Eliza’s heart hummed. “I did say that, didn’t I?” She took a deep breath. “Truth be told, I do have a few ideas.”
“Really?” He sat up, pulling her into his lap. “Do tell.”
“How do you feel about France? Or India? Or the Orient?” She nibbled her lip as she watched his brow knit together in confusion.
“I’m not certain I understand? I thought you wished to see America?”
“I do.” She drew in a breath. “You need a way to bring in revenue to rebuild the marquisate. I need to feel like I am not sitting at home. What do you think about taking the helm of my father’s business? I know Bash doesn’t want to run Isabella’s share. And neither Emily nor Abigail have any interest. We could—”
But she wasn’t able to finish. “You are the bravest, most intelligent, most beautiful woman I have ever met.”
She smiled against his lips. “And I could never imagine doing something like this without you.”
He reached for her hand, twining their fingers together. “I love you, Eliza, and now that we are together, I can’t imagine my life without you. You make me…” he paused, leaning back to look in her eyes. “You make me a better man.”
She reached up and ran her hand through his hair. “You make me better too, Dylan. I thought I wanted to walk this world alone on some great adventure, but it turns out, the fun is wherever you are.”
He grinned as he kissed her again. She’d found her home.
A fortnight later…
* * *
Dylan sat behind a curtain at the Den of Sins, Eliza at one side, Bash at the other. He watched as Isabella, dressed as a man, dealt another round of cards. She’d been working the tables for a week in disguise.
The brown coat she wore made her shoulders appear larger and Abigail had dusted her face with ash to give her the appearance of whiskers.
“Dishonor hasn’t come,” Eliza whispered, tapping her foot. “This plan isn’t working.”
Dylan reached for her hand. He and Bash had been watching the warehouse, but they’d seen no sign of Dishonor.
Before Isabella and Bash had married, Isabella had worked here in disguise to keep her sisters fed. Dishonor had come here to give her money and they’d hoped he’d come again…
“Maybe he knows we’re onto him,” Bash growled. “When I get my hands on him.”
“We don’t know that he did anything,” Eliza replied.
“You’re right. It’s just odd that he disappeared just as Dylan saw his partner stealing.” Bash grunted. “And if I were honest, I want to take my frustration out on someone. He seems like a good candidate.”
Dylan squeezed her fingers. “I totally understand. But I find it difficult to believe he’s the thief. He saved the women, he told them of their inheritance. He might only come when the girls need him. Which, with us in their lives, they don’t.”
“The solicitor hasn’t heard from him either. Not for days,” Bash added with a frown.
“Thanks to the stewards,” Eliza murmured, “shipments are going out. And he shut down those two lines like he said he would. I’ve triple-checked the books, the logs, and the actual shipments. No more goods or money is missing.”
Dylan shook his head. “That can’t be the end can it? We still don’t know for certain who was behind anything. I told the king what I know, but I’m not able to actually identify either Dishonor or the Scot.” He scratched his chin. “Perhaps they were behind it after all. Now that we’re getting close, they’ve disappeared.”
“Or.” Bash looked at Eliza and frowned. He still had trouble speaking freely in front of her at times. “The Scot killed both Malcolm and Dishonor.”
Eliza shivered next to him. “But he can’t hurt us, can he? This Scot? He doesn’t have access to the business?”
“Not that I can find in any of the paperwork,” Bash said as he lifted the curtain a bit higher to watch Isabella. “So, perhaps, it really is over with. I hope Dishonor isn’t dead, but I’d love to call this mystery closed. Your uncle is gone, the business isn’t losing any more money, and—”
Then he stopped talking as his gaze swung toward the door. “Damn it all to bloody hell!”
Dylan followed Bash’s eyes. Standing in the doorway in the Den of Sins was Dishonor. Bleeding. Badly.
“It’s not over yet,” Eliza said as she stood. Without another word, she linked her hand with his and raced from the hidden room and out onto the floor. They weren’t done with their adventure, and he had the feeling Dishonor was about to play a key role. He looked at his wife; with her by his side he was ready for whatever the future would bring.