Page 39 of Her Wicked Highwayman
“I am glad they came to see you. I know that the Merton lands separate us, but please know that you are welcome at our home at any time.” Lennox’s words were spoken with such clear honesty that Diana did not doubt that he truly meant them.
“Perhaps you would like to come for tea tomorrow afternoon?” said Rosalind. “We can discuss the particulars of your first investment.”
“I would like that. I have some money ready to invest.”
Rosalind nodded. “Wonderful. It was lovely to meet you, Diana.” She turned to her husband and tilted her face up at him. “Andyouowe me a dance.”
“Indeed I do.” He bowed his head to Diana and whisked his wife onto the dance floor.
Diana sagged in relief. She’d accomplished what she’d come to do. There was nothing else here for her tonight. It was time to go home.
CHAPTER 9
Rafe cursed under his breath as Ashton nodded in the direction of yet another young lady, indicating Rafe should approach the woman for a dance. He arched a brow at Ashton in challenge, but his brother only smirked.
“Fine,” Rafe muttered. The quicker he got through these dances, the sooner he could search for Diana. She had disappeared after he’d finished the quadrille with Rachel, and he could no longer see her in the crowd. Most likely she was hiding in some alcove, away from the crowds. And when he found her in the shadows, he would enjoy that moment with such pleasure that he could already taste her kiss.
Diana.
Her name was carved into his soul now, and each syllable tasted sweet upon his tongue. Tonight, he would hunt down his clever huntress. He found himself hiding a grin at the range of pet names he’d somehow managed to give this woman in so short a time.Fire drake,thief,star, and nowhuntress. She was all of those things to him, a fascinating blend of qualities that made him want to know more about her.
One fact hung most clearly in his mind, making it hard to think past it. She had been so close all this time. Just oneproperty had separated them, and he’d never known. How had he never met her at any ball or dinner party before now?
Ashton came over to Rafe near the refreshment table and cleared his throat. “Rafe, Miss Coventry is ready for a dance. Do the young lady a favor, would you?”
Rafe shot Ashton a dirty look, then plastered a pleasant smile on his face. He headed toward a polite young woman with bright reddish-orange hair whom he’d learned was Amelia Coventry. She nearly fainted when he asked her to dance, but the brave young woman accepted and off they went to the dance floor.
He made conversation with her and found it wasn’t as horrible as he expected. The girl was not as clever or willful as Rachel Merton, but she was a sweet creature. A group of young bucks had been watching him nearby with interest, but Rafe was used to being observed like this. Younger men wanted to emulate his reckless, rakehell nature. Perhaps this was one of those times where he could use his reputation for good rather than wickedness. Feeling charitable, he bowed once the dance ended and made an audible comment on what a delight she was to dance with and that she was just the sort of woman to tempt a man in the best sort of way.
He smiled as two young bucks argued about who would ask Miss Coventry to dance next. With the last of his required dances complete, he caught Ashton’s gaze from a short distance away and held up eight fingers, four on each hand, wiggling them in a taunting way. Ashton rolled his eyes and, with an exaggerated wave of his hand, gave his reluctant consent that Rafe could leave.
But he wasn’t ready to leave yet. He scoured the room, searching every alcove, every nook and cranny, and once, when no one was looking, discreetly peeked under the tablecloth of the refreshment table. There was no sign of Diana. He frowned and slipped into the gardens next, searching the winding rowsof hedges and disturbing a few couples caught in scandalous embraces. There was still no sign of Diana. Like a clever fox, she’d escaped yet again.
He stopped just outside the entrance to the ballroom and lingered there a moment, watching the dancers as he considered his options. She lived nearby. He could take the coach home, then ride to Diana’s estate. Yes, that’s what he would do.
He returned to the front of the house and had the Lennox coach brought round. He informed the driver that after the man had taken Rafe home, he should return to the Merton house to pick up Ashton and Rosalind.
Rafe settled into the cushions of the finely decorated coach and let himself daydream about how he would surprise Diana tonight. Three weeks was simply too long to have to wait without her in his arms.
Diana, my little thief.
For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt a stirring of hope in his chest. But he dared not look too closely at what that hope might mean.
Diana wasdead on her feet when she finally reached home. It had taken a full hour to walk back from the Merton house. She could have troubled Rachel for a ride in one of the Merton coaches, but she despised having to rely so much on others. Her household would have a fit once they learned she’d walked home in the dark, but she enjoyed the quiet and the solitude of a good walk. Besides, the cool autumn night had helped clear her head.
She’d made an excellent introduction with Rosalind Lennox and would see her tomorrow afternoon for tea. Things were going well, but she wasn’t foolish enough to let herself becomecomplacent. Lady Lennox could help her grow her accounts, but only if she had money there to begin with. There would be another full moon in a few days, and it would be a good night to conduct a second raid on some passing coaches. She’d been giving it quite a bit of thought. They needed someone who could stay at the coaching inns on certain nights and get word to them of coaches to target. They had been lucky last time, but this time, they needed a distinct plan.
She slipped back into the house through the green baize door of the servants’ entrance at the back of the house, where she found Mr. Peele waiting up for her. She’d insisted that none of the staff wait for her to return home and that they should all go to bed since there was always much work to be done with such a small number of staff. But as always, her butler never went to sleep unless he knew she was back safe at the house.
“How was the ball?” he asked.
“Fine, quite fine. You look tired, Mr. Peele, please go on up to bed. I’m just going to fetch a little something to eat in the kitchens.”
He tried to stifle a yawn and nodded at her before he left her alone.
She paused in the kitchen to steal some biscuits and a glass of cold milk. Patches of moonlight cut through the windows as she leaned against one of the kitchen counters, her mind now blissfully quiet and her body wonderfully tired. She hadn’t realized how anxious she’d become since she’d begun her scheme to be a highwayman. She’d paid off her debts, yes, but without proper financial guidance she feared she might have to resort to robbery forever. The danger it presented terrified her. But now, with Rosalind’s help, things were falling into place and the racing thoughts of her worried mind had begun to still.
After she’d finished her midnight treat, she climbed the servants’ stairs to the main floor of her home. No one stirredand no lights were lit, but she knew the way to her bedchamber blindfolded. Once there, she opened the door and retrieved the rushlight from the small table by her bed. She lit the rush and placed it on an angle in a silver stand before clipping it securely into place. It would give her an hour or so of light if she let it burn all the way down, and she wouldn’t have to waste any precious candles. She then reached up and unbound her hair, letting it fall loose down her shoulders and back. With the pins all neatly stacked on the table, she brushed the tangles out with her fingers and, with a sigh, turned toward her bed.
