Katherine gasped as she was grabbed from behind. Before she could struggle, she was shoved into the alley and wrestled up against the wall so roughly that the hood from her cloak fell over her face. She’d been caught! Her assailant could only be the miscreant who had been following Lord Borin, who, unfortunately, was on his way to White’s. If she was to escape, she had only herself to rely on.

Heart hammering, she lashed out with her feet. Her leather half-boots connected solidly with her assailant’s leg. His grunt of pain was not nearly enough for the trouble he’d caused. But she did not have the strength to do greater damage. Shoving the hood from her eyes, she took only a moment to be certain he was bent in agony before darting around him for the street.

“Oh, no, you don’t!” He lunged after her, catching her about the knees. She fell hard onto the cobbles, knocking the breath from her. Rock gouged her hands through her gloves, but it was his voice that cut her most deeply. She rolled to stare up at the figure poised above her.

“Lord Borin?”

Ready to pounce, he froze. “Katherine?” He knelt, eyes wide, face paling, and pushed back the hood from her face. Her hair tumbled back with it, pins tinkling to the stones. “It is you! Did I hurt you? Are you all right?”

His gaze about her person was frantic. She reached up an unsteady hand to touch his cheek, marveling at how sweet her name sounded on his lips.

“I’m quite all right, I assure you. It takes more than a bit of the rough and tumble to deter me.”

He blew out a breath and pulled her up and close, hugging her to him. She felt his cheek against her hair. The wool of his coat warmed her skin. She could hear his heart beat slowly returning to normal, while hers only seemed to speed at his nearness.

“Thank God,” he murmured. “If I’d hurt you I would never have forgiven myself.” He pulled back suddenly to eye her. “What on earth are you doing out this time of the evening? Do not tell me you are alone. Where is Sir Richard? Bixby?”

“Unavailable,” she replied quickly before he could pepper her with more questions. “But we saw you being followed last night. I couldn’t stand by while you were in danger.”

She hoped she didn’t sound as if she were maligning her uncle or Bixby’s courage, or boasting of her own, but to her surprise, he stiffened, releasing her.

“And did it never occur to you that I might be able to take care of myself?”

She frowned. “Certainly. I simply didn’t know whether you were aware of the incident.”

His fists clenched at his sides. “And you couldn’t send me a note?”

She moved back from him, the anger in his voice confusing her. “Well, I suppose I could have, but how was I to know whether it would arrive in time or that your servants were not involved in the charade?”

“Oh, I see. Not only am I incapable of discovering the miscreant on my tail and dealing with him, but I cannot even be trusted to pick reliable servants.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she replied sternly, her own temper rising. “But if you persist in this nonsense you can save your own life next time.”

“Not according to you.” He glared at her a moment, then shook himself and sighed. “Forgive me. The thought that you would needlessly endanger your life for my sake drives me mad. I only wish you would trust me to take care of the situation.” He took her elbow. “The hack should be returning shortly. Let me see you home.”

She nodded, leaning against him as she climbed to her feet. His touch was firm, but cool. She had offended him.

She followed him to the street and stood silently as they waited for the hack. It drove into view moments later. Alex reached out and pulled her hood into place.

“Leave this to me,” he ordered.

He was taking charge, as if she had no more sense than a pigeon on the steps of St. George’s. She sighed. A managing woman would never be appreciated. She should have known better than to expect it from him.

 

–

 

The hack slowed at Alex’s wave.

“Good work, milord,” the coachman said, nodding to the huddled figure at Alex’s side. “Do we take him to Bow Street?”

Alex shook his head, then opened the door and boosted Katherine inside. Turning to the hackman, he noticed that the man’s eyes had widened.

“A ladybird?” he questioned. “I saw that petticoat as she mounted. Real nice catch, milord.”

Alex threw him the promised coin. “Your passenger is a lady. I need not tell you that this conversation goes no further. We will take her home. Go to the mews behind Hyde Street. We’ll walk from there.”

The man pulled his forelock and turned to his horses. Alex climbed in and seated himself across from Katherine. The coach set off for Mayfair.

With the light from street lamps coming through the windows, he could see that she sat primly, hands folded in her lap, face calm. If he hadn’t known better, he would never have thought that she had just been caught in the middle of St. James’s alone in the dark.

“I begin to think you’re actually proud of yourself,” he accused, smiling in spite of himself.

She grinned back. “I was, rather.” Then her grin faded. “Only I doubt you appreciated my help.”

“I simply cannot like the idea of you in danger,” he repeated, but the set of her jaw told him she did not believe him. He supposed he had been a bit rude. Could she really not understand that her position was perilous? St. James’s was avoided by ladies after noon, being the province of gentlemen and their interests. She could have been accosted by a drunk, robbed by a footpad, kidnapped by a gang of youths out for fun at her expense. He felt chilled as he considered what might have happened to her at the hands of such ruffians.

“I hope you don’t make a habit of this,” he told her.

She refused to meet his gaze, staring instead out the window at the buildings. “What, managing people’s lives or wandering about the city in the dark?”

“The latter, assuredly, though I cannot imagine many people appreciate the former either.” He knew he certainly didn’t.

“They hate it,” she replied coolly. “Unfortunately, they do not seem capable of managing their own lives without my help.”

“And do you put me in that category?” he demanded, temper rising anew.

She sighed. “I confess that I did, once. But in coming to know you, I realize that you have a great deal of sense, for a man.”

Despite himself, he chuckled. “Why do I get the feeling that is a far greater compliment than it appears?”

She turned to him with a smile. “Because you are intelligent as well. You are undoubtedly right that I should simply have sent you a note. But I suspect I wanted to be of service to you. Forgive me?”

He returned her smile. “There is nothing to forgive.”

“Oh,” she argued, smile fading, “but there is. I put you through all this trouble, and I never spotted the real culprit who followed you.”

Her disappointment was palpable. She certainly had heart, this one. “I think he was scared off earlier in the day,” he explained, then he cocked his head in interest. “What did you plan to do if you did spot him?”

She obviously had no concerns on the matter for she shrugged. “Try to catch a glimpse of him and warn you. I know better than to accost someone bigger than me, my lord.”

“But not a situation bigger than you,” he guessed.

Her chin tipped up. “I never met a situation too big for me, until recently.”

He knew her reference. “Your stepsister and her fortune.”

She nodded, then sighed. “But that appears to have resolved itself.”

“Has someone offered for her?” Alex asked with raised brow.

“No,” she replied with another sigh. “She is resigned to losing her fortune. We agreed to start looking for homes outside London.”

The thought of her leaving cut deep. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“As am I. The one bright spot is that Bixby and Emma have agreed to come with us. We will be one big happy family.”

He frowned. “You sound anything but happy.”

“I am selfish, I fear. Being together is what should matter. But, oh, how I shall miss London! The excitement, the bustle. The most intrigue we’ll find in the country is guessing which of our neighbor’s cows got into the cabbage last night.”

He chuckled. “A rather dismal life, I quite agree. But take heart. You still have several weeks, and your stepsister’s charms are considerable.”

“She is a gem,” she agreed readily. He was afraid she’d begin campaigning again and was relieved when she switched topics instead. “You will catch the villain who is following you, then?”

“Rest assured that I shall,” he replied, although he wasn’t entirely confident of his chances. He decided not to tell her that. He wanted no more of these episodes.

She leaned forward. “I have been terribly impertinent, my lord, having you followed then doing so myself. Would you stand one more question, as very likely we shall not see each other again?”

His heartbeat quickened as his gaze met hers. “Ask anything you like.”

She hesitated a moment, and he leaned forward expectantly. He could see her swallow. “You aren’t connected with the foreign agents, are you?” she asked carefully.

He flinched, then barked out a laugh. “That was not what I expected you to ask, but no, again I assure you, I would never connect myself with the enemy.”

She nodded sagely. “I knew it. I simply wanted to hear it from your own lips.” She paused as he leaned back, then asked quietly, “What did you think I was going to ask?”

He smiled ruefully. “To tell you would make me the greatest coxcomb.”

“I have certainly played the arrogant fool for you,” she replied with a smile. “I can hardly complain if you chose to do likewise.”

He watched her. Lamplight glowed on the auburn curls escaping her hood and lit her eyes with cool fire. Could he be so bold? She said they might never see each other again. He knew she was right. Unless he moved himself, she would slip out of his life far more quietly than she had entered.

“I thought, Miss Collins,” he said, “that you might ask me to kiss you again.”

Her eyes widened. She licked her lips as if imagining the feel of his. That was all it took to heave his willing body across the coach and pull her into his embrace.

Her kiss was full of sweet promise, her body as willing as his to touch, to hold, to caress. He felt his heartbeat speed, his breath quicken. This was the excitement he craved, this closeness the herb required to spice his predictable life. He knew in that instance that he would do anything to keep her with him, his sprite, his Katherine, his love.

He broke off the kiss, hugging her close, struggling with the emotions that surged through him. Love? Yes, it was love. He could feel it filling the empty spaces inside him. He wanted to protect her, to cherish her. He didn’t want her miles away in some country retreat. He didn’t want to spend years in a foreign country behind enemy lines. He wanted the daily excitement of growing old with her. The very idea stunned him, and he could only sit and lean his chin against her temple in wonder.

She must have noticed his sudden quiet, for she pulled back to look into his face. “What is it?”

He was amazed his love wasn’t glowing from every inch in his face. He also found himself at a loss to explain the transformation to her. She had made no secret of the fact that she admired him. She certainly seemed to enjoy his kisses as much as he enjoyed kissing her. But did she love him in return?

“Lord Borin?” she pressed, moving out of his arms. “What is it? Did I do something wrong?”

He found himself laughing, and she recoiled further. He reached out and pulled her back into his arms. “No, no, Katherine, you mistake me. You have done nothing wrong. On the contrary, I would say you have done everything right.”

He could feel her frown. “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I, I assure you.” He chuckled again. “Miss Collins, Katherine, would you do me the honor of allowing me to speak to your guardian?”

“Why?” She pulled away again, and he merely smiled at her. He rather thought it was a besotted sort of smile. He hadn’t felt this light-headed since drinking his first bottle of Madera. Her eyes widened as if she understood at last.

“I…I would be only too delighted to have you speak to Sir Richard,” she stammered. “But my lord, Alexander, are you certain?”

“Faith, my girl, I am not certain about anything at the moment,” he assured her. “Except the fact that the idea of you leaving London, going anywhere, doing anything, without me by your side makes me physically ill.”

Her lower lip quivered, and he moved himself to taste it again. She threw her arms about his neck and gave herself over to their embrace. This time he let his emotions sweep them both away.

A discrete cough warned him something was wrong. Raising his head, he realized the coach had been stopped for some time, and the driver was standing at the side, waiting for Alex to notice his presence.

He reluctantly released Katherine. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, her hair wild from his caress, her eyes dreamy. He imagined he looked no less seduced. He raked a hand back through his hair and pulled up her hood.

“We’re a few doors down from the house,” he murmured in explanation. “Let me send off the driver, and I’ll walk you the rest of the way.”

She nodded, and he proceeded to do just as he had said. He marveled that some part of him could still think. It was difficult to walk beside her to the back garden of her house but allowing her to leave his side was the hardest thing he had ever done. He consoled himself with the fact that he would not have to wait much longer before she could stay with him forever. He watched until she was safely in the kitchen door, then turned to go.

If anyone followed him home, he was feeling entirely too well-to-live to notice.