Jasper took a deep breath, begging his heart to cease its racing and the unease that coursed through him to vanish. He would only see that Adeline made it inside safely, her belongings unloaded and returned to her home, and then he would be on his way back to Faversham Abbey. Simple, uncomplicated—certainly the courteous thing to do in such a situation.

Or, at least that’s what he’d chanted to himself the previous night as he’d tossed and turned, dwelling on the fact that come morning light, he’d be trapped in an enclosed coach with the woman who either reduced him to a fumbling mess or incited his anger every time they shared the same space. The chant had not disappeared during their long day of travel, either; it had only been reduced to a silent plea that rattled around inside of him, causing his head to pound.

Glancing out the window once more, his coach pulled to a stop outside a modest townhouse, as the door sprang open and several footmen ran forth. His driver, George, hadn’t even disembarked his perch before he was greeted by a man in cream and blue garb. The sheer number of servants exiting the house, all dressed in the same attire, had Jasper praying that departing his carriage would be unnecessary. Certainly, he could watch Adeline enter her home from here. His driver could handle the unloading of her trunks, and he could be on his way.

It was a stellar plan until he looked over at Adeline and noticed her smile.

She was excited to be home, as she should be.

Beside her, her maid reached out and collected their possessions and slipped them into Adeline’s handbag.

Adeline’s driver, Maxwell, opened the carriage door and put the steps into position.

Adeline didn’t move.

No hand reached in to assist her down.

Neither George nor Maxwell came into view through the open carriage door.

Bloody hell, they stood back and awaited Jasper’s exit. It was his duty to offer his hand to Miss Adeline for departure. His plan for a quick escape crumbled before him.

Jasper pushed away from his seat and stepped down the waiting stairs to the cobbled drive, immediately turning and raising his hand to Adeline. She set her gloved fingers on his arm and hopped from the coach.

It could be explained as nothing but a hop—perhaps, a leap.

She completely eschewed the steps that’d been set for her.

A round of greetings ensued as servant after servant bowed to Adeline and wished her a joyous return to London. Unlike the hoyden he’d been used to while she was at Faversham, Adeline nodded to each servant, speaking briefly with a couple, and smiled the entire time. Her chin was held high, her hands smoothed the wrinkles from her skirts, and her eyes sparkled.

What stunned him the most was her ease with all the commotion and activity around her.

Her poise never faltered, her grace never slipped, and her smile—damnation—that smile!

Jasper took a step back into the shadows of his waiting coach as servants unloaded several trunks, and her maid stepped down, taking hold of Maxwell’s arm. With any luck, not that he’d seen any since before Adeline’s arrival, the servants, with Adeline in tow, would continue in to the house and entirely forget about Jasper…leaving him free to depart unnoticed.

Instead, she froze, and her back stiffened, her head whipping from side to side as if she searched for something very important. For a split second, Jasper feared she’d forgotten something at his estate—and he’d be made to see the object daily until it was returned to her.

“Lord Ailesbury?” She turned, her stare finding him in the shadows as a bashful blossom crept up her neck. She immediately lowered her gaze from him, and asked, “Shall we?”

Unfathomable terror coursed through him as his chest seized and his heart thrashed, causing blood to boom between his ears. Even his normally strong and solid legs shook with something akin to weakness. However, Jasper was not weak. He’d worked tirelessly since his youth to make certain he was never again seen as weak. His neck and side would be forever marred by the burn scars, but that did not mean he lacked in any other way.

Her brow pulled down in concentration before she gave him a subtle nod of understanding.

One thing he hadn’t prepared for, something that no amount of strenuous work or long hours poring over accounting ledgers could ready Jasper to conquer, was walking Miss Adeline Price into her family’s townhouse.

Jasper gave George one final look—his silent plea begging for his driver to do something to make the coming confrontation unnecessary.

“I will remain with the carriage, m’lord,” his servant said with a gentle tone. “Miss Adeline be a nice miss. I be sure her family be likewise.”

Very well, Jasper thought.

There was no need to turn tail and run. Even George had faith in him.

He moved from his place by the carriage and held out his arm. Adeline responded by placing her hand in the crook of his elbow. All he could think about as he stared at her hand on his arm was the feeling of her bare hand from the night before—and how he’d pulled away far too quickly.

All Jasper had need to do, was explain to Adeline’s guardian the irreparable damage that had been done to his carriage. Yes, the mechanics of it were simple enough to explain. Also, his presence in London was understandable. What gentleman of worth would send a woman off in a carriage alone when the risk of injury—or even possibly death—was great?

His carriage could have been set upon by highwaymen.

The coach might have thrown a wheel, or one of the horses suffered a lame leg.

Miss Adeline could have fallen ill during her travels due to her time in the storm at Faversham.

They were all valid concerns.

Jasper repeated these rationalizations in his head over and over as they started toward the front door.

“Do strive to become less tense, my lord,” Adeline whispered with a smirk.

At her words, his shoulders only stiffened more. It had been many, many, many years since he’d put himself in a position to meet strangers. While his aunt had seen to new tutors on a regular basis, they were well-informed by the time they arrived at Faversham Abbey of Jasper’s condition—his scars, as it were—and they never appeared affected or taken aback by his injuries. Even the villagers had grown accustomed to his appearance and rarely shied away from him. Though never did they seek him out or endeavor to gain his notice.

But strangers?

Not only those he did not know, but also people who meant a great deal to Adeline…

That should be of no consequence to Jasper; however, for some reason, it was a heavy burden to carry.

What if they thought him a beast due to his visible scars? What if they determined he’d caused harm to Adeline? Or worse yet, what if they recoiled in fear and threw him from their house without a word, leaving him with no choice but to return to the safety of Faversham Abbey?

That was exactly what he’d hoped for only moments before.

Lifting his chin, Jasper stared straight ahead as they crossed the threshold into her home.

He’d dealt with the jeers of the village children, he’d overcome the shame when villagers avoided him, and he’d even been able to look past Adeline’s first reaction to his scarred appearance. Certainly, her family’s opinion of him was of no consequence.

“Good day, Donovan,” Adeline greeted the man who’d instructed the footman outside.

“Lovely to have you home, Miss Adeline,” he replied with a curt bow before closing the door in their wake.

“Always lovely to be under my brother’s roof,” she retorted.

When the man’s solemn expression hinted at amusement, Jasper sensed there was a private jest between the pair he was unaware of.

“Donovan, may I introduce Lord Ailesbury.” She glanced up at Jasper through lowered lids before turning back to the man. “Lord Ailesbury, this is the Melton butler, Donovan. He takes great care to keep all of us under control so as not to anger my dear brother.”

At that, the man did openly smile, bringing his hand to his mouth with a cough to cover the chuckle that nearly escaped him.

“Lord Ailesbury.” The butler nodded in greeting. “I cannot speak to keeping Miss Adeline—or her siblings—out of trouble, but there has not been a Melton child lost on my watch.”

Both Adeline and the butler laughed softly before Jasper noticed her posture straighten and her eyes scan the foyer—the empty entryway.

Peculiar, seeing as how Jasper expected to find her brother waiting for them, especially with Adeline having been delayed over a day at Faversham. Was the family not worried about her whereabouts?

Adeline released Jasper’s arm and set her hand on her hip as her toe began tapping on the polished floor.

“Out with you!” she commanded after a moment, and Jasper turned his attention to the area surrounding him.

Besides him, Adeline, and the butler, there was no one else nearby.

Jasper inhaled deeply and held his breath as he listened.

Nothing.

Not a sound could be heard in all the household, which struck Jasper as odd with so many family members in residence. It would be nearly impossible to quiet his own home to this extent, and it was only him and a handful of servants.

“Do not make it necessary for me to find you.” Her stern tone had Jasper on edge as she tapped her foot several more times and let out an exasperated huff.

He’d not known her long, but he suspected her irritation was a ruse.

Finally, her frown turned to a smile as three identical heads of light brown hair popped around the jamb of an open door. Three sets of widened hazel eyes showing themselves.

Jasper would be a fool not to notice the resemblance as the trio stepped fully into the foyer.

Adeline’s siblings—or, at least three of them.

“Lord Ailesbury,” she said, a spot of merriment in her tone. “May I introduce Mr. Alfred Price, Mr. Adrian Price, and Miss Amelia Price? As you can see, my father had a fondness for names starting with A.”

Calling them children seemed off as two were nearly out of the schoolroom by Jasper’s estimation. Even the youngest was not far behind.

“It is an honor to make your acquaintance.” Jasper bowed to Miss Amelia first, and then before both boys. “Your sister has shared much about you.”

Three identical brows arched in question, and the group focused once more on their sister.

“She didn’t tell you about Adrian’s tendency for sweets, did she?” the eldest boy, Alfred, asked. His intense scrutiny said that Jasper’s answer held much importance.

“Of course, she would never share such a private matter,” Jasper confided.

“What about Amelia’s habit of taking jaunts about the house in her sleep?” He elbowed his sister in the side with a chuckle.

“I do not—“ The girl at his side shrieked as her face blossomed with embarrassment, a mirror image of her older sister, though her hair was shorter and her complexion paler.

“A gentleman would never speak of such a thing, and neither would a proper lady,” he chastised the boy, yet kept his tone light. “And your sister, Miss Adeline, is undoubtedly a proper lady.”

“Where is Alistair?” Adeline cut in, stopping the banter before someone’s feelings were injured.

Jasper hadn’t any notion what it was like to have siblings—younger or older—but he could sense how teasing could easily get out of hand.

The trio looked between one another, their faces draining of the joy they’d had at seeing their sister safely home.

It was the youngest boy who spoke, the older two siblings avoiding Adeline’s stare. “Alistair and Theodora are waiting for you in the study. Brother is awfully cross that you dallied on your way home. I dare say you—“

Adrian’s voice stopped as Adeline pushed past him and started out of the foyer and down an empty hallway.

Jasper only paused a moment before hurrying to catch up with her. If her brother were vexed at Adeline’s tardiness, it was his fault. He’d been the one to send his sister out into the England countryside in a decrepit carriage. If the man did not see that and still needed someone to cast the blame on, Jasper would take it. He’d been waylaid by the storm and unable to repair Adeline’s carriage.

Either way, Adeline was not to blame for any of this, and Jasper would be damned if he’d allow her to be punished for something not in her control.