Page 100 of Stolen By the Heartless Duke

“You are still not prepared,” Hector insisted.

“I may never be.” She leaned closer. “But that cannot mean I stop trying.”

He looked away. She was infuriating. Because she was right. She sounded exactly like him.

“You once told me,” she continued, “that I learn quickly, that I was courageous. Were you lying when you said that?”

“No. I meant that,” he said quietly.

“Then trust me.” She reached across the narrow space between them. Her fingers rested lightly against his sleeve. “Please, Hector.”

He looked down at her hand. Then back into her eyes.

“I cannot stay behind while someone else searches for my brother.”

His shoulders slowly relaxed. He had known from the moment he received Hale’s letter that this argument would end only one way.

He simply disliked admitting it. “You will remain beside me.”

“I will.”

“If I tell you to leave,” he said.

“I’ll leave,” she said.

“You swear it?”

“I swear.”

“You will do exactly as I say.”

“I shall try.”

“Jane.”

She smiled faintly. “I shall.”

He held her gaze another moment. Then nodded once. “Very well.”

Relief flooded her expression. He felt both guilt at making her worry that she should not be allowed to go and guilt that he was allowing her to accompany him.

“Thank you.”

He inclined his head and signaled for the carriage to move. They rode in silence for a long way. The carriage turned west instead of east.

Jane frowned. “I thought the warehouses were near the docks.”

“They are.”

“Then why?” She let her voice trail off, but he understood her question.

“We’re making one stop.”

She looked puzzled but asked no further questions. Only when the carriage slowed outside a handsome townhouse did she glance through the window.

“Lord Redforth’s residence.”

“Yes,” Hector said.