The Spy's Lady: A Steamy Victorian Historical Spy Series (Romancing Intrigue Book 2)

by Laura Shipley

  She heard Hugh curse, but he kept going in the direction of the house.

  “Aren’t we going to go see who is making that smoke?”

  “We are not doing anything. I’m taking you back.”

  Emily huffed, “But what if it’s the man you are looking for?”

  “Then, it will wait. I will not endanger you. I can come back later with a group of guards. Whoever it is, they’re probably not leaving for the night.”

  “But what if you’re wrong?”

  “I’m not taking the chance, not with you.”

  “What does it matter if I’m here?”

  “It matters to me.” Hugh spurred his horse onward.

  Chapter 10

  Hugh Fitzsimmons had always been the first to rush into any situation. Over the years people had called reckless, but only because he would sacrifice his life to save others. Any other time Hugh would have investigated the suspicious smoke. But he had Emily with him, and he would not do anything to endanger her.

  In the past, Hugh had considered Emily like a little sister. He had seen her at the Norris’s home when he had been invited during his school breaks. Even though Hugh was a few years older than Ethan and their other friend, Phillip, the trio had formed a bond during their time at boarding school. Hugh had watched Emily grow up. Little by little, he noticed the girl was gone, replaced by a bewitching jade-eyed beautiful woman. The only problem was she had a stubborn streak a mile wide, but she was alluring, nonetheless.

  After school, Hugh had joined the Army and been away for months on end. It was a promising career for the third son of a duke. Then, Hugh and his friends had started to work with Sir Darnley’s agency. The agency work, combined with his military obligations, had given him little time for much else over the last few years.

  When Hugh had received the message from Ethan, he had jumped at the chance to help his friend. Upon his arrival, he had been taken aback when he saw Emily. It had been a year or more since he had last laid eyes on her, and she had matured. She shared her brother’s blond hair and deep green eyes, but that is where the similarities ended. Hugh had not failed to notice her feminine qualities including her ample bosom, lips that begged to be kissed and a curvy waist that begged for his hands to encircle it. Emily also had the temperament of an untamed mare, which drew Hugh’s wild spirit to her.

  When he had come upon Emily in the field, fear had filled those emerald eyes. Although she pretended not to be nervous about the recent events, he knew, at that moment, she had dreaded the worst. Now, she wanted him to ride into the unknown with her. She was daft! He clicked his tongue, and the horse headed toward the house.

  “So, you are just going to let your first lead slip through your fingers?” Hugh heard the sarcasm in Emily’s voice.

  “Yes. I will come back and investigate the fire later. As I said, I am not taking you into a situation over which I do not have full control. We do not know who awaits and whether they are armed. My military experience has taught me to never get into a situation that I cannot get out of. Do you understand, Emmy?”

  Hugh thought if he used her childhood nickname, it might help soothe her, but it only ruffled her feathers.

  “Do not treat me like I’m a child. I am more than capable of taking care of myself.”

  “That may be so, but right now, I’m taking care of you.”

  Hugh drew Emily closer and spurred the horse to pick up the pace. They had gone about a mile when a noise off to the right caught Hugh’s attention. From the corner of his eye, he spotted two riders. Night had settled in, and he hoped the darkness would allow them to go unnoticed. To be on the safe side, he slowed his horse to a walk.

  Suddenly, the blast from a gun being discharged rang in the air. A second later, Hugh heard the whiz of the bullet as it passed by them. The horse reared in fright, and he struggled to rein in the stallion. As soon as he got the horse under control, Hugh dug his heels into the beast, and they raced to safety.

  The duo sped off with two more bullets nearly missing them. Ethan would kill him for sure. His little sister had been in danger, twice in one day. Hugh would find the bastards who were doing this and beat them to within an inch of their lives before he would let Ethan finish them.

  Hugh hunched over Emily to protect her from stray bullets until they reached the house. He jumped off his horse and lifted Emily down. He kept his hands around her waist a moment longer than was necessary. A cursory examination of Emily showed no apparent injuries.

  “Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine, Hugh; thank you.”

  “You know, I will have to tell Ethan about this.”

  Emily sighed, “Yes, I know. He’ll be hell to live with, more so than before.”

  Hugh wanted to say more. For some reason, he felt the inexplicable need to wrap Emily in his arms and keep her from harm. A faint throb began in his groin. Christ, he was getting aroused. Now was not the time nor the place, and he should definitely not be excited by the thought of Emily.

  She was a young woman of breeding. There was no place for her in his life, not with the secrets and dangers that awaited him on his return to London. He pushed any impure images about the fiery beauty in front of him into the far recesses of his mind. For now, he had to focus on the fact that they had just been targets of an attack.

  “Come on. Best to get this over with,” he said as he motioned for Emily to follow him.

  They entered the house and found Ethan in the study. He peered up from his papers when he saw them come in. Hugh led Emily to a chair.

  Ethan got up from his seat. “What’s wrong? I know that look, Hugh.”

  He put his hands up in supplication. “Please, say nothing until you hear the story.” Hugh recounted how he had come upon Emily and offered to escort her home. He mentioned the billowing smoke and their run-in with the mysterious shooters. Ethan grated his teeth, the only sign of his growing frustration.

  Ethan spun around on his sister. “What were you thinking, Emily?”

  “Me?” Emily sprung from her chair. “I was doing what I have always done; I was making my house calls.”

  “After what happened earlier today? After I told you not to leave the house. I shouldn’t have let you and Kate persuade me.”

  “Don’t pull the big brother card, Ethan. I have already had enough scolding from Hugh; I will not take it from you as well. I can take care of myself.”

  Ethan ran a hand through his hair and cursed under his breath. “Did you ever consider what might have happened if Hugh had not come upon you? You would have walked right into those people, and Lord knows what they would have done to you.” Ethan grabbed Emily’s arms and shook her. “You have to stop being so stubborn.”

  Emily flung her brother’s hands off her. The glint of anger in her eyes was hard to miss.

  Hugh interrupted, “Ethan, it’s all right. Emily is safe. Look on the bright side; we may, at last, have a lead. Tomorrow, we can go back to the area where the smoke was spotted and see if anyone is there.”

  With any luck, Ethan would redirect his outrage to where it should be, on whoever tried to attack them. It made Hugh furious that the attacks were primarily targeting Kate and Emily. He would stay and see this through to the end.

  Some of the steam left Ethan. His shoulders slumped as he turned away from his sister. Emily chanced a glance at Hugh from the corner of her eye. He nodded, and she took the opportunity to leave the room.

  Hugh waited until the door closed before continuing, “I know it upsets you.”

  “Upset!” Ethan spit out the word. “Upset does not describe what I am feeling. Twice in one day, my sister’s life, along with Kate’s, has been jeopardized. Whoever this man is, I will find him; and I will make him pay.”

  “There were two riders, and we don’t know if there are more. We have to assume there may be multiple suspects. I will have the men double their efforts tomorrow.”

  “First thing in the morning, we will ride out and try to find
where that smoke came from. Do you think you can find it again?”

  “It shouldn’t be too hard. For now, I think you should go to bed. How is Kate?”

  “She has been with Robbie since we came home. I’m sure, in part, to avoid me.”

  Hugh rested a reassuring hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “Give her time.”

  Ethan went back to his desk and picked up the paper he had been reading. Hugh turned and left the room. As he started up the stairs, he glanced up and saw Emily staring back at him. His heart clenched, a sensation he had never experienced before now. The feeling both excited and terrified him. Hugh was a known gambler and womanizer, when he was not gallivanting on some adventure. There was no place for an innocent like Emily in his life. When he reached the top of the stairs, he turned in the opposite direction of Emily and said not a word. Better to keep his distance like he had in the past.

  Chapter 11

  The following morning, as dawn peeked over the horizon Ethan and Hugh, along with three of their men, rode out to investigate the incident from the previous night. Hugh led them to where he and Emily had noticed the smoke. He pointed out the direction, and the group cautiously made their way toward the spot.

  When they reached a small cluster of trees, the men dismounted and withdrew their weapons. They wanted to have the element of surprise. The group spread out and scoured the area for any signs of where the smoke had originated.

  Ethan vaguely recalled a small cabin in the area, but he thought it had been torn down or taken over by Mother Nature. After another five minutes, they came upon the structure in question. Ethan signaled for the men to halt and went over to speak with Hugh.

  “It’s a gamekeeper’s house. I was not sure if it still stood. It only has one entrance if I remember,” Ethan said.

  Two of their men went to the far side of the house while Ethan and Hugh made for the door. Ethan put his hand on the knob and felt it give. He glanced at Hugh and nodded his head. They had done this before, and they knew the drill. Ethan flung open the door and ducked to allow Hugh to aim his pistol at possible enemies. Hugh stepped inside, followed by Ethan. The friends split up to inspect the building. At the far end of the house was a fireplace, in which Ethan noticed fresh ashes.

  “Hugh, over here. This is most likely where the smoke you saw came from. The ashes are still a bit warm. Whoever was here hasn’t been gone long.”

  Hugh knelt by the hearth. “Hopefully, they will come back.”

  “Who knows? If they saw you and Emily, they may think they are compromised.”

  “We will have to wait and see, I suppose.”

  Hugh walked outside and gathered the three guards who had accompanied them. “Brooks,” he said, looking at the man to his left, “you and Richards stay here and watch to see if anyone returns. If they do, do not engage, come get back up. I will have men relieve you later. We will watch the house in shifts.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Hugh turned to the last man. “Perry, search the surrounding area, see if you can find any trails or any clues as to where our suspects might have gone, then report back to me.”

  “Yes, Captain,” Perry said.

  Ethan did not mind Hugh taking over; in a way, it relieved him. Everything had happened so quickly; he felt overwhelmed. First, Ethan had seen Kate, and a maelstrom of emotions had overtaken him. Now, danger lurked so close to home. He needed the support of his friend. He knew he was too personally involved to have an unbiased opinion. Ethan worried he might let his heart, rather than his head, make the decisions, which could cost them dearly.

  The duo made their way back to the house. Ethan had estate affairs to attend to and letters to write to his father. He worked until the butler notified him that lunch was being served. The soreness in his neck reminded him of how long he had been working. He rubbed the kinked muscles as he walked to the dining room.

  The ladies were already seated and being served. He issued a greeting to them as he took his seat.

  “Ethan, I forgot to mention that we received an invitation to attend a card party at Mrs. Graham’s tonight.” Emily bit into her beef and waited for Ethan’s reply.

  “I suppose we should make an appearance since she is Mother’s good friend.”

  “I already replied and told her you and Kate would be attending.”

  Ethan fixed his glance on his sister. “Why would you reply without first consulting with us?”

  Emily shrugged. “I asked Kate this morning, and she consented to go. She received an invitation as well. Since she is staying here, it seemed natural for you to go together. Besides, Kate needs an escort.”

  Emily smirked, and Ethan shook his head. “Wait. How do you know Kate received an invitation?”

  Kate spoke up, “One of my parents’ servants was kind enough to bring over the correspondence since it was piling up at the house. Emily is telling the truth; the invitation was sent.”

  “I’m not sure it’s the safest thing to be going out,” Ethan said, setting his fork down. “But if you want to go, Kate, we will bring some armed men as well.”

  Kate shook her head. “I would like to attend, but if you think it’s not wise, then I will take your advice.”

  “We can go with the armed guards.”

  “See,” Emily said between bites, “I knew you would agree to go if I told you Kate wanted to attend. You are, after all, a gentleman, and I knew you wouldn’t let her go unescorted.”

  “And where will you be?” Ethan asked his sister.

  “I will be here at home. I do not fancy listening to Mrs. Graham go on and on about her ailments. She never leaves me alone. Plus, I’m still tired from yesterday.”

  Hugh joined the group five minutes later. Ethan noted his friend’s jaw clench as Emily spoke of the ordeal from yesterday. Hugh was taking the attack too personally when it came to Emily. Odd, he had never been one to form an attachment to any woman since Ethan had known him. It was probably because his friend saw Emily as a sister and wanted to protect her.

  “Did you find out where the smoke from yesterday was coming from?” Emily directed the question at Hugh.

  “Yes, there is a small house in the wooded area, and it looks as though someone has recently used it. We have men stationed around it. If anyone returns, we will be notified immediately.”

  “I remember that building; I thought it had been torn down years ago,” Emily said before taking a sip of water.

  “Apparently not,” Ethan answered. “So, stay clear of the area. I do not want a repeat of yesterday.”

  “I second the motion,” Hugh chimed in.

  The rest of the meal passed, and the party dispersed. Kate had said little during lunch. He watched her leave and wander into the library. Ethan waited another minute before following her.

  When Ethan entered the room, he saw Kate standing by a bookshelf, scanning the titles. She was unaware of his presence. Ethan watched the slow motion of her fingers as they glided over the spines of the books. He noticed the way her neck arched as she bent forward to examine the books, exposing the delicate skin just below her dress collar. If it was possible, she was more lovely than he remembered. Perhaps, he had been oblivious to the fact because he had taken her for granted all those years ago. Ethan had assumed she would always be around, waiting for him. Kate was right; he had been selfish. He had been too preoccupied with his pursuit of amusement to hold on to the most precious thing in his life, her.

  Kate selected a book and turned to leave when she spotted Ethan and paused.

  “Ethan, what brings you here?”

  “You.”

  Crimson shot into her cheeks. “You always knew how to flatter a girl.”

  “Not just any girl, you. And a man would be blind to call you a girl.”

  Kate’s blush deepened.

  “Did you sleep well last night, after the ordeal with the carriage?”

  “I did, thank you. I feel better today, and I am looking forward to the card game tonight.”
<
br />   “You truly want to go?”

  “Yes. It would be nice to be distracted for a while; to act normal.”

  The hint of sadness in Kate’s voice was not lost on Ethan. He went over and embraced her. She laid her head on his chest. The smell of lavender tickled his nose; it was her favorite scent. He had given it to her, in the past, for one of her birthdays. Ethan took a deep breath and pulled Kate closer.

  “I want you to have a normal life, and you will, I promise.”

  “You always were good at keeping your promises. Maybe that’s why I came here.” Kate pulled back to meet his gaze. “Perhaps, a part of me hoped you would be here, to protect me, like you did when we were children.”

  They peered into each other’s eyes, and a current of desire coursed between them. Kate’s tongue slid out to wet her lips. He needed to taste her.

  Ethan leaned down and seized Kate’s mouth in a passionate caress. His hold tightened, and he angled his mouth to deepen the kiss. He tasted her lips, again and again, desperate for her. Everything good in his life was right here in his arms.

  Kate readily accepted Ethan’s kisses and returned them in kind. She brought his upper lip between hers and sucked. As she released his lip, Ethan’s tongue thrust into her open mouth. Kate sighed as his hand glided down her backside and pressed her closer, letting her feel his arousal.

  Lust burned in Ethan’s brain. Kissing Kate felt like magic, potent and intoxicating, and he would never get enough. He had gone so long without her; he needed to make up for lost time. Ethan wanted to keep her to himself for days, weeks even, and that still would not be enough; he needed forever with her.

  ***********

  Kate’s body came alive from the effect of Ethan’s ministrations. Her breasts ached for his touch, her stomach drew into a knot of anticipation, and the junction at her legs throbbed with a need she had never known.

  When they were younger, Ethan had protected Kate from anyone who had meant her harm. Now, once again, she felt the safety and protection of his arms. The allure of his kisses was enough to make her never want to leave. His touch sent an old familiar shiver racing through her.