replied simply.
‘And so you know he has nothing to lose. He is angrier still and will be watching us both. For all I know he has followed you here tonight.’
‘He did not follow me,’ he reassured her. ‘No one knows I am here. You need have no fear of it.’
She smiled in relief. ‘If he does not know where to find you, then you are safe for now. But he must know your direction. He will try to find you there. He may be waiting for you at your home, even now.’
‘Very astute of you. That is exactly where he is. I followed him to my home and have seen him, watching my house. I left him catching a chill on the street corner, waiting for me to return, so that he could do me mischief. And I have set a man of my own to watch the watcher. If Barton moves from the spot, he will not get far.’
She reached out to clasp his hand. ‘Then you can get away. Leave from here. Leave tonight. Get out of the country. Go to the Continent, or perhaps the Americas. I do not care. But swear to me that you will be far away from here by morning, so that I need have no fear for you.’
He smiled and shook his head. ‘And what will become of you, if I leave?’
‘He does not mean to hurt me. He has assured me of that.’
‘He will be quite public about keeping you, and everyone will know it. Think of what you will lose, Constance. Your friends. The prospects you held so dear, even this morning. All of it will be gone.’
‘Honour is only an idea. It will not hurt to lose it. I am no innocent, Tony. I know what must be done, and it means nothing, compared to your life. It does not matter to me, as long as I know you are safe.’
‘You would be willing to ruin yourself, to preserve my miserable hide?’ His eyes were serious. Then his face spread in a lazy grin, but he showed no sign of taking his leave. ‘On the contrary, I think it matters a great deal.’
‘Not to me. Not any more. I will go to him if I must. If that is what it takes to keep you safe. But you must leave him alone. Whatever you are after, do not seek it in his house. Has no one told you that it is wrong to steal? It was only a matter of time before you met someone like Barton, who was worse than you and could punish you for your crimes.’
He waved the argument aside, his grin wide and without care. ‘Leave off with your begging, for I am not moving from this spot until I am good and ready. But tell me again, because I love to hear you say it—you do not go to him by choice?’
‘Of course not. The man is horrid.’
‘And you are only tolerating his attentions to protect me?’ he prompted.
‘I cannot let this go any further. He will not have you, if there is anything I can do to prevent it.’
Anthony sighed and fixed her with his smile. ‘I cannot tell you how relieved I am to hear that. I thought your problem was something serious, or difficult. Or that you secretly fancied Barton and were using me to control him. But you are trying to save me?’ He laughed. ‘And that is all? Do not worry. You need do nothing. I will take care of everything.’
She paced the room, wringing her handkerchief in her hands. ‘You will go back out the window to search his rooms, and I am to stay here and wait for a report of your death? I vow, your offer of assistance is most welcome, but there is nothing you can do that will not put you in greater jeopardy.’
Tony replied, with gentle insistence. ‘You need have no fear. Relax. Let everything to me.’
‘That is what my late husband said. Do not worry, Constance. Do not be such a goose. Everything will be fine. I trusted him in all things, and look what I have come to. Barton means to have me and kill you. It is too late for me. But you can still escape him. Run, Tony. Run far away. If you come to harm because of me, I swear I shall go mad.’
He moved as silently as a cat and was upon her before she realised, taking her by the shoulders and pinning her to the wall to stop her pacing. He looked down into her face with his wild smile and dream-filled eyes, and said, ‘I shall go mad, if I must watch you make another circuit of the room.’ He reached behind her and caught the tie of her bodice, tugging to undo the bow. ‘Although it is rather pleasant to see you so overwrought for my sake.’
‘But he is a villain, Tony, and he knows about you. What are we to do? I—’
His lips came down on hers, stopping her words. The kiss was forceful, almost brutal in its intensity, and he held her tight against him, so that she could feel his body responding to her. She could feel his hands on her back, dealing, one by one, with the hooks of her dress. Then he pushed away from her, placing his hands on her shoulders, holding her tight in place. ‘You shall do nothing tonight. Not with Barton, at any rate.’ He trailed his fingers forward, along the gaping neckline of her dress.
‘Stop it,’ she muttered. ‘We mustn’t. There isn’t time. He will come for me tonight. And if he finds you here…’
‘I said—’ he pushed at the fabric, and the dress slipped off her shoulders ‘—I would take care—’ he reached behind her to undo her stays ‘—of everything. But if you are sure you want me to run away, then you need merely say the word, and I shall go.’
‘He said—’
‘Never mind Barton, for a moment. What is it that you want, your Grace?’ He was trailing his fingers over the bare skin of her back and she shuddered with the shock of it.
And then his hands slipped beneath her chemise, stroking her sides, grazing her breasts. ‘All things being equal, do you wish me to stay?’
She closed her eyes and tried not to think of what his touch was doing to her, and spoke. ‘Of course I do not want you to go. But—’
‘Stop right there.’ He laid a finger on her lips. ‘Do not spoil it with more talking. You have said enough. Now let me help.’
Oh, dear. She stayed very still as he worked the rest of the laces free.
It was not as if she objected. But it all would have been easier a night ago, when she was not so frightened. Tonight, passion was the last thing on her mind. But if she could be still and give herself up to Tony, she could keep him away from Barton for the rest of the night. He had been working on her behalf for quite some time and she had done nothing for him but cause him trouble. And if this was to be goodbye, she could not send him away without something.
It would be better for him if he ran, as she had told him to. She would be alone again, but he would be safe.
But she did quite miss the comfort of a man’s arms around her, the soft words and gentle kisses.
He freed the corset and in one smooth move pulled it forward and away from her body and pushed her bodice and chemise to her waist. She was bare before him.
She closed her eyes, afraid of what she might see in his eyes. She was not old, certainly, but well past her prime. Suppose it was not what he had expected? She opened her eyes to look at him.
And he did not notice, for he was gazing at her breasts in hungry fascination. He reached up to cup them in his hands, closed his eyes and sighed, and when he looked at her again his smile widened.
All right. He seemed
