Page 41 of The Gift of Patience
CHAPTER 11
Ibeg your pardon? You cannot be serious!” Patience was incredulous.
Major Stuart had the grace to look sheepish. He and Fielding had beat them back to the house since they had to return in the carriage. When she entered the house, he surprised her by asking to speak with her. Now they were closeted in the study.
She paced with fury.
“But I am. I need you to woo Rupert.”
“I think I am going to be sick.”
“You are always wanting to help, and now you can.”
“You mean to tell me this is part of the mission?” The glare she cast at him would have frozen a fiery furnace. “Surely there is some other way to help.”
“We have a hunch that his speculation might be related to the missing arms. We need to keep him close.”
She stopped and put her hands on her hips. “Surely you cannot believe he could orchestrate any such thing.”
“No, but he could certainly be the mastermind’s pawn. For the location alone, he would prove useful.”
“Why can you not befriend him?”
“I have done so, but his interest is you,” he pointed out a bit too gleefully.
“My, how you must be laughing at me!”
“Not at all.”
“And what happens when he compromises me?”
“I would never let that happen.”
She raised her brows doubtfully. “You intend to shadow us everywhere? He is already like a parasite without any encouragement. Then, if Lady Fagge gets wind of any possible connection to the house of Westwood, she will facilitate the matter by any means possible.” Patience resumed pacing as her fury gained momentum. “He does not listen to any repulsion, and I am certain any objections I make will be excused as maidenly modesty and that he would be happy to guide me.”
She looked up to see Major Stuart’s surprised face. “What is it?”
“I will swear on my life that I will not let him harm you.”
“That’s a mighty big promise, Major, but I will hold you to it.”
“Then you agree to help?”
She held her hand out to shake on it like she’d seen gentlemen do before, but she wasn’t quite prepared for the sensation she felt when he took her hand. Neither of them wore gloves and the skin-to-skin contact was intense. His hands were nothing like Rupert’s—whereas Rupert’s were chubby and clammy, Major Stuart’s were warm, firm, and slightly callused. He was no idle gentleman. The sensations went beyond her hands. She felt his touch pulse throughout her entire body.
Instead of shaking her hand, he held it and began to play with it, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles and fingers. She could only stare at the motion, afraid to look into his eyes.
They stood thus for some time—it was probably only seconds but felt as though time had suspended. He cleared his throat and dropped her hand.
“I should inform you that he asked for my assistance in courting you in exchange for information on the scheme that made him rich.”
“Now this makes more sense.”
“Indeed. By allowing him to come here under the guise of courting you, we may draw him out. I will send him a note in the morning encouraging him to call.”
“I will await my fate with bated breath.” Only a slightly sarcastic tone laced her response.
“Good girl,” he said as he chucked her under the chin as if she were a young child, then bid her goodnight.
