Page 121 of The Last Night in London

“Graham...”

He took her by the shoulders and looked at her with eyes that seemed backlit by fire. “What were you doing up there?”

“I was looking for Mr. Danek. My friend from Lushtak’s. He works here now....”

“I know who he is. But why were you up there? Don’t you know it’s dangerous?”

“I was on my way to the shelter... ,” she began, then stopped, suddenly aware that he wasn’t referring to the air raid.

The sound of voices approached, and Graham put his finger to his lips, pulling her against him. They hid in a shadow until the voices passed. Even then he didn’t let her go, as if he were as reluctant as she to separate. As if he remembered, too, the way they felt in each other’s arms.

He spoke against her hair. “I’m saying that you shouldn’t leave your bag in the coat check. People have reported things missing from pockets.”

“I don’t...” Eva stopped, too stunned to think of a response that wasn’t a lie.

He looked down into her face, and it was the same Graham that she’d fallen in love with, the man who’d gifted her with the architecture of John Nash, who’d lived in a foreign land to prove to the world he was more than what it expected of him. The man who’d once told her he would love her forever. “You little fool. You beautiful little fool. You don’t know how dangerous this game you’re playing is, do you?”

“It’s not a game, is it?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s not.”

“Why were you at Chester Terrace that night? Were you following me?”

He hesitated a moment. “Yes.”

“Why?” She held his gaze.

“To keep you safe. That house on Chester Terrace is dangerous.”

“But you know who lives there.”

“Georgina Simmonds. I believe she’s a friend of Alex’s. She’s also dead.”

The distant sound of laughter got louder as a door down the passageway opened, then just as suddenly faded, leaving Eva feeling seasick. “Dead?”

“Her body was pulled from the Thames this morning.”

She swallowed back the sour taste in her mouth, wishing she had a drink. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you need to choose which side you’re on.”

She dropped her gaze and stared at the top button of his dinner jacket. “Alex... knows things about me. He’s threatened to hurt people I love....”

Graham put a finger on her lips. “I know. I know everything.”

“You know about my mother?”

“Yes. And I know you’re not from Devon.”

She flushed with shame. “I never meant to deceive you. I only wanted to be better than the girl I was born to be.”

Graham closed his eyes briefly. “I wish you’d known that none of it matters to me. I wish you’d trusted my love enough to tell me yourself.”

He stopped speaking as footsteps approached, then retreated.

Eva’s eyes filled. “Then Alex wouldn’t have found me useful.”

Graham raised an eyebrow. “Not necessarily. Men like him always find a way.”