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capable of discretion. While I am not in the habit of exposing my jugular to anyone, it seems I have no
choice but to confide in you and hope that you will help me. What I have to tell you cannot leave this
room. Tensely he moved away from the window and sat down beside her.  Do you recall Dolph
Breckinridge ever mentioning a woman named Lucy?
Bel searched her memory then shook her head.  No.
 How about Lady Coldfell?
 I know that Dolph s uncle is the earl of Coldfell, but he never mentioned the countess.
 Tell me this. Has Dolph ever threatened you with violence? Have you ever felt yourself to be in direct
physical danger from him?
 Not until last night. She hesitated.  He said if I don t quit my search for a protector, I would be sorry.
Why do you ask about Lord and Lady Coldfell?
A bolt of pain flashed through his dark eyes like lightning.  I believe Dolph might have harbored a similar
obsession for her before he became fixated on you. Miss Hamilton, Lady Coldfell is dead. There are
those of us who think Dolph may have murdered her.
Her eyes widened. She stared at him in shock.
 That is why I m here. I want to hire you to act out a kind of charade with me. I need to find out the
truth about Lady Coldfell s death, Miss Hamilton. You are the key to controlling Dolph. With you in my
keeping, I can drive him to the breaking point and wring the truth out of him about what he did to her.
 And then what? she asked faintly.
Lethal wrath smoldered in his gaze.  Then I will call him out and kill him.
Kill Dolph?Staring at Hawkscliffe in amazement, the first thing she realized was that this Lady Coldfell
must have meant a great deal to him. Lovers, she thought. Of course. Then it registered in her mind that
his sole motive in pursuingher was to solve his ladylove s death.
Disappointment nearly stole her breath. She lowered her head, careful to hide the twist of hurt inside her
behind a faint, bitter smile. Of course. He had made his opinion of her clear enough.
Avoiding his gaze, she crossed her legs and smoothed her skirts over her knee.  Let me see if I have this
right. You want me to be the bait so that you can prove Dolph s guilt, then avenge your lover?
 Lady Coldfell wasn t my lover but, in essence, yes.
 Come, Robert, we need have no secrets between us. You can tell me the truth. She was your
paramour.
 No, she was not, Miss Hamilton. Lady Coldfell was a chaste and virtuous woman. It wasn t like that
between us. It was something higher, better than that. She was pure.
Unlike me, she thought, somehow holding her taut, forced smile as she lowered her chin and gazed at
her clasped hands. Roiling shame churned inside her.
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 My, you reallyare a paragon.
 No, I merely saw how my mother s flagrant adulteries unmanned my father. I would never inflict that on
someone, especially an old family friend like Coldfell.
 Admirable. She sat back, folding her arms over her chest. She had to commend his devotion to his
dead lady, but didn t he see the insult he was giving her? Or did the insult not matter, since she was only
a demirep?
 Perhaps you should have won me first before you told me your scheme.
 I would never thrust you into a dangerous situation without your fully understanding the risks.
 I m sorry to say that Dolph didn t do it.
 What?
 He didn t do it.
 Yes, he did.
Bel rolled her eyes. Hawkscliffe knew what he knew and that was it.
 He has the motive and is the only person outside of Coldfell s staff that has full access to the house and
grounds, Miss Hamilton.
 I know Dolph, she explained in forbearance.  As much as I loathe him, even I can admit that he is
brave. Insanely so. He prides himself on it. It s not his style to murder a weak, defenseless woman.
There s no glory in that. He prefers bears and wolves and things that fight back. He prefers a worthy
opponent.
 He also prefers to live beyond his means. If Lucy had become pregnant and had given Coldfell a son,
Dolph would no longer have inherited the title and fortune that he craves.
She could not argue that point. Dolph was certainly fixed on coming into his rich inheritance.
 Or her death might have been accidental, he went on.  Dolph could have been trying to have his way
with her, resulting in a violent struggle.
 Now that I could believe, Bel said quietly. She looked away, going perfectly motionless. A sickening,
all-too-familiar knot clenched in her stomach at the mere thought of the topic of her recurring nightmares.
Hawkscliffe got up and went to stare out the window.
Bel rubbed her crossed arms briskly with her palms, suddenly feeling icy cold and clammy, though the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]