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yesterday, Marion. You shared an embarrassing secret about your father and Mr. Lucas, and then a pleasant one about your aunts. I assume that means you have some level of trust in me.”
    Marion bit her lower lip as she thought of some of the details she’d left out when she’d told Noah about the marriage arrangement she so wanted to avoid. But that wasn’t a matter of trust, that was a matter of avoiding complete humiliation.
    “ Do I take your silence to mean that you don’t trust me?”
    Marion shook her thoughts away. “Oh no, I do . I wouldn’t have asked for your help if I didn’t.”
    “ Good.” Relief swept over his face. “Then I feel I can trust you, as well. What I’m about to tell you is something very few people know. I need it to stay that way.”
    Marion’s eyes widened. “I won’t breathe a word.”
    “ I’m afraid I’ve been misleading you.” Noah held her gaze. “I’m not here in Woodbury for the reasons you believe me to be.”
    She was drawn in by the serious seductiveness of his tone and the gleam in his eyes. “Then why are you here?”
    “ Marion, I’m a spy for His Majesties War Department. I’m here on a case.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
Chapter Seven
     
    Noah had been forced to tell people about his role in the government before. Most took the news with the seriousness afforded it. Marion tilted her head back with a peal of laughter.
    “ Marion.”
    He glanced around to make sure her outburst hadn’t drawn unwanted attention to them. Had she become hysterical after the stress of the past few days?
    “ You know.” With a sigh, she wiped away her tears of mirth. “If you don’t want to help me, you only have to say no. You don’t have to concoct some kind of silly story meant to impress and mislead me.”
    Noah opened and shut his mouth. Women cooed over him, they fawned over him… they did not laugh at him.
    He stood up. “I-I’m not concocting a story. I’ve served the government for ten years.”
    She giggled.
    “ On dangerous missions,” he insisted.
    She nodded as she tried in vain to control her laughter. “I’m sure you have.”
    “ I kept the Prince Regent from being assassinated not one year ago!” His voice went up two levels as his frustration grew. With a grimace, he checked the immediate area for listeners.
    Marion looked at him with pinched lips and eyes full of wonder, but didn’t say anything for a moment.
    “ Well?” he snapped.
    “ I’m trying to decide if you’re being serious or if you’re simply daft.” She folded her hands on her lap. “I no longer think you’re lying, though.”
    “ Well, thank God for that.” With a grunt, he threw himself back into the seat. “I so enjoy being called crazy rather than a liar.”
    “ I’m sorry, Noah,” she said with a small smile for his sarcasm. “You must admit it’s difficult to believe.”
    He frowned. It had never been difficult for the women he’d told before to believe. In fact, they’d been so impressed with the fact that many had fallen into his bed because of his status in the Department alone. But Marion wasn’t like those women. Marion wasn’t like anyone he’d ever known.
    “ I can see why it might be difficult for you to believe,” he said through clenched teeth. “But I promise you, it’s true. I can provide references if you wish.”
    When she looked closely at him, something in her face changed. “No. I believe you. I’d forgotten yesterday…”
    “ What about yesterday?”
    “ Yesterday there was a moment where you looked so dangerous.” She shivered. “I can believe you’re a spy when I think of how you appeared in that instant.”
    Noah’s blood moved quicker through his veins at her words. There was something very sensual about her finding him dangerous. Something that made him want to prove just how dangerous he could be.
    He cleared his throat. “A-at any rate, the reason I’m telling you this is because I need your help.”
    “ My