BEATRICE’S ENTIRE BODY shook as she settled into the carriage beside the waiting maid.
“Are you well, miss?” Sally asked.
Beatrice nodded. Facing Mr. Johnson had taken all her strength. She closed her eyes as Daniel joined them, not wanting to see his expression. He must believe her a gullible fool to have been caught in such a scheme.
“Miss Linfield, I applaud you.”
Beatrice popped open her eyes in surprise to see Daniel regarding her from across the carriage.
“You didn’t even need me there to offer support.” He waved a hand in the air as if to dismiss his presence. “You handled the situation with firm control and still managed to make him feel guilty. Well done.”
His look of admiration had her smiling as the carriage rolled forward. “I detest feeling helpless.”
“You didn’t appear helpless for even a moment. I’m pleased we were able to retrieve your trunk.”
“Mrs. Johnson was the one who delivered the meals, and I have no doubt she knew what they contained.” Beatrice lifted her chin. “The thought of her in possession of my mother’s brooch was more than I could bear.”
“Anger is preferable to fear. Outrage does quite nicely too.”
Beatrice lifted a brow. “I can’t imagine you experiencing fear.”
With his broad shoulders and fit physique not to mention his confidence, he seemed capable of handling any trouble that came his way. She’d witnessed him doing just that twice in their short acquaintance, acting as heroic as someone in the pages of a story.
He’d carried her to safety without a second thought. And the forceful way he’d confronted Mr. Johnson sent her heart thudding with awe and admiration. Yet she also knew him to be kind and thoughtful. He was a man of many layers, and she liked them all.
He smiled even as something dark lingered in the depths of his eyes. “Everyone experiences fear at one time or another. But not allowing it to keep you from taking action is where true courage lies. You have that in spades, Miss Linfield.”
He shifted his attention to the window, leaving her to reflect on his comment.
His view of her was so different than her own that it made her reconsider herself. Though tempted to cower in the corner when she woke in the brothel, she’d focused her attention on how to escape rather than her fear. At the time, she’d thought it the logical thing to do and had been annoyed with herself when terror had clouded her thoughts and weakened her resolve to escape.
Perhaps she was braver than she thought. She studied Daniel from beneath her lashes. He was more courageous than he realized as well. She hoped she had a chance to help him see a new side of himself just as he had done for her.
“Would you care to drive past Parliament?” Daniel asked. “The building is not to be missed. Of course, if you’re not feeling up to it and would prefer to return to my brother’s house, we can return there directly.”
“I would enjoy seeing Parliament.” She welcomed anything to distract her from the visit with Mr. Johnson. But the thought of spending more time with Daniel held even greater appeal than seeing more of London.
The little she’d seen when she arrived by coach was a blur. She’d been overwhelmed by the bustling city where everyone seemed to know where they were going except her. Viewing the city from the comfort of a carriage with Daniel for company sounded delightful.
“Excellent.” He rapped on the roof and gave the driver instructions.
As they traveled, Daniel pointed out various buildings and places of interest, often sharing a story or a brief history of them. He obviously had pride in the city.
“You are a well of information,” she commented nearly an hour later after they’d made their way past several interesting locations.
“I have to try to change your opinion of what you’ve seen of London thus far. You won’t want to stay otherwise.”
She drew a slow breath, hoping to hide her reaction. Did he realize the power of the teasing glint in his eyes or that smile? Or how much it made her want to stay, if only to be part of his world? She gave herself a mental shake. That was impossible. She needed to be practical when she planned her future.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Nothing.” Beatrice managed a smile. “I’m just so happy you’ve given me this personal tour. Thank you.” Why shouldn’t she enjoy every moment with him that she could?
“It’s my pleasure. Perhaps we can plan another outing in the coming days, depending on your schedule.”
The offer left her breathless. To think he might want to spend time with her warmed her from the inside out. “I’d like that.”
In fact, she could hardly wait.
Chapter Five
“Do you think this a wise notion?” Richard asked as he watched Daniel pace his library.
Daniel scowled. He didn’t like it either. Further involving Beatrice in the investigation didn’t sit well with him. Especially after the worry she’d shown when they’d visited the boarding house the previous day.
He detested the thought of causing her additional concern. Yet his efforts to find the brothel where she’d been held were at a standstill. He and Pierre had collected the addresses of several brothels near where he’d found Beatrice. Mr. Hurdy had made little to no progress based on the limited information he’d been willing to share with Daniel earlier in the day. He hadn’t bothered to speak with Johnson at the boarding house yet.
“I don’t know what else to do but ask for her help. Did she have a setback of some sort?” The idea had him halting to study his brother.
“Nothing of the sort. She seems in good health and has been assisting Caroline with some projects. Caroline is impressed with her organizational skills.”
“I’m pleased to hear that. I realize looking at brothels to see if they appear familiar might seem like a strange request, but it would be of great help to
