again.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less, Princess. Now, whether you like it or not, you and I will be together day and night until I’ve caught the person or persons who want you dead.” He picked up his own coat off the rack near the door. “Or until they succeed.”
“Succeed at wha—? Oh!” Her eyes widened. “You mean until they kill me!”
Drew couldn’t help his smile. “Now, wouldn’t that be a terrible waste of a beautiful, young princess.”
Little spots of pink bloomed on her cheeks. “You’re certainly treating my life lightly after all that blustering.”
“Not me, Princess.” He reached across the front of her and opened the door to the dim hallway beyond. “You’re the one who doesn’t seem to care.”
“Of course I care.”
“Then you’ll do as I say, whenever I say it.” He stepped into the corridor ahead of her, a habit that caused him to look both directions. “As to this particular moment, I plan to put you safely into my carriage and take you to your home, with or without your permission.”
The princess plainly bristled at his effrontery, then she set her teeth behind her lovely, lush mouth before pronouncing, “Then you’d best take me straight home, Lord Wexford.”
Instead of replying, he tucked her gloved hand inside the crook of his elbow and started toward the alley door, where Henry would be waiting with his own carriage.
She’d have to learn that when he said they would be together day and night, he meant close together. Near enough for him to put himself between her and a bullet if need be.
Of course, the real danger lay ahead, inside the walls of her own home, Grandauer Hall.
He had the distinct feeling that she wasn’t going to like the changes he’d made there.
Wouldn’t like them at all.
Chapter 6
C aro had never been so glad to see the moonlit granite gates of Grandauer Hall. A full half hour of Wexford’s unending staring at her from the shadows across the bench seat of his impregnable carriage had nearly jangled her nerves to tatters.
Not to mention his bay-spiced scent, his power, his occasional query into her past, her future, rumbling out of the dimness, all at such close quarters.
“Here we are!” she said, perching herself on the edge of the bench and holding onto the door grip, hoping to leap out of the carriage as soon as it stopped in the portecochere.
Maybe a few hours of sleep would wash the confounding dread from her veins and clear her head of the terrible images and thoughts that Wexford had lodged there.
Especially the very troubling idea that the arrogant man seemed perfectly willing to put himself between her and an assassin.
Which made her entirely responsible for him, when she’d never really been responsible for anyone but herself in her entire life.
As the carriage drew up to the very dear and ordinary sight of her home, she felt his large, hot hand slipping around her elbow.
“You’ll wait here inside the carriage, Princess, until I say it’s safe to leave.”
Then Wexford stepped easily through the small door, his weight against the outside step jolting her forward and then backward into the seat.
“Is this truly necessary, Wexford?” Caro righted herself and reached for the open door just in time for the man to slam it in her face.
“I said stay inside, Princess.” He was standing just beyond the little window, leaning the brunt of his weight against the door while he talked briskly to two brawny men she’d never seen before.
She didn’t mind him lending her a bit of support, or looking out for her, but keeping her prisoner in his carriage in front of her own house was just plain absurd!
“Open this door, Wexford!” She pounded on the jamb, then gave another shove with the flat of both hands, just as Wexford dismissed the two men and released the door.
Caro flew headfirst out of the carriage, her arms outstretched. She would have landed flat on the gravel drive in an ungainly slide but for
“I wouldn’t expect anything less, Princess. Now, whether you like it or not, you and I will be together day and night until I’ve caught the person or persons who want you dead.” He picked up his own coat off the rack near the door. “Or until they succeed.”
“Succeed at wha—? Oh!” Her eyes widened. “You mean until they kill me!”
Drew couldn’t help his smile. “Now, wouldn’t that be a terrible waste of a beautiful, young princess.”
Little spots of pink bloomed on her cheeks. “You’re certainly treating my life lightly after all that blustering.”
“Not me, Princess.” He reached across the front of her and opened the door to the dim hallway beyond. “You’re the one who doesn’t seem to care.”
“Of course I care.”
“Then you’ll do as I say, whenever I say it.” He stepped into the corridor ahead of her, a habit that caused him to look both directions. “As to this particular moment, I plan to put you safely into my carriage and take you to your home, with or without your permission.”
The princess plainly bristled at his effrontery, then she set her teeth behind her lovely, lush mouth before pronouncing, “Then you’d best take me straight home, Lord Wexford.”
Instead of replying, he tucked her gloved hand inside the crook of his elbow and started toward the alley door, where Henry would be waiting with his own carriage.
She’d have to learn that when he said they would be together day and night, he meant close together. Near enough for him to put himself between her and a bullet if need be.
Of course, the real danger lay ahead, inside the walls of her own home, Grandauer Hall.
He had the distinct feeling that she wasn’t going to like the changes he’d made there.
Wouldn’t like them at all.
Chapter 6
C aro had never been so glad to see the moonlit granite gates of Grandauer Hall. A full half hour of Wexford’s unending staring at her from the shadows across the bench seat of his impregnable carriage had nearly jangled her nerves to tatters.
Not to mention his bay-spiced scent, his power, his occasional query into her past, her future, rumbling out of the dimness, all at such close quarters.
“Here we are!” she said, perching herself on the edge of the bench and holding onto the door grip, hoping to leap out of the carriage as soon as it stopped in the portecochere.
Maybe a few hours of sleep would wash the confounding dread from her veins and clear her head of the terrible images and thoughts that Wexford had lodged there.
Especially the very troubling idea that the arrogant man seemed perfectly willing to put himself between her and an assassin.
Which made her entirely responsible for him, when she’d never really been responsible for anyone but herself in her entire life.
As the carriage drew up to the very dear and ordinary sight of her home, she felt his large, hot hand slipping around her elbow.
“You’ll wait here inside the carriage, Princess, until I say it’s safe to leave.”
Then Wexford stepped easily through the small door, his weight against the outside step jolting her forward and then backward into the seat.
“Is this truly necessary, Wexford?” Caro righted herself and reached for the open door just in time for the man to slam it in her face.
“I said stay inside, Princess.” He was standing just beyond the little window, leaning the brunt of his weight against the door while he talked briskly to two brawny men she’d never seen before.
She didn’t mind him lending her a bit of support, or looking out for her, but keeping her prisoner in his carriage in front of her own house was just plain absurd!
“Open this door, Wexford!” She pounded on the jamb, then gave another shove with the flat of both hands, just as Wexford dismissed the two men and released the door.
Caro flew headfirst out of the carriage, her arms outstretched. She would have landed flat on the gravel drive in an ungainly slide but for
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