AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Braden forced himself to focus on her question. “Studyyourreaction I’m sure, not mine. It must be because you’re getting close. They now see you as a threat.”
“But how did they discover who I was? Donny and I are always incredibly careful.” She balled her hand into a fist and knocked it against her forehead. “And they know about Felicity, too. I led them right to her, fool that I am.”
Braden took her hand and pulled it into his lap. “You are most certainly not a fool, Samantha. Unfortunately, even though you and Donny have been extraordinarily careful, you’ve been doing this for months now, and Old Town is full of eyes and ears. It’s not surprising that the villains would eventually get wind that someone was looking for them. And since they now know who we are, our first order of business is to ascertain whotheyare.”
She fell silent as the carriage turned a corner and started up to New Town. Braden held his peace, keeping her hand in his lap. He was rather amazed that she allowed him to do so.
A few minutes later, she twisted a bit and peered up at him. He could now see her mouth under the edge of her veil—a full and tempting mouth, pink as a rose and just as soft and inviting.
“Did your brother really throttle a bear?”
“Ah, what?” he said, distracted by her loveliness.
“A bear, in Canada. Did he throttle one with his bare hands?”
“Oh, of course not. It’s an old family joke. Logan looks like he could, though. And he did throw a few men off a bridge once.”
“Good heavens.”
“In all fairness, they were attempting to kidnap his future wife at the time.”
She chuckled. “Your brothers seem to be very exciting, by all accounts.”
Unlike him, seemed to be the implication.
“They’re also very capable. That’s why we should ask for their help, especially Logan’s. He’s good at solving problemsandtossing poltroons off bridges.”
“No,” came the instant, emphatic reply.
Braden swallowed his frustration. He understood her fear, but she needed his help and likely that of his family’s, as well. Tonight had proved conclusively that Samantha wasn’t wrong to believe there was a larger conspiracy afoot.
She was now in danger, too, whether she cared to admit it or not. The men they’d encountered tonight would kill her without a second thought if she got in their way. And if her husband’s killers had yet to be found, there was no reason to thinkherkillers would be brought to justice, either.
He frowned at the thought. “Why haven’t his killers been found?” he murmured to himself.
Samantha threw him a startled glance. “What?”
The carriage drew to a halt, slightly jostling them.
“In a minute,” he said.
He handed her out and then paid the driver.
“Thank goodness you had him drop us at the end of the street,” Samantha said, shaking out her skirts. “I didn’t relish the notion of sneaking in through the front door. My housekeeper is a very light sleeper, and she would no doubt hear me.”
“So you’re going to sneak in through the back door?”
“Exactly. I’ll just nip down the lane and through my garden. It’s just there, so you needn’t worry about escorting me. Thank you—”
She gasped when he took her arm and propelled her into the laneway.
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Samantha. Not without a full explanation of tonight’s events. Plus you’re going to tell me what you truly think happened to your husband.”
She huffed with indignation. “I believe I already have explained. And although I am exceedingly grateful for your assistance tonight—”
“You should be, since I saved your pretty arse.”
She yanked her arm away. “Dr. Kendrick, that sort of language is entirely inappropriate.”
