The Redemption of a Rogue, стр. 59

Willowby had moved to the window and was carefully peering out from around the edge of the broken glass to the street below. “I don’t see anyone. There must have been more than one assailant for all this carnage. Diana, Barber, we should go down and question witnesses on the street. Huntington, does that wound need more attention?”

Huntington finished tying off the cravat. “It’s fine for now, though he’ll need a doctor later.”

Huntington kept talking. They were all making arrangements now to interview witnesses to the attack. To check on Oscar’s servants in the back of the club. To send for more men to search for the culprits.

Imogen ignored it all. She could do nothing else but just stare at Oscar, his wound still seeping through the tight bandage. She watched him talk, watched him move as he took command of these strangers in his space.

He had been hurt because of her. He could have died because of her. And in that moment, she knew she loved him. She had fallen in love with him, and there was no changing that even if it was foolish and could only end in heartbreak.

He was still talking, completely oblivious to what she now knew was true. “…right now, though, I need to take Imogen away.”

She blinked, drawn away from the startling truth of her heart and back to the room. He would take her away? Even after all the trouble she’d caused, he still wanted to protect her? Didn’t that mean something?

Aurora had been standing in Nicholas Gillingham’s arms, and now she staggered closer. “No, wait! Is that for the best?”

The others exchanged a look, and then Willowby, Barber and Huntington left the room. That left only the Duchess of Willowby, Aurora and Gillingham, for it seemed Mrs. Huntington had also gone out to check on the servants, as Imogen was coming to her realization about her feelings.

The duchess approached Oscar. She was a pretty woman, petite and curvaceous, with a kind face. An observant face, however, and Imogen realized she was trying to read the man standing before her. She almost snorted at the idea. Oscar took time to know. To understand. This woman wouldn’t do it after only knowing him five minutes. “Mr. Fitzhugh, obviously this event has been upsetting.”

Oscar tensed and glared at her. “Upsetting, Your Grace? You think this is upsetting?”

The duchess might not have been able to understand him, but Imogen did. She saw that he was at his boiling point. That the day’s events had dragged him to the edge of his vast control.

“Oscar,” Imogen said softly as she took his hand. He turned his head, his jaw clenching, but he didn’t blow up. Imogen looked at the duchess. “Your Grace, he has protected me well in the last few weeks. Perhaps it would be better for me to go with him. I’ve endangered enough people as it is.”

Of course, she had endangered Oscar, too.

“Imogen,” Aurora whispered.

Imogen faced her dearest friend with a shaky smile. “You could have died because of me today. Please, just let me protect you.”

Aurora flinched, but sent a glance toward Nicholas Gillingham. Imogen watched him too. She knew about the man. Aurora had often spoken of him during their friendship. He was her first and only great love. Only he’d left her suddenly when they were very young, went off to the army where he’d been so badly injured. It seemed he had returned, and Aurora looked so calm, so at peace as she looked to him for comfort.

At least Imogen knew she would be protected. Loved.

“We are all under a great deal of strain,” the duchess said, and brought Imogen’s attention back to her. “But the duke and I are part of the War Department, Mr. Fitzhugh.”

“Yes, I know,” Oscar said. He sounded so tired. Almost defeated. “I’ve heard of you before, though not by name. I heard a rumor the government was involved in investigating in some way. We clearly have a great deal to discuss.”

The duchess nodded. “We do. Another reason not to hide yourselves where we cannot find you. We have the weight of the entire government to bring to bear onto this case. I do think Imogen needs to be hidden, I agree with you. The fact that someone shot at all of us the moment she was brought out of hiding means someone is desperate to silence her.”

“We know who,” Imogen said. The duchess’s eyebrows lifted with interest. Although Oscar had worried titled would protect titled, Imogen got a very different impression now. The duke and duchess seemed genuinely concerned and willing to help. But it was possible Oscar couldn’t see it. He was so blinded by his past with his father. So thrown off kilter by seeing two of his siblings. She needed to help him. “Oscar, please, they can help us. Stop fighting it.”

He frowned but didn’t argue, and Imogen knew that was a good thing.

“Let us provide the safe hiding place,” Diana said. “Protected by armed guards, hidden from plain sight. Someplace where no one will find her, but where we will have access to what she knows about the people trying to hurt her.”

Oscar paced off. When he lifted a hand to the place where Huntington had bandaged his wound, she felt an ache in her chest.

“Bloody fucking hell,” he snapped at last. “Fine. But I’m going with her.”

Imogen’s mouth dropped open. She hadn’t imagined he would let this situation go if she went with the Willowbys, but nor had she pictured he would compromise his life further and come with her. “Oscar, no! You protected me so well, but I can’t ask you to—”

“I’m going with you,” he interrupted. “That’s final. Let me just make some arrangements.”

He gave her one quick glance, but said nothing else. He strode from the room, leaving her alone with the duchess, Aurora and Mr. Gillingham. The duchess glanced at Gillingham, and her