“We should let Pembroke handle this,” another man in the party said. “She is his sister,after all.”
“Yes, leave him to me,” James growled. “Continue your search.”
The other men left the room, leaving James alone with Adam and Letty.
Pembroke closed the door, trapping Adam in the room with him and Letty. “Morrey, what the bloody hell happened?” James demanded, his eyes straying to his sister, who stood nearly silent behind Adam. “I thought you told me to leave because you were up to something dangerous, and then I find you kissing my sister. I expect there to be a damn good explanation for this.”
Adam saw the hurt and fury in James’s eyes. He had every right to assume the worst. Adam would have, had he been in James’s place.
“There is, but I cannot explain here. It may not be safe,” Adam replied.
James rubbed his closed eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “You’re telling me that what happened tonight was connected to . . . ?”
“Yes.” Adam saw that what he was carefully conveying to James was finally sinking in. “And you know what it means for her.” He nodded his head toward Letty.
“I know . . . but I can help her weather the scandal. It doesn’t have to end the way you expect. I won’t force that upon her, not if she doesn’t want it.”
“Unfortunately, I think you must.” Adam kept his tone quiet. “I’m the only one who can protect her. She’s been seen, James. Before the night is through, she’ll have been made as one of mine, and she will not be safe.”
James’s eyes widened and then narrowed as he looked between his sister and Adam. Yes, the man was finally coming to understand what Morrey was saying.
“Then we must make a few decisions, mustn’t we?”
“We must,” Morrey agreed.
“The sooner the better,I suppose?”
“Yes. I’ll go to the Doctors’ Commons tomorrow. We can tell everyone we had a secret understanding and plan to marry within a few days.”
“It will be enough.” James sighed heavily. His reluctance to agree to this plan was obviously still strong.
“Wait—marriage?” Letty suddenly seemed to realize what they were speaking about.
“Yes, you and Morrey. Immediately.” James glanced at Adam, an apologetic look in his eyes.
“James, you can’t—”
“Letty, after what happened tonight, there are reasons that require you to comply with this decision. You know I would never want to force this, but you must trust me. This is the only way forward that keeps you safe.”
“Safe? Safe from him? This man just held a knife to my throat!”
James shot a startled glare at Adam, renewed worry and anger apparent in his expression.“What?”
“A misunderstanding. I thought she was the threat I’d been sensing. Then the real threat revealed itself and fired. That was the pistol you heard from the ballroom. Whoever took that shot, they saw your sister’s face clearly and likely knew that she’d been talking to Lady Edwards.”
“Christ.” James began to pace the floor of the retiring room. Then he looked at his sister again. “Letty, I’ve never asked you to obey me for any reason, but that changes tonight. You must trust me now when I say you will marry Morrey. All will be explained to you when it’s safe.”
“James, you cannot ask this of me—please. It isn’t fair. You know what I want, and this isn’t it.” It was such a soft plea, a little sister asking her older brother for his love, his trust, his protection. Adam watched in dread as James had to deny his sister what she needed by a simple shake of his head. No decent brother could form words to deny such a plea, and James was a good brother. All he could do was deny her with his actions.
“Yes, it is unfair,” Adam agreed, turning Letty’s attention away from her brother. “And for that I’m sorry, Lady Leticia, but it must be done. Do not blame your brother for this. It is my fault. I bear the blame for it.”
“No.” She shook her head violently. “How can I marry you? I barely know you!”
“Many couples marry knowing each other for less time than we have,” Adam said, keeping his tone gentle. It was clear Letty was still in shock.“Pembroke, allow me to have a moment with her.”
“I should stay.” James’s overprotectiveness would have amused him at any other time.
“Just a moment is all I need.”
“Very well,” James allowed. “But only a moment. My sister has been through enough tonight. I would like to get her safely home before more daggers or pistols come into play.” He stepped outside.
Adam grasped Letty’s hips again, pulling her toward him. The blue silk of her gown was soft beneath his palms, filling him with desire.Yet she wasn’t affected the same way he was. She was trembling, though he could hardly blame her under the circumstances.
“I will explain all that has happened tonight when I can, when it’s safe. Pleaseknow that I’m sorry for how this came about. I will be a good and loyal husband to you. I swear it upon my life.”
Tears gathered in her lovely dark-brown eyes. He reached up and brushed one away.
“Do not cry, please,” he begged. “It will be all right. I promise.”
Then he stole a soft, lingering kiss from her lips. The sort of kiss he wished he’d given her that first time. She went still in his arms, but not stiff with terror as she had been earlier. He nuzzled her cheek and held her close. The poor innocent creature, barely twenty, a full decade younger than him, was to have her life upended all because she’d sought to help Lady Edwards fix her hair. When he moved his face back to look down at her, all he saw was dazed confusion.
“There, there,” he said, his natural need to comfortintensified for this beautiful young woman.
“Do you wish to marry me?” she asked him.
“I had no thought to marry. Not in a long while. But I am glad it will be to you.” It was the truth. He had abandoned the idea of such things the night John had perished. But now Letty had need of his protection,and this was the only way he could be there to protect her at all hours. He felt like a bastard for having a small flare of happiness that a beauty with such a soft heart would be his.From the moment he’d laid eyes upon her, he’d had a fleeting rebellious thought that she would have made him a wonderful countess. Now she would be his countess, and he could not shake his sudden excitement and gratitude at the thought.
“Lord Morrey—” Letty began, but the door opened, and her brother came back inside.
“I have your cloak, Letty. We need to leave. I found Gillian. She’s waiting out front.” James held up a cream-coloredcloak lined with blue silk that matched her blue-and-gold gown. Letty allowed her brother to slip it over her arms, and she buttoned it up with trembling hands.
“Pay a call on us tomorrow, and we’ll discuss the ceremony and the matter of Letty’s dowry.” James held his hat under one arm and nodded brusquely at Adam.
Adam nodded back and watched the pair leave the retiring room. Once he was alone, he searched the chamberuntil hespottedthe small hole in the wall wherethe bullet had struck. He retrieved his dagger and dug the bullet from the wall. He chipped at the hole, scratching it until it looked like the damage to the wall had been done by something else.