He offered the jar to Stephen, who held up his hands in refusal. “Absolutely not. The last time I tried any of Granville’s homemade brandy I spent a half day lolling about on the floor.”
Granville’s derisive snort had them all laughing. Lisandro could understand Stephen’s stance; a man had to be careful when it came to moonshine liquor. It could be deadly.
Maria rose from her chair by the fire and Granville took a quick step back. He clearly hadn’t registered her presence until now. A low, respectful bow was offered.
To Lisandro’s surprise, Maria not only returned the greeting, but she held out her hand and took the jar from Gus. “Muchas gracias.”
More than one pair of eyes went wide as she lifted the glass to her lips and downed a hearty mouthful of brandy. She swallowed, then nodded. “This is good. The plums could do with a little more crushing, but I think you have the makings of an excellent drink.”
She downed some more of the brandy before holding it out toward Lisandro.
Por favor, no.
When he hesitated, she stepped closer. A playful grin sat on her lips. “Come now, Don de Aguirre. You’re not going to disgrace our country by not accepting English hospitality, are you?”
He took the jar and, raising it to his mouth, took the merest of sips that he could without causing offence. When Maria lifted a disapproving eyebrow, he was tempted to go back for a second drink. However, duty and his need for sobriety stopped him.
Granville took the jar and emptied the last of its contents down his throat. After a short conversation with Stephen out in the hallway, he left the house.
“Come, let’s eat,” announced Stephen. “Granville will bring us some fresh bread and cheese at first light so we shall have food for the journey on to Portsmouth.” He tipped his head in Maria’s direction. “My only regret about this whole adventure is that you and I didn’t get to spend more time together, Doña Maria. I have a feeling you would make for some amusing evenings.”
Lisandro gritted his teeth. Stephen was far too easy with his smile and affable nature than a man had a right to be when it came to a woman like Maria de Elizondo. The woman he had been tasked with saving.
He liked his friends being comfortable with Maria; it made for an easier existence. What he didn’t particularly care for was them seeing her as anything other than the woman they had helped rescue. A woman who was his alone to deliver safely home from England to Spain.
Maria could like Stephen and the others, but from a distance. He met his friend’s gaze. The look he sent Stephen was clear and primal in its message.
Don’t even think about it. I intend to make her mine.
Chapter Sixteen
The hot supper was exactly what Maria needed. Her belly was happily full and sleep beckoned. She yawned as softly as she could, but Lisandro caught her eye. He rose from his chair.
“Gentleman, I think it is time to . . . how do you English put it? Call it a night,” he said.
Stephen and Gus both nodded in tired agreement. Tomorrow would be another early start and then a late sail. The hours in between would be spent on constant lookout for danger on the road.
“Gus, you can take your usual room. Lisandro, would you care to show Maria to the master bedroom?” asked Stephen.
“I couldn’t possibly impose on you, Sir Stephen,” said Maria. After all that had been done for her, the last thing she wished to do was put their host out of his own bed. As long as no one drugged her, she didn’t mind where she slept.
“I won’t be sleeping in the house. Someone needs to stay with the horses. We think we left London undetected, but you can never be sure. A lonely house in the country might appeal to some as being the perfect place to stage an attack,” said Stephen. He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a double-barreled flintlock. Lisandro and Gus both did the same before putting their weapons back into their holsters.
Stephen nodded at Lisandro. “There is a sword under the bed in the master room, and two other loaded pistols in the top drawer of the tallboy. Smuggling is a dangerous business, and more than one of our competitors wouldn’t hesitate to relieve us of our valuable imported goods when they are being moved from Portsmouth to London. We don’t take chances.”
The sight of pistols being checked dimmed Maria’s contented mood. For just a brief time, Maria had imagined herself out of danger. She silently chastised herself.
Only a foolish niña would think she was safe, even with these men.
Embarrassed, she lowered her gaze to the floor. No doubt the sooner the English were rid of their burdensome guest, the happier they would be.
That will leave you in the hands of Lisandro. Alone with him. At sea. For days.
“Come, Maria. Let’s get you to bed,” said Lisandro. She knew he said it as a matter-of-fact instruction but hearing him say her name and bed in the same sentence had Maria biting her bottom lip.
“I will wake you all when Granville arrives with our breakfast,” said Stephen.
Maria and Lisandro bid the rest of the group a goodnight and headed out into the hallway. Candle in hand, Lisandro led her to the end of the landing and through an ornately carved door. She stepped into the master bedroom and he closed the door behind them, locking it.
Maria’s gaze went from the key to Lisandro. Why is he locking himself in with me?
“I know this is well outside the boundaries of acceptable arrangements between two unmarried people, especially in our country, but it has to be done. You take the bed and I will rest on the couch,” he said.
He pointed toward a long sofa on which a blanket and pillow had been placed. She nodded. There was no point in arguing. If Sir Stephen Moore was going to spend the night sleeping in the stables in order to ensure her protection, she had no right to complain about a comfortable bed or the pistol-wielding man sharing her room.
She also liked being this close to Lisandro. The way her heart beat just a little faster whenever he was near had become a pleasant and very welcome sensation.
He crossed to the window and peered outside. After a quick check of the locks, Lisandro closed the curtains. For someone who was supposed to be just a farmer, he appeared quite familiar with measures of security.
Maria yearned to know more about this intriguing man. “Lisandro. What did you do during the last days of the war against the French? Did you fight at Waterloo alongside the English? I know some Spaniards did,” she said.
He scratched his forehead and sighed. “I am not at liberty to tell you those things. Not because I don’t trust you. But, the political situation in Spain has changed somewhat since the war and with the return of King Ferdinand to the throne. If I told you what I was doing during those years it might put us both in danger.”
His words set her on edge. “You mean further danger. I thought our lives were already at risk.”
Lisandro headed over to the tallboy and opened the top drawer. He took out two pistols and laid one on the top of the dresser. The other was still in his hand when he returned to Maria’s side.
“Yes, further danger.” He went quiet for a moment, leaving Maria to stare into his deep brown eyes. He slowly blinked. “How is this for an agreement? When we are on the boat, you and I should discuss the true situation in our country. One thing I can tell you is that your father is no more just a farmer than I am. Both of us are political creatures.”
“But you are much more than that, Lisandro. I find myself wanting to be with you and discovering who you truly are,” she replied.
A look of desire flitted across his face. “And believe me when I say I would love to learn all there is to know about you, Maria. But first, we have to make it out of England.”
He reached out and brushed his hand over her cheek. A chill ran down Maria’s spine at his tender touch.
This is wrong. I shouldn’t feel anything for this man.
The longer his fingers lingered on her rapidly heating skin the more muddled her mind became. Her sense of self w
as rapidly diminishing by the second.
It took a great deal of effort, but Maria finally summoned the strength to draw back.
Papá.
Maria had always known him to be involved in local matters of importance; it was part of his role as Duke of Villabona. The idea of him being any sort of player on a larger stage took her by surprise. It also had her worried. What if his activities were the reason for her kidnapping?
“What do you mean when you say my father is a political creature?” she asked.
A guarded look appeared on his face. “Your father played a part in the return of the king to Spain, as did I. But Diego tells me your father has now fallen from royal grace. Perhaps Antonio has regrets about helping the king. He wouldn’t be alone in that thinking if he did.”
A man who found himself questioning his loyalty to the king could find himself with very powerful enemies. People who would seek to do him and his family harm.
“You think the king may have had a hand in my kidnapping?” she asked.
“We can’t put it out of the reach of possibility. Others may seek to win His Majesty’s favor by striking at possible enemies. King Ferdinand has plenty of supporters in England. And with you being stolen away here, it means that if anything bad did happen to you, the blame could not be easily laid at his feet.”
“Oh. You mean I would never be found.”
Lisandro wandered over to the sofa and unfolded the blanket. After checking the pistol once more, he set it down on the floor. He then produced the other pistol from out of his coat and placed it next to it. Both weapons were within easy reach. He took off his coat, but left the rest of his clothes, including his boots, on.
Ready for any possible attack.
“Try and get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” he said, resting his head on the pillow.
Maria lay on the bed for a long time, mulling over Lisandro’s words about a possible motive for her kidnapping. While she wished it was impossible, the longer she thought about it, the more it made bone-chilling sense.
She rose up on one elbow and their gazes met. This man had risked a great deal to rescue her.
“Thank you, Lisandro. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here tonight. I may even be dead.”
Lisandro waited until Maria fell asleep and was softly snoring before leaving the room and heading out onto the balcony. He closed the door quietly behind him. The only light, apart from a crescent moon, was the golden glow from Gus’s cigar. As Lisandro stepped into the night air, he was greeted with the click of a pistol, then a sigh.
“Better not shoot you,” muttered Gus as he un-cocked his gun.
“My future children thank you,” replied Lisandro. He came and stood beside his friend, their backs to the wall while their gazes searched the darkness. “Do you think we were followed from London?”
Gus shook his head. “I made certain to check behind us every few miles. If I were a kidnapper intent on overtaking us, I would have done it closer to the city where I could call on more men. To be honest, I think the real danger now lies ahead of you.”
In Spain. Where Maria and I will be on our own until I can get her to Castle Tolosa.
He would just have to hope that they could slip into the port of Bilbao and not be noticed.
“Maria settled in for the night?” asked Gus.
It was an innocuous enough question, but Lisandro well knew the real meaning behind it. Maria had been light-hearted when Mister Granville was here, tasting the brandy and showing self-confidence. But years of war and subterfuge had taught them both that people often adopted a mask when nervous or seriously worried.
“She was asking about her father. Wishes to know what he has been involved in,” he replied. And whether his political affiliations have had something to do with her kidnapping. “I told her we can talk about it once we board the yacht to Spain. I figure if she hears the truth of what her beloved padre has been doing, Maria might need a few days at sea to be able to absorb that hard truth.”
Gus handed Lisandro the cigar, and he took a long, deep drag before handing it back. “I can imagine it might be difficult to accept that Antonio de Elizondo is in fact one of those who have been moving behind the scenes in an effort to curtail the king’s power,” replied Gus.
“A woman of such noble birth as Maria should only be having to concern herself with finding a good husband and raising a family. She most certainly shouldn’t have to worry about being kidnapped. If someone takes issue with her father, that is who they should be dealing with,” said Lisandro.
He was not looking forward to having a full and frank conversation with Maria about what was happening behind the scenes in Spain, or how capricious their king could be when it came to matters of loyalty and treason.
Maria’s kidnapping might only be the beginning of her family’s troubles. It was yet another good reason for the two families to finally set their long feud aside. If he and Antonio could find a way to work together, they might be able to protect both the Elizondo and the Aguirre clans from powerful and as yet unknown enemies.
Only then could Lisandro look to win Maria’s heart.
Chapter Seventeen
The night and the following day passed without incident. It was a welcome respite. As the coach drew near to the coast, Lisandro dropped the window down and let the refreshing sea breeze fill the carriage.
He grinned at Maria across the narrow space. For the first time since her kidnapping, real hope sparked in Maria’s heart.
If they could make it safely onboard Gus’s private yacht, there was a good chance of her getting back to her family in one piece.
“What day is it?” she asked.
“Sunday. And in answer to your next question, no we don’t have time for church. But if you like we could spend a moment or two in prayer together,” he replied.
Maria removed her Santiago medallion necklace and held it, while Lisandro placed his hands over hers.
“Por favor, padre celestial, te ruego que mantengas tu buena gracia sobre los dos,”, she said. They both made the sign of the cross as Lisandro added. “Amén.”
If she made it home safely, she planned to spend time giving thanks in the Elizondo family chapel.
They reached Portsmouth in the early evening and made straight for the dockside. She had been expecting them to stay in the harbor until the tide was ready, but Lisandro and his friends had other ideas.
As soon as the coach came to a halt next to the stone pier, Gus and Stephen both climbed down, weapons at the ready. Lisandro grabbed his travel bag, which also contained Maria’s few possessions, and opened the door.
“Wait here for a moment; we need to check that the area is safe. I trust you know how to handle a rifle?” he asked.
Maria lifted an eyebrow in reply. She was a Spanish noblewoman from the Basque country; of course, she knew how to use a rifle. Bending, she lifted the weapon Lisandro had stored under the seat and examined it.
“If I need to fire it to save one of our lives, you can rely on me,” she replied.
Lisandro nodded. “Maria de Elizondo, the fortunate man who gets to be your husband will always know that he can count on your bravery.”
She sat back on the bench seat and stared at the rifle. It would be wonderful to be married to someone who saw her value. A man who looked beyond her bride price and family name.
Perhaps a man like Lisandro de Aguirre.
He brushed a hand down her cheek, and she met his steely gaze with a resolved heart. She would do whatever he asked.
“Be ready to fire the rifle if you have to. I will be back shortly,” he said, and stepped away from the coach.
It was only a minute or two that he was gone, but to Maria, the seconds ticked slowly by. When the handle of the coach rattled, she raised the rifle, ready to shoot.
Lisandro appeared in the doorway and, after giving an appreciative nod, took the weapon from her hands and disarmed it. “The coast is clear. Let�
�s go.”
The dockside was empty of other people. Apart from a small rowboat, there were no vessels to be seen. Maria searched the harbor, frowning when Gus pointed to a yacht moored some way offshore.
“The sooner you are onboard my ship, the better, but we will have to row out to it,” he said.
Maria’s gaze fell on the rowboat and her stomach lurched. She had never been one for the sea, and the idea of getting into such a tiny craft made her want to be ill.
With a tight smile firmly painted on her lips, she turned to Stephen. He wouldn’t be making the short trip out to the yacht; rather, he would remain dockside, rifle at the ready.
“Thank you for all that you have done for me. I don’t expect you and I shall ever see one another again, but please know that you and Toby will always have a place in my prayers,” she said.
He held out his arms and gave her a brief but hearty hug. “I am just glad that you are on your way home. And that you have Lisandro to protect you. As for not seeing us again, you are sadly mistaken, Doña Maria. Before we left, Toby had already informed me of his grand plans to come to Spain next summer.”
I owe so much to that little boy.
Eyes brimming with tears, she turned and accepted Lisandro’s hand as he helped her down into the boat. Gus cast the line off and climbed aboard. Maria sat in the bow, grimly holding onto the sides with both hands. Stephen lifted his arm and waved farewell; the best she could manage was a nod.
Before they had moved away from the small dock, he turned and headed back to the coach. As the boat slipped from shore, her last sight of him was Stephen rifle in hand looking toward the stone roadway which led down to the water.
“Ready, and pull,” cried Gus.
He and Lisandro were seated side by side, each with an oar in their hands. Maria took in long, slow breaths, then let them out again as the boat sailed out of the protected dock. The occasional loud huff from either Lisandro or Gus soon became the only noise which rose above the slapping of the waves.
Devoted to the Spanish Duke Page 8