“ I loved another.”

He held her chin as she tried to drop her eyes.

“You’re lying.”

“No, please. No good can come of these questions.”

“Damn you, tell me the truth!” His roar startled her, and for that he was sorry, but he needed to know. “Tell me, please.”

“I cannot.”

“Cannot or will not?”

“Please, Lord Ellsworth. Let it alone. No good can come of revisiting that time.”

“I loved you, and you walked away from me. I deserve the truth more than anyone, and you are not leaving this church until you give it to me.”

She sniffed, and then shook herself free from him. He let her walk about the small entrance. She would not leave; he would be on her in seconds if she attempted it.

“You have to understand, there was danger... is danger.”

The words were quietly spoken, but he heard them.

“Danger for who?”

“It matters not, only that it was there. My father....” Her words fell away when she realized she was about to speak ill of the dead.

“Was the danger because of him?”

She nodded.

“Then is the danger not gone now your father has passed away?”

Her body twitched at his words. She stared up at him, and he could see she had not thought of that. But why should she, as he had only just told her about her father’s death.

“Perhaps, in light of that, you will be able to return to society.”

“Perhaps the danger is gone, as you say. But I have been gone for too long, and there is no possible way I can return to society, if indeed I wished to.”

“No one disputed the story your aunt told, especially when your father left society.”

“But surely no one believed that?”

“Some possibly did not, but as neither I nor you aunt said different, they could not question our word.”

He saw a flash of hope in her eyes that she battled to subdue.

“I have no wish to return to society, or money to live on. No, it is best I remain as I am.”

“You can live with my family.”

“No!” She looked horrified. “I could never do that, and you know that too. Besides, Eleanor—”

“Was your best friend, and you walked away from her also.”

“Yes. How is she?”

“Happily married.”

“I-I am pleased for her.”

He didn’t want to have this discussion with her. Didn’t want to find himself asking, like a pathetic fool, if she’d thought of him also.

“Then you can stay with your aunt.”

“I disgraced my family by fleeing. My aunt would have no wish to see me again, even though she told everyone I was sick.”

“She loved you as you loved her. I’m sure after you have explained, she will forgive you.”

“Is she well?”

“Very, and terrorizing society as she always has done.”

Just a small tilt of her lips, but Joseph saw it. She had loved Lady Mowbray very much. In fact, he remembered his sister telling him that Milly had confided that her aunt was more a parent to her than her father.

“I will take you to London and you can read what your father left you. Once we have done so, then you can make your decision as to what you wish to do.”

“No, I have no wish to go to London.”

“Those papers were important enough that your father had them sent to me, Milly. You need to come to London and read them.”

“I want no one to see me.” She shook her head vehemently.

“They need not if that is your wish. We will drive to my doorstep, you can read the papers, and then I shall take you where you wish to go.”

“B-but why would you do so? You care nothing for me now. No. If I go to London, I will make my own way there on the stage. You can instruct your staff to hand me the papers when I arrive. There is no need for you to leave now.”

“It matters not, my intention was to return to London soon anyway.”

She shivered, and he knew that she had been sitting out in the weather for too long.

“Come, we will leave today.”

“I do not take orders from you, and after the shame I caused you, I cannot understand why you wish for this... for me to go with you to London.”

Even bedraggled and beaten, she was not giving in. This Milly, Joseph realized, was a very different person than the previous one.

“Because,” Joseph said, deciding on part of the truth. “I want the truth of what happened four years ago, and you are not leaving my side until I have it.”

Her teeth snapped together, and he was unsure if that was anger or cold.

“It is pride, isn’t it? That is the only reason you are doing this.”

There was more to it than that, but for now he merely said, “I am sorry for your loss, and you were right in that I should have told you sooner, Milly.”

If she heard him she showed no sign. Instead, she stomped from the church and through the churchyard. He reached her side and took her bag, and then her arm.

“I cannot outrun you, so have no fear on that front, my lord.”

“No, but as you do not know where my horse is, I will show you.”

She muttered something that Joseph was fairly certain was unfavorable toward him, and let him take her to the stables. He lifted her onto Monty, and climbed up behind.

As he left for Greyton, Milly sat upright, her back rigid to ensure no part of it touched him. The distance was not great, but by the time they finally arrived, the tension between them was thick. They rode up the driveway to the front door instead of going to the stables.

“I will wait in a parlor until you are ready to leave for London, my lord.”

“And run as soon as I leave you alone,” Joseph said, dismounting. He lifted her down. “Come.” He took her arm and led her inside, where he removed his outer clothing and then waited until she had done the same.

“We will eat and put on dry clothes. I will tell my brothers what I am about, and then we will leave.”

“Will you tell them about me?”

“Rory knows, so I will tell him. Charles will not wake until after we have gone, so I will leave it to Rory to tell him what he will.”

“I will wait here.”

“Stop being foolish. The game is up, now come along.” Joseph led her to the stairs.

“You think this was a game, Lord Ellsworth? The foolish carrying on of a silly woman? That I would leave everything I held dear behind in London just for fun?”

Warmth greeted them as they walked into his study, the fire crackling cheerfully in the grate.

“I don’t know why you did what you did,” he ground out, releasing her arm to face her. “I know there was danger, but nothing more. Tell me, so I will understand.”

She backed away from him. Suddenly the fire inside her had burned out, and she was once again contained. Joseph wanted to shake her... hard.

“I would like to wash, please.”

“Of course.” Joseph put his head outside the door and shouted for his butler.

“There is no need to roar at him because you are angry at me.”

“Don’t tell me how to speak to my staff!”

“Don’t be nasty, and I will not need to.”

He stormed back to her side.

“I don’t remember Lady Millicent giving a damn about the way I spoke to servants.”

“She did not give a damn about many things she should have.”

“My lord?”

Joseph dragged his eyes from Milly to speak to his butler.

“Bailey. Lady Millicent has need of a room to wash. Have a bath drawn and bring her a tray. We will also be leaving for London. Please prepare for my departure as soon as possible.”

“I will see to it at once, and return for Lady Millicent when everything is ready for her.”

Joseph handed her bag to Bailey and then shut the door behind him. Milly had moved to the fire, and his eyes fell on the ugly cap.

“Remove your disguise, if you please.”

“I don’t take orders from you, my lord.”

Before she could stop him, he had reached her side and removed it himself, hurling the offending cap into the fire.

“Good God!” Her hair was a dark muddy brown. It was hideous, and made her skin look sallow. “What the bloody hell have you done to your hair!”

“How dare you!” She looked at the flare of flame as the ugly cap burned. “You had no right to destroy my clothing.”

“It was hideous, as is the color of your hair!” Joseph wasn’t sure what had gotten into him, but his skin suddenly felt too tight, and his breathing was rapid.

“I’m sorry it does not please you, O great and noble lord!”

Joseph rang the bell with a vicious yank.

“My lord?” His butler reappeared.

“Bailey, Lady Millicent needs to wash that color from her hair. Have someone find something to do that.”

“Stop lording about over me!” Her words were spat out vehemently, followed by several curses that had his eyes narrowing.

“Where did you learn to curse like that?”

She glared at him defiantly, with not a trace of shame on her face.

“In a pub, where I washed dishes.”

Joseph squeezed the bridge of his nose, for no other reason than the sharp jolt of pain gave him clarity.

“I can look after myself now, Lord Ellsworth, and I do not need you ordering your servants about on my behalf as if I am not in the room!”

Joseph wasn’t used to people questioning his actions, especially not this woman. But he had seen plenty of evidence since she had reentered his life of the change the last four years had wrought in her.

“You may have set this course,” she added, “however, I do not need to comply with your every whim. Indeed, I will in all likelihood run again, and you will never find me.”

He took off the glasses next, before she could stop him, and it allowed him to see her anger. Milly’s blue eyes flashed as color stormed her cheeks.

“You will not run, Lady Millicent.” Joseph made himself speak slowly, calmly, when inside he felt like a raging beast. “Because you owe it to your father to read what is in those papers.”

“I owe him nothing.”

“Because it was he who set the course you had to take four years ago?”

She did not reply.

They were close; he could see the flare of anger in her eyes, feel the rush of breath from her lovely mouth, and see the rapid rise and fall of her breasts. It stirred his body to life. It was purely a physical reaction, he reasoned, brought on by the savage mood he was currently experiencing. He’d wanted her before, and that had not changed, even with anger.

“Let me take the stage to London.”

“You are a Marquess’s daughter, you will act like one.”

Her fists clenched as she fought for control. He’d never seen this side of her, the emotion that she’d kept carefully locked away inside that polite facade. Was this the woman she had kept hidden from him?

“Go to hell,” she whispered.

“I’ve been there, and have no wish for a return trip, Lady Millicent.”