Unraveling Secrets (The Secret Trilogy) (6 page)

“
Who is it? Perhaps I can help you search,” Catherine offered.

Abigail
’s gaze caught Catherine’s curious expression and realized how odd her behavior must seem. She didn’t need the woman spreading rumors, not when she was trying to keep secrets from Irene.

“
You’re too kind.” Abigail forced a smile. “Never mind. It’s of no importance.” She drew a breath and tried to act naturally. She’d be damned if she’d let Simmons know how much he upset her. She gestured toward the lace-maker’s shop as she kept a vigilant eye on the area surrounding it. “Do come and say hello to Mother and the twins. They’ll be delighted to see you.”

Catherine seemed to relax as she discussed the lace she
’d found at another shop whose products were apparently far superior to the store where Irene and the girls were. Abigail listened absently, the quality of lace the last thing on her mind.

She would n
ot let Simmons hurt her family.

She wo
uld not let him intimidate her.

His stalking of her and her loved ones would
end.

A visit to Lord Ashbury was now on her agenda for the afternoon. He
’d better have a good reason for this delay. What could be taking him so long? If he wanted to lure Simmons into the open, all he had to do was spend some time in her company. In fact, she’d insist on it.

Or perhaps he
’d already warned Simmons, but the murderer hadn’t heeded his warning. She’d advise Lord Ashbury that he needed to be sterner and threaten Simmons with something. Anything.

Simmons would show himself again,
and when he did, she’d be ready. With or without Lord Ashbury’s help.

***

Stephen stepped out the side door of The Barbican into the damp London air. A thick fog had settled over the city shortly after midday and continued to retain its hold into the late afternoon with no sign of easing.

Another boy had gone missing from
a different workhouse, bringing the total to four. Stephen intended to visit the place to see if anyone had seen anything. He and Farley’s sources had yet to turn up clues. The matter was growing increasingly worrisome.

He glanced up and down the street only to stop short when he
saw a woman alighting from a modest carriage nearby. Dressed in dark blue from head to toe, her face was hidden by a thick veil. She turned to speak with her footman, but they were too far away for Stephen to hear their conversation.

Not that he needed to. He knew all too well the identity of the woman. The golden glow of her aura gave her away.
Longing filled him as he stared, his heart thudding rapidly. He pushed aside the feelings and blamed his thundering heart on the anger that filled him. She had no business taking the risk of coming near The Barbican. If she was seen here, her reputation would be ruined.

He strode forward
, noting when she caught sight of him, her body freezing for a brief moment before turning to face him.

“
What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, torn between throttling her for taking such an unnecessary risk and pulling her into his arms.

“
I came to speak with you,” she answered.

“
Have you no care for your reputation? Why on earth would you come here?”

“
Because you told me not to visit you at your home again,” she replied, her annoyance evident in her tone. “How else could I speak with you if I didn’t come here?”

With a near growl, he glanced around to make certain no one had seen them. Satisfied, he
gestured toward the carriage, careful not to touch her. Doing so would tempt him more than he could bear.

“
I’m not leaving,” she protested. “Not until I’ve spoken with you.”

“
You have spoken with me. Now go.” He had no choice but to take her elbow to urge her into the carriage. Despite his glove, his fingers tingled at the contact. Imagine what would happen if he actually held her in his arms.

She dug
in her heels and refused to budge. “I have something important to discuss.”

“
So important that you’d risk being seen at a gaming hell?” Her determination amazed him. Never had he met someone so focused on what they wanted.

“
No one will recognize me.” She paused to look back at him over her shoulder. “How did
you
recognize me?”

“
If I knew who you were, someone else will as well.” He hoped she wouldn’t realize he hadn’t answered her question. “Now get in.”

“
Not unless you come along as well. I must speak with you.”

The footman cleared his throat, catching Stephen
’s attention, then tipped his head toward an approaching figure of a man.

“
Very well,” Stephen reluctantly agreed. Anything to get her off the street before someone saw her.

As Miss Bradford stepped into the carriage, Stephen turned toward the footman, noting he was the same servant who
’d accompanied her into Alsatia. “Is she always this stubborn?”

“
If you only knew,” the footman whispered. “Not much can be done to stop her when she gets her mind set on something. Believe me, my lord, I’ve tried.”

“
I would suggest you try harder. Take us around the area.”

Stephen followed the lady into the carriage, sitting opposite of her. Her sweet fragrance curled around him inside the enclosed space. The vibrant golden light of her aura disoriented him, making it difficult to gather his thoughts.

She pulled back her veil and tucked it into the brim of her hat. Those big blue eyes held steady on his. That didn’t help him in the least. He refused to be distracted by the slight dent in her chin, by the ache of need filling him. The power she held over him surprised him. He wasn’t quite sure what to do about it.

“
Well?” she asked. “Have you any news for me?”

“
If I had something to tell you, you would’ve received word.”

“
I saw him earlier today, so I have to assume you’ve done nothing thus far.” The annoyance in her tone was quite obvious.

“
Simmons came to your home again?”

“
No. But he was outside the shop I was in on Regent Street this very morning.”

“
Did he approach you? Threaten you?” His blood chilled at the thought of her in danger.

“
No.”

Something about the way she drew out the denial had him questioning her further.
“But you approached him?”

Heat crept up her cheeks even as she raised her chin.
“What choice did I have? Besides, it was broad daylight on a crowded street.”

“
Need I remind you that this Simmons fellow is dangerous?”

The
lord grasped Abigail’s elbows and tugged her forward before she knew what he was about. The movement of the carriage turning a corner tipped her forward. Her breath caught as awareness rippled through her. His strength took her by surprise. It had been only nine days since he’d been shot, yet he showed no sign of weakness.

Those green eyes bored into hers as his fresh, clean scent filled her lungs. It struck her that
, for the second time that day, she’d placed herself in danger.

“
Did you not see the knife he held the last time you confronted him?”

“
Ah...” How was she supposed to think when he loomed over her? His lips were close enough to—

“
He could stick that knife in your side before anyone noticed he held it.”

His hands
held her waist to make his point. She jolted forward at the contact, her nose bumping his chin.

“
Oh!” Her lips parted. She couldn’t take her gaze off his mouth. His hands felt warm on her waist despite the layers that separated them.

He gave her a little shake as he spoke.
“Do
not
approach him again.”

She looked up into his eyes and tried to swallow. What had she been trying to say? Oh, yes.
“Someone has to and you’re not taking any action. I don’t understand why you haven’t yet spoken with him.” Lord Ashbury didn’t seem to realize how desperate she was to put an end to the threat that Simmons represented.

“
For one, Simmons vacated the lodging house you discovered and hasn’t been seen at the pub. Secondly, a more pressing matter is now requiring my attention.”

She drew in a breath to steady her nerves only to catch his clean scent once more. It reminded her of the sea
with a hint of bay rum. Compared to the foppish dandies she’d met who smelled of strong cologne in an effort to mask other odors, Lord Ashbury smelled refreshing. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes, hoping to hide his affect on her.

Wh
at on earth was wrong with her?

A mere look from this man had her fumbling like a
young girl, uncertain of herself. And when he touched her—regardless of the layers of clothing that separated them—awareness speared through her to her toes. The sensation was very unsettling, not to mention unfamiliar, but oh, so intriguing. No man had ever made her feel anything like this.

He rubbed his forehead as though he had a headache before scowling at her.
“I did not promise a particular schedule.”

“
If you can’t find him, simply say so. There’s no need to become defensive.”

The glare he gave her would
’ve withered others, but luckily she was no fainting wallflower. “Perhaps we should locate him together,” she suggested, her enthusiasm growing as the idea took hold.

“I
’m experienced in such matters. You may rely on me to take care of it.”

“You must forgive me for failing to trust you,” Abigail said. “After all, I only have your word.”

“That should be enough.”

“Hmm.
I would suggest we plan some sort of outing for the morrow to see if Simmons appears.”

“
No.”

“Probably not Regent Street again. What of Hyde Park?”

“Miss Bradford—”

“Or perhaps Piccadilly would be better?”

“The two of us seen together will only complicate matters.”

She frowned,
not sure what he meant. “How so?”

“I
’m an unattached gentleman and you a lady. If we’re seen together in public, certain conclusions would be drawn.”

“
Oh, but—”

“We wouldn
’t want the
ton
to latch on to the notion that we are involved in any way.”

She bit her lip, ponder
ing the ramifications of what he’d said.

“
I would remind you,” he continued, moving to the edge of his seat, “that your visit here today is highly inappropriate.”

“True.” She blinked and eased back,
suddenly uncomfortable with his proximity.

“I think it best we don
’t meet again.” He tapped his gloved finger on her nose. “And do
not
confront Simmons.”

A spark of
awareness flashed through her, mingled with fear.

But she couldn
’t afford to let him intimidate her. “I will do what I see fit—”

A small smile played at the corner of his mouth.
“Do you never cease arguing?”

She stiffened
when his lips took hers, shock holding her still. The heat from his lips melted her from the inside out. A tiny moan escaped her mouth and he groaned in response.

Her anger slipped away and desire took its place. All thoughts flew from her mind and she could only feel. Much more than simple heat spiraled through her
.

So this was desire...

For so long now, she’d thought herself incapable of feeling it.

She tilted her head, wanting more of what he offered.
His hand cupped her cheek, the other holding her arm, steadying her from the sway of the carriage. With more courage than she’d thought she had, she reached up to rest her hand on his broad shoulder, careful that it wasn’t the one she’d shot.

For a
long moment, she allowed herself this pleasure. She allowed herself this longing for things that could never be. This man was not for her, but that didn’t mean she didn’t wish he was.

He eased back, breaking the fragile moment that she
’d never forget.

She opened her eyes and
couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across her face. She knew exactly why he’d kissed her, and while a small part of her was sad that it wasn’t because he desired her, she was grateful he’d tried to distract her from her purpose. It had been a lovely distraction and had taught her something new about herself. She was capable of passion. How wonderful to know.