“I must.” He wished he could see her eyes, but he could not.
Earlier, he’d agreed with Harris and left the gas lamps unlit. There’d been too much risk such a bright glow might seep into the royal box just beyond the door and thus be seen by anyone in the pit, or in the boxes on the theater’s opposite side. But he could have argued for a chamber stick or lantern.
As it was, he could not see Millie at all. And, if he couldn’t see her, how was he going to convince her not to return to Willard? Leaving early would increase the gossip among theton, but she must go. His heart broke for her yet again.
She seemed almost her usual self, hardly aware that her whole world was on the verge of crumbling, on the precipice of a massive shift.
“I am soverysorry, Millicent.”
“Because you kissed me?!”
“No!” Although he shouldn’t have done so. “Well, yes. That, and—”
“I asked you,” she reasoned. “Twice, because you didn’t do it the right way the first time. Willard didn’t bother to ask me at all.”
“Willardkissedyou?” A surge of white-hot rage stole his breath. God in Heaven,when?
“Not kissed, exactly,” she continued before he could ask. “He pushed his mouth in my face—”
He wasn’t just going to kill Willard, he was going to rip him slowly, limb from limb.
“—so I’m not surekissis the right word.” She made a sound of revulsion. “More of a…a flattening, if that makes sense.”
Her tone was so frighteningly conversational, he was chilled. “When?!”
“Just now. In the box.”
She went on as if the floor hadn’t dropped out, as if her fists in his shirt weren’t the only reason he was not in free-fall, too.
“He’d backed me between the curtain and the door, so I don’tthinkanyone else saw the insult.Iwasn’t even surewhatwas happening, to be honest. I was entirely focused on his knife.”
Neville’s entire body went taut. “Hisknife? Iamgoing to kill him.”
She made a scoffing noise. “I don’t see whyyoushould risk the rope when you just talked me out of the same.”
She didn’t, did she?
“He doesn’t matter,” she added.
“Oh yes, he does.”
“Why?” She let go of his shirt. “Because you think he tainted me?”
“No!” He restrained himself from uttering a vile oath.
He knew so much she did not. She was ignorant of Willard’s past with Asquith. Ignorant of John’s present trouble. Ignorant of theseveralyoung ladies whose downfall he’d caused.
Of course, she wouldn’t know, would she?
He lightened his voice and asked, “Don’t you think it’s reasonable for me to be angry?”
“Upset, perhaps.” She paused. “But as his insult was to me, why shouldyouwant to kill him?”
“Hell!” He ran his hand through his hair.
“You’re cursing a great deal tonight.” She actually soundedamused. “Not like you at all, Neville.”
“Just tell me Willard didn’t truly harm you…or cause you pain.”