Page 26 of Unmasking the Earl

“In what have you failed?” she asked, looking down at him, and was instantly distracted. What wonderfully thick hair he had! Rich and waving, sculpted across his high forehead by the rain. A pity all she wanted to do was pull it until he yelped.

His brows drew together. “Maybe one day I’ll let you in on my scandalous secret, since I already know yours. All I will say for now is that I followed Wycherley, but he didn’t lead me where I’d hoped.”

“To Westbury?” she asked, puzzled.

“To Westbury.”

She waited for him to explain, but he just picked up the teapot and offered her more tea before pouring some for himself.

She said, “You do realize I’ll have to speak to your master about this.”

“Then I will have to speak to your papa about him,” he replied, gesturing to a military portrait of Captain Wycherley hanging above the fireplace.

“You wouldn’t dare!”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “Try me,” he said.

She should have been infuriated, but when he looked at her like that, she lost the will to fight, and her mind again shot back to how she had felt when confined in the closet with him. Excited and…tempted.

She battled desperately with the inappropriate feelings. She mustn’t let this man affect her in that way! Only Julian was allowed to do that!

Finishing a mouthful of cake, Ganstridge wiped his lips on a napkin in such a well-bred fashion she narrowed her eyes at him. Suddenly, she realized the usual peculiar burr of his speech had been replaced by a cut-glass accent as crisp as her own.

But…

Her mind raced. And came to the only conclusion possible.

Good Lord! He wasn’t a servant at all!

But how could that be?

Who was this man?

“You don’t strike me as being a completely witless female,” he said, oblivious to her shock, “so I’m surprised you can’t see what’s wrong with your little scheme. Has it not occurred to you that any scandal linking your name with Wycherley’s might result in your being forced to marry him?”

No. Because she had no intention of being found out. That would completely scupper her plans to marry Julian.

Would Ganstridge really carry out his threat to tell her father?

“I should refuse to marry him,” she said stoutly. “I would say that nothing had happened, that it was a complete misunderstanding. Who would people believe? The servant or the genteel young lady—”

He gave her a wry look. “When it comes to a scandal—”

She took a deep breath and cut him off. “Who are you really, sir? You can’t fool me any longer. I know you’re no servant!” She drew herself up. “And if you continue to threaten me, I’ll tell everyone, and you’ll be thrown into a prison cell!”

The color flowed out of his face. “By the devil!” He leaped up and went to the door, opened it, and apparently satisfied there was no one within earshot, he closed and locked it, then came to stand over her.

Her stomach did a somersault. He was furious. No, wait, that wasn’t anger. It was fear. Fear, presumably, of what she could do to him, now she’d uncovered his secret.

Which served him right.

A myriad expressions flitted across his face. Clearly, he was wrestling with some internal turmoil. She lifted her chin. No doubt he was trying to bring himself to apologize to her and beg her indulgence.

His eyes narrowed, and he leaned in closer. So close she could smell the rain lingering on his hair and see the darkening of his pupils, feel the subtle change in his emotions.

And suddenly, she was terrified she couldn’t have been more wrong.

He didn’t intend to apologize…