by Laura Landon
He had no quarrel with anything Radburn or Millicent had done. He accepted Millicent’s need to seek justice for the tragedy that had taken her family and understood why she had believed Radburn was the killer.
He understood how Radburn saw his own plan as one that would protect Millicent from the evil he knew Roseneau was capable of. But neither Millicent nor Radburn could have known they were no match for anyone as diabolically evil as Roseneau.
But Barnaby knew. And his determination to carry out his orders redoubled daily. His mission became a pledge to bring Roseneau in alive if possible, dead if necessary, and to destroy the ammunition stockpile.
He could have accomplished his goal any number of times in the last twenty-four hours, but he’d stalled, not knowing when the smuggler’s ship would arrive. And all the while, Roseneau had strutted around Radburn’s home like cock of the walk.
By the time Will finally got the French guard to tell all he knew, and Barnaby had the answers he needed—how to coordinate the ship’s arrival, signal it from shore, and more—Roseneau had conveniently vanished.
But that no longer mattered. Barnaby had his answers now and had honed his loosely shaped plan to precision.
His breathing slowed as he stepped through the events that would play out. He was convinced he could apprehend Roseneau while English naval ships cut off the escape route of the foreign ship when it arrived to load the munitions. He knew when, he knew why, and in his mind’s eye, he knew how. From this moment, it was no longer a waiting game. The clock that counted the hours of freedom left for Roseneau was now ticking.
“Are you sure you’ll be able to get Roseneau out?”
Barnaby looked up, startled when Lord Radburn entered the cave.
He nodded. “I expect Roseneau to surrender. Without his men to protect him, the only thing Roseneau will be considering is how to save his bloody backside and escape being jailed as a traitor. The man is a coward by nature. He’s never given a thought to anything but himself.”
Barnaby brushed the sand from his pant legs, then faced Radburn. “Do you understand what you’re to do?”
Radburn nodded.
Barnaby repeated his instructions to make sure he and Radburn were of a mind. “I’ll go take up my position inside the cave now. You’ll stay on the far promontory, and the moment you see Roseneau enter the cave, you’ll signal the naval ships to come around the point and blockade the inlet. Then get to the top of the cliff, and seal the trapdoor shut.”
“And if Roseneau decides he doesn’t want to give himself up?”
Barnaby knew that was a possibility. He knew that Roseneau would likely do whatever it took to keep from being arrested. Swinging from the end of a rope wasn’t what Roseneau had in mind for his future, and if he were tried for treason, that’s exactly what would happen.
Radburn pressed. “He’ll be armed, you know.”
“So will I.”
Barnaby didn’t speak again for several moments, then cleared his throat. “I would ask a favor, Radburn.”
He couldn’t face Radburn, so he turned away and studied the cave’s jagged ceiling. “If something happens to me, I’d ask you to take Millicent to my brother in London.”
“The Marquess of Halverston?”
“Yes. I’ll leave a note explaining everything.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.”
Radburn hesitated. “You sound as if you don’t expect to survive.”
Barnaby turned. “On the contrary, Radburn. I shall subdue the villain and come out the hero. Isn’t that what is supposed to happen?”
Barnaby meant it as a joke, but neither of them laughed.
“Why do you do it?” Radburn asked.
Barnaby was aware of the sadness that tempered his smile. That was new. He’d never thought in those terms before. Before Millicent.
“Someone has to. England is free because of men who will take risks to make sure she remains that way. The reward is monumental every time I stop someone who threatens our sovereignty.”
“And Roseneau?”
“It will be especially rewarding when he is no longer a threat to England.”
“And to Millicent?”
Barnaby didn’t answer. Behind them, the sea rolled and the waves crashed, and the two men fought silently for a way to dispel the somber mood.
“Have you heard that Monsieur Roseneau met with a severe fall last night?” Radburn said after a while.
“No, I hadn’t heard.” Barnaby did his best to feign ignorance.
“It seems he went for a walk in the garden and tumbled onto a bed of rocks and thorn bushes. He suffered several scratches down his cheek. The marks look remarkably like a woman’s fingernail scratches.”
“How odd.”
“Yes. He also has a black eye and several bruises, as if there might have been fisticuffs involved. But of course he denies anyone here would have been so combative.”
“I can’t imagine anyone here being so abominably rude.”
“Neither can I,” Radburn said as Barnaby walked past him to leave the cave. “Did he see you?”
Barnaby stopped. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. But I can’t be certain.” He swept a hand through his hair. “I’d hoped I’d killed him. I had the information I needed. It would have been the best possible solution. But the bastard seems to have nine lives. I got Millicent safely away and turned back to the terrace and . . . he was gone.”
Barnaby continued toward the exit. Radburn followed.
“Is everything set for this evening?” Barnaby asked when Radburn caught up with him.
“Yes. I sent letters to all the guests explaining that we’ve decided to have a small, private ceremony. Roseneau will be none the wiser. But how do you know the buyers will show up?”
Barnaby smiled. “Will Griffin discovered how Roseneau communicates with his men from one of the ‘guests’ in your dungeon. We’ve intercepted messages both coming and going and have confirmed that the boats will land well before dawn tomorrow.”
“So, no dancing tonight?”
Radburn and Barnaby shared a chuckle.
“No dancing.”
“Pity.”
Barnaby stopped and looked out as the waves rolled to shore. “Have you decided how you’re going to play this out with Millicent?”
“Yes, it’s quite simple. Lady Millicent and I are going to challenge Mother and Roseneau to a game of whist. Mother says he’s practically addicted to competition of any sort, so I expect him to take up the challenge. We should keep him occupied for a good three or four hours.”
Barnaby fought a smile. “She’ll hate every minute, you know, sitting across the table from him all that time.”
“How could she not? But she knows how important it is to keep him in the house as long as possible. And it will be my honor to see that she wins the night. Lady Millicent is a remarkable woman.” Radburn focused on the distant horizon. “She loves you, you know.” He stated it as fact. “It will break her heart if something happens to you.”
Barnaby breathed in deeply and turned to walk away from the water’s edge. “Then I’d best do everything in my power to see that I survive this mission.”
“Yes, you’d best.”
The two men parted company. Barnaby walked toward the spot in the rocks where he’d spent the last two nights watching for any sign that the explosives were being moved ahead of schedule, while Radburn walked toward the cliff trail.
“I’ll have men watching Roseneau’s every move,” Radburn said before he’d gone far. “The minute he makes his way to the cave, I’ll be right behind him. We’ll destroy him. You because of what he did to Lady Millicent’s family, and me because of the danger he poses to Mother. We both have much at stake. Failure is not an option.”
Barnaby watched until Radburn was out of sight.
Failure is not an option.
For long moments, he struggled to believe he’d survive to enjoy the victory.
But that assurance eluded him.
. . .
She should be nervous. That’s what she told herself as she made her way down the stairs to dinner. She was about to spend the next four or five hours with a man whose very presence made her physically ill. This was the beginning of the charade they’d rehearsed. She should be nervous that she would be so inadvertently rude to Roseneau that he’d excuse himself early. She couldn’t let that happen. She must somehow make him think his presence was her fondest wish. But could she do a convincing job of it?
She descended the stairs one by one until she reached the last step, then stopped. Damn. Couldn’t she have been allowed just a few more minutes?
“How lovely you look, my lady.” Roseneau stepped away from the newel post and sketched a flamboyant bow. “You are truly a beautiful woman.” He extended his hand to escort her in to dinner.
Millicent forced her eyes not to stray to his outstretched arm and pretended she hadn’t seen it as she sailed past him with an innocuous greeting.
He shot out his hand and clamped his fingers around her arm, stopping her forward motion. He tightened his hold when she tried to pull away.
“Who was the knight that saved you last evening?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do. Who was the blackguard that attacked me?”
“You were attacked? Lady Radburn informed me that you fell into a rock bed and scratched your face on a thorn bush. That’s quite clumsy of you, monsieur. You should be more careful. Falls like that could prove fatal.”
“Who was he?”
Millicent couldn’t stop the grin that lifted the corners of her mouth. “Obviously someone far superior to you.”
His grip tightened even more.
“Release me this instant, or I’ll scream.”
Roseneau glared at her, then dropped his hand from her arm. The moment she was free, she stepped around him as if he were a dung pile she was keen to avoid. She’d only taken two steps away when his voice stopped her.
“How did Linscott get involved in this?”
Millicent’s heart skipped a beat.
“I only caught a glimpse of him, but I recognized him.”
“There’s no one here by that name. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes you do, my lady. The look on your face says you do.”
Millicent only managed to take two more steps before his voice stopped her again.
“Tell Linscott I’ll enjoy killing him. It will be payment for his sister’s betrayal.”
Millicent rushed to where she heard the sound of voices. She needed to be around people. She needed to free herself from the filth she felt clung to her at the mere sight of Roseneau. But she couldn’t avoid him just yet. Not when they were this close to destroying him.
She went into the salon where Radburn, his mother, and Lady Carlisle had gathered. She ignored Roseneau when he entered a short while later. Her cheeks flamed with anger. And guilt. She should be cajoling the devil, ensuring that he stayed with them through the evening. Instead she’d given him the cut direct.
She had seen the scratches she’d left on his cheek and felt gleeful. She had noticed the darkening bruises Barnaby had left on Roseneau’s face and wanted to laugh in delight. He deserved those and so much more. He deserved to die. And she would finally feel vindicated when he did.
Millicent found herself drawn into conversation with the other ladies, then accepted her fiancé’s arm when it was time to go in to dinner. She nodded her understanding when he gave her a look asking if she was prepared to begin their charade.
After they were seated, she focused on the role she needed to play. She chatted with Lady Radburn and Lady Carlisle as they took seats on either side of her, and at her first opportunity, she glanced down the table.
As she did, words died on her lips. Along both sides of the table Radburn’s family chattered and helped themselves to a first sip of the dinner wine. Footmen entered with sumptuous platters of food and lifted silver domes from steaming plates of vegetables.
Millicent gulped a bit of wine and caught Radburn’s eye. She turned her head and he followed her gaze. To Roseneau’s empty chair.
The devastation was plain on Radburn’s face.
Without bidding them, tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. The tears were real, and she shed them for Radburn. Because she’d believed he was the person who’d killed her parents, and she’d started this scheme to prove him guilty. He’d never deserved her hatred.
Her regret was real because she’d used him as a pawn in her plot to avenge her family, when in reality Radburn had done everything in his power to save them.
Her sorrow was real because of the overwhelming guilt she felt knowing the sacrifice he’d made by asking her to marry him for the sole purpose of protecting her.
And now, with her surly treatment of Roseneau at the foot of the stair, she’d ruined everything.
The plan was to keep Roseneau close, but she’d given him reason to leave. If their plan to capture Roseneau was ruined, it would be her fault.
And Barnaby would be in more danger than ever.
Chapter 21
Barnaby climbed the back stairs to the floor where Millicent’s bedroom was located, then stayed close to the wall as he made his way. He quietly turned the knob and entered. She was waiting for him, as he knew she would be.
“Oh, Barnaby.” She jumped to her feet and rushed across the room.
He opened his arms and gathered her to him. “What a reception!” he said, after he’d kissed her on the cheek. He brushed away her tears with the pad of his thumb. “You’ve been crying.”
“I let you all down, Barnaby. I’m such a fool. I made Roseneau angry before dinner and then he didn’t even come into the dining room. He might have left the house. We . . . don’t even know . . .”
“Not to worry, love.”
“But . . .”
“He never left the house. I checked with each guard before I came upstairs. Now come, sit with me.” Barnaby led her to their usual chair. When they were settled, he covered her with a blanket and nestled her in his lap. Then he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
They sat in each other’s arms for several minutes, enjoying the feel of one another. Pretending that the safety of being with each other would never end. Yet knowing that it would. Millicent was the first to break the silence.
“Something’s wrong,” she whispered.
He lowered his head and smiled. “What makes you think something’s wrong?”
“The way you’re holding me.”
“How am I holding you?”
“As if this might be the last time you can.”
Barnaby lowered his head and kissed her. “Silly.”
“I’m not being silly. I know you well enough to know something’s wrong. What is it?”
He didn’t answer her. He couldn’t.
Barnaby kissed the top of her head.
“Are you sure Roseneau will give himself up?” she asked.
“I’m sure he’ll see he has no choice. Unless he wants to die when we detonate the explosives. Once Roseneau’s in the cave, Radburn will secure the clifftop trapdoor and take cover. Roseneau will be locked in his own grave if he chooses to stay.”
Millicent released a shuddering sigh. “I’m not sure I can stay at the house with Elizabeth and Lady Radburn. I’d rather—”
Barnaby grasped her by the arms and held her so he could look into her eyes. “Promise me you won’t come near the caves, Millicent. Promise me you won’t put yourself in danger.”
Her lips trembled, and he knew how difficult it was for her to make such a promise. Her eyes filled with tears, and still she hesitated.
“Promise me, Millie. I couldn’t bear the thought of you being in danger. I couldn’t concentrate on what I had to do.”
She finally nodded her agreemen
t, then wrapped her arms around him again and held him as if she could somehow stem the tide that was sweeping them forward.
Tears ran down her cheeks and soaked into his shirt. He held her close and allowed her to cry enough tears for him, too. He knew what his chances of survival were. Knew that it was very possible that he wouldn’t make it out of the cave. Knew he might never have a future with Millicent. Knew that if she was carrying his child, he might never—
Wetness filled Barnaby’s eyes, and he blinked rapidly. He’d known what the risks were when he accepted this mission. But that seemed a lifetime ago—at a time in his life when he felt invincible. When he lived for the thrill of beating the odds, of staring death in the face, and laughing when he came out the winner.
But that was before he’d met Millicent. That was before he had so bloody much to lose.
“Roseneau knows you’re here.” Her voice was hoarse from crying.
His blood turned to ice. “How do you know?”
“He told me.”
“When?”
“Tonight. Before dinner.”
“What did he say?”
“That he would enjoy killing you. That it would be payment for your sister’s betrayal.”
Barnaby rubbed his hands over Millicent’s back to soothe her. He knew how afraid she was. “Don’t worry, love. I won’t let Roseneau kill me. I have too much to live for.”
Millicent wrapped her arm around his neck and brought his head down until their lips met.
Their kisses were filled with a fervor that knew no limits. He couldn’t get enough of her. Couldn’t hold her close enough. Her desire equaled his, and yet she demanded more.
He deepened his kisses until his breathing was as ragged as hers.
“Make love to me,” she whispered through pleading gasps of air. “Please.”
His heart tumbled. He knew he couldn’t deny her. Not this time.
Not when it could be the last time.
. . .
Barnaby hadn’t slept. Neither had Millicent. She lay with her head on his chest and her arms wrapped around him, but she hadn’t slept. He knew by her breathing. It never slowed. It never deepened.
He held her as long as he could, but too soon the clock arrived at the hour when he had to leave her. He kissed her forehead, then rolled away from her.
