Page 77 of Second Duke's the Charm
“Let’s just say a healthy dose of skepticism has kept me alive thus far.”
“It must have been an accident. Why would anyone shoot at us deliberately?”
He shrugged. “Any number of reasons. Do you have any disgruntled tenants, neighbors with a grudge?”
“No! The tenants all like me, respect me. The closest neighbor is Daisy’s father, over at Hollyfield, and he’s hardly ever there. He spends most of his time in London. And I’m on excellent terms with everyone else.”
“Arden told me that poaching was almost nonexistent on the estate.”
“That’s true, but I suppose there could be some itinerant workers making their way through these parts.”
Since Thornton clearly wasn’t going to embrace her, and she had more pride than to throw herself on him like some needy barnacle, Tess started trudging toward the edge of the woods.
He kept pace easily beside her.
“You might be right.” His tone still indicated his doubts. “But I’ll have Simms make some discreet inquiries, all the same. One of the villagers might have seen something suspicious.” He pulled his pocket watch from his waistcoat and glanced at the time.
She looked sideways at him. “You seem remarkably composed. Is this the first time you’ve been shot at?”
“God, no. I might not have seen any action against Bonaparte, but I’ve had plenty of run-ins with rival fur traders up near Hudson Bay. And a disagreement with a silk merchant in Venice a couple of years ago that convinced me of the need for boxing and shooting lessons.”
Tess raised her brows. “Well, this was a novel experience forme. I need a strong cup of tea.”
The humor finally returned to his face. “I think this calls for something a little stronger than tea, don’t you?”
They parted ways when they reached the house. Justin went in search of Simms, and Tess retreated to her room.
Between Oliver’s muddy paws, and rolling around on the forest floor with Thornton, her cotton dress was completely ruined. She took it off and pulled on her dressing robe, then sat at her writing desk to think.
Despite what she’d told Justin, she’d be a fool to discount the possibility that she might have been purposely targeted.
But who could want her dead? She’d certainly made some unpleasant people very unhappy in her work for King & Co. but none of them were likely to be in a position to threaten her in such a way. The cad who’d tried tokidnap his own cousin for her fortune was safely locked away in Newgate, and he didn’t have the funds to pay for an assassin. The woman who’d tried to blackmail a countess had retreated to France.
Tess frowned. Could it be Stockdale? Might he have discovered her identity as the queen’s emissary? But even if he had, there was no reason for him to want her dead. He wouldn’t get the money he wanted for the princess’s letters if he killed the messenger.
She pulled a piece of paper and a pen from her desk and wrote a brief note to “Charles King, Esquire.” Ellie and Daisy would receive it at King & Co. in the morning. She warned them both to be on their guard, and asked for news of Stockdale as soon as they heard anything.
That done, she dressed for dinner in one of the new gowns Daisy had insisted she buy, a beautiful forest green silk with a crossover front that made the most of her cleavage, and added the pearl necklace that Justin had given her as a gift.
When she entered the dining room half an hour later it was to find Justin looking as handsome as ever in a dark navy jacket, white shirt, and buff breeches. His eyes lingered appreciatively on her throat.
“I knew that necklace would look magnificent on you.”
Tess touched the pearls lightly with her fingertips. “It’s lovely. You have exquisite taste.”
“I’m glad you like it. I had it made, a special commission.” His lips quirked. “The design is similar to one owned by Queen Marie Antoinette.”
Tess’s brows rose in surprise. So much for assuming he’d sent a lackey to choose something pretty.
He tilted his head. “At first, I considered rubies—Scarlet would definitely wear rubies. Something huge,and wonderfully vulgar.” His gaze caressed her as much as his words seduced.
“But Tess?” he continued. “Tess is more subtle. Understated, classically elegant. Hence the diamonds and pearls.”
They both took their seats at the table. Tess took a sip of wine, momentarily speechless at the thought he’d put into the gift. The fact that he acknowledged the difference between the fictional Scarlet and the real Tess meant more than she could say.
What would he say if she told him the reason she played those two roles? Would he approve of her work for King & Co.? Or try to interfere? It was still too early to tell.
“My fortune has been built on trading valuable items,” he said softly. “On providing things people desire. Most items are prized for their ability to be useful. Because they are hard, or strong, or taste good.”