Huffing out an annoyed breath, Leonora shook her head, wishing that the world would make sense again. It had once, had it not?
“May I ask why you’re here?” Lord Pemberton inquired as he slowly moved over to the other side of the room, away from the door and her only way out, but still at a safe distance from her.
Leonora understood perfectly what he was doing, that he was trying to reassure her, and it almost made her smile. He was such a kind man, and perhaps, yes, there was something logical, reasonable, rational about why she had come to trust him. He had proved himself to her. He continued to do so with every word he said, with every consideration he showed her. “I need your help,” Leonora finally said, realizing that even if she did not know why, he was the only one who could help her.
Chapter Seven
A Daring Conversation
Still confused by Lady Leonora’s sudden appearance in his home, Drake watched her most carefully. Indeed, she seemed like a frightened little deer. Yet, there was a spark of something almost dauntless, something whispering of an iron will in her blue eyes for they did not look fearful as she continued to watch him curiously, carefully, always ensuring that the distance between them was upheld. “My help? How?”
Drake had been most willing to watch over her during the house party at Windmere Park. However, back here in London, it was a different matter. What kind of help was she hoping for? Did she wish for a bodyguard? Somehow, Drake rather doubted it. Certainly, there was something fearful in her posture; understandably so, for he knew from personal experience that ignoring one’s fears only made them linger and grow.
Lady Leonora inhaled a slow breath, her deep blue eyes still lingering upon his face. She seemed indecisive, her gaze narrowing slightly as she no doubt contemplated how to respond. “I’m not quite certain yet,” she finally replied, not afraid to show how vulnerable she felt in that moment. Her chest rose and fell with slightly quickened breaths. Her eyes remained wide though and upon his.
For a long moment, they simply looked at one another as they had not since the day they had first met. Drake had certainly observed her; however, Lady Leonora had been mostly unaware of it. On occasion, he had felt her eyes upon him as well. Still, here, in this moment, it felt as though they were getting to know one another in a way they had not before. “Ask me anything you wish to know,” Drake offered, curious to learn what she was thinking for she had clearly overheard at least part of his conversation with Mr. Parker.
Her wide blue eyes narrowed, and Drake could see that she knew quite well the direction of his thoughts. “Who were you speaking to?”
“An investigator by the name of Mr. Parker.”
Her hands wrapped around one another, the sinews tightening. “Why?”
Drake leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded her. “Is that what you truly wish to know?” he demanded, cocking one eyebrow. “Would you not rather ask another question?”
Mimicking him, Lady Leonora also folded her arms over her chest, her fingers digging through the fabric into her flesh. Another deep breath moved her shoulders back, and something sharp came to her eyes. “How do you know about the Hamilton masquerade?” She swallowed hard, something dark and suspicious drifting into her gaze. “I never mentioned it. How do you know?”
Drake watched her tense. He could see that she wanted to retreat but forced herself to stand her ground. Of course, he understood the doubts that this new discovery had brought forth within her. “It was not me who hurt you that night,” Drake gritted out through clenched teeth. “Can you believe that? Can you believe me?”
Lady Leonora hugged herself tighter, and as she moved, the cloak she still wore swung forward, all but hiding her clenched hands from sight. “I don’t know,” she finally whispered. “I don’t know.”
Drake nodded, feeling her doubt like a stab in the gut while his rational mind understood well why she could not put her trust in him. After all, they hardly knew each other. “And yet, you are here,” Drake pointed out. “You are still here.”
Lady Leonora merely stared at him, the expression upon her face rather stoic.
Drake nodded toward the door. “Do you wish to leave?”
Her gaze moved to the door, and for a moment, Drake could see that she was tempted. Only then her eyes returned to his, and she shook her head no. “I want answers.”
Drake nodded, pleased that she was still here. He wondered why he felt that way. It was clear that getting involved in this matter would no doubt prove burdensome. There was no clear-cut enemy to defeat. No one to call out and meet at dawn. Worse, Drake could feel himself begin to care. The pain in her gaze affected him more than any other woman’s ever had before. Still, she had asked and he would answer. “You yourself spoke of a masquerade, and then I spoke to Phineas.” Drake saw her eyes widening and hastened to say, “He did not tell me anything, I assure you. However, a few discreet questions easily singled out the masquerade in question. I was reasonably certain it was the Hamilton masquerade.” His brows rose. “Your reaction now confirmed it.”
A shuddering breath went past her lips as her head bobbed up and down. “Yes, that makes sense.” She continued to nod along to her words. “It makes perfect sense.” A hint of appreciation sounded in her voice as she spoke. Then her gaze focused on him once more. “You asked Mr. Parker for a guest list?”
Drake sighed deeply. “While balls generally have a guest list, the Hamilton masquerade has always been a bit dubious. I doubt that all those in attendance can be found on any list. However, there are other ways of determining that. We shall see if Mr. Parker is worth his money.”
Again, Lady Leonora nodded along to his words. “But…but even if you acquire such a list, even if it is a complete list…” Although her voice trailed off, her blue eyes remained locked upon his, a question between them.
Drake nodded in understanding and acknowledgment. “There are always ways to draw someone out. At the very least, a list will allow us a starting point and provide names that can be crossed off one by one until only one remains.”
Her head bobbed up and down before she suddenly stilled, her gaze narrowing. “Why are you doing this?”
Drake cleared his throat, preferring for the topic of the conversation to remain far away from his own personal affairs. “My reasons are my own. I am offering you my help, and of course, you have every right to refuse.”
Instead of accepting or refusing his help, Lady Leonora asked, “And if you should discover his name, what will you do then?”
Pushing off the wall, Drake pulled back his shoulders, his hands linking behind his back. “You know what I will do,” he told her calmly, feeling his pulse starting to beat wildly in his veins.
He wondered why that was.
She inhaled a deep breath. “Say it.”
“I will put a bullet between his eyes.”
Lady Leonora flinched at the words. “Why? Why would you do that? You would be risking yourself. Dueling is illegal, and—”
“The law is not always about right and wrong,” Drake snapped in a tone he immediately regretted. He watched Lady Leonora’s gaze go wide, but he knew that she needed to hear what he had to say. “You know as well as I do that even if it were discovered what gentleman attacked you that night, if it became publicly known, you would be the only one to suffer. Yet, you did nothing wrong.”