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“I’m going, I’m going,” she said quickly, scurrying toward the window.
She obviously wasn’t going fast enough, because he picked her up and dropped her out the window himself, where she landed in Dunford’s waiting arms.
“You’re here, too?” she asked weakly.
“If I were you, I’d be grateful for my presence. Ashbourne is nearly ready to explode.”
Emma didn’t doubt it. She twisted around to face Ned. “What is going on? Why are they here?”
Her cousin only shrugged.
“You can put her down now, Dunford.” Alex vaulted down from the window. “Your candle,” he said, handing the taper to Emma, who immediately shoved it in her pocket. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Shouldn’t we close the window back up?” Emma suggested.
With great patience, Alex turned back to the window. “Dunford, would you give me a leg up?”
Dunford cupped his hands together to form a step, and Alex reached up and shut the window.
“Actually,” Emma said, just when Alex hit the ground again, “it wasn’t closed all the way. It was open about three inches.”
Alex took a deep breath. Emma gulped as she saw a muscle start to twitch in his cheek. He held steady, however, turning back to his friend. “Dunford?”
Dunford cupped his hands again and hoisted Alex up. Alex pushed the window up a few inches. “Is this all right?” he asked in quite the most dangerously solicitous tone Emma had ever heard.
Emma was still furious with him. “It was a little higher,” she said peevishly.
Alex moved the window up another inch.
“A little lower.”
He tugged it down. “How about now?”
“Maybe a little—ouch!” She rubbed her ribs where Ned had urgently jabbed her. “That will be fine, I’m sure,” she said finally, giving her cousin a hard stare. “Oh, I got your voucher!” she exclaimed, handing it over to Ned. “I almost forgot to tell you. This is it, isn’t it?”
Ned unfolded the note, breathing a sigh of relief as he read it. “I cannot thank you enough, Emma.”
“Oh, it was nothing, Ned. Actually, I had a lot of fun.”
“I, on the other hand, had no fun whatsoever,” Alex said very slowly, barely able to contain the rage that threatened to explode all over Emma. He had been so worried about her. Frantic. It had been eight long hours between the time that Dunford had told him that Emma and Belle were up to some strange scheme and when he finally went to Lady Mottram’s to confront her. Eight long hours of pacing, of raking his hands through his hair, of wondering what on earth she was up to and if she were in any danger. It had been an agonizing afternoon of nearly dying of guilt over the way he had treated her the night before. And then when he found out that she was planning to break into Woodside’s townhouse, he’d wanted to put his fist through a wall. Eight hours of frantic energy and sheer terror on an empty, hung-over stomach did bad things to a man, and Emma’s declaration that she was having fun was definitely not soothing his temper.
Emma instinctively stepped back when she saw the dark look on Alex’s face.
“May we leave now, or must I throw you over my shoulder?” Alex asked with chilling calmness.
Emma gulped down a nervous laugh, realizing wisely that a giggle would be horrendously inappropriate—and most probably dangerous to her well-being. “That—that won’t be necessary,” she stammered.
Alex turned his icy glare to Ned. “I trust you can make your own way home.”
Ned nodded. “But what about Emma? She’ll need an escort.”
Alex snaked his arm through hers and pulled her tightly against his side. “I will see her home. Your cousin and I have a few matters to discuss.”
“We really could have that discussion tomorrow,” Emma put in hastily, trying to extricate herself from Alex’s grasp.
He held firm. “No, I don’t think we could.” He nodded at Ned and started striding down the street so quickly that Emma nearly had to run to keep up with him. Dunford followed at a respectable distance.
“Is it necessary to drag me?” Emma gasped, her feet flying down the street.
“If you’re wise, you will keep your mouth shut for the next few minutes.”
“Well, my legs aren’t as long as yours,” she muttered ungraciously. “I can’t move that fast.”
Alex stopped short. Emma, having worked up quite a bit of momentum, crashed into him. “What now?” she snapped.
“I can still put you over my shoulder,” he warned darkly.
She shot him a scathing glare. “Don’t even try it, you grimy little rodent.”
Alex exhaled slowly, clenching and unclenching his fist, desperately trying not to lose hold of the tension that rocked his body. “Come along,” he said savagely, once again pulling her down the street.
“Where are we going, anyway? In case you hadn’t noticed, I live in the opposite direction.”
“We are going to Dunford’s house. It’s only a few blocks away. We can get a carriage from there.”
“Good. Because I expect you to return me home immediately,” Emma sniffed. “Your behavior tonight has been deplorable.”
Once again, Alex halted in his tracks. Once again, Emma slammed into his side. “Are you trying to infuriate me?” he hissed.
Emma stuck her nose in the air. “I really don’t care about your feelings, your grace.”
Alex nearly cringed at the obsequious way she referred to his title. He pointed his index finger at her as if he were about to launch into a tirade. His face contorted as his jaw clenched, and he fought for words. Finally, he dropped his shaking finger. He still had enough dignity not to shake her senseless in the middle of a public street. Not to mention with Dunford loitering six feet in the background. “Let’s get moving,” he said tersely, continuing toward Dunford’s home.