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.Even though she couldn't wed Colin whether he wanted her or not, it was a depressing thought.As she ruminated on it, she almost missed the voice that called from down the street.The shocked, all-too-familiar voice."Amy? Amy! Can that be you?""I wish they'd hurry and rebuild the Royal Exchange," Kendra lamented from inside the carriage."It was so much better than the New Exchange."Amy hesitated but a moment before rushing inside to join her.She pulled the door shut before the startled coachman had a chance to close it."What's happening, Amy?""Shh! Don't say my name out loud." She tugged the curtains over the windows, cursing the heavy traffic that perpetually clogged London's streets."Oh, why can't we get going?"The carriage gave a small lurch as it started into the center of the busy street, but it was too late.Bang! Bang! A fist hit the door, and the driver reined in the horses."Amy! I know you're in there!""Hey!" The driver jumped to the street with an audible thump."Keep your hands off Lord Cainewood's carriage!"Through a slit in the curtains, Amy glimpsed carrot-colored hair, but she needed no confirmation.Having worked with him for five years, she would have recognized Robert Stanley's voice anywhere."I don't give a damn whose carriage this is!" she heard him yell."Amethyst Goldsmith is inside, and I must speak with her."Amy bit her lip.The door opened and the driver asked, "Mrs.Goldsmith, do you know this gentleman?"She decided to pretend she was surprised."Robert!" She jumped out and wrapped her arms around the freckled man in a hug that was halfhearted at best, but she hoped would be convincing since she'd never been overly affectionate with him."'I'm so glad to see you're well—I've been wondering about you," she gushed.And it was true, in a way.Robert had been in her life a long time; she was relieved to see him whole and healthy."Your letter didn't say where you were," Robert said doubtfully, setting her away from himself."Did you at least tell your Aunt Elizabeth? I wrote to her to find out, but I haven't heard back yet.""Yes, I wrote to her," Amy said slowly.God in heaven…it hadn't occurred to her that Robert would contact her aunt.He would have found her even in Paris.She hadn't credited him with being that resourceful.No, she corrected herself, she'd known all along that Robert was intelligent, though a bit unimaginative.The truth was, she'd done her best not to think of him and what he would do at all."I'm sorry," she said now, meaning it."I should have found you to discuss matters.I wasn't thinking straight.I was…mourning.Devastated." She took a deep breath."What have you been doing?"Robert shuffled his feet on the slushy ground."Looking for you.Helping my father a little.Drinking with my old chums at the King's Arms, mostly."Not only drinking, Amy surmised, but eating his troubles away as well.He'd put on weight in the three months since she'd seen him.Suddenly, he grabbed her by the shoulders."I vow and swear, I cannot believe I've found you.I thought I'd never see you again."When Amy didn't respond, he paused, apparently considering."Were you ever going to try to find me?" he finally asked in a slow, suspicious tone.Amy looked down at the street.She wished he'd let go of her, but he had her shoulders in an iron grip.A faint, stale smell of ale washed over her; she could taste it in her mouth."Of course.I—I just got to the City," she hedged."I've been staying with friends.Out in the country.""Friends? Friends I don't know about?"She lifted her head and shot him a bold look."There's much you don't know of me, Robert.""I'm coming to see that," he returned, dropping his arms to fold them across his chest."Our wedding date passed, as you know.We shall have to reschedule."Amy stared at him."Did you not read my letter?""Wedding date?" Emerging from the shadowed corner of the carriage, Kendra stuck her head out."Amy?"Amy turned to her gratefully; this talk of weddings was making her ill."Kendra, this is Robert Stanley.Robert, my friend Lady Kendra."He aimed a curt nod at Kendra."This is your friend?" he asked Amy bluntly."The one you've been staying with?""Yes.""Fancy carriage." He said it as though it were a crime to own one."It belongs to my brother," Kendra explained."Lord Something-or-other?""The Marquess of Cainewood."Robert blinked and frowned, as though he were trying to remember something, then gave a quick shake of his head.He turned back to Amy."So…when do you want to get married?""Never," she said quietly."You were promised to me." Robert's voice was low and deep and even more quiet than hers.Too quiet.Though Amy looked at him defiantly, she was shaking inside.She didn't want to hurt him, but she had to make him understand she had no intention of becoming his wife."My father is dead.Everything has changed for me.And"—she lifted her chin—"and I don't have to marry you.""Damn it, Amy, you're supposed to be mine.I waited and waited.The shop was supposed to be mine, too, but now it's gone.The inventory…" His eyes lit up."Where is the inventory?"Amy swallowed hard."I don't want to marry you, Robert."Robert's jaw was set.His pale blue eyes flashed with menace."Where is the inventory?""I don't have it." Her voice wavered, but it wasn't quite a lie.She didn't have it here."I don't believe you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]