“Not in long skirts and slippers with smooth soles. Damn it, do you never think?”

“Y-yes, and I n-n-needed to visit you. Furthermore, these”—she showed him her sensible boots—“are not s-slippers.”

He cursed, swept her up, and carried her to his bed. “Take off those boots.”

She tried, but her fingers were too cold to undo the laces. He muttered a curse and did it for her, yanking them off and tossing them into the corner.

Robert supposed he should be grateful she’d at least worn good shoes, but he was too furious at the chance she’d taken. Her skirts could easily have wrapped around her legs, and he had an instant vision of her terrified expression as she plunged off the edge and into the—She could have died, damn it! Died and left me—

His heart aching in an unfamiliar way, his throat tight, he closed the window and tugged the curtains into place.

Her gaze locked on his red silk robe. “That’s very . . . bright.”

“Yes, it is. My blue one is gone.”

“Oh.” She looked about his room. “This is very cozy.”

“It’s a bit larger than a water closet, which our host is well aware of.”

At the mention of Ross, her expression closed.

Robert’s anger tightened further. “What happened? Did that ass—”

“No. But I’m glad I had my pistol.”

Robert’s hands fisted at his sides as fury raced through his blood. “Damn him! I’ll—” He was almost at the door when she caught up to him, grabbing his arm with both hands.

“No, Robert! We have to do what’s best for Rowena.”

In her eyes, he saw that she was barely holding on to her own composure.

He took a deep breath and then reached for her, holding her close against his heart. He pressed his cheek against her hair, willing away the bloodlust that held him in its grip.

“I want to kill that man,” he snapped, every fiber of his being screaming for justice.

“As do I,” she said, her voice soft and soothing. “But we can’t. We have one goal here and that’s to rescue my d—” She took a breath. “—our daughter.”

Despite his anger, he had to laugh at the reluctance in her tone. Robert lifted her face toward his. “Come, Moira. Was that so very difficult to say?”

She smiled at his teasing tone. “It will take some getting used to.”

“I can see that. Well, I’ve made a decision, and this incident with Ross has made me even more committed to it.”

“What’s that?”

Robert straightened. “Box or no, we leave in the morning.”

She paled. “But—”

“I think I know where that damned box is, and I shall attempt to get it tonight. But if I fail, we leave anyway. I will take care of Rowena, I promise. I will make Aniston give her up, and she will be safe with you once more.”

Her shoulders sagged and she said in a broken whisper, “I wish I could believe that.”