by Meara Platt
That took Selena by surprise. “How long ago did this happen? You said nothing about her the last time we were together.”
They were together?
In bed?
“Not long ago,” John said. “We’re recently wed. What are you doing in Scotland?”
She tossed her head back. “I heard you were on assignment up here and thought I’d come up and help you. But it seems you already have all the help you need.”
“That was a foolish thing to do.” John did not look pleased. “You might have blown my cover. Does Prinny know you’re up here?”
“No,” she said, now pouting. “He isn’t pleased with me at the moment.”
“I’m not surprised. Does anyone know? Anything might have happened to you on the ride up here. You shouldn’t be on your own.”
She shrugged and turned away from him, folding her arms across her chest in an obvious sign of indignation. “I am always careful.”
“I might have shot you. You’re fortunate not to be lying dead on the road now.”
“That isn’t your style. You always take pains to know your enemy. I was in no danger from you.” She cast Nicola a sly grin. “But your wife isn’t pleased to have me here. You’d better not tell her about our past or she might shoot me.”
His frown darkened. “Stop causing trouble. You may as well ride with us to Aberdeen. We need to secure a boat to London, but the less we’re seen around town, the better. You can take care of that chore for us.”
One gracefully curved eyebrow shot up. “And why would I do that?”
“Because I need your help.”
She emitted a trill of laughter. “You? Needing anyone’s help? That’s hilarious. But I suppose you’re burdened now.” She pointedly gazed at Nicola. “And what will I get as a reward for rendering assistance?”
“The gratitude of the Crown.” He strode down the embankment and returned with Valor. He lifted Nicola onto the saddle and mounted behind her. “We’ve wasted enough time. Well, are you going to help us or not?”
“I may as well.” She shrugged and climbed onto her magnificent filly. “It will amuse me to see you pretend to be married.” Another merry trill escaped her lips as she rode off ahead of them toward Aberdeen.
John sighed. “Don’t say anything, Nicola.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“You have flames shooting from your eyes and your hands are curled into fists.” He sighed again. “She’s a good agent. We’ve worked together on several missions.”
“Worked rather closely, I gather.”
He said nothing, merely urged Valor forward. They easily caught up to Selena’s filly. Nicola wished she had her own mount to ride. They should have taken one of the horses that Sammy had claimed. Since she was not a good rider, it hadn’t felt important at the time. Now, she felt like a useless appendage that only served to hold John back.
Selena was beautiful and a brilliant rider. She was an agent of the Crown. Until this very moment, Nicola had no idea that women were permitted to act as agents. Not that it would have mattered. Her brother would never have allowed her to undertake a dangerous operation. She was meant to marry and live a traditional life.
Well, the marriage part hadn’t gone according to plan. She had a demented beau now desperate to hunt her down and kill her, and a husband who had married her out of an excessive sense of duty. Well done, Nicola.
They stopped at an inn around midday to rest their horses and grab a bite to eat. John told them to stay back while he made certain no unwanted characters were lurking about. He returned a few moments later. “It’s safe.”
“From whom?” Selena asked.
Nicola was about to respond, but John cast her a look of caution. Did he not trust this woman? But they were agents of the Crown, working toward the same purpose. Weren’t they?
“John, darling, how am I to protect your lovely wife if you’ll tell me nothing?” She sidled up to John, suggestively sliding her hand up his chest. “Surely, you can tell me something.”
“Nicola was about to enter into a betrothal with the Marquis of Somersby, but that all changed when I declared my feelings for her and stole her away from him. He’s enraged and determined to kill us both.”
Selena cast her a skeptical glance and laughed. “Darling, she’s lovely, of course. But exquisite enough to prod Somersby into a jealous rage? Don’t be ridiculous. Why is Somersby really after the two of you?”
John took Nicola’s hand as a precaution.
Nicola really wanted to smash her fist into Selena’s perfect face. In truth, she knew that she wasn’t an exquisite beauty. Selena was right about that. Nor did she have a sensual allure that would push any man into a jealous rage. But Selena had a mocking, disdainful way of stating the obvious that roiled her temper. The woman was purposely goading her.
John gave her hand a little squeeze, nudging her fist open so that his fingers gently entwined with hers while he spoke to their new companion. “Selena,” he said with a note of impatience in his voice, “you don’t need to know more. All that matters is that Somersby will kill us if he finds us.”
Nicola knew that Selena had the same tenacity she had, although she hoped she wasn’t as irritating as this proud beauty was. She ought to have admired the woman for her spirit and independence. Wasn’t this exactly how she had responded to being denied the truth about the death of John’s parents?
“John, darling.”
Ugh, there was that annoying air of disdain again.
“John, darling. You need to tell me the rest of it. You are running to London for a purpose. What do you have that Somersby wants? And don’t tell me it is your wife, because I know the man and his sexual proclivities. No woman is that important to him.” She cast Nicola a sympathetic glance.
John frowned. “Perhaps I’ll tell you when we reach Aberdeen.”
He arranged for their mounts to be fed, and then led both of them into the inn and ordered a simple meal to be brought to their table. “At once, m’lord.” But the innkeeper wasn’t quite certain what to make of the three of them.
No doubt he assumed John and Selena were the married couple and she was Selena’s maid. Which must have perplexed the man all the more when John settled beside her and proceeded to see to her needs first, leaving Selena to fend for herself.
“My wife would like some tea,” John said, pointing toward Nicola.
“Yer wife, m’lord?” The innkeeper now looked thoroughly confused. “Yes, of course. And what would yer…” His voice trailed off, having no clue as to Selena’s relation to John.
“Lady Selena will have the same.”
Selena tossed her head back. “I’ll have ale. Bring me a pint. No lady’s portion served for me.”
“I’ll have the same,” John said, looking none too pleased. At the moment, he must have considered Selena more of a liability than a help. Her beauty alone would have brought unwanted notice to them, but she was also loud and outrageous. Everyone would remember them here.
They finished their meal and continued toward Aberdeen. As night fell, they found shelter in an abandoned kirk and slept on the hard pews. Nicola missed falling asleep in John’s arms and hoped that he missed having her beside him. His expression revealed none of what he was thinking. “Good night, brat,” was all he said and kissed her softly on the cheek.
He took the night watch. Nicola knew he would not dare fall asleep and show his vulnerability to Selena. While Nicola’s heart ached for the torment he endured when overtaken by those dreams, she felt warmed by the fact that he’d trusted her with this secret.
Whether he’d had relations with Selena in the past no longer mattered.
He’d given his trust and promise of forever to her.
They resumed their journey at sunrise, John not engaging either Selena or her in conversation. Fortunately, this day’s ride proved uneventful, for even Selena was subdued. They arrived at their destination just as the sun was setting over the city of
Aberdeen. Its gray granite buildings sparkled like silver in the fading sunlight, and Nicola thought the effect quite magical.
The severity of the granite was softened by the abundance of greenery in its parks and the rivers that flowed through the city. John found a modest inn for them near the center of town and obtained two rooms. They were close to the sea, and the scent of fish and salty water carried to them on the brisk wind.
Nicola breathed a sigh of relief when John engaged one of the rooms for Selena and took the other for themselves. There were times these past two days that she had needed the reminder they were truly husband and wife, for Selena had an insidious way of casting doubt on their marriage. John said little, but she sensed he was troubled by the beautiful marchioness’ presence. Yet, he was reluctant to part ways with her. She’d heard the adage about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer, and hoped this was the reason he wanted Selena to remain with them.
“Why don’t you trust her?” Nicola asked him once they’d settled in their room for the evening. “Do you think she’s a traitor?”
“No, not Selena.” He tossed his pouch over the bedpost. “She’s loyal to England, but she must have done something foolish to anger Prinny. That’s why she left London in a hurry. She needed to keep out of the way of his wrath.”
“What do you think she did?”
He shrugged as he sank onto the bed and pulled off his boots. “I don’t know. Perhaps resisted his advances. She was his mistress at one time.”
Nicola’s eyes widened.
He removed his shirt and then rose to pour water from the ewer on the nightstand into a basin. He washed the road dust off his hands and face, and poured some over his head to wet his hair as he continued. “But I think she must have done something more than simply reject his advances.” He turned to her, looking quite handsome with pearly beads of water glistening off his shoulders and chest. “She won’t betray us to Somersby, but you mustn’t trust her.”
“I won’t.” She hastily took her turn at the washstand, knowing that no matter how hard she scrubbed, she was not likely to look very tempting.
John helped her to unlace her gown, then strode to the hearth to stoke the fire before stretching out on the bed with a groan of relief. “Ah, feels good.”
She knew he hadn’t gotten much rest last night.
Since he still wore his pants, she kept her camisole on and climbed into bed with him. They would spend the night sleeping, no magical night of passion for them. But she was quite satisfied to be in John’s arms. He wrapped them around her when she lay down beside him. “Nicola, I’ll be heading out early to secure a ship for us.”
“I thought Selena was going to do that for us.”
He nodded. “She seems reluctant. I don’t want to make a fuss over it. I’ll do it myself. I want you to stay here. This isn’t the finest inn, but it’s decent. I’ll return as soon as I’ve made the arrangements.”
“All right. What about Selena?”
“I don’t know what she plans to do. Nothing, I hope. But if she goes out, you are not to go with her. Somersby’s men might see you.”
“Assuming they’re here.”
“I hope they’re not, but I can’t take the risk. It’s you they’re after, not Selena. Anyway, she can take care of herself.”
“And you think I can’t?” She should not have felt insulted by the remark, for Somersby’s men were dangerous. But it did rankle her to know that John had more faith in Selena’s abilities than in hers.
“She’s trained to fight,” he said with a yawn that spoke of his exhaustion. “You’re not. Get some sleep, Nicola.”
Sighing, she tipped her head up and kissed his jaw. “You needn’t worry that I’ll disobey you. I’ll follow your instructions to the letter.”
He laughed softly at her remark, but the tension in his muscles seemed to fade away. She hoped her presence beside him would ease his tormented dreams. He’d stayed up all night yesterday and badly needed a decent night’s sleep, and she wanted to be sure he would be alert when at the docks in the morning.
She wanted to wish him sweet dreams, but knew his dreams would not be. She considered telling him that she loved him, but decided to leave that for another time.
She was tired, too.
Closing her eyes, she nestled against John and soaked in the warmth of his body.
Within moments, she drifted off to sleep.
JOHN STOLE OUT of bed at sunrise, quietly dressed, and then hurried off to secure a vessel for their journey to London. He’d left Nicola contentedly sleeping and was eager to return to her, for his dreams had been filled with Somersby’s men finding them, and he was worried that today might be the day they would. He was also worried about Selena. She was plotting something, but he did not know exactly what.
He did not think Selena had fallen so low as to betray him, but she was prideful and jealous, faults that had gotten her into trouble with Prinny before. Although John had never been intimate with Selena, she’d made no secret of her desire to have an affair with him. To now find him with Nicola, no matter that they were running for their lives, and learn that he’d married Nicola, must have riled her all the more.
He was never one to mix business with pleasure. It made for nasty entanglements. But Selena had no such misgivings. She was a sexual being and used her seductive powers to her advantage.
He groaned lightly and shook his head. He’d once thought her an excellent agent for the Crown. But now, he wasn’t so certain. She was angry and unpredictable.
She was a dangerous wolf on the prowl, while Nicola—for all her independent spirit—was a lamb.
He slowed his pace and proceeded carefully upon approaching the docks. This was an unsavory area no matter what time of day, certainly not safe to walk alone at this early hour of the morning. Thieves, often working in pairs, were always on the lookout for an unsuspecting mark. Somersby and his ruffians were not the only danger to him here.
Good fortune was on his side. He encountered no trouble in finding a suitable vessel and a captain willing to transport them to London. However, the captain’s price was steep. That was the least of John’s concerns. He booked passage for the three of them and space in the hold for two horses. Although reluctant to bring Selena along, he was concerned that she would do something foolish if left on her own while Somersby was lurking about.
He hoped it was not a mistake, for he could little afford the cost of bringing her along. Indeed, after paying for the inn and putting down earnest money for passage on this ship, he would have no funds left.
Of course, he would have no difficulty replenishing his pockets once they arrived in London, but that was still days away.
He returned to the inn as distant church bells pealed to mark the noonday hour. Nicola was seated in the common room having tea with the innkeeper’s wife. The lively, older woman jumped out of her seat and rushed toward him the moment he stepped into the room. “M’lord, would you care for a cup? And some lemon cake?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Wilkins. I would.” There had been an icy wind whipping through the docks and it had left him feeling quite chilled.
“I gather by your smile that you’ve had success,” Nicola said once their hostess lumbered away, leaving them alone.
He nodded and settled beside her. “We’ll sail with the afternoon tide. Where did Selena go?”
“Nowhere,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders. “She claimed to be fatigued and retired to her room about half an hour ago.”
John shot to his feet. “Blast, she lied to you. Her horse isn’t in the stable.”
Nicola rose along with him. “What?”
“I doubt she’s resting.” He raced upstairs and went straight to his pouch that was now tossed on the bed, its contents spilled atop the mattress. Everything was there but the book.
Damn her.
She’d figured out that it was somehow important and had taken it. But where did she go? Lord help them if she’
d completely lost her mind and taken it to Somersby. No, she was crazy and unpredictable, but not a traitor. Was she?
Nicola hurried in after him, her eyes widening when she saw their meager belongings strewn across the bed and realized the book was missing. “John—”
“I have to go after her.”
He started past Nicola, but she caught his arm to hold him back. “No, you needn’t. She doesn’t have it.”
He shook his head and stared at her. “What are you talking about? It’s gone.”
“She stole a book, but not the book. It wasn’t ours.”
He continued to regard her without comprehension.
Nicola hurried to explain. “I switched it.”
“You what?”
“I didn’t trust her. Nor did you. So when I noticed a book with a similar binding on a shelf in the inn’s common room, I replaced ours with it shortly after you left this morning. Our book is safely hidden under the bed slats.” She lifted the mattress slightly and withdrew Somersby’s ledger.
John shook his head and laughed. Had he worried that Nicola was no match for Selena? He lifted her into his arms and twirled her around, proud that his precious lamb had bested the wolf. He set her down gently but did not let her go. “Nicola…”
She grinned at him. “It felt good to outsmart her. She had the most irritating way of looking down her nose at me.”
He kissed her soundly on the lips. “Remind me never to play chess against you.”
“You’d easily best me. I don’t know anything about tactics.”
“Hah! Napoleon would be quaking in his boots if you were ever appointed to our war ministry. Thank you, brat,” he said with uncharacteristic feeling.
She reveled in his admiration for a moment before casting him an impish smirk. “We have the next few hours with nothing to do. Just how grateful are you?”
Laughing again, he strode to the door and was about to close it when he noticed Mrs. Wilkins hurrying down the hall toward him. “M’lord,” she said in a breathless rush, “there are two men here asking questions about ye. I instructed my girls to say nothing, but I thought ye had better know. They dinna look respectable.”
