How to Steal a Thief's Heart - Bree Wolf Page 0,80
of Lord Coleridge’s unwanted attentions. Quite frankly, the only reason for his interest was surely to be found in his financials, was it not? What else about her could possibly appeal to him but her dowry? Her father was a wealthy man, and her mother was the daughter of a baron. Caroline, herself, however, had nothing to recommended her beyond that.
At least not as far as men of the ton were concerned.
Only Pierce had been different. He had seen her from the beginning. He’d noticed her in a way no one else ever had…despite her efforts to dissuade him.
The thought brought a smile to her face, and she remembered the moment his fingers had moved to undo her hair. The moment he’d freed her of her tight collar, demanding she never wear another one ever again.
A flutter of regret came to her heart as her hand reached up and her fingers tugged on the high collar of yet another one of her greyish gowns. After all, she possessed none that were different, and for good reason.
Still, Caroline could not deny that a part of her wanted to do as he’d told her. Moving her gaze to the mirror on her vanity and her dull reflection within, she wondered what she would look like dressed like other women of the ton.
Like her cousin.
What would Pierce say if she ever did? Would he still call her little mouse?
Oddly enough, Caroline realized that she no longer hated it when he called her that. In fact, a part of her had come to love it.
It felt like an endearment.
One only for her.
For her alone.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
A Surprise Arrival
Frustrated, Pierce pushed back the tall-backed chair and moved away from his desk. His feet carried him around the room in quick, slightly jarring steps as he fought to remain calm.
Five days had passed since he’d enlisted the help of a number of Bow Street Runners in order to uncover Coleridge’s whereabouts on the day in question as well as the identity of the men who’d been with him.
Thanks to his loyal servants, Pierce now knew a little more than he had five days ago. Albert had immediately seen that something worrisome—as his butler had put it—had happened the night Caroline had returned with Daphne in her arms. In the end, Pierce had decided to enlist the help of his rather unusual family. He’d shared Daphne’s past with them and he had asked for their help.
Albert had been shocked, appalled and nearly fainted.
Jacob, his eager, young footman, had been furious, close to rushing out and doing something unwise. Pierce had known exactly how he’d felt.
Miss Glass had cried silent tears and then run to hug her daughter and Daphne, assuring the children that they were loved and treasured and safe.
Mrs. Colden, their cook, who had only come to London because the townhouse cook had been called away to her sick daughter, had turned as red as a tomato, steam coming out of her ears as anger had narrowed her eyes. Then she’d nodded to Pierce in that way of hers and said, “I’ll get you what you need, my lord.” Then she’d marched off.
Over the following days, bits and pieces had reached Pierce’s ears about the night in question as well as the man responsible as his servants reached out to friends and family, acquaintances and strangers alike, carefully asking questions, uncovering details he needed in order to redirect the Bow Street Runners and facilitate their task.
Still, the wait nearly drove him mad. He was pacing far more than usual these days, his hands balled into fists as the night Daphne had lost her family kept replaying in his mind. The only thing that kept him from rushing out of the house in these moments of overwhelming rage was the thought of Caroline.
Her words still echoed in his mind and when he closed his eyes, he could still feel her in his arms. He remembered the way she’d come to him, kissed him, clung to him. He remembered his almost desperate response to her alternative as she’d sought to distract him.
And she had.
By God, she had.
The feel of her had consumed him, and yet, he’d felt utterly at peace with her in his arms. Her touch had driven him wild and soothed his rage at the same time. His pulse had thudded in his veins, but he had calmed, had regained some measure of composure.