Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (146 page)

Scott

He sighed and edged to Julia's side, placing a possessive hand at her waist. He murmured something into her ear about leaving. It was time. The prodigal was going home.

Nine

was amiss. Paine's playful whisper in her ear about going home didn' t match the iron grip he had on her waist as he guided her to his carriage parked in front of the hell. That was odd, too. When they'd arrived, they come in the back door and left the carriage in the wide alley.

'What's happened?' Julia asked the moment the carriage door was shut behind them. 'Why are we parked in front?'

'Because I wasn't sure who was waiting in the alley for us,' Paine said tersely.

Julia didn't need further explanation. She knew what that implied. She swallowed hard. 'Oswalt knows.'

Paine gave a short nod. 'He will know shortly.

one of the dandies who comes

slumming, went outside with Oswalt's man. I don't have to be a fortune teller to know what transpired.

was here the night you came to the club. He's been

Scott

losing heavily. I am sure he saw this as a prime opportunity to get a little of his losses back and some revenge against me as well.' Paine sighed. 'Oswalt will put the pieces together when his man gives him the news.'

'Then Oswalt will come

for

Julia

supplied the rest, concern evident in her tone. This was the very scenario she'd wanted to avoid. She didn't want anyone entangled in her problems. She'd sought Paine out because he wasn't likely to take an interest. But just the opposite had occurred. She didn't want him to become a casualty of her folly.

'Don't worry,' Paine said. 'He's got to find us first.'

'Where are we going?'

'We're going to my family home in the Cotswolds.

I don't know what

of reception we'll get, but I

know my brother won't turn us away. We'll stop at the house briefly, just long enough to pack a few supplies, no more than an hour. I don't know how much time we have before Oswalt sounds the hunt.'

Julia didn't like the grimness in Paine's tone. At the house, she tore upstairs with single-minded efficiency, throwing necessities into the first satchel she could find.

travelling valise was right where Paine had said it would be. She dragged it out from under the low bed and stuffed a few items of clothing for them both into it. Paine was downstairs furiously dashing off notes.

He'd said no more than
an
hour at the house. She thought an hour was too much. Julia dashed downstairs fifteen minutes after going up them with a jumble of

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Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady

cloaks and a spare blanket draped over her arms, the valise in one hand, the small satchel full of toiletries in the other. She couldn't attest to how well the garments she'd haphazardly packed would hold up, but at least they'd be clean and warm when they needed them.

Paine looked up at the sound of her racing feet on the steps. 'I am just finishing a note to Madame Broussard about your clothes,' he said, too casually for Julia's taste.

'My clothes? How can you think about something like that at a time like this?' Julia scolded, breathing hard from her exertions. 'Let's go. Hurry.' She hated the desperation welling in her voice, but there was no hiding it. She was scared.

Paine came to her, placing a hand on each arm.

'Everything will be fine. I will not let Oswalt lay a hand on you, not even a finger. But for me to be successful, we can't let Oswalt drive us off course from our plan.

When we

to London, you'll need those clothes for all the events we'll be attending. I rather Oswalt not get wind of this residence because a delivery boy comes poking around with trunks of lady's clothing and starts asking questions because he doesn't know where to leave them.'

Julia hardly heard the last part of his rationale. Her mind was still stuck back on the 'for me to be successful' part. 'That's just it. I don't want you to be successful. I didn't want anyone involved at all and now you're in this up to your neck and we're racing off to implicate your brother, the earl, too. Why don't we just drive over to the

Palace and involve George IV, too?'