Page 24 of Enchanted by the Lyon (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #93)

A s Lucius’s carriage pulled up to Cassandra’s townhouse, he pondered if maybe he should have asked Saxton and his wife to accompany him.

After all the hard work Cassandra had done in the past several months, or even years, to restore her reputation, now wasn’t the time for him to ruin all her efforts with an impromptu meeting.

Dropping by unannounced was most likely a bad idea, but after Jones’s visit, he wanted to see if he could find out anything more about her husband’s will—or if it even existed.

His brother had made his attempts to dissuade Lucius from coming here alone.

He probably should have listened to his advice.

And yet, here he was ignoring what any decent man wouldn’t do.

If anyone saw him entering the townhouse, they would probably think he had a liaison with its owner or even with his ex-mistress.

Wouldn’t that give Constable Jones an advantage of trying to pin those crimes on him?

Or even create a juicy bit of gossip for the Teatime Tattler?

Instead of calling up to his driver to return home, Lucius instead opened his own door and alighted from the carriage.

He scanned the walkway in both directions.

He felt as though someone was watching him and whether that was the authorities or someone else was anyone’s guess.

It still paid to be cautious, and Lucius told himself to be prepared for anything that might come his way.

He was almost to the door when it opened, and Cassandra’s butler held out his hand to take Lucius’s coat and hat.

“You’ll find Mrs. Vaughn in the library, my lord,” Higgins declared as he took his possessions. “Allow me to—”

“I can find it. Thank you, Higgins,” Lucius said, stepping into the foyer.

“Down the main hall and the second door on your right,” the butler instructed before Lucius headed in that direction to find his lady.

He arrived in the doorway and when he noticed Cassandra wobbling on a rickety stepstool, he ran to assist her. And just in time. She let out a shriek as she toppled backward, but luckily, he was there to catch her in his arms.

“Thankfully my arrival was just in time to save a lady in distress,” he said pulling her close and enjoying the feeling of her nestled against him.

“Good heavens, Lucius! I swear I am generally not this clumsy,” she answered before he gently let go of her legs so she could stand on her own.

“I did not mind coming to your rescue, my lady,” he said while he pulled her close again.

Her hair was wrapped in a kerchief and there was a smudge of dust on the tip of her nose.

He playfully tapped the end of it. “Although I must admit, you are dressed more like a servant than the lady of the house.”

She rubbed at her nose before winding her arms around his neck. “Thank you for saving me,” she purred sweetly, and he gave in to the instinct to steal a quick kiss.

“Always a pleasure, Cassandra,” he said staring down into her green eyes that held such promise.

She caressed his cheek before pulling out of his arms and he had to admit he missed having her there. She went back to pulling books off a shelf and placing them into a box.

As she continued her work, she looked over her shoulder at him. “Although I’m grateful to you for preventing a horrible accident, what are you doing here? I thought I wouldn’t be seeing you until later this evening.”

He nodded before he went and took a seat. “Yes. The Barlingham ball. Something came up,” he said wondering if he should tell her about the constable’s visit.

She halted her progress and came to sit next to him. “We can cancel if you’d rather not go,” she suggested as he took her hand and raised her fingertips to his lips.

“And miss the opportunity to dance with you? I think not,” he said with a slight grin, but he was still worried about what the future held for him if someone was trying to frame him. Given her next words, his face most likely revealed his concerns.

Cassandra sat back to stare at him fully. “You might as well tell me what’s troubling you. I can see for myself that its urgent, especially if you came here unannounced.”

He ran his hand through his hair. “You can already detect my moods. I don’t want to trouble you, Cassandra.”

She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Isn’t this all about getting to learn more about one another? Good times and bad, I’m here for you,” she whispered, and he once again brought her fingertips to his lips.

“I wasted so much time when instead I could have given in to my better judgement and the feelings that were building between us,” he took his hand and ran it down her cheek. A loving gesture that he hoped to spend a lifetime performing.

“ There you are,” she said sweetly before leaning forward to seal his lips with a light kiss. “I’ve been searching for you and what could develop between us for a long time.”

“You have?” he asked.

“Oh, Lucius… don’t you know?” she asked with another smile that melted his heart.

“Know what, my dear?”

“I would have waited a hundred years or more to have you in my life,” she began before continuing, “And if the last few months were a glimpse of what we were given, then it was well worth the wait.”

“Even with me acting like a complete arse?”

“Even then,” she murmured. “I’ve been in love with you for a long time now. It’s only fair that I give you as much time as you need so your feelings could hopefully develop and meld with mine.”

He sat back to stare upon the lady. She was in love with him. He should have seen this coming but he still had some small reservations in the back of his mind if things could actually work out between them. He certainly wasn’t ready to confess that he was in love.

“Cassandra… I—” She raised one hand and placed it over his mouth to halt his words.

Her smile faded slightly but he could still see the love she held for him shining in the depths of her green eyes.

It was so obvious now. How could he have missed it?

“There is no need to say words you’re not ready to declare, Lucius.

Only when you are ready,” she said leaning forward and kissing his cheek.

“You are a marvel,” he said in wonderment of this woman who was beginning to mean all to him. He took her hand, bringing her wrist up to his lips. She sighed in pleasure before giving him a light laugh.

“Well, as I mentioned, I’ve been in this relationship far longer than you have. It’s only fair I give you adequate time to learn the truth of the matter for yourself and the depths of your feelings,” she replied with another lovely smile. “Now… what brought you here?”

“My reason is twofold.”

“You missed me and my witty conversation?” she teased with a knowing look.

“There is that, but more.”

“No time like the present to tell me your worries,” she said, folding her hands in her lap while she patiently waited for him to continue.

He ran his hand over the nape of his neck before he began telling her of what little the private investigator had learned about not only her parents’ death but of Rupert’s.

“I’m sorry all the leads ran cold on the details of your parents’ murder.

I had hoped for a better outcome. But now I’m here because I thought I’d ask again if your husband left a will of which you were aware? ”

Cassandra shook her head. “If there was one, I wasn’t aware of it. Besides, when I was thrown out of my house, I was only given a small bag that a maid had packed for me. A few clothes and coins, along with a book I had been reading. That was all.”

“Then this, too, might end up being a dead end. The little the man I hired was able to learn about Barlow could only be considered circumstantial. Without a will, I doubt it would hold up in a court of law.”

Cassandra gave a nod, and then a heavy sigh. “It was a long time ago, and hardly matters now, Lucius.”

“It matters to me, since Barlow took advantage of a woman I am coming to care for,” he fumed.

A slight smile creased her lips at his words. “I appreciate all your efforts to right the wrong done to me all those years ago,” she said, but continued to stare at him, her brow creased. “Is there more?”

Lucius took a moment to worry about burdening the lady with his visit with the constable and decided for now to let the matter go. There was no need to trouble Cassandra further until he could learn more about the matter.

“Nothing to worry about, my dear. I’ll let you get back to your packing and will see you tonight at the ball,” Lucius answered before standing. After giving her a brief kiss upon her lips, one that tasted sweet and that he wished could be longer, he took his leave.

With no will, he wasn’t entirely certain he could prove that Vaughn had taken advantage of Cassandra and what had been due her.

And without witnesses, how could he prove the man had possibly killed his own brother?

Lucius hated to disappoint his lady but he also worried that Mrs. Dove-Lyon would consider his debt unfulfilled.

God only knew what else the widow would demand of him if such was the case.