Daisy gave a restless shrug. “A rather queer sort, although he did once save my life.”
The sense of premonition only deepened at the maid’s obvious unease.
“What ... what did he look like?”
“A large man with cold eyes and long silver hair.”
“Mr. Soltern,” Simone whispered in horror.
“He seemed quite anxious that you receive this gift as soon as possible.”
Simone shivered, longing to toss the package through the window. It was, in fact, what she had done with the priceless bracelet that he had given to her.
Common sense, however, held her hand. Gideon had warned that Mr. Soltern would do whatever necessary to get his hands upon her necklace. She had to discover if he was plotting against her.
“That will be all, Daisy.”
The maid dropped a ready curtsy. “Good night, my lady. Just ring if you need me.”
“Yes, yes I will.”
Waiting until the servant had left the room and firmly closed the door behind her, Simone crossed toward the candle she had left burning on the table beside her bed. Then, sinking onto the side of the mattress she forced her stiff fingers to undo the string tied about the package and peeled back the heavy paper.
A note fluttered onto her lap, but Simone paid it no heed as her heart froze at the sight of the miniature painting that had been revealed.
She recognized it immediately, of course.
It was a portrait her sister had commissioned only weeks before Lord Gilbert’s death.
There was no mistaking the glorious golden curls and petulant features, nor the deep rose gown that had possessed golden threads through the bodice.
There was also no mistaking the fact that the portrait had been left in Devonshire since her sister had been quite determined to have a new portrait commissioned with a London artist.
Simone struggled to breathe.
Somehow Mr. Soltern had learned the truth of her past.
A past that was supposed to be buried along with her sister.
Dropping the miniature upon the bed, Simone reached for the note to read the brief message that she was now expecting.
Numb with shock, Simone discovered herself rising to her feet and pulling off the robe so that she could don a plain black gown.
What choice did she have, a voice whispered in the back of her mind?
She could not possibly allow him to reveal the truth. Her entire life would be at an end. Dear Lord, she might very well be hauled off to the gallows.
As she dressed, however, her initial flare of horror began to recede and she forced herself to consider what she was about to do.
It was one thing to face a man intent on extortion.
It was quite another to face a desperate vampire who was willing to murder without remorse.
A ball of ice formed in her stomach at the thought of making her way alone to the brewery and facing Mr. Soltern.
She had always considered herself a courageous and even bold woman. Certainly she could be impulsive. But not even her nerve was equal to this task.
So what was she to do?
Allow Mr. Soltern to destroy her life? Flee London and hope to hide herself in a small village where no one would know her?
But surely the vampire would follow her wherever she would go?
Pacing the floor for nearly an hour, Simone at last came to the inevitable conclusion.
She had to go to Gideon.
No matter how often over the past few days she might have told herself that he must either be a monster or a madman, she knew deep within her that he was the only person in the entire world that she truly trusted.
She might not be able to explain why, but with him she felt safe and cared for in a manner she had never experienced before.
Gideon made her believe that she belonged with him, down to her very soul.
Not giving herself time to consider what she was about to do, Simone silently slipped from her room and made her way to the back stairs.
The night was swiftly passing, she realized with a flare of fear, and there was no telling what Mr. Soltern would do if she failed to show at the brewery.
Remaining in the shadows as much as possible she hurried past the rows of elegant town houses, dodging
