Slave to the Night (The Brotherhood 2)

"Are you ready?" Lord Markham took a few steps towards her.

"Just wait a moment. Pretend we are talking about something. I want you to watch the door and tell me who the lady is with the ebony ringlets."

"Why?" A frown marred his brow while his tone carried a hint of concern.

"Perhaps I'm paranoid. Perhaps the events of the last few days have addled my already weary brain. But I believe there is a lady in the retiring room who knows I am not Caroline. I have a feeling she knew so before even speaking to me."

"Well, ladies are far more astute than gentlemen when it comes to noticing such things."

Grace heard the door open behind her and watched Lord Markham take a discreet peek over her shoulder.

"It's Lady Sudley," he continued. "And I do not mean any disrespect when I say this, but a lady of her standing would usually snub the likes of Caroline Rosemond."

"I am not offended," she said with a sigh. "In the last few days, I seem to have grown accustomed to hearing slanderous remarks about my sister. Although I don't suppose they can be called slanderous when they're true."

Lord Markham offered an empathetic smile but did not contradict her. "There is a difference between suspecting you're not Caroline and knowing so. The latter implies some level of involvement."

"We will talk about Evelyn's theory and then decide what to do tomorrow." Tonight, she was done with thinking. She needed a clear head if she was to help Caroline.

He removed his pocket watch and glanced at the time. "I said we would meet Alexander and Evelyn outside. We had better make our apologies and leave."

She allowed him to escort her back to Evelyn's house on Duke Street. In the small confines of his carriage, she was conscious of him sitting in such close proximity, and she felt safe, protected. Evelyn sat next to her husband, smiling as her gaze shifted between them.

But one terrifying thought overshadowed all others.

Her fears had nothing to do with Caroline or Lady Sudley or whatever devious schemes were at work. The closer she became to Lord Markham, the more she knew that Henry Denton's presence still lingered within her. It tainted her blood, contaminated her memories, poisoned her future.

She had to find a way to be free of him.

She had to find a way to cleanse her soul.

Chapter 9

The constant rocking of his carriage on the uneven road did little to settle Elliot's chaotic mind.

He had tried to listen to Grace's thoughts; he had tried to determine what it was that troubled her so deeply. Henry Denton's name had drifted into his mind, accompanied by feelings of anguish, loneliness and pain. The sins of a selfish husband had left a permanent scar, which he feared was still somewhat raw.

In his mind, he imagined putting a comforting arm around her shoulder, drawing her into his chest where it was warm, safe.

Elliot had never claimed to be an honourable man, not when it came to his sexual appetite. Indeed, half of him could think of nothing other than burying himself deep inside Grace Denton. To sate a physical need. To satisfy a curiosity.

Half of him wanted to offer his protection, to ease her fears, make her happy.

That's the part that terrified him, the part he struggled to understand.

Evelyn cleared her throat. "If you're not too tired, we could look through your sister's diary, and I could tell you more about my theory."

"No," Grace said with a sigh. "I'm not tired."

Elliot cast Grace a sideways glance and knew from her demeanour that she was simply being polite. The last few days must have taken their toll. There were times when she appeared so confident, so controlled and determined

. But the times when she appeared lost, a little fragile and broken seemed to manifest more frequently as the hours passed.

Of course, she only had a matter of days to uncover the mystery surrounding Caroline Rosemond's disappearance. He did not envy her the task of explaining her sister's demise to her mother.

And he had not helped matters. His negligence had forced her to put herself at risk tonight.

"I think we should focus all our efforts on helping Mrs. Denton discover what has happened to Miss Rosemond," he said with a level of determination he rarely expressed.