Whirlwind Affair

surrounding his death. I begged for her forgiveness and I asked her if I could visit her, to apologize in person. She wrote back, readily offering her forgiveness and inviting me to come to England.'

'What about your family? Did you not tell them?'

'Only about David being unfaithful, which of course everyone learned about upon his death. No one knows the rest.' She raised her chin a fraction. 'Except you. Nor does anyone else know of my financial situation. If I'd told my family, they would have insisted upon helping me. But paying those people back… it was something I had to do on my own.' She slowly shook her head. 'I do not expect you to understand…'

A shadow passed over his face. 'Actually, I understand perfectly.'

She sincerely doubted he could, but when their eyes met, there was no mistaking the empathy in his gaze. Curiosity nudged her, but she forced herself to push it aside and finish her own tale. 'By the time I was ready to travel to London, I could barely afford the passage. But I didn't wish to delay my trip any longer and be forced to endure a winter ocean crossing. And I had to come. I had to find out more about the ring so I could put the last remaining piece of the past behind me, and I needed to see Elizabeth. To make amends to her. Through the letters we'd exchanged, I knew she generously forgave my horrible treatment of her, but I wanted, needed, to express my sorrow in person.' She pressed her hands tighter against her middle. 'I was hateful to her. She was my best friend, with nothing but my best interests at heart, and I pushed her away. That's the reason she came to England, you know. She'd been living with my family after her father passed away. But when she warned me about David, told me not to marry him, I told her to leave.'

Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she could barely speak around the lump that settled in her throat. 'I accused her of wanting David for herself. Accused her of being jealous of my happiness. I told her that I did not want her at my wedding or to be a part of my life any longer. When she left my family she had nowhere to go, so she sailed to England to visit her aunt.' She closed her eyes. 'She warned me… dear God, if I'd only listened to her.'

She heaved a deep sigh. 'Because my funds were so limited, I hired myself out as a companion to Lady Gaddlestone to pay for the voyage. But once on board the ship, the mishaps I told you about occurred. When you met me at the pier, I was terrified. I had the strongest feeling someone was watching me. I couldn't wait to get away from there.' A shudder ran through her. 'Yet the strange happenings followed me here, as you know. I thought it was over-the coat-of-arms ring is gone, as well as its box.'

'Yet clearly it's not over,' he said, his voice grim. 'The fact that someone tried to break in this evening clearly indicates that whoever it is still wants something. Do you have any idea what it could be?'

She briefly considered not telling him, but decided there was no point, as he already knew all her other humiliating secrets. 'There's nothing left… except this.' Crossing to the settee, she opened her reticule and withdrew the folded paper. 'I found this just today. Hidden in a false bottom in the ring box.'

'What does it say?'

'I don't know. It's written in some foreign language. I'm afraid it might have information about David… information I wouldn't want anyone else to know, which is why I did not put it back before I gave the box over to Lord Shelbourne.'

'May I take a look at it?'

She wordlessly handed him the delicate paper. Moving to the fireplace, he crouched on the stone hearth and held the note at the best angle to capture the light. After a minute he remarked, 'I think this might be Gaelic.'

Her stomach knotted. 'I thought so as well, in which case it most likely does concern David. He was familiar with the language.'

He nodded in an almost absent manner, then said, 'This word… how odd.' He pointed to a word. 'That looks like 'Evers.' '

Crouching down beside him, she squinted at the cramped, faded letters. 'Yes, it does,' she agreed. Something tickled her memory, but remained just out of reach. 'Does that mean something to you?'

'Only that it is my friend Michael's surname.'

Recognition hit her. 'The pugilist fellow who bandaged us.'

'Yes.' He continued to examine the letter. Nearly a minute passed where the only sound breaking the silence was the snapping of the orange-red flames in the hearth.

'Look at this word,' he finally said, pointing to another faded group of letters. 'I swear it looks like the name of the town in Ireland where I recall that Michael grew up.' He turned to her, his eyes dark and serious in the firelight. 'I'd like to show this letter to Michael.'

She opened her mouth to protest, but before she could utter a word, he said, 'Being from Ireland, he might be able to translate the words. I give you my word that he is discreet.'

She debated saying no, but a wave of weariness washed over her, nearly drowning her in its wake. She wanted so badly for this to be over…

'Very well,' she agreed in a tired voice.

Robert watched as the strength seemed to simply seep out of her. Setting the note on the mahogany end table, he stood, then reached down to help her up. She stared at his hands for several seconds, and he thought she was going to refuse his help. But then she grasped his palms and allowed him to assist her to her feet.

No more than two feet separated them. Her hands felt small and cold clasped in his, and her eyes… they appeared enormous in her pale face, shadowed with ghosts of the past and inner weariness. She looked emotionally and physically spent.

His chest tightened, and all the anger he'd held steadfastly at bay while listening to her tale bombarded him. A violence such as he'd never before experienced rose in him, and he deeply regretted that he'd never have five minutes alone with David Brown. Now he knew where the girl in the sketch had gone. And he couldn't help but marvel at the determination and inner strength that had kept even a tiny flicker of that girl alive.

Looking at her now, however, his anger faded as quickly as it had flared, snuffed out by a swell of sympathy. Bloody hell, what this young woman had endured… and how she'd fought back. And how difficult it clearly had been for her to tell him.

She suddenly stiffened and pulled her hands from his grasp.

'Another reason I moved away,' she said, 'was to distance myself from my family. Not only did I not want the scandal to touch them any more than it already had but I simply couldn't stand their pity any longer. I knew they loved me, yet every time they looked at me, all they saw was 'poor Allie.' They all stared at me with that same expression that's on your face right now.' She lifted her chin, her gaze steady. 'I do not want your pity.'

'I understand. Yet I cannot help but feel sorry for what you've suffered. If it makes you feel better, I can tell you that pity is actually only a small part of what I'm feeling right now.'

She pressed her lips together, then raised her chin another notch. 'I imagine you're quite disgusted.'

'Indeed, it disgusts me to know that not only do people such as David Brown exist but they hurt people… kind, trusting people, like you.'

'I meant disgusted with me. For being so stupid as to love such a man. For not being able to see his true nature.'

'No. God, no.' Reaching out, he cupped her shoulders. 'You did nothing wrong. You were victimized-in the crudest of ways. I feel the deepest admiration for you, for the way you paid back his other victims. You're very brave.'

A short, humorless laugh blew from between her lips. 'Brave? I'm frightened all the time. Unsure of… everything.'

'Yet you go on. Trying your best. Bravery isn't being without fear-it's overcoming your fears. Moving forward in spite of them. Facing them down.' When she continued to look unconvinced, he continued, 'I cannot tell you how much I admire your strength. How you've worked so hard to right wrongs that weren't even yours.'

Confusion flickered in her eyes. 'Giving back things that did not belong to me, returning money that David had stolen, that did not take strength.'

'Didn't it? How many other people do you honestly think would have done it? Especially if it left them on the brink of financial ruin?' His gaze roamed her lovely, pale face, and his heart, quite simply, turned over. 'I believe you're the bravest and strongest woman I've ever met. And I give you my word that whoever is behind these 'accidents' and abductions and robberies will be apprehended. I'll not allow anyone to harm you again.'

A wealth of expressions flitted across her features. Surprise. Doubt. Uncertainty. Then gratitude. And all of them shadowed by an underlying vulnerability that made him want to wrap his arms around her and protect her