The Lady's Guard (Sinful Brides Book 3) by Christi Caldwell

Author:Christi Caldwell [Caldwell, Christi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781477848920
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Published: 2017-07-24T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 13

For all intents and purposes, the night had been a resounding success. Her father had been smiling, truly smiling, for the first time in a year. Diana had established a tentative friendship with her sister-in-law—a sister-in-law whose wedding Diana hadn’t been invited to, but who’d tonight extended an invitation to a small soiree she and Ryker would host at the end of the Season. It was the mark of a new beginning with her family.

Even the ton hadn’t been wholly disdainful. She’d danced several sets. One with Lord Maxwell. Another with Lady Penelope’s brother-in-law, Lord Christian St. Cyr. Of course, both sets had been carefully coordinated by the viscountess so Diana didn’t find herself relegated to the wall for the entire evening.

And all Diana could focus on was one singular detail: Niall had not inspected her room.

Unable to sleep, Diana sat with her knees drawn to her chest at the upholstered window seat that overlooked the quiet London streets. The full moon’s pale glow periodically peeked out through the heavy hang of cloud cover to bathe the cobblestones in a soft light.

He’d not even accompanied her to her chambers.

For the first time since Niall had been assigned Diana’s guard, he’d not done his methodical, detailed search of her rooms and then stalked off with the stealth and silence of a London pickpocket and nothing more than a curt “Night.”

Rather, they’d returned from Lord and Lady Milford’s with him trailing at a sizable distance and then disappearing down the guest corridors where he kept his rooms.

Setting the forgotten book down on the bench, she dropped her chin atop her knees and rubbed back and forth over the soft fabric of her white nightshift. Niall Marksman was not a man to forsake his duties. It went against the fierce guard who’d taken up position at Lady Milford’s ballroom, like he was the head of the King’s Army leading his men into battle.

It did not make sense.

Unless he was leaving. Then it made complete sense. She stopped her distracted movements as the niggling possibility that had taken root upon their arrival two hours earlier grew. Mayhap he’d decided after all that he wished his freedom. Mayhap . . .

The softest tread of footsteps from out in the hall cut across the early morn quiet. Her heart skittered a beat as all the terror of those gaping doors and windows and broken axles stirred to life once more. Forgotten terror. Terror she’d not so much as given thought to since Niall had entered this household to oversee her safety.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she quickly reached back and silently loosed the ring that held the curtain. She caught her breath as the heavy satin fluttered into place.

Do not be a dunderhead. You’re making monsters out of shadows, just as your father accused.

No doubt it was only a servant snuffing the candles before retiring for the early morn hours.

A floorboard groaned, and she bit the inside of her cheek hard. Scrunching herself against the wall, she sought to meld with it.

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