Giving his head another shake, Robert was now the one to mutter under his breath. Then heaving a sigh, he said, “Just hold on tight.”

He waited to hear her say that she understood and then began to shift them both out of the window. It was a much trickier maneuver with her clinging to his back like a monkey, and Robert began to grit his teeth, his attention divided between what he was doing and her hold on him. He was concerned that she might lose her grip and fall, but couldn’t spare a hand to help her hold on.

“Tell me if your grip starts slipping,” he hissed, easing along the ledge toward the trellis.

“Yes, Robert,” she mumbled against his neck and he felt a shudder run through him as her breath brushed his ear. Damn, he’d never had this reaction to her before. But then she’d never looked quite so . . . well—

“Ow.”

Robert paused. He’d just stepped off the ledge and onto the trellis when she’d made the sound of pain. Twisting his head slightly he tried to glance around to see what was wrong. “What is it?”

“Nothing. My foot just hit something,” Lisa muttered, digging her heels tighter against him to try to avoid the wall and wood. She’d slid lower once he’d straightened on the ledge, and her feet were no longer against his waist, but now dug into his groin. Pain wasn’t the word for the sensation she was unintentionally causing. Robert managed not to groan out loud, and bent slightly to protect her feet, then began to descend the trellis with a little more speed than care. He was somewhat amazed when they made it to the ground without a misstep, and the moment his feet were planted solidly on the ground he urged her off his back.

Relief sped through him when her feet were no longer rubbing him so intimately, but he ignored it and turned to lift her into his arms. It was an attempt to hide some of her nakedness as well as to protect her poor bare feet . . . and had absolutely nothing to do with a desire to hold her in his arms, he assured himself as he strode toward the end of the alley and the carriage waiting there.

Robert moved as quickly as he could, eager to get her inside and away from prying eyes, not to mention any kind of confrontation with Mrs. Morgan or her goon. That would wait until he’d got Lisa safely away. He wouldn’t risk her being caught again should Gilly prove more of a problem than he expected, or if the man got in a lucky punch with one of those hammy fists of his.

“Oh, Robert, I knew you would save me,” Lisa sighed, nestling into his chest.

Robert grunted and tried to ignore the way her breasts were pressing into his chest.