He was already shaking his head. “No.” He paused, then admitted, “I keep a very close eye on Damian. His personality being what it is, he was always going to attract those looking for an easy mark. He did get into debt the first year he came up to town—and I let him. It was all entirely predictable and somewhat understandable, but I wanted him to have the stomach-churning experience of being entirely out of his depth. And I wanted to see what he would do.” He held her gaze. “He came to me and made a full confession. I paid off his debts, and in return, he swore never to go that road again.” His lips twisted. “I admit I still watch and check, but thus far, he’s kept that promise.”
Frowning, she tipped her head. “You’re sure?” she asked.
But it was purely to hear him say, “I’m certain. I don’t take chances with those I care about.”
Melissa studied his eyes, then nodded in acceptance and faced forward. “So it’s neither of your brothers, and we can trust them to help with this. However…it still seems to me that it’s possible someone, for whatever reason, is taking aim not just at you but at Felix as well, by casting him as the prime suspect.”
Julian tipped his head her way. “I can’t say that’s impossible.”
She waited, then prompted, “So what now? Do we slow things down and see what happens?”
Swiftly, he glanced at her. “We can’t postpone the wedding.” His tone suggested he’d already considered it. “That would cause a furor.”
“Of immense proportions, but I would rather a furor and a delayed wedding than to find myself with no groom.”
He squeezed the hand he still held. “That’s not going to happen. I don’t think me marrying you has anything to do with the attacks. The incident of the thorn in my saddle—which could not have happened without someone deliberately putting it there—occurred before I even made up my mind to come to London. And given the subsequent attacks, we have to accept that it’s me—not you or the prospect of our marriage—that’s the true target here.”
She stared at him, then said, “That’s not reassuring.”
He smiled in what he doubtless hoped was a reassuring fashion. “We’ll get to the bottom of it, but just so we’re clear”—he raised her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss to the backs of her gloved fingers—“no putting off the wedding.”
She blew out a breath and nodded. Aside from all else, the lead-up to the wedding would necessitate them spending a great deal of their waking hours together, which would allow her to watch his back, especially when he forgot to. And she would be there to help catch whoever was behind the attacks; on that, she was determined.
As if attuned to her thoughts, his voice hardening, he said, “Aside from all else, I’m not inclined to allow some nameless, faceless villain to disrupt our lives.”
Bravo!“Not now that we’ve finally come together, found our right path, and are moving ahead in a manner of which even the grandes dames approve.”
He smiled and straightened on the seat. “You and I are on our right path, and we’ll follow it come what may.”
“Indeed.” She squeezed his hand back. “And if necessary, we’ll fight for what we want—a peaceful, satisfying life together.”
Julian felt his smile spontaneously deepen. She sounded so fierce. In a way, he felt humbled by her determination to champion him. He possessed clear and fond memories of the girl she’d been, but the woman she was now, strong, confident, and in her own way, growing into her inherent power, was so much more.
He had to admit he loved this staunchly protective side of her, one he hadn’t until recently dreamt she possessed.
Despite the current uncertainties, he felt solidly confident as he declared, “So we go forward and keep our wits about us, and we ensure that whoever is behind these attacks doesn’t succeed.”
She met his eyes, her dark-blue gaze determined. “More, we’re going to figure out who that person is, then we’ll deal with them appropriately.”
To his ears, she sounded positively vengeful. Was it wrong to feel faintly thrilled?
Regardless, still smiling, he rose and drew her to her feet. “Your mama will be wondering what’s become of you. I’d best get you home.”
She dismissed the concern with a wave, but linked her arm with his once more and allowed him to steer her out of the park and on along the pavement toward Mount Street.
As they left Grosvenor Square behind, her words about identifying who was responsible for the attacks echoed in his mind. He was fairly sure they would have to do just that, because it seemed highly unlikely that whoever was behind the attacks would stop.
It was Sunday evening before the man behind the attacks attained the right frame of mind to review what had come to pass at Carsely House.
With as much detachment as he could muster, he made himself go over his actions step by step and, ultimately, forced himself to admit that it had been a worryingly close call.
But Carselyandhis bride-to-be standing alone on a small balcony, away from all the other guests and even out of sight of the staff, had simply been an opportunity too perfect to pass up.
He’d been right to seize it; he couldn’t regret doing so, even now. Yes, it had come to naught, but… “By Jupiter! I so nearly succeeded!”
He dwelled on the moment, savoring again the burst of excitement he’d felt in the instant when he’d thought he’d triumphed, then the memories of Miss North’s white face looking up and the stomach-churning fear that had gripped him for the rest of the night rose to haunt him.
Determinedly, he consigned the incident to the past and turned his mind to what he should have been following—his carefully thought-out master plan. He needed to be patient. Despite knowing full well how rarely spontaneous attacks worked, he’d acted impulsively on two occasions, and while neither action had brought him the result he craved, they had, instead, put Carsely on alert.
