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I don’t believe this.

And she still didn’t.

The only thing she believed was that if Jarvis got to Ian before she did, she might never get the answers she needed.

Without wasting another moment, Helen rushed downstairs. She opened the door just as the stableboy brought out Jarvis’s mare.

Helen glanced back at the house and whispered, “Forgive me, Jarvis.”

Then she hiked up her skirt and mounted the horse astride, before nudging it into a gallop.

Chapter 18

Eliminate Ian McAllistair.

The note Ian had stolen from St. John’s study was not reassuring. Still, something did not add up, although he couldn’t put his finger on it. It made him pause, but not for long. Because he knew he didn’t have time to linger.

He had collected all the most necessary papers from his secret study and rushed out. He carefully closed the trapdoor, covered it with dirt and stones, as if it was just part of the scenery, and paused.

Something was wrong. The air around him thickened, the sounds of the fountains clearly covering some other sound in the conservatory.

He wasn’t going to ignore this feeling for the second time in one night. He took out the gun from behind his back and listened carefully.

The rustle of fabric sounded behind him, and Ian turned in one fluid motion, pointing his gun at the intruder.

Helen.

You came to me.

His heart jolted in excitement, but part of him still felt suspicious. Why had she come for him?

“Are you going to point a gun at me the entire night?” she asked as she stood there, unmoving, her spine straight, but a twinge of hurt in her eyes.

He lowered the weapon and bit his lip. “What are you doing here, Helen?”

“I came here to warn you,” she said, her voice hoarse. “My cousin is getting his group together, and they’re coming after you.”

Ian nodded. “That much I suspected.”

She swallowed. “And to ask you.”

You came to me.

“Ask me what?”

“Is it true? What Jarvis said, is it true? Did you only pursue me to spy on him?”

Ian looked away. There was a muffled whimper from Helen and she stepped back.

“It started that way, yes.”

There were tears in her voice when she spoke next. “And all of it was a lie?”

“No.” Ian raised his head. “No, Helen. Not all of it.”

He could see that he wasn’t reassuring her. But a part of him didn’t want to. They couldn’t be together. Why bother?

She was hurt, and he wished he could take away the pain. And yet, he wished he could leave her with peace of mind.