“Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“You said nothing. Are you all right with our plans?”
Kate smiled. “Yes. As I have said before, I appreciate all you are doing. It’s a relief to have someone else take the burden from me.”
“You can trust my men. I will have two of them escort you and Emily to town. I know Emily doesn’t want my men following you around, but for my sake, please allow them to accompany you.”
“Very well. I know it will make you feel better to know we are safe. I will let Emily know.” Kate stood to leave, but not before Ethan pulled her close. He kissed her briefly, but the message was clear; he wanted her.
Kate stumbled backward, then gained her footing and left the study.
Ethan’s cock pressed against his pants. Even a simple kiss aroused him. He knew he could not hold out much longer. With more people around, it would be harder to have any time alone with Kate.
Now was not the time to think about his lust, and Ethan turned his mind to the matter at hand. He went in search of Hugh and found him in the stables updating the guards on their assignment. Two of his best men were instructed to visit the outlying farms on his behalf. Both were observant and experts on blending in. Their orders were to ask the tenants if they had seen any suspicious figures lurking around. Ethan also asked them to check the inns and abandoned homes; anywhere they thought a person could be hiding. With any luck, they could flush out the scoundrel before he could harm Kate or Robbie.
Hugh and Ethan were finishing their conversation when Robbie came charging from the house. The boy made a beeline for Ethan and jumped into his arms. Robbie gave him a giant hug, and Ethan could not help but laugh.
“What are you up to today, Robbie?”
“Mommy said I could play with Pepper, but first, I have to do my letters with Nana.”
“Did you do your letters yet?”
The little boy smiled sheepishly. He remembered what it was like to be Robbie’s age and running away from anything that bored him.
Robbie hid his face in Ethan’s shoulder. “No, I wanted to say good morning to you first.”
“Well, now that you have, you best get back inside. The sooner you finish with your letters, the sooner you can play with the puppy.”
“Ok.” Ethan put Robbie down and watched him walk back to the house, slower than when he had first come out. The boy looked back, as if waiting for Ethan to change his mind. Ethan shook his head and motioned for Robbie to get inside.
Hugh chuckled, “Seems the boy has quite a fondness for you.”
“And I for him. He is a delightful child. He needs a solid education to prepare to take over the Earldom someday.”
“And someone to help guide him as he gets older.”
Ethan glanced at Hugh and nodded his head. The two men meandered back to the house.
Hugh asked, “How are things between you and Kate? Have you told her how you feel?”
“I told her I want a future with her and Robbie, no matter what she did in the past. We have a chance to be together, and I do not want to throw that away. As soon as the threat to her and Robbie is removed, I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
“Good for you.” His friend patted his shoulder. “It’s about time.”
Ethan steered the conversation back to their mission. “What are you planning on doing now?”
“I will pay a visit to some of the farms on the other side of the property. I’ll have a look around and see if I can find anything.”
The friends parted ways, and Ethan headed back to the house. There was estate business that needed his attention. Stacks of papers awaited his perusal in the study. His father’s health had been waning over the last year, so Ethan had taken on more of the responsibility. He did not want to think about losing his father; he wasn’t ready to do so yet. But if taking on more of the burden of the estate helped his father, then Ethan was happy to do it.
Ethan knew someday, sooner rather than later, he would have to quit his post with Sir Darnley’s organization to take over the title. Having Kate by his side would make the burden more bearable. It warmed Ethan’s heart to think of sharing his life and, bed with Kate. They would watch Robbie and their own children grow up, racing around the house and filling it with laughter.
There would be some obstacles for them to overcome. The estate which went along with Robbie’s title would need to be managed in addition to Ethan’s family holdings. Perhaps there would be a way to split his time between both homes. He would make it work for all of them.
As Ethan went through the correspondence, he noticed a letter that looked out of place. The paper was not of fine quality; it was thin and crumpled, with smeared ink. The letter had his name written on it, nothing else. He opened it and read the solitary sentence, You cannot save them.
A loud curse ripped from his throat as he crumpled the piece of paper, as if doing so would somehow hurt the writer. Hugh charged into the room, followed by the butler.
“What is going on?” Hugh demanded.
Ethan was speechless. His eyes narrowed into slits, and he clenched his hands. He motioned toward the desk and the crumbled letter lying in the middle of the papers. Hugh grabbed the letter read it. After Hugh dismissed the butler, he closed the door and exclaimed, “Bloody hell!”
“How the blazes does he know that Kate is here already? He must be following her at all times.”
“Or he has help.”
With icy determination, Ethan said, “I will kill him.”
“We’ll find him, Ethan. Our men will turn up something. You know how it is with a bloke like this; he’s bound to make a mistake. Until then, we keep Kate and Robbie at the house.”
Ethan blanched. “Oh God, Kate and Emily left for the village.”
Their gazes met, and they leaped into action. Ethan called for their horses. The men were off in a matter of minutes. They pushed the horses to their limits, as they hurried to catch up with the carriage. Ethan’s mind raced as he imagined every horrible scenario. The ride to the village was a half-hour by carriage, and the ladies had left fifteen minutes before them. Ethan and Hugh should be able to catch up to them before they made it to town.
The riders rounded the bend and spotted the carriage resting off to the side of the road. Ethan kicked his horse into a full sprint. When he reached them, he dismounted before the horse came to a complete stop. The coachman and the two guards were attempting to lift the carriage to repair a broken wheel.
Winded from the ride, Ethan panted, “What happened?”
“Axel on the wheel broke, my lord,” the coachman answered and walked toward Ethan. “Good thing it happened when it did. Another mile or so and we would have been on the road near the gully. It could have been worse.”
Was this an accident or a deliberate act of malice? Emily and Kate stood on the side of the road talking with Hugh. The ladies appeared unharmed and composed.
Ethan joined them. “Are you two well?”
“Of course, Ethan. It’s just a broken axel. Why are you and Hugh here anyway?” Emily asked.
“I found a letter buried in my correspondence, and I worried that something might happen to you on your way to the village. It seems I was right.”
His sister shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous; it was simply an accident. It is not out of the ordinary. There was no need for you and Hugh to come rushing out here; as you can see, we are quite all right.”
One of Ethan’s men interrupted, “Pardon, my lord. I inspected the broken axel. It looks like somebody sawed most of the way through it. The carriage ride finished the job. I don’t think this was an accident.”
Kate’s face lost its color. She would blame herself; Ethan knew it.
“Do not for a second think this is your fault, you hear me?”
“But it is, Ethan. I’m endangering everyone by being here.” A note of distress crept into her voice.
“It is this cousin who is the menace. I will a
dmit, it is not safe for you to leave the house, but do not think you brought any of this on us.”
Kate looked up at Ethan. “What did the letter say? Tell me; I want to know.”
He wanted to shield Kate from anything that would upset her, but he knew she deserved to know the truth. She was strong, and the situation would probably get worse before it got better.
Ethan kissed Kate before answering, “It said, ‘You can’t save them.’”
Kate whimpered in distress. Not knowing what else to do, Ethan enfolder her within his embrace. He rubbed his hand up and down her back. There was nothing Ethan could say. He had already promised to find the man responsible, and Kate knew he would keep his word.
The couple stayed that way for a few moments. Hugh and Emily had made their way over to the mended carriage to give them some privacy. Ethan pulled Kate away from him, expecting to see tears, but her face was dry. “We will fight this together. You and Robbie will have a normal life again.” With me, Ethan wanted to say; but now was not the time.
Chapter 9
Emily Norris rode back in the carriage with Kate. Even though Kate and Robbie were staying with them, her friend was still in danger. Emily knew her brother had many resources at hand, but how were they supposed to stop a man who slipped by undetected? With Hugh and the other reinforcements, it would surely aid in apprehending the blackguard.
Even with knowledge of Ethan’s work with Sir Darnley’s agency, Emily never dreamed a crisis would hit so close to their home. She enjoyed the peaceful tranquility of the country. The bustle and crowds of the city was not to her liking. Plus, out here, she was useful.
Over the years, Emily had learned the finer points of the healing arts. She took care of the locals when Dr. Wallace was not available. Here, Emily had a purpose. In the city, she was just another Marquess’ daughter on the marriage mart. Her plans did not include marriage in the foreseeable future. Emily knew it vexed her mother to no end that she recoiled from the idea of finding a husband, but she couldn’t change how she felt. Besides, she knew she was not the most attractive young lady in London. It was pointless to pretend to be something or someone she was not. Emily’s heart was in a different place.
Lately, she had been contemplating how to best support the war effort, like her brother, but in her own way. She knew nurses had been sent to the war front. If she could use her knowledge and skills of healing, she could do her part in aiding the troops. Unfortunately, Emily knew her parents would not welcome her plan nor Ethan, for that matter.
Emily’s family still saw her as a little girl, but at twenty, she had seen more than most girls her age. While her friends had been getting married and having families, she had been assisting in childbirth and mending wounds. Emily had a calling, and she wanted to answer it.
The carriage bumped around on the road and brought Emily out of her musings. She glanced at Kate, who looked worried. Emily reached for her friend’s hand in support. “We are all here for you. Ethan will not let any harm come to you or Robbie.”
“But what about you, dear Emmy? I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.”
Emily laughed at the notion. “What do you mean? Nothing will happen to me.”
“But you were with me today. What if someone had taken the carriage, or worse? They would have taken you as well. Perhaps it’s best if I leave.”
“Do not speak such nonsense. The best thing is for you to stay here. There are more guards now, and we will just have to be more careful. This is only temporary. Ethan always says that eventually, everyone makes a mistake. When this cousin of Nathan’s makes a mistake, that is when Ethan will strike.”
Emily tried to sound light-hearted and convincing, but she was not sure she had succeeded. Kate’s lips were pursed and everted her gaze.
The friends spent the rest of the ride in silence. When they returned, Kate checked in on Robbie. Ethan and Hugh retired to the study to discuss their strategy. Emily went to her room to change. She planned on making calls to some of the tenants. The morning dress she wore would not be appropriate for trekking the hills and valleys surrounding the estate.
After Emily gathered her supplies in a basket, she left out the servant’s door by the kitchen. She didn’t want Ethan to see her leave, since she was afraid he would forbid her to go. Before she started, she had to get some items. There was a medicinal herb garden beside the kitchen garden. Emily grabbed the shears and snipped some herbs she may need for her visits. She made various teas and poultices out of the fresh ingredients. Once everything was secured in her basket, Emily made her way to the first house.
The bright afternoon sun beamed brightly, with no clouds in sight. Emily strolled up the first hill and looked over the landscape. The late summer grass was lush and green. To the west laid the small pond her grandfather had installed. She could hear the ducks frolicking in it. Ahead of her, the tenants’ houses scattered across her father’s land.
The tenants were the men, women, and children with whom Emily had grown up. When she went to London, the people she met were superficial and concerned only about themselves. Emily detested being put on parade and expected to say and do what was proper. She wanted her words and actions to be her own, not what society deemed as acceptable behavior for a woman of her station.
There were times Emily wished she were a simple country maid. She yearned for the freedom to do what made her happy. If she married, her days of practicing medicine would be over. It was the primary reason she hesitated to marry.
Twice a week Emily made calls to the sick, more if someone was seriously ill. There were five families she planned on visiting today, along with anyone else who asked for her. Along the way she would stop and talk to acquaintances. There was little formality and Emily was treated like a local, someone with whom the villagers could share their concerns. It warmed Emily’s heart to be part of a community, to have her voice heard and her opinion appreciated.
Her first stop was Mr. Groff, a local farmer who had fallen off his roof a week prior and broken his collarbone. The injury could have been much worse, Emily had reminded the old man many times. He was healing well, with only a small bump over the broken bone. Mrs. Groff admitted that he had been trying to do work around the farm and Emily had to scold him for doing too much. She stayed at the farm for an hour before going to the next stop on her list.
The rest of the day was spent attending to the needs of the ailing tenants, including an adolescent boy who had broken his arm, a wife with chronic headaches who needed her herbal teas, and a shopkeeper with a sour stomach. The vicar waylaid her on her way home. The older gentleman loved to go on about his gout and the daily aches it caused him. He babbled on for what seemed an eternity before saying his farewells. Before Emily knew it, evening had started to close in and she still had a long walk home Ethan would not be happy with her when he discovered she had been out unattended.
As Emily walked across a field she paused when the neigh of a horse caught her attention. She looked around but did not see a rider. The last rays of light lingered, but not enough to allow her to see into the distance. The horse neighed again, closer this time. A twinge of dread made Emily’s heart skip a beat as she increased her pace. It had been foolish to get caught so far from the house at night. A fiend was skulking about the countryside, and she was defenseless.
The sound of hooves was almost upon Emily. There was nowhere for her to run; she would stay and face whoever approached her. If it was a foe, perhaps she could unhorse them and have time to flee. Emily’s mind raced over the options when, to her left, the rider appeared over the crest of a hill. She could not make out who it was, only that the stature looked like a male. The rider spurred the horse toward Emily. As he drew nearer the pounding in her ears intensified. She had to stand fast and show no fear.
The dying light made it difficult to identify the horseman until he was right on top of her; it was Hugh. With his dark hair and matching charcoal eyes, he looked like a seduct
ive devil come to take her away. Her body flushed with heat at the impressive figure he made on his stallion. An audible breath of relief escaped her lips.
Hugh pulled up to stop his horse. “Emily! Good God, what are you doing out at this hour? You should be at the house. When did you leave?”
“Hello to you as well, Hugh. I was out visiting some of the tenants. It took me longer than I expected. I was just on my way back to the house.”
Hugh dismounted and marched over to her. “Do you realize what kind of danger you could have been in?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Look around, Emmy.” He swung his arms to encompass their surroundings. “You are in an open field. You are the perfect target, a woman who is alone at night. What were you thinking?”
Emily gritted her teeth. She did not need him to throw her folly in her face; she wasn’t a child. “As I already said, I was delayed. Now, you are delaying me as well. If you will excuse me, I need to return home.”
She only took one step before Hugh stopped her. “I don’t think so, Emmy. Ethan will have my hide if I let you go off alone. You will ride back with me on the horse. I won’t hear any arguments.”
Even though it was the sensible thing to do, she would be damned if she would admit it to a man like Hugh Fitzsimmons. She knew he was accustomed to being obeyed; he was a Captain, but she was not one of his soldiers. Emily stood defiantly for a moment, Hugh’s hand still on her arm before she made her way to the horse. Hugh helped her mount, then got on behind her.
The house sat two miles from their present location, and at the pace they were going, they would be there in no time. As they rode, Emily studied the countryside. She noticed a cloud of smoke off to the north. Odd, she thought, there were no houses in that area.
“Hugh, stop.”
“Now what?” He said in a clipped tone.
Emily pointed to the smoke. “There shouldn’t be any smoke from that direction. There are no houses; it’s just a wooded area.”
The Spy's Lady: A Steamy Victorian Historical Spy Series (Romancing Intrigue Book 2) Page 6