Page 45 of Love and the Shameless Lady

“That sounds like Daisy.” Again, Garrison gave a twitch of a smile.

“She’s a courageous woman,” Julian said, “but stubborn and suspicious. When she saw the hole in her hat, she blurted that someone had tried to kill her. Then she denied that that was what she meant, merely that the shot had almost killed her. She pooh-poohed the whole incident and tried to blame it on a poacher.”

“Unlikely. There are far safer ways to poach game.”

“My thoughts precisely, but there was no point arguing, so I accompanied her to the Diving Duck and continued to my friend Bennett’s house. That same night, the murderer tried again.”

Lord Garrison blew out a breath, then downed his wine and poured more.

“Daisy heard someone attempting to get into her bedchamber. She keeps a knife and a gun handy, but inexplicably, both were gone. Her only remaining weapon was a penknife, so she climbed out the window and onto the roof. Fortunately, I couldn’t sleep. I had decided to offer for her and was composing my proposal. I went for a moonlight stroll and saw her up there.”

Garrison shook his head. “Hell and damnation, how can Colin leave her in that godforsaken inn? If she is obliged to keep a gun and a knife by her bed . . .”

“I don’t believe she is usually in danger. She seems to get on well with everyone there—a case of mutual respect, by what I’ve observed—and in any event they’re too wary of her brother to take advantage of her.”

“Perhaps, but Colin is in Ireland just now,” Lord Garrison said.

“He will return in due course, and they know it,” Julian said. “Nevertheless, whoever it was must have gone to her bedchamber earlier that evening and removed the gun and knife, and he had also replaced them while I was helping Daisy off the roof.”

“Maybe she didn’t notice them in her hysteria.”

“Daisy’s not the hysterical sort,” Julian retorted. “Danger doesn’t discompose her easily.” Kindness does.

Lord Garrison eyed him. “If you say so.”

“There was a large crowd in the inn that evening, so it might have been almost anyone. In any event, I blurted out a proposal and she accepted me.”

His lordship’s expression was understandably skeptical.

“As her betrothed and therefore responsible for her, I insisted on remaining in her bedchamber for the rest of the night,” Julian went on. “And no, I didn’t bed her.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I don’t care what you believe. I kept watch and then snooped through her desk at first light.”

His lordship frowned. “I’ll wager she objected to that.”

“She was enraged, but since by then I’d found and read the threatening letter, she could no longer deny that someone was trying to kill her.” He explained Daisy’s conclusion, based on a gossipy letter from her London friend, that Lady Bilchester had hired a murderer.

Lord Garrison scoffed. “That’s absurd.”

“That’s what I told her. To make a long story short, I brought her to Colin’s house, thinking I could investigate the matter whilst she remained in safety. She didn’t tell me he was out of the country.”

“No, she wouldn’t. Damned independent fool of a woman.”

“I couldn’t leave her in that rambling place in the care of a few servants. She would be less protected there than at the Diving Duck. But nor could I remain without causing talk, and the last thing she needs is more of that. I had no choice but to bring her here. She said she didn’t want to spoil your house party . . . but I think she was also afraid of being turned away.”

“She should know we would never do that.”

“She hadn’t yet met your wife,” Julian said. “I told her I’d known Lady Garrison in London and that she is a kindly lady, but Daisy is used to being shunned by her own class. I thought, given your own experience with scandal, that you would understand how she feels.”

Lord Garrison grimaced. “Oh, yes, I understand that. It’s this betrothal I’m not sure about. I want her to know you better before she makes up her mind.”

“Perfectly understandable, and I want to keep her safe so she can do so.”

Which led back to the dilemma he’d pondered earlier. What if, as he was beginning to hope, the false engagement became a real one? If she did choose to marry him, must he tell her that he was a spy?

Daisy was enveloped in a warm, comforting hug. She couldn’t see who held her, but it must be Sir Julian. No other hug felt like this.