For a moment, words escaped him. Part of him had feared this moment, while another part had longed for it. “Please, come in.” He stepped aside.
As she entered and placed her satchel by the door, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of conflicting emotions. Had she discovered his true intentions? Was this the moment everything unraveled?
“Are you planning to stay long?” He stared at her, then at her satchel, his smile inviting and suggestive.
Her gaze met his with defiance, snuffing out his implied question. “You’re not the only one who can run away.”
They stood gazing at each other for several long heartbeats.
“How did you find me?” he finally asked, attempting a casual tone.
She offered a faint smile. “It seemed a logical place to look when you vanished without a word. Besides, you invited me.”
He nodded slowly, closing the door behind her. “I suppose I underestimated your ability to find me.”
She faced him directly, her chest heaving at his words. “So, you have been avoiding me. I deserve to know why. Especially after…” She hesitated, the memory of their kiss a bittersweet reminder of what had been left unsaid.
He grasped her shoulders. “No, not because of you. Never.” He took a deep breath wrestling internally. Could he confide in her without jeopardizing the mission? Without putting her in danger? His feelings for her warred with his sense of duty.
“Lora, there are things you don’t know, things I can’t fully explain right now.”
She stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. “Then trust me enough to understand,” she implored, her voice soft yet resolute.
He hesitated, the impact of his decision bearing down on him. Would revealing just enough keep her safe or push her further into harm’s way? He looked into her eyes, seeing the sincerity and strength that had drawn him to her from the start. Perhaps he owed her the truth or at least part of it.
“Come, you must be cold. We’ll sit by the fire.” As Rockford and Lora sat in the warmth of the lodge, Lora’s gaze reflected the hurt he had caused. He took a deep breath and began to explain.
“I’ve been avoiding you because of my misstep,” he admitted, his tone heavy with regret. “It’s led to insinuations, and I didn’t want you caught in Hastings’ schemes.” He paused. If he told her anymore, she wouldn’t be in the fray. She’d be in the fire.
“Hastings,” she said with conviction.
He felt the blood drain from his face.
Lora placed a hand on his arm. “Hastings has made similar insinuations to me.”
“I had no intentions of compromising you. Hasting wants to be something he is not, an aristocrat with all that he thinks goes with it. Money, position, and a title. He’d be willing to marry as long as it was a profitable arrangement.”
“My trust.”
His eyes widened.
“Please, don’t be surprised. Harriet already told me he was questioning my trust. He thinks he will…” She stopped and looked at him. “You know that already.”
“Yes. It wasn’t until recently that I realized Hastings was rooting around in other people’s finances besides mine. He has been making moves to undermine the new reforms, organizing some of the most influential and wealthiest men to stop workers from banding together. They are particularly against the expansion of the clinic.”
Lora listened attentively, her eyes fixed upon his. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she inquired softly.
“Matters have grown more intricate. Hastings and his accomplice are determined to halt progress at any cost, and their actions pose a significant threat to us all. I have been gathering intelligence, keeping watch over their activities, and seeking a means to stop them without drawing undue attention. But it is perilous work. If you were not involved, there was no need to put you in harm’s way.”
Her expression softened, but she didn’t offer him immediate relief. “I am involved. Why is he looking into your finances?”
“He is searching for something to use as leverage to have me do his bidding. He operates on the assumption that everyone has something to hide. That is his preferred currency.”
Lora leaned in, her voice barely a whisper. “What is he hoping to find, Rockford? What are you hiding?”
His jaw muscle visibly tensed as he weighed his options. The scandal in London was a convenient decoy, but it was far from the whole truth. Could he keep her safe while keeping her in the dark? Every moment spent in silence felt like an eternity as he wrestled with the dilemma. The mission is paramount.
“There was a scandal in London,” Rockford said, his voice firm. “I was accused of indiscretion, and though the accusations were unfounded, the stain on my reputation remains. Hastings knows this and seeks to use it against me. But you must believe me, Lora, my intentions toward you are sincere.”
