Page 18 of Avenging the Earl's Lady
He wasn’t taking the painting to London.He wasn’t leaving it at Gorse Point Cottage.He was sending it to his country home, a place she’d never visited; a place a hundred times more difficult to steal from.
“It’s that valuable?”
“To the man who wants it, yes.”
He glanced at the painting, and when he turned back to her, there was a light in his eyes that she couldn’t decipher.
“Jane.Tell Lady Perpetua that Fox may come with us.Ewan will stay here with you.You’ll be safe with him.He’s acquitted himself well on other occasions for us.As soon as Kincaid heals enough to travel, you may return and help Lady Sirena with the wedding preparations.I fear she’llneedyour help.”
“I assure you, Sirena is capable of arranging a gown and a small—”
“No.”He squeezed her hand.“Lady Perpetua and Mr.Fox will marry by regular license at St.George’s with absolutely all of thetonpresent and accounted for.”
“I see.”Poor Perry, and poor Fox.“To delay the wedding—is that wise?”
“The days will pass quickly.He won’t change his mind.”
She shook her head.“Is there not more possibility of danger for him?”
“He won’t have the painting or the prisoner.He’ll be safe at Shaldon House.”
“Let me speak plainly, my lord.What if Lady Perry is—”
“Jane.”He raised her hand to his lips, sending ripples of warmth through her.“I would have liked to have removed her from further temptation of that sort.I would have liked to stay here myself and protect you.But you are right that it will do no good to separate them.Removing the painting and Sir Richard will take away the threats to Gorse Point Cottage as well.You’ll be safe here.Though I don’t like leaving my women with such slim protection.”
His gaze was intense and promised volumes, although of what she couldn’t be certain.
Not love.Not fidelity.But, oh, there was desire there.It would only require her surrender.
She wanted to weep.She wanted him to kiss her.She wanted him to sweep her up in his arms and carry her to his bed.
The letter weighed heavily in her pocket, reminding her of her duty.If only the letter was a packet of bank notes.
A muffled clattering below signaled that they would have only a few more moments.
Blast it,he finally had this woman alone again, and the servants would come back and interrupt them.Would that he could stay on with her here and send everyone else away.
She lifted the corners of her lips in a taut version of a smile.“My lord, it must be said that I am in no way your woman.”
Not yet, perhaps, but soon.
“Let us say then that your safety here is of great import to me, because I hold you in high esteem, my dear.”
Her breasts rose on a sharp breath.“When will the painting be transported to Cransdall?”she asked.
And why that question?
But, of course, she was worried the Duque or his men would attempt to seize it here.
“And Sir Richard?Will he be here much longer?”
Both the painting and the prisoner were dangers.“One of the MacEwens will take the painting, the other will escort Sir Richard.They’ll leave the day after next, after…”
He’d forgotten.“Fox can’t travel with us tomorrow.He’s to stretch and reframe the painting.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, and then she quickly recovered her composure.“Why not transport it rolled?Though I suppose that might damage the paint even more.”
The matter-of-factness of her tone sent a thread of wariness through him.He blinked it away.That was his suspicious nature—an old habit.He could trust Jane.“Yes, stretching will preserve the finish.”
