Dauntless (Gentlemen of the Order 1)

She was so in love with Noah Ashwood she would not make him choose between her and his position. She would not let him torment himself or be forever plagued by guilt.

“Then why must you run away?” Mr Cole challenged.

“You’re his friend. You know his worth. Noah was made for great things.” More important things than passion and pleasure. “With my tainted history, I shall be a stain on his character.”

“If you think he will let you go, you’re mistaken.”

Oh, why must Mr Cole make things more difficult? Could he not see that her heart was breaking? Could he not see that she would crumple to the floor at any moment, a blubbering wreck?

Eva lifted her chin. “He’ll have to marry and sire an heir. And he’s not the sort of man to keep a mistress.” Not that she could make love to a man who had a wife.

The slam of the front door and the clip of booted footsteps prompted Mr Cole to say, “Ah, let us see what Ashwood has to say about the matter. I’m rather glad I have a seat for this.”

Eva arched a brow. “If I didn’t know better, I might believe you’re amused.”

After having a brief conversation with Kenning, Noah strode into the drawing room.

Eva’s heart lurched.

Tears threatened to fall.

“Forgive me. I didn’t realise I would be so long. We’ve been out searching for Gertrude.” He looked exhausted, world-weary. Those magnificent green eyes had lost their confident sparkle. “Lord knows where the woman has gone. If she has any sense, she will be halfway to France by now.” He walked towards the decanters on the side table, stopped abruptly when he noticed her valise on the floor next to the chair. “What the devil’s going on?”

Before she could form a word, Mr Cole said, “Miss Dunn is of a mind to save you. She is returning home so you may concentrate your efforts on playing the dutiful peer.”

Eva gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to kick Mr Cole’s injured leg.

Shock, and something infinitely more disturbing, flashed in Noah’s eyes as he absorbed the information. “You’re leavin

g? You’re returning to Brownlow Street?”

“I don’t want to be a distraction, not now you have more pressing matters to deal with.” This was not a conversation she wanted to have in the presence of Mr Cole. She was bound to cry. “And Howard is no longer a concern. As soon as Mr Daventry explained that the blade that killed Mr Hemming was meant for my brother, he accepted five thousand pounds and passage on the next ship sailing to Italy.”

“As Dunn hasn’t committed a crime and is guilty of nothing more than tormenting his sister,” Mr Cole explained, “Daventry and Bower bungled him into the carriage and left for the docks.”

But Noah didn’t seem remotely interested in her brother’s fate. “You don’t think I would make time for you, Eva?” he said in a low voice. “After my experiences, you don’t think I know what is important?”

Every bone and muscle in her body throbbed with the need to kiss him, to strip off his clothes, take him into her aching body and never let go.

“Noah, I’m simply returning home now the threat has passed, as we agreed.”

“No, you’re leaving because you think I’m to inherit. You think that changes things.”

“Of course it changes things.”

Noah shook his head. “Gertrude might be carrying an heir.”

“I think that is highly unlikely.”

“Well, yes, particularly after Sir Malcolm spoke to her lady’s maid, but nothing is set in stone.”

Eva glanced at Mr Cole, who didn’t seem remotely embarrassed that he was party to this conversation.

“We all need sleep,” she reiterated. “McGuffey will take me back to Brownlow Street, and we can discuss this later.”

Noah remained silent for a moment, then he crossed the room and came to stand a mere foot away. “You forget, I once looked into a woman’s eyes when she lied and professed all was well. Sometimes, later never comes. And so we will have this out now, madam.” His determined gaze remained fixed on her when he said, “I shall call on you later today, Cole. Won’t you excuse us?”

Without warning, Noah scooped Eva into his arms and headed for the door.