The Matter of a Marquess - Jess Michaels Page 0,69

past her father had destroyed. The past their own hesitations and uncertainty had crushed. She would do it. Even if it hurt her.

She forced a smile to her face, smoothed her skirts and turned back to the door.

“Your Grace,” she called out so that the men would know she was entering the room and stop talking about her. “Jenner said you and Mr. Huntington were in—” She cut herself off and feigned surprise. “Oh, and Nicholas.”

“Aurora,” Nicholas said softly as his gaze flitted over her. All of them stared, truth be told. She was certain they all marked her mussed hair, her flushed cheeks. Would they guess what had made her so undone?

Did it matter?

“I didn’t expect to see you…right now. Are you well?” he asked, his brow wrinkling as he crossed to her a few long steps.

She nodded. “I am, but I received a message from Imogen and I hoped the duke and Mr. Huntington might be able to help me.” She stepped past him and handed out the note to Derrick.

“I’ll let you read it, of course, but the summary is that Imogen has been in hiding the past few weeks,” she said with a shiver. “Apparently she saw something in one of those brothels that put her in danger. But she is alive and unharmed thus far.”

“She wants to meet with you,” Derrick said, his eyes darting up from the letter.

“Yes, I think she must have sensed the desperation in my messages once she received them,” Aurora said. “So I must return to London. I hoped perhaps His Grace could help me connect with his friend in the War Department.”

“Of course,” Robert said, coming around the desk. “I’ll write to Willowby right away with instructions he meet us at my home in a few days.”

“The Duke of Willowby?” she and Nicholas said together.

Robert’s brow lowered. “Both the duke and his duchess are master spies. I believe she’s in line to take over the running of that entire part of the War Department.”

“I appreciate your offer to introduce us,” Aurora said. “But you all still have a few days planned for your party. I would need to leave tomorrow at the latest.”

“We’ll all go,” Robert said. “A young woman is in danger, we’re not all going to stay here and kick up our heels while you hurtle yourself into an investigation. At any rate, I think I shall lose half my party if you depart. Obviously Nicholas would follow, and I think Huntington and Selina would also want to depart with you.”

Derrick nodded. “The moment I understood what was happening, I wrote to my partner, Barber. He has been working alongside Willowby. I’m going and Selina will want to help too.”

She shook her head. For such a long time she’d felt so alone. Her mother and brother loved her, but they didn’t understand her life because she’d been careful to shelter them from her problems. After all, they had too little funds themselves to assist, thanks to her father’s wretchedly bad management. She couldn’t add her own issues to the fires burning at their feet.

But here in this house she had been embraced by Nicholas’s family and their friends. Even if they discouraged him from the match, they still welcomed her and folded her into their circle.

“Your help means…” She choked back tears. “It means the world to me.”

Nicholas’s lips parted and he moved to her, seemingly not caring that the others saw him. He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, and just held it as he stared down into her eyes. All his support was there, all his goodness, his heart. Because of who he was, he would sacrifice anything to save her. To help her. Maybe even to love her.

She should tug away, but she didn’t.

“I think we’re all happy to help,” Robert said. “Now I’ll go speak to Katherine and we can spread the word amongst our guests that we must return to London for a family emergency.”

“I’ll send word to Barber and speak to Selina,” Derrick said. The two men exchanged a quick look with Nicholas, and then they left him and Aurora alone.

“They’re too kind,” she whispered. “No one should…should sacrifice so much for me.”

She hoped he understood the double meaning of those words. He didn’t break eye contact with her, though. He traced his thumb along her cheek gently, then across her lip, and her breath caught. God, what he could do so easily. Make her want physically and even