by S Cinders
Her other thought was that she was certainly no longer in the Duke of Carthage’s ballroom. Lilly desperately tried to remember what had happened after she had followed the Comte out into the gardens.
Mr. Harris had asked for Juliana to dance and Lilly had relied on her sister to fill the war office agent in on their progress. Samantha had been assigned to watch the Countess, which left her the Comte.
Lilly remembered very little beyond wandering beyond the lit path and hiding in the shrubbery. The men were speaking in French, and sadly Lilly had never been a good linguist.
Her head ached something fierce. She wondered what they had struck her with. There was no point pretending to wake. Perhaps she could still gain some knowledge by feigning sleep, so Lilly laid still, and in truth, it did help her head.
Lilly heard many things in the next hour or so that she didn’t understand. But Dover and Cornwall were mentioned she took note, she knew them to be located near the coast.
It didn’t make any sense, and Lilly wished that she had paid more attention during her lessons as a child.
Suddenly she was jerked up by her bound wrists behind her back, nearly pulling her arms out of their sockets.
“Mademoiselle, I see you are awake, how lovely of you to join us this evening.” The Comte twisted one side of his long mustache between dirty gloved fingers and gave a hateful chuckle. “Or should I say, how lovely of you to join us this morning?”
Lillian looked up into his florid face. His lips were thin and pinched showing that he was much more irritated than his tone let on.
Lilly smiled, “How kind of you to insist on me joining you. Might I ask where our destination might be?”
He frowned, she was supposed to be frightened. He leaned in menacingly, “We wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, would we?”
Lilly pretended to consider, “Well, no, I suppose we ought not. You are right, of course. I have not been introduced to your companion. How do you do, sir?”
The Comte stared at her, was she dicked in the nob?
The rough looking man was entranced. Whomever this lovely creature was, she certainly didn’t mind sharing a coach with the likes of a rough and tumble man like himself.
“My name is Jack, love, Jack Rattenbury.”
The Comte swung around, “You are not to speak with her!”
Lillian dimpled, “It is wonderful to meet you Mr. Rattenbury. I am Lady Lillian Moberly.”
Jack burst out laughing, “Oh, no love! I am most certainly not Mr. Rattenbury! Went to sea when I was nine years old, I did, on my uncle’s boat. I have more years on the sea than I do on land. I have no need for your fancy ways. It is Jack to you, or Jackie if you prefer.”
The large, gruff man intrigued Lilly. There was an honesty about him that the Comte did not possess. Lilly made a snap judgment, “I see, then I shall be Lilly to you as well. I think we shall be fast friends.”
Jack grinned showing browning teeth, “Awe, Lilly, we shall.”
The Comte’s jaw was flapping, “No! There are no friendships. She is our prisoner!”
Lilly frowned, “That is not polite.”
“I never once said I would kidnap a woman, and I won’t trade or smuggle one.” Jack raised his jaw.
“You are a smuggler. I hired you to do a job. You will do whatever I say, or I will not pay you.”
Jack sat up to his full height. The man had to be well over six foot, with two hundred plus pounds of pure muscle. He pulled a mean snub-nosed gun out of his pocket. “I have plenty of work, your offer, while generous, is not the best I have come across. I won’t kidnap nor trade women. Do you understand, or are we about to have an unfortunate accident?”
The Comte swallowed, he hated Lillian Moberly more than anything else in his life at that moment.
For Lillian, everything was suddenly all too real in this little adventure.
Jack, whose eyes had gone from cajoling and fun to hard as ice, cocked the gun, “Waiting for an answer, Comte.”
“Yes, damn it. I understand.” He spat out.
Jack nodded and uncocked the gun sliding it back into his pocket, “Untie Lilly.”
Jack turned to her, “I know that I am not a good man. When you have been press-ganged by the Royal Navy, it is hard to have any loyalty to the crown. You don’t know,” he stopped looking at her, “Being a lady, you cannot know the things that happen in those circumstances.”
Lilly didn’t, “You don’t have to explain.”
The Comte released her from the ropes, and Lilly sighed as she rubbed her wrists trying to get the feeling back into them.
“This is a mistake. She is going to get us all killed,” the Comte grumbled.
Jack winked at Lilly, “Are you saying that you cannot outsmart a small, insignificant woman?”
“I can outsmart the entire English country!” The Comte raged.
Jack smirked, “Then do not worry about her. She is nothing to you.”
CHAPTER 16
Ryan rode hell for leather toward Dover. He had no idea if he was even going in the right direction. His only clue was when he stopped at the last boarding house, The Falcon Inn, to change horses, the stable lad had said he heard a woman’s voice in a carriage headed to Dover.
She was traveling with a French man and a rough looking character. She did not look harmed, quite the contrary. This did not bode well for Ryan. However, she was in a ball gown, and she was a woman of quality. Ryan gave the lad his due and raced out of there.
Now that Ryan knew what to look for his spirits felt lifted. It had been an exhausting journey, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had slept or ate. All Ryan knew was that he just wanted to hold Lillian in his arms again.
Darkness was falling once again, and the smell of the sea was in the air. Dover was near. He had to get her back before they boarded any vessel. Ryan knew the kind of boats that worked at night.
How did Lillian get involved with smugglers?
He saw the dust and heard the noise from the carriage before it came into view. Taking care, Ryan kept his eyes on the coach. He spurred his horse onward, narrowing the distance between the two.
Slipping behind the coach, Ryan cursed their speed. He hated the thought of falling from his horse and being trampled, but there was no other alternative. Throwing caution to the wind, he said a prayer, wrapped the reins and tied them off, and then grabbed the frame of the carriage.
Then, with the grace of a large cat, he somehow managed to open the door and slide his athletic body inside.
“Ah,” Jack smiled, “And here we have the hero, I presume?”
“Ryan!” Lillian cried out, throwing herself into his arms in a flurry of skirts and ruffles. It was a good thing that he had already closed the door, or they would have tumbled back outside, likely to their deaths.
And then she did the most unlike Lillian thing that she has ever done in her life. She began to cry.
Ryan was undone.
His look was thunderous, “What did you do to her?”
Jack’s lips twitched, “The Comte here wanted to kidnap her.”
The Comte paled considerably, which was impressive considering the man still powdered his face. “I…I…I would never.”
“I will kill you,” Ryan held Lillian so tightly, she had molded into him. Ryan turned to Jack, “And you are?”
“Jack Rattenbury. I am a runner around these parts, and the Comte wanted me to run something extra. The moment he showed up with the princess I knew I would not be doing business with him. I was just waiting for you to turn up.”
Lillian pushed back from where she was lodged against Ryan’s neck. Her water stained eyes and blotchy skin not taking anything away from her beauty.
“You were never going to harm me?” she asked hesitantly.
Jack grinned, “Lord, no! Married my Anna back in April! She would have my hide if I ever treated a lady thus. I told you love, I might be a bad man, but I am not all bad.”
Ryan
nodded appreciatively, “I owe you my thanks, Rattenbury. Whatever this idiot was going to pay you, I will give as a reward for keeping my bride safe.”
Lillian blushed as Jack’s eyebrows rose.
Ryan turned to the Comte, “What part do you play in all of this?”
“Traitor to the Crown,” Lillian said in disgust.
Ryan nodded slowly, “I see. Well then, I hate to set you down, Lilly, but it would seem that killing him outright might be too easy on him. I need to tie him up.”
“What about the men driving the coach?” Lilly asked in fear.
“Rattenbury’s men,” Ryan responded as he trussed the Comte up like the pig that he truly was.
Lilly wrinkled her nose, “How did you know?”
Jack laughed, “I reckon your hero knows I would be a mite more concerned than I am right now.”
Ryan flushed, “He’s famous in these parts, Lilly.”
Lilly looked back at Jack with a new appreciation.
Jack smiled, “I am going to be letting you two out soon. The less you see, the better. Would you prefer we deal with the Comte, or would you like to?”
Ryan turned to Lilly, “What would you like to do?”
“How will they deal with him?” Lilly asked.
Ryan wasn’t sure the delicate way to phrase slitting his throat, but apparently, his pause was information enough. However, there was no way they could carry the Comte on horseback.
Lilly turned to Jack, “I don’t want you to kill him.”
Jack huffed, “Love, that is the easiest and far kindest way to deal with the man. And I daresay a much better fate than he had in store for you.”
Ryan’s head snapped up. “Beg pardon?”
“He wanted to sell the lass,” Jack eyes were like slits.
“Do whatever you wish with the bastard. We are thankful for your presence. More than you could ever know.” Ryan’s tone alerted Lilly that he was not to be crossed.
Jack hit the roof, and the carriage came to a halt.
Thankfully, Ryan’s horse was still tied to the side rear of the carriage. The couple departed, but not before Lilly leaned in and took both of Jack’s hands into her own.
“I will never forget you, Jack. You are a good man, don’t forget it. And do you best to get back to Anna, I am confident she misses you!”
Jack’s devilish grin hid a bit of a shy smile, “Go on with you lass, you and your hero have a wonderful life ahead of you.”
CHAPTER 17
As the carriage rolled away, Ryan sat in the saddle on horseback, holding his precious cargo, having no idea where to take her.
“I cannot believe you saved me,” Lillian swayed, having not slept for countless hours.
Ryan tightened his arms around her, “Lilly! Watch yourself! I would feel much better if you were to lean back against my chest.”
Lilly flushed, “It wouldn’t be proper.”
Ryan began to shake, his low chuckle breaking forth completely uninhibited, “You are adorable!”
Lilly cocked her head to the side, “Why do I get the feeling you are teasing me?”
“I am not teasing, not really.” He replied, “It is only that you have been away from home for more than twenty-four hours. You must know that your reputation is already in tatters.”
Lilly gasped, “My family! How could I have been so selfish?”
Ryan shook his head, “It was not my intention to chastise, I only wish to explain to you that you need not worry about what is proper.”
“Then I am ruined?” Lilly’s voice was horrified.
Ryan paused, “You are mine, therefore you could never be ruined. I am sorry that you had to go through such a horrible experience. And I regret the fact that it took me so long to get to you.”
Lilly sighed, “It didn’t take too long.”
Ryan let out a short, mirthless laugh, “I hate that even for the slightest moment you thought you might have damaged your reputation. Because the truth is, it doesn’t matter as long as you are alright. Now, please try to rest, Lilly.”
He tightened his arm around her waist until her back was flush with his chest. The heat from his back was lovely, and it caused a pleasant stirring in her abdomen that if she wasn’t so blasted exhausted, Lilly would have loved to explore.
As it was, she sighed and sunk into him, “Oh, I want to stay like this forever.”
Ryan growled something unintelligible, which, for the present, was most likely for the best.
As soon as an inn came into sight, Ryan pulled his sleeping cargo carefully into his arms and gave his horse to the stable-boy.
Ryan made arrangements for a room as well as a cold repast to be brought up for Lilly if she awoke in the night. And then after being shown their best room, he laid an exhausted Lilly down on the large bed and finally allowed himself some rest.
Lilly could not remember a time when she had slept so well. She was cozy and warm, even though her skirts had climbed to her waist in the night. Lilly threw her leg over the source of heat. It was heaven sent.
It wasn’t until the huge male hand landed somewhere between her naked left buttock and equally naked upper thigh that Lilly started to realize that perhaps this wasn’t all a dream.
When that same hand slid up to her bottom and started caressing it in a rather familiar fashion, it wasn’t that Lilly was averse to bottom caressing, it was only that it seemed a bit familiar and she wasn’t certain if they should be on those terms quite yet.
This was a question for the Bluebells.
Lilly suddenly felt like she was in completely over her head. The other girls of her ladies group were certainly more experienced in the art of love. Mostly because they were married, but they did share their knowledge with the other Bluebells.
However, Lilly hadn’t paid serious attention. She needed a cheat sheet or a tutor immediately!
Ryan pulled her more fully onto him, and Lilly felt his massive cock beneath her, pressing intimately against her.
She needed to wake him.
Not only was this going way too fast for her, but her lady bits were getting involved. They were starting to get achy, and Lilly was not at all certain she wanted to be achy this morning.
So, she took matters into her own hands. Grabbing a glass of water off the night table, she threw it into his face.
Apparently, Ryan doesn’t like waking by water.
Nor is he a morning person.
Lilly, however, did manage to make the massive cock retreat, so, all in all, it was a successful mission. She just wasn’t sure that she could repeat it to the Bluebells at the next meeting.
Or to anyone—ever.
CHAPTER 18
Ryan was startled awake by the cold water and almost dumped Lilly on the floor in a counter attack. He had been having the most incredible dream, and damn it she owed him to finish it!
Not only had the she-devil stolen all the blankets. Lilly had then thrown them on the floor. She had then rubbed up on Ryan like a cat in heat! Moaning and groaning in her sleep, Ryan was hard as stone and unable to take advantage of her.
It wasn’t until the wee hours of the morning that he had finally been able to fall asleep, and this was how she repaid him. With a glass full of icy cold water in the face no less!
“You look angry,” Lilly said hesitantly.
He was livid.
“I am not angry,” Ryan bit off.
“Are you not a morning person?” Lilly asked, still holding the dripping glass.
He used a hand to wipe his brow, “I am eminently pleasant all hours of the day.”
Lilly bit her lip, “I do apologize.”
His long eyelashes were wet, making some of them stick together. He gave Lilly a glance, as if asking her to elaborate.
“For everything,” she sat up a little using his chest. The trouble was that she was still straddling Ryan.
The hand that he had used to cup her bare bottom had been used to wipe his face. It came back to her botto
m to balance her.
Both Ryan and Lilly stilled.
Ryan realized that some parts of the dream might have been a reality.
“Where are your drawers?” he choked out. His voice, dropping an octave or two.
Lilly flushed wildly. She had ducked her head behind her hair that had become undone sometime in the night. “I was hoping you might be able to explain that to me.”