Braden glanced away from her and frowned. She couldn’t but wonder if he was formulating a falsehood to tell her.
“I would like the truth, Braden.”
“Very well.” Braden went on to explain all that his brother had told him. “I just do not understand who would want to kill us both.”
Tia went silent for a few minutes. If it wasn’t Jonathon or Braden, obviously, it had to be Alistair. While he had been downstairs with his brother, she had been researching the few books on the family history. Nothing obvious had come to her. There were no other male relatives that she could see. “I do not know either, Braden. Perhaps your cousin hired someone to kill you both so he could inherit. We do know that Mary had been in his employ.”
“I know,” he whispered. “I just cannot believe it was him.”
“Was he having any financial difficulties?” she asked him softly. Seeing the pain on his face, she leaned over and caressed his cheek.
“Yes, but he didn’t act as if it was all that dreadful. He just needed to be relieved of a few servants. I asked around and no one had heard anything different.” He clasped her wrist and moved her hand to his mouth, where he kissed it sweetly. “So if it is truly Alistair, how do we prove it?”
That was a very good question and one for which Tia had no answer. “Perhaps you have your runner watch Alistair? Not that the runner would be able to catch Alistair if he was meeting someone he had hired.”
“Exactly.
“And if someone he hired attempted—” Tia paused, not wanting to complete the sentence, but knew she must. “—to kill y
ou or your brother, even if you captured the person, he might not give up Alistair’s name.”
“Right again,” he said, still clutching her wrist. “Jonathon wants me to return to the estate.”
“I think he’s right.” Finally, she moved to lie next to him. “I want you safe, Braden,” she whispered.
“I know, sweetheart.” He turned to face her on the bed. “I want you safe too. That is why I believe we should return the day after tomorrow. I will get the special license tomorrow and we’ll marry before leaving on Friday.”
“Very well,” she said. “Only if you are certain.”
“Certain of what? Marrying you? Absolutely. Leaving to keep you safe? Again, yes. You are the most important thing in my life.” His pale blue eyes stared into her soul. “I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”
“And I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and healthy.”
Chapter 24
The next morning, Braden rolled over to curve his body against Tia’s. He had barely slept last night, imagining all the things that could go wrong until he had her safely ensconced at Middleton Hall. He wrapped his arm around her and brought her sleeping form next to him. How had he fallen this deeply in love with a woman he had only known for a few months? And until a few weeks ago, they had barely spoken with each other.
Now, he could imagine waking up next to her every morning. He wanted his ring on her finger now, not tomorrow. His hand rubbed her belly. Could his child be in there right now? For once, he hoped there was a baby on the way. With other women, he’d been so careful not to spill his seed, but with her, it hadn’t occurred to him. Perhaps he’d wanted her with child so she would marry him.
Braden inhaled her sweet scent. If he could only figure out who was behind the attempts on his life, then his life would be perfect. He had a woman many men could only dream of, he had wealth from his notorious past, an estate that was bringing in a small income and with improvements would earn more, and he had an illustrious title.
And someone trying to kill him.
“Stop worrying,” Tia’s groggy voice whispered.
“Now why would you think I’m worrying over something?”
“Because when I worry, I bite my lower lip, as you so kindly pointed out. You, on the other hand, tap your thumb. It’s been hammering my belly since you curled yourself around me. Would you like to talk about it?”
“No,” he immediately said, then regretted it. “I apologize. It’s a habit not to speak of things with my . . .”
“Lovers?” she supplied.
“Yes.” He kissed her neck. “I just want this man found,” he admitted. “I want our life to start without worrying about who might be after us.” He was surprised at how lovely it felt to speak of his feelings with someone other than his male friends.
“Will we be safer at the estate?”
“I believe so.”