“Here you go.” Her father handed Mr. Frederickson the paper containing the pertinent facts about the missing item. She fought the guilty flush of scarlet threatening to bloom on her cheeks. She knew every detail her father had written about the talisman, currently creating deadweight in her reticule, without having to read it.
Once she had made it safely to her room last night, Anna had memorized all aspects of the item as it had lain on her coverlet, facing her accusingly.
“I’ll instruct my men to watch specifically for this article. If your items are being stolen for their worth, they hold no value for the thief until they are sold.”
The conversation swirled around her but Anna failed to focus on the words. She didn’t know what Mr. Rollins did with the items after she made payment. But if he was caught selling them, it would all lead back to her. And destroy her father.
Saving the school might be vital and her way of keeping a piece of her mother alive. Yet again, she wondered if she was prepared to lose her father’s respect.
As before, the answer remained the same. There was no way to unravel the mayhem she’d made without seeing it through.
“I’m still waiting for a response from the office about having a set of eyes in London,” Mr. Frederickson informed her father when she resumed following the conversation. “I hope to have an answer later today.”
“I apologize again for besmirching your abilities, young man. I’m more than confident you have everything in hand. I can only chalk my outburst up to frustration. Please forgive me.”
Her father’s request for forgiveness seemed to unsettle the composed Runner. Almost as if he didn’t know what to do with the apology. Had no one apologized to him before? Considering his provoking nature, he might be the one usually making amends.
After a slight clearing of his throat, Mr. Frederickson found his voice. “Nothing to forgive. Any man in your situation would have done the same.”
The matter resolved, her father turned to her. “Will you be going to the school today?”
“I was on my way out the door when I heard your call.”
She figured it best to ignore the fury rising from the broad shoulders looming at her side. Hopefully her father wouldn’t connect Mr. Frederickson’s increasing ire with her alluding to the fact that while she’d plotted her escape from the house—and without her appointed bodyguard—the Runner had been enjoying his meal.
Her father’s mind clearly lingered on his missing treasure when all he gave was a distracted response to be safe as he scurried out the door in search of his secretary. Leaving her alone with the fuming Mr. Frederickson.
Unwilling to come to blows with the obstinate man once again, she attempted to ignore the argument burning in his sapphire eyes.
“Well, I’ll be leaving. Good day.”
Before she could brush by his tall frame, he caught her arm in a firm yet gentle hold and pulled her body flush with his coat lapels.
“I think not, princess.”
Confident he was about to leap into his latest tirade, she prepared herself for another verbal struggle. Instead, he continued to hold her against his strong frame as he peered down into her face. Her eyes still on the exit and her freedom, she couldn’t see his steady gaze but she felt it. All the way to her bones. Only, instead of leaving a wake of heated temper, it simply left a warmth that spread, from where her body contacted his, to all her extremities.
Finally, his murmured words weaved through the loose knot of hair on her head. “Whoever would have guessed a slight package such as yourself could be so troublesome?”
His smoothly issued slight washed over her and froze the heat left from his touch, causing her to gape at the beautiful face of a man she could only think of as the devil’s helper sent to torment her . . . in every way possible.
“Mr. Frederickson, I can’t help but notice this is the second time you’ve taken it upon yourself to manhandle my person.”
“Maybe it is about time your person was handled by a man.”
As each word fell, one by one, in the quiet room, unfamiliar tingles sparked in Anna. Never had she been on the receiving end of such direct focus from a man. Especially one with such glorious, melt-you-where-you-stand piercing blue eyes. It was rather unsettling how her body responded so acutely. How her fingers twitched with the urge to brush against the light stubble sprinkled across his jaw.
Fortunately, Anna’s good sense prevailed as she wrenched her arm free of his hold and took a step back. She ignored her inner dismay, crying out at the loss of his touch.
“Be that as it may, it would never be your lowly handling I desire.”
Even as the words left her lips, she wished for them back. Even more so, as she witnessed each one penetrate his mind and the icy remoteness forming in his eyes, she regretted them to the tips of her toes. The man might have provoked her outburst but she hadn’t been raised to be intentionally hurtful. Especially considering she hadn’t meant any of it. He was just so unnerving.
She started to apologize when he spoke. “My deepest apologies, Lady Annabel. It appears I’m forever overstepping my place. I’ll strive to do better.”
An undistinguishable glint in his eye contradicted his pledge. Anna feared she might have awoken something inside him best left dormant. Too late to retract her words—for she’d certainly lose footing with the maddening man—she had no alternative but to stand her ground.
More vital than ever, she must figure a way to slip the Runner’s incessant watch, and deliver payment to Mr. Rollins. Her escape this morning had been within reach before her father’s outburst. Even with her freedom on the other side of the front door, she hadn’t hesitated to rush to her father’s side.
When she’d seen her bodyguard engrossed in his morning meal, she’d felt luck might have finally been with her. That perhaps some divine force was validating her quest.
She hated to think what the same force might be imparting, after her failure to sneak away.
“Notwithstanding your aversion to my handling, we still need to discuss your attempt to flee to the school, alone. If not an actual agreement, I thought we’d come to a compromise that you’d behave yourself and allow me to do my job.”
Anna had to remind herself she was a grown woman and not the disobedient child his words evoked. She hadn’t attempted to escape him in spite. All she’d worked so hard to achieve rested with her ability to work around the unmovable Runner. She couldn’t allow herself to be swayed. Though making the man her enemy wouldn’t help her cause.
“You are right, Mr. Frederickson. I’ll strive to do better,” she replied with a taunt of his earlier words. Something about him kept her from being entirely cordial.
A slight grin lifted his lips, giving her a flash of a dimple that sent her insides spinning once again. Heaven help me if he ever decides to become amiable.
“To ensure we are on the same footing, I insist we shake hands to seal the deal.” This time his smile reached his eyes.
She wanted to argue that her word should suffice but it would hardly support her avowal to do better. With no other choice, she put her hand out, which he swiftly swallowed in his. To her regret, he didn’t stop with a quick pump of their hands to signal an agreement. Instead, he held her motionless while he caressed small circles on her hand with his thumb.
His words interrupted the slow tingle floating up her arm. “One way or another, princess, I do believe our fate is sealed.”
As ambiguous as his claim, she couldn’t help but think he had the right of it.
Chapter 9
Ungentlemanly or no, based on their short acquaintance—and her continued need to thwart him—Nate felt it best to take a truce from Lady Annabel the same as he would from The Viper. With strong suspicion.
Despite several hours passing since
her last attempt to sneak away, her daring still had the power to make him snarl in her direction.
Endless hours at the school hadn’t helped to cool his irritation. He’d get nowhere with her—and ultimately his mission—unless he set aside his misgivings and trusted she’d finally come to her senses and accept his protection.
And protection was all he’d give—no matter what his traitorous body had begged for when her slight form had been melded to his chest. Thankfully, she hadn’t the experience to translate what certain parts of his anatomy had attempted to convey.
That he desired her.
That, against his wishes, he found her every curve tempting and wanted to explore each in intimate detail. He’d been powerless to refrain from caressing her hand. The sane part of him knew it was ill-advised and in normal circumstances he’d stay far from her. The truth didn’t stop him from wanting her, though. As if he hadn’t learned years ago what hid beneath such subtle beauty. Maybe not under her specific beauty but someone of the same ilk. He felt fairly confident all society belles could be lumped together.
Diana’s appeal might have been more obvious—and the initial reason he’d fallen at her feet—but in the end, she and Lady Annabel had the most important quality in common. Their title.
The daughter of a viscount, Honorable Diana Wilex had been far above him in stature and, he’d believed, his reach. He’d been equally thrilled and perplexed when she’d accepted his attentions. Actually, a more accurate depiction would be she’d invited his advances. Young, and not wise enough to deny his desire, he hadn’t offered any resistance. Hell, he’d panted after her.
If only his cravings had stopped with the need to possess her body. Instead, he’d been a complete fool and fallen in love with her. A deeper love than his customary fleeting affections.
Aware of what his father had thought of his bastard status and assuming her father would feel the same, Nate hadn’t questioned her request to keep their relationship from her peers. He’d been willing to elope to Gretna Green if need be. Anything to be with Diana. He’d have been better off if she’d slapped his face instead of allowing him to take her to bed. At least then he would have escaped with his heart intact.
He had learned a valuable lesson the day Diana declared him a fool. She had no use for a bastard, beyond warming her mattress until she found a man who carried a title worthy of her. She’d confirmed what his father had told him every day he’d denied Nate’s existence; he would never be good enough.
Years later, the claim still had the power to boil his blood. Thankfully his father was dead to the world and Diana was dead to Nate. The lessons he’d learned were far from fading. He clenched his hands.
Unfortunately.
From his perch in the corner of her office, Nate half studied the current highbred lady in his life as she sorted out the problems of two bickering, older children. As much as he hated the thought, he’d have to concede Lady Annabel hadn’t revealed a lot in common with Diana. He also suspected she’d smack his lips off his face before she’d allow him to kiss her.
Not that she would choose a bastard Runner over someone of equal rank. Fortunately for him, he had no intention of testing her allegiance.
“That will be all,” she instructed the students, finally pulling his attention to the here and now. “I hope, moving forward, you will remember letting trivial disagreements overshadow your main purpose will never help you succeed.”
Watching Lady Annabel in what was clearly her element, a twinge of respect mixed with his displeasure. If he allowed it, her actions in the last twenty minutes might manage to alter his perspective. She’d been fair but unyielding with the two and never once had she lost control of the situation.
However, he had no plans to amend his stance on the infuriating—albeit attractive—Lady Annabel. If he did, he’d never get back on solid ground with her. She’d already destroyed too much of his focus.
He must remember what was important. As soon as he found the culprit responsible for the thefts, he could return to his life before her. And be done with the upper crust.
“Now, back to your class. And I had better not hear word from Miss Harold that you’ve been at continued odds again,” Lady Annabel finished as she ushered the girls from the room.
Two very sheepishly given, “Yes, Lady Annabel,” floated into the room before she shut the door behind the students.
She seemed to have dismissed him from her mind as she relaxed against the closed door, her eyes shut. He shifted in his chair at her long silence.
He was about to clear his throat to remind her of his presence when she spoke with her eyes still closed. “I care for each of the girls but some days they try my patience.”
He had enough wisdom pertaining to women to keep from comparing the students with her equally trying nature. To that end, he remained silent while she drew a breath—which he couldn’t help but notice accentuated her perfectly rounded breasts—and went back to her desk.
“I think that is enough mediating for today. We should be getting back. I’m still worried about Papa after this morning’s discovery.”
Perched on the stool in the corner like a misbehaved youth, he had the perfect view of her tidying her desk. She wasn’t looking at him, but years of experience had trained him to spot the subtle cues a body gave. Although worry for her father might line her delicate frame, there was something more. Something deeper.
He intended to discover what.
Back at the estate, Nate loosened the reins on Lady Annabel. Partly because she’d been behaving since their agreement. Mostly because he’d left word with his man Grant, assigned by Nate to the stable. Acting as an extra lookout after the latest theft, Grant was to keep an eye out for any fleeing ladies.
Nate finished his last of many circles around the house to make damned sure the crook wouldn’t find a way in. Unable to determine how the house had been breached the night before still burned, especially after he’d painstakingly secured every entrance before he’d retired. His gut pushed for him to accept the obvious. All the trouble seemed to come from someone on the inside. But before he went to the earl accusing the staff, he needed proof.
Not only because obtaining such proof was his job. Being the son of a maid, Nate knew all too well the challenges house staff often faced. He refused to heap false accusations on anyone.
After stopping to check the lock on the last window between him and the front entry, Nate took a step back and surveyed his surroundings. Investigating a theft would typically be a solo job, but with his main focus being the safety of Lady Annabel, Nate had brought his best men with him. He didn’t possess enough eyes to keep one on the ever-fleeing miss, one on the estate, and still manage to explore every avenue presented.
Though tempting, Nate refused to leave Lady Annabel’s protection to anyone else. Even though he trusted his men with his life, he wouldn’t pass the burden—rather, responsibility—of Lady Annabel on to one of them.
The fact didn’t keep him from having to swallow a choke of frustration, knowing instead of being able to search out clues, he’d been playing nursemaid at her infernal school.
No matter how fetching his charge happened to be.
As if he’d conjured her to life, Lady Annabel appeared at the front entryway. She wore the same lovely blue day dress he’d painstakingly observed glide across her body with each of her movements at the school.
Despite how happenstance her crossing his path appeared, he remained apprehensive. He was beginning to suspect her wallflower demeanor was a ruse. The miss had a hidden—and calculated—agenda.
If only he could decipher what.
Keeping with their call of truce, he silenced his suspicions and welcomed her with an inviting grin—not ready to forgo the possibility of charming her into compliance.
“Lady Annabel, m
ay I be of service?”
She stopped before him, her eyes narrowing into slivers that reminded him of sapphire tinted ice shards. Suspicious reservation seemed to glint through her crystal orbs at his cordial greeting.
“Not precisely. But the scope of your services is what I wanted to discuss.”
Her gaze became determined, causing a tingle of trepidation to crawl down the back of his neck. This can’t be good.
“With the disturbances of late, I’ve overlooked an invitation I accepted to a neighbor’s soiree this evening.”
A forgotten gala was hardly ample reason for her to seek him out. If that was the worst of her news, he’d take it.
“Therefore—” She paused.
Ah, they’d arrived at the unwanted demand he’d expected.
“Therefore, your services will not be needed this evening. I could hardly make an appearance with my uninvited bodyguard in tow,” she rushed on.
He stood silent. Was she actually attempting to escape him yet again? Especially after their truce? If not for years of women telling him otherwise, he’d begin to doubt his appeal.
Being it a gathering of her peers, he assumed her avoidance had less to do with his lack of invitation and more to do with his lowly status.
As much as he didn't want it to, it stung to know he’d never be accepted as an equal.
“Uninvited or unwanted?” The words were out before he could stop them. Once spoken, his rising fury took control and didn’t quiet at her look of confusion. “No matter your reasoning, I’m not about to relinquish my responsibilities so you can dance the night away.”
The Runner's Enticement (Men of Circumstance Book 2) Page 5