A Dangerous Pursuit (Regency Spies & Secrets Book 1), Laura Beers [romantic books to read TXT] 📗

they landed on her, and he rushed to say, “My apologies. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“Nonsense,” Madalene said, abruptly rising. “I was just leaving.”

“You were?” Jane asked.

Madalene nodded. “I was, but would you like to meet for some lemon ice at Gunter’s tomorrow?”

“I would.”

“Wonderful,” Madalene replied. “I shall see myself out, then.”

As she walked towards the door, she offered Lord Hawthorne a polite smile. He acknowledged it with a tip of his head.

She stepped out of the drawing room and swiftly walked across the entry hall, hoping to create more distance between her and Lord Hawthorne.

A deep, baritone voice came from behind her. “A word, Miss Dowding.”

Madalene stopped and closed her eyes in dread. The last thing she wanted to do right now was converse with him.

Slowly, she turned around and watched as he approached her. “Yes, Lord Hawthorne,” she said, hoping her words were cordial enough.

He stopped in front of her, leaving more than enough distance to be considered proper. “I would like to apologize for my harsh words earlier this morning.”

An apology? She had not been expecting that.

“Thank you for that, my lord,” she replied, and started to turn away, but his next words stopped her.

“I hope we can remain friends.”

“Friends?” she repeated back incredulously.

Lord Hawthorne was watching her with an intensity that she could not discern. “Am I being too presumptuous in assuming that we are friends?” he asked.

“No, you are not,” she rushed to say. “I would be honored to call you my friend.”

A smile came to his lips, making him devilishly handsome. Now where had that thought come from, she wondered.

He took a step closer to her and said, “I am happy to hear that, especially after everything we have been through.”

“I agree,” she responded, returning his smile.

They both remained rooted in their spots, smiling at one another, when Jane’s voice came from behind her brother.

“You must not delay Madalene’s departure any longer, Brother,” Jane remarked tersely.

Lord Hawthorne blinked, and the smile dropped from his lips. “Of course,” he replied. “My apologies… again.”

Madalene shifted her gaze towards Jane. “I shall see you tomorrow, Jane,” she said before turning to leave.

Once she had stepped onto the cobblestone courtyard, Madalene found her smile returning. Why did the thought of being Lord Hawthorne’s friend have to be so intriguing? And how was it possible that she was this fickle about him? Hadn’t she just been afraid of him?

Good heavens, she thought. She didn’t know what to think about Lord Hawthorne anymore.

Chapter Thirteen

The moment Miss Dowding had departed from Hawthorne House, Jane exclaimed, “You abducted my friend?!”

Baldwin sighed before turning back towards his sister. “She shouldn’t have told you that.”

“Why?” Jane asked, placing a hand on her hip. “Is it because you want to keep up the pretense of being such an honorable lord?”

“If you would like to talk about this, I suggest that we adjourn to the privacy of my study,” Baldwin said. His tone brooked no argument, and he started walking towards the rear of the townhouse.

Jane followed closely behind, and he could practically feel her piercing gaze on his back. He stopped in front of the open door and stood to the side. Once Jane had entered, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the drink cart, knowing he would need something strong to drink to help him with this conversation.

As he removed the stopper from the decanter, he asked, “What is on your mind, dear sister?”

“You abducted my friend.”

“To say that would imply she wasn’t in on the ruse.”

“Do you have no remorse?”

Baldwin poured himself a drink before he responded. “I do not,” he replied. “Because of Miss Dowding’s cooperation, we were able to rescue five girls who had gone missing and saved them from a life of slavery.”

“Did you not concern yourself with Madalene’s reputation in the least?”

“I care greatly,” he replied, “which is why every care was taken to ensure no one discovered what we intended to do.”

“Madalene said you left her alone with the girls while you went off to have a drink with the person who tied her hands together.”

“That is true.” He took a sip of his drink.

Jane eyed him suspiciously as she lowered her voice. “Why are you even associating with those types of people?”

“You do not need to concern yourself with that.”

“You cannot possibly be in earnest!” she exclaimed in disbelief.

With his drink in his hand, Baldwin walked over to his desk and sat down. “Why do you say that?”

“Because if word ever got around Town that you were associating with those types of people, you would damage our family’s reputation.”

“No one will ever know,” he gave her a pointed look, “unless you intend to tell them.”

“Why would I intentionally ruin our reputation amongst the ton?”

Baldwin brought the glass up to his lips. “Frankly, I don’t know what to think about you anymore.”

“I feel the same way about you,” she countered.

He considered his sister for a moment before saying, “We can’t keep going on this way. We need to sort out our differences and move on.”

“Move on?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. “You just want me to forgive you for abandoning our family and be done with it?”

“I understand your hostility—”

She cut him off. “No, you don’t,” she declared. “When Father died, I needed you here. I needed my brother, but you left, without an explanation.”

“And I am sorry for that.”

“Are you?” she asked.

“I am sorry for hurting you.”

“But not for leaving?”

Placing his empty glass on the desk, Baldwin replied, “I had to leave.”

“Why?” she asked, coming closer to the desk. “Why did you have to leave your family when we were all grieving Father’s death?”

“It is a long story.”

“I have time.”

With a shake of his head, he asserted, “I’m afraid you wouldn’t understand my reasons.”

Jane sat down on a chair that faced the desk. “Perhaps not, but I am willing to try,” she said, her voice softening.

“I was not prepared for Father’s death,” he murmured.

“None of