Page 25 of Lady Gambit
A familiar voice rang through her mind.
Run! Run, my darling. Save yourself. Don’t look back.
Her heart pounded against her ribcage, so fast she could hardly breathe. “Did she name the girl? Did she say what happened to her? Did she return to her family? Was she lost?”
Mr Flynn shook his head. “This is only a hypothesis, but I think the woman’s name was Sofia, and the child was Caterina. The gentleman’s identity is a mystery.” He went on to describe the person Nora believed was keeping her at Bethlem. Something about big boots and a ridiculous red eye on a stick. “Are the names familiar to you, Miss Chance? Does anything I’ve said spark a memory?”
She scoured the dark recesses of her mind.
You’re Delphine Chance.
Never forget it.
I’ll kill anyone who says otherwise.
Aaron had repeated the statements so many times they were etched in her brain. And she so desperately wanted to belong to someone.
“No.” She hesitated, unsure whether to mention her secret. But lies were the reason Theo had been shot in the shoulder. She would not be the cause of another mishap. “Whenever I’m afraid or facing difficult decisions, I hear a woman’s voice telling me to run.” She repeated the words verbatim. “Perhaps it’s a coincidence.”
Mr Daventry and Mr Flynn exchanged curious glances.
In the stillness, she heard the thud of footsteps on the stairs. She braced herself, waiting for Aaron to storm into the room and throw daggers of disdain in her direction, but the front door opened and slammed shut.
Was it Aaron?
Was he leaving without speaking to her?
She was on her feet and at the window in seconds.
Aaron marched back and forth on the drive like a caged animal, the gravel crunching beneath his booted feet. His clenched fists hung at his sides like heavy mallets. His eyes were as dark as the bowels of hell. He was priming himself to attack. But then he gazed heavenward and roared like a beast baying for blood.
“It will be hard to control him,” Mr Daventry warned. “If you hope to solve this case, you’ll need to appease Aaron Chance. He’ll want to tear every suspect limb from limb.”
Mr Flynn cleared his throat. “Miss Chance has changed her mind. She is no longer interested in pursuing the truth.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll not be responsible for someone else getting hurt. The past no longer matters.”
“I’m afraid the decision is not yours to make, Miss Chance.” Mr Daventry swallowed a mouthful of brandy. “A man was shot in broad daylight on a London street. I’ve been tasked with overseeing the case. Flynn has already received his fee and will lead the investigation.”
Mr Flynn’s handsome eyes widened in surprise. “I’m not an enquiry agent. Yes, the attempted abduction may be linked to Miss Chance’s search for her parents. What if it’s related to a gaming debt or a disgruntled mistress?”
While she listened, stunned by the turn of events, Mr Daventry said, “You worked at Bow Street and are more than capable of dealing with whatever problems arise. I’ve no available agents, and you’re skilled at uncovering the truth.” Mr Daventry waved nonchalantly in her direction. “Miss Chance will assist you. I’m convinced the key to the past lies trapped within her mind.”
“Me?” She locked eyes with Mr Flynn. They had dared to kiss because there was no hope of them being alone again. How couldshe spend time in his company without recalling the warmth of his lips?
“Miss Chance is not equipped to deal with cutthroats,” he said, for he looked just as perturbed by this shocking proposal. “I cannot be responsible for her safety.”
“On the contrary,” she began, desperate to impress him. “I’m an expert shot with a pocket pistol. Under my brothers’ tutorage, I can throw quite a decent punch.”
It was a pointless argument. Aaron would never permit it. After this debacle, he would not let her out of his sight. And a woman who barely left home did not possess the skill to find villains.
The drawing room door swung open and Aaron appeared, looking ready to tackle a heathen army. He stared at her, ignoring the other people in the room, and slowly closed the gap between them.
Tears filled her eyes.
She wasn’t afraid of him.
He would never hurt her.
