“Hush, love, it only matters that you’ve done so now.” William moved closer to her, holding their hands between their chests. In the faint moonlight, the look in his eyes was intense and it stole her breath even as her heartbeat raced. “I still can’t believe you’re throwing your lot in with mine.”
Indeed, wonder clouded his stormy depths. Fanny smiled. Her chin trembled, so great was the emotion that rolled over her. “We don’t know each other well, and I can’t wait to discover everything about you, but none of that discounts how I feel about you, what’s been growing in my heart ever since you first invited me onto your investigations, your first kiss, the first time you touched me.”
“You are much better with elocution than I, but perhaps this will give you an inkling of my feelings.” He dipped his head and claimed her lips in a gentle kiss, and when she uttered a sound halfway between a sigh and a moan of appreciation, he let go of her hands only to settle her into his embrace and kissed her with more authority.
Heady desire clouded her mind as heat made a slow spiral down her spine. She laid a palm against his chest and gave him a tiny shove, breaking their connection. “You must stop else I’ll take leave of my senses and pull you down into the gardens and thoroughly compromise you.” And she would, too, that’s how much confidence in herself he’d given her.
William’s laugh wrapped around her, made her shiver with anticipation. “Perhaps you’re right.” He put a few feet of space between them. “Regardless, I’d like permission to call at your house sometime this week and speak to your father. If that would please you?”
“Yes!” She pressed her hands to her cheeks. The heat there seeped through the fabric of her gloves. He would declare himself, ask for her hand, and she couldn’t wait. “But what of solving your cases? Shouldn’t that come first before we sort our personal lives?”
“You’re always the voice of reason.” He rested a hand on the stone wall and nodded. “I should apply myself to them. Something niggles at the back of my mind regarding them, yet it hasn’t clarified enough to come forward.” As he shrugged, her attention skittered to the width breadth of his shoulders, and she realized she’d never had occasion to see him sans clothing even though they’d coupled twice. Would he appear as impressive as he did in evening garb? I can’t wait for that.
“I know what you mean. I haven’t had the time to sit with my notes and puzzle it out.”
“We should do that together soon, perhaps at a tea house.” Apparently, he was unable to remain separated from her, for he quickly closed the distance and brushed his lips against hers before stepping back again. “I rather enjoy having you on the investigation and wonder if it might continue should your editor decide you’re worthy enough of landing a journalist position outside the society column.”
What a dear man he was! “I look forward to it.”
“Good.” The grin he shot her was decidedly goofy. “Oh, by the by, the misses Newton and Vernon came by to chat with me this evening.”
“How interesting. Did you remember them from the case?”
“Vaguely. To be honest, the whole of my attention remained on you, and one of them was slightly miffed I declined her invitation to dance.”
Fanny snorted. “Let me guess. Miss Newton? She’s a bit desperate to catch a man if you ask me.”
“That may be so, but if it’s me she’s chasing, she’s doomed for disappointment. I’m quite happily caught.” Again, a look of intensity broke over his face. “As I’ve said, I’m not good with words, and from a young age I was taught to never let my emotions show. However, I suspect my father was wrong, on many things.”
Oh, finally he would speak from the heart! “Yet you’re learning that is the wrong way of thinking,” she added in a soft voice, hardly daring to breathe.
“I have, thanks to your prompting and my cousin Andrew’s guidance.” He rubbed a hand over his chin and heaved out a sigh. “What I’m trying to say is… Oomph!” A shadow flitted over the terrace and then suddenly William collapsed into a heap at her feet.
“William?” When she would have gone to him, someone forced a dark sack over her head, immediately cutting off her vision. The sudden darkness coupled with the choking scent of decay filled her throat with terror. “William!” She screamed, or tried to, but fear stole most of the sound, stalling it.
“I’ve had just about enough of you, Miss Bancroft, have given you enough chances to leave the inspector alone, but you wouldn’t take the hint. Now you’ll pay for that… with your life.” The gravelly voice rang in her ear, and as she struck out blindly to shove the person away, pain exploded at the side of her head.
Fanny stumbled. Her heartbeat raced. Fear played icy fingers at her spine. Keeping her footing proved a challenge. It felt as if she tried to swim through pudding. “Help!” The scream escaped her seconds before a void engulfed her and she tumbled, fell down, down, down into nothing.
*
When she regainedconsciousness, it was to the familiar sway of a carriage. The faint clip clop of a horse’s hooves against the cobblestone streets told her she was still in London. No longer was there a bag over her head, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim interior of the vehicle, she sucked in a breath.
“You.” Sitting opposite her on the bench was none other than Miss Newton. “What is the meaning of this?” Fear buzzed at the base of her spine, for surely her eyes deceived her. What did Miss Newton want with her?
“You’re rather dull for Inspector Storme to choose as his assistant. I thought he might have more wherewithal to pick someone of substance. Certainly someone who could walk correctly.”
Hot annoyance lanced through her chest. She shoved it away. “What did you do to him?” Worry for him circled about her mind, for he must have been hit hard to knock him out.
“Oh, he’ll be fine. Once I dispose of you, I’ll return and convince him you’d changed your mind. I’ll comfort him so that eventually he’ll forget all about you.”
“I doubt he’ll fall for that.” William was too intelligent to let someone dupe him.
“Men are stupid, true, but soon he’ll realize we’re meant to be together.” Her eyes glittered in the gloom. “I hadn’t planned to remove you tonight, but here we are.”
Did that mean she’d thought about it? Had premeditated killing her? Gooseflesh popped on Fanny’s skin. Why was this happening at all? “Why?”
“Why not?” Miss Newton snorted. “However, dragging you into the carriage has tired me, and I’ll need my strength for the inspector later. That means I’m not in the mood for a guessing game nor your questions, so I’ll come to the point.” Her teeth flashed in the dimness when she smiled. “I’m the killer you’ve been searching for, and now you’re my next victim.”