Along Came a Rogue by Anna Harrington Read Free Book Online Page A

recovered. How much she so desperately wanted to do exactly that! But at what cost? To endanger her own life, the lives of her family, possibly even Grey—her father was a duke now, but even a duke and all his money wouldn’t be able to stop someone determined to harm them. Her heart ached with grief and fear. Dear God , how would she ever bear it if anyone was hurt because of her?
    Doubt darkened Yardley’s face. “He doesn’t seem like the type of man who gives up easily.”
    No, he certainly wasn’t that. In fact, she doubted Grey had ever waved a white flag of surrender in his life. “I’ll find a way to convince him to leave.”
    “How?”
    “I don’t know yet.” She lifted her hand to her mouth and worriedly chewed on her thumbnail. He had seemed so determined to keep his promise to Thomas, but she was just as determined to stay right where she was. “But I will.”
    Yardley lowered her voice. “Are you going to tell him about your husband?”
    “No,” Emily answered firmly. “And neither can you. Not one word, not to anyone.”
    Yardley bent down to sweep up the broken cup. “You can trust me.”
    At the hurt tone in her voice, Emily immediately felt guilty and murmured apologetically, “I know.” But sometimes she wished there was someone else she could confide in and trust besides Yardley. Ironically, someone exactly like Nathaniel Grey.
    No. Not even he could know her secrets. Because then he would tell her family, and if her family knew, they would come for her to return her to London themselves, and then it would only be a matter of time until all their lives were endangered.
    “We’re going on to Glasgow, just as we planned,” she said quietly. But her chest tightened painfully as she realized that meant she couldn’t see Thomas when he needed her most, that she might never see her brother ever again.
    As if sensing her doubt, Yardley smiled reassuringly at her. “My sister will be right glad to have us with her. New place, new life…you’ll be safe there. No one will think to come looking for you there.”
    Emily nodded, but she didn’t feel reassured. They would have to leave soon; she wouldn’t be able to delay much longer. But lately, as the time drew closer, the dread inside her grew until she thought she might not be able to bear it.
    Her shoulders slumped. She was suddenly tired, the energy vanishing from her limbs as a headache pulsed at her temples. Usually at this time of the afternoon she lay down for a nap, partly because she always tired after lunch, but mostly because she was seldom able to sleep well at night. Today, with the surprise of seeing Grey again, the fatigue swept over her in a wave.
    Yardley frowned, placing a motherly hand on her shoulder. “Are you all right? You don’t look well.”
    “I’m just tired.” She was so very tired, in fact. Tired of struggling on her own and not being able to turn to her family for help, tired of being so isolated and alone with only Yardley to confide in, tired of being frightened all the time…“I think I’ll go up to my room and lie down. Would you take the tea things into the drawing room for the men and give my apologies to Major Grey? They’ll need rooms as well, and please ask Phipps to stable their horses.”
    “Aye, my lady. I’ll take care of everything.”
    Emily smiled wearily. “I know you will.”
    Yardley nodded over her shoulder at her as she lifted the tray and carried it from the kitchen. “I always do.”

Chapter Three
        
    W ith a muttered curse, Grey gave up all hope of sleeping and rolled out of bed. He couldn’t get Emily out of his head.
    He grabbed his trousers from the chair and yanked them on. The sweet girl he’d remembered from Ivy Glen was gone, and in her place was a harridan who claimed she was too ill to travel. A delay was possible, he supposed, if she’d been especially distraught over her husband’s death. But she certainly wasn’t behaving like a grieving widow. And