The Duke Who Loved Me: On His Majesty's Secret Service Book 1

by Patricia Barletta

  He smiled as he took the letter. “Many thanks, mademoiselle. You have saved us both a great deal of aggravation.”

  He took her by the elbow and steered her back to the front parlor. Gallantly, he motioned her to sit.

  “Please, remain here, mademoiselle,” he said. “I will not be so gentle if you decide to try to escape again.”

  As he walked away from her, he pulled a pistol out of his belt and placed it on a table. Jessica did not doubt that he would use the weapon if she tried to move. Fearfully, she swallowed. Would he release her now that he had what he wanted? Or would he keep her and…? She could not finish the thought.

  Outside, twilight was turning to night. She watched as he lit a candle. He became engrossed reading the letter. He was turned away from her, but the light glinted on his hair that curled below his hat. Golden hair. Jessica’s eyes widened as she studied him. That profile. It could not be, could it?

  He finished the letter and turned to face her. The candle threw its light under the brim of his hat. Jessica gasped.

  “You!” she blurted. She clutched the arms of the chair. She needed to hold onto something solid.

  Damien flinched as if he’d been struck. The look on her face tore at him. He had wanted to get through this evening without revealing his identity. He removed his mask.

  “Yes,” he said, switching from French to English.

  “Were you the one who sent the warning?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “But why? What do you want with Madame’s letter? Why are you dressed like that? Why did you do this to me?” Her questions tumbled one after the other.

  “Do you know what is in Madame’s letter?” he demanded, trying to ignore her bewilderment and tamping down his desire to soothe her.

  “Of course not. I do not read other people’s private correspondence,” she said, affronted.

  “Perhaps you should.” His tone was grim. He walked to the door and told his men he had the situation under control. Then he returned and stood over her. He forced the next words out of a tight throat. “I am placing you under arrest for treason, Jessica.”

  Her mouth dropped open. Then, nearly hysterical, she began to laugh. “Treason!” she gasped. “Damien, how long did it take you to figure out this little charade to get me to come to you?”

  Damien blanched. Not only did she not believe him, but she had impugned his honor.

  “Jessica.”

  His voice cut through her laughter like a blade.

  Her amusement died abruptly.

  “I have not broken my promise to you, and I am not lying,” he said coldly.

  Jessica stared up at him blankly.

  Damien watched her carefully. Her eyes had gone dead. She was in shock, retreating into herself, protecting herself from any more hurt. He hated himself for what the situation required of him, but he was her jailer now. He had to make her see that.

  He grabbed her arms and pulled her out of the chair. He knew the signs of shock and hysteria very well. He could not allow her to fall apart. He wanted to save her.

  With a little shake, he commanded, “Listen to me, Jessica. The letters which you have been delivering for Madame contain information which she should not have. You have been helping to deliver secrets to Napoleon. I am working undercover to stop anyone who is delivering that information. Do you understand me?”

  She stared at him. Slowly, her eyes focused.

  “Treason?” she asked in a small voice.

  “Yes.”

  She blinked. “I am under arrest?”

  “Yes.”

  The finality of his single word landed on Jessica’s ears like a stone. He released her. Her knees buckled, and she sank back into the chair. How could this be happening? The mess of her life had gone from awful to disastrous. Her mind skittered away from the overwhelming repercussions of her arrest and settled on curiosity instead. She frowned.

  “How can you arrest me?” she asked. “What authority do you have?”

  “The authority of His Majesty the King. I am a colonel in His Majesty’s army.” His words held the ring of truth.

  She frowned. “Then you are not truly a duke?”

  “I am that, too,” he said with a little sigh, as if burdened by both responsibilities.

  Jessica was confused. “But why are you both?” she asked. Few men, she knew, bought a commission in the army if they were to inherit a title. Buying a commission was left to second and third sons of the titled.

  Damien smiled grimly. “It’s a long story.”

  He turned away and collected his pistol, mask, hat, and the all-important letter. He paused beside the table holding the lit candle. “Come along, Jessica. It is time to leave.”

  She gathered her strength. Then slowly, as if she were an old woman, she rose and walked to his side. He blew out the candle and guided her to the door. Outside, she saw several other men dressed like Damien. Aphrodite was still tethered where she had left her.

  “Who owns the horse?” Damien asked.

  “She is mine,” she said without thinking. “A gift from my father.”

  “Where do you stable her?” he pressed.

  Jessica did not answer. She had already said too much.

  One of the men approached with something dangling from his hand. She heard the clang of metal against metal.

  “Excuse me, sir,” he said. “Will you want these?” He held up manacles.

  Jessica stared at the wide iron bands held together by a heavy chain. She could already feel them around her wrists—the hard cold of the iron, the weight of the chain. Bleak desperation overwhelmed her. Blackness swept over her. She swayed against her horse.

  Damien’s hands closed around her arms and steadied her. A concerned frown furrowed his brow. Then it was gone, wiped from his face as if it had not been.

  “I will not put the irons on you,” he said quietly, but firmly, “if you give me your word that you will not try to escape.”

  She had no need to give her word. “I have nowhere to escape to.”

  He nodded and waved his man away. As they rode out of the yard, the men surrounded Jessica. It was done subtly, with no command spoken. Damien rode before her, at the head of the group. Jessica kept her eyes on his broad back, her mind a complete blank. She could not let herself wonder what would happen to her or to Jason. She just had to do as she was told for now. Later, she would begin to think, to question.

  The ride to the inn was made in silence. Occasionally, Damien would drop back to ride beside her, but he made no effort at conversation and neither did she. Jessica had nothing to say to him. She could not explain anything for she was still dazed. Damien likely held her in contempt, and she would not plead with him for mercy. Keeping her dignity, she rode with her back straight and her chin up.

  By the time they reached the inn, she was exhausted and chilled to the bone. A light mist had begun soon after they had started out and made the trip seem much longer and more miserable. Jessica’s riding clothes had not been made for long rides in the damp of night. She was shivering uncontrollably, and her teeth chattered.

  “Why didn’t you say that you were cold?” His voice held a hint of exasperation.

  “You didn’t ask me,” she snapped. She did have some pride left.

  Damien pulled her against him, enfolding her in his arms, his cloak shielding her. The warmth of his body was reassuring. The gesture evoked memories of the last time she had been with him. She longed to put her arms around him, but knew she could not. He was her jailer now. She was his prisoner.

  As soon as they entered the inn, Donny accosted Damien. “Here now! Ye take yer hands off her!” She tugged at Damien’s arm. “Ye’ll not be puttin’ yer filthy hands all over my lady.” When her tugging did no good, she tried to wrest Jessica away.

  Damien turned
cold, green eyes on her. Jessica did not want his anger to spend itself on Donny, so she intervened.

  “Donny,” she said softly. “It’s all right. I will explain later.”

  “Hmph,” Donny grumbled. “It doesn’t look all right.” But she retreated back a step.

  Damien removed his cloak and draped it over Jessica’s shoulders. Then he took aside the innkeeper. While they spoke, Jessica kept her chin up proudly and stared at one of the far beams of the ceiling. Donny warily watched the men who stood stiffly about. The silence was awkward. Jessica breathed a sigh of relief when Damien returned.

  “A meal will be sent to your room,” he said. “I took the liberty of ordering a bath. It will cure your chill. I will come to see you later.”

  “Thank you,” she said, then started up the stairs with Donny.

  One of Damien’s men followed.

  Donny blocked his way. “Where d’ye think ye be goin’?”

  Jessica put her hand on the woman’s arm. “Please, Donny. It’s all right. He will not bother us.” She met the man’s eyes and gave him a small smile. Then she continued up the stairs.

  Donny followed, grumbling the whole way. She nearly growled when he stationed himself outside the room. As soon as Donny shut the door, she demanded an explanation. Jessica told her what had happened at the house of Monsieur Montaigne, and who had brought her to the inn. She only omitted that Damien had been her lover.

  When she’d finished, the little woman asked, “What about his babe that ye be carryin’?”

  Jessica gasped and stared at her in astonishment.

  “Don’t ye look so surprised,” Donny said. “I’ve taken care of ye all yer life. Don’t ye think I know what ye be about?”

  Fiercely, Jessica said, “Donny, don’t you breathe a word of this, especially to him, or I will tan your hide.”

  Donny sniffed. “I can keep me mouth shut. But if ye weren’t so proud, ye’d tell him. He might be able t’make things easier for ye.”

  “No, I’ll not take his pity. Or anyone else’s.” Jessica turned her back. She was relieved Donny remained quiet.

  Jessica was huddled in a chair by the fire when Damien came to her room. She wore her dressing gown and had left her hair loose. She knew she should have been properly dressed, but she had no strength. He stood, cool and remote, just inside the door. She wanted him to gather her in his arms and tell her everything would be well. Instead, he looked every inch the soldier, despite his clothes. Why couldn’t their relationship have been different? Why couldn’t she hate him?

  “I came to inform you we will be leaving at dawn tomorrow,” he said. “There will be a man posted outside your door tonight. Do not cause him any trouble.”

  She smiled wryly. “I will still be here in the morning, Your Grace. I think you overrate the ability of your prisoner.”

  “The success of what I do depends on not overrating anyone or anything,” he said seriously.

  Jessica nearly laughed at the ludicrous idea of being considered dangerous. Instead, with a wry twinkle, she said, “I suppose I should be flattered that you think me that important.”

  Something flashed through his eyes. He looked about to say something, then stopped, cleared his throat. “I am only telling you, so you may be warned.” With a formal bow, he said, “Good night, Jessica.”

  As he turned toward the door, she stood. “Damien.”

  He stopped with his hand on the latch.

  “What is going to happen to me?” Her words came out small and frightened.

  He did not answer immediately. A muscle twitched in his jaw. She thought she saw compassion—or was it contempt? —cross his face, but it was gone too quickly for her to be sure.

  “I believe traitors are hanged,” he said. Then he was gone.

  She gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth, as she sank back into the chair.

  His words were like hammer blows. How long before the sentence would be carried out? A month? Two? Certainly not long enough to allow her child to be born. There would be a trial. Perhaps she could throw herself on the mercy of the court. Perhaps they would postpone carrying out the sentence long enough to allow her to bear her child. Would Damien accept the babe as his? Would he care for it? Love it?

  Tears slipped down her cheeks. The Ice Witch’s icy façade was cracked. There was nothing she could do. Her own foolishness and naïveté had gotten her into this mess. But what else could she have done? Margaret had tied her hands—holding the threat of an unwanted marriage over her head while keeping Jason hostage. She’d had no other recourse but to raise the funds through gaming and no other choice but to do as Madame had requested in order to gain access to her gambling den.

  Wiping her tears, she heaved a watery sigh. She supposed she was better off leaving this life. She could never belong to Damien anyway, not the way he wanted, not with Margaret’s evil hanging over her head. And what of Jason? Her heart broke for her brother, who, with her death, would be left at the mercy of Margaret’s wrath and no one to watch over him. Dare she ask Damien to help Jason after she was gone? Weren’t the condemned allowed one last request? She would tell Damien about Jason and the child. But not now. She couldn’t risk putting her brother at greater risk than he already was. She had to protect Jason and her babe for as long as she could. She would tell Damien when she could hide it no longer. With those decisions made, she went to bed, to wait for the next step down in her degradation.

  The next morning, Jessica was escorted outside by another of Damien’s men. A coach waited with the Wyndham heraldic device emblazoned on its door. Damien, dressed in an officer’s uniform, was speaking with several of his men, who were also dressed as soldiers in His Majesty’s army. She felt a catch in her throat at the way he had been transformed. He was just as handsome, just as magnetic, but with a military bearing, a commander at ease with his men.

  He approached and without any greeting, he said, “You will be more comfortable riding in the coach. We will be traveling all day with only a few stops to rest the horses. Since you will not tell me where you stable your horse, we will have to take her with us. Is there anyone in the area whom you wish to inform of your arrest?”

  Jessica looked into his face. There was no softening of his features. He was merely being courteous. He had become the soldier, her jailer, completely.

  Dropping her gaze, she said, “There is no one.”

  Damien nodded, then offered his hand to help her into the coach. He had not missed the faint, dark shadows under her eyes that spoke of her sleepless night. Evidently, his parting remark the evening before had done what he’d intended. She was scared now, as she should be for what she had done. He wanted her to dwell on the consequences of her actions. Treason was a very serious business. He would alleviate her fears later, and persuade her to incriminate Madame. Even if she did not, the letter was enough evidence to arrest Madame du Barré, the hub of the spy ring.

  As he walked to his horse, he tried to decide whether Jessica was guilty or innocent. He wanted to believe that she was telling the truth when she said she knew nothing of the contents of the letter. If only she was not so secretive about who she was and where she came from. What was she hiding? Whom was she protecting?

  The ride back to the city was agony for Jessica. She conjured up grim and ghastly scenes, most of which had to do with Newgate Prison, and most of which ended in her horrible death. Rejecting even the small, yet very important fact that the contents of the letters she had delivered were unknown to her, she believed that just because she had delivered them made her guilty of treason. She had been so gullible.

  By the time they reached the city, Jessica no longer cared what happened to her. She’d tried and convicted herself and found herself guilty. She’d brought shame and scandal to the family name. Jason was better off without her.

  Chapter 9

  Night had fallen
when Damien’s coach entered the city and finally stopped. Jessica had paid no attention to the passing scenery. She was too caught up in her shame and misery to care. When she glanced out the coach window, she expected to find herself in the dark, dreary, prison courtyard. Instead, the coach had stopped before the steps of Damien’s house. It was lit as if their arrival had been anticipated.

  Fury washed over her. What was he scheming now? She exchanged a confused, angry glance with Donny before she descended from the coach with the help of one of Damien’s men. In silence, she allowed him to escort her up the stairs and through the door. Damien was waiting for her at the bottom of the grand staircase. As she stalked up to him, he bowed gallantly.

  “Welcome to my home, my lady.”

  Ignoring his polite greeting and the guard beside her, she demanded, “What kind of cruel joke is this, Damien? Why am I here?”

  Damien’s face turned stony. “You are here, Jessica, because I requested it,” he answered coldly. “You will be detained here, under house arrest, until your innocence or guilt has been determined. At that time, you will either be released or sent to trial. Being the mistress of a duke has its advantages.”

  Jessica felt as if he’d slapped her. How could he say something so cruel before all his men? With her cheeks flaming and her eyes brimming with tears, she opened her mouth to berate him, but his icy, green gaze froze the words in her throat. He turned to a maid who hovered nearby.

  “Show Lady Jessica to her room, please, Lucy,” he said calmly as if nothing had happened.

  Lucy hurried forward and motioned to the stairs. Jessica was quite happy to comply. All she wanted was to be away from Damien’s presence. She had been mortified and hurt by his admission of their intimacy before all his men. How could he be so callous? Did he despise her so much?