A Reluctant Bride

by Michaels, Jess

  “Parks?” she called out, wondering if the young man had come inside. Or even been asked to reorganize the items that had been ransacked two nights prior. It looked like someone had been setting things to rights since then.

  “Parks?” she repeated, a little louder this time.

  “Yes, my lady?” came a voice from the back of the room.

  She sagged a little in relief and moved toward the sound. But as she stepped behind a row of boxes, she came to a halt. There was a man standing in the room, but it wasn’t a footman to her home, of that she was certain. No, he was tall, broad-shouldered and very handsome with his rakishly long hair and a smirk that made a dimple pop in his cheek.

  As he stepped forward, she realized there was another man behind him. Prone, bound at the wrist and ankle, and dead.

  No, not dead, she realized with relief as she watched his chest rise and fall. Parks.

  “Who are you?” she whispered as she backed toward the door, even though she knew she wouldn’t escape.

  It seemed the intruder did, too, for he smiled at her with indulgence. “Handsome Ellis Maitland at your service, Lady Harcourt. What a pleasure it is to meet you at last.”

  She pivoted to run, but he lunged and caught her arm, holding her in place effortlessly.

  “Let me go!” she screamed. “Help!”

  He let out his breath in a sigh. “Great God, cease your shouting. No one in the house can hear you. No one is going to come. Now come along and sit down.”

  He punctuated that last order by dragging her into the back of the room and hurtling her into a chair. She hit the seat with a thump and glared up at him. He smiled back and then threw his head back with a chuckle.

  “God’s teeth, you three really do look like an exact replica of each other. Even more so up close. I suppose I was lucky I picked the right sister to woo.”

  “You are talking about Anne,” she whispered. “An innocent woman you seduced in order to exact your awful plan.”

  Maitland shrugged. “No one was seduced,” he said with a wrinkle of his brow, as though it was a distasteful suggestion that he would take advantage. “I must say your sister isn’t as predictable a lady as I thought, however.”

  “One of her best qualities.” Thomasina held his gaze evenly. “Where is she?”

  He shifted. “Due time, my lady, all in due time. Now you tell me, where is my damned treasure?”

  There was a worry to the way he asked the question. A wildness to his expression that made Thomasina lean a little closer. It wasn’t madness. No, the man seemed in full control of his faculties. There wasn’t cruelty, though his tone was harsh. But there was desperation on every line of his handsome face. And that could be just as dangerous.

  “We have what you seek,” she said, being careful in the words she spoke.

  He jerked, that desperation multiplying. “Where? Tell me now and all this can be over.”

  Her heart leapt, pounding so hard she feared he could hear it as he loomed over her.

  “I-It’s in the house,” she said. “Which is filled with dozens of people. You’ll never get to it.”

  He jerked away from her, clenching his fists at his sides. His defined jaw was tight with frustration as he paced away. “Damn it! That earl wasn’t worth the fucking trouble. I never should have trusted him. What the hell did we get ourselves into? Why the hell did we involve such a bastard in our dealings?”

  She tensed. He was talking about Solomon when he said the earl, that was clear. But it seemed like he was talking about someone else, too. She didn’t understand it, but she had to remain calm, just as Jasper had said the previous night. Calm would help her in the face of this man’s lack of control.

  “I can get it for you,” she said softly.

  He pivoted to face her, eyes narrowed. “How?”

  She swallowed hard. “Just let me go up and—”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Oh no, my lady. I may look young, but I was not born yesterday. You go up there and I’m certain the guard will greet me, not my treasure, when you return.” He paced for a moment, glancing at her with every turn. “I hate this. I hate it. It’s not who I am.”

  “Then who are you?” Thomasina whispered, hoping that getting him to talk would help.

  He shook his head. “I used to know. But things change. I need leverage, and now I have it, much as I despise all this. Harcourt obviously cares for you. He’ll do anything to keep you safe.”

  Thomasina shifted in her seat. Maitland was right, of course. Jasper had spent a great deal of time last night trying to explain how much he feared she would be in the exact position she found herself in now. If her husband heard she was in trouble, he would race to rescue her, treasure in hand. He wouldn’t care about the cost or the risk.

  He cared for her. Maybe it was more than that, even if he wouldn’t admit it yet.

  “And I’ll do anything to keep him safe in return,” she said evenly. Calmly, and for that she was pleased. At least she didn’t sound as terrified as she felt. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Not you,” Maitland said, and leaned down to the servant on the floor. “Hey. Hey you, Parks. His name is Parks, right?”

  Thomasina nodded. “Yes, the name of the man you tried to murder is Parks, Mr. Maitland.”

  He looked at her again. “I didn’t try to kill him. A man in my position learns how to take out a threat without hurting him permanently. I cut off just enough blood with a choke to put him in this state, and nothing more.”

  Thomasina shook her head. This man wasn’t how she’d pictured him when she imagined a great, terrible villain. Maitland was…charming in his own way, despite the horror of what was happening.

  “Parks!” Maitland repeated as he lightly slapped the cheeks of the servant.

  At last the poor footman groaned and his eyes fluttered open. “You bastard,” he grunted. His foggy gaze slipped to Thomasina. “My—my lady?”

  She nodded. “It’s all right, Parks. Are you well?”

  Parks rubbed his neck as he sat up slightly. “Aye, my lady. Just a headache.”

  She let out a sigh of relief. “Please do anything he says. Don’t put yourself in more danger than you already are.”

  Maitland smiled at her. “Good, listen to Lady Harcourt. Seems she’s a reasonable person after all. I want you to go up to the house. Speak only to your master. Tell him I have his wife and I want my treasure. If anyone else comes down here with him, she…” He trailed off and shifted slightly as his gaze flitted to her. There was hesitation there. Anguish. “I don’t want to have to hurt her. I don’t want to have to hurt anyone.”

  Parks’ gaze slipped to Thomasina and she nodded slightly. “Do it.”

  He struggled to his feet. Maitland spun him around and cut his binds on his ankles and hands. He held the blade out, as if poised to strike as Parks kicked away the ropes and rubbed his wrists. “You have fifteen minutes to bring him back, you understand? Hurry!”

  Maitland glanced at Thomasina, almost apologetically, she thought. What the hell was going on with this man? He was no hero, after all. Driven by greed and whatever other terrible things made men steal and cheat and lie and not care about any other person they hurt.

  But he also seemed hesitant about physically harming her. And perhaps she could use that to her advantage. To Jasper’s advantage. To Anne’s advantage. But only if she used her wits.

  Maitland waved Parks toward the door and then he returned his focus to Thomasina.

  “Your quarrel is with Solomon, not Jasper,” she said softly. “But you know that.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t care which Harcourt brother gives me what I want. I just want it.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Solomon created this situation, you know. I’m just living with the consequences.”

  Her brow wrinkled, for she didn’t understand what he meant. But she ignored that for the moment. “What about my sister? Your pawn to get Jasper to do your bidding? Did you harm her?�
��

  Maitland’s gaze darted away, almost like he wasn’t proud of his situation with Anne. “I did what I had to do. But when I last saw her, she was fine.”

  Thomasina straightened. “Last saw her?”

  He glared at her. “Shut up, my lady. We’re done talking. Until your husband shows up, we have nothing to say.”

  She clamped her lips shut and watched him as he paced the room, checking his watch every minute, waiting for Jasper. He was a trapped animal, that much was clear. And who knew what would happen once Jasper entered the room and confronted him?

  Chapter 26

  Jasper rolled from the bed and looked around Thomasina’s empty chamber. Despite the dire nature of the situation he found himself in, he still smiled at the rumpled sheets, the scent of her in the air. Whatever else happened from now until the day he took his last breath, he had her in his life. To have, to hold, to protect and to be protected by.

  He flexed his shoulders back and moved to his room. He intended to dress and then find his wife. They could continue the search for clues about Maitland until Reynolds arrived from Beckfoot, and then they could determine how to reach out to the bastard with an offer of parlay.

  He entered his chamber and rang the bell. In a moment, his valet, Hoffman, entered. “Good morning, Hoffman,” he began. “I’ll wear the—”

  He didn’t get to finish the request, though. The door to his chamber flew open and one of the footmen, Parks, rushed in with Willard behind him and Reynolds on their heels. “What in the world—?” he began.

  “I must speak to you alone, my lord,” Parks burst out, red and sweaty. Jasper stared disheveled nature of the young man’s hair and clothes. His gaze was a bit unfocused. “Please!”

  “Come away, Parks,” Willard said, grabbing for his arm as Reynolds reached for the other. “Thank God Mr. Reynolds returned just a few moments ago in time to help me deal with this. I don’t know what madness you discovered during your guard shift, but we do not allow drinking on this staff. You will be dismissed for—”

  Jasper pushed forward. “Guard duty?”

  “He was at the outbuildings, my lord. Though he must have been imbibing to behave thus. I only hope Lady Harcourt wasn’t bothered by him on her walk.”

  His world screeched to a halt at those words. “Get out. Everyone but Parks, get out.”

  The rest of them looked at him in confusion, but Reynolds directed them out. He shot Jasper a meaningful look and shut the door.

  “What is going on?” Jasper said. “And I swear if Willard is right—”

  “He’s not. I was sent on guard duty to that old outbuilding last night. It was uneventful until someone grabbed me from behind and nearly choked the life out of me,” Parks said. “I woke up and he had Lady Harcourt.”

  Jasper’s knees nearly went out from beneath him at that sentence. He’d intended to put a guard on Thomasina whenever she was alone, but he hadn’t planned for this contingency, that she’d go to the storage building alone before he woke. And now she was held captive and it could only be one villain who would be so bold.

  Parks touched his head and flinched. “I don’t know who the bastard is that done it, but he’s going on about treasure. He said you had fifteen minutes to get down. I ran fast as I could being so dizzy.”

  Jasper was already stripping out of his robe and tugging on a pair of trousers and boots. “How long ago did you leave them?”

  “Eight minutes, maybe ten? I lost track when everyone tried to stop me.”

  “Is it just Maitland?” Jasper asked, trying to focus on the matter at hand, not desperate images of Thomasina in danger. Thomasina alone with a man who would hurt her to get what he wanted. “Just the one man?”

  Parks nodded with another wince of pain. “That’s all I saw was just the one man. He said you should bring the treasure.”

  Jasper froze. He had meant to bring the statue down the night before, but when he and Thomasina had argued, he’d all but forgotten it in the attic.

  “Go upstairs, to the attic. There is an open chamber. Bring me the statue there in the middle of the floor. Then get yourself looked at, with my thanks. Hurry now.”

  Parks bolted from the room, and Jasper shouted after him, “No one stop that man or you will deal with me. Reynolds, get in here.”

  His man of affairs rushed inside, looking rather road-worn himself. “What is going on?”

  Jasper shook his head as he pulled a pistol from the bottom drawer of his wardrobe and loaded it with shaking hands. “I called you back to find Maitland, but he found us. He has Thomasina and he wants his treasure.”

  “Do you have it?” Reynolds asked.

  Before Jasper could answer, Parks reappeared, the marble-based statue in his hand. “This?” he asked.

  “Yes, good man.” He grabbed it and motioned to Reynolds to follow. “This is it, we think. He wants me alone. You’ll need to conceal yourself. If I give the word, come running.”

  “What’s the word?” Reynolds asked as they rushed past the stunned staff.

  “Call for the guard,” Jasper called out. “And tend to Parks, he’s a damned hero.”

  As they exited the house and headed for the outbuildings down the hill, he thought of Thomasina. Of her life being in danger. Of the time that was sliding through the hourglass even now.

  He thought of what he’d have to tell her if things went wrong. What she needed to know more than anything.

  “If I tell her I love her, we’re in trouble,” he said. “And you come running. Save her, do you understand? Save her before me.”

  Reynolds caught his breath. “You do love her.”

  “I do.” Jasper motioned to a side path where they would separate so Reynolds wouldn’t be seen from the building. “And I hope I can confess that in better circumstances.”

  “Good luck,” Reynolds said, squeezing his arm before he rushed off to take the longer route to the building.

  Jasper moved along the main path, cresting the hill where he saw the building. He and Thomasina had come here together twice. Once when she was so angry with him and yet still supportive and caring. It was not in her makeup to be anything less so.

  And now he might lose her.

  A great swell of panic rose up on him at that thought, but he tamped it down, drew a long breath and entered the outbuilding.

  He saw them immediately. Maitland stood behind the chair where Thomasina sat, her hands clenched in her lap. He had a gun in his hand, not pointed at her, but too close for comfort. Jasper was relieved to find she looked unharmed.

  “My lord,” Maitland said with a shake of his head. “Welcome to our party.”

  “Are you injured?” Jasper asked, ignoring Maitland.

  She blinked at the tears in her eyes. “I’m fine. I’m sorry that my coming down here created this.”

  “I should have guessed you’d be undeterred in your quest to save your sister. To save me even if I don’t deserve it. And you didn’t create this, he did.”

  Maitland edged closer to her. “Enough. If you do what you are told, there is no reason you two couldn’t live a very happy life together. Now where is my treasure?”

  Jasper had been holding the statue behind his back, but now he drew it out and held it up. “I think this is your prize. Let my wife go and tell us where to find her sister, and you can have it with my blessing.”

  Maitland stared at the statue, utterly silent for what felt like a lifetime. Then he came around to stand beside Thomasina’s chair. “What the fuck is that?”

  Jasper blinked. “The treasure. We found it hidden in my brother’s things. What else would he hide but the treasure?”

  “That’s not my treasure,” Maitland barked. “Put it down.”

  “What?”

  “Put it on the ground,” Maitland roared, shaking the gun without intent or care. “I don’t want you using that as a weapon.”

  Jasper eased the item to the floor. “I swear to you on my life, Maitland, that is a
ll we found.”

  Maitland was trembling now. He swore a blue line and then pressed a hand against his forehead as he stared at the statue and back to Jasper. “You—you swear on your life, eh? Do you want me to test that?”

  Jasper noted he didn’t turn the gun on him or Thomasina, but his heartrate increased nonetheless at the threat of an armed man.

  “He’s not lying,” Thomasina gasped, gripping the edge of the chair until her knuckles went white. “Please!”

  Jasper came forward a step, hoping to keep Maitland’s attention on him. “Listen to me. I want to help.”

  “You bloody liar, you don’t want to help me.” Maitland shook his head. “You have no idea what is at stake here.”

  “Then tell me,” Jasper said, meeting Thomasina’s gaze evenly. Hoping he could soothe her as she had done so many times. Thinking of all he would lose if she were taken from him. Of all he would have left unsaid if he were the one with a bullet through his heart today.

  “Let us help you,” Thomasina whispered.

  The gun shook as Maitland fought to catch his breath, like he couldn’t find it. “No one can help me.”

  Jasper realized this was the moment he could strike. When Maitland was emotional, when he was falling apart from whatever desperation had driven him to this. But he needed help.

  He looked at his wife, her eyes wide with terror. And he cried out, “Thomasina, I love you!”

  Her eyes went wide and then she swiveled in her chair. She kicked Maitland’s left knee with all her might and he toppled forward. The trigger depressed and the gun fired. The bullet ricocheted past Jasper, lodging in the wall instead.

  Jasper dove forward, grabbing for Thomasina and yanking her from the chair as he heard Reynolds’ shouting as he entered the door. Maitland swore as he pushed some of the boxes and trunks down around them, and then there was the crashing of glass as he hurtled himself through one of the back windows and ran.

  “Go after him!” Jasper shouted to Reynolds as he kept his body over Thomasina’s, protecting her with all he had, all he was and all he ever would be.