Page 43 of His Wicked Embrace
“Because I knew you would seek him out,” she confessed to Lawrence. “I could not let you put your life at risk forme.”
“She’s right,” Avery said. “You would have been foolhardy enough to rush headlong into danger. Challenge him to a duel or some bloody nonsense.” He looked toward Zehra. “Miss Darzi, you should know that Al-Zahrani is no longer in London. We know of this man and are having him followed. While he wasn’t a part of the slavers who brought you to London, he was at the White House that night. I suspect it was he who informed the ambassador about you, which might explain why he insisted on our acting with such haste. I fear now that had I followed my orders, you might indeed have ended up back in hisclutches.”
Zehra’s hand flew to her mouth, but Avery was quick to continue. “My men have tracked him to Brighton, where they are under orders to apprehend him and send him home. And if he resists…well…” Avery let the threat linger. He looked to his brother Lawrence, who sighed and gave him the slightest nod ofunderstanding.
“I’ll walk you to the door, Avery.” Lawrence squeezed Zehra’s hands. “I’ll be back in a moment.” He left to see his brotheroff.
Denbruck was smiling again. “See? All’s well then, child. You’ll come home with me at once. I want you to rest, and you have an aunt and uncle who want to meet you. And we must introduce you to society, of course, when you’reready.”
The thought of all that made her head spin. She wanted to go with him, but she also wanted to stay withLawrence.
“Do you wish to come with me?” he asked, his tonegentle.
She bit her lip and nodded. “But please, Grandpapa, I must speak with Lawrence before wego.”
The earl’s blue eyes sharpened. “I must know more about him first. Did he do anything untoward to you? Say the word and Iwill—”
“No! He was wonderful. He gave me everything I needed. He was brave and strong and sweet and…” A thousand other words to describe him never left her lips.Loving, passionate, tender, wonderful,wicked…
“And you fell in love with the boy?” Her grandfather chuckled. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Lady Russell’s lads are charming. Damned rogues too, the lot of them, but damned fine men as well. Did he break yourheart?”
“No,” she answered honestly. “I love him. And he lovesme.”
Denbruck crossed his arms. “Well, you must understand this is all highly unusual. By all accounts it is scandalous, but it won’t be hard to sort things out, I suppose. I will let him come calling on you once you’ve had a proper come-out. In a few months, he can come by with flowers and other such nonsense and take you riding in the park or whatever it is young men do these days with theirladies.”
“A fewmonths?”
“I’m afraid it’s how things are done. If you were to declare yourselves now, before you’ve even been introduced in society, I fear it could make matters quite difficult for both of you. Gossip and rumors would damage both your names. A few months won’t stop love, if that’s what you both feel. Now, let’s get you home. We’ll talk to the boy first, and then it’s time you and I got to know each other. I’ve missed far too many years of your life. I don’t want to miss anothermoment.”
Zehra brushed away a tear as they left the ballroom to findLawrence.
* * *
Lawrence paced the hall.He and Avery had had a few minutes of quiet conversation, and both had apologized. He’d hugged his brother and sent him home, but he hadn’t gone back into the ballroom. He wanted to give Zehra some time with her grandfather. Everyone from tonight’s disrupted activities had made themselves politely scarce, which left him all alone to wait. At last, Zehra and her grandfather came out of the ballroom. Lawrence nodded respectfully atDenbruck.
“Mylord.”
“Mr. Russell.” Denbruck nodded back. “My granddaughter has told me of you and the nature of your assistance to her. I cannot express the depth of my gratitude that you were there that night to render heraid.”
“It was a privilege, my lord.” Lawrence met his gaze. “And with yourpermission—”
“Heavens, boy, we have time enough for that later. You may call on me tomorrow if you like, but I offer you both my blessing, once the proper allowances are made, of course.” He smiled sadly. “You’ll take her away before I even get to know her.” He leaned down to kiss Zehra’s cheek. “I’ll wait for you outside. When Her Grace invited me here tonight, I honestly wasn’t in the mood for dancing, so I left my coach waiting in front in case I needed to make a quick exit. I intend to make use of it.” He chuckled and chucked Zehra under the chin as though she were a child of ten and not a woman oftwenty.
Once he had left, Lawrence dragged Zehra into his arms, holding her with a ferocity that surprisedhimself.
“Lord, I thought I might lose you.” The terror he’d experienced when Avery had tried to take her away was like nothing he’d ever experienced in his life. He’d known then that he was going to marry her and give her everything he could in life to make her happy, even if he had to defy his country to doit.
“Lawrence, you don’t have to do the honorable thing,” she said, and her voice held a tremulous note that stabbed at hisheart.
“No one has ever made me do anything honorable,” Lawrence replied. “I’m a rogue, darling. When I do something, it is because I want to. And I have decided I want my Persian princess in my bed, in my life, and in my heart. Would you deny me that?” He curled his fingers under her chin and tilted her head back so he could look deep into her bright-blueeyes.
“As long as you love me, then no, I would deny younothing.”
“Good. Because I’ll find a way to convince you to fall in love withme.”
She tilted her head, a disappointed look on her face. “I’m afraid that will be quite impossible, mylord.”
Lawrence was puzzled. “Oh? Why isthat?”
