“I acted out of necessity, not some outdated sense of honor.” Benedict looked as though the very word pained him. “Now, I need you to tell me where it is, Alex. The map—it must be secured.”
“I know nothing about a blasted map. Do you doubt my word?”
“If you had it, would you tell me?” His brows quirked as if to punctuate his query.
“Of course not,” she replied without a flicker of hesitation.
“An honest woman—I’ve always adored that about you.” His eyes flashed with what seemed genuine appreciation. “But that does not help us now, does it? Stockwell was clear that he’d placed the map in your custody. He also entrusted you with an amulet—the Pharaoh’s Sun. Legend has it one is useless without the other.”
Her heart stuttered. As she suspected, he did know of the ancient pendant. Did he think to convince her to hand it over to him?
Hiking her chin, she steadied her voice. “I must ask you to leave.”
His eyes held hers. “I cannot do that.”
Once, a very long time before, she’d yearned to hear him speak her name. But now, the gravel-edged notes rang hollow against her ears.
“I am not asking you—I amtellingyou to get out of my home. Now. You have no business here.”
“You’re wrong, Alexandra.”
She slipped her hand into her pocket. Her fingers closed around the Sharps. With any luck, he would not question whether or not the gun was loaded.
“If you came for the amulet, I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time.”
A muscle in his jaw clenched and released. “I did not come for that bit of metal. I came here for you.”
She wanted to look away from his penetrating gaze, but she held her ground. Slowly, she slid the gun along the folds of her skirts, holding it at the ready. “If that is the case, you’ve done what you came to do. I require no further assistance from you.”
“If you feel the need to defend yourself against me, might I suggest you locate another pen?” His attention dropped pointedly to the pistol in her hand. “We both know that weapon’s not loaded.”
“That seems a rather bold assumption.”
He slowly shook his head. “I know you shot Rooney. I assume you would have pulled the trigger a second time after the first round failed to cut him down.”
The confidence in his eyes intrigued her. “How can you be so certain?”
“I smelled the gunpowder in the air. And it’s a known fact that the bloke wears body armor. I have connections who make it a point to understand their enemy.” His mouth quirked at one corner. “You had courage, taking him on with that puny gun. You’ve always been fond of that little pistol.”
“It was a gift…from my brother. He believes a woman should be capable of defending herself.”
“Ah, of course. He is a protective one, isn’t he?”
“As a brother should be, I would think.”
Lamplight glimmered against the burnished strands of Benedict’s close-cropped hair. Warm rays danced over the planes of his face, highlighting the white-ridged scar on his chin, just to the left of his full mouth. The mark precisely matched the breadth of her brother’s emerald ring. Peculiar, how that small flaw made his classically handsome face all the more appealing.
Balderdash.She banished the all-too-inconvenient thought. She knew better than to consider anything about this man other than the way he’d cast aside everything he loved to pursue the wealth he’d coveted.
“Much as it galls me to do so, I must agree with him. A woman like you…it is imperative that you know how to deter a threat. But in this case, you’re outmatched.”
“Do you think to intimidate me?” She squared her shoulders. “Or is this an attempt to frighten me into surrendering the Pharaoh’s Sun?”
“Alex, I am not the one you should fear.”
“Am I to believe some latent sense of chivalry sent you running back to London?”
Back to me.
