My Earl's Entrapment (Wicked Lords of London 3)

Bridgeton pulled out a kerchief and mopped his brow. “She is.” He stepped closer then. “I am lucky to have her, but the woman has needs beyond any I anticipated.”

Now Will knew that his own eyebrows must be up in his hair. “Needs?” If the man started talking about the bedroom, he might completely lose his facilities. But his intuition told him that the young woman hadn’t married an older earl for the bedsport.

“Dresses, parties, jewels.” the man’s frown deepened the lines on his face. “I can barely keep up.” Bridgeton let out a dramatic sigh. “I know you recognized the stones. I got them from our mutual friend at a steep discount. Not that they satisfied my lovely wife. But Her Grace was kind enough to suggest that the stones be held where they’d be safe, everyone can see their quality apparently.”

A ripple of satisfaction passed through Will. Bridgeton had taken the bait. Landon’s plan was working. “Indeed.”

“But it got me thinking.” The man looked to one side then the other, stepping closer. “If there is an entire safe worth of jewels and valuables, why not take advantage of an opportunity?”

His teeth clenched. Damn it, Bridgeton had found the flaw in the plan. “I don’t know that that is a wise plan. Our friend always used a vast network to keep his activities private.” The marquess had used solicitors who had a network of thieves and crooked jewelers to make valuables disappear.

Bridgeton leaned in closer still. “There must be seventy-five guests here in addition to the staff they’ve brought. I won’t take anything noticeable. Only things that won’t be missed until late

r.”

Will had spent the afternoon fitting Rose’s carriage with a secret compartment so no one would find the jewels. It was simple yet time consuming. But it wouldn’t do a lick of good if he couldn’t take the diamonds out of the safe because Bridgeton planned to break into it. “What does any of this have to do with me?”

“I thought, being so well-acquainted with Perrault, you might be able to get me the combination?”

He pulled his head back. “Get you the combination?” It came out as a growl.

“For a price of course. Perhaps ten percent?”

A new plan formed. One where he’d actually catch Bridgeton in the act. It would be his farewell to his former life as well as allow him to get Rose’s heirlooms back. “I’ll see what I can do. Meet me after breakfast in the library.” He leaned in closer like he was scheming. “Wait until I am alone.”

Bridgeton nodded. “Of course.” Then he backed and hooked his fingers in the cuff of his jacket. “Good catching up with you, old chap.”

Will took a slow breath to keep from sending his gaze heavenward. “You too. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll take a turn about the courtyard.”

Bridgeton turned back toward the ballroom doors. Will headed in the opposite direction until he was under Rose’s window.

Scaling the trellis, he climbed up on her balcony and approached the doors. He lifted his hand to tap on the glass but a quick glance showed that she was sleeping soundly in her bed.

Letting out a long breath, he stared at her, his eyes wandering over every curve and line as she lay on her side facing him. The flare of her hip, the indentation of her waist, the curve of her shoulder drew his eyes up. The column of her neck begged for his kisses as did her parted lips. He could practically feel the softness of her cheek under his fingers and he longed to untie her hair and bury his fingers in the tresses.

She sighed in her sleep, her chest rising. His own chest tightened with an emotion he didn’t care to name, though he knew the feeling vaguely. He wanted to hold her, protect her. Will longed to love her.

And not just make love to her. He wanted to support her, and he was sure, she would teach him what it meant to be wrapped in a cocoon of love.

He didn’t know how long he watched her sleep. He didn’t try to enter the room, he didn’t want to wake her. She looked beautiful lying there. Finally, he climbed down and returned to his own room. As he climbed into the bed, it seemed vast and empty and he had the intense desire to have her curled into his side as he slept. Tomorrow they’d talk. He’d start with the truth about who he was and tell her how he felt. He needed her by his side. He only prayed he hadn’t waited too long.

Chapter Nine

Rose woke early and dressed for breakfast. She entered the dining room to find it empty. If she were honest, she’d expected to see Will again this morning but he didn’t come. She knew there would be a hunt today, had he left already?

She wandered down the hall, trying to decide what she might do with her day. She’d come here to search for jewels and Will had taken that over for her. She realized that she trusted him to find them and returned them.

Stopping in the hall, she had to smile. She did trust him. Though her mind had taken some time, her heart had trusted him from the beginning. Was she in love with him?

That certainly would explain the connection between them.

A lightness filled her chest as she covered her hand with her mouth. Did she dare to tell him?

Just then voices, soft and low, filtered down the hall. She moved toward them, catching the deep tones of male voices from the open door of the library. One sounded remarkably like Will’s.

There was a fern just outside the doors and she hid behind it as she turned her ear toward their sound.

“The code is on the back of this piece of paper. Double back during the hunt, and enter through the back. Make sure none of the staff see you.” It was Will’s voice.