Page 91 of A Fearless Heart
“You need to step outside your own head and let other people help you. Like me. Just because you have a thought, it doesn’t mean it’s a true thought. It’s just a thought. I think of untrue things all the time.”
“You do?”
“Of course. Minds are like that. The difference is that you’ve been stuck in such a dark place for such a long time, so your mind isn’t working the way it used to. But you’re not stuck where you are. You can leave. You just need a little help to get started.”
Cady’s eyes looked a little glassy. She took a breath, and said, “That’s just what a man hellbent on stealing my fortunewouldsay.”
He smiled. “There’s my Cady. Now, are you ready to face the people again? Just for a little while.”
“Yes, I think so. But after they all have one more glass of sherry, they have to go.”
“Is that true for me as well?” he asked.
“You certainly have to leave.” Cady shot him a different look then, one that immediately got his attention. “But if you would like to come back later, that would be quite acceptable.”
“Mmm. I’ve always dreamed of having a woman tell me she finds mequite acceptable.” He gave her a kiss, one that promised more to come. Then he put one hand on her lower back, steering her toward the door. “All right then, let’s go face the hordes.”
They returned to the group, but Gabe couldn’t wait for that dinner party to end. He left out the front door, climbing into a hired carriage. But he had the carriage stop after only about ten minutes, and he walked back to Cady’s house, slipping in the back door with the key she’d gifted him. He waited until all the servants returned to the ground floor to take care of clearing up. Then he knocked softly on Cady’s door.
She opened it, wearing something so sheer that it hardly qualified as clothing at all.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“Fancy,” he concluded.
“Do you like it?” she asked. “I think it was designed to be enticing.”
“I’ll like taking it off you.” He locked the door, and proceeded to show her just how unnecessary it was to entice him. The mere thought of Cady aroused him, and the sight of her drove him over the edge.
Luckily, the bed was a soft place to land.
Chapter 31
After a few more dayof fruitless investigation and tantalizing half clues, the evening of Viscount Nyle’s party arrived. Gabe was in a sour mood, thinking that he ought to be chasing the person poisoning half of London, not dancing attendance on his brother.
Gabe was uneasy about the killer, who seemed to be killing more frequently now, with Huxley’s death following so soon on MacCuley’s. As an agent of the Zodiac, he was used to working alone, and without being noticed. Hanging about Cady was noticeable. He’d allowed himself to do it too often, lured by her company and, yes, her bed.
The ballroom was already getting quite full, and Gabe did his best to appear polite to the other guests without getting too ensnared in conversations. His brother’s set were not exactly the most fascinating people. However, as he strolled past a table where drinks were being served, he happened to start talking with an older gentleman who looked slightly scholarly.
Gabe guessed aloud that he might be a doctor.
“Why, yes, sir. I studied medicine at Oxford.”
“Are you familiar with mental conditions?”
“Naturally. What are you curious about?”
“Let’s say there’s a person who suffers from paralyzing fear.”
“You mean a phobia, such as a fear of snakes, for example?” the man asked.
“Well, not exactly. She gets afraid even when there’s no actual threat.”
“Ah. I know what you’re referring to.”
Gabe was surprised. “You do?”
“I knew as soon as you saidshe. Women are very susceptible to hysteria.”
