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

by Laura Shipley

  “Good night, Robbie, dear.”

  “When will Mommy be home?”

  “She will be home tomorrow.”

  The boy nodded and left with Nana. Emily stood up and stretched her back. It had been a long day. She had not realized how exhausting it could be to have a child.

  “Did he tire you out?” Hugh asked.

  Emily arched her brow. “I’m surprised you are not exhausted; he had you running around as well.”

  Hugh chuckled, “You forget, I’m used to being pushed to the brink of exhaustion. But if I must admit it, and I would only do so to you, I am tired.”

  Emily blushed. Now and then, Hugh would make a remark that made her heart skip a beat. She reminded herself that he thought of her as a sister, and she should not take these intimate moments too seriously.

  Suddenly, Emily felt restless. Perhaps, some fresh air would help soothe her nerves. She walked over and opened the door to the veranda.

  “Where are you going?” Hugh’s voice drifted from across the room, where he stood pouring a drink.

  “I want to take a little stroll outside before retiring for the night. I won’t be long,” Emily assured him.

  “It may not be safe,” Hugh warned.

  Emily grunted, “Come now, you do not think I will be safe in the gardens?”

  “You cannot be sure. I’ll go with you.”

  A walk, alone in the dark with Hugh, was Emily’s dream come true. But she knew he only offered to go along to protect her, and not because he had romantic feelings for her. Emily couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment.

  The full moon cast enough light for them to see the path. The air was cool and crisp, a perfect summer night. An owl hooted in the distance with the crickets in full orchestral accompaniment. Their footsteps crunched on the gravel as they strolled at a leisurely pace. The intermingled scents of the various flowers were a bouquet to Emily’s nose. The main gardens were her favorite place on the estate, except for her little garden where she grew medicinal herbs.

  Her garden of herbs had grown over the years along with Emily’s desire to do more for the sick. She had read pamphlets regarding the shortage of nurses and the need for improved medical conditions, primarily on the front. If she had a husband, he would forbid her to join the war efforts. Most men looked down on a lady of quality for doing anything so base as actual work. Even Hugh, whom she thought would be on her side, had discouraged the idea. He was the son of a Duke, yet he earned a living in one of the most dangerous professions. No one looked down on him for his choices because he was a man.

  Well, they could all disagree with her, but eventually, Emily would find a way to help with the war. A plan had been forming in her mind for the last several weeks, but right now, it would have to wait. Kate needed her support as a friend.

  Emily felt something brush her arm, and she jumped. She whirled around and saw it was only Hugh. He had touched her arm.

  “I’m sorry, Emmy. I did not mean to startle you.”

  Emily let out a long breath. She had jumped a mile high at a simple touch.

  “You looked like you were a million miles away. The path was turning, and I didn’t want you to walk into the hedge.”

  Hugh was correct; she would have walked right into the shrub and made a fool of herself. She turned to follow the path.

  “Is everything all right?” Hugh inquired.

  “Yes, thank you. I was just thinking about how wonderful you have been with Robbie all day. I didn’t expect you to be so taken with him.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, you do not strike me as the type of man who would bother with children.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  She had not meant to offend. “It’s just that you are a soldier, and an unmarried man. Plus, with your other activities, I would not think you had many opportunities to be around children.”

  “What other activities?”

  Emily stopped; she had put her foot in her mouth. A sheepish grin crossed Hugh’s face as she struggled to find the right words. Damn him for making her tongue-tied. “I only meant that you are busy with your pastimes when you are in town, and I’ve never seen, I mean…” Emily sighed; she felt like a blundering fool.

  Hugh chuckled. He enjoyed getting her flustered; the thought angered Emily.

  “All I meant was that based on your time spent at the gaming halls and other establishments, I thought children would be a bother to you.”

  “Just because I have no children of my own, doesn’t mean I do not like them. That’s not very nice, Emmy,” Hugh chastised.

  “What?”

  “Making assumptions about me.” Hugh closed the distance between them. He stood so close that Emily had to tilt her head up to meet his stare. “There are many things about me you don’t know, Emmy. Never assume; you may be wrong. Haven’t you ever heard not to judge a book by its cover?”

  Any rebuke fell silent on her lips when his intense stare centered on her. She had never been this close to Hugh. She could see the light shadow from his beard in the moonlight. The warmth of his breath caressed her face and sent tingles down her spine. If she leaned in an inch or two, her lips would touch his. Emily wondered if he would accept the kiss or laugh at her.

  Hugh frequently reminded Emily that she was eight years his junior. When they were younger, he had used their age difference as an excuse to ignore her. Nevertheless, against her better judgment, Emily had fallen in love with him. She was not certain when she had started to care for the devilish rake. It could have been when he had patiently taught her how to shoot a bow and arrow after Ethan had given up on her. Perhaps, it was the times he had danced with her, his strong arms guiding her around the floor. For the last few years, Hugh had been part of her life. Even though he portrayed himself as a tough-as-nails Army captain, she knew underneath there was a gentle side. Emily had seen glimpses of it over the years.

  Despite Hugh’s reputation as one of the biggest womanizers in London, she still cared him. It was a safe love because she knew Hugh did not return her affections. It was easier to love him in secret because he could not break her heart. If she never gave her secret away, her heart would be safe.

  Emily had to get away from Hugh before she tried something foolish. She was about to step back when Hugh reached for her. Instead of pulling her closer, as she expected, he held her in place. His head turned back and forth like he was listening for something. What was he doing, she wondered?

  She was about to say ask when Hugh yelled, “Down!” and shoved her to the ground. A split second later, a shot rang out close to where they had been standing. It took a moment for her to realize the noise was a gunshot.

  The course gravel dug into her skin as Hugh’s hand laid on her back, pressing her as low to the ground as possible. The only sound was their mingled breaths; the crickets had ceased their chirping, and every insect in the garden had gone quiet from the shot.

  Emily hesitated to speak or to move. When she tried to wiggle free of Hugh’s hand, he forced her back toward the ground.

  Hugh whispered in her ear, “Do not move. They are probably waiting for us to get up before taking another shot.”

  “What if we crawl away?” Emily asked.

  “Too much noise. It will give away our position. Just wait, my men will come.”

  As if magically summoned, Emily heard a whistle. It sounded like a bird, but it had an unusual pattern. Hugh returned the odd noise.

  He leaned toward her and said, “On my word, we get up and run toward the gardener’s shed; it’s closer than the house.”

  Emily nodded. Hugh removed his hand from her back and situated himself next to her. She planted her hands on the ground, ready to sprint when given the word. The blood drummed in her ears, her mouth was dry, and her muscles tensed, ready to spring into action.

  “Run,” Hugh yelled.

  Emily rose to her feet in a second and dashed off, with Hugh behind her. As they hurried, anoth
er shot fired at them from their left. An answering shout rang out close to the house. It was one of Hugh’s men running toward them and returning fire.

  As they rounded the hedge, another shot resonated ahead of them. Emily heard a bang and worried that someone had shot Hugh. She did not know what else to do, so she kept running.

  Hugh yelled, “Go left, back toward the house.”

  Emily made a sharp left as instructed. As they raced back, she heard another pair of footsteps quickly closing in on them.

  “Keep going,” Hugh shouted.

  Emily stopped after she rounded the hedge and peeked back to see Hugh fighting an assailant. She could not leave Hugh, first, because he might need help, and second because she was too scared to go without him.

  Hugh’s movements were fluid as if they were second nature. He dodged the first few punches, but one caught him in the stomach; Hugh barely flinched. He returned the attack with a swift uppercut to his opponent’s chin, followed by a knee to his groin. The blow sent the man to the ground in a heap of pain.

  Emily sighed in relief. She went to take a step when she felt the cold steel of a blade against her throat. Her captor had used the fight to his advantage in order to sneak up on her. An uncontrollable shaking spread through her body. She wanted to scream but feared what the man would do to her. Hugh turned toward her and froze. His eyes narrowed to slits, and his hands formed fists.

  The man with the knife spoke, “Now, the lady and I will leave, real easy like. I don’t want any trouble, or my blade may slip over her pretty throat,” he cackled.

  Emily focused on Hugh. For a second, she swore there was a hint of fear in his eyes. No, that couldn’t be; the fierce, heroic Hugh Fitzsimmons couldn’t be afraid. The look disappeared as quickly as it had come, but it was enough to worry her.

  The knife-wielding scoundrel pulled her back toward him. Hugh looked like he wanted to follow but hesitated.

  “Don’t come any closer, or I won’t be responsible for my actions.” The brute continued to back up as he spoke.

  After a few more steps, Hugh heard the cock of a pistol. “Don’t shoot!” He yelled.

  It was one of the guards. Emily had not heard him approach.

  “Let them go,” Hugh ordered.

  Emily could not believe that he would let the man take her.

  “A wise decision, sir. You will hear from us shortly.”

  Emily’s abductor backed away, his gaze never leaving Hugh. For his part, Hugh did not move a muscle, neither did anyone else who may have been watching them.

  After they exited the garden, her kidnapper turned around and increased their pace. They closed in on the wooded area toward the back of the park. Emily heard horses’ hooves pawing the ground. When they reached the woods, she saw five horses, but only two riders. One man, who was short and portly, dismounted and approached them.

  “Is she the one?” The heavy-set man asked.

  The ruffian holding the knife drew it away from Emily’s throat, and she gulped in the air. “Don’t know, and I don’t care. He asked for a young woman, and that’s what he’s getting. He can do with her what he wants, long as we get paid.” The brute grabbed her arm and pushed her toward the horses. “Get on.”

  Emily did not move. She mustered up her remaining courage, straightened her back, and stuck her chin in the air. They would have to force her onto the horse.

  “I said, get on.”

  Emily kept quiet.

  The portly man approached her. “Right. Listen here. If you don’t get on that horse, I will shoot you.”

  She remained still. The knife-wielding bloke looked over to a third man who had remained on his horse. The rider had a scar running down the side of his face. He gave a nod to his companion, who withdrew his gun and placed the barrel against her head. “I will not repeat myself, get on.”

  Emily called their bluff. She rationalized that if she were so important, they would not risk shooting her.

  The man cursed and put his gun away. Instead of arguing with her again, the large fellow took her by the arm toward the scarred man. They got her up on the horse, seated in front of him.

  “Seems we’ve got a live one here, Tommy. She should be fun,” exclaimed the stocky brute to his friend in the saddle. “Should we wait for the others?”

  “They know where to find us, let’s go,” answered Emily’s scarred riding partner.

  Once the men were mounted, they kicked the horses into action. Emily grabbed the pommel for balance and prayed that Hugh would find her.

  Chapter 16

  Everything had gone to hell. Hugh had not expected an ambush so close to the house. At least his senses had not left him completely while he had been talking to Emily; otherwise, he would not have heard the click, signaling the cocking of the gun. Rage surged through him, both at himself for letting Emily be taken and at the man behind the attack. The person orchestrating these incidences was crafty. Hugh would give him that.

  As soon as the abductor had taken off with Emily, Hugh had sprinted around the house and called for the horses. He didn’t wait for all of them to be saddled; he jumped on the first horse and charged off, knowing his men would be right behind him.

  Now, Hugh’s horse raced back to the last point he had seen Emily. He rounded the bend and made straight for the woods. It was the only logical choice that would provide cover.

  Within a few feet, Hugh came upon two horses tied to a tree. He was on the right track; he only prayed he was not too late. Hugh dismounted and searched for tracks, but the darkness made it difficult to see. The moonlight barely penetrated the trees, and he had to decide. The longer Hugh waited, the farther away they would take Emily. If she came to any harm, Hugh would spend the rest of his days hunting down the men responsible. The strength of the sentiment caught him off guard, but he did not have time to think about it. There would be time later when Emily was safe.

  Hugh mounted his horse and was about to leave when he heard a noise. It was his own men entering the woods. He ordered half of them to follow him and instructed the rest to split up and search in the other direction.

  Emily and her kidnapper had at least a five-minute head start. The thought of harm coming to Emily spurred him to go faster. After years in the military, Hugh thought he knew fear. But seeing a knife held to Emily’s throat made him realize nothing compared to what he had felt at that moment. A madman had threatened the life of the woman who had stolen his heart. His body had been frozen to the spot, and his mind had gone blank for an instance. It was a mistake he would not make again. Hugh’s mind focused with fierce determination. Nothing would stop him from saving Emily. God help the man who had her; he was as good as dead.

  Hugh allowed the horse full rein. The woods cleared enough to allow some moonlight to guide his way. Trees partially covered the road and tore at Hugh’s shirt, but he would not be deterred. After a half mile the road forked. He took the right prong and told his men to take the left.

  After rounding a bend, he spotted a single rider ahead. It had to be them. He kicked his horse into a faster pace. The question now was how to save Emily without her getting injured or worse.

  If Hugh shot the man, he risked hitting Emily. There had to be a better way, but he could not think of any feasible options.

  As Hugh came upon the rider, he saw Emily sitting in front of the ruffian. She did not appear hurt. Up ahead, on the right side of the road was a field. It could provide enough cushion for her to jump off the horse, then Hugh would only have to worry about the horseman. It was a plan, but not a good one. Hopefully Emily would do what he asked without question when the time came.

  The horses drew nearer to each other. Their thundering hooves echoed through the silence of the night. Hugh was right on their tail. A minute later, he came up alongside them. Emily’s captor looked surprised to see him. He went to draw his gun, but Emily grabbed his arm. The horse veered to the right which caused Emily and her abductor to lean to one side. Hugh knew it was now
or never. He yelled, “Emily, jump now!”

  She glanced at Hugh, then turned toward the field and leaped off the horse. Hugh’s horse was galloping so fast he could not see if Emily had landed safely. There was no time to check on her; he had to focus on the other rider.

  Hugh closed in on his opponent. While racing side by side, Hugh leaned over and punched the man in the jaw. The force knocked the kidnapper off his horse. Hugh pulled his mount to a stop and jumped off. The scarred man appeared motionless in the middle of the road. As Hugh approached, he heard the man moan and noticed his legs move. Before the brute could stand, Hugh grabbed him by the lapels and hoisted him up.

  Hugh stood the man up only to punch him in the stomach, sending him back down to the ground. Hugh’s shoulders heaved with exertion and anger. This bastard had threatened Emily’s life and attempted to kidnap her. He was not fit to live as far as Hugh was concerned, but the rational part of his brain knew the man might have useful information.

  The would-be assailant had his face to the ground. Hugh waited for him to stand but grew impatient and grabbed the man’s jacket. As he stood the beaten man up, the moonlight caught the gleam of steel in the fallen rider’s hand.

  The lancing heat of the blade pierced Hugh’s flesh and made him hesitate for a second. He should have expected some underhanded tactics. Now there was no choice but to fight.

  Hugh shifted his weight between his legs, ready to move in any direction. Although he had no weapons, Hugh could easily disarm a man with his bare hands if needed. Right now, he could murder the man with the amount of adrenaline pumping through his body.

  Although Hugh had a large build, years of honing his skills both on and off the battlefield had made him light on his feet. He had yet to meet an opponent he could not defeat.

  The villain lunged for Hugh’s gut, but he pivoted to the side a second before the knife found its target. The momentum of the lunge caused his opponent to take a few steps past him. Hugh pivoted and landed his right elbow into the man’s lower back. The scream of pain from his foe was music to Hugh’s ears. He would not make this quick; he would get in a few blows before incapacitating the brute. The man had laid hands on Emily, something Hugh could not forgive or forget.