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CHAPTERFIFTEEN
“Damn it, Elizabeth!” Rhys grunted, stepping away from her.
“Rhys?” she gasped. “Oh, my God! I did not know it was you. I saw a man, and I started to run because I was afraid.” She stepped forward and touched his arm. “I did not mean to hit you.”
“The force of your fist would suggest otherwise.” His eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the alley, and he could see her better now. “What are you doing here?”
She did not respond immediately. In fact, she seemed to think of an answer. Rhys moved so he was standing between her and the way out of the alley. She could easily run from him and place herself in more danger than she had before.
“Elizabeth,” he said gently, rubbing his jaw, “what are you doing here?”
“I cannot tell you,” she replied, looking away and tugging her cloak tighter around her body.
“You do not realize the danger you put yourself in, do you?” He tucked a finger under her chin and raised her face.
“I know the danger, and I can defend myself.”
Something angry stirred in his chest. “You delivered a good punch, but I could have easily overpowered you.”
“You are no danger to me.”
“But every other man out there is, Elizabeth! Do you not see that?” Rhys took her shoulders and realized she was shaking. He cursed under his breath and took her hand. “Come with me.” She did not resist when he drew her out of the alley.
He led her to his office, and in the light, he saw that she was wearing a man’s cloak, and underneath that, she had on a pair of breeches, a shirt, and a waistcoat.
“Why are you wearing this?” he asked, blinking in surprise because the manner in which her clothes clung to her figure was both enticing and distracting.
“To look like a man,” she replied defensively.
“Please have a seat.” He gestured toward a sofa by the wall, and when she was seated, he went to the table near it to pour some whiskey for her.
“Thank you,” she said, accepting the drink.
He sat down beside her and watched her slowly sip the drink he had given her. “Do you feel better?” he asked after a moment.
“I am fine,” she replied with a sigh. “I was just a little startled.”
He gently nudged her shoulder with his. “No, I heard you say you were afraid.” He knew he could not force her to tell him why she had been out here, but he was still very concerned and angry with her.
She sighed again. “I do not do this all the time. Stella does.”
“Stella seems to be missing every time I find you doing something you should not be doing, Elizabeth.”
“She caught a cold. That is why I came out at this time.” She finished her drink and set the glass down on a table by the sofa.
“Could you not have waited for her to recover?” he asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. “No, the matter was urgent.”
“And what is this matter? Who was that man I saw you with on the pier?”
“You do not have to worry about him recognizing me because he did not.”
“How do you know that?”
“It was dark, and I did not look up at him. I will bet you did not recognize me until you removed my cloak. There will be no scandal.”
Rhys wanted to know what she had been doing, but he did not want to force her to tell him. Thus, he said, “Elizabeth, I am more concerned about your well-being than I am about a scandal. I now feel responsible for your protection because you have tricked your father and rendered him incapable of protecting you as he should.”
