“William … Oh my God, I knew you were alive, I knew it.”
Roma threw herself at the man seated in the corner of the carriage with an enthusiasm that knocked him back into the cushions.
“I am alive and well as long as you do not strangle me to death, sister,” William teased, his own arms wrapping about her tiny form despite his chiding words.
Half-laughing, half-sobbing she pulled back to absorb the familiar pale face and laughing green eyes that she had so desperately feared she might never see again.
“You have some explaining to do, William. I have been near Bedlam with worry, and then to have Freddie throw me in this carriage in such a manner—”
“I will explain all in good time, Roma, but now we must hurry,” he said, holding her tight as Freddie jumped into the carriage with them and they took off with a violent jerk.
“Hurry? Where are we going?”
“To catch a traitor in the act,” William said, his voice grim. “If my plan works, then the agents I contacted in London will be at the cove to personally witness Thomas Slater selling vital government information to the French.”
Roma’s already stunned mind became even more confused.
“Thomas Slater? But he is—or was—helping us search for you.”
“I seriously doubt he spent much time searching for me, my love, not when he was quite certain I was safely lying at the bottom of the cove, which I no doubt would have been if it wasn’t for Freddie.”
Roma slowly shook her head, barely aware of the dangerously swaying carriage as they raced down the uneven road.
“I do not understand.”
“It is all very simple, Roma.” William tapped the end of her nose in an endearingly familiar gesture. “You were aware that I was working for the government as a courier. Thomas, in fact, was the first to approach me to offer me the opportunity. Our friendship and the need to occasionally pass on new instructions gave him the perfect excuse to stay at Greystead. No one suspected that it was no more than a cover so that he could meet with his own contact from France. A man who would stay at the inn and then sneak out to use a small boat to make his way to the cove. I didn’t even sense that he was a double agent until I accidentally came across some papers he had left in his room. Like a fool I confronted him with his treachery, hoping I could convince him to turn back before it was too late. For my efforts I was efficiently knocked over the head and tossed into the cove.”
Roma gasped, shuddering with horror at the duplicity of the man who had accepted their hospitality and pretended to be their friend.
“He was always so charming, even when I saw him in London. And all the time he thought he had managed to kill you …” Her voice broke as her stomach roiled with disbelieving disgust. “He must be completely evil.”
“At least very desperate,” William said, his tone filled with contempt. “But what he did not know was that Freddie had witnessed him tossing me unconscious into the cove, and as soon as he left, Freddie fished me out and took me to his estate.”
Turning her head, Roma flashed the silent man a tearful smile. “How can we ever thank you?”
“All in a day’s work, my dear.”
William gave a chuckle. “It was a little more than that, Freddie. You see, he is also an agent for the government, and it was his plan to allow Thomas to think he had succeeded in getting rid of me. We hoped to keep track of his movements, and when he set up another rendezvous at the cove, we planned to reveal his treachery to the proper authorities. Unfortunately we had no notion he would wait so long to make contact with the French, or that you would be in any danger.” His grip on her tiny waist abruptly tightened. “When I learned that you had stumbled across the papers I was supposed to deliver and that Thomas had decided to set a trap to scare you away from searching for me, I nearly gave up the whole notion. But Freddie offered to follow you and keep you out of trouble.”
“A very trying task, I must say.” Freddie gave a rueful chuckle “You proved to be decidedly elusive, and your extremely aggressive fiancé made me distinctly uneasy. I expected to find myself at quarters drawn every time I approached you.”
Roma’s cheeks flamed, and she was glad the darkness would hide her embarrassment from her brother’s all too perceptive gaze.
“Giles … Lord Carlton very kindly offered to help me look for you, William.”
“Really? And how is it that he became your fiancé without asking for my approval?” William demanded. “I am your legal guardian, and I warn you, my dear, I am very particular as to who can or can not become a member of this family.”
“But, he isn’t—I mean, we aren’t …” She broke off in confusion, the distress in her tone clearly evident.
“Hush, Roma. I am merely roasting you,” William said gently. “From what I know of Lord Carlton he is a fine man with a near legendary reputation for aiding his country in whatever capacity it might demand. He is also a man of honor, and whatever your relationship, I am quite sure you are in safe hands.”
Roma’s blush only deepened as she abruptly thrust aside all thoughts of the disturbing man. Her emotions were far too painful to deal with at the moment.
“So why did you see fit to kidnap me in such a fashion?” she demanded, hoping to shift the conversation back to the problem at hand.
“To be honest it wasn’t planned,” William confessed. “We intended to trap Thomas tonight, but we feared if he managed to elude us he might become dangerous enough to harm you. Freddie was going to Aunt Clara’s party to keep an eye on you when we suddenly spied your carriage approaching. Since we didn’t have time for a lengthy explanation we decided that it would be far easier to simply bring you along.”
“Well, thank you very much.” She gave a toss of her head. “I have no doubt I shall be covered with bruises on the morrow.”
“Trust you to complain of bruises when we might very well have saved your life,” William grumbled affectionately. “You never could be satisfied.”
With a small cry she once more threw her arms about his neck, threatening to cut off his air supply despite her delicate appearance.
“I am satisfied now that I know you are alive. Oh, William, I was so terribly frightened that something horrible had happened to you.”
William suffered her strangulation with brotherly indulgence, his own voice suspiciously husky with tears.
“You needn’t concern yourself with that notion, Roma. I am much too stubborn to be taken away easily.”
The tender scene was abruptly interrupted as the carriage lurched off the road and began a rocky trip over what seemed to be an uneven field.
“Goodness, what is happening?” Roma demanded, painfully bouncing across the seat.
“I have given instructions for the groom to lose your very persistent servants, and to find an isolated place where we can leave the carriage,” Freddie explained, his arms spread wide to prevent him from being thrown from his own seat.
Gritting her teeth, Roma endured the painful ride in silence, but she couldn’t prevent a small moan of relief when the carriage jerked to a sudden halt. She had no doubt that every muscle would be sore the next day and that the mere thought of sitting would make her cringe. Still, she forced her battered limbs to move as the two men swiftly climbed down from the carriage, stepping onto the overgrown field without a thought for her elegant gown.
The still night air seemed oppressively silent, and an unexplainable shiver of apprehension rushed down her spine. She had been too overwhelmed with joy at the sight of her brother to fully comprehend that the danger was not yet over, but as she joined the two men and the groom, who had efficiently dealt with the horses, she could not miss their somber expressions.
“… I will not be left behind.” Her brother was arguing softly, his tone familiar to Roma. It meant there was nothing that could be said or done to change his mind. “I have waited too long to confront Thomas Slater to wait here.”
“And if he senses a trap or escapes before we can stop him?” Freddie demanded. “Then he will know you are still alive.”
William shrugged. “It is too late to turn back now. Tonight is all or nothing. Of course, you will have to leave your groom behind to stay with Roma.”
“Do not be absurd,” she interrupted sharply, her voice remarkably like that of her brother. “You brought me this far. I fully intend to see the appalling man captured.”
William heaved an exasperated sigh. “Roma, this is not the appropriate time for your stubborn courage. Thomas Slater is a dangerous criminal who has already proved how far he is willing to go to achieve his own ends. I will not allow you to go anywhere near him.”
“It is not your choice to make,” she hissed, her chin tilted to an aggressive angle. “And if you do leave me here I will only slip away and find you on my own.”
“Roma—”
Freddie interrupted the bristling pair, his tone resigned. “We can not remain here arguing all night. Slater could be in the arms of Napoleon by the time we make our way to the cove.”
William muttered a curse, running a distracted hand through his auburn hair. “Very well, but you stay out of sight and do exactly as I say. Is that understood, Roma?”
Her smile was the picture of innocence “Of course, William.”
He threw up his hands in frustration, but there was no more argument as the two men turned to walk toward the nearby hill and she quietly trailed behind. Or at least, she attempted to be quiet. It proved to be a remarkably difficult task as the large stones jabbed easily through the thin soles of her slippers and the underbrush tore at the full skirts of her gown. More than once she was forced to bite her lip as she stumbled over the uneven ground, but she refused to complain or even ask them to slow their swift pace. She had demanded to be included in the dangerous mission, and she would ensure that she did not become a liability.
Concentrating solely on staying upright, she obstinately placed one foot in front of the other, winding her way around the sloping hill and then through the dense trees that fringed the edge of the cove. After what seemed to be an eternity, William raised his hand and they came to a halt behind a large bush.
Maintaining the required distance, Roma waited in growing anticipation for some sign the plan was going as expected, but when her brother suddenly stiffened and breathed out a disbelieving curse, she could stand the suspense no longer. Conveniently forgetting her promise, she moved to peer over William’s shoulder, her gaze sweeping the seemingly empty cove until she spotted the trio of men standing a short distance from the line of trees. At first she merely noted that the man on the horse appeared to be in deep conversation with the man standing beside him; then something familiar about the set of the shoulders and the regal profile of the shadowy figure on horseback had her blood freezing with fear.
Giles …
She had no idea what he could possibly be doing at the cove. When she had left her aunt’s house he had been surrounded by his mistress and her bevy of acquaintances. But at the moment, she had no interest in what had occurred to bring him to this place or how he had stumbled across Thomas Slater. All she could think of was that the man standing behind him held a large stick as if preparing to strike him, while Thomas held out his arm in a manner that could only mean he was pointing a gun directly at Giles’s chest.
She absorbed the horrifying images in the space of a heartbeat, and just as swiftly she realized that Giles was completely defenseless. Thomas Slater, who had already attempted to murder her brother, was now on the verge of killing the man she loved more than life itself, and she knew she had to do something, anything to prevent the inevitable.
Not giving herself time to even consider the danger, she abruptly rushed from behind the bush, screaming with all her might as she struggled through the fine sand in an attempt to reach Giles’s side. Her unexpected appearance had an explosive affect on the men before her, and with a jolt of surprise, Thomas Slater turned to watch her stumbling approach, the gun glinting in the moonlight as he instinctively pointed it in her direction.
Roma thought she heard someone yell, but she ignored everything but the aching need to save Giles from certain death. Battling her tattered skirt and the thick sand, she struggled forward, her breath catching in her throat as Giles suddenly leaped from his horse and crashed on top of the distracted Slater. A gunshot pierced the night air and she cried out in fear, her wild gaze pinned to the two men rolling across the beach.
For a moment she was stunned into immobility; then, just as she realized that she was too faraway to help Giles, there was a rustle behind her and as if on some silent command, the entire beach filled with men, most in military uniforms, shouting and giving orders.
In the seething confusion, Roma dropped to her knees, the relief that Giles was indeed safe making her legs too weak to continue another step. Men rushed past her trembling form as they hurried to capture Thomas Slater and his accomplice, and she thought she glimpsed the familiar face of Jack Howe as he ran toward Giles with an anxious expression. But she couldn’t move; in fact, she could barely think as the delayed shock quaked through her system.
Chaos reigned supreme for a time, and at first Roma barely noticed that her name was being shouted over and over. But as a large frame suddenly shoved its way through the milling soldiers, she glanced up to discover Giles charging toward her with savage intent.
Her sluggish heart gave an abrupt beat as she took in his bedraggled appearance, the love she had at last accepted singing through her in an intoxicating rush. He looked ludicrous with his elegant clothes half-ripped from his muscular body and his raven hair tousled across his forehead, but Roma was quite certain she had never seen a more wonderful sight. At least that was her thought until he drew close enough for her to read the fury etched across his stark features.
Her eyes grew wide as he halted in front of her, his hands reaching down to grasp her arms in a biting grip and jerk her roughly to her feet. Her gasp of pain went unnoticed, however, as he sharply shook her slight frame until it grew limp.
“Of all the loose-screw, dim-witted, idiotic things to do,” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “How you have continued to live as long as you have is beyond my comprehension.”
Thoroughly furious at his beastly attack, she glared at him with raging disbelief.
“My life was doing quite well until you forced your way into it, Lord Carlton,” she stormed with a toss of her head. “And now that my brother is safely home, you can rid yourself of my annoying presence with a clear conscience.”
He faltered, obviously surprised by her words. “Your brother is alive?”
“Yes, Freddie has been hiding him at his estate. They are the ones who set up this trap for Thomas Slater.”
The vivid eyes rolled heavenward. “I might have known. It appears your brother has the same knack for risking my neck as you do. If I had any sense at all I would get back on that horse and flee to London as swiftly as possible.”
‘I have told you that you are free to leave,” she said stiffly, unaware of the misery that shimmered like a beacon in her eyes. “Perhaps you and Lady Hoyet can ride back to London together.”
He growled in the back of his throat, his features abruptly softening as he gazed into her vulnerable expression.
“I said that is what I would do if I had any sense, but that is something I haven’t possessed since I spent the night in a barn with a hazel-eyed sprite who bewitched me to the point that I didn’t even realize I had been captured until far too late.”
“I …” Her heart clenched at his rough voice, wanting to believe he was sincere, but wary that she had somehow mistaken his meaning. “You must be teasing. You are always furious with me.”
He gave a rueful chuckle, his eyes filled with a blinding tenderness that threatened to melt her lingering mistrust.
“Not always, my love, just when you frighten me half to death, which seems to be all too often. When I saw you running toward me tonight—” His voice abruptly broke, and she found herself being hauled against his wide chest in a sudden motion. “I love you, Roma. I love you more than I thought possible, and it doesn’t matter what I have to do or how long it takes—I will make you my wife. I absolutely refuse to live without you.”
The arrogance in his voice was tempered by the flare of painful uncertainty that rippled across his dark features, and with a surge of joy, Roma threw her arms about his strong neck. She might not understand how such a man could have fallen in love with her, but she had no intention of wasting another moment on her long-held insecurities or the vague fear that he might prefer a glamorous woman like his mistress. He had proved time and time again that he was a man she could trust with both her life and her heart.
“I suppose I have no choice, Lord Carlton,” she teased gently. “Besides, I have heard that marriages of convenience often work out quite well.”
“I have a premonition that there will be nothing convenient about choosing you for my wife, Roma Allendyle, but I wouldn’t exchange you for a dozen demure debutantes. It seems I have a decided preference for fiery sprites who are constantly stumbling into one scrape after another.”
“No more,” she promised, her eyes shining with stunning emotion. “As Lady Carlton I will have my reputation to think of, you know.”
He gave a shake of his raven head. “The only thing you have to think of is staying the same lovely, impetuous woman I adore.” He lowered his head to place demanding lips against her willing mouth, savoring her sweetness before moving away with a tortured groan. “Especially if your impetuous nature is enticed by the thought of a swift marriage by special license rather than the more conventional wedding your aunt is planning.”
The urgency in his husky voice was echoed in her pulsing blood, and with a provocative smile, she leaned even closer to his trembling form.
“Well, I have never been a conventional kind of woman …”