Page 18 of His Wicked Embrace
She tilted her head. “I was worried when you didn’t return. I came down the stairs a little and heard you quarreling…over me.” Rather than look embarrassed, she met his gaze with a flintyresolve.
Lawrence knew he had to tell her the truth. “My brother is…well…he is involved in services for His Majesty, and it was he who sent me to the White House. I was not supposed to bid on anyone, only observe. He was to come later with the Bow Street Runners and a magistrate to catch both the slavers and the buyerstogether.”
“And he is angry because you bought me?” Those eyes of hers were haunting, so steady andsure.
“Yes, he’s quite furious with me.” Lawrence stroked the spine of the novel in his hands. “Our tempers got a tad out ofhand.”
Zehra made a soft sound that sounded suspiciously like achuckle.
“You don’t have any siblings, do you?” heasked.
She nibbled on a piece of toast and shook her head. “My mother had a second child, a son, but he died of a fever at six months. He was a beautiful baby, and even though I was only four years old when he passed, I adored him. I still remember his brown eyes, warm and bright like my father’s.” Her voice became raw with emotion. Lawrence shifted in his chair beside her, amazed at how easily he could sit and talk with her, even of painfulthings.
“I’msorry.”
“Thank you. As you would say, he is with God now, and I am sure he is happy.” She raised her eyes to his again, and he loved the way her dark lashes framed those bright-blue eyes, almost the color ofturquoise.
“And you? One brother? Or do you have more?” She had banished the ghosts of her past again, amazing him with herstrength.
“I have several siblings. My oldest brother, Lucien, is the Marquess of Rochester. He’s thirty-three. My brother Avery is younger than me by two years. He’s twenty-seven. And then there’s Linus, who is twenty-one, and Lysandra isnineteen.”
“So many?” Zehra’s eyes widened. “It must be wonderful to have that many siblings. My mother had a brother and a sister, but I’ve never had the chance to meet them. My father was an only child. It has been lonely in manyways.”
“Well you aren’t alone now,” he murmured. She would never be alone again, if he could helpit.
“No, I’m not alone anymore.” Her eyes began to shimmer again, and he cursed himself, hating that he had brought her pain back to the surface while he’d tried to offercomfort.
Her lips curved into a soft smile. “You must stop doingthat.”
“Doingwhat?”
“Looking at me that way, as though I’m a fragile littleeyas.”
“Eyas?”
“A fledgling hawk, not yet ready to leave the nest. Do you not have hawkshere?”
He chuckled. “We do. But not too many gentlemen pursue falconry thesedays.”
She drank some of the hot chocolate he’d brought her with her breakfast. “Onlymen?”
“Well, mostly men. I suppose a few ladies in the country might indulge in the sport. I take it you did back in Persia?” He could easily picture her with a falcon on her arm, queen of the birds of prey. Lord, that would have been a stunningvision.
“I was quite the expert. My bird, Azar, was named after fire. She was beautiful. I don’t know what became of her after the fire. I hope the birds escaped. I didn’t leave her or the others hooded atnight.”
“I’m sure she’s all right. Birds, especially hawks, are clevercreatures.”
“They are.” She turned to him. She’d finished the last bit of her breakfast. “What did your brother say that upsetyou?”
Damn, he’d hoped she’dforgotten.
“Zehra…” he began, dreading every word. “I have to send youhome.”
“No!” She rose from the chair and fell at his feet, clutching his hands inhers.
“Not right away! Not until we are sure you will besafe.”
“No, please, let me stay! I will be saferhere.”
