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

He stopped and bowed. “I hope I am not calling too late.”

Madalene opened her mouth to reply but found she couldn’t formulate any words. Thankfully, Mrs. Foster took pity on her and spoke up. “Not at all, my lord. We only just finished supper.”

Lord Hawthorne directed his gaze towards her. “May I speak to you privately, Miss Dowding?”

She nodded slowly.

His lips twitched at her lack of response.

Rising, Mrs. Foster said, “I shall give you two a moment alone.”

After Mrs. Foster stepped out of the room, Lord Hawthorne asked, “How are you faring?”

“I am well.” Madalene was pleased that she was finally able to find her voice. “And you?”

Lord Hawthorne took a step closer to her. “I am well.”

Madalene smiled nervously. “I am glad that we are both well.”

Chuckling, he replied, “I am not the one who was abducted by a madwoman and still managed to secure a hackney to travel to one of the most disreputable public houses in all of the rookeries.”

“I have had harder days,” she joked.

“I can only imagine.” Lord Hawthorne grew serious. “I must assume that you have some questions for me.”

“I do.”

Lord Hawthorne took another step closer to her, making them only a few feet apart. “What would you like to know?”

“You will be honest with me?”

With a thoughtful nod, he replied, “From here on out, I will never lie to you again.” Madalene could tell he was in earnest.

“It pleases me immensely to hear you say that,” she said. “I am going to start with an easy question first.”

“Whatever you would prefer.”

With a solemn look, she asked, “What is your favorite dessert?”

Lord Hawthorne’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Sugar biscuits.”

“That is a wise choice, my lord,” she joked. “But I’m afraid the questions will become increasingly harder now.”

“Yes, I imagined that would be the case.”

Madalene glanced over at the door and lowered her voice. “How long have you been an agent of the Crown?”

“I was recruited out of Oxford.”

“Is that why you disappeared for three years?”

Lord Hawthorne nodded. “I was working with a group of French royalists on the island of Jersey as we tried to stop Napoleon.”

“Why didn’t you come home when Napoleon was exiled?”

“Because we were still tracking down people who were loyal to him,” he explained. “I only came home when I heard that a French spy was coming to England to meet with a group of radicals.”

“The French spy being Marie?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Did you have to kill her?”

“I wasn’t the one who killed her,” he revealed. “Another agent took the shot.”

“Was it Oliver?” she boldly asked.

“It was not.”

“But he is an agent, as well?”

Lord Hawthorne bobbed his head. “He is.”

“Does Jane know?”

He winced slightly. “No, she does not,” he replied, “but I assure you that it is much safer if she doesn’t know the truth.”

“Why is that?”

“The less people that know about us, the better.”

Madalene pursed her lips together as she found the strength to ask her next question. “Was anything that you told me the truth?”

“Most of it.”

She shook her head. “I can’t imagine that to be true.”

“A good lie always has some elements of truth to it,” he shared. “I just left out the parts that would incriminate me as an agent.”

“I feel as if I don’t even know the real you,” Madalene said as she turned away.

Madalene stopped when Lord Hawthorne placed a hand on her sleeve and replied, “You know the real me. I have been here the whole time.”

“But you have another life I know nothing about.”

“That is true,” he said, “but you should know that I am no longer an agent.”

Her lips parted in surprise. “You aren’t?”

“This was my last case,” he informed her as his hand dropped to his side. “My days will now be filled attending Parliament and managing my properties and investments.”

“That doesn’t sound very exciting.”

Huffing, Lord Hawthorne replied, “No, it does not.”

“Whatever will you do to alleviate your boredom?”

He gazed intently into her eyes. “About that,” he started in a solemn voice, “we do have a problem.”

“Which is?”

“How can I be certain that you won’t tell anyone about my being an agent?” he asked with an uplifted brow.

“You shall have to take me at my word.”

Pressing his lips together, he replied, “I’m afraid that is not good enough.”

“It’s not?”

“No, it is not.” He took a step closer to her, forcing her to tilt her head to look up at him. “I propose a union between us.”

“So I won’t reveal your secret?” she asked hesitantly.

“Among other things.”

Dropping her gaze to the lapels of his jacket, she felt disappointed by his offer. She didn’t want a marriage of convenience to Lord Hawthorne. The thought of marrying him when he didn’t return her affections caused her heart to ache.

“I’m afraid I must decline your offer,” she murmured as she reluctantly stepped back.

The surprise was evident on his face as he asked, “Why?”

“I am not interested in a marriage of convenience.”

He stared at her blankly. “Is that what you think I am offering?”

“Isn’t it?”

Running a hand through his hair, Lord Hawthorne declared, “Heavens, no!”

“Then I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

Lord Hawthorne met her gaze, and she refrained from smiling at his tousled hair. “I am not good at giving speeches, Madalene. But I want you to bear with me.”

He took a deep breath before he began. “You are the most intriguing young woman I have ever met. You are beautiful, compassionate, kind, clever, and incredibly headstrong.” He chuckled. “At times, you may almost be too stubborn, but I am willing to overlook that.”

“Are you trying to compliment me or insult me?”

Lord Hawthorne reached for her hand. “Compliment you,” he replied. “I don’t hesitate when someone is pointing a pistol at me, but I’m growing increasingly anxious at the prospect of offering myself to the woman that I love.”

She blinked. “Love?” she repeated. “You love me?”

“Yes, how could I not?” he asked. “I don’t know exactly when I started to fall in love with you, but I suspect it was when I first saw you in