AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He cleared his throat, the only indication of the inappropriate way he responded to her.Follow whom?
His brother. Lady Helene. Gretna Green.Her.“I do.”
“Fair enough.” In the shadow of that infernal veil, she smiled. Why did he like it so much? “It shall be a race then.”
Chapter Four
That evening, after the sun set over the rooftops of Covent Garden, Adelaide readied her carriage for the drive to Scotland. It was not the first time she’d done such a thing in the dead of night. Not the first time she’d headed north to stop a misguided match. Not the first time she would do it alone, with only a coachman in tow—carriages moved faster with fewer passengers, and Adelaide was adept at going unseen.
It was, however, the first time she was excited for it.
It shall be a race, then.
The look on the Duke of Clayborn’s face when she’d said it, like he’d been waiting a lifetime for such a challenge, had been enough to set her heart pounding.
The duke was the kind of man who absolutely relished going head-to-head with women like Adelaide Frampton. His superior snobbery made him deeply unpleasant—how many times had he referenced his title that evening?
He could make a body feel unwelcome with nothing but a cool glance, which Adelaide knew firsthand, as she had been on the receiving end of more than a few ofthosefor the past year. From a distance, of course. The Duke of Clayborn wouldn’t deign to get near her.
Not in public at least.
Or rather, not in Mayfair public.
South Bank public was different, apparently. In SouthBank public, he got so near to her that he kissed her. Not that she gave any additional thought to the kiss. It was absolutely forgettable.
As was the feel of his arms, like steel around her. The roughness of his beard against her skin. The low rumble of pleasure that came from deep in his chest.
Forgettable. All of it.
Wasn’t that what he’d said when it was over?
No... he’d said something far worse. He’d said it was amistake.
Ignoring the wash of heat that filled her at the embarrassing memory, Adelaide added extra carriage wheels and a hamper of food and drink to the inside of the vehicle, carefully balancing the weight as she ticked off the items required for her preparations, working quickly and efficiently, eager to get on the road.
Inside her pocket, a list of stables with strong horses.
Eager to win.
A map of inns friendly to women traveling alone. Her carpetbag, complete with clothing, medicinal supplies, and Clayborn’s unopenable box.
It had been barely six hours since he’d inserted himself into her life with his alleyway brawling and his turning up at Havistock House and his insistence that he follow her to Scotland, and hismy brother loves the lady. As though it mattered.
And his long, lanky body and his unnecessarily tempting kisses.
Which she had already forgotten.
Adelaide cleared her throat and checked the rear hatch of the carriage, carefully confirming that she had all she needed for her journey. It was a lesson left over from her childhood, learning to cut purses.
Speed ain’t worth a damn if you ain’t made a plan.Her father’s words, punctuated with a twist of her wrist, punishing her for taking two shots at the strings of his purse as she practiced.
Taking the extra time here, in the alleyway behind her apartments, would prevent her losing it on the race north.
She expected she’d need every minute if she was going to beat Clayborn to Helene and Jack, wherever they were. He did not strike her as the kind of man who took competition lightly. Which worked well for Adelaide, as she was not the kind of woman who lost.
She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t half thrilled by his rising to her challenge. It had been a long time since she’d felt she’d met her match in battle. There was nothing like this battle—racing to find a girl who was in danger. To protect her from those who would harm her. To ensure that she could make a future for herself, free and without compromise.
What a gift for a woman in the world.
