Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (210 page)

Scott

Julian bent and kissed her brow, praying he wasn't waking her for the last day of her life. She like a halo.

"Good morning, angel," Julian whispered.

His desire was rising but there was no time.

Her green eyes opened. She smiled drowsily at him and he savored the moment. In an instant her peace was gone. He could see recognition, and all they faced today, flooding back to her. "You should have woken me sooner."

"It is soon enough. I had business to take care of," he assured her. "There's a little bread and cheese for breakfast on the table in the other room." He

her to complete her morning

ablutions.

She was fast, and they ate quickly.

stop at your rooms first, Sophie. Grab anything of value you need-traveling papers, a change of clothes and anything personal you can't live without. All else can be replaced. We must move with speed and stealth. We

be hampered

by luggage," Julian explained over the bread and cheese. "After that, we'll go to St. Just. He should be able to arrange safe passage for us."

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Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss

Sophie nodded. "Do you think we'll make it?"

"Your meeting with di Brazzo isn't until eleven. There's a good chance we'll make it."

There were a lot of unspoken

in his

reassurance but there was no need to worry her needlessly.

locked the door to his rooms with a sense of finality. Everything that mattered was on the landing with him. Beside him, Sophie sensed his mood-perhaps she even sensed all that he risked, not the least being his

in her. "Thank

you for doing this,

she said quietly.

The streets were starting to fill with clerks heading to their work in banks and stores.

and Sophie were able to blend in a bit, in the event anyone was following them. They rounded the onto

and halted. They

were too late.

"Oh my God," Sophie breathed in horror.

"You were right." Her rooms on the second floor of the building had clearly been vandalized.

Passersby stopped to stare and point at the broken windows and the open French doors leading onto her small balcony overlooking the street. The

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77

balcony was strewn with clothing and broken Shattered glass littered the street below.

Julian eased them back around the corner, pressing Sophie to the wall. "I'm sorry, darling.

They must have come in the night." He couldn't allow himself to think what would have happened to her if he hadn't caught her in his apartments.

He stole a look around the corner, scanning the street. His eyes found what he was looking someone asking questions.

man with dark hair and poor clothing stood on the sidewalk near the building, stopping people as they entered. Julian could guess what he was asking them.

He took Sophie by the hand. "Let's get to St.

Just." He needed the viscount's influence more than he'd anticipated.

Brazzo's henchmen had

destroyed her rooms and their contents, effectively trapping her in Vienna. She couldn't travel without papers. St. Just could get the papers.

Julian breathed a sigh of relief as they slid through the gates to the residence that acted as an British embassy in

St. Just

ushered them inside a private room and locked the door.

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Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss

"Thank goodness you're here. My eyes and ears on the streets this morning report only bad news.

Brazzo has issued a warrant for Sophie's arrest. He's claiming he found the diamonds in her apartment."

Sophie clapped a hand over her mouth. "The paste set was in there."

Julian exchanged a sharp look with St. Just.

He saw immediately what di Brazzo was about. If he'd merely wanted the diamonds, he'd have happily taken the paste by mistake and foregone paying Sophie the promised reward. He wouldn't discover the deception until later. The paste set had been fooling visitors to the Tower for years.

But the man couldn't let Sophie live to tell the tale. He'd issued the warrant in an attempt to flush her out and have the police do his dirty work for him. Getting Sophie

out of the city

would be impossible. All the roads would be watched. Julian thought of the ring in his pocket.

Getting Sophie

out might be impossible.

Getting Lady Burke out would be a hell of a lot easier.

"What can I do, Julian?" St. Just asked.

"She needs traveling papers."