Page 111 of The Duke and Lady Scandal
Dom shrugged. “Well, that’s settled, then.” He yawned and ran a hand through his hair. “God, I’m exhausted. And starving.”
“Well, I should imagine you are.” Mr. Gibson was dressed for departing, but Allie knew he’d overheard her siblings’ arrival and would come up to greet them first.
“Gibson,” Dom said with true warmth, “aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” He walked over and shook Mr. Gibson’s hand vigorously.
“Thank you,” Eve said, “both of you, for watching over the shop.”
Allie exchanged a glance with Mr. Gibson.
“Did anything happen while we were away?” Dom asked with mild interest. He scanned his gaze around the shop. “Everything looks much the same, so I’m assuming it was business as usual.”
Allie pressed her lips together and Mr. Gibson’s bushy gray brows danced on his forehead.
“There are a few things to report,” Allie told them as evenly as she could manage.
“Oh?” Eve looked intrigued.
“To start, we have a new and much-improved safe.”
Eve and Dom exchanged a look.
“Why?” Dom asked, his brows dipping now. “That must have been quite an expense.”
“Luckily, we keep up our insurance payments and Lloyd’s of London covered the replacement due to theft.”
“What?” Eve gasped.
“Theft of what?” Dom asked, already striding toward the back room.
“That is a rather complicated story,” Mr. Gibson told him. “But do let me show you the new safe.”
“I want to see too,” Eve said, and then followed them both to Mr. Gibson’s workroom.
Allie waited in the front, planting herself near the windows and looking out for any sign of Ben. Each time a hansom slowed, she expected him to dash out.
Finally, one pulled right into the spot that Eve and Dom’s coach had recently vacated, and he stepped down. He spotted her and gave her a wolfish smile.
A moment later, he was through the door and in her arms.
His greeting kisses were dizzying and delicious. This time he pulled her nearly off her toes, sweeping his tongue into her mouth to deepen the kiss.
When he turned with her, his boot heel caught the edge of one of Dom’s bags.
Ben looked down and settled her gently onto her feet. “They’re back.”
“They are.” Allie still kept hold of him, one hand on his chest, the other resting on his injured arm.
“And you’re certain you want to spring this on them first thing?”
“We’re happy and we should share it.” She stroked her hand along the hard muscles of his arm. “They’ll be happy for us too.”
“Excuse me,” Dom all but shouted from the back room. He was using his overprotective brother voice. “Who are you?”
Allie laughed as she turned to face her brother, and Dom looked at her as if she’d lost her wits.
“Dom, Eve, this is Detective Inspector Benedict Drake.”
“For a little while longer,” Ben whispered so only she could hear.
