Page 72 of When the Rogue Returns

He cast her a rueful smile. “How about if I promise not to do anything that will get me hanged? Will that suffice?”

Relief showed in her face. “Yes. And you must also promise to let me know what you discover as soon as you find them.”

“It may take me a few days.”

“I know. Do whatever you must.”

Betsy stepped forward. “Begging your pardon, madam, but does that mean you’re not going to his lordship’s house party?”

Isa blinked. “Verdomme. I forgot all about it.”

“You don’t have to go,” Victor pointed out. “I’ll explain as much of the situation to Lady Lochlaw as I dare; we can avoid the thing entirely.” A grim smile crossed his lips. “She won’t mind, if it means that you’re unavailable as a wife to Rupert.”

“Oh, Lord,” Isa said. “Ihaveto attend! I promised Rupert and Mr. Gordon that I would serve as chaperone for Mary Grace.”

“Ah, yes. Rupert’s latest love.” He mused for a moment. “Actually, it might be better if you’re at the house party, anyway.”

Her gaze narrowed on him. “And why is that?”

Because it would give him time to summon Tristan and Dom. He supposed she had some reason for being afraid, but he needed to know more about his avenues of legal recourse from someone he could trust.

But he couldn’t tell her that. She would fly up into the boughs again, worrying herself over nothing.

So he said, “It will make it harder for your family to get you alone and try to work on you.”

A scowl crossed her brow. “Do you really believe I would ever fall in with their plans again?”

Belatedly, he realized how that must have sounded. “Of course not. But while you think they’ll merely make vague threats against us, I’m not so sure.” He stepped near to take her hand. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“I doubt that either of them has the courage to do more than whine,” she said lightly.

“If you thought that, you wouldn’t have fled Paris ten years ago to get away from them.”

She sighed, acknowledging his point. “What will you tell Lady Lochlaw about us?”

He squeezed her hand. “I’ll tell her that you and I were separated by relations who lied to both of us, and made us think we had each abandoned the other. That I took this case precisely because I suspected that you were my long-lost wife. And that we have since discovered how your family lied to us, and are ready to restore our marriage.”

“What about the fact that I was going under a different name?”

He shrugged. “You were in fear for your life from me, thanks to the lies your family told you. She doesn’t need to know the whys and wherefores of it all. Just enough to make her accept that you are out of her son’s life for good. That’s all she cares about.”

With a furtive glance at Betsy, Isa said, “I’ve already told Mr. Gordon the whole story.”

That startled him. “Everything? Even about what happened in Amsterdam?”

She nodded.

“That was very brave of you. What did he say?”

“He was quite kind, and more sympathetic than I expected.” She shook her head. “But that was before Iknew that Gerhart and Jacoba followed me here. He might not be so kind if he learns that they are lurking about.”

“Which is why we have to make sure theystoplurking about,” Victor said stoutly. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it. “And why I must go. The trail grows colder by the moment.”

As he headed for the door, Betsy called out, “Shall you eat something first, sir?”

“I’ll get something in town.” Then he strode out the door.

Truth was, he had no appetite, not with Gerhart out there somewhere plotting against them. But he would find whatever rock the man had crawled under. And when he did, Gerhart would learn what vengeance Victor had in store for him.