Read Online No Ordinary Mistress (Entangled Scandalous) by Robyn DeHart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robyn DeHart
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understand,” Franklin said, his voice rough from years of heavy smoking. Remy had already eyed several ashtrays around the room. There had to be a least six of them, more than enough for one person.
“He did,” Remy said. “We wanted to discuss Comfry’s activities with you. Where you followed him to and so forth.”
Franklin nodded to Emma. “You’re the governess.”
“I was,” she said.
“Word is they’re looking for you,” Franklin said.
“Who?” Remy and Emma said simultaneously.
“Comfry’s wife, the authorities. They think you killed him.”
“Well, that’s to be expected. I disappeared the night he was killed,” Emma said. A heavy frown furrowed her brow, and to the untrained eye, it might appear as if she was merely annoyed, but Remy could see the small tick in her jaw. She was scared.
Damnation!
Franklin stood and went to his desk where he lit a cigar and retrieved a notebook. “I sent all my notes to Harrison on Comfry’s whereabouts, when he’d leave the house.” He sat. Smoke billowed from his mouth. “The usual haunts for you blokes. Whites and Brooks, then he’d occasionally pay visits to Lord Wycliff, Mr. Peterman, and Confry’s uncle, Baron Prescott.” Franklin frowned. “It was odd, though, that on more than one occasion, he went to his uncle’s after his uncle had left the townhome. Comfry would stay a while, too.”
“Visiting someone else, perhaps,” Remy said.
Franklin shrugged, flicked the ashes into the tray at his side. “I didn’t much give a damn what the man was doing, but I was paid to follow him, so I did.”
Remy eyed the man. “May I have those notes?”
Franklin looked down and then shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
“It is appreciated.” Remy gave the man a bank note. “For your troubles.”
Remy held his hand out to Emma and then nodded to Franklin. “We’ll see ourselves out.”
They said nothing more until they reached the confines of the carriage where Emma released a very unladylike curse.
“They won’t arrest you, sweetheart.” He pulled her to him, held her against his chest. She tried to fight, tried to pull away, but her efforts were weak. She sighed and leaned into him. “I’ll keep you safe,” he murmured into her hair.
“You can’t keep me safe forever.”
…
The last thing Emma wanted was to have to depend on a man for her very survival, the way her mother had lived and put food on their table. Sleeping with one man or the next, always looking for a fatter purse and a nicer townhome, larger jewels. Emma had sworn she’d never live like that, never have to sell herself for security.
To make matters worse, she felt more secure and protected with Remy. She knew that no matter what, he would keep her safe. At least he’d protect her body. Her heart, on the other hand, was in significant danger. The more time she spent with Remy, the more she wanted to give in to his request for her to be his forever. But to her way of thinking, the only thing worse than being dependent on a man to provide for you would be loving a man who didn’t love you in return.
“I won’t let anyone arrest you,” Remy said. His voice rang through the carriage, simultaneously giving her strength and weakening her resolve. “We can leave London if we have to.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Emma said, trying to keep her emotions in check. There was no reason to let him know precisely how scared she truly was, though she had a sneaking suspicion he knew more than he let on. She waved her hand dismissively. “Right now we have an assignment, and that is what we need to put our minds toward.”
“You can pretend to be brave if you need to, but you should know that you never have to pretend with me. I know you. I know that you want, with every breath, to not have to rely on me or any other man to protect you or care for you. I know that you’ve spent your life hiding yourself, hiding your beautiful body so men won’t look
“He did,” Remy said. “We wanted to discuss Comfry’s activities with you. Where you followed him to and so forth.”
Franklin nodded to Emma. “You’re the governess.”
“I was,” she said.
“Word is they’re looking for you,” Franklin said.
“Who?” Remy and Emma said simultaneously.
“Comfry’s wife, the authorities. They think you killed him.”
“Well, that’s to be expected. I disappeared the night he was killed,” Emma said. A heavy frown furrowed her brow, and to the untrained eye, it might appear as if she was merely annoyed, but Remy could see the small tick in her jaw. She was scared.
Damnation!
Franklin stood and went to his desk where he lit a cigar and retrieved a notebook. “I sent all my notes to Harrison on Comfry’s whereabouts, when he’d leave the house.” He sat. Smoke billowed from his mouth. “The usual haunts for you blokes. Whites and Brooks, then he’d occasionally pay visits to Lord Wycliff, Mr. Peterman, and Confry’s uncle, Baron Prescott.” Franklin frowned. “It was odd, though, that on more than one occasion, he went to his uncle’s after his uncle had left the townhome. Comfry would stay a while, too.”
“Visiting someone else, perhaps,” Remy said.
Franklin shrugged, flicked the ashes into the tray at his side. “I didn’t much give a damn what the man was doing, but I was paid to follow him, so I did.”
Remy eyed the man. “May I have those notes?”
Franklin looked down and then shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
“It is appreciated.” Remy gave the man a bank note. “For your troubles.”
Remy held his hand out to Emma and then nodded to Franklin. “We’ll see ourselves out.”
They said nothing more until they reached the confines of the carriage where Emma released a very unladylike curse.
“They won’t arrest you, sweetheart.” He pulled her to him, held her against his chest. She tried to fight, tried to pull away, but her efforts were weak. She sighed and leaned into him. “I’ll keep you safe,” he murmured into her hair.
“You can’t keep me safe forever.”
…
The last thing Emma wanted was to have to depend on a man for her very survival, the way her mother had lived and put food on their table. Sleeping with one man or the next, always looking for a fatter purse and a nicer townhome, larger jewels. Emma had sworn she’d never live like that, never have to sell herself for security.
To make matters worse, she felt more secure and protected with Remy. She knew that no matter what, he would keep her safe. At least he’d protect her body. Her heart, on the other hand, was in significant danger. The more time she spent with Remy, the more she wanted to give in to his request for her to be his forever. But to her way of thinking, the only thing worse than being dependent on a man to provide for you would be loving a man who didn’t love you in return.
“I won’t let anyone arrest you,” Remy said. His voice rang through the carriage, simultaneously giving her strength and weakening her resolve. “We can leave London if we have to.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” Emma said, trying to keep her emotions in check. There was no reason to let him know precisely how scared she truly was, though she had a sneaking suspicion he knew more than he let on. She waved her hand dismissively. “Right now we have an assignment, and that is what we need to put our minds toward.”
“You can pretend to be brave if you need to, but you should know that you never have to pretend with me. I know you. I know that you want, with every breath, to not have to rely on me or any other man to protect you or care for you. I know that you’ve spent your life hiding yourself, hiding your beautiful body so men won’t look
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