Anna seemed to sense his wavering, for she quickly added, “And because people see me as naught but a sweet, biddable girl, you would be amazed at how comfortable they feel in confiding things to me.”
Devlin watched a scudding of shadows pass over her profile. “I’m frightened for your safety,” he finally confessed.
Her lips curled ever so slightly upward. “First of all, I can’t imagine you afraid of anything.”
Ha! I’m terrified of your wonderfully clever mind. I’m terrified of your intriguingly impish smile. I’m terrified of your sweetly sensual body. I’m terrified at how the walls around my heart seem to be crumbling into dust.
“And secondly,” she explained, “I am willing to set some parameters. I’m not a fool, and so I won’t do anything foolish.”
“Our definitions of ‘foolish’ may be at odds,” he pointed out.
She pondered that for a drawn-out moment. “Fair enough. Then how about we settle on a compromise. Let us agree to work together to discover if there is a plot to harm Prince Gunther. However, if and when you feel it’s getting too dangerous for me to be involved, I will stop.”
“You will obey my order?”
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What verbal loopholes am I missing here?”
She laughed. “None that I can think of at the moment.”
“Anna, I—”
“That was a jest. You have my promise. A word from you and I shall back off.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.”
Clasping his hands behind his back, Devlin took a silent turn around the urn. Did he dare make a deal with the Devil? She was right—her assistance would be invaluable. And no doubt Thorncroft would expect him to accept it without batting an eye. No sacrifice was too great for King and country. Including her life as well as his own.
“Damnation,” he muttered, uncertain, undecided. “If I say yes, I shall likely regret it.”
Anna crossed her ankles and smoothed at her wind-ruffled skirts.
“Damn, damn, damn.”
“Swearing and walking in circles is not the best way to come to a reasonable decision,” she murmured.
“I’m not feeling very reasonable,” retorted Devlin.
Because I’m devil-damned if I can describe the unreasonable emotions twisting my innards into a knot at this moment.
She eyed him as if he were a slightly slow-witted schoolboy struggling to add up a simple sum.
Her look provoked a fresh scowl. “You promise there will be no mechanical eagle or plot to murder a prince in your new book?”
“You drive a very hard bargain, sir. It is a great artistic sacrifice that you demand, but yes, you have my promise.”
“Oh, bloody hell,” he conceded, after pacing through another turn. “Very well. We have a deal. But I warn you, if you try to wiggle out of your promise I shall find the deepest, darkest dungeon in Christendom and lock you there until Doomsday.”
“Fair enough.” A smile bloomed on her lips. “Now enough of sparring with each other. Tell me whom you consider to be the most likely suspects.”
Chapter Sixteen
You were missed at the picnic,” said Caro, turning around from her dressing table as Anna entered her bedchamber. “I have much to tell you—”
“Alors, please sit still, Mademoiselle Carolina, while I fasten the last hairpins in place,” chided Josette. “The supper bell rang several minutes ago and I should not like for you to be late in joining the other guests.”