“I’m sure His Grace can help them find employment,” their mother said gently. “He is a good man.”
This consoled Violet somewhat.
And at last, the red flames above the roof dimmed and then went out.
Violet couldn’t stand the suspense any longer.
“I’m going to see what happened,” she blurted out.
She hiked up her skirts and half-walked, half-ran around the side of the inn, to where the men were gathered.
The barrels of water stood to the side, and the ground was muddy. But the fire was out, and when James heard her run up to them, he turned to look at her. He was panting, and his face had been blackened somewhat by soot.
She went to him at once. “You managed to put it out,” she murmured.
She wanted to reach up and touch his face, but it felt too intimate to do in front of all the other men.
“It wasn’t really a fire,” he said. “I’m not sure it was Farrell either. He would have used something more flammable. This was an amateur job, maybe someone who resents me for closing down the dog fighting ring or one of Farrell’s men who thinks his boss should seek revenge.”
“It still could have killed us, though,” Violet breathed. “If we were asleep when it started.”
“Yes,” James conceded.
“Then it’s decided.” Violet put her hands on her hips. “I’m not taking any more chances. While we’ve been here, we’ve been spied on, I have been kidnapped, and now there’s been an arson!You are going to sleep in the chamber with me tonight and not in the parlor. Is that understood? Otherwise, I won’t feel safe.”
James looked amused. “Sleeping in the same bedchamber won’t keep you safe from fires.”
“I couldn’t sleep in there alone anyway, after what happened the other night,” she huffed.
Her husband’s face clouded over. “You needn’t worry. I have no intention of leaving you alone again after these last couple of days. And when we return to London tomorrow, I will pull out all the stops to ensure Farrell and his gang are thrown out of the duchy once and for all.”
It was with great trepidation that they all went to bed that night. Everyone seemed on edge, and James couldn’t blame them. A haunted silence had fallen over the inn. It didn’t feel safe in the slightest, and James thought that the innkeeper would have his work cut out for him if he thought James would ever stay there again.
But as James bathed and then changed into his nightclothes behind the screen in the room he was sharing with Violet, those thoughts and his fear began to melt away. The scent of her perfume filled his nostrils, soothing him, as did her humming as she got ready for bed.
“I’m surprised you can bear to be in this chamber,” he said from behind the screen. “After what happened here last night.”
“I’m a touch surprised as well,” Violet admitted. “But I feel safe now that you’re here with me.”
James’s throat went dry, and he had to swallow before speaking.
“If I were here that night…”
“Please don’t blame yourself,” she said gently. “It wasn’t your fault. I’m just glad you’re here now.”
James pushed aside the screen and looked at his wife. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking lovelier than ever. Her dark hair fell in wavy curls around her shoulders, and her usually serious face was softer than usual—perhaps because of the light pink blush on her cheeks.
She looked so beautiful that his heart skipped a beat. It took everything in him not to cross the room and touch her hair, to run his fingers through it and tell her she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.
“I promise, nothing like that will ever happen again,” he murmured.
“I know. I believe you. After seeing you today, I know that I made the right choice by marrying the Devilish Duke of Attorton.”
James laughed. “I can’t believe you’ve heard that.”
“Everyone has. It’s in all the gossip sheets.”
“I thought you were above reading those rags.”
