*
A nightmare.
A living, breathing, nightmare. Why the devil had he promised to keep this a secret from Saville? The moment the minx had mutteredsecret women’s club, all hope of peace of mind fled out the door. Those three words shot a chill through this heart.
Women. Plural.
Andtheymeant secrets.
Which always meant more trouble.
All the exact opposite of peace of mind. In fact, every single word associated with “women” and “secret” and “club” could be pooled in a reservoir of unpleasantness that would plague him if he helped this mischief-maker find such a club.
His curse must be flaring up again.Notthat he believed in curses. But then again, how else could three seemingly harmless words combined in such a nightmarish phrase wriggle their way into his life?
“Wait,” he called when she turned to leave.
Her gaze locked with his.
“I’ll...”—You’re going to shed more hair over this—“...help you. In exchange for a few hours of mental repose.”
She stared at him.
And stared.
“So?” Warrick pressed.
“I . . .”
Well, well, well. “Who is the one speechless now, Lady Selena?”
“You said nothing could change your mind.”
“I did say that.” He’d meant it, too. However...
“What on earth happened to your mind? I mean, what happened to change it in the span of three seconds?”
“A man is entitled to change a decision on a whim.” God help him. He sounded like his mother.
“Fickle or not, I said I was jesting.”
“Yes, I recall you said something to that effect.”
Her gaze narrowed on him, probing. “You truly mean to help me? As inhelp, as inme?”
He didn’t. He’d rather forget about today entirely and all its promises and trouble. But... Lady Selena plus secret club that supplied Turkish trousers equaled trouble that London could not afford. He didn’t believe for one second she just wanted tothankthem when she eventually found them.
“Are you questioning my sincerity?”
“I’m more concerned aboutwhyyou changed your mind.”
“It occurred to me,” right there and then, “that if I help you, I would not have to follow you about and hide behind London’s lampposts.”
That alone ought to bring him a measure of peace even as the woman threatened to rob him of every other ounce. But the more he thought about it, the more the idea seemed like the best course of action.
“I suppose you would find some solace in that.”
“I do have one more condition, however,” Warrick ventured. “A problem of my own I could use help with.” He’d never have considered telling her about something as ridiculous as this if she hadn’t told him about the club. But perhaps they could help each other. Perhaps in doing so, they could understand eachother a little better. Perhaps then she might even take some pity on him and not make his life harder than it needed to be.
