The Elusive Earl

by Maddison Michaels

  A day that should have brought with it possibilities and new beginnings, instead of the deep sense of apprehension that gripped her. They were due to arrive in Cosenza shortly, and she assumed, at some point, she would finally meet her grandfather and officially be introduced as the new Countess of Thornton. Daniel’s wife.

  After they had re-boarded the vessel, Daniel had done just as she’d asked, and after she had had relayed to them all what had occurred with Piero, he had wasted no time in organizing for the captain of the boat to marry them, with Alessandro and his men as witnesses.

  Preceding the ceremony, if one could even call it that, Bree had returned to the cabin. Daniel had stayed on the deck above, seemingly content to let Alessandro guard her from outside her room in the hallway.

  Her new husband’s actions made it very plain that he would indeed be ensuring it was a marriage in name only.

  It suited her just fine. She had no wish to be married permanently and have her freedom taken away. And she certainly didn’t wish to be married to a man who didn’t want her. She scowled lightly. Well, he did want her physically; even he couldn’t deny that. But his head couldn’t seem to stand the idea of being with her. That and his sense of honor toward her uncle. A numbness stole through her with the thought.

  She’d spent the better part of her lonely wedding night wavering from feeling coldly furious at Daniel to feeling dazed and somewhat anxious about what lay ahead. Finally, after not being able to stand spending another moment in the confines of the boxy cabin, she had surfaced on the deck.

  Turning her face toward the fresh crispness of the morning breeze, she pushed the hurt deep down, as far as she could. Truly, since they were not meant for each other, it was ridiculous for her to dwell upon the situation in any way.

  Exhaling softly, she gazed out across the river, a distant part of her marveling at how the rising sun glinted like a thousand sparkling diamonds across the crystal-clear surface of the water. Normally, she would have found it to be a magical sight, but this morning, it seemed rather depressing. As if nature was mocking her false marriage.

  Her breath caught as the town of Cosenza slowly came into view. It was beautiful, with quaint stone buildings of all shapes and sizes dotting the mountainous terrain, most looking like they had been built into the mountain the town was nestled around.

  Bree turned back to the deck, which was a bustling hive of activity as the deckhands busily prepared for the barge to dock.

  Daniel was nowhere to be seen. She was both grateful and disappointed by his absence. And the very fact that she was disappointed annoyed her greatly. Goodness, she had never moped and dithered over any man before. It was mortifying and completely at odds with her normal behavior. She had to do something to stop herself from dwelling on such unproductive thoughts.

  Then, a trickle of awareness danced across her skin. She turned to her left and saw Daniel had emerged from below and was now leaning against a crate, regarding her with a hooded gaze.

  They hadn’t spoken since signing the marriage papers. She didn’t know what to say to him, and the more he stared at her, the more uncomfortable she became.

  She smoothed down her dress and swiveled back to look out across the river. Hopefully, the man would take the hint and leave her to her own musings.

  “We should be docking in about ten minutes,” he said, his footsteps echoing across the wooden floors as he walked over to stand next to her. He held out a pastry. “Here, you need to eat something.”

  She raised her chin slightly higher into the air. “No, thank you.”

  “You missed breakfast. You must eat, or you will get sick.”

  That surprised her. She hadn’t realized she’d been watching the horizon for that long. She glanced over at the inviting delicacy he was holding out, and her stomach growled.

  He pushed the flaky pastry into her hands. “Eat.”

  She was sorely tempted to fling the pastry back at him, but catching a whiff of its sweet freshness made her realize how famished she actually was. Bree turned back to stare at the approaching town and began eating the treat. She nearly sighed at the divine flavor, and before she knew it, she was licking her empty fingers.

  “I was speaking to Alessandro earlier,” he continued, undeterred by her silence as she dusted her hands off. “He is trying to insist that we go directly to the palace for you to meet the Prince.”

  Bree’s fingers gripped the railing and dug into the wood. Everything was happening too quickly. “But what about Travis?” she said. “Saving him must be our priority.”

  “Yes. But until the Garendetta contact us, we have no idea of where they are holding Travis,” Daniel said. “We cannot go tearing through the town and the countryside trying to find him. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

  “Then we must get to the Casa Potabile immediately, so that Travis’s kidnappers can contact me and advise me of the next step.” She glanced across to the other side of the barge, where Alessandro was discussing something with his men. “The captain cannot dictate what we do or do not do. Besides, I am not even certain if I am ready to meet my grandfather just yet.”

  “I shall be there to protect you.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t need you to protect me, Daniel Wolcott. I have your name to protect me now, remember?” How hollow those words felt.

  He looked taken aback by the sharpness in her tone. “My apologies, Princess,” he said stiffly.

  She turned away from him toward the approaching dock, feeling unaccountably regretful over her harshness. Daniel Wolcott might be many things, stubborn and pigheaded came particularly to mind, but gallant and well-intentioned he certainly was, as well. At least, under his rather gruff exterior.

  She squared her shoulders. “I am sorry for being so severe. I know you mean well, but I am still upset with you.”

  He was silent for several heartbeats. “Yes, I had gathered that.”

  “I will endeavor to put my upset aside.” And she would try. Though she didn’t know how successful she’d be. “At least, until we rescue Travis. Clearly, we will need to be on speaking terms to save him.”

  “I was never not speaking to you.”

  “Oh please,” she scoffed, bracing her hands on her hips. “Following our wedding, you all but ran from the cabin after escorting me back there.”

  “After living with my sister and aunt for the better part of my life, I know when a woman is incensed, and I definitely know when to leave her to her own devices.”

  “So, you ran away from me for my benefit?”

  He shrugged. “Yes, though I’ll admit it made my night easier, too.”

  Feeling her ire begin to rise, she focused for a moment on calming her breath. “You, Daniel Wolcott, are the one to try the patience of a saint.”

  “Which you certainly are not, Brianna Penderl…” His brow crinkled up. “Well, I suppose technically, for the moment, you are now actually Brianna Thornton, taking the surname of my title upon our marriage. At least, until our annulment.”

  He was right. On all accounts. She was temporarily the Countess of Thornton. Until their annulment, as he’d so kindly reminded her.

  “Daniel?” she warned.

  “Yes?”

  “You are starting to vex me again.”

  He nodded sagely. “I will go and speak with Alessandro before we dock.”

  “That would be a sensible idea.”

  He bowed briefly and then turned on his heel.

  Bree watched as he strode over to where Alessandro and the other men were standing on the opposite side of the barge.

  Ten minutes later, she stepped from the gang plank onto the dock. She was finally in Cosenza. She felt a swell of unease rise up in her throat. What was she to do now?

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “I am not going to the palace first!”

  Daniel could hear Brianna’s extremely emphatic declaration all the way from where he was striding down
the top of the gangplank to the dock below. He looked down at the pier to see her standing across from Alessandro, beside a horse-drawn carriage that had been waiting for them upon their arrival. She was vigorously shaking her head and had a mutinous expression gracing her flawless features.

  Her eyes flashed fire at the poor man, while her cheeks were flushed pink and her lips were rosy red. Though Daniel doubted the color on her face was from the brisk morning air but rather from her ire with Alessandro. He was rather grateful to have a respite from her anger being directed solely at him.

  Even with fury plastered across her face and wearing the simply gray day dress she had been loaned by Maria, she looked stunning. He scowled. No wonder he’d been having a hard time keeping his lips to himself; the woman was a walking temptation. He glowered at the extra soldiers who had arrived and were now surrounding the dirt track around the dock, watching Brianna with definite looks of appreciation. He groaned, certain that if he stayed married to her, his hair would turn white in a matter of months.

  His whole body froze for an instant at the thought of staying married to her. He couldn’t do that. Whenever he was near her, his emotions often began to outweigh his logic, making him want to take undesirable risks with his feelings. Such actions were unacceptable and would lead to a disastrous marriage, as his parents had had. He wouldn’t subject either of them to such a circus. And he wouldn’t dishonor Sir Walter’s niece, as much as his body seemed to want to.

  He marched over to where Bree was still giving Alessandro an earful. She swiveled toward him as he approached.

  “He wants me to go to the palace immediately,” she said, pointing to Alessandro, a look of piqued annoyance in the clear blue of her gaze.

  “So I heard.”

  “And he says I ‘must.’ I thought you said you would talk to him before we docked.” She was now directing her annoyance at him.

  “I didn’t get a chance,” Daniel said.

  “But I saw you hand him a note.”

  “That related to a different topic,” he explained.

  “Regardless, you must tell him that we have other priorities and shall not be going with him,” she insisted.

  “But you must, Principessa,” Alessandro said. “The Prince tasked me with bringing you home, and I must do so.”

  Alessandro was clearly trying to employ an edge of calm reasoning to his voice, but Daniel had seen that particularly stubborn look on Brianna’s face many times previously, and whenever it appeared, she was all but impossible to budge, with no amount of logic swaying her.

  “We must go to the inn to receive word of my cousin, Captain. That is my priority at this stage.” Her voice was laced with steel and clearly brooked no arguments.

  Daniel rather felt sorry for the captain, until the man dared to extend his hand toward Bree as if to grip her upper arm. Daniel’s own hand darted out and grasped Alessandro’s wrist before the man could even touch her.

  “I warned you before, Captain, about touching my wife,” Daniel growled before he flung the other man’s hand away from Bree. “Do so again, and you will not like my reaction.”

  Alessandro’s eyes narrowed, obviously unused to being halted in his tracks, and physically, too. For a moment, it appeared as if he would take issue with Daniel’s edict, but then he nodded stiffly, his jaw clenched tight.

  “My apologies, Lord Thornton,” Alessandro ground out. “But I only have your wife’s safety in mind.”

  Daniel flicked some lint from his own jacket. “We’ve seen what your safety entails, with my wife kidnapped by one of your own men.”

  Alessandro’s eyes clouded over in what Daniel could only assume was part shame and part anger.

  “If the river had not claimed him,” Alessandro replied, “my sword would have been joining the dagger that you plunged into his chest. The traitor deserved a much more painful death than he received.”

  “I agree with you,” Daniel said. “But as that nasty episode illustrated, I am more than capable of protecting my wife.”

  “Be that as it may,” Alessandro began, “the Prince wishes for the Principes—”

  “No.” Daniel’s voice cut through Alessandro’s like a whip. “The Principessa is my wife, and as she is my wife, I get to decide where she does or does not go. The laws in your land are the same as in England regarding this, are they not?”

  Very reluctantly, Alessandro inclined his head. “Yes, they are.”

  “Good. Then you shall have no trouble in heeding my wishes regarding this matter. Now, we must be on our way to the Casa Potabile, and, of course, we will be borrowing the Prince’s carriage to get us there. After all, the Principessa must not travel on foot.” Daniel motioned Brianna toward the open carriage door. “After you, my dear.”

  “Thank you, husband.” Bree said, inclining her head before preceding him to the vehicle.

  He could have sworn she wanted to say something else but was biting her tongue.

  “My men will accompany you to the hotel and stand guard.” It was as far as Alessandro would relent. “I will ride to the palace and apprise the Prince of the situation, and then I will return to discuss matters further with you both.”

  Daniel shrugged. “Do as you wish. When my wife is ready to meet her grandfather, she will, but until she is, we shall be staying and doing as we wish.”

  “The Prince’s word is the law here in Cosenza,” Alessandro warned him.

  “And the Prince would not wish to start an international incident with one of England’s peers and potentially face Queen Victoria’s wrath.”

  Alessandro turned on his heel and began barking out orders to his men regarding the new arrangements. As vigilant and loyal as the man was to his ruler, he at least had the good sense to err on the side of caution.

  Alessandro directed his men that Marco would be in charge until he returned, and to not let Bree go anywhere without an escort. That could prove somewhat problematic, particularly if the Garendetta tried to make contact as they had suggested they would.

  Taking Bree’s hand briefly in his own, Daniel helped her up and into the carriage, preferring to do so himself rather than let the footmen get their grubby paws on her. He had to stifle a curse at how sensual the bare flesh of her hand against his own felt.

  “Take us to the Casa Potabile,” he said to the driver, releasing Bree’s hand as soon as she was in the carriage. The less he touched her, the better.

  He climbed in behind her and took a seat on the opposite side, facing backwards, as the carriage began rumbling off down the track, adjusting his legs against the plush, blue velveteen seats. The carriage was rather small and dainty, and bloody uncomfortable for a man of his size.

  Bree seemed to be ignoring him, while she glanced out the window as the carriage moved through the streets.

  He did what he could to stretch in the small confines before following her lead and staring out the window, making sure to pay particular attention to the landmarks they passed along the way.

  Gazing past the soldiers on horseback who rode alongside the carriage, he observed the twisting roads that crisscrossed Cosenza. The various buildings and houses were made of what looked like a local type of stone and brick, and were all of a different size. And farther up the hill, he could see a castle perched at the top, which appeared strong and imposing, with a large wall encircling its perimeter.

  Daniel turned back to Bree, who was gaping at the turrets in the distance with a foreign expression of apprehension in her gaze.

  He didn’t know how to handle her when she was in such a state. Normally, she was fearless and bold, never uncertain or ambivalent. It was one of her qualities that he both disliked and admired at the same time. But now…he felt the odd compulsion to pull her onto his lap and help calm her fears.

  Damn it! Why the hell couldn’t he stop thinking of touching her? It was frustrating on so many levels. He dragged a hand through his hair and turned back to the window. He had to think of anything else, apart from
this maddening woman across from him.

  Cosenza appeared to be a quaint but bustling town, with many of its townspeople hurrying through the streets, glancing at the Prince’s carriage and soldiers with avid curiosity. The farther the carriage wound its way through the town, the more people seemed to be coming out of their shops and homes to get a glimpse of them.

  If the Garendetta had not been aware of their arrival before, they would be now. Which could be a good thing. At least, they had arrived within the deadline. He hoped, for all of the Penderleys’ sakes, that Travis was unharmed.

  He turned his attention back to Brianna, who still, rather pointedly, had her head turned away from him and was gazing out the glass.

  Her profile showed off her rather pert nose and lush lips. Lips that were full and soft. Lips that he could still feel the memory of. He shook his head. Get a grip, Thornton.

  Daniel was infinitely grateful when the carriage came to a stop in front of a small inn. He stepped outside and onto the footpath. From years of habit, his eyes automatically scanned the area. Apart from the dozen or so soldiers surrounding them, there were a few townspeople peering at them from across the street, but everything else seemed all right, for now.

  Glancing up at the sign hanging from the bricks of the building, he noted that the wood paint was peeling from the back board, and the words “Casa Potabile” had faded rather significantly. “Perhaps we should have gone to the palace,” he said rather blandly.

  Bree followed him out of the carriage, placing her hand briefly in his as she stepped down onto the cobblestones beneath. A current of energy stole through his arm from the touch, and his body came to attention.

  “Don’t be silly,” Bree chastised him as she swept past him toward the entrance. “You know this is where we must be to receive word of Travis.”

  For a second, he felt chagrined, apparently being the only one of them affected by the touch.