by H. C. Brown
“Appearances are deceiving, non?” Lord Moreau chuckled. “I would have thought you would have preferred a sweet young boy in your bed.”
Rupert rounded on him and dropped his voice to a menacing whisper. “Are you insinuating I am a sodomite, sir? For I tell you, if we were not inside a Scottish brothel, I would call you out.”
“You English are so, how you say, ‘pretentious,’ non? There is nothing wrong with tasting all the temptations a brothel has to offer. No one cares what happens inside the bedchamber.”
“Gentlemen.” Madame Josephine moved between them. “This is a place of love, not duels. Come now.” She rested her fingertips on Rupert’s arm. “I will show you to your room.”
Outside in the hallway, he turned to her. “I beg you to collect the dresses with all speed. I must leave at once.”
“I understand, cher. Go now and collect your carriage. Wait in the main street well away from Hog’s Lane and send your valet to the back door. I will have the dresses ready for him. You will require powder and rouge as well. I suggest you insist your ladies make good use of it. This is a whorehouse, non?” Madame Josephine pushed him toward the door. “God’s speed, mon ami.”
Lord Moreau sidled closer to the door in an attempt to catch the conversation between Madame Josephine and the English Lord but only muffled words came to his ears. He had met the fop before and searched his memory for the more than familiar name hovering in the corner of his mind. Lord Rupert Bainbridge. Ah, yes the popinjay had intervened during his purchase of a stallion for Baron du Court and procured a number of mares for a business partner he referred to as Mackenzie. What business had brought Lord Rupert in Scotland and particularly Inverness? The delivery of the mares? He rubbed his chin and stared sightlessly at a nude statue. Pieces of the puzzle of exactly why Lady Adrianna had escaped The Black Turtle without his knowledge fell into place with a resounding jolt.
During his interview with Lord Beachwood before leaving London, the lord had detailed concerns regarding one of her suitors, coincidentally by the same name and duly sent Lord Rupert away with a flea in his ear. Concerns indeed, if Lord Rupert had organized Lady Adrianna’s escape from The Black Turtle. It was no wonder Lord Beachwood had insisted he remove his daughter from England with all haste to avoid complications.
He drew in a deep breath to clear his head. He needed to think. The slave who had escaped with Lady Adrianna was a Mackenzie too and now Lord Rupert had arrived with mares to deliver to a man with the same surname. To find him in Inverness, so soon after Lady Adrianna’s disappearance from The Black Turtle was more than a little coincidental. Mon Dieu! Had Lord Rupert organized the Mackenzie lad to board the ship and aid in Lady Adrianna’s escape? Would a lord of the realm conspire against Lord Beachwood, and indeed her godfather King George?
Too many coincidences accosted his brain. He pushed through the miasma of opiate to command his fleeting thoughts. Why had Lady Adrianna jumped ship at Burghead if not to meet Lord Rupert? She could not possibly have knowledge of the notorious Le Diable Noir, nor would the Mackenzie slave, although she could have overheard the conversations regarding their scheduled meetings and used it to her advantage. He had to be correct in his assumption for the Burghead rendezvous was the sixth along the British coastline and Mackenzie came aboard on the fifth. Yes, it made sense because if Lady Adrianna had wanted to escape previously, she could have stowed away in any one of the boats carrying cargo at one of the earlier rendezvous. So why Burghead unless the meeting was preordained?
Anger shivered through him and he flattened his lips. If Lady Adrianna was indeed under the protection of Lord Rupert, the game had changed. Mackenzie was a common name and if Lord Rupert had paid for the protection of a clan, he would have little hope of retrieving his master’s prize alone. A Frenchman kidnapping a lady from the Scottish Highlands would be a receipt for disaster. Nevertheless, discovering Lord Rupert’s direction should not be a problem and he had more than enough money to hire a band of Lowlander yahoos to do his bidding.
The Black Turtle would have to weigh anchor a little longer than expected but no matter. He touched the bulging purse at his waist and glanced around Madame Josephine’s parlor. Pointing a finger at a thin wastrel of a girl with large eyes and an expression of terror, he smiled. The need to inflict pain and relieve the anger boiling within consumed him. She and perhaps one or two of her friends would do nicely for his pleasure this evening.
Chapter Four
Drew breathed a sigh of relief as the lights of Nairn came into view. The tortuous journey with a warm, feminine backside pressing against his arousal had near driven him insane. Holding Adrianna’s voluptuous body in his arms had caused him to make lists of merchandise or recite Latin, anything to distract from the desire she evoked in him. He gazed down at her, her head rested on his shoulder and her face tipped up giving him access to her soft pouting lips. He pushed back the need to crush her mouth in a deep kiss and thanked God the ptisan and the rocking of the horse had lulled her into a deep sleep. Indeed, apart from two stops to rest the horses and eat, she had slept most of the trip.
He pulled the horse to a stop to allow the carts to catch up to him and gazed into the distance. With luck, Rupert would meet him within the hour and take Adrianna to safety. Although, the lass was none too pleased with the idea of leaving him, he had convinced her to go with Rupert and avoid the chance of meeting Lord Moreau on their arrival in Inverness.
He had made plans with the owner of the Dunbar Inn to trade the variety of meat his men had bagged in exchange for a selection of the locally made cheeses. He would seek a bed in the inn for the night. After an arduous journey, his men required a decent sleep but he would set men in shifts of two hours duration throughout the night to guard his precious cargo. Once they reached Inverness, he would send Jamie and Angus with a wagon each to deliver the merchandise and collect the goods or cash. He would take a few of the bolts of silk and cambric to Lady Josephine to fill her order plus one or two bottles of his finest whisky by way of thanks.
In his arms, Adrianna stirred and moaned. Although, she claimed to be without pain, he knew better. Changing her dressings at the side of a road buffeted by a freezing wind, with only whisky to clean the wound had turned him into a blithering idiot. The sight of unrestrained tears spilling down her cheeks and the intense pain caused by his ministrations had not only shaken his hands but had near undone him. His jaw ached from grinding his teeth in despair of Adrianna’s agony.
Jamie moved his horse beside him and his brow wrinkled into a frown.
“Christ, ye look like ye have just walked off a battlefield.”
Drew shrugged. “Aye well, it is the lass. It would seem I bring her to tears each time I tend her.”
“Why are ye blaming yourself?” Jamie indicated toward Adrianna. “Ye had nothing to do wi’ her injury and ye have done your best to help her.” He frowned. “I ken ye well enough, brother, ye appear to have more than the weight of the world upon your shoulders.”
“I care for her, aye.” He stroked Adrianna’s ashen cheek. “I ken it is not in the best interest of the clan, but she holds ma heart. I told Da the truth of it and now being with her, I ken I have wanted her from the first time I kissed her.”
“Then have her.” Jamie gave him a wry smile. “Ye can deal wi’ the clan later.”
He gazed down at Adrianna’s beautiful face and sighed. In her waking moments, she had clung to him, accepted his offered words of comfort, and buried her face in his neck. Oh God, no other woman had captured his heart then dissolved his emotions into a rambling mess. The journey, with her in such close proximity, had bonded them to be sure. However, had her response to his advances been a true indication of her feelings? A man such as he had the way to lure a maiden into his arms. She lusted after him, but the love he required from her needed to last a lifetime.
I cannot let her go. I want her for my wife. He met Jamie’s concerned expression. “I thank ye for your support but now
is not the time. She is vulnerable and I will need time to convince her my intentions are honorable. When I wed, it will be for love, and forever.” He sighed. “I ken she cares for me, but she is innocent, and I am well skilled in seduction.” He cleared his throat. “It must have been a fine shock to her seeing me as a smuggler and to make thing worse, I accused her of enslaving Ian.”
“Aye, but I ken she thinks well of ye now. I see the way she looks at ye.” Jamie sighed and his gaze narrowed. “Nay man could have done more for the lass. In truth, many would have bedded her and left her on the side of the road to fend for herself. I can see ye care for her, so take your time. Woo her and she will see the good in ye, aye?”
“She encourages ma kisses, but I canna undo what I am. She expected a finely dressed gentleman to rescue her, not a Highlander.” He stared into the distance and forced words over the lump in his throat. “Such things come between a man and a woman to be sure. She may worry I will turn into a barbarian or worse an adulterer the moment we are wed.”
“Then ye will have to convince her otherwise.” Jamie chuckled. “I dinna think ye have had much trouble convincing women in the past to your way of thinking, have ye now?”
Anger crawled up his spine and he glared a warning at him. “Dinna speak like that about Lady Adrianna. She is a maiden and worthy of respect, not bawdy discourse.”
“I am sorry, brother, but ye have to admit ye do have somewhat of a reputation.” Jamie raised both eyebrows then turned his horse around and headed down the line of weary travelers.
Drew gathered Adrianna closer and wrapped his plaid tighter around her. He stared into the distance and made out a smudge of white picked out by the moonlight and recognized the turnpike. Within the half hour, they would reach the inn on the boarder of Nairn. God willing Lord Rupert had received his missive in time and would be on his way with a carriage to take her to Inverness.
He touched her clammy white skin and frowned. Although, he had mixed more of the ptisan and given her a large dose at their last stop, the fever had returned. If Betty followed his orders and administered more of the mixture, Adrianna should sleep for most of the journey to Madame Josephine’s establishment. He grimaced at the thought of exposing her to the indecencies of a brothel but had little choice. He had good reason to expect Lord Moreau, even in his constant state of oblivion, would have the capacity to relate Adrianna and Ian’s escape to le Diable Noir’s dealings with The Black Turtle. If his clan arrived in Inverness with the two women, the jig would be up. As Laird Mackenzie, and with his men wearing their dull-colored hunting plaids, they should blend into Inverness without notice.
At the turnpike, he urged his horse toward the welcoming lights of the Dunbar Inn. The beast pricked his ears and danced sideways no doubt excited with the notion of a stall brimming with fresh straw and a manger filled with oats. Moments later, the horses hooves clattered over the cobblestones and stable lads rushed out to greet him.
“Do ye have room for all of us?” He waved a hand toward his men.
“Aye, laird, that we do.” The familiar weathered face of old Tom Braddock came into view. “I will send one of the lads inside to see to your rooms.”
“Thank ye, kindly.” He waved his men forward then glanced down at Adrianna. “I will need a room for the lasses.”
“I think not.” Rupert stepped out of the shadows, his grin white in the darkness. “I have arranged more suitable accommodation.”
Immaculate as usual, Rupert appeared to have stepped from his club rather than from the seat of a coach and four driven at full gallop in the dead of night. With not one hair out of place, he strode toward him. The healthy glow to his cheeks from the biting chill was the only hint of discomfiture. Drew grinned down at him and shook his head in disbelief at the flicker of the stable lantern’s reflection in the high shine on Rupert’s riding boots. Indeed, he never failed to appear perfectly attired from top to toe. Relief at seeing Rupert relaxed the tension in his jaw. Thank God, she will be safe now. He rubbed the stubble on his chin and drew her tighter against his chest unwilling to let her go. Lord Rupert would not be amused with the condition of her. In truth, if Rupert had presented him with a fine lady in such disarray, he would have just cause to call him out.
“Och, I kenned you would be here afore me.” He turned his attention to Tom. “Just the men then, aye?”
“Aye, laird.” Tom ambled off toward the stables.
He gave Adrianna a little shake to wake her. “Wake now, lass, I have a surprise for ye.”
“I beg your pardon?” Adrianna blinked and straightened then catching sight of Rupert, her full luscious lips curled into a wide smile. “My dear Lord Rupert. How good to see you again.”
“Your most obedient servant, my Lady Adrianna.” Rupert bowed. “I am here to escort you to safety.”
Drew squeezed her with gentle care and brushed a kiss on her cheek. “Aye, lass, he will take ye to a safe place. Bide a few days and I will get word to you when I have concluded ma business.”
“I still cannot understand why I cannot remain with you?” Her eyes had widened into great bottomless pools. “What if Lord Moreau has raised a battalion and they kill Rupert the moment we arrive in Inverness? Do you to expect him to give his life to protect me?”
“Lord Moreau has no army, he is quite alone.” Rupert smiled. “And I am most capable of protecting you, my lady and I have my valet.”
“M–must I go?” She gripped his arm with considerable force.
His stomach cramped at the thought of losing her for even a few days. As much as it pained him, he had to insist she leave with Rupert. “Aye, lass, and not because I want to be rid of ye but ye ken full well it would be better for all concerned if the French weasel dinna discover ye are wi’ me. I canna risk ma clan being recognized. Already he has seen Angus and kens Ian well enough.” Drew sighed and rubbed her back. “Dinna fash, Rupert will keep ye safe. I would trust him wi’ ma life and he will protect ye in ma stead.”
“How long am I expected to wait for you this time?” She grabbed handfuls of his shirt and gazed at him wild-eyed. “I am afraid Lord Moreau will find me and take me to France.”
Lord Rupert moved closer, his face set in a mask of concern. “I am afraid Lord Moreau is indeed in Inverness. He is presently at a brothel and the very one where you will be hiding, but I am certain he will not discover your direction.” He grimaced at Adrianna’s gasp of horror. “You can be sure Lord Moreau will not be searching the brothels for you. Both of us have the utmost confidence in the proprietor to guarantee your safety.”
She turned her mournful expression on Drew. “Give me your word you will not abandon me in Inverness. Your word of honor, if you please, Laird Mackenzie.”
He wanted to offer his heart and soul, but instead, he smiled. “You have ma word of honor.” He bent and brushed a chaste kiss over her lips. Her dark lashes dropped and her lips parted in invitation. As she pressed closer boldly demanding more of him. His attention flicked to the disapproving stare from Rupert. He pulled away regret clutching at his heart and gazed into her big sad eyes. “Now go wi’ Rupert, I will see you as soon as I am able.”
Adrianna shook her head tumbling brown curls from beneath her cap. “But—”
“Do stop arguing, Adrianna. If you do not trust the word of my honorable cousin, trust mine.” Lord Rupert opened his arms to hand her down. “Come now, you will have to change in the carriage before we leave.” He met her gaze. “There are clothes in the portmanteau inside the coach. If you have any belongings, I suggest you bring them with you.”
“I beg your pardon, did you say you required me to change my clothes?” Lady Adrianna gripped Rupert’s arms and her mouth turned down. “In the carriage?”
“Yes, my lady. You cannot possibly arrive in Inverness wearing the Mackenzie tartan.” Rupert flashed Drew an apologetic gaze. “For this ruse to work, you and your maid are to disguise yourselves as harlots.”
“Harlots?” Lady Adrian
na glared at Rupert. “Why must I do such a deplorable thing, may I ask?”
“So not to attract undue attention on entering the establishment, my lady. My valet will escort you to the back entrance, he is not known to Lord Moreau.” He took her arm. “You will be taken up the back stairs to lodgings in the loft well away from the goings on below.” He glanced up at Drew. “I will make frequent visits to ensure her safety.”
“Aye, that is sound reason.” Drew dismounted and turned to Adrianna. He cupped her face, not giving a fig about Rupert’s disapproving glances and covered her warm mouth in a long lingering kiss. He lifted his head and held her trembling body away from him. “I will send more supplies for your injury. Do as Rupert says and we will be done with the likes of the gomeral Moreau and be on our way before ye ken it.” He sighed. “Dinna fash, ye have ma word, Lord Moreau will not be able to remove ye from Scotland while I live.” He bit back the overwhelming desire to kiss her again, dropped his hands, and stepped back. “Go wi’ Rupert and do exactly what he says.” In a rush of panic for her safety, he screwed the signet ring off his little finger and thrust it into her hands. “I ken ye are afraid, lass, so take this and should our plans go asunder run for your life. Make your way to the Glen Albyn Inn and find Rupert or if ye canna, go to any of the taverns in Inverness and show the proprietor ma ring. Tell him to keep ye safe and to send a man to fetch me or Rupert.” He swallowed hard as despair cramped his wame. “Do ye understand?”
Adrianna’s blue eyes held an expression of undisguised relief. She squeezed his arm in a surprising gesture of comfort. Christ, had his expression betrayed his emotion at the thought of losing her?
“Yes, I understand and I thank you.” She gave him a hesitant smile and pushed his ring into her reticule. “I am as you say braw and if I am able to escape a pirate ship to be sure a brothel will be a piece of cake.” She dropped her hand and inclined her head. “Safe journey, dearest Drew. I will wait in anticipation of our next meeting.”
