His to Keep (Regency Scoundrels Book 2)

by Mathews, Marly

  “Good. I shall take care of him.”

  “I know you will handle him with kid gloves,” Louis-Daniel said with a grin.

  “I don’t want you to come home in that state again, do you understand, Louis-Daniel?”

  “You forget, brother, I am older than you.”

  “Aye, and I have more sense than you. You need to bloody well come to your bearings, Louis-Daniel. I think, I think I shall write to your uncle and tell him that you wish to have a good long visit with him.”

  “You devil,” Louis-Daniel muttered.

  “Ah, now, Louis-Daniel, you know that out of the two of us, I am the angel.” He bowed to him, and paused, “I’ll ask Isla to bring you something up for your pounding head.”

  “Thank you,” Louis-Daniel said sheepishly.

  Without another word, Archie left the room.

  *****

  Gemma awoke to silence.

  Stretching in the bed, she threw off the covers and sat up. The cool air brushed against her skin making her shiver. She looked to the window. Maybe some fresh air would do her some good, even though the chamber did feel a little cool. For the time of the year, the morning was unusually chilly, despite the fact that a fire blazed in the hearth.

  Thoughts that she didn’t need cluttered her mind. She’d just reached for her dressing gown when the doorknob on her door rattled.

  Stiffening with apprehension, she waited, stepping behind the dressing screen at just the right moment.

  “Archie,” she breathed with relief, resting her eyes on him, devouring him with every glance.

  “I’m sorry. Did I startle you?”

  “You can say that again.”

  “I’ve had a bath drawn up for you in the adjoining room, which I usually use as my bathing room.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.” He lifted an eyebrow at her. “Is there anything amiss?”

  “I’m worried about Mallory coming here. I fear what he might do. I can’t shake the feeling that something bad shall happen.”

  “Your brother is not going to shatter what we’ve built.”

  “I’m not worried about Mallory,” she sighed, at last wriggling out of his grasp, to walk to the window and stare out at the surrounding lands. The ragged cliffs edging out to the sea shimmered in the distance. The early morning light glinted off the rock, sand and water.

  “I guess you’re ready to deal with him, then?”

  “I’m never ready to deal with him, but I don’t know…I just feel a bit shaken,” Gemma whispered.

  “We will weather any storm Mallory brings to us.”

  “Together, nothing can hurt us.”

  “Indeed,” he murmured.

  “And before you were hiding things from me, I know everything now, don’t I?” she asked softly.

  “Aye. You know it all.”

  She nodded her head. “Good. Then, Mallory cannot think to tear us apart. Why weren’t you there when I woke up?”

  “I had to attend to my brother he had a visitor that wanted to create quite the hullabaloo. I dealt with him before anyone else in the house would have to deal with the blackguard.”

  “Your brother needs to distance himself from that life.”

  “I know. It’s not that easy. One can’t just tell Louis-Daniel what to do.”

  “You have the same problem. You are both too stubborn for your own good.”

  “As are you, wife.”

  She smiled at him, and sighed. Everything was good between them right now…Mallory…Mallory couldn’t ruin her happiness. She wouldn’t let him.

  “Come now, my lady wife, let me spoil you.” She laughed as he gathered her up into his arms.

  She had found the man of her dreams.

  Chapter Thirty

  Gemma was safely nestled in Archie’s embrace. All was right with her world—and yet, she still felt uneasy.

  She shifted her position, trying to move without rousing Archie. He’d been quite amorous the last few days, and though Mallory was nowhere to be seen, she still felt like she was walking on eggshells. It had been two days since Louis-Daniel had come crashing into the house.

  For whatever reason, Louis-Daniel was staying quiet and trying not to draw any attention to himself. She wondered at that—the Louis-Daniel she knew had never been the quiet sort—either he felt utterly embarrassed because of the spectacle that he’d caused, or he had something devious planned. She didn’t like thinking badly of him, as Archie did adore him, and yet she couldn’t seem to warm up to him. Perhaps, they were just meant to dislike each other that didn’t make Louis-Daniel a bad person.

  Sighing, she slipped out of Archie’s arm, and padded to the window to look out. The sun was setting for the night, and she wanted to witness the dazzling display of twilight.

  “Are you all right?” Archie mumbled.

  “Yes, go back to sleep,” she murmured, turning back to look out at sea. Was that sails she saw on the distant horizon? Why would ships be coming into the bay here? There was an official port for the island, at least that’s what Archie told her.

  “Archie, I see ships on the horizon.”

  “What?” Instantly, he was alert, and throwing the covers off himself. “You have to be mistaken, we aren’t expecting anyone, unless—”

  She swallowed past the thick lump cresting in her throat.

  “It’s Mallory,” she sighed heavily. “We knew this day would come. You’ll have to let me make the explanations to him—I shall tell him to get back on his ship and go back to England.”

  “No. Mallory and I will resolve the issues between us on our own terms.”

  “Archie, he will rip you apart,” she warned. He stood up, and his breadth and size of his body rattled her nerves. “On second thought, I’m afraid you’ll tear Mallory apart. He’s had a soft living for the past two years, while you’re much more worn around the edges.”

  “I am?” he murmured, crossing the short distance to her, he enveloped her in his arms, kissing her softly.

  “You are. You could break him in half if you had half the mind to. I don’t want you doing something stupid. Margaret has told you to let sleeping dogs lie.”

  “I know. Mama doesn’t want me to make a spectacle for the entire ton to ridicule. If the two of us had a battle, it would definitely draw unwanted attention to both of our families.”

  “Allow me the pleasure of dealing with my brother. I think I shall have a good time telling him to go back to England with his tail between his legs.”

  “Your brother was a pirate. The infamous Rafe Morgan, in that guise, he never ran with his tail between his legs.”

  “He never encountered me on the High Seas, did he?”

  “I grant you that. However, do not underestimate him. He is now prepared for us.”

  He sighed, releasing her. “I should go and get dressed. I’m naked, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

  “I did notice.” She said, her cheeks flaming red. “It’s sort of hard not to notice when you make such an appealing sight.” She walked toward him, brushing her hands over his back. He stiffened beneath her touch.

  She rose up on her tip of her toes, and kissed him hungrily. He slid his hands into her hair, dropping the clothing he was trying to put on. She was already naked, and she could feel the burgeoning desire for him, welling inside of her. Pressing herself to him, she felt him respond to her.

  Breathlessly, he broke away from her. “Damnation, woman, I can’t…we don’t have the time. You should ring for your maid, and I should ring for my valet.”

  “It will take a bit of time for Mallory to disembark. Why don’t we live dangerously?”

  With a hungry growl, he claimed her lips. She didn’t have to ask him twice.

  *****

  Once they had finished their lovemaking, they laid tangled together while Gemma listened to Archie’s steady breathing.

  “Were you in the Royal Navy, too?” she asked softly.

  He sighed
. “Aye,” he muttered.

  “And were you just as dangerous as my brother?” she looked up at him, before resting her head back down on his chest.

  “I acted in the same manner that Mallory did during the Wars, yes.”

  His cryptic answer didn’t satisfy her. “Did you work under Mallory’s command?”

  He snorted loudly. “Hardly, I have never worked under Mallory. Aye, you’ve guessed as much. I, too, worked as a privateer during the Wars. We kept anyone who was working with Napoleon on their toes, and relieved them of any of their cargo that they were trying to transport. I’m a down right scalawag if you’d like to say that as well. Some would say I’m even more dangerous than the illustrious Rafe Morgan.”

  “I don’t want to know the details,” she sighed, as she caressed his chest with her hand.

  “Don’t you even want to know my seafaring name?”

  “I do and I don’t,” she admitted honestly. “Will you go alone to meet Mallory?”

  “I shall take Louis-Daniel with me and we shall be both out of your hair.”

  “No.” She startled herself with her exclamation. “Leave Louis-Daniel here. He shouldn’t be near Mallory. Leave him here at the castle, please.”

  She got off him, and watched as he slipped out of bed, and started dressing himself. So much for ringing for his valet. “I trust Louis-Daniel, Gemma. I am not afraid to have him watching my back.”

  “I don’t fear for you. I fear what he might do to my brother.”

  She watched as he put on the belt that would hold his cutlass. Good lord, he looked dashing. Even in his privateer costume, he looked dashing. He put on a cocked hat that made him look even more like a pirate, and turned to her. “I’ll leave Louis-Daniel here. As you say, it will be better for Mallory, and I can’t really see Louis-Daniel getting into any mischief. What trouble could he possibly find around here?”

  “Thank you.” She walked over to him, to straighten his hat. He drew her close to him giving her a passionate kiss.

  “I should be back in a little while, as long as your dear brother doesn’t decide to sink his cutlass into me.”

  “Just tell him…tell him that I’ve finally found my knight. He shall know what that means.”

  He narrowed his gaze at her. “I shall do that.”

  “Just remember, Mallory is a bit like Louis-Daniel, his passions rule him. Do not let him catch you off guard. I don’t want him hurting you.”

  “And yet, I can’t do anything to him?”

  “I didn’t say that, Archie. I said you couldn’t kill him. If you need to defend yourself do so with vigor, just don’t finish off Mallory. I know I always seem quite perturbed with him most of the time, but just like you wouldn’t want to see Louis-Daniel dead, I don’t wish to see Mallory in an early grave either.”

  “I understand.” He smiled at her. Holding her hand firmly in his, he walked with her to the bedroom door.

  “Now, off with you, before Louis-Daniel sees the ships and decides to head out on his own.”

  “He’s probably into the rum by now…or the whisky…or the brandy…he isn’t picky. He’ll be rip roaring drunk before dinner.” He gave her a cheeky grin, and walked out the door. She turned back to the window, and sighed.

  As soon as she knew he was out of hearing distance, she went into action, ringing for her maid to help her dress. Hopefully, the maid would keep her confidence. She had to follow Archie. If she didn’t, and Mallory did the unthinkable, she’d never be able to live with herself.

  Her love for Archie had grown until just thinking about him not being with her made her heartache.

  Once she was dressed, she slipped her feet into sturdy riding boots. “Now, pray, Kitty, do not tell anyone else where I am going.”

  “You’ll have to tell them down at the stables,” the maid said in her timid voice.

  “Just don’t tell anyone in the house that I’m off to pursue Lord Northam.”

  “It’s not right,” Kitty muttered. “You shouldn’t go traipsing off by yourself, my lady.”

  “Whether it’s right or not, isn’t yours to say.” Opening her bedchamber door, she looked to see if the coast was clear. In order to get out of the castle undetected, she’d have to leave by back entrances. Without another word to her maid, she went off to find Archie. She heard the maid slip out of the bedchamber and hurry away. Worry plagued her. She should have tried dressing without her. Even if she did tell on her, she’d only be able to tell other members of the staff. Who else in the house would listen to a maid?”

  She walked toward the nearest back entrance. She would have to ask for a horse to be readied for her, and pray they didn’t tell anyone else. She had made a habit of going out riding every day and this was around the time of her daily ride. Hearing heavy footfalls behind her, she stopped. She pressed her hand to her chest. She daren’t breathe, lest they see her in the dimly lit corridors.

  Her hair bristled on the back of her neck. Something just didn’t feel right. The presence behind her was making her feel like her skin was crawling.

  Could it be Louis-Daniel?

  She moved forward and slammed into something hard. Bouncing off it, she backed up into something not quite as hard, but still as terrifying.

  She let out a scream that was quickly strangled.

  “Shut up, or I swear I will slit your throat, you little bitch!” Coldness seeped through her. She shivered. She didn’t recognize the voice, even though, she knew this man would go through with his threat if she didn’t obey him. She would have continued her struggle if only to call out for help, but the feeling of the cold tip of a dagger blade pressed against her neck made her as silent as the grave.

  How had they gotten into the castle unnoticed? What the hell was going on?

  Archie.

  She wanted Archie.

  “Hey, we aren’t supposed to hurt the lass, Stan. We were just supposed to take her into our custody so she could be put up for ransom.”

  Ransom?

  She swallowed past the dread and fear building inside of her.

  “Humph,” Stan muttered, obviously displeased. He lowered the dagger, instead pressing it to her side. “Don’t get any new ideas of getting away from me, lady. I’ll give you a cut deep enough to make your next few days miserable. Just don’t try me.” He still had his hand clamped tightly over her mouth.

  She had to do something. She couldn’t let them take her from this place—if they did, she had a feeling she’d never see Archie again. Not alive, anyway.

  Summoning all of her strength, and hoping that his dagger wouldn’t actually do that much damage, she bit his hand.

  He let out a howl of pain. He hadn’t knifed her yet, thank God. She let out another scream. He pushed her down to the floor.

  “You shut her the hell up, or I swear I’ll be gutting her like a fish.”

  “Oi, you shut your face.” His companion reached down toward her, touting a dirty looking rag in his hand. Did he mean to stuff that into her mouth?

  “I wouldn’t move if I were you,” Louis-Daniel was using the tone of the Marquis. She shivered. He sounded quite deadly.

  Help had arrived. Just not the sort of assistance she wanted.

  “Who the hell do you think you are? We aren’t alone, mate. I’d go off and hide in your rooms until we finish carting off the merry marchioness here.”

  “I don’t hide,” Louis-Daniel declared, the air crackling with energy.

  She had to hand it to Louis-Daniel, he sounded pretty threatening. But hadn’t she seen three shadows? Where was the third brute?

  The sound of the pistols firing almost deafened her. She tried to move out of the grasp of the man holding her. Stan went down, howling with pain. He didn’t look like he was going to survive the shot that Louis-Daniel had put into him. Her stomach rolled.

  Then, another shot rang through the air. She hoped Louis-Daniel’s aim was true since she was so close to the man holding her down.

  She wa
ited.

  Instead, the man pulled her up and tied her hands. When her eyes focused, her heart did a triple jump.

  Louis-Daniel.

  Dear God. He’d been shot. She had to help him. She said a silent prayer, praying that he would live.

  The third man finally stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes widened, and her heart froze.

  Duxford.

  Bloody hell.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “Hullo there. Lady Northam, is it?” Duxford’s cruel sounding voice made her insides twist.

  She had to get a hold of herself and control her raging emotions. Her eyes went to Louis-Daniel again. He was still awake, and breathing quite heavily. He clutched his right arm, the pistol he held had fallen somewhere out of sight. His eyes were filled with more anger than she’d ever seen before.

  He was losing a lot of blood, and his face just kept getting paler.

  “Grab the Frenchie, and let’s get moving.” Duxford motioned his hand for a few more thugs to step forward.

  This couldn’t be happening to her. Where were all of Archie’s men? Ah, yes, Archie had probably taken them with him when he’d gone to see Mallory. Where had Duxford come from?

  “I am truly sorry for what I am about to do, my dear. I hope you forgive me.” He nodded to someone that stood holding a handkerchief. They came toward her and though she struggled like a hellcat, she couldn’t get loose from the man holding her. The man pressed the handkerchief over her mouth, and within seconds, she fell into darkness.

  *****

  Archie rode against the force of wind from the sea that buffeted against him.

  Rain opened up from the heavens, fortunately, he’d donned his greatcoat before setting off.

  He could see the ships in the distance. Jolly boats had been brought up onto the beach. Slowing his horse down in the sand, he dismounted.

  Holding his hand up, the men that rode with him stopped and stayed at a safe distance.

  The mournful wind ripped through the clearing, making it hard for him to hear the voices of the people that approached. He didn’t have to hear Mallory’s voice though to recognize him. There was someone walking closely beside him. At the last moment, Mallory pulled her close to him, keeping her from falling in the sand. He didn’t know why Mallory had taken Elizabeth along for the journey. Squinting his eyes through the downpour, he focused them again. It wasn’t Elizabeth. The woman was far too tall and though not quite as slim as Gemma, she was of a slighter build than Elizabeth.