The Princess and the Peer(48)

“I thought we had gotten past all that formality, Emma,” he said.

She raised her gaze to his. “You are right. Thank you, Nick.”

Plainly satisfied, he took her arm again and resumed their stroll.

If anything, the crowd had thickened in the hours since their arrival, the festival paths teeming with jostling bodies and noise.

Nick kept her close, protected.

A raucous group of boys came racing past in a kind of daisy chain, weaving in and out among the throng, bumping several people as they went and causing one poor man to stumble into a crate of apples. The outraged vendor came flying around, waving his arms as he began to shout deprecations. Other fairgoers let loose a series of complaints, another argument soon ensuing. In the meantime, the cause of all the mayhem disappeared, the boys apparently long gone.

The scene rather reminded her of her unfortunate robbery on her first day in London—and of Nick coming to her aid.

He did so again now, drawing her tighter against his side before pulling her into the narrow, shadowed space between a pair of stalls, where they would be safe while they waited for the commotion to die down.

As she glanced back to survey the crowd, she caught the flash of brass buttons and the look of familiar green-and-black regalia from several yards away. It reminded her of Rosewaldian uniforms and the colors of her brother’s guard.

But no, it couldn’t be; she must be misinterpreting what she had seen. After all, what would Rupert’s personal guard be doing at an English country fair?

She snuck another look to see if she was mistaken, but the effort only made matters worse. Her breath caught as she studied the man across the way. She did not recognize him personally, but there was no mistaking his attire or military bearing. And even from a distance, she recognized the golden leopard crest on his black shako hat—the predatory cat, her family’s royal symbol.

A gasp rose in her throat, but somehow she managed to keep silent as disparate thoughts flashed through her mind.

If Rupert’s guard was here, then that meant Rupert was in England. And if he was in England and at the estate, then he not only knew she was missing, but had already dispatched his men to find her.

But why this particular fair? Unless…

Good Lord, it had never occurred to her that the fair might be located anywhere near the estate. Nick had mentioned the event was being held outside London, then named a town of which she had never heard. She’d assumed it would be safe. After all, why would anyone think to look for a wayward princess at a country fair?

Apparently that had been an extremely foolish assumption.

With a shudder, she eased more deeply into the shadows.

When she did, Nick moved along with her. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “We should be safe here.”

But they were not, at least not from the men who were looking for her—assuming they knew her by sight, that is.

She’d changed a great deal since she’d left Rosewald. She was no longer a child. But Rupert had commissioned a miniature of her last spring, presumably at the behest of her prospective bridegroom—though she hadn’t realized it at the time. If he’d had a copy made, then it would be a simple matter to show her likeness to his guard.

Now was not the time to lose her head and draw attention to herself. All she needed to do was make certain Rupert’s guard did not see her, then return to London with Nick.

She could only imagine the scene that would erupt if one of her brother’s men recognized her and attempted to take her back to the estate. Nick had no idea she was a runaway, let alone one whose family retained a hereditary military guard. He would not understand. Knowing Nick, he would most certainly attempt to defend her, and were he to be injured as a result, she would never forgive herself.

Nick glanced over his shoulder to judge the tenor of the crowd. “The commotion seems to have died down,” he said, turning back to face her. “Shall we resume our explorations?”

“No!” She caught hold of his arm.

He raised a brow.

“Not yet,” she amended in a more even tone. “I—I think we should wait a few minutes more, just to be certain.”

“If you like,” he agreed, though it was clear from his expression that he was indulging her.

Surreptitiously, she peered around his shoulder at the guard in the black shako. As she watched, the man was joined by another officer garbed in the same familiar green-and-black. How many men had her brother dispatched? she wondered. The two spoke for a few moments, then started forward, scanning the fairgoers as they went.

To her horror, she saw they were coming toward her and Nick. In another minute they would pass right by the opening to the stalls.