Nathan gripped his pistol through his jacket, feeling it on the inside of his pocket. “I’m ready.”
Lord Redfield nodded as well, a determined look on his face. “Born ready.
Nathan glanced around at the rest of the men in the carriage, those Scotland Yard officers who were accompanying them to the hell. All were dressed, rather awkwardly, in evening attire as this would be an undercover mission. But all of them were armed and had a description of Lord Cain. Nathan trusted them.
“We’ll see if Cain is really foolish enough to show his face here,” Grove said, glancing out the window at the bright red wordsRilkin’s Casinoover the door.
“Probably not. But hopefully, we’ll catch Rilkin unaware.”
Grove nodded just as the footman pulled open the door. “All right,” he murmured, “let’s go.”
“Lord Cain!” Rosalie couldn’t keep the gasp from her lips.
Lord Cain turned from where her would-be assailer had fallen to the ground and let his eyes roam hungrily over Rosalie. She could feel them devouring her, and although it made her feel sick, she forced herself to smile tentatively.
“You rescued me,” she murmured, taking a step toward him.
He puffed out his chest. “Yes, I did,” he crowed. “From this vermin.” He looked down at the other man and spat at his feet. Around them, several people gasped and made sounds of disapproval.
“Thank you,” she said, dropping her eyelashes demurely. When she glanced back up, he was watching her thoughtfully.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” he said. “This is not a safe place for a young lady such as yourself.”
“I’m not so young,” she argued. “I’m a married woman. A duchess. I can go where I please.”
His eyes glittered for a moment. “Although I heard you and the Duke are taking some time apart.”
She bit her lip. “For now, yes. I want my freedom. He, for instance, would never let me come to this kind of place.”
Cain took a step closer to her. “Rilkin told me you were here,” he murmured. “He said not to trust you. But I believe it is fate that brought you here tonight as tomorrow, I was planning to leave the country.”
She stared up at him, her heart hammering.Tomorrow! We have only tonight to catch him!
“And what?” she asked scornfully, remembering that she couldn’t act too eager. “You thought I would come with you?”
His mouth twisted, and then he smiled. “I was hoping you would consider it.”
She looked at him levelly. “And why would you think that? Considering I have only ever refused you so far?”
“Because you know, deep in your heart, that I am the one for you.”
She looked around, pretending to seem concerned about their being overheard. “Let us go somewhere more private to discuss this,” she said. “Are there private rooms here?”
“There are,” he said, and he offered her his arm. “Follow me.”
After pretending to consider, Rosalie took his arm. Then, very covertly, she glanced to her right and left. Sure enough, both her sisters were there, trailing behind them as they set off across the casino floor.
“She called him Lord Cain!” Mr. Thistlewood blustered, gesticulating wildly with his hands. “I heard her loud and clear! He attacked me out of nowhere, and then she called him Lord Cain. You must have him arrested at once, Lieutenant-Commander Grove! He is a menace to Society!”
“You are the menace to Society, Mr. Thistlewood,” Grove said blandly while next to him, Nathan felt as if his heart might explode. They had arrived inside the casino to find that some sort of incident was taking place near the loo tables. A very drunk Mr. Thistlewood—a banker and general lout—was claiming to have been attacked by Lord Cain, who had then disappeared with a masked lady.
“And the lady?” Nathan demanded. “Who was she?”
“No idea,” Thistlewood said with a shrug. He reached for his glass of brandy and drank it down in one gulp. “A pretty little thing.”
“What did she look like?”It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t! Or would she…?
“How should I know?” Thistlewood thundered. “She was just some lady for hire. Blonde hair. Big green eyes, at least from what I could see through her mask. Oh, and skinny. Too skinny for my liking usually, but the eyes are what did it for me…”
