How to Steal a Thief's Heart - Bree Wolf Page 0,114
brilliant with imminent triumph. Then she parted her lips, looked him straight in the eyes and said, “No, my lord. That is my answer.” Her smile deepened as his fell. “Not even if you were the last man on earth.”
Behind her, Caroline could hear her mother gasp for breath and her father mumble something rather unintelligible. A part of her felt guilty for putting her parents through this but, in that moment, she could not focus on her parents’ aspirations.
Her eyes shifted beyond Coleridge’s shoulder to where Pierce stood watching them, a look of deep urgency and forced restraint on his worried face. Then she met Coleridge’s confused gaze. “What did you do?” she hissed, and to her surprise, he seemed for once lost for words.
“Pardon me?” he croaked as anger slowly began to lace his words. Turning to follow her gaze, he saw Pierce and then quickly moved to face her once more, a look of suspicion distorting his face.
“What did you do?” Caroline demanded yet again. “You did something! I know you did!”
Lord Coleridge swallowed hard, and for the first time since she’d made his acquaintance, the man looked worried.
Chapter Forty-Four
A Threatening Accusation
Pierce wanted nothing more than to stride across the room, shove Coleridge out of his way and take Caroline away from this place. That, however, would cause a scene, and he had no intention of ruining Caroline’s moment. She had worked too hard to become the woman she was, and she deserved to shine like the jewel she was. Besides, she was not in any danger.
She was strong and fearless and he knew she could handle Coleridge.
At least, in a crowded ballroom.
All this would be over soon.
And so, instead, he watched as his little mouse stood up to the vilest monster he’d ever encountered in all his years. She was magnificent. Her nostrils flared with fury, and her eyes shot daggers. She stood tall, advancing on the man with a deadly smile. He noticed Coleridge swallow hard, concern slowly etching itself into his eyes.
Pierce’s gaze narrowed. What was going on? What was Caroline saying to the man?
At first, he’d thought her parents might have put her on the spot, forcing her to refuse Coleridge’s marriage proposal here and now. Still, the look in her eyes spoke of something else, and the way Coleridge’s lips thinned in distaste while his throat worked almost convulsively suggested that Caroline had just thwarted his plans—whatever they were.
Unable to keep his distance, Pierce made to approach with cautious steps when a shrill voice suddenly called out, “There he is! Seize him! He’s stolen my necklace!”
Never in a thousand years would Pierce have thought that the incensed voice had been speaking about him. However, the moment it echoed through the ballroom, Caroline’s gaze snapped to him, her eyes wide with shock before a sense of understanding registered on her face.
For a long moment, she simply looked at him and then her eyes narrowed and returned to Coleridge. Hissed words left her mouth, and Pierce finally turned to look over his shoulder.
An elderly matron was storming toward him, two burly footmen at her side as she pointed an accusing finger at him. It would seem the woman had come prepared. For what, remained to be seen.
Their host, Lord Hawthorne, stepped forward, utter incredulity on his face as he addressed the woman, asking what the problem was.
The matron huffed under her breath. “He took my necklace! It’s a family heirloom!”
“Now?” Lord Hawthorne asked, glancing at Pierce.
The lady looked ready to swat him with her fan. “Of course, not now! Last night, after the …on my way home, a masked man clad in black came upon me in my carriage. He held a pistol on my driver and demanded that I hand over my jewels.”
Pierce tensed, loath to admit that he had no clue what was going on. Certainly, what the woman described was his method of acquiring funds for those in need. However, he had not been out on the road the night before, at least not as his masked self. Then who had? And why was this woman so certain it had been him? Had someone discovered the truth about him and his nightly activities?
Pierce’s gaze swerved back to Coleridge, a smug smile now rested on his vile features, while Caroline looked ready to throttle him, her cheeks glowing a furious red.
Coleridge then! Pierce thought. But how?
“Lord Markham,” Lord Hawthorne said carefully. “Would you like to comment?”