A Secret Surrender - Darcy Burke Page 0,53

noble, that’s a terrible idea. What if the woman is lying and there never was a bracelet?”

“What a cynical suggestion,” Rafe said, cocking his head to the side.

“It’s my line of work, I’m afraid.”

“That would be an awfully elaborate plan,” Rafe went on. “One that relies entirely on my offering to replace a nonexistent bracelet, which I have never done.”

“Is this the first theft to happen here?” Harry asked.

“To my knowledge,” Rafe replied. “Though I have to think it isn’t, despite the fact that I’ve gone to great lengths to ensure the gardens are very secure.”

Harry nodded. “The wall and the single entrance.”

“It seems to be working.”

“Until tonight.” Harry straightened his coat. “I would still recommend you not reimburse the woman. If that gets out, you will certainly be targeted as softhearted.”

“I somehow doubt that will become a problem,” Rafe said with the dazzling smile Selina remembered from their youth. She had to stop herself from laughing. Softhearted was not a description anyone would have used for him. Except for her. With her, his heart had actually existed. She had the sense, however, that it had long since broken and disintegrated.

Like hers.

She suddenly thought of Harry’s proposal. Not that her heart—or lack of one—had to have anything to do with it. He’d suggested an affair. There’d been no mention of love. It was the best Selina could hope for. She was incredibly tempted.

Rafe looked around the group with a bright expression. “Shall we adjourn to my box for refreshments?”

“Yes, please,” Selina said.

“Allow me to present my sister and her husband,” Harry said before conducting the introductions.

Rafe looked toward Selina as if he were going to offer to escort her to the box, but Harry beat him to it. Instead, Rafe offered his arm to Beatrix. Selina looked at them and could maybe believe they were related. They both had blond hair, anyway.

“How shocking to learn your brother owns these gardens,” Harry observed as they followed Rafe to his box.

“Yes. I’ve only seen him once since arriving in London a couple of months ago,” Selina said, sticking as close to the truth as possible, as she preferred to do.

“Aside from that, I take it you haven’t seen him in some while.”

“Eighteen years.” Again, she adhered to honesty.

Harry turned his head, his eyes widening briefly. “That’s quite a long time.”

“Beatrix and I were sent to a ladies’ seminary.”

“And after, you didn’t return to your family? Or had your brother left by then?”

Selina’s mind stalled. She’d left the school at seventeen to take a position as a governess. It had seemed like such a good opportunity for someone like her—the best she could have hoped for. How wrong she’d been. A familiar tremor shot through her, and she cursed inwardly.

“My apologies,” Harry said softly. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

He’d felt her quiver, dammit. “You didn’t. I did not return to my family.” Thankfully, she didn’t have to say anything more, because they’d arrived at the box, but she knew he’d ask. If not tonight, then some other time. She couldn’t continue to evade him. He worked too hard to unpeel the layers of her protection. He saw too much.

And she was too drawn to him.

She couldn’t afford such vulnerability. Which meant she had to decline his proposal. Even though she wanted to accept more than anything.

They arrived at Rafe’s box, a larger one situated at one end of the ground floor. A rectangular table was surrounded on three sides by chairs, leaving the side closest to the main square open to provide an unimpeded view of the dancing and, perhaps more importantly, the people milling about for all at the table. Rafe went to speak with one of the footmen.

Rachel’s husband pulled out a chair for his wife, saying, “What an exciting evening so far!”

Smiling, Rachel glanced up at her husband as she sat. “Yes, and I’m so looking forward to hearing about how Mr. Bowles acquired the gardens.” She looked toward Selina and Beatrix, who were still standing. “As well as how it is we didn’t know you had a brother, Lady Gresham and Miss Whitford.”

Beatrix lifted her hand to her temple. “Actually, I think the fireworks have given me a headache.” She looked to Selina. “Would you mind if we went home?”

Good girl, Selina thought. “Not at all.” She looked to Harry. “I don’t want to disturb your evening. We can get a hack.”

“Nonsense.” Rafe had returned, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’ll see you both home.” He turned to a footman