Dauntless (Gentlemen of the Order 1)

“I didn’t know you were a connoisseur of port wine,” he said, raising his glass in salute.

“I’m not. Howard insists on the best. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve wanted to pull the stopper from the decanter and empty the contents over his head.”

Mr Ashwood laughed. “What, and waste an extremely good vintage?”

Eva laughed, too. She liked having him in her private space. It didn’t feel strange or awkward. Few men cared to hear a woman’s opinion. Noah Ashwood was different. He possessed the rare quality of being so remarkably masculine without the arrogance and the desperate need to take control.

She liked that.

She liked him—more than she should.

The memory of his fingers threading into her hair, the memory of his hot mouth moving so expertly, sent tingles to her toes. Oh, lust was a dangerous devil, indeed.

Thankfully, a knock on the door brought an end to her amorous musings, banished all notions of her raising her skirts and sitting astride Mr Ashwood’s solid thighs.

“Come,” she called, though her voice revealed something of her torment.

Henry entered. He had dressed in a hurry and appeared a little dishevelled. “You sent for me, ma’am.”

“Come in and close the door.”

From her sharp tone, the servant knew something was amiss. He did as she bade him and then waited, hands clasped behind his back, for instruction.

Eva glanced at Mr Ashwood, who settl

ed back into the plush cushions as if about to watch an entertaining drama at the playhouse.

“This morning I asked you to take important documents to Mr Ashwood’s office in Hart Street,” she said, focusing her attention on the footman.

“Yes, ma’am.” Henry’s pale complexion was a sure sign of his guilt.

“When I questioned you later, you explained that you handed the documents to him personally. That is what you said?”

The footman nodded and glanced at the gentleman lounging on the sofa.

“And yet you lied. You did not see Mr Ashwood this morning. And so I must conclude one of two things. Either you thought the letters had value and so kept them, or—”

“No, ma’am. As God is my witness, I didn’t steal the letters.” A green vein in Henry’s temple bulged as he pleaded his case. “I didn’t take them, I swear. I can’t lose this position, ma’am.”

Eva’s foolish heart softened. She knew Henry supported an ailing mother, and three siblings who still lived at home. But perhaps her compassionate nature was the cause of her mounting problems.

“It’s either that,” she continued, forcing an air of authority into her tone, “or someone prevented you from taking the documents to Mr Ashwood.”

Indeed, perhaps Henry knew the note would lead Mr Ashwood to the blackmailer. Perhaps Howard was to blame, and he controlled matters from the shadows. She would kill the coward herself if that proved the case.

“So, which is it, Henry?” Eva pressed. “Did you steal the documents? Did someone else force you to part with crucial evidence? My brother was desperate to have you serve as his valet. Perhaps that’s where your loyalty lies.”

“No, ma’am. Mr Dunn wanted me for his valet so I could run his errands. I took money to a place in Rosemary Lane. A terrible place full of cutthroats and vicious thugs.”

“The Compass Inn,” Mr Ashwood offered from his seat. “You gave money to the Turners? How much?”

“Three hundred pounds, sir, though Mr Turner said he’d cut off my b—” Henry swallowed and took a quick breath. “Mr Turner will do me an injury if I don’t return with the full amount.”

Shame burned Eva’s cheeks. While living in her house, Howard had been secretly manipulating her staff. Just because he was the older brother, that did not give him the right to do as he pleased.

“As I'm the mistress of this house, you should have told me.”

“The master said I’d lose my position if I didn’t do as he said.”