Page 130 of Murder at Half Moon Gate

How to explain that mad, devil-be-damned decision?

“You see, even at that age, I knew I was different. I couldn’t bear the idea of living my life as a perfectly proper young lady—a pasteboard cutout, painted in naught but insipid pastel shades.”

She watched a flicker of his emerald eyes flash through his dark lashes. “Not when the very depth of my being craved bright, bold colors.”

Wrexford smiled.

“I would have faded to nothing and crumbled to dust being cooped up within the rigid confines of a gilded cage.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Yours is the sort of spirit that needs the freedom to spread its wings and soar.” A pause. “Does your family know you are back in England?”

“No. And they wouldn’t want to know. I am a stain on their pristine pedigree and—” Charlotte paused on catching the odd little twitch of his lips. “I know, I know, my decisions must strike you as madness. You’re far too rational to have ever listened to your heart instead of your head.”

“Perhaps some day,” drawled Wrexford, “I’ll tell you the story of how I made an utter fool of myself over a very pretty but very mercenary young lady.”

“You?” She shook her head. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Oh, believe it.” He gave a sardonic smile. “My brother triedto make me see what was happening . . . Ah, but love is blind.” A pause. “No doubt because so many of us mortals have pulled Cupid’s damn arrows out of our arses and flung them back into his eyes.”

Wrexford has been hurt by love?The day was rife with revelations. Which in turn opened up other questions . . .

“What a pair we are,” she replied softly. “I can’t help but wonder—”

A sharp whistle rose from the head of the alleyway before she could finish. She looked around to see Raven snap an urgent wave before darting back into the shadows.

“Further questions will have to wait. We had better get moving,” murmured Wrexford.

Charlotte turned and fell in step beside him. “I’m not ready to share my secret with the others quite yet,” she said after several strides. “I need some time to think about how it—”And whatever it was that just happened between us“—will change the life I’ve made for myself.”

“We’ll find a way to muddle through it all,” he answered calmly. “Yes, there are unknowns and uncertainties. But you have friends to help you through them.” The squall had blown through, allowing a peek of sunlight to break through the clouds. “And after all, a little mystery is what keeps life interesting.”

“Mystery.” She slanted a look at the chiseled angles of his profile and hint of humor lurking in the depth of his gaze—and suddenly the future didn’t feel quite so daunting. A smile quirked at the corners of her mouth. “Let us hope that in our case, mystery doesn’t always keep appearing in the form of a dead body.”

Wrexford let out a low laugh. “As to that, m’lady, we shall just have to wait and see.”