Page 71 of Temptress in Disguise
The blend of sweetness and strength had impressed him the night they met. “I applaud your ability to take control of a situation. I have every faith you will win this battle, too.”
Her tender gaze caressed him. “You’re the only person who believes in me, Aramis. The only person I trust.”
I’m in love with you.
The words stole into his mind. The physical sensations flooded his body. He fought the rush of euphoria, breathed to settle his racing pulse, to suppress the intense yearning.
He stood, keen to speak from the heart. But one wore armour to face their foes. Sentiment was as useful as a shield of sand. Still, he was compelled to offer a token of his affection before preparing to tackle the dangers ahead.
He clasped her hand and drew her from the chair. “My life changed the day you invaded my carriage. There’s no woman on this earth I admire more than you.”
She wrapped her arms around him. Her embrace had the power to transcend words. She was his strength and his solace. A beacon of light, drawing him from the shadows. An angel sent to prove everyone deserved to be loved.
* * *
Weeds littered the gravel drive leading to the Elizabethan Manor. Weeds swamped the raised beds, strangling the forgotten flowers. Dirt clung to the manor’s facade like a choking vine. Like the rancid air in the rookeries, one could taste the stench of neglect.
Aramis tugged the iron bell pull, his heartbeat pounding in his throat as he waited. “I shall ask for Edwin Budworth. Say we’re here to deliver the sad news of his brother’s death. That Miss Gray gave us this address.”
Naomi exhaled deeply. She reached for his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I couldn’t do this without you. I know you’re used to fighting battles, but this wasn’t part of our agreement.”
He hadn’t considered his list of demands since signing his name on the page. “I swore to protect you, and I never break a vow.” He’d vowed to love and cherish her. Words fate had decreed would become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“Then the least I can do is tend to your wounds.”
A mocking snort escaped him, and he tugged the bell for the second time. “Be assured. I shall emerge from this war unscathed.”
Her voice turned coy. “You don’t want me to pour Frankincense oil over your tight shoulders and massage the tense knots?”
The sinful train of her thoughts made him smile. “My muscles are as hard as stones. You’ll need more than one bottle and may need to repeat the process every night for a week.”
Her blue eyes softened. “After all you’ve suffered at my expense, I shall be forever in your debt.”
Forever.
He liked the way the word rolled off her tongue.
The sudden clip of footsteps in the hall beyond preceded the grinding of rusty metal. The door creaked open. A dark-haired woman, no older than thirty, peered around the jamb.
“Can I help you?” She looked nervous as she scanned the breadth of his shoulders. Her frown softened as her gaze settled on Naomi’s angelic face.
“Mrs Fisher?” Aramis asked.
“Mrs Fisher left six months ago. She went to live with her sister in Sheffield. I’m her replacement Miss Cooper. I have her forwarding address somewhere if you’d care to wait.”
Aramis explained they were looking for Edwin Budworth. “We’ve been tasked with delivering news of his brother George.”
Miss Cooper’s mouth thinned. She gripped the jamb tightly, her knuckles turning white. “There’s no one here of that name. You should ask at the inn. They know most people in these parts.”
Having spent many nights at the card tables, watching men trick their opponents with blank faces and fake grins, he knew Miss Cooper had something to hide. “May we speak to the caretaker Edward Worth?”
A shadow of alarm touched Miss Cooper’s face. “He’s taken the cart to town to fetch supplies. He’ll be back tomorrow after dark. Call back then.”
She tried to close the door, but he wedged his boot in the narrow gap and hardened his expression. “Do you know when Mr Holland might return from Madras? Surely he writes regularly.”
Miss Cooper frowned. “Madras? Mr Holland returned a few months ago.” She struggled to look him in the eye. “He took ill on the ship and died of consumption. His sister plans to relocate back to England with her husband.”
The last comment proved she was lying.
