discourage any other suitors I have in the area. It’s best if I go to London.”
“What happened to marrying when you’re good and ready?”
She lifted her chin and held his gaze, attempting to give him a haughty look. “I’m ready now.”
Declan actually smiled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, my dear. I don’t believe you.”
“Believe what you will. It’s none of your business anyway. Let’s just say we’re on the same side now.” Alex adjusted the covers, trying to look every bit the innocent, demure young lady, while keeping her smile in place to keep from wincing. “How soon before we leave for London?”
Declan couldn’t keep up. He’d never known a woman with such a mercurial temperament. Did she have the slightest idea what she really wanted?
He stared pointedly at her arm. “Our travel plans have been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.”
She had the grace to blush.
“The doctor says you should be up in a couple of days. You’re lucky the bullet went through the fleshy part of your arm, missing the bone.”
“Did you catch him?”
“No, but I had men scouring the woods right after you were shot. The intruder managed to get by them. It had to have been a local who knew the terrain.” Declan gave a frustrated sigh. “Without your assailant, we have no way of tying this back to Addington. He, of course, maintains that it was an incompetent poacher.”
Addington was lying. Declan didn’t doubt his instincts. The gun had been pointed directly at him. The man must be more desperate than he first thought. Perhaps Adrian should do a little checking into Addington’s affairs. His cousin had a talent for discovering the unsavory side of men like Alex’s cousin.
He gripped the carved footboard and studied his ward. She didn’t appear to have any signs of fever. But her pale face and delicate form were swallowed up in the covers of her oversized poster bed. He’d almost lost her, all because her courage put her in the wrong place at the wrong time. “Lady Alexandra, I want you to forget what I said earlier. Stay away from Addington.” He raised a hand to keep her from speaking. “Let me deal with him. I’d also like you to remain close to the house until we leave for London.”
“Is there anything else , my lord?”
He couldn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice. Good, the old Alex was back. He preferred her arguments. When she was friendly, his thoughts strayed too often to the kiss they’d shared.
“Not right now. If I think of something, I know where to find you.” He retrieved his black embroidered coat from the window seat and left the room. He hadn’t gone far before he turned and stuck his head back through the doorway. “In case I didn’t mention it, thank you for saving my life.” He closed the door before Alex’s pillow could hit him in the head.
No matter how Alex shifted, she couldn’t get comfortable. She’d only been confined to bed for two hours, and she was already going mad. Relief washed over her at a tap on the door. Thank God, a visitor.
Her cousin’s hushed voice sounded worried. “Alex, are you awake? I thought you might like something to eat.”
“Come in, I’d love some company.”
Eleanor entered carrying a tray, then made a startled sound when she stepped on a pillow.
Alex grimaced. Damn, she’d forgotten to retrieve it. She must have looked guilty because her cousin stared at her with that “what have you been up to ” look. “Oh, all right. I threw it at him.”
“Who?”
“Lord Worthington. The man is insufferable.”
Eleanor set the tray on the bedside table. “I thought you were going to be nice.” She bent down, picked up the feather pillow, and propped it behind Alex’s shoulders. “He acted very worried about you. After the doctor left, he insisted on remaining by your bed. He seemed to be afraid that you could develop a fever.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Alex settled back into the softness. “Lord
“What happened to marrying when you’re good and ready?”
She lifted her chin and held his gaze, attempting to give him a haughty look. “I’m ready now.”
Declan actually smiled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, my dear. I don’t believe you.”
“Believe what you will. It’s none of your business anyway. Let’s just say we’re on the same side now.” Alex adjusted the covers, trying to look every bit the innocent, demure young lady, while keeping her smile in place to keep from wincing. “How soon before we leave for London?”
Declan couldn’t keep up. He’d never known a woman with such a mercurial temperament. Did she have the slightest idea what she really wanted?
He stared pointedly at her arm. “Our travel plans have been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.”
She had the grace to blush.
“The doctor says you should be up in a couple of days. You’re lucky the bullet went through the fleshy part of your arm, missing the bone.”
“Did you catch him?”
“No, but I had men scouring the woods right after you were shot. The intruder managed to get by them. It had to have been a local who knew the terrain.” Declan gave a frustrated sigh. “Without your assailant, we have no way of tying this back to Addington. He, of course, maintains that it was an incompetent poacher.”
Addington was lying. Declan didn’t doubt his instincts. The gun had been pointed directly at him. The man must be more desperate than he first thought. Perhaps Adrian should do a little checking into Addington’s affairs. His cousin had a talent for discovering the unsavory side of men like Alex’s cousin.
He gripped the carved footboard and studied his ward. She didn’t appear to have any signs of fever. But her pale face and delicate form were swallowed up in the covers of her oversized poster bed. He’d almost lost her, all because her courage put her in the wrong place at the wrong time. “Lady Alexandra, I want you to forget what I said earlier. Stay away from Addington.” He raised a hand to keep her from speaking. “Let me deal with him. I’d also like you to remain close to the house until we leave for London.”
“Is there anything else , my lord?”
He couldn’t miss the sarcasm in her voice. Good, the old Alex was back. He preferred her arguments. When she was friendly, his thoughts strayed too often to the kiss they’d shared.
“Not right now. If I think of something, I know where to find you.” He retrieved his black embroidered coat from the window seat and left the room. He hadn’t gone far before he turned and stuck his head back through the doorway. “In case I didn’t mention it, thank you for saving my life.” He closed the door before Alex’s pillow could hit him in the head.
No matter how Alex shifted, she couldn’t get comfortable. She’d only been confined to bed for two hours, and she was already going mad. Relief washed over her at a tap on the door. Thank God, a visitor.
Her cousin’s hushed voice sounded worried. “Alex, are you awake? I thought you might like something to eat.”
“Come in, I’d love some company.”
Eleanor entered carrying a tray, then made a startled sound when she stepped on a pillow.
Alex grimaced. Damn, she’d forgotten to retrieve it. She must have looked guilty because her cousin stared at her with that “what have you been up to ” look. “Oh, all right. I threw it at him.”
“Who?”
“Lord Worthington. The man is insufferable.”
Eleanor set the tray on the bedside table. “I thought you were going to be nice.” She bent down, picked up the feather pillow, and propped it behind Alex’s shoulders. “He acted very worried about you. After the doctor left, he insisted on remaining by your bed. He seemed to be afraid that you could develop a fever.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Alex settled back into the softness. “Lord
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