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CHAPTERTEN
“And I’d like particularly to thank Miss Melby for her help this evening.” Kinross’s voice rose over the assembly as everyone gave their attention to him.
Clara shifted uncomfortably as all eyes at the table turned to her.
“You’re most welcome, my lord,” she murmured, her gaze meeting Ralph’s. His brown eyes were unreadable as he looked back from his position near the end of the table. Next to him sat a beautiful woman with rich, dark hair and sapphire eyes. Clara didn’t recognize her, and she hadn’t been on the original guest list or her seating chart.
The woman’s eyes were also fixed on her, but Clara could easily understand the woman’s glare. She did not like Clara.
Clara blinked twice, wondering why the woman might feel such hostility toward her. But then the lady’s attention swung to Kinross and her appearance completely shifted. Softened.
And Clara understood… This woman cared for the earl. Was she in love?
Kinross’s gaze met the lady’s and then for a moment his mouth pressed into a hard line before he focused again on Clara. He gave her a quick nod. She smiled back, but she knew it was the sort that wouldn’t reach her eyes; there was no joy in the small gesture.
This should have been the shining moment of this trip. A public declaration of appreciation from the Earl of Kinross, but she felt nothing.
Did she need any more evidence that he wasn’t the man for her? She thought not.
With a deep breath, she looked away from Kinross, focusing on the conversation swirling about her.
“Do you think that Kinross will extend our stay?” a woman in very large diamonds asked from next to Clara.
“I don’t know,” the man next to the other woman answered. “But it would be most prudent, considering.”
Clara blinked. Politeness demanded that she speak to the people directly to her left and right, so she could not ask the man to what he referred. But she trained her ear to catch more detail.
“I know. I wore some of my best jewels. How could I travel home with them under the circumstances?”
What circumstances?
“How many footmen did you travel with?” he asked, sounding concerned.
“Three,” she answered. “Do you think that will be enough?”
“To fight off highwaymen? Who could say? Especially considering their last robbery was so close to Bristol.”
Highwaymen were attacking people near here? Her pulse jumped in her veins and she hardly heard what was said next as she took a bite of her fish soup. Of course, Kinross would allow them to stay for as long as they needed, but still.
Then her spoon stalled again. Were the highwaymen the very thieves that Ralph was searching for? Were they robbing people on the way to their largest heist of all?
She thought of the incident in the inn, where that man had grabbed her. Her gaze drifted down the table to Ralph.
No one would ever hurt her while he was near.
The dinner continued, Clara doing her best to socialize appropriately, but she found herself drifting into her own thoughts often. She nipped at her lip as she caught Ralph’s eye.
She ought to thank him again. Or was that just an excuse to speak with him? She’d like to kiss him once more. His mouth had been so… Her breath caught. Wonderful. Soft and firm and terribly exciting. Her fingers came up to brush her bottom lip.
“Clara,” Kinross said, close to her ear, his hand coming to touch her elbow. “I’d like to speak with you.”
She turned to find Kinross very close. So close, in fact, that she pulled back a bit. “Of course.”
He pulled her toward the corner, though several people watched their progress, including her brother.
“Kinross,” she said, slowing his step. “We’re making a scene.”
He stopped too, leaning close to her ear. “Apologies. I thought to wait until tomorrow when I might speak with you with just a chaperone, but I find myself eager to simply get this don—”
