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“No, I haven’t.”
“You have. And you stare as if you’ve discovered I have a fatal disease.”
“Nonsense.”
She examined him. “Well, perhaps it’s more as if you have a guilty secret.”
“Wanting to kiss you again,” he replied, a truth and a diversion in one.
“Oh,that.”
With one short word, Daniel was thrilled and bewildered. She’d sounded offhand, unperturbed. Because she felt the same?
Miss Pendleton peered deep into his eyes. “I don’t think that’s it.”
How strange. He liked the idea that she could see into him.
“I wish you would tell me.”
He couldn’t deny her, and the truth was, she deserved to know. Even though the news was not happy. “Macklin received replies to the inquiries he sent out.”
She stiffened and moved a little away. “I see.”
“I didn’t understand how dreadful it was for you. I wish—”
“I don’t want to talk about the investigation,” she interrupted. “Yes, itwasdreadful. But it’s over and done. I’m through with it.”
“Yes.” The word escaped him because he so wanted it to be true.
“Why do you say it that way?”
“What way?”
“As if you doubted me.” She turned away. “Ah, you do. That’s the way of these conversations.” Her voice trembled. “Can you believe I was never really doubted until my brother’s death? Not in any serious way. About anything important. I was considered a very honest person, a model of integrity.”
“I donotdoubt you.”
“And then suddenly, overnight practically, everything I said was met with skepticism and contempt. As if I’d always been a liar. I couldn’t take it in at first. I kept thinking they’d see—”
“I absolutely do not doubt you,” Daniel declared. “Not one iota.”
Tears pooled in her blue eyes. She tried to blink them away, and Daniel couldn’t stand it. He pulled her into his arms. She was rigid and trembling. He thought she might pull away. But then she relaxed into his embrace, rested her head on his shoulder, and allowed herself to cry. He knew that was the proper phrase. He felt both her resistance and her capitulation. He held her; she wept. And Daniel didn’t feel the least bit reluctant or awkward. Indeed, he was sorry when she pulled away.
“I don’t usually do that anymore.” She got a handkerchief from her reticule, wiped her eyes, and blew her nose.
“Anymore.” He hadn’t meant to repeat the word. But the history it had evoked cut him to the heart.
She didn’t look at him. “There was a time when I nearly despaired. But I endured, and now it’s in the past.”
“The thing is…” Daniel didn’t want to tell her. He wanted to see happiness light her face, laughter rather than apprehension.
“What?”
“It may not be quite over.”
Miss Pendleton shook her head. “No, I convinced them, finally. I was assured of that. They agreed that I had no hand in Philip’s activities.”
He could see how much stock she put in the idea. He wanted to let the matter drop. But it would be worse if government agents showed up at Rose Cottage unexpectedly. He had to tell her. “One of Macklin’s correspondents suggested that you may be seen by the government as a…lure for rioters who are still at large. And a way to catch them if they come looking for help.”
