“I can’t believe it. Who do you think did such a thing?” She took his hands, as if to reassure herself that he was all right.

“It may be Carstairs. He needs money, so he said.” Stephen went to stand by the window, his expression grim. “Or there’s another possibility—one I can’t eliminate. Earlier today, I saw your former butler walking in the streets.”

“Anant?” She frowned, turning the information over in her mind. “Why would he be in London?”

“I am wondering if he was hired to kill me. Perhaps he was the one who attacked you in the gardens at Falkirk, as well.”

Emily shook her head in denial. “I don’t believe that. He worked for our family for years. He has no reason to harm any of us.”

“He was there on the night your brother died. And I can't deny that he could be connected to the attacks.” He closed the curtains, returning to her side.

“I hope not.” Even so, doubt threaded through her mind with the fear that he could be right.

Stephen loosened his cravat, revealing the tattoo. “I also learned more about this marking. It was done to me in India, and it is Chinese, like your brother’s.”

He sat down, letting her examine the back of his neck. “What does it mean?” She traced the foreign characters and the swirling symbols etched in his bare flesh.

He tensed at the touch of her hand and turned to face her. “It accuses me of opium smuggling. And a death penalty, if I am caught a second time.”

Emily shuddered, not wanting to think of such a thing. “But you’re not a smuggler.”

“No. But the ship I was on might have contained such a cargo. I can’t be sure.”

“But…such a journey. All the way to India.” Her mind ran wild with visions of him being taken prisoner, of strangers calling for his death.

“Don’t worry. I’ve no intention of going back, for any reason.” His voice caught her deep within, like a physical caress. “Everything I want is right here.”

He stood, pulling her against him in a dark kiss. His mouth coaxed hers into a battle of lips and tongue, forcing her to yield against him. She clung to him, falling deeply under his seductive spell.

When he pulled away, he whispered. “Thank you for the boots. And the shoes.” He brushed another kiss along her jaw. “Phillips gave me the package you brought.”

His hand moved down her neck to the strand of pearls resting against her bosom. He fingered the strand, teasing the beads against her nipple as he’d done before. “I like these on you. I’d like them better if they were all you wore.”