The thought slid through his brain; his response was unequivocal. He might understand, but she’d have to get used to it.
Around them, the wood was alive with a muted chorus of rustlings, scratches, and snaps, but there was no hint of any person skulking in the shadows. He was aware she scanned, peering about as much as she could; clearly she didn’t know if her “acquaintance” was still set on breaking into the club.
The point reminded him of how serious matters were, reminded him why he was about to break his until-now-inflexible rule and show her the register.
They reached the edge of the wood; she immediately wriggled. He set her down. She brushed her skirts down, twitched her shawl back into place, then looked across the swath of open ground at the club. “Thank you.”
He grinned and looked along the side of the building toward the front. There was no one in sight. He reached for her hand. “Come on.”
He led her across the drive, then over the trimmed grass to the path that led to the rear of the club. The back door was protected by a shallow porch. He whisked her into it. “Wait here,” he murmured. “I’ll go around and let you in.”
She nodded, and he left her, walking back around the corner, then along the side of the building and around to the front door.
The two guards, chatting over a brazier, looked up. They recognized him and grinned in greeting. One tapped the bill of his cap. “Mr. Caxton.”
Fishing his keys out of his waistcoat pocket, Dillon nodded back. “I’m going in for a while. I’ll be in my office.”
“Right you are, sir.”
He started up the steps. “I’m supposedly at Lady Helmsley’s-I came across through the wood. All’s quiet that way.”
As he’d hoped, the older of the guards grasped his meaning. “Well, then-Joe here was about to go off on another round, but seeing as it’s all clear, we might as well just sit tight for a while.”
“Indeed. I’ll be at least an hour.” Unlocking the door, he pushed it open and went in. Relocking it, he strode across the hall.
The night watchman inhabited a small booth to one side. He stuck his head out; Dillon waved. The man snapped off a salute and retreated; he was used to Dillon’s nocturnal visits.
Dillon headed down the corridor, then diverted to the rear door. The instant he opened it, Pris pushed through, brushing past him.
She shivered, then drew her shawl tighter; he assumed he was supposed to think she’d been cold. He relocked the door, then turned to discover her wandering along the corridor, peering into rooms.
Catching up with her, he took her elbow. Leaning close, he whispered, “This way.”
She shivered again, not from any chill.
Aware that his libido, already aroused to a heightened state simply because she was near-let alone that they were private and alone after he’d carried her through the wood-needed no further encouragement, he steered her directly to his office.
Releasing her, he closed the door, then crossed to the large window. “Stay where you are.”
He pulled the heavy curtains across, plunging the room into stygian darkness, but he knew the place like the back of his hand. Moving to the desk, he picked up the tinderbox lying beside his pen tray and struck a spark.
Lighting the large lamp on the corner of his desk, he adjusted the wick, then set the glass in place. Light spilled out across the room. He saw she’d gone to the bookcase and was scanning the volumes. “It’s the missing tome.”
There was a gap on the third shelf. She turned to him, brows rising.
“It’s in the clerks’ room. Wait here while I fetch it.”
Pris frowned at the bookcase. “Is there only one book?”
Almost at the door, he paused, then turned to face her. “Do you need to see ‘the register’-any volume-or one particular volume of the register?”
She stared at him; she had no idea.
He sighed, and explained, “Each volume of the Breeding Register lists the horses born in any one year that are subsequently registered for racing under Jockey Club rules. Horses aren’t accepted to race until they’re two years old, so this year’s register lists all horses who by the first of May-the anniversary date for horses-were eligible as two-year-olds and have been formally registered. Last year’s register lists all the horses who are now three-year-olds, and any new three-year-olds registered for the first time get added to that register.”
She frowned. “Any register should do, but perhaps the most recent…?”
What ever Rus was involved in was happening now, so presumably the latest volume would contain what ever he was looking for.
Dillon studied her face, then nodded and left the room.
Pris wandered back to the desk. Letting her shawl slip from her shoulders, she folded and set it aside. The room wasn’t cold. The prickling beneath her skin, the flickering of her nerves, owed their existence to expectation, anticipation.
Within minutes she would see what Rus was so urgently seeking. Folding her arms, she stared unseeing at the desk and prayed she’d be able to understand, to deduce from the information in the register what sort of scheme was afoot, what sort of threat Rus was facing.
Her mind rolled back over recent events, over her quest to view the register-over her clashes with Dillon, culminating in their interlude last night.
Her fall from grace, albeit in a worthy cause.
Her lips twitched; her mind blankly refused to allow her to pretend, to delude herself that she’d given herself to Dillon Caxton in order to secure a sight of the elusive register and thus to save her twin.
Her only regret was that Dillon thought she had.
Just an instant of memory and she could feel again the thrill, taste the excitement of their wild and reckless ride. Of the storm they’d created, unleashed, then gloried in. Of the sensual sharing, the pleasures and delight.
She glanced at the door, in the distance heard some other door close.
Drawing in a deep breath, she slowly let it out. Lying, deceit, even misleading by omission had never come easily to her; only the fact that Rus was involved had allowed her to so blatantly deceive their father, let alone countenance involving Eugenia and Adelaide in her scheme. She was too confident, too sure of her own self to feel the need to hide any part of her; she’d always asked the world to come to terms with her as she was and had defiantly faced what ever storms had ensued.
Footsteps, long masculine strides, drew steadily nearer.
She stared at the door. Letting Dillon-the man she knew him to be-guess the truth of her feelings, guess why she’d so wantonly given herself to him, wouldn’t be wise. Instinct told her so, in terms absolute and unequivocal; rational intelligence concurred. If he knew…she wasn’t sure what he might do. She wasn’t even sure what she would want him to do.
The door knob turned. Unfolding her arms, she straightened. She would examine the register, work out what Rus was involved in, discover some way to find him and pull him free of the mess, then Eugenia, Rus, Adelaide, and she would leave Newmarket. And that would be that.
There could be no future for her and Dillon Caxton; aside from all else, he didn’t know who she really was, and in the present circumstances, that was a secret she would do well to keep from him.
The door opened; he entered, carrying a large tome.
Eyes immediately drawn to it, she felt her nerves tighten, felt expectation well.
He shut the door, then came to the desk. “It’s heavy-let me set it down.”
She shifted to the side. He slid the register-a ledger more than six inches thick, more than a foot long, and nearly half again as wide-onto the desk; it settled with a solid thump.
Hand on the cover, he glanced at her as she moved closer. “Any particular entry?”
She shook her head. “I just need to see what information is listed.”
He raised the cover, opening the book to a page filled with entries; with a wave, he gestured to it, then stepped back.