Page 78 of The Secret of Flirting
“It’s fine, Lady Ursula,” Monique added. “I think I can be trusted to spend a few moments alone with his lordship.”
Lady Ursula looked conflicted. But in the end, she nodded and left the room. Clearly, if the choice was between seeing to her true love’s welfare or Monique’s, she would choose Princess Aurore every time.
Gregory shut the door to the study, his heart pounding as he saw the lost expression on her face. It tugged at his sympathies. “What am I to do with you, my sweet?”
She glanced up at him warily. “I don’t know, my lord.” Rising to walk over to the window, she stared out. “I don’t know anything anymore.”
He understood; the news had certainly caught him off guard. Mother’s remarks last night stuck in his head. Who could have known that her warning about not taking up with a princess might have proved sound?
Because she trulywasa prospective princess, which meant she could never be his. Unless Aurore lived, in which case he might have a chance...
He cursed under his breath. The last thing he needed was a woman who would turn his life upside down. He had too much to accomplish. She would be wrong for him in every way.
Yet he didn’t care. He wanted her in his bed. And, God help him, in hislife. Which was impossible.
“Monique—” he began.
“This changes nothing,” she said, whirling to face him. “Perhaps if Aurore dies, it affects things, but if she lives...”
Clearly she had thought through all the same paths that he had.
“You’re still in danger as long as you pretend to be her,” he said.
“I suppose.” A sudden softness spread over her face as Monique approached him. “But I have complete faith that you will find the culprit before anything happens to me. You must. Because even if I leave England, the killer will still be at large and might try to murder my cousin again in Chanay.”
“Doubtful. Once she is no longer a contender for the throne...”
“We can’t besurethat’s why this killer is after Aurore. It might have nothing to do with the conference at all. If what Lord Hartley learned is true, it... it might have to do with the succession.”
“The only one to benefit from Aurore’s death isyou,” he said dryly, “so if it has to do with the succession, then you’ve been trying to shoot yourself.”
She glared at him. “Who is below me? Did Lord Hartley say?”
“There’s no one. You are last in the line. Another Prince or Princess of Chanay would have to be chosen, and since that would be a complicated process, no one person could be sure of becoming ruler. So no one has anything to gain yet by shooting both Aurore and you.”
“All the same, if I return home before the conference ends, the scoundrel might follow me, assuming I’m Aurore, and unravel the whole deception. Then what? There’s a chance we could all be exposed.” Her eyes searched his face. “That you could be ruined.”
It took all his will to resist the urge to pull her into his arms. “If that should happen, then let the bastard find out you’re an actress.” Despite his attempt to sound uninvolved, he couldn’t stop his fear for her from creeping into his voice. “At least you’d be safe.”
“But I’d be back in the same situation as before,” she pointed out. “With the count refusing to take me and Grand-maman back into the family.”
“Considering your place in the succession, he wouldn’t pursue that.”
“You don’t know that. If Aurore survives—and she’s young and strong, so she might—she could still live a long and healthy life. Despite what Lady Ursula says, Aurore might yet choose to marry and have children. And with each one, my grandmother and I drop further in the succession. Until we know how Aurore is—”
“I’ve already ordered Hart to Calais to learn that,” he ground out. “He leaves at dawn tomorrow morning.”
She stared him down. “Then we should wait to act until he returns.”
God, the woman would be the death of him yet. “The delegates will vote in four days.” Desperate to convince her, he grabbed her by the shoulders. “Whoever is trying to murder you will make damned sure he or she kills you before then.”
Frustration lit her features. “For pity’s sake, Gregory, do youwantto see me the mistress of some elderly theater patron? Or whoever proves the highest bidder? Because that’s how I will end up if Aurore lives and I have not met the terms of my bargain with the count. He will discard me and Grand-maman like so much trash.”
“I don’t believe that,” he said hoarsely.
“Then you don’t know him as well as I do. I must see this out. Pleaseletme.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I know you want me out of your hair as quickly as you can manage, but—”
“You’re wrong, damn it.” He smoothed his hands down her arms to her waist, unable to stop himself from touching her. “I don’twantyou to leave. But I also don’t want you to die.”
