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“Or this is just a grave warning indeed and the fact Betty looks like you was deliberate.” He fixed her with a grim look. “They want you too scared to do anything.”
“I am scared, Luke, but how can I sit by and let people be harmed by my actions?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Good Lord, Cass, it is not your actions that have caused this.”
“I think I’m going to follow Jane’s cousin,” she declared.
He was the logical enemy after all. He wasn’t pleasant to Jane, was forcing her into a marriage and had gained a great deal from the death of Theodore.
Perhaps she should have been focusing on him all this time, but it seemed odd to her that he would not simply have Theodore murdered if he wanted his inheritance. Why pretend he was dead? Why go to the lengths of having a body furnished with his jewelry? Something was still strange here but perhaps watching Mr. Harding would give her some answers.
Luke moved his legs wide and folded his arms, effectively blocking her exit as though she were about to dash out past him. Which she might—if he did not agree to let her dosomething.
“Someone has just been attacked and you still want to pursue this?”
“I’m not foolish, Luke. I shall...take my father’s pistol.”
“You hate guns and you do not even know how to shoot.”
“I can shoot. A little bit.” She tilted her chin. “And enough to protect myself if needs be.”
“I’ll tie you up first.”
“You would not. My sisters would not allow it for one.”
“I actually think they would at this point.”
She let her shoulders drop. They were all concerned for her welfare to be certain and she was sure once they woke to the news of Betty’s attack, they would not be any more keen on her trying to bring this investigation to a close. But how could she sit idly by when people were being hurt? Somehow, she needed to end this.
***
LUKE SPIED THE determination in the sudden tilt of Cassie’s chin and the hardening of her gaze. He hardened his own stance. She’d already talked him into allowing her into at least a dozen situations he did not want her involved in—not least with him—but there was no chance he was letting her put herself at risk.
Nausea still rolled in his stomach at the thought it could have been her—and the attack could have been far more lethal. Even if he did not believe the attacker truly thought it was her, there was no mistaking what this was.
A last warning.
One more wrong move and Cassie would be dead. He was convinced of it.
She did have one point, however. They had made no progress and were no closer to finding out who was behind the disappearance of Theodore. So why escalate now?
Regardless, he wasn’t letting her out of his sight from now on.
“We cannot simply sit around andhopesomeone does not do anything else.”
Jaw tight, he forced himself to focus on the brick wall behind her. He’d already proven himself far too weak around her. Hell, if not for the interruption, would he have broken his promise to himself and her not to take her innocence?
He could not be certain, and he didn’t want to be grateful for such an interruption but, damn, it had been close. He should have realized Cassie would be so passionate, so eager. It was how she approached almost everything else in life so why not lovemaking?
He’d ruin her in so many ways if he did such a thing, whether he thought he was saving her from some other rogue or not. Dukes, marquesses, or even damned earls would be better for her.
Ones with less sordid pasts than his preferably.
“Luke,” she begged. “I must do something.” She went to move past him, and he shifted his stance, shuttering some of the light that filtered in from the open doorway of the stables. A horse snickered from one of the stalls, apparently as annoyed at his behavior as Cassie. Or perhaps as frustrated with Cassie as he was that she should be so flippant about her safety.
Her gaze flared. “You cannot hold me prisoner.”
“I’ve already proven I can lift you quite easily. I could lock you away in your room if I wished.”
