by Eva Andrews
“Home?” She questioned as she felt him tighten his arm around her waist.
“Home, your future home, at least one of many I own. You can always decide where we live, I go where you go, always.”
A bright smile appeared on her face, this thoughtfulness knew no bounds, he was so astute to her needs, “Home, sounds perfect,” she replied softly as she leaned up and kisses his jaw.
Walking her out of the side garden they exited and took a right, Luke had an unmarked carriage waiting on the corner so they wouldn’t have to walk in the cool evening air. Opening the door he checked the interior before he handed her up into the nicely appointed carriage. Sitting down he closed the door behind him and thumped on the roof, setting the carriage in motion toward his residence.
“How is your investigation coming along?” Curious since she knew it occupied so much of his time, that, and she was becoming increasingly alarmed about Lord Rossdale these past few days.
“We know and can prove that Lord Rossdale is a traitor, what we are hoping to do is also connect him with the mysterious Jackal. We believe him to be one and the same, but lack solid evidence. We know that a shipment is to arrive in less than a fortnight. Alastair and I hope to catch the Jackal accepting the shipment, which is in fact payment directly from Napoleon for his service. Either Lord Rossdale or the Jackal will show up, one or both, either way the story will end that night” Luke explained, “How has Lord Rossdale treated you since you’ve returned?”
“He’s been more…present, he hovers by Annabelle and even asked me to dance last night. I was able to cry off and dance with Alastair instead. I feel like Lord Rossdale knows you are on to him, I have this sensation he’s watching me all the time, but I assume it is just paranoia I’m feeling,” she shivered remembering the feeling of his eyes upon her before adding, “He came to the house two days ago and brought Anna flowers and took her on a stroll to Hyde park while Mama escorted them, Anna thinks she’s in love.”
“With the information we have, I know your father will refuse to hand over his youngest daughter to a traitor to the crown, I’ve shared this information with your father as well. As much as we’d like to have Lord Rossdale arrested now, we need him to led us to The Jackal.”
The carriage rolled to a halt outside his townhome, helping her with her hood Luke grabbed her hand and helped her out of the carriage and into the cool London night air. Their steps echoed up against his large wooden door, walking hand in hand he noticed a glint of silver peek out around the building, reacting quickly, he opened the door and shoved Genevieve inside just as the gun went off.
Sliding across the polished marble foyer floor on her hip, Genevieve looked back as soon as she heard the gunshot and screamed his name. The next moments of her life happened in a blink of an eye, she watched as Luke drew his pistol and fired off several shots towards someone she couldn’t see. Watching through the open door, her eyes raked over his body searching for a bullet wound, with his back to her she couldn’t see the front of him.
Luke stumbled in and kicked the door closed behind him, throwing the lock his eyes frantically searching for her in the dim foyer, “Are you okay?” He asked as he ripped off his ruined evening coat and tossed it across the foyer and ran over to her.
“What the hell was that? Are you shot?” She was frantic with worry as she searched for a wound.
“Assassin, now dead. Get me upstairs Vieve, yes, the bastard hit me.” He ground out as he helped her off the hard ground.
Her astonishment couldn’t be contained, “Assassin? Assassin! What the bloody hell is an assassin coming after you?” Her voice high pitched as tears welled in her eyes as she scrambled to her feet.
“Love, I’m a spy, Rossdale is indeed on to me. I am on the cusp of bringing down an English traitor and threatening to capture a treasure rumored to be the biggest war prize of all. Of course there is going to be a price on my head,” hearing running footsteps Luke looked around Genevieve to see Templeton rushing to their aid.
“Sir! Are you okay?” Rushing to Luke’s side he tipped his head to Genevieve and focused on his employer.
“I’ll live Templeton, I need you to grab a footman and take care of the body out front. Also, do a perimeter check and secure all the entrances again. Lady Genevieve will sew up my wound upstairs.”
“Aye sir.” Quickly striding off Templeton disappeared down the corridor from which he came in a quick clip. Templeton had been with Luke for many years, he was used to Luke’s covert occupation, and a military trained man himself.
Tugging on her hand, “Come on Vieve let’s see how bad this wound is, I hope you know how to sew darling.”
Genevieve wrapped her arm around his waist and helped him navigate the staircase, walking slowly she asked, “So you’ve been stabbed and shot in just over a week, is this a normal occurrence Luke?”
The thought to her was sobering; she never knew he lived such a life of danger. Would this continue in the future? Would she always have to be looking over their shoulder? The thought of him being murdered or hunted for their entire life left her feeling hopeless and angry.
“Don’t forget that my ship was sabotaged, that is why it took me so long to get back to you. Someone weakened the main mast of my ship in Ireland, in my haste, I didn’t do my normal inspection of the ship.”
Sighing as they climbed the stairs, she asked, “We will always live like this?”
“This is the last piece of the puzzle; the last people to catch, and then this life of spy work will be behind me. I’ve worked my entire career to catch these men, I will see it through to the end, after that I will settle down into married life and manage our estates and shipping company,” looking over at her, “That is, if a young lady actually marries me,” he smiled as they approached his room attempting to hide the searing pain in his shoulder.
Rolling her eyes she opened the door and ushered him inside quickly closing the door behind them. Luke pulled off his shirt as she lit candles behind him; he inspected his shoulder while his back was turned to Genevieve. He had felt the warm blood soaking his shirt as he walked up the stairs. He knew between the blood loss and pain, the wound would be bad.
Hearing her behind him, “How bad is it Luke? Do I need to call a doctor?” She asked timidly as she approached him.
Genevieve reached out and touched his shoulder as she circled around him to get a look at his wound, sucking in a deep breath; she looked at his shoulder in dismay.
“I’ll be okay Vieve, relax, help me sit down over by the fire,” grabbing her hand he walked over to the fireplace and sat down. The bullet had struck his shoulder that had been stabbed days before; it was mangled and bleeding profusely.
As soon as Luke was seated, Genevieve rang the bell pull and whipped off her heavy cloak throwing it across the chair beside Luke.
She walked over to his bathroom and brought back several towels, kneeling beside him she applied pressure to the wound. She knew she needed to get it to stop bleeding. Thankful she wore a blood red gown, the damn wound was making a mess of everything, including her.
A light knock on Luke’s door sounded. Turning to look at the door, “Come in,” she answered, not waiting for Luke to bid the servant entrance.
His housekeeper Mrs. Elliston looked over at the couple before the fire, “You rang?” She noticed the lovely young lady kneeling before her employer and pretended to not see her.
Luke nodded to Genevieve, “She did, Mrs. Elliston, please meet my future bride Genevieve Elizabeth St. George.”
His plump housekeeper warmed considerably and stepped into the room, “What wonderful news! Welcome Miss St. George, what can I do for you?”
Genevieve took a liking to Mrs. Elliston right away, she was round and pleasant with kind eyes, “Your employer was just shot outside his door, and I need to close his wound. Can you please bring up hot water so I can clean the wound first? Also, if you have a needle and thread I’ll need that as well.”
Mrs. El
liston jumped to attention hearing Luke had been shot, “Right away miss, I’ve got a pack of salves downstairs I’ll bring up as well for you, I shall return right away.” Nodding to both of them, the chubby housekeeper quickly went in search of her items.
Pulling back the towel she inspected the gunshot wound, “this is going to be painful, would you like some whiskey? Thankfully the bleeding is slowing, a little.”
“Please, whiskey is over there.” He pointed across the room as he leaned back against the comfortable couch. Standing up Genevieve walked gracefully over to his sideboard and snatched up the entire bottle of whiskey, she wasn’t sure how much he’d need and she didn’t want him in pain.
Rounding the couch she saw his eyes were closed and panicked, “Luke?” She asked, as she rushed beside him and put her hand on his neck to check his pulse.
With his eyes still closed he reached up and grabbed her hand and raised it to his lips, “I’m not dead, just tired, blood loss does that to you. I won’t leave you this easy love.”
He wrapped his other hand around her waist and pulled her onto his lap and lifted his head to look at her worried face, “Do you know how proud I am of you? Two times you’ve seen me wounded, bleeding and you didn’t panic. You are getting better Vieve.”
She snuggled against his good shoulder and ran her hand over his chest, “Because of you Luke.” She admitted freely. Sitting together on the couch is where Mrs. Elliston found the couple, walking in she placed the hot water and salve beside the couch as Genevieve got up to inspect the items she brought.
Mrs. Elliston held up Luke’s jacket that he tossed in the foyer, “I’ll put your jacket over here Master Luke,” as she hung it up on the coat hook by the door.
Genevieve soaked a new towel in the hot water as Mrs. Elliston was taking her leave, “Thank you Mrs. Elliston, I’ll let you know if we need anything else”
Bobbing a curtsey, “Please do, I’ll see you in the morning,” shutting the door quietly behind her as she left.
Grabbing the bottle of fine whiskey, she handed it to Luke, “You’re going to want to drink some of this sweetheart. This is going to hurt like hell. I need to clean your wound before I can sew you shut. This is going to take a while my dear, drink up.”
Uncorking the bottle he swung it up to his lips and drank a copious amount, wiping his lips with his forearm he looked at her as she watched his every move.
“Go ahead Vieve, let’s get this over with so we can go to bed. You’ll be staying with me from now on; I’ll talk to your father tomorrow. I do not trust your life with anyone else but me.”
She shrugged her shoulders, “Good, there is no where else I’d rather be. Now sit back so I can clean your blasted shoulder.”
Gently, Genevieve pushed back on his chest so he was fully reclined; she began to work diligently over him. The bullet struck through the exact spot where the assailant in Ireland had stabbed him, creating a wound that blew this skin apart.
Watching her, Luke took another long pull from the whiskey bottle and asked, “Where did you ever learn to clean a wound Vieve? I would have never guessed you to be this proficient in bullet wounds my dear.”
Putting a fresh cloth over his wound she pressed down and said, “Hold this for a moment while I get the needle,” standing up she walked over to the basket and inspected the items Mrs. Elliston had brought her. Selecting a bottle of salve and a needle and thread, she walked back over to Luke, his eyes watched her every move.
Kneeling back down beside his shoulder she began to work, “Mother and I volunteered at the infirmary during the war, I helped assist her while she treated many wounds like this.”
Opening the jar of salve Mrs. Elliston brought, she applied a small amount to the wound as indicated on the jar, “Mother did all this work, I watched and fetched supplies for her. We did what we could for the wounded men.”
Sitting the jar back into the basket she threaded her needle while Luke’s eyes became heavy, she wasn’t ready to see him in pain as she stitched his shoulder together, she was hoping he’d fall asleep. Pushing the bottle back towards him, she tipped her head for him to drink more.
After taking another long pull of the prime drink, Luke reached up and cupped her jaw, “I love you Vieve, I cannot wait till you’re my wife…” His head fell back as the whiskey and sleep claimed him. Between the blood loss and whiskey, merciful sleep claimed him so she could work in peace and not worry about his pain.
Genevieve took his hand and rested it beside him as she set to the task of putting Luke’s mangled shoulder back together, because the shooter was so close the bullet had caused a considerable amount of damage.
With the wound clean and treated, Genevieve scooted closer to the slumbering giant and started to stitch as the warm fire glowed behind her. While she worked, she kept looking at his face as he slept. There was beauty in watching this powerful man slumber. He was uncensored and raw, she couldn’t remember ever seeing him actually sleep before. The nights she had shared his bed, she had always fell asleep first.
An hour later she sat back and observed her work, reaching over she picked up the bottle of whiskey and took a small sip, she was exhausted and emotional.
She took her time and set over fifty-eight stitches and bandaged up the entire area to prevent infection. Luke was kind enough to stay sleeping the entire time she worked, he tired to toss and turn a few times but she had managed to get his entire shoulder closed up rather well.
Standing up she stretched out her tired muscles and looked around the room and walked over to wash the dried blood off her arms and hands. Walking over to Luke’s dresser she pulled out one of his soft linen shirts and threw it on the bed.
Her sore fingers fumbled with her dress laces as she tiredly pulled them open, freeing herself from her blood soaked gown. She flung the dress with her toe and pulled Luke’s shirt over her head and let it slide over her tired body.
Crawling into his bed she pulled his warm blankets up to her chin and cast her glance over him as he slumbered across the room on the couch. She had neither the energy nor ability to wake him up and move him; he looked comfortable where he was. Her last thoughts were on him as she drifted to sleep in his bed with the smell of Luke wrapped around her.
Chapter 15
Luke awoke on the couch to the sounds of birds chirping outside his window, the sunlight drenched the room in a warm golden hue as he stretched and slowly recounted the events of the prior evening. Pain gripped him quickly and brought him back to reality.
Reaching across this chest he felt the bandages on his shoulder, the pain reminded him of the injury he sustained last night. Slowly sitting up he looked over his shoulder at his bed.
Black raven hair fanned across this pillow shining in the morning sun, one foot peaking out of the covers, it was the only skin he could see. Smiling, at how good she looked in his bed he tested his feet. Standing up slowly he stretched his taught muscles in the brilliant sunlight that flooded his room and quietly padded across his floor to his bed, slipping in behind her.
Gathering her in his arms he pulled her into his chest as he ignored the pain in his shoulder. Burying his face in her long hair he held her as she slept, giving him time to sort out his thoughts. Laying together in his bed he thought over the two attacks made on his life a week apart, and how close the assassin was to Genevieve last night.
Her safety was of the utmost importance; if he was being hunted he knew Genevieve was at risk. He didn’t doubt for a minute that she would be used against him if the need arose. The last thing he wanted was for her to be thrown into this dangerous game of cat and mouse between himself and The Jackal.
With everything riding on the incoming shipment in the new few weeks, he knew that as the date few nearer, desperation and cutthroat tactics would be used by the Jackal if he felt cornered.
Without a doubt he knew he’d have to have a meeting today with Alastair, and Gideon, the two duke’s were top officials in the War office and w
ould want to hear any news he had.
The warmth of the sun and sound of Luke’s heartbeat brought Genevieve out of her slumber, sighing and leaning into him, a sleepy smile appeared on her face as she enjoyed the sensation of waking up in Luke’s arms. It had been far too long since the last time she woke up like this.
Turning her head she looked into his azure eyes and greeted him, “I missed waking up next to you. How does your shoulder feel?”
Kissing her temple he tightened his arms around her, “I don’t think I’m ever going to let you go back home, seeing you in my bed is something I’m not sure I can live without. My shoulder is sore, but I’ll live. Thank you for repairing it.”
Turning in his arms so she was facing him, “You should have called a doctor Luke, your shoulder was extremely difficult to close.”
Running a hand absentmindedly over his bandage, “I’m positive you did an excellent job Vieve or else you would have called the doctor.”
Coyly smiling at him she buried her face in his chest and murmured, “I don’t want to go home can’t I just stay here with you forever?”
Chuckling softly, “Yes, actually. You just need to be my wife.” He teased as he ran his hands through her long hair.
Popping her head up she gave him a wicked smile, “That is why I asked you to meet me in my garden last night. I wanted you to put my ring back on my finger. I wanted to tell you alone, just you and I.”
Lifting his head off the pillow he slowly rolled on top of her as he supported his weight with his good arm, “Are you going to keep it on this time? No running without talking to me first?”
“I promise,” kissing his nose she watched his face light up with happiness.
“Good, now hold on a moment.” Rolling out of bed gracefully, he walked over to his coat hook and fumbled through his jacket he wore last night.
Genevieve watched as he walked across the room to her, dressed only in his pants she eyed his chest and bandage before locking eyes with the man. She could have lost him last night, so easily that bullet could have went through his heart it was a little bit lower.
