I am.”
“Then we’ll go,” he told her, and covered her hand on his arm with his own. “We should go back to the Tremaynes’ too. They’ll be worried about you.”
Bella leaned closer to him. “They needn’t be. I’m in good hands.”
There was an uncertainty in his gaze that she wanted to soothe, but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words he wished to hear. It wasn’t that she didn’t feel them. Of course she did. She always had. But they terrified her now.
“Bella—” He frowned as he watched her and that often indicated that he was seeing something she hadn’t meant to reveal. Over the years, she’d become quite certain Rhys could read her thoughts.
“Tomorrow?” she asked him to keep them from treading old ground. She couldn’t give him what he yearned to hear from her.
“That will be fine. I’ll have a servant take a note around to Scotland Yard.”
“Excellent.” She smiled and then lifted onto her toes to kiss him. “We can resolve this once and for all.”
Her pulse quickened but it wasn’t because of the way Rhys kissed her back. That was delicious andwarmed her blood. No, the fluttering pulse at her neck came because of fear.
Tomorrow they might very well find Mr. Radley. The matter of the ducal accounts might be resolved. She’d helped Meg prepare for her Season and now the Duchess of Tremayne had stepped in to assist with that task. If all went as planned, her parents would soon be on their way to Greece.
