Rescued By the Spy

by Laura A. Barnes

  Charles pulled back and tried to gain control over his emotions, he rested his forehead against hers. His hands held her cheeks in his palms. As their breaths came under control, the air between them whispered with their desire and fear.

  “I love you Lady Mallory.”

  “I love you Lord Mallory.”

  He drew her into his embrace. Her arms wrapped tightly around him as he rested his chin on top of her forehead. They stood quietly, their hearts beating in time as they savored their last moments before they had to leave.

  …..

  When the carriage pulled up to the grand townhome, Thorn and the Duke exited first and waited for Charles to help Raina from the conveyance. Making their way to the receiving line, they waited as whispers echoed around them. Looks of shock graced the faces as they walked by. When they were ready to be announced, the ballroom was bursting, and noise rang out from every direction. Voices could be heard as the ton gossiped and the musicians were playing a Quadrille. When their names Lord and Lady Mallory were announced over the roar of the crowd, they were met with silence. All talking ceased, the dancers stopped in mid-step, all eyes were turned towards them as they made their way down the stairs and into the ballroom.

  Lady Pennington rushed to their side, waving to the musicians to start the music again. With another wave of her hand she directed her staff to serve the champagne. Coming before them she curtsied to the Duke.

  “I am so honored you could attend my ball Your Grace. I had heard of your son’s death, but I can see for myself the falsity of the claim.”

  “A terrible rumor floating around the gossip ring. May I be the first to present my son’s charming bride to you? Raina our dear friend Lady Pennington.”

  “It is an honor my dear to greet you. Raina is such an exotic name befitting your beauty.”

  “Thank you, My Lady. It is French,” Raina replied.

  “Well I am glad you have finally settled you rascal,” she said to Charles.

  “Well since you were taken my dear, I conned Raina here to be my bride.” Pulling Raina close to his side as he showed his affection.

  “Trouble, my dear since the day he was born. Keep a close eye on this one.”

  “That will not be a problem,” Raina murmured as she stared into Charles’s eyes.

  “No, I do not think it will.” She turned to Thorn, “How is Ivy fairing?”

  “Restless and trouble as always,” he replied.

  She laughed, “Before long you will have two of them. I wish you the best. Please give her my regards and I will visit after the child is born.”

  Thorn nodded his head, “I will let Ivy know.”

  They spoke more, catching up on news. After a while she excused herself to see to her other guests. They took a small stroll around the ballroom, catching up with further acquaintances. Standing near the doors to the balcony they paused as they sipped on their wine. They watched the crowd for any suspicious action. Thorn informed them everybody was in place.

  Raina tensed next to Charles as she watched the gentleman approach. He spoke his congratulations to the couple and offered for Raina to accompany him on the next dance. She tried to make an excuse, but Charles insisted she not offend the man. So, she was left to dance the next set with Lord Craven. As they made their way to the dance floor, Raina’s eyes darted around for any excuse to part company, but luck was not on her side.

  “Smile my dear, we do not want to give your husband any excuse to rescue you.”

  Raina smiled politely at her companion, but her body did not relax.

  “Much better, now tonight is the night. When Maxwell arrives, you are to lead him to the gardens where you will then execute him.”

  “But he is close to getting the information you need.”

  “His time is up, he has failed. He has proven to be a liability. One we don’t want to have on our hands anymore. As per our agreement, you will kill him tonight. You will stage it as an attack and you were defending yourself. You will have the pity of the ton at your disposal. Smart move on marrying Mallory, but do not think you are indispensable.”

  “But what if Maxwell does not show?”

  “Oh, he will be here. I have made sure of this. Now I will return you to your besotted husband and you will thank me prettily for the dance. Remember if Maxwell does not die at your hands tonight, then you will die by our hands. Do I make myself clear Lady Mallory?”

  “Yes,” she snarled.

  Lord Craven returned her to Charles’s side. Charles was busy talking to a few gentlemen and didn’t watch the exchange on the dance floor. He pulled her close as he continued his conversation. After the gentlemen wandered away, he pulled her onto the dance floor for a waltz.

  He held her firmly to his body as their bodies floated through the steps. Her red skirts floating between his trousers as he turned her around and around in circles. His hand along her back, lazily stroked her as they twisted and turned. When the dance was over, he still held her within his arms. Charles shocked the ton as he softly kissed her lips and whispered in her ear on what he planned to do once they were alone. Turning a dark shade of red at the display of affection, Raina could not pull away. She was too caught up in the spell of Charles.

  “It is showtime my dear,” he whispered before he pulled apart from her.

  Raina lost in him, was slow to comprehend his words at first. When she finally realized what he was saying she looked up into the crowd. It was to stare at Shears’s men filing into the ballroom. Before long Shears would make an entrance. Then so would Maxwell. Charles pulled Raina after him as he went in search of Thorn. Raina kept her eyes trained on Shears’s men. Something was not right. When she looked closer, she saw they were setting up explosives. They were attempting to blow up the ball.

  Raina stopped, pulling Charles up short. When Charles turned around at her resistance, he saw where her attention was occupied by the movement on the balcony. When she pointed at the explosives, Charles knew what Shears’s final plan was for the night. He was going to blow up the ball and everybody who prevented him from his plot. Seeing the gentlemen of the ton who were secretly involved with Shears send their loved one’s home and gather at the top of the balcony; Charles panicked. He reached Thorn and his father telling them of their findings. They needed to clear the ballroom now before anything happened.

  But it was too late.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  IVY HAD BEEN WAITING for hours for any news from Thorn, but none came. She had already beat Sammy at checkers multiple times. He had drifted off to sleep after eating Cook’s scones. Tommy was fast asleep after the telling of multiple stories. With nobody to keep her company, Ivy wandered the house. Her nerves were on edge with this waiting. When she walked back along the hallway for what seemed the hundredth time, she came to a sudden stop. For inside the door stood Zane. The expression on his face was one of sorrow. And pity.

  “No,” Ivy cried before she fell.

  Zane reached out to grab her before her body hit the ground. He picked her up into his arms and made his way to the library. Laying her on the couch, he held her hand until she came to. He did not mean to frighten her this way, but he wanted to be the one to inform her about Thorn. It was because of him Thorn had perished.

  Ivy’s eyelids fluttered open. When she saw Zane, she knew it was not a dream.

  “Thorn?”

  “I am so sorry Ivy, but I received news, Thorn has been killed by Shears.”

  “It cannot be true. I would know. I would feel if he had left me,” she cried.

  “It was a reliable source.”

  “Take me to him then.”

  “Ivy, it would be best if you stay here until I can find out more details.”

  “No, Zane Maxwell you will take me to him this instance. If you don’t, I will find my way there. So, you can either accompany me or not.” Ivy struggled to rise.

  Zane knew her words to be true. It was probably for the best if she came. This way he could pr
otect her from whoever killed Thorn. Ivy was in danger still. He failed her before, this time he would not.

  “Only if you agree to stay by my side the entire time.”

  “Agreed, we must hurry.”

  Zane helped Ivy to his carriage, and they made their way to the Pennington Ball. Once they got to the ball, utter chaos was happening. Men and women were running from the entrance, screaming about treason, explosives, and death.

  Zane pulled Ivy to the side of the house, away from the mad crush which was exiting. Making their way to a side entrance, Zane led them through the back of the house to the ballroom where the madness was taking shape. Maxwell saw Shears’s men and his co-conspirators gathering around the balcony. It was what he saw the men holding that had him pausing. They would blow the place sky high. He had to remove Ivy out of this danger. He was a fool for bringing her here.

  “This way,” Zane urged her.

  “Look Zane, he is alive. I must get to Thorn.”

  Before he could stop her, she disappeared into the throng. He watched her weaving against the grain of people to Thorn’s side. He tried to push himself to her, but he kept getting pressed back further and further. But before she reached Thorn, he saw Shears grab her.

  He was torn. Maxwell couldn’t reach Ivy, but he could put a stop to the explosion.

  He backed away to take a different direction to the balcony. As he twisted around, it was to find a pistol aimed at him. It was Raina.

  Her hands were shaking so badly as she pointed the gun at Maxwell. She did not want to do this. But it was the only way, it was him or her. She must do what was necessary, to survive.

  “You don’t want to kill me Raina.”

  “I have no choice. It was part of my agreement with the Crown. They said tonight, or it will be me.”

  “It will be you either way.” He tried to reason with her.

  “No.”

  “Yes, Raina. Think about it. You know as much information as I do if not more. They are getting you to do their dirty work. They cannot kill a member of the peerage, but they can get somebody else to and that is you. After you kill me, then they will kill you.”

  “No, you are lying. I am safe. I am married to Charles now.”

  “It will not matter to them. They will stage it to be an accident, you are expendable to them.”

  Raina listened to Maxwell plead for his life and knew him to be correct. She was nothing but a pawn to them too. First Shears, now the Crown. The only thing she knew for certain was she wasn’t a pawn with Charles. Lowering her weapon, she dropped it to the floor. Maxwell reached down and slid it along the back of his trousers.

  “Listen Raina, we have little time. I need your help. I must help Thorn and Charles stop this place from being blown and I need you to rescue Ivy from Shears.”

  “What is Ivy doing here?”

  “You are not the only one being played for a fool Raina. I fell for their trap tonight and in doing so have put Ivy at risk. She was the goal all along for Shears this evening. You must stop them before he gets away with her.”

  With direction from Maxwell, Raina set off on her pursuit of Ivy. Making her way to the gardens, Raina heard voices in the distance. Voices who were all too familiar to her. She paused behind a hedge as she listened to Shears praise Lord Craven on bringing Ivy and Maxwell both to the party. While Raina thought the gentleman worked for the Crown, she had been duped. He was another one of Shears’s lackies. Who else was? How deep did this fall? Who was she to trust? Obviously, no one. Raina only trusted the small circle of her new family. Now wasn’t the time to ponder, her only aim was to rescue Ivy. As she peeked between a small opening, it was to find Ivy’s hands tied as she sat upon a bench. There was nobody else but Shears and Craven. Raina needed to cause a distraction. When she glanced around she came up empty, the only thing to distract Shears would be herself. She would have to draw Shears away from Ivy. Stepping off to the edge of the hedge, she let out a low whistle. It was a warning whistle she heard Shears use with his men to warn of danger, Raina had learned over the past year. She could use this to her advantage and along the way cause his men to panic.

  She watched as Shears paused. Then she whistled again, even louder from the one before. Stepping into the moonlight, she continued whistling until she came upon them.

  “You,” he hissed.

  “Me,” Raina taunted him.

  “You’re dead.”

  “No, very much alive.”

  “How?”

  Before she answered Shears, there was a small explosion behind the house. Smoke filled the air. Shears pushed Ivy into Lord Craven’s arms as he reached for Raina. Raina ducked drifting away in the smoke. She heard Shears yell for Craven to help him. As they circled around looking for her, Raina made her way back to Ivy. As she untied Ivy’s arms and was about to make their escape, Shears blocked their path. He sneered at them as he motioned for them to follow in front of him. They had no choice but to do his bidding.

  …..

  Charles was beside himself. He had lost Raina in this madness. With the help from Thorn and his men they gathered every conspirator and turned them over to the Crown. Luckily before they diffused the explosives. This only left them with capturing Shears. The man was nowhere to be seen. He was here though. Charles could feel him near. With all this destruction, Shears would want to watch his handiwork. While stopping the terror plot, he lost his wife. Pushing through the crowd he moved in search of her. But instead of her, he ran into Maxwell.

  “Where is she?” He grabbed a hold of Maxwell by his shirt.

  “She is going after Ivy.”

  “Ivy? What is she doing here?” Thorn arrived from behind them to ask.

  “It is my fault. I brought her here.”

  “Why the hell did you do that?”

  “I can explain later. I sent Raina after her, they left towards the garden.”

  The three men ran towards the terrace. Taking the stairs to the garden, they spread out looking for the ladies. They did not have far to go. Shears was leading them toward the house. While Charles and Thorn stopped in front of their wives, Maxwell hid his identity from the man.

  “Move no further, or I will end their lives in front of you.”

  They stopped where they were. Shears’s conspirator would have no part of it.

  “Now Shears, you never discussed taking hostages.”

  “You fool, I am only taking what I wish, this sweet package. The rest I will kill,” he stated as he pulled Ivy towards him.

  She whimpered her distaste for Shears, but other than that not a word. She learned not to bait the Captain, for that is what he desired.

  “This will be high treason. I cannot abide any of this. I will not hang for you.”

  “What is one more act of treason than what I am already partaking in?”

  “I won’t be a part of this,” Craven said as he moved away.

  But he didn’t get far before Shears raised his pistol and shot the man in the back. The double agent fell to the ground with a thud. Still the rest did not move from their positions, they knew any sudden moves could be the cause for their own deaths.

  “From what I can see, all of you have destroyed my plans for this evening. For this I will seek my revenge on every single one of you. You will not stop me from destroying England.”

  “We have stopped your sources tonight Shears. You will discover no more allies in England.” Charles told him.

  “That is where you are wrong Mallory, I have contacts throughout your country. I will rebuild my crew and this country will suffer.”

  “Let the women go Shears,” Charles demanded.

  “You can have this one,” Shears shoved Raina into his arms. “But I will keep this one.” He pulled Ivy behind him.

  Thorn stood still as a rock as he watched Ivy being manhandled by Shears. It was sheer willpower which kept him from killing the man, but he would not risk Ivy or the baby by a masculine move. He would wait for the right time to re
scue her.

  Charles watched from behind as Maxwell silently made his way towards Shears. He held a knife ready to attack. He worked on distracting Shears in releasing Ivy. But before he distracted him, Raina advanced after Shears with her own knife.

  When Shears saw Raina running towards him, he let go of Ivy dropping her to the ground. As he set up his hands to block her attack, he let his prey be taken away. Thorn swept in to rescue Ivy, pulling her away from danger. Raina saw she was safe when Shears grabbed her arms, twisting the knife from her hands. After her knife fell to the ground, he continued his assault, he bent her fingers back, making her cry out in pain. Then lifted his arms back to smack her when he was shoved from the side.

  As Charles waved for Thorn to take Ivy away, he was advancing on Shears. As Shears was bringing his arm back to smack Raina, his head rammed him in the side. Shears staggered as he caught a hold of Raina’s skirts, dragging her to the ground with him. As he watched Raina struggle to escape his clutches, she kicked her foot across his face. But still Shears didn’t release Raina. He twisted her leg, causing her to scream.

  Her hands fought against his clutches. Her fingers scratching at his arms, but still he didn’t let up on the pain of bending her leg back. She kicked him with her other foot. Between her struggles with Shears, Charles finally pulled him off her with the help of Maxwell. Once free from him, she tried to rise. The pain in her leg prevented her from moving.

  As Maxwell held onto Shears, Charles was uncontrollable, he kept landing blows after blows at Shears. The man only laughed after each time Charles punched him. Which only enticed Mallory more. He wanted this man dead, for what his family has endured over the year from him. He wanted him to suffer as much as Raina had suffered, but it wasn’t enough.

  “Charles, stop. Stop.” He faintly heard Raina’s cries as he continued his blows.