The Elusive Earl

by Maddison Michaels

  The banging on the door sounded again. Goodness, the man was impatient!

  She stalked over to the door, but before she lifted the latch she realized that she should in fact confirm it was Daniel. Though, she doubted anyone else would knock so rudely. “Who is it—”

  But suddenly, the door shuddered as a huge bang reverberated against it.

  Good gracious, someone was trying to knock the door down! Bree jumped backwards a moment before another bang sounded, and the door flew inwards, its lock wrenching apart. Brown eyes confronted her instead of the green she had expected.

  She backed away as a man strode into the room. He was rather short, with a round belly and a few days’ worth of facial hair across his cheeks and chin. He was also carrying a knife in his hands, its blade dull and covered with a dried brown substance across its edge.

  “You have the wrong room.” She pointed to the door, slowly edging toward the fireplace. “Leave now.”

  He smiled at her, his teeth yellow and rotting. “I have been watching for you. You come with me now before your man returns.”

  They stood staring at each other for a moment. Bree could see from the man’s determined gaze that he was not going to take no for an answer.

  She gritted her teeth. So be it. She reached out and grabbed the iron poker sitting beside the fireplace, then brandished it in front of her. “I shall be going nowhere with you.”

  He beckoned her to come to him. “I will hurt you if you don’t come.”

  “You can try to.” She used her other hand to grab the vase sitting on the side table. She flung it at him with all her might, her aim true, and it smashed into the side of his head.

  He blinked in apparent confusion as the china shattered into hundreds of pieces, sprinkling the floor with debris. The man put his hand up to his temple, and his fingers came away coated in blood.

  He bellowed in outrage and lunged toward her.

  …

  Daniel collected the semaphore message, not particularly surprised that this part of Italy also still used the old telegraph system.

  Reading the note, his brow furrowed almost reflexively. Walter was on his way to Italy, and his words were not reassuring. He warned Daniel not to let Brianna travel into the region of Calabria under any circumstances, though he explained nothing of why he wished for her to stay away.

  A bit too late for that now.

  From the very warning itself, it appeared the old coot knew the exact truth regarding Brianna’s birthright but was choosing not to disclose the information. That was the only thing that made any sense. He obviously knew well enough the peril she would be placed into if others found out her heritage.

  Crinkling up the message, Daniel stuffed it into his trouser pocket. He gave the clerk a silver coin, which he’d managed to trade some of his Naples bank notes for, and then he left the small semaphore office.

  Daniel looked up the street to where the inn was nestled at the top of the hill and tried to think of anything except Brianna having a bath, which obviously entailed her being naked. He groaned. How the hell was he going to get through another night alone with her? He’d been fighting an uphill battle with himself to keep away from her.

  He was beginning to suspect that he had, in fact, inherited his father’s passionate nature, as much as he had fought against that inevitability his whole life. Damn it! He would not succumb to the delicious temptation she presented. Because then he would have to marry her, and he’d be in a tumultuous marriage, just like his parents had been. For, how could he not be, if he was married to a woman as passionate as Brianna?

  Slowly, he trudged up the hill, certainly in no rush to arrive but also conscious of the fact that he couldn’t leave her alone for too long either. Though they hadn’t seen anything to suggest the Garendetta were still on their trail, Daniel knew they had scouts all through the region, and it would be only a matter of time before the mafia group identified them.

  It would have been wiser to keep going, but after traveling in the wilderness for so long, he found the thought of a hot meal and a decent bed too enticing. And Brianna had gotten so excited at the prospect of a bath, he hadn’t had the strength to say no.

  Besides, it was another two nights’ ride to Cosenza, and Daniel had no idea what to expect when they arrived or even what the best course of action to take was. So, he reasoned it was wisest to have at least one decent night’s sleep and be refreshed and ready to tackle the problems that were sure to arise once they reached the town.

  He still wasn’t certain whether to obtain the Cosenza prince’s help to rescue Travis. Having the Prince’s guards to assist in rescuing him would be an advantage Daniel would be silly to not make use of. However, he also didn’t know if the Prince could be trusted. Walter didn’t want Bree in the region, and there had to be a good reason for it. Shame the old man hadn’t elaborated on what the reason was.

  He groaned again. Two more nights alone with Brianna. It had been absolute torture the night in the caves, having to wrap his arms around her to settle her until she drifted off to sleep. Her terror had been such that they’d temporarily pushed aside proprieties. But he’d been chagrined to find she’d fit perfectly against him, spooning her back to his chest. What had scared him the most, though, was how much he hadn’t wanted to let her go in the morning.

  He had never felt that way about anyone before.

  Of course, he’d had his discreet liaisons in the past, all with respectable widows who had been too enamored of their own independence to be seeking anything more than casual companionship with him. The arrangements had suited him perfectly over the years, for he’d always had no intention of marrying until he absolutely must.

  If it hadn’t been for his estate and all of the workers who relied on the earldom for their livelihoods, he would never marry at all. Reluctantly, though, he knew that one day he would have to produce an heir and train him to look after their lands, so they would never again fall into collapse as they had done under his father’s guardianship.

  To do so, he would have to marry. There was no getting around that unfortunate fact. But, of course, he would choose a bride of refinement and sensibility. A lady who would do as instructed, without argument or censure.

  Daniel sighed. Even to his own ears, his future wife sounded like a boring mouse.

  He stopped a few feet from the inn as four riders raced down the incline ahead and reined their stallions to a halt in front of him.

  The royal blue and gold uniforms would be recognizable anywhere. Satisfaction lurked in the eyes of the captain of the Prince’s guard as he coolly regarded Daniel.

  “We have found you,” Alessandro stated, dismounting from his black horse.

  Daniel braced himself. He still didn’t yet know if the man and his men could be trusted. On the last occasion, the captain had seemed to want to protect Brianna, and, clearly, they were all competent fighters, as they were still alive after their encounter with the Garendetta. Though, there were only four of them now, where before, there had been five.

  “Where is the Principessa?” Alessandro demanded.

  Daniel folded his hands over his chest and quirked a brow. “Do you really expect me to answer that? When I have no idea who you truly are or your actual motives?”

  A somewhat confounded expression washed over Alessandro’s stark, silver eyes. “I have told you who I am and my motives. Do you doubt my word?”

  Daniel’s lips lifted at the corner. “Yes, Captain, I do.”

  Alessandro nodded slowly. “You are cautious. This is good for our Principessa.”

  A scream rent the late afternoon air, echoing from one of the rooms of the inn.

  Brianna! Daniel pulled the dagger from the waist of his trousers and bolted through the front door, vaulting up the stairs two at a time. He could hear Alessandro and his men thundering up behind him.

  Daniel’s stomach dropped when he saw the door to the bedchamber was standing ajar, the lock broken from being kicked
in. With his heart racing, he entered the room.

  Brianna was hunched over, her damp hair hanging down in front of her, whilst her body was half hidden behind the armchair near the window.

  She straightened up as he and the rest of the men entered.

  “It took you long enough,” Bree declared, sweeping her hair back from her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. She looked beyond him. “It is good to see you again, Captain, and looking rather unscathed, too.”

  “What the hell happened?” Daniel could see she was safe, but the panic he’d experienced when he’d seen the door to their room forced open refused to subside completely. “Why did you scream?”

  Her hands settled on her hips, her gaze glittering dangerously. “The scream did not come from me.” She looked down toward the armchair. “It was from this fellow, who looks to have fainted. At least, I hope he has. I don’t think I killed him.”

  Daniel didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, so he strode farther into the room. He spotted a man on the ground with the iron length of a fire poker sticking out of his thigh. He’d apparently fainted dead away.

  Daniel kicked away a knife resting in the man’s limp hand. Then he leaned down and placed a finger against the pulse at the man’s neck. “He’s not dead.”

  “Well, that is a relief,” Brianna exhaled. “I should have hated to stand trial for murder.”

  He should have been here when she was attacked, yet he hadn’t been, simply because he’d been unable to focus his mind on anything except her being naked and in a bath. Stupid! She could have been killed, and all from the very fact he could not control his lust-filled thoughts. Such behavior was unacceptable. Just like his father, selfishly only thinking of himself instead of the others that were depending on him.

  “What happened?” he ground out, wrenching the poker from the man’s thigh and then quickly ripping a strip of cloth from the still-unconscious man’s shirt. He tied the material around the weeping wound and then patted down the man’s pockets and drew out a note from the top breast.

  “The fiend interrupted me whilst I was taking my bath,” Brianna fumed.

  “While you were taking a bath?” Daniel was going to kill him.

  “Well, at first, he was simply banging on the door in such a beastly manner that I thought it had to be you.” She shrugged lightly. “It gave me time to get out of the tub and then quickly dress. And though I was going to open the door, because I thought it was you, I did think to ask who it was before I did so.”

  “You thought it was me because of how he knocked?” Daniel looked up at her, unable to hide the incredulity in his voice, as he pocketed the note to read later. “Are you mad?”

  “No, I am not mad.” She narrowed her eyes. “The knocks were loud, incessant, and rather rude. Of course, I thought it was you.”

  “I do hate to interrupt a couple’s argument,” Alessandro spoke up, his voice droll. “But the Principessa is not safe here. We must leave now.”

  Daniel swore and dragged a hand through his hair. Alessandro was right. God, he hated how he became so distracted when he was around this particular female. It was bloody unnerving. “What did you have in mind?” he asked Alessandro.

  Daniel was certain he could detect a twinkle of amusement lurking in the man’s steady, gray gaze. “I was thinking,” Alessandro began, “that another trip down the river would be just the thing.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Corigliano Carbro Province

  Brianna felt like screaming aloud in protest when two hours later, after a hard ride, she and the others stood on the dock of the river, looking at what could only be described as an object destined to sink. In fact, she was supremely surprised it had not already done so, with its weathered wooden planks, tattered sails, and general air of dilapidation. How anyone could call this thing a river barge was beyond her. The contraption looked as though the slightest breeze would tear it to shreds.

  And Alessandro wanted them all to take a trip down the river in it? The man had to be jesting. It was a death trap, not a boat.

  “I am not going in that…that thing,” Bree stated unequivocally to the men surrounding her, Daniel and Alessandro being the closest on each side of her, with Alessandro’s men at her back.

  “It is safe; I assure you,” Alessandro said. “Come.” He went to take her elbow.

  “Don’t touch her,” Daniel growled. “Unless you wish to find yourself in the river.”

  Alessandro paused. “My apologies, but it is my duty to protect her.”

  “She is my wife to protect. Not yours.”

  The two men suddenly faced each other, both of their postures braced for a fight. Bree shook her head. Honestly, Daniel was taking their charade marriage a bit far with this territorial pretense. It was rather trying.

  Alessandro kept his gaze leveled on Daniel and yelled something aloud to his men. They quickly dispersed, leading their horses up the ramp and onto the barge.

  Good Lord. Horses, too? It would definitely sink now.

  When his men were out of earshot, Alessandro spoke in English to them both. “I know you are not married. Which we can discuss once our journey is underway. One of our scouts informed us that the Garendetta are not far behind, and they should lose our trail if we leave now.”

  Alessandro strode over to the ramp connecting the barge to the small dock. Bree took in a fortifying breath and hesitantly began to trail after him with Daniel following at her rear.

  Stepping onto the plank, Bree’s heart dropped upon seeing the swirling waters of the river beneath. Her step faltered slightly, but then Daniel’s hand was on her shoulder, and she felt his chest pressing lightly against her back.

  “The barge will hold,” his deep voice whispered down into her ear.

  Bree didn’t know whether to feel comforted or chagrined that he seemed to sense her unease.

  What was happening to her? She was never an anxious person, but in the last few days, as they got closer and closer to Cosenza, a feeling of apprehension was beginning to cloud her thoughts, and even the littlest thing was making her jumpy.

  Well, that would not do. She squared her shoulders and placed one foot in front of the other until her boots stepped onto the gleaming timbered floor of the barge.

  Happily, the condition of the inner area of the barge looked to be in a great deal better repair than the outside. The wood floors were gleaming, and everything appeared rigidly organized, completely at odds with its external facade.

  Alessandro strode over to the captain of the barge.

  Daniel’s eyes followed Alessandro suspiciously.

  “How does he know we’re not married?” she whispered.

  Daniel tore his focus away from the two captains. “I think he’s simply guessing.” He took her elbow and led her over to the opposite side of the deck.

  They stopped at the railing as crew members slowly pushed the barge away from its mooring, helping it begin its journey down the river. The other members of their small group huddled at the opposite end of the boat, just beside where Alessandro was talking to the boat’s captain—all still within eyeshot but not earshot.

  Bree looked up into Daniel’s face and found herself trapped in the emerald depths of his gaze, unable to turn away. She completely forgot what she’d been about to ask him. He did have the most marvelous eyes she’d ever seen on a man, framed with thick lashes any lady would be envious of.

  Her heart began to hammer faster as his head slowly bent down toward her own. Surely, he wasn’t going to kiss her here and now, in front of the other men?

  But that is exactly what he did, his lips settling possessively on top of her own. A deep pull of desire swept through her from the touch. She closed her eyes, savoring the firm feel of his lips. But all too soon, he lifted his head and pulled away from her.

  She wanted to protest and tug him back against her, but then the rational side of her took over and mortification washed through her. Oh my goodness, she was a want
on. What would they all think?

  “There, that should solidify the pretense.” Daniel shot a cursory looked toward the others.

  “Pretense?” she asked, her senses still befuddled from his kiss.

  “That we are married.” He crossed his hands over his chest, bracing his legs a tad farther apart as the barge swayed slightly.

  “Oh, of course,” she quickly replied, adjusting her own balance before deftly turning her head away from him to stare out at the water. Of course, Daniel had only kissed her for a particular purpose. What a fool she was to think he’d meant anything else by it.

  From the corner of her eye, she saw Alessandro break away from talking with the others and stride over to them. He did not look happy. Whether it was from witnessing the kiss or from something someone had said, Brianna was uncertain.

  “The captain of the vessel only has one spare cabin down below,” Alessandro said, a tinge of annoyance in his deep voice. “My men all think you are married, so you will have to sleep in the room with the Principessa. Otherwise, questions will be asked.”

  The man certainly looked unhappy with the arrangement, Bree thought.

  “My men will sleep up here on the deck,” Alessandro continued, “but I shall sleep right outside of your door.” He turned and looked directly at Bree. “If he tries anything, I will be there to protect you.”

  Bree could hear a low growl rumble in Daniel’s throat. She glanced over at him to see his fists clenched tight and his jaw ticking. Good Lord, Daniel was going to deck Alessandro; she could sense it.

  Quickly, she stepped in between them and frowned. “Lord Thornton has been protecting me for what seems like my entire life, Captain. Not to mention he has been a complete gentleman over the past few nights. You insult not only him but myself by suggesting otherwise.”

  “I meant no insult to you, Principessa,” Alessandro replied. “I was simply warning him after he had the audacity to kiss you in public.”

  “I am entitled to kiss my wife anywhere I want.” Daniel took a step to Brianna’s left, his voice still dangerously soft.