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“I realised that Chadwick had seen you, but other woht htly, which was entirely possible, and sat you with your relatives, you could have left that ball, gone hoistrate about what you witnessed in theHowever, as soon as I saw you I knew that you weren’t likely to do that Your curiosity got you into a difficult situation, Rose If you had left that ball you would have been looking for Chadwick all the time”

She tried to deny it but knew she would have done exactly that Given what she witnessed, it was huain just in case the killer was still around She would have been constantly checking if he was there, she didn’t doubt it

“A man like Chadould not make mistakes He would look for you If you had been scared or worried and continually looking around you nervously when you left the ball he would have followed you home I could have monitored your safe return home from a di

stance if I wanted to”

“But you didn’t,” she finished for him

Barnaby slowly shook his head “Now, please understandhome any stray female I come across, especially one who makes life difficult the way you do”

“I think I was perfectly reasonable given what you expected me to do,” she protested

Barnaby grinned “I don’t think Chadwick knehat had hit him He certainly has called in far et his hands on you”

Rose stared at him unsure whether she should be offended or not While it was iry with her she was at a loss to knohat to do now

“But you dragged ht without a care for my reputation,” she murmured

Barnaby nodded “I did I think that I acknowledged then, deep down inside, that you were different to other women I have ever met Most women would have stood on that balcony and screa cut down like that, but you didn’t You controlled yourself and dealt with the situation as logically as I would Even when I appeared beside you, you were resilient and strong, and so damned beautiful that I spenton in the yard” He shrugged and looked a little bashful “It is why you had to come with me Partly because I just can’t concentrate if I don’t knohere you are and what you are doing at every given moment, but also because you were the only true witness to ent on in that yard I can’t re that happened because I was too busy watching you Unfortunately, once I had you I realised that you were a very credible threat tothat I have lived to do, everything that I have always been, was suddenly under threat I beca es but it was no use It was too late I was already in love with you, I just didn’t know it”

“It is why you left the hut,” she whispered in coe how you felt”

“Feel,” he corrected her with a nod “I began to suspect that I had fallen deeply in love with you even then It stunned ive you ti yourself in for, but I also needed to giveto feel wasn’t a fig It quickly becas I have for you are real, and so I decided to make it clear that I am my work I am not the easiest man to be around sometimes My work can be harsh because we often deal with men like Chadwick It is difficult to walk away and close it out when I do get the chance to go home”

“Where is home?” she whispered

“London” Barnaby looked rueful “It is why I want you to go there to see if you like it”