Warrick threw his head back against the seat and shut his eyes.
He sighed. What a bloody disaster.
His eyes snapped open.
Why hadn’t she pressed him about the crest?
Chapter Eight
Selena resisted theurge to cover her nose as she jumped from the carriage that stopped before an alehouse. The most recent—and unexpected—clue had led her here. It was a breakthrough in her search for the elusive organization that had been quite effective in slipping through her grasp.
“So, this is the place Dare allegedly saw the crest.” Selena glanced at Leonora. “Just how did Dare”—a notorious rake, a seemingly frivolous character—“find the mark on your Turkish trousers?”
Leonora smirked. “Just how did you and Warrick manage to lock lips together?”
“Very well, I won’t ask.”
“I’m surprised the earl did not escort us.”
“You heard him yesterday, he said he wouldn’t help me.” Then everything else happened, though Selena still was unsure exactly what it was that had happened. Things between them had taken an awkward turn, but she’d dropped the gauntlet on his side. And her brain might as well have turned into a mushy stew because of that man. “Plus, didn’t you advise him to give me space?”
Leonora shrugged. “I told him not to follow you so that you both can calm down.”
“Well, I suppose we’re still calming ourselves.” She had calmed the moment she sent him the tea this morning. He, on the other hand—well, it would depend on how well he receivedher gift. Her cheeks flushed as she recalled how she had blurted out to him all that had bothered her. Why had she said all those things? The more she thought about it, the more embarrassment flushed her face. She’d even admitted she enjoyed his kisses.
She patted her warm cheeks.
Those two kisses, brief as though they were, were more than tempting. They were downright dangerous. With each one, those old, familiar feelings of admiration and sweetness had exploded back to the surface. Luckily, she hadn’t confessed to any of that. She had thought her innocent childhood passion had long faded. Could it be that it had only been buried to once more resurface?
That couldn’t be, could it?
Bah! This was driving her crazy. Which was why it was best to move on before she made an irrevocable mistake. Like acting on impulses that would only leave her heartbroken and disappointed in the end.
“Shall we go in?” Leonora asked, looking over the street with curiosity.
Selena nodded. She had been skeptical about this lead. However, since she wanted to find the club, every lead, no matter how small, no matter where it came from, should be investigated.
She wondered if Warrick knew about the alehouse. He’d discovered the crest, so he might have discovered more clues she wasn’t aware of. She should be annoyed, but then, she’d hidden things from him, too. Unless he decided to fully commit to helping her, she refused to count on him for anything.
“I’ve never been to an alehouse before,” Leonora said.
“Me neither.”
Bright light spilled into the room from the open door and windows, chasing away the dim shadows as they entered. The smell of smoke clung to the dark, varnished wooden tables and stools, but they looked clean.
“It’s not as stuffy as I imagined,” Leonora remarked.
“That’s because it’s broad daylight. I imagine the moment the sun sets the scene changes.” Selena’s gaze flicked to all corners of the room, from the wooden beams crossing the ceiling down to the scuffed floorboards, looking for any sign of those roses entwining a sword. Her eyes darted to a sword—without any roses—hanging on the wall above the bar.
Interesting.
“This seems rather . . .”
“Unsophisticated?” Leonora offered. “It’s not quite what I imagined the lair of a secret club run by women would look like.”
“Perhaps it’s not their lair but a property they own.”
“Why would they own an alehouse on the docks?”
