Chapter 15

15

W ith every instinct on high alert, Samantha followed Mr. Croft to a private training room together with Hazel. There, she set her bag on a bench and removed her bonnet, then smoothed a hand over her hair. Glancing sideways, she caught Mr. Croft studying her with interest. He'd removed his hat and was in the process of shucking his jacket.

"How did you make Mr. Reed change his mind?" She was genuinely curious to know, though she doubted he'd give her an honest answer.

He began rolling up his sleeves, revealing a pair of strong forearms banded with muscle. The edge of his mouth twitched as he eyed her. "I just reminded him and all the club members that this place wouldn't exist without my family's investment and that I expect my guests to be welcome."

"I see." Samantha glanced at Hazel who merely shrugged one shoulder. It surprised her that he'd been so forthcoming though it still didn't explain why he'd chosen to help the two of them.

"Shall we proceed?" Mr. Croft asked. He swept one hand toward a spot on the floor and gave both women an expectant look.

Keeping her tread deliberately cautious, Samantha followed Mr. Croft to a part of the room that allowed for plenty of movement. Quilted mats had been strewn across the floor here, ensuring a cushioned landing for the beginners she and Hazel were meant to be.

Samantha frowned at them. She'd not used this sort of protection since she was a seven-year-old child receiving her initial lessons from Harlowe. Even then, it had only been necessary for the first week, after which the bruises she gained led to faster learning.

"Who wants to go first?" Mr. Croft inquired..

Intent on looking unsure of herself, Samantha hung back long enough for Hazel to take a step forward.

Samantha caught her arm, then met her gaze when she turned back to face her. "Be careful."

The warning was meant to remind her friend to show uncertainty as well as the lack of skill Mr. Croft would expect. He no doubt believed it to reference Samantha's concern for Hazel's safety since he said to her, "You needn't worry. I'll demonstrate the basics with slow and steady movements. No harm will come to Miss Stevens. You have my word."

Had Samantha truly been worried, she would have found immense relief, not so much in his promise, but with the heartfelt assurance with which it was spoken. It struck her in that moment that whatever his faults might be, Adrian Croft was a dependable man.

But that didn't make him less of a criminal. It only proved him capable of conducting himself as a gentleman ought. A true gentleman, however, would not build his fortune through illegal means. It was vital she remember that whenever he used his charm.

Arms crossed, she watched him instruct Hazel on how to position herself correctly.

"You'll want to keep your knees slightly bent to allow for swifter movement. Like this." He gave Hazel a demonstration, then raised his fists and encouraged her to mirror his stance.

Hazel made repeated attempts but consistently failed to bend her knees while keeping her arms in the right position. Samantha almost laughed. If only Mr. Croft knew how severely he was being deceived.

Then again, it was probably best if he never found out since there was no telling how he would respond. Which reminded her to be extra careful when she stepped forward a short while later to take Hazel's place.

"Like this?" she asked when he told her to keep her fist in line with her shoulder when throwing a punch.

"Almost. Now straighten your arm upon impact."

She did as he suggested, but kept her fist slack and leaned backward onto her heels as she struck the raised palm of his hand.

Mr. Croft offered advice on how to correct her mistakes then encouraged her to have a few additional goes. He blew out a breath by the end of it and scratched the back of his head while eyeing her with a mixture of curiosity and resolve.

"Take the defensive stance I've shown you again," he told her. When she did as requested, he circled around her, vanishing from her view though she sensed his solid frame directly behind her. A brief second of undefined foreboding took root at the base of her spine. It snapped at her instincts, urging her to attack as soon as he touched her.

Slow and steady, she forced her heart to gentle its rhythm and for her breaths to find the calm she required. To remain utterly still, unthreatening, untrained.

Strong hands curled into her flesh on either side of her waist, the pressure of his fingertips sending an unbidden shiver straight down her middle. She tightened her core to negate the effect and allowed him to help her adjust her position.

"Stay like that if you can," he told her, his voice firm as he stepped to her side. His hands caught her wrists next and positioned them just so. "Now hold your footing and your squat while I show you how to move your upper body."

Positioned at her side, yet angled toward her, he extended her arm and brought it back, over and over, until she could no longer fight the instinct to throw her punch smoothly.

"Yes," he cheered, believing he'd finally gotten his point across. "Now punch me in the shoulder."

She lowered her arms and shook them out, pretending she'd found the practice exerting. "I really shouldn't, Mr. Croft. What if I hurt you?"

"I appreciate your concern for my safety, Miss Carmichael, but I think it will be a while before such a thing might occur." An indulgent smile followed. "Keep practicing though and I've no doubt you can achieve the sort of punch that will split a man's lip and send him running."

Hazel snorted with amusement. Allowing a chuckle, Samantha stepped forward and took the stance Mr. Croft had just showed her. Legs bent, back straight, and arms raised to protect her face from potential attack, she waited until Mr. Croft looked ready before attempting a punch that held most of her power at bay.

As expected, it barely made an impact. Mr. Croft didn't budge in the slightest, but that didn't mean the lesson was wasted. What she learned was that solid steel existed beneath his fine clothes. If she were ever to meet him in a fight, she'd have to use skill, perhaps even weapons, in order to win.

"Excellent work, Miss Carmichael." He gave her a nod to reward her efforts before inviting Hazel back onto the mat so she could try punching him too. A few more turns followed before Mr. Croft declared that this was enough for today. "I encourage you both to practice at home in front of a mirror. Doing so will make it easier for you to check your posture and the correct positioning of your arms."

"Thank you, Mr. Croft." Samantha crossed to the bench where she'd left the bag she'd brought with her. "I'm sure you're a busy man, so we appreciate your taking the time to help us with this. It's really not as easy as it looks."

"Learning the right technique is vital, but strength plays a very important role too. If you're not in too great a hurry, I can show you some exercises you'll want to repeat at home."

"That's very generous of you," Hazel said. "Thank you."

For the next ten minutes, Samantha and Hazel watched Mr. Croft perform a series of simple movements intended to build muscle and flexibility in various parts of the body. Samantha was well acquainted with them since most were a part of her daily morning routine.

She had no need for this, truth was, yet there was no denying the satisfaction she found in watching Mr. Croft perform them. His shirt and waistcoat stretched tightly across his back and the rolled-up sleeves straining against the bunching of biceps when he pushed his weight off the floor.

It was hard not to appreciate his physique and overall strength, though the knowing look Hazel gave her was somewhat annoying.

Ignoring her, Samantha thanked Mr. Croft for his demonstration and vowed to make good use of it.

"If you return in a couple of days," he said, "the room next to this one will have been made available for your training alone. Mr. Reed will also have an instructor at your disposal. Bring any friends and acquaintances who'd like to learn."

Samantha fought the urge to gape at him. He couldn't possibly be this nice. It didn't square with the man he was meant to be.

Unable to figure him out, she thanked him again and went to collect her bag from the bench.

Pretending to search the contents, she waited until he came to fetch his jacket before she clumsily drew the bag sideways, prompting several items to spill from within. Producing a huff of irritation, she bent into a crouch and proceeded to clean up the mess, allowing just enough time for Mr. Croft to notice the book she intended him to see.

"Is that Herakles ?" he asked, a note of astonishment in his voice.

Samantha shoved the book into her bag and stood. "It is."

He looked mildly flummoxed for a second before he managed to school his features. "I wonder what your opinion of it might be."

Despite having finished it, she pretended otherwise. "I find it incredibly moving and thought provoking, though I must confess that I dread the ending which I've been told will be rather tragic."

"Yes." He was staring at her as though she'd materialized from out of thin air. A shake of his head seemed to ground him. And when he spoke next, he did so with perfect control. "I'd like to engage in a boxing match before I depart, but if you're willing to wait, I'd be honored to take you both out to lunch. Perhaps at Mivart's?"

Samantha could have beamed with pleasure. She was finally making headway. But since she did not want to look too eager, or give him cause to believe that she'd engineered any of this, she let her shoulders slump as though with regret.

"Thank you, Mr. Croft, but I'm afraid that would cause too great a delay to our schedule." She didn't elaborate further, choosing instead to collect her bonnet while Hazel did the same.

"Perhaps some other time then," Mr. Croft said.

"Perhaps," she agreed without making any suggestion as to when such an occasion might arise. Instead, she thanked him once more for his assistance, bid him good day, and proceeded to walk away.

If she wasn't mistaken, his gaze lingered upon her, tracking her every move until she'd vanished from his line of vision. But even then, she couldn't escape him completely. His powerful presence stayed with her long after her return to Clearview House.