Heat rushed her cheeks, and she made no effort to tamp it down. Some things ought to be blushed over. She shook her head.
When she saw the disappointment shadow his eyes, the sting of heat shifted. She gave him a push, not as forcefully as she would have liked to. “You can’t be sorry about that. I would have been ruined.”
“Nonsense. There would have been talk for a few days, that is all.” Though he retreated a step and let his hands fall, his brow remained in its condescending arch. “You know as well as I that at least half your friends have engaged in affairs. It is hardly a novelty.”
Perhaps that was true, but it hardly made it right. “I had never thought to be one of them.”
Given the irritation flickering again in his eyes, she expected another retort. Instead, he backed away a step and brought his expression under control. “Your conscience will be assuaged as soon as we are married. In the meantime, pay a visit to your seamstress.”
“Certainly.” Because the smile felt so false, she curled her fingers tight to her palm. They came to a rest against her skirt, where the silver links were hidden.
“I had best get caught up on correspondence.” He measured her a moment, smiled, and then turned to the door.
Somehow she wasn’t surprised when he stopped in the threshold, when his gaze went sharp again. “Where were you when I got home? Certainly not on a promenade without a wrap.”
Again her hands went to her empty elbows. She must make it a point to keep better track of her shawls. “Making sure Cora is resting. If she doesn’t, she can barely move by the end of the day.”
He was still for a moment, but his nod looked satisfied. “Very well. But I would prefer you not spend too much time out there. I have never much cared for that half-breed groom.”
A defense sprang to her tongue, but she bit it back. She had never had a nice thing to say about Walker in Dev’s presence before. She had best not start now.
Dev’s gaze went smug. “And I trust you’ve seen the brat and realize it is Lucien’s, from the look of her.”
Lucien’s? Devereaux knew exactly what he had done to Cora, yet he would try to cast the blame on his brother? Her jaw went tight, but she held the threads of anger tight. “I’ve seen her.”
“And still concern yourself with the mother. You make a fine mistress, darling.” With a confident grin in place, he exited the room.
Marietta leaned back into the table, slid her hand into her pocket, and let the warm silver links wrap round her fingers.
Twenty-One
Walker nestled closer to Cora, trying to hold tight to his dream of sunshine and orioles. But an incessant tapping pulled him toward wakefulness.
“You gonna see who’s at the door, honey?”
“Hmm?” Walker blinked his eyes open to darkness and groaned. “No. Let ’em come back in the morning.”
“Walk.”
“I know, I know.” He pushed himself up, careful to avoid putting any pressure on the growing mound of babe his hand had been resting upon, pausing only long enough to press a kiss to Cora’s sleep-warm cheek. Clumsy fingers fumbling with clothes already set out, he hissed at the unceasing knocking.
Probably Hez. The man was a night owl. Walker didn’t know how Paulina tolerated him. Or maybe Mr. Lane, who, the whole family knew, would chase a whim any time of day or night. Or…he wrenched open the door and frowned. “Osborne?”
He’d scarcely seen the detective in the last two weeks since Hughes returned from his trip. Seemed he always had Osborne off on some errand or another, or else he was in the big house where Walker wasn’t welcome. He leaned into the doorframe. “This had better be good.”
Osborne glanced at the darkened interior of Walker’s home. “I need your help.”
He grabbed his coat, stepped out, and closed the door behind him. “It can’t wait until daylight?”
“Come morning, Hughes will have me busy again.” He turned and headed down the stairs, motioning for Walker to follow.
He did, but with a laborious sigh. When they gained the stables, though, the sweet smell of hay wrapped around him and eased his grumpiness. “All right. What is it?”
Osborne stepped close, no doubt so he could pitch his voice low. “The Knights are planning to kidnap Lincoln today.”
Well, that woke him up in a hurry. Walker muttered a “Thunder and turf!” and rubbed a hand over his face. “I thought when the inauguration passed without incident…”
“No opportunity opened up beforehand, but today the president is conducting a review of the troops, and he’ll be unprotected.”
Of all the stupid… “Unprotected? Don’t your friends in Washington know he ain’t never safe?”
Osborne breathed a nearly silent laugh. “With all the turmoil of the war, I think Pinkerton has spread them thin. They’re even using off-duty police officers as guards.”