by Claudy Conn
“And you don’t have a choice about its future. That is indisputable—are we clear?”
Freddy scowled but as the doctor had at that point begun stitching said, “Ouch, yes then, we are clear.”
“Serena, I want an explanation regarding all of this,” the squire said to her across the room.
“Yes, of course you do, dearest, and I shall give you one a bit later … all right?”
“Very well, then,” he agreed.
As it happened, his lordship said he thought it best that he drive his nephew to the inn for a bath, a change of clothes, and some luncheon. However, he managed a moment with her at the door and said meaningfully, “In light of this, I must take a promise from you.”
“Must you?”
“I am not smiling. This is serious and cannot be jested away,” he said.
“What? What is my uncle telling you?” Freddy asked as he turned on the front step and looked back at Serena and his lordship.
“Only that I don’t wish her going about unprotected,” his lordship answered.
Serena’s lashes fluttered against her will. “Thank you, but I can take care of myself,” she said.
“No, you cannot anymore than Freddy was able to take care of himself. Someone had followed him, don’t you see that? This was no chance encounter.”
“I do see, but I won’t be made a prisoner in my home,” she returned.
“I shall be by in the morning and escort you wherever you wish to go,” he answered promptly.
“That is too much of an imposition. I couldn’t ask you to do such a thing,” she said, unable to meet his gaze.
“You don’t have to ask. I am offering it. There is nothing more to be discussed,” his lordship returned.
“Thank you,” she said meekly. She felt guilty about Freddy, although it had not been her idea to set about such a story. That was all on the magistrate. In fact, she had not even completely agreed. Freddy had jumped at the chance, and there had been no talking him out of it. Even so, she felt a twinge of guilt. She should not have agreed to be a party to it.
“I shall be here for you at ten … sharp,” he said, and she saw a twinkle in his blue eyes.
“Very well,” she answered.
“Serena, believe me when I tell you that I shall miss you till then,” he said softly.
“And I you, my lord,” she answered and saw the surprise in his eyes. If it had not been for the seriousness of the situation, she might have giggled at his expression.
* * *
“What were you doing, Uncle?” Freddy said as they drove away from Moorely Grange. “Were you flirting with Serena? For if you were, I think it a paltry thing to do.”
“I shan’t deny it, but you have said that I am too old to catch her interest, so it does not mean anything … does it?” his uncle said glibly.
“I don’t know,” Freddy returned doubtfully. “I tell you what, though. You can’t fool Serena. She is up to every rig. If you aren’t sincere … she’ll know.”
His lordship eyed him thoughtfully. Was she? Was she up to every rig? And had he been flirting, only flirting, or did some part of him actually mean it when he said he would miss her until the morrow?
The bigger question still remained. Would she give up Freddy if she believed she could bring him to point non plus? And could she? Was that what was happening to him? Was he diving head first into a pool that would leave him forever hungry for this one woman?
~ Eleven ~
THE QUAINT SEASIDE village of Lymington was full of activity and bustle. Tourists flocked to its charming dockside inns and its delightful shops. It was a haven for the sporting sailor, and regal yachts of all sizes could be seen in its harbor. Joe Reed breathed in the salt air and sighed. He loved this village. He would hate to leave.
He made his way just outside the village center and took a back road that ran along a narrow but deep rivulet. He followed the dirt path’s irregular route past a weather-beaten courtyard stable whose name was proudly displayed as the Lulworth Tavern.
Lulworth was frequented by seamen and every now and then by excisemen on the prowl, but few others. A wandering traveler might unwittingly enter, but a quick look around would be enough to tell such a traveler to go a bit farther down the road for rest and refreshments—and the safekeeping of his purse.
Joe Reed rubbed his three-day beard and then ran a hand through his light brown hair before he returned his gaze to the darkly clad gentleman seated in a corner of the room. He made his way, drew up a chair, sat, and said immediately and without preamble, “Lookee … Oi had no choice, Oi tell ye. No, Oi did not. Free-trading, that’s whot Oi do best, but we had a prime bobbery, didn’t we, and then Big Tee, he got loose-tongued, didn’t he? Ye wanted him quieted, and so Oi did the job, didn’t Oi? Was it me fault those two twigged a look at me when Oi was on the run? No, it wasn’t. Fact is, Oi disremember they even saw me phiz.” He shook his head in disgust. “M’scarf must have pulled loose … though I disremember it doing that. Thing is, there is those that say the two gentry fools saw me. Well, can’t let those two cry rope on me, can Oi? Ye told me to handle it. Well, that is whot Oi did.” He sighed and shook his head. “Missed me shot, Oi did, and then nearly got nabbed when that flash cove Newton came riding up. Oi won’t miss me mark next time. Depend on it.”
“You will arrange the matter more carefully,” the other man said on a hard note. “And you will not touch the girl. Leave her to me.”
“Oi know, Oi know, ye made that clear yesterday, but whot Oi want to know is when do we get some of those pretty yellow coins we twigged? Whot be the sense of going to all that trouble jest to leave them be? Seems a queer fetch to me, it does,” Joe Reed grumbled.
“When it is safe, we shall divide the take as agreed. In the meantime, I have paid you and your men enough to tide you over for the time being.”
“Aye, and ye ain’t going nowhere, are ye?” Joe’s eyes held a warning glint, as did the angle of his chin.
The darkly clad flash cove opposite him sneered. “Am I not?” He rose from the table and started to leave.
“Hold.” Joe was on his feet. “When do we meet again?”
“When I wish to, not before.”
Joe Reed watched him go. Damn, but he was a cool one, but he seemed to know what he was doing. He had gotten them this far. When it was over, he would take his share and hop a boat to the colonies, he would, and live the life of leisure, with none the wiser.
* * *
Serena was up early. The new black, a three-year-old gelding she had purchased a week ago, had been delivered late in the afternoon of the previous day, and she wanted to have a go on him.
He was young and untried, but two things had moved her to make this purchase. The first, his owner was a horrible man who was about to sell the black gelding as a city hack. When she had inquired why, he had shrugged and said no one else wanted him—too spirited a horse. The other reason was the fact that she fell in love with the black as soon as she saw him.
His price had been more than affordable, and she purchased him on the spot and had been waiting anxiously for the black’s arrival.
She hurried down to the stables, dressed in her well-worn britches and buckskin riding jacket, pulling on her kid-skinned gloves as she walked.
“Good morning, Grimsly,” she called merrily to her groom. “How did he do last evening? Was he nervous about his new surroundings?”
“Settled right into his stall. I put him to pasture this morning to get some of the fidgets out of him, but I tell ye, Miss Serena … he is green, ye know that, don’t ye?”
“Yes, Mr. Buckley did make a point of telling me that. I promised to take him slowly through his paces. We’ll do, don’t worry. I am fully prepared.”
“I’ll go get him for ye then,” her groom said and vanished around the corner of the barn. A few moments later he returned, a beauty of a large black gelding in tow.
Serena smiled. “Oh, he is absolutely stunnin
g, isn’t he?”
“Aye, that he is, and easy enough to tack up, so that much he understands,” her groom told her.
“Wonderful. Grimsly, please hold his head for me while I mount.”
“Aye, and let yerself down in the saddle easy like …” her groom cautioned.
“Yes, indeed, I shall,” she answered as she did just that. A moment later, she eased the black into a walk, but he pranced instead. “Ho there, lovely Rogue, yes, I was told that is your name, and my goodness, it suits you. Full of spit and fire are you …”
In response to this, Rogue decided to display just how much spit and fire he was full of. He shook his head with vigor, snorted, and pawed at the ground. He wanted to run. She really shouldn’t allow it. She should make him walk.
Indeed, but perhaps, she told herself, he just needed to get a run out of his system. She smiled and put the black into a canter that she knew would turn into a gallop if she didn’t rein him in. Laughing, she let him have his head, and they flew over the line fence in absolutely perfect form.
“Why, you are a jumper, aren’t you? Wonderful … you took that fence so beautifully, Rogue,” she told him and noted that he was paying attention to her voice. That was good. This was good, and she smiled as they flew across the field.
“Right, I’ll let you run just a bit more, and then, my man, you will heed me and walk, deal?” She spoke softly to him, and because she felt him responsive between her legs she leaned onto his neck, took her weight off the saddle, and opened him wide!
* * *
Freddy had against his will acquired a guard of sorts. William Tenor had been sent over by Sir Jasper and Mr. Tuthill. Evidently Mr. Tenor was handy with his fives, was an excellent shot, and had some experience with such things as he had worked as an exciseman for many years.
Freddy grimaced at him and said, “I suppose you don’t like this any more than I do?”
“No,” Mr. Tenor said with a nod of his head. “I don’t, but I’m not worried, for I think ye are too smart to try and shake me.”
“And why is that? Are you too quick for me to lose?” Freddy asked, the challenge on his face and in his tone.
Evidently Mr. Tenor knew better. He shook his head. “Any fool can shake his guard if he means to try. But, as I don’t take ye for a fool, I’m not thinking ye will try.”
Freddy frowned before he relaxed and released a short chuckle, “Eh, I understand. Right then. We’ll keep a watch for anything too smoky, and between us maybe we’ll catch the villain, what say you?”
“I say, I could use the bonus I was promised to do just that.”
Freddy considered the man, for he was immediately struck by the fact that the man might be in financial straits, and he had ever a soft heart. “Do you have a family, Mr. Tenor?”
“I do, ’tis why I gave up being an exciseman. It was exciting for a time, and there was some money in it now and then … but Tuthill asked me to come to work for him last year, and the money is steady. I’m pleased enough, but it wouldn’t hurt to manage this business. The bonus would be a nice little nest egg for m’wife and son.”
Freddy nodded. “Zounds man, then by God we will get him, see if we don’t.” He mounted his horse and turned partially in the saddle to wave himself off, for his uncle had been quietly standing on the front steps. He loved his uncle and knew that he was concerned for him. He smiled broadly, reassuringly, and off he went.
* * *
His lordship had been observing his nephew and Mr. Tenor with a slow smile. He loved his nephew, and it warmed him to note that Freddy had a good heart.
Now, he had other matters to attend to, for he had quite made up his mind.
He walked down to the stables, got his big roan, mounted, and cut through the fields. He meant to visit Moorely and see Serena. He didn’t wish to alienate his nephew, but the time had come to openly charm Serena into believing he would offer for her and thus save Freddy and get him back to school.
Yes, it was wrong. Yes, he would feel like a cad. It was not something he had ever done. He wished there was another way.
Could he do it?
Didn’t he have to? If he looked in the mirror afterwards, would he be able to excuse himself? No, he didn’t think he would.
It was not his style. He simply had to find another way. Even so … he meant to see her.
He hadn’t gotten very far across the open grassy field when he saw a rider on a magnificent black horse careening towards him. The rider looked as though he didn’t have control of his animal.
As he got closer, he saw that rider was dressed in britches but was none other than Serena Moorely, and he hurried to get in the way and slow her horse down.
Rogue saw him coming but, instead of slowing, picked up speed. Serena saw his lordship’s approach and tugged gently on the reins, but the black horse was in the heat of his run. Apparently, a tug on the reins was not going to do it.
His lordship angled his horse trying to block the black steed and make him at least slow his pace if not stop.
* * *
It all happened so fast, Serena was unable to manage him under her legs and with her hands. Rogue saw at once that his straight path had an obstacle in his way, but instead of slowing, he swerved sharply to the right in order to get around and continue his run.
Serena shouted out to him, “Stand aside!” as she held on as best she could. Suddenly, the black was in the air with a buck that, had she not been holding on for her life, she would have been calling beautiful. The black came down and swerved into his original line, and Serena was thrown hard.
She went flying and landed on terra firma with a resounding thump.
She groaned and closed her eyes. The wind had been thoroughly knocked out of her, and all she could do was to just lie there for a moment as she tried to recoup and breathe.
Rogue decided that this was all very terrifying and ran for the woods!
Her eyes were closed when suddenly she felt his lordship beside her. She opened one eye and saw that he was on his knee and putting an arm under her back. She opened both eyes and said, “Ugh, why did you do that? Did you not hear me telling you to get out of the way?”
“No, I thought you were screaming for help,” he said on a frown. “Are you all right? Have you been hurt, Serena?”
“No, no, just mildly bruised,” she said as she started to get up. He put a steadying arm around her and helped her to her feet. She looked around, sighed, and asked, “Which way did he go?”
“Towards the woods. Are you saying you were not out of control?”
“Yes, I am saying that, at least not until you blocked Rogue’s path …”
“Come on then. We’ll go fetch him,” he said and led her to his horse grazing a few feet away.
“What, you want me to ride behind you?” She made a face.
“Or wait here till I fetch him and bring him back to you,” his lordship suggested.
The idea of standing in the middle of a field and waiting did not appeal to her. She would rather help look for her horse. “No, I’ll go with you,” she said.
“Right, let me give you a leg up,” he said and bent over with his hands together.
She put her boot in his cupped hands and on the count of three was hoisted into his saddle. She slid herself backwards and behind his saddle as he mounted and he said, “Hold tight, Serena.”
She did just that.
Oh, what was wrong with her? His scent was inviting, a musky, masculine scent, and she took a deep breath. She had her arms around his trim waist, but his back, his broad back, was there for her to rest her face, and she did just that. She hadn’t been more than bruised and was certain she would feel worse later in the day, but at least the bruises were minor. She had, however, been severely winded, and it was good to just rest her head against his strong back.
“Ah, there he is …” his lordship said thankfully as he slowed his horse to a quiet walk and began talking to the black, “There, lad, easy boy …�
��
Serena whispered, “Let me just slide off and casually approach him.”
“Yes,” he agreed and helped her gently down before he dismounted himself.
She waited till he tethered his horse and then lightly made her way towards the black, calling lightly, “There, Rogue, did you have a good run? Would you like to meet his lordship’s horse … you would like that, wouldn’t you …”
Rogue snorted, but as he studied her, he visibly seemed to calm down. She put out her hand, and he stood his ground for a moment before he took slow, easy steps to her. She snuggled his nose with both her hands, saying in a cooing fashion, “There, there you silly brute … all is well.”
She turned and found his lordship staring at her. She smiled tentatively and said, “Will you give me a leg up?”
“Indeed, but not here in the woods. If something goes wrong you could be flung into a tree … come …”
She smiled, and he took her horse’s reins from her as they weaved their way back to his animal quietly standing and munching on woodland grass and leaves within his reach.
Serena could feel something—a tension in the air. Everything about the atmosphere seemed to sparkle and ignite around them.
She didn’t know how she knew. She just knew. He was going to kiss her. She saw it in his eyes. He was fighting it. He didn’t want to kiss her.
Suddenly, he lost control and she was in his arms as his head bent. He seemed to find the strength to steady himself and whispered against her lips, “Are you hurting …?”
“No. If you are going to kiss me, kiss me now,” she said breathlessly.
His tongue skimmed her bottom lip, and it was a touch that sparked her need into a rush of hungry desire.
He nibbled at her ear and whispered, “Ah, beauty … you beauty, you. Serena … make me stop …”
“Why? Do you want to stop?”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he answered simply.
“You won’t. I don’t expect more than this moment, and I have come to see that it is what I want.”
He lifted his head and took a step back, and she found she couldn’t say any more. She had already said too much.
