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"I had a rather disturbing conversation with Katherine this morning. I think we're right to believe she killed your wife."
"What? Why do you say that?" Thaddeus asked.
"Just something she said, the way she said it. I think we should have Douglas looking into the Danvers' past. People don't change and when they are as vile as the Danvers you can bet there are lots of skeletons in their closets. I want to know what they are."
What she didn't say was that she didn't think that they were Danvers at all, not if Edwyn really was Derek, but she kept her own council until they knew more. Not to mention what was Derek looking for: what treasure did Archer have that made coming through time to con him worth it?
"We still don't know why they singled out Archer. They are targeting him specifically and are willing to kill to make sure they get him. I also don't think we have much time to figure out what they're up to."
"Why do you say that?" Archer asked.
"I think Katherine knows about me or knows something. She'll be looking to find a way to get rid of me and if she gets proof that I'm not from around here, she won't hesitate to incite a mob by declaring me a witch."
"She won't lay a finger on you. We'll get you home, Quinn, safe where you belong," Archer's voice was soft but there was steel behind his words.
A small smile touched Quinn's lips as she replied softly, "You'll get me home, Archer, but home is not where I belong."
His smile, the one that affected every aspect of his face, would stay with her always.
Chapter Seven
"I can't believe I actually agreed to this and you, what you're wearing is practically obscene."
Archer was looking at Quinn dressed in a pair of his breeches and a shirt and, though he was prepared to cut the eyes out of any man who saw her dressed as such, he couldn't deny seeing her in his clothes was sexy as hell. Her long legs, the way the pants hugged her round bottom, and her breasts that were outlined so beautifully in his shirt that he just wanted to reach out and touch her. He was more annoyed that he couldn't stop staring at her which was exceedingly distracting particularly when they were in the midst of breaking and entering.
"Honestly, you 18th century gentlemen have such delicate sensibilities. In my time women wear shorts so short you can see their ass cheeks, bras..." she looked over at Thaddeus, "...you saw my bra."
"What?!"Archer roared.
"Whatever. Garments that mold the breast so that the stomach, shoulders and back are completely exposed. Bathing suits that aren't much more than string. Are you getting me? This, what I'm wearing, doesn't even come close to obscene."
Thaddeus' voice was a bit strained when he said, "I do believe I would very much like to see your time, Quinn."
She laughed at that but Archer was not amused since he was still staring at her with that look, the one that said if he had a blanket he'd wrap it around her and tuck her under his coat. In response she smiled sweetly and was sure to wiggle her butt a little more than was needed when she climbed through the window. Archer's growl, in response, made her smile.
They were breaking into the Danvers' townhouse. Archer had learned that the Danvers were attending the Kellan family's very popular annual musicale that evening which made it the perfect night to break in because all were invited to the Kellans, including the household staff, which left the townhouse empty.
Archer was hoping to find something that could give insight as to what the Danvers were up to. After gaining access, the three silently moved down the hall to the study. Quinn walked around the room as Archer and Thaddeus went through the papers on the desk. It was while doing so that she realized the place was in serious need of a cleaning. Mrs. Hamston would have a stroke at the sight of the room.
"So is this where they live when they're not sponging off of you at Whispering Winds?"
The grin Archer threw her was almost boyish before he answered, "Yes, in fact, Edwyn left the same day you did so he's been here for almost a fortnight."
"Where's the staff?"
Thaddeus looked up from the paper he was studying to look at her. "What do you mean?"
"Well, at Whispering Winds when the fireplaces are finished burning they are immediately cleaned and prepped for the next lighting but that fireplace hasn't been touched in a while." As Thaddeus and Archer both looked to the fireplace she continued by wiping a finger over the tabletop. "This room hasn't been dusted in a really long time."
After her initial observations the men started seeing the pattern, the nearly empty scotch bottles, the curtains that were not drawn, small things that would normally go unnoticed unless you were looking for them.
From the study, they went to the music room where they found sheets covering the harpsicord and furniture. This oddity had them searching out the rest of the home to find that all of the rooms had been closed up except for one where the bed hadn't been made and clothes, they recognized as Edwyn's, littered the floor.
Quinn felt her pulse jump because Edwyn was squatting in the Danvers' estate but if he was a Danvers that wouldn't have been necessary. It was looking more and more like Quinn's Derek theory was not as far-fetched as she originally thought.
There was a strange look on Archer's face when he suggested that they had seen enough.
Thaddeus spoke up once they were back in the hired hack and Quinn had a blanket draped around her shoulders courtesy of Archer. "What are you thinking, Arch?"
