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A murderous rage filled Adam, the likes of which he'd not felt since Waterloo, when a French dragoon had slashed the squadron mate beside him out of his saddle. Teeth gritted, a growl in his throat, he fisted his hands to attack.
But before he could take a step, in the flickering 256 THE UNTAMED HEIRESS
light from the torches beside the stable entrance, Adam saw a flash of silver. In the next instant, Miss Lambarth had a slim, curve -bladed knife pressed against the throat of the beefy man who'd accosted her.
"You'd best leave 'pretty boys' alone, sirrah.. .lest I render you incapable of offering your services to boys or girls," she said in a low, menacing voice.
Eyes bugging out as he stared down at the knife, the man let go her arm. "No need to stick me, now! Didn't mean ye no harm!"
When Miss Lambarth lifted the blade away, the man scrambled backward. Eyes still on her and Dickon, who paced after the fellow, a large rock in his hands, the man stumbled over the cobblestones, then turned and scuttled back into the tavern's stable yard.
For a few moments afterward, Adam heard only the sound of his own gusty breathing. Then Dickon's voice broke the silence.
"R-reckon it's time to go home," he said shakily.
His heart still hammering against his ribs, Adam sprang back and flattened himself against the building behind him. Light-headed now that the fury had left him, he watched them continue
down the lane.
After they had drawn far enough ahead, he resumed following at a discreet distance, letting out a sigh of relief when at last they reached Darnell House and slipped into the garden by a side gate he had forgotten existed.
He stared at the closed gate, bracing his suddenly shaking hands against the garden wall. That momentary weakness was quickly succeeded by another wave
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of fury—directed this time at Miss Lambarth. How could she be so reckless, so heedless, so blithely unconcerned about the hideous scandal that would result had someone discovered her—
or the terrible danger she'd courted, skulking about London at night with only an idiot boy for protection?
At the same time, he had to acknowledge the inge nuity she'd displayed in contriving so unique a means of escaping the restrictions Society placed upon young maidens—and her cool, quick-witted courage when confronted by a potential attacker. He couldn't imagine any other woman possessing either her daring or her resourcefulness.
Now that she was safe, he hoped that grudging admiration would help him get through the lecture he intended to deliver without strangling her.
Or—her wildness and his fear for her unleashing a need he was finding difficult to control—without hauling her into his arms and kissing her as senseless as he'd felt upon recognizing her outside White's.
Trying to crush that primitive impulse, as he had before numerous battles, Adam stood motionless for several minutes, focusing only on drawing in and exhaling slow, deep breaths.
By the time he had his emotions back under control, he figured Miss Lambarth should have been in the house long enough to have changed out of her disguise and returned to her usual late-night reading in the library.
Adam set off around the corner. Their imminent confrontation was a battle he must win. Trotting up the 258 THE UNTAMED HEIRESS
front steps of Darnell House, he scarcely acknowl edged the greetings of the sleepy footman who opened the door, his concentration already focused on the maddening, exhilarating woman who awaited him in the library.
But when, after a brief knock, Adam paced into that room, he found it deserted. Apparently after reaching the safety of her chamber, with a sudden return of prudence, Miss Lambarth had remained there.
For a moment Adam stood irresolute before the cold hearth.
Much as he longed to charge up the stairs and pursue her, even at this late hour he could hardly do so without some servant remarking upon it, nor for the same reason could he ask one to summon her. He no more wanted to raise a ruckus here that would require explanation to Lady Darnell than he'd wanted to draw attention to the diabolical girl by accosting her in front of White's.
With a growl, Adam paced to the sideboard, poured himself a generous glass of port and downed the whole.
Though he sincerely hoped her altercation tonight had terrified Miss Lambarth as much as it had him, he couldn't count on it. It was imperative that he make sure she understood the excellent reasons that required she not indulge in any further such nighttime excur sions. But with her already abed, he could think of no way to make that happen. Not tonight.
Groaning, he dropped into the chair behind his desk and put his head in his hands. Somehow he was going to have to devi se a way to speak privately with her tomorrow. Though seeing her alone in daylight was not
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much safer than accosting her here, in the room where she'd first inspired him with this life-complicating passion, it was unthinkable that he include anyone else in the meeting.
Even as he regretted that fact, a heated, guilty awareness pulsed in his veins at knowing that for a time tomorrow, he would have her all to himself again.
After sleeping but little, and badly, Adam returned to his library early the next morning. The imperative to talk privately with Miss Lambarth weighed on him—but he'd still not figured out how to bring that about without involving or alarming Charis or Bellemère. He supposed he could wait until this evening after the ladies went out to try to catch Miss Lambarth reading in the library.. .unless she slipped out first for another tour about London. No, he didn't wish to chance that.
Before he could decide how best to proceed, a knock -ounded
at the door. Anticipation flashed through him—but Miss Lambarth was most unlikely to seek him out. Shaking off the thought, he bid the supplicant enter.
To his surprise, Dickon entered the library and begged for a few minutes to discuss a matter of utmost urgency.
Adam suspected he knew quite well what urgent matter Dickon felt compelled to discuss. "What is amiss, Dickon?"
After studying Adam's stern face for a moment, the boy said,
"Miss Helena, she can get a body to do things he don't really want to do, you know?"
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Did he ever! "Continue."
"She caught me sneaking in after midnight one night. Well, the short of it is, she told me she'd been feeling stifled, getting to go nowheres but to them lady meetings, always with other folks, never out on her own. She threatened to tell Nell on me unless..
.unless I promised to take her exploring with me. So last night I—
I did."
Releasing some of his pent-up frustration, Adam barked, "Are you out of your mind, boy?"
"I never wanted to! And she didn't go togged out like a female neither, but in boy's clothes. Can make her voice sound just like one of my mates, she can." Dickon chuckled. "Even Lord Blanchard didn't recognize her."
"Thanks be to God! I ought to have you trans ported."
"I didn't let her talk me into taking her to a brothel, much as she wheedled me! And I did come tell you, when sure enough nobody would have found out otherwise." He looked up at Adam, his eyes appealing. "Miss Helena wouldn't hsten to me if I begged her to stop, but you could order her to stay home, couldn't you?"
Dropping his gaze, he added with a sigh, "I expect you'll want to turn me off, and I can't hardly blame you. But I figured you had to know."
Adam waited, but Dickon said no more. He had to admire the boy's loyalty in protecting his mistress by revealing only the bare fact of her transgression and omitting the more damning—and dangerous—matter of the man who'd accosted her.
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A shudder passed through Adam at the memory. Decided it was better not to let Dickon know he'd seen them by questioning him about the incident, he tipped the boy's chin up. "Master Dickon, a lad who knows the difference between what is important and what is not is a valuable employee I should not wish to lose. I will keep your secret—but I suggest in future you confine your wanderings to more suitable hours. You may go."
"Aye, sir!" Dickon bowed, looking much relieved. "You'll talk to Miss Helena?"
"If you please, ask her to join me immediately."
Dickon sighed again. "When she learns I've scar pered on her, she's like to can me herself. But I'll fetch ner right quick." With another bow, he left.
Adam let out a long breath. Bless Dickon, both for his honesty and for providing Adam with the perfect means to summon Helena discreetly. Though when he did confront the wretched girl, she would probably reply that no one had specifically instructed her that she was not to wander about the city after midnight in boy's clothing.
Lady Darnell would have palpitations.
He hoped he would be convincing enough to persuade her never to do so again. Though he wasn't about to confess so to Dickon, he was certain that attempting to order her to refrain would be a waste of breath.
A few moments later another knock sounded. He closed his eyes, letting the surge of heightened sensation that telegraphed her presence roll over him as she entered.
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She made him a deep curtsey. "What have I done now, that you must needs summon me?"
Garbed in a gown of teal-green, every dark curl in place, she looked lovely enough to steal his breath, the very picture of a young lady of quality. It seemed impossible that a few hours ago she had wrestled with a miscreant in a dark London alley.
