Page 72 of Dangerous

“Mia?” It was Adam’s voice.

She froze, her hands clutching at Gamble’s lapels to steady herself as disbelief, anger, and terror swirled inside her. How was it she had not heard him enter? How?

Mia realized she would be hidden from the doorway by the big footman’s body and closed her eyes, wanting to stay where she was, to hide. Maybe if she remained quiet Adam would simply turn around and go away. But then she opened her eyes and realized he was standing a few feet away, his face a mask of cold fury as he looked at her hands, which rested on Gamble’s chest.

Mia released her servant’s coat and nodded. “You may go, Gamble.”

Adam didn’t move a muscle as the big footman eased past him and quietly closed the door.

She smiled brightly. “Were you looking for me, darling?”

Right away, Mia knew she had made a mistake; an enormous mistake.

His eyelids dropped and he gave her a smile that made her shiver. “I was, my dear.”

“Adam, I—”

“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt whatever you were doing,” he said, his tone clipped, emotionless, and businesslike. “I came to tell you the dressmaker has arrived.” He gave her an abrupt bow. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Adam, please—”

He turned back to her as fast as an adder. “I meant to tell you that I will be returning to London on Tuesday. I would leave sooner, but I promised the girls to take them to the theater.”

She reached out to touch him and he stopped her with a look that was pure venom.

“You have honored your part of the bargain, madam, and must be eager and grateful that I can now honor mine.”

The room spun around her at the cold loathing in his voice. The door clicked shut and she felt behind her for something to hold on to as the floor tilted beneath her feet.

Oh God. What had she done?

Chapter Twenty-Two

Mia absently listened to the conversation of the girls and the occasional remark Miss Temple directed—generally at Eva and usually to ask her to stop doing something or other. Mia couldn’t help thinking the governess’s constant harping was a large part of why Eva was so awkward and uncomfortable. She was tempted to send the woman back to the house on some pretext and would have done so if she could only summon up an excuse. But her brain would do nothing to help her.

It had been five wretched days since Adam had caught her with Gamble. She’d returned from the sitting room that day to find the connecting door to his room locked. Oh, she could have made a scene or entered through the hallway door, but to what end?

She had tried to bluff her way out of a bad situation and had only made it worse. And he would be leaving tomorrow. She probably wouldn’t see him for nine months, if then. She needed to do something or say something and she needed to do it quickly.

“May we, Mia?” Catherine asked, breaking into Mia’s thoughts.

“I’m sorry, darling, what did you ask?”

Catherine smiled shyly at the endearment. “Could we look at some gloves afterwards, if you are planning to allow me to attend Lady Hammersmith’s rout, that is.” She blushed as she gently reminded Mia of the engagement with Lady Hammersmith’s granddaughter Amanda, a girl her age who’d quickly become her special friend.

Mia squeezed her arm. “Of course you should have some proper gloves. We will go after Eva has finished choosing her last two fabrics.”

The carriage came to a stop and Mia looked out the window directly into a pair of unforgettable eyes set in a very handsome face.

Martín Bouchard. And he was standing outside the shop they were going to visit, staring boldly at Mia. As stunned as she was, Mia was aware enough to shake her head, the slight movement halting him in his tracks. He gave one of his amused sneers and sank back against the stone façade, crossing his arms over his broad chest and assuming the attitude of a man forced to wait.

“Mia, did you see that man staring so rudely?” Catherine asked, drawing close to Mia, as if to offer protection against the stranger.

“No, dear, was someone staring?”

Eva laughed loudly and Miss Temple shushed her. But the irrepressible girl continued, undaunted by her governess’s severe look. “I believe he was coming toward you with the intention of speaking to you. Do you know him? He looked as if he knew you.” Her blue eyes were sly as she studied Mia’s face.

Mia smiled coolly at her mischievous face, which so resembled Adam’s in features, if not expression. “I’m sure I wouldn’t have forgotten such a face. Come, let us not dally.” She hustled them out of the carriage and into the dressmaker’s shop, brushing past him.