Regency 05 - Intrigue by Jaimey Grant Read Free Book Online Page B

suppress her answering grin, she plucked the jewel from its satin bed, handing the bag back to her betrothed. She studied it from every angle, choking back the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. She didn’t know if it was the gesture itself or the words that accompanied the gesture that brought on the waterworks this time.
    “Here, allow me.”
    Gideon took it from her nerveless fingers, pulling her to her feet. Standing behind her, he clasped the thing about her throat, allowing the pendant to settle just above her breasts. She shivered as his fingers traced a path of fire over the back of her neck, the sensation lingering even when he moved to stand before her.
    Meeting his eyes, she shivered again. Her fingers rose to touch the pendant. “Thank you,” she whispered. “It’s beautiful.”
    “There are more elaborate pieces at my estate, family heirlooms, but I thought this one suited you best.”
    She could not prevent her jaw from dropping. “Family? How did you come to have this now?”
    He shrugged. “I’d just retrieved them from the jeweler—annual cleaning—when my superiors called me in and sent me to investigate a widow suspected of treason.” Her shock turned to horror at the reminder of his reasons for being there. He didn’t allow her to respond. “I dropped the rest at the jeweler but this one was missed, a bit of an afterthought. I’d tucked into my waistcoat pocket and not noticed it until halfway here.” Another shrug. “I believe I was meant to give this to you.”
    “This is—” Her throat closed on the words, the significance of his gesture slamming her in the chest. “I can’t possibly accept this!” She grappled for the clasp, desperate to remove the thing and return it to its rightful place.
    His large hands closed over hers, pulling her face close to his. “I am giving this to you, Malvina. No matter what happens, this is yours.” He redid the clasp but did not release her. “No matter what.”
    His lips smiled but his eyes held a tinge of sadness, something Malvina didn’t quite understand. She heard the sincerity in his tone, though, and nodded her acceptance. He pressed a quick kiss to her upturned lips and stepped back, holding out his hand.
    “Shall we join your son?”
    Malvina slipped her fingers into his, oddly determined in that moment to marry this man whether she deserved him or not. One day, she would know everything there was to know about him, even if he refused to open up now. She was patient. Hadn’t she spent well over ten years of her life with a man just because he was her husband before God?
    This would be easy.

    About a week after Wolf’s homecoming, Malvina received an unexpected, yet expected, visitor.
    The weather was still balmy at the peak of the day. Malvina had taken to walking about unescorted in the woods near the house. She used the time to think and as her problems had increased of late, she had much to occupy her mind.
    An insect buzzed close to her ear and she waved it away. As her arm came down, she was grabbed from behind. A hand closed over her mouth, stifling her cry of alarm and cutting off her air. Her captor dragged her backwards, into the trees, until they were hidden from the view of any casual passersby.
    She struggled against the arm, desperate to escape as her air slowly dwindled, black edging her vision. Then a voice whispered close to her ear, “If you don’t scream, my lady, I will release you.”
    After a brief nod she was released. She stumbled and nearly fell to the ground but her companion reached out and steadied her with a hand under her elbow.
    “Where have you been?” she snapped, her eyes probing the shadows in an attempt to make out his features. “I began to think you had decided to leave me out of your plotting.”
    “Hoping, more like,” scoffed the man. “Unfortunately for you, I still have need of you. I will contact you soon about your next assignment.”
    “Very well,” she answered,