The Wolf's Promise. Claire Thornton

consider the horses,’ Benoît agreed smoothly, a gleam in his eye. ‘But how long will the Earl tolerate the absence of his daughter? I should hate to have Sir William come storming in here accusing me of kidnapping you. He might suspect me of trying to hold the Earl to ransom for your safe return.’

      Angelica gasped. Not once, in all the time she since had decided to deliver her father’s letter herself, had that possibility occurred to her.

      ‘You wouldn’t!’ she exclaimed, caught between indignation and disbelief.

      ‘I might, under certain circumstances,’ Benoît said reflectively, startling her even further. He smiled at her expression. ‘No, my lady, you’re quite safe with me,’ he assured her. ‘But I think we might send a message to your father that you’re still here. He must be more aware than most of the possibility of accidents on the road.’

      Angelica nodded, unable to argue with Benoît’s suggestion. For all his black moods, she knew the Earl was probably desperate with worry for her. It upset her that she was causing him so much distress. But it was an unbelievable relief to have escaped briefly from the dark, gloom-enshrouded house in Berkeley Square. One more day could not hurt.

      ‘I’ll tell my mother you are staying while you write a note to the Earl,’ said Benoît briskly. ‘Feel free to use the desk. We’ll send him my letter at the same time.’

      ‘Oh…’ Angelica wanted to protest, but she couldn’t think of an unexceptional way to resist his eminently reasonable suggestion.

      ‘You will have to curb your curiosity in that respect a while longer,’ said Benoît, with dry amusement, removing it neatly from between her fingers. ‘Excuse me, my lady.’

      He went out, leaving Angelica alone. She looked around, her eyes drawn once more to the brilliant painting over the fireplace. She was staying for Harry’s sake, she told herself. There was a great deal about Benoît Faulkener that still needed investigation before she could finally trust her brother’s life to him.