“I’m deeply sorry my wife hurt your sister.”
“You had nothing to do with that,” Noah said with a snort. “Luci did what she wanted to do. You know that better than anyone.”
The blood drained from Griffin’s face. Both men were thinking of Luci’s infidelity and lies.
Noah grimaced. “I’m sorry, Griffin. I shouldn’t have gone so far. Luci is gone and we shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, no matter what she might have done.” Griffin sat back down in his chair with a thud. Noah was the only person in the world who he’d ever spoken to about Luci’s cruelty. The only person he trusted with those secrets. But now he had betrayed his friend’s trust by harming the person Noah loved most.
“I’m sorry, as well,” he said. “I shouldn’t have gone so far with your sister. She and I have already spoken about it, and I can promise you it will never happen again.” A sharp sting rushed through his body at that thought. Now that he had made that vow, the most Griffin could hope for was the gentle touch of Audrey’s hand on his arm as she exited a carriage or passed him in a hallway.
Noah cocked his head to look at Griffin closely. “You suddenly look sick.”
Griffin shook the thoughts from his head. “No, just drained, I suppose.”
“Well, get as much rest as you can. You and I are going to the merchants’ dinner in a few days. Since Audrey can’t attend, we’ll be responsible for keeping a close eye on Ellison.” Noah took a bite of the food his sister had left untouched. “I’d like to close out this case as soon as possible. After recent events, I think it would be best for all involved.” Griffin nodded grimly. What Noah said was true, but that didn’t lessen the sting that once this case was over, Audrey would be well and truly out of his life for good.
Chapter Seven
Audrey paced across the sitting room and glanced back and forth between Griffin and Noah. Both looked dapper in their evening clothes, though Griffin’s good looks and his delicious scent made him all the more a draw. At least to her.
Stifling a sigh as she remembered her private vow to squelch her feelings for him, Audrey reached up to straighten Noah’s cravat.
“Don’t forget, I haven’t told you a thing about Ellison’s behavior in the carriage, so don’t say anything to him about it. It will make him think I didn’t mind his vile kiss no matter how coyly I acted at the time.”
She couldn’t hold back a shudder at the memory.
Noah jolted with dislike. “I know.”
Audrey pursed her lips. She hated it when her brother took on that condescending tone. It wasn’t her fault that the merchants dinner invitation didn’t extend to women. She only wanted to be certain the men remembered their parts. Noah had never worked with Griffin, and that increased the danger level.
Her mind spun with good advice. “If you get a chance, try to get him talking about the Prince. If you allow him, Ellison might let something slip he wouldn’t dare in front of me. He thinks I’m a silly woman who wouldn’t understand his political opinions, but with you…”
“I know, Audrey.” Noah gently removed her trembling hands from his now mangled cravat and turned to the mirror behind him. “Well, this is wrinkled beyond repair. I’ll run upstairs and have my valet give me another. Hold the carriage for me, will you, Griffin?”
Griffin nodded wordlessly without looking up from the papers he was sorting.
With her brother and his watchful eyes out of the room, Audrey took a moment to examine Griffin. He really did look devastating in his eveningwear. He looked darker, more serious, though she wouldn’t have thought that possible. She found herself happy that no other women would be at the event to admire how smashing he looked.
“Do you remember your role?” She wrung her hands reflexively and began to pace.
With a short sigh, he stacked the papers in his hand on the table. “Yes, Audrey.”
“And you will be careful, won’t you?” she asked. “This is your first time doing this kind of work. It’s difficult not to get excited or try to behave differently, but remain calm and collected. Just pretend as if this were a normal event and-”
Griffin slowly crossed the room to step in her path. With a smile, he reached out to take both her cold hands. All her racing thoughts quieted as she stared up at him.
With tortuous slowness, he kissed each of her hands across the top of her fingers. His warm lips sent moist heat through her veins and turned her knees to water. It took all her willpower not to lean against him and beg him for more.
His voice was hoarse when he said, “Noah and I will be fine. As far as I’m concerned this is a normal event. I shall observe those around me more closely and listen more carefully. If Ellison gives me an opportunity to press him for information, I’ll certainly take it. But you need to be calm, Audrey. Sitting in this state all night will only make you sick with worry.”
Releasing one hand, he brushed back a stray strand of hair from her face. His thumb grazed her cheek and she closed her eyes for a brief moment. How in the world would she manage to relax now? One touch from Griffin Berenger made her heart throb and her whole body feel weightless and out of control. The very last thing he inspired in her was calm.
“I–I know,” she stammered. “I only worry about you. And my brother, of course.”
With a blink, Griffin’s eyes cleared. He pulled away, but not before she saw the tension around his eyes and mouth.
“Try to find something to occupy your mind,” he continued in a strained voice while he watched her in the mirror above the fireplace. “Talk to Hannah or read a book.”
“Yes, Griffin,” she whispered.
Their eyes met in the glass and again the discomfort appeared on his face. The awkward silence that filled the room was only broken when Noah returned with a fresh cravat around his neck.
“Ready then?”
“Be careful tonight,” she whispered, leaning up to press a kiss on her brother’s smooth-shaven cheek. In his ear, she murmured, “And take care of Griffin.”
He nodded as he broke their embrace. “We’re off then.”
He motioned to Griffin to leave the room first. At the doorway, Griffin paused to look back at her for a moment. Then they were both gone, disappearing out the front door into the cool night air. Toward possible danger in a place where she wasn’t allowed to follow.
The thought gave her a shiver as she sat down in one of the chairs by the fire and stared into the flames. It would be a long night, and now she had to find something to do to fill the long hours while the two men were gone.
***
The clock in the hallway began to chime. Audrey looked up from her book to listen to the number. One, two, three… twelve. Midnight. With each hour Griffin and Noah were away, her anxiety increased.
With a small sigh, she turned back to the page in her novel, but quickly tossed it aside. She had been reading the same words over and over for two hours and still had no idea who the main characters in the story were. Even Hannah had tired of her constant pacing and retired to bed.
The house was far too quiet for Audrey’s taste. The only sounds were the crackling fire and the tick of the clock in the hallway. With a groan of frustration, she rose to fix herself a sherry. She was just about to sit back down when she heard a soft sound from outside the window. She strained to hear it and was rewarded by the creak of wood and the crackle of feet against leaves or dry branches.
There was definitely an intruder outside.
Freezing instinctively, she sent a side-glance toward the glass. The glare of the lamps inside made it impossible for her to get a clear view, but anyone outside could see her movements with no hindrance.