A Gentleman's Guide to Save a Lady: Misadventures of the Heart

by Wilde, Tanya

  Fifteen minutes later, the flickering light drew closer as they advanced on the much bigger ship. A grim-faced Derek appeared with a telescope in hand, “Lady Belle appears unharmed.”

  “Contrary to some misguided beliefs, starting with the better news does not make the terrible any easier. Spit it out,” St. Aldwyn barked.

  Simon shot his friend a warning look. His heart drummed in his chest and a sick feeling of dread overcame his heart. St. Aldwyn did have a point.

  Derek handed Simon the telescope. “We will reach them in an hour, but they are making her walk the plank now.”

  They’d never get to her in time.

  St. Aldwyn cursed and Simon’s fists itched to strangle that French bastard. He took the telescope, adjusting it so that the deck of the other ship came in focus. The ship was alight with candles and torches, as though the bastards wanted them to watch.

  She spotted Belle on the deck, in nothing but her shift, a big-bellied crewmember keeping her captive. Fury rose, swift and fierce.

  “Bloody hell.”

  Simon glanced away just long enough to note St. Aldwyn had been given a telescope, too.

  “Lady Belle is a strong swimmer. We will get to her in time if she acts smart,” Shaw said.

  “Oh? And you know this how?” Simon snapped, but he recalled her lithe body, bathed in the moonlight.

  No answer came, which was just as well since a commotion on the other ship’s deck held all his attention. They were urging her onto the plank, one man even putting his dirty hands on her person to deposit her on the wooden structure.

  It was too far to discern her expression, but not too far to note her moving forward. “Dammit Belle, stall!”

  “He has a pistol aimed at her.”

  Simon stilled, inching the telescope to focus on the deck to see that De Roux indeed had a pistol trained on her.

  “He doesn’t want to take the chance that we’d save her in time.”

  Simon swung to refocus on Belle only to see her pause and glance over her shoulder before she jumped off the plank.

  “Shit!” Simon nearly fell to his knees right then. But he still kept a steady hand on the telescope, focusing on the spot he’d last seen her vanish into the water.

  “Steady,” St. Aldwyn urged. “It is a good thing she jumped. She’s smart in refusing them the opportunity to shoot her. We will save her.”

  “How the hell will we know where she is?”

  “Trust the captain. Trust Lady Belle.”

  Much easier said than done, Simon reflected bitterly.

  He did not know how long he stood there staring through the lens and searching the black waters for Belle, but the sudden shouts jerked his attention back to the activities on deck.

  “In the water up ahead!” Someone shouted and Simon jerked in the direction the outstretched arms pointed. He leveled his telescope to the spot and within a few seconds saw dark blond hair standing out in the harsh darkness of the water.

  He did not act; he did not think. He only reacted.

  St. Alwyn shouted, attempting to stop him, but it was too late.

  Simon had jumped ship.

  Chapter 12

  Belle awoke with a terrible pain pounding against her skull. Her mouth was dry and her body ached all over. What on earth had she done? Gotten into her brother’s brandy supply? No, that wasn’t it. Was she ill? No, not it either. Her throat burned when she swallowed and her chest hurt when she breathed.

  Then it flooded back to her.

  Explosions.

  Edgar.

  The plank.

  The ocean.

  Memories of the previous night filtered through her fog-filled brain. She recalled acting as bait to lure out the man that once tried to kill her. But he’d bested them, knocked her out and she’d awoken on a ship.

  This time when Belle lifted her lashes, she was greeted by an empty room that smelled of flowers. Heaven, perhaps? It certainly smelled as though it might be. But her mind rejected the possibility. She was in too much pain to be dead.

  Her eyes flickered to the door, then to the armoire, not recognizing the room. Had she been saved? Or was this another trick of Edgar’s, meant to lull her into a false sense of security?

  By all accounts she should be dead, so it was hard to imagine that monster of a man not lurking just outside the door, his thin lips pulled into a cruel smile.

  Against her will, her eyes started to drift closed, even though she tried to fight against the exhaustion. Darkness prevailed once again, plunging her into a dreamless sleep.

  When she next woke, the soft murmur of voices reached her ears. She recognized Jo’s and Evelyn’s among them. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw the familiar faces of her friends. She watched them as they stood huddled together, speaking in hushed tones.

  Evelyn was the first to notice she had awakened. “Belle! We are so glad you’re all right. I was worried you might never wake up.”

  That caused her to frown. “How long have I been asleep?”

  “Two days,” Jo answered. “I nearly took Damien’s head off for letting you get captured. You almost died. Again.”

  Belle tried to remember how she’d been saved, but there were only black spots where her memory should be.

  “How?”

  “Simon saved you,” Evelyn answered with a proud smile. “He dove into churning seas and pulled you out.”

  Jo rolled her eyes. “Of course that is the version you prefer,” she came over to take Belle’s hand. “He did do all that, but it was James that initially saved you from drowning.”

  “James?”

  Jo nodded. “He followed you and snuck onto the ship. You were never alone, though it took a while to find you once you jumped from the plank but he followed, jumping after you with a piece of driftwood. That was very brave, what you did.”

  “That man’s resources know no bounds,” Evelyn muttered.

  “Well, he is a Shaw,” Jo pointed out.

  “He will be looking for me.”

  Her friends’ worried eyes met hers. “And this time we will be ready,” Jo declared.

  Belle swept the room with a curious glance. “I’m not at home.”

  “No, I ordered the driver to take you straight to our residence, since it was closer,” Jo replied.

  Belle nodded. “Is he all right?”

  “Simon?” Evelyn nodded. “Oh, he’s fine. He collapsed from tripping over his own feet with you in his arms, but swears it was from the water consumption.” Evelyn smiled, choking back a laugh.

  Jo snorted. “I heard he cast up his entire stomach and wept like a babe when you were taken.”

  “Oh posh, he did not weep, but he did lament around for a bit,” Evelyn admitted.

  “And of course he’d blame the water. Falling over his own feet must be a horrifying prospect for him,” Jo said with a huff.

  He’d been sick?

  Belle’s heart sped up like a race horse at the thought of Simon suffering because of her. He’d dived into churning waters for her. The revelation combined with her responding concern for him shook her to the core.

  “I dreamed he read to me,” Belle murmured, recalling soft murmurings of his voice.

  “Oh, that was no dream. He read to you for hours from a book about gardens. We got so tired of hearing about shrubberies, we chased him away to get some sleep,” Evelyn murmured.

  “And get a reprieve for our ears,” Jo complained.

  Belle’s lips twitched. It would seem he was still attempting to make up for his blunder.

  “I should thank him then, for saving me. And James, too, of course.”

  “I daresay you will not be able to live it down. Men are pesky beasts,” Jo offered.

  Belle groaned. “Yes, well, Westfield never wanted me to act as bait, so there is no escaping that arrogant complaint.”

  His notion that a woman should remain sheltered and protected against the outside world had already been teeth grinding, she could only
imagine what it would be like now. It would be impossible to live with him. He would hound her every step. Already her mind raced with ways to prevent that from happening.

  Perhaps she should just stay here with Jo, although that would not stop him from staying, as well, with St. Aldwyn being his closest friend and all. She could always inform her servants to lock him out of her home, but that wouldn’t stop him from bribing them. It was quite astonishing what that man could accomplish and get away with. Not to mention distracting.

  “I take it they did not manage to catch him?”

  Belle did not need to say who she referred to.

  Evelyn shook her head; regret reflected her bright blue eyes. “By the time the men fished you out of the ocean, he’d already put too much distance between the ships.”

  Belle shuddered at the thought what might have happened if they hadn’t managed to catch up.

  “You will all be in danger now.”

  “Hush, we were all aware of the dangers from the beginning.” Josephine exchanged a glance with Evelyn.

  Belle’s heart sank. “What is it?”

  “Well,” Evelyn murmured, taking a seat on the side of the bed. “Grey is ushering me to the country. I’m so sorry, Belle. I wanted to stay, but it appears I am with child.”

  Belle pulled her friend in for a hug, kissing her on the forehead. “I’m so happy for you! And I get to be an aunt.”

  “You’re not mad?”

  “Of course not! You must think of your family—your child. Grey is in the right this time. He should drag you to the country.”

  A light knock on the door drew their attention and Simon poked his head through the opening. His eyes found Belle instantly, examining every little line of her before he turned his gaze to his sister. “Your husband awaits you, sis.”

  Evelyn glanced back to Belle and murmured her goodbyes, tears in her eyes. “I’ll be back soon.”

  Belle nodded, her throat tight with emotion as she watched her friend take her leave. She would miss Evelyn but was glad she would be safe from any further danger. De Roux had proved a formidable opponent before, now he appeared even more ruthless. How did one beat a man who possessed no remorse and was merciless in his villainess exploits?

  Belle was jostled out of her musings when Simon sat down on the side of the bed. Belle noted with dismay that Josephine had disappeared along with Evelyn.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

  Belle studied him through narrowed regard. There were dark smudges beneath his eyes and his normally impeccable hair was a tangled mess. Even the ever-present sparkle in his eyes had all but vanished. Belle sensed that beneath his veneer of calm, there laid a barely restrained fury, a murderous intent even, though he did good work hiding it.

  A heavy sigh heaved from her chest. Now this was a side to him she’d never before seen, a side she was quite certain he rarely, if ever, presented to the world.

  “Thank you, Simon, for saving me.”

  His cheeks reddened. “Anyone would have done the same.”

  Belle shook her head, amazed that he could not see the greatness of his act. “No, not everyone would have.”

  “It was my fault you were taken.”

  Belle frowned. “What utter rot. That villain bettered us. You cannot lay the blame at your feet.”

  “I should have fought harder against the plan.”

  She snorted. “You still would have been outnumbered.”

  He looked away. “I thought I was too late; we were too late.”

  “I was lucky, but De Roux needs to be dealt with. Are there any leads?”

  Simon shook his head. “Shaw attempted set chase but the devil managed to give him the slip. I’m afraid we have nothing. They’ve set up patrol units along the coast in the event he returns.”

  “Oh, he will return, even if just to ascertain himself that I am dead.”

  “Then we will catch him, even if I have to turn this entire island upside down.”

  Belle blinked at the menace in his voice but found she felt the same darkness churning inside of her. She wanted Edgar De Roux dead.

  “I wish to go home,” she murmured.

  “No, that is not an option. If he returns, it will be the first place he searches. It’s better for you to stay here, at least for a while.”

  “My aunt—”

  “We will take care of your aunt. Do not concern yourself with such things now.”

  Belle grabbed his arm in a tight grip. “I did not ask for permission, Simon. I am going home.”

  His eyes narrowed and he leaned into her until their noses almost touched. “You are the most infuriating woman I’ve ever had the fortune to meet,” he growled.

  “You can act the indignant male all you like, but I still make my own decisions. I do not plan on hiding like some scared little bird. I won’t.”

  “Dammit! You don’t even give me an inch.”

  “Simon, don’t. Please.”

  “We made love, Belle. You cannot tell me that it meant nothing to you.”

  “That horrendous act—”

  “Horrendous act?” Simon cut her off, a look of horror flashing across his features.

  “Well, it was hardly an act of wonder with you hovering above me all shocked like.”

  “I made a mistake,” he bit out, “which I thoroughly regret. That still doesn’t change what happened or the fact that I wish to make it right by you.”

  “You should,” she snapped. “However, I have made my feelings on marriage clear.”

  Anger flashed in his gaze, but she held her ground. He did not know the devastating truth.

  “We can work through your reservations.”

  The words cut Belle deeply, but she dared not give him false hope. If she allowed even an inch of weakness or doubt to the surface, he would break down her defenses with ease. She would not risk it, being content to just live in a world where he existed.

  He said nothing, only stared her through tired eyes. She hated seeing him so desolate. “Perhaps, once this is over, I will tell you of all my reasons and you will understand the merit they carry,” Belle offered.

  He stilled at her words and Belle watched as his mind calculated all the possibilities and their meaning.

  “I will take you home,” he said and paused. When he continued his voice was so slow, so ominous, that Belle’s heart started to race. “But this time I will not be sleeping in your brother’s chambers. I’m not prepared to let you out of my sight for even a moment until that bastard is apprehended.”

  Her breath hitched at the thought. He meant to stay in the same room as her this time. The concept of how close of a proximity that meant overwhelmed her. She would hear every movement of his body, every inhalation of breath.

  Torture.

  But she’d take it.

  “Very well, as I have no desire to be left alone after what happened. But it does not mean that you are allowed to take any liberties with me, sir.”

  His eyes widened in mock disbelief. “I would never take advantage of a lady who has just survived a traumatic experience.”

  Belle only snorted in response. Her heavy eyelids began to drift shut again, having decided that was enough energy spent for now. She murmured a retort as she fell into sleep, “I do believe you speak untruths, but I’m confident in my ability to hold your advances at bay.”

  Simon watched Belle’s eyes turn heavy in her battle to stay awake. Moments later, she lost, and her breathing steadied. He inhaled a shaky breath, which surprised him. He’d not even realized he’d been holding his in.

  Her placating admission that they’d talk once the danger was over had set his already heavy heart over the edge and into the abyss. He suspected she would break all alliance then.

  Dammit!

  He’d have to come up with a plan to tie her to him irrecoverably before the threat was gone—something that would convince her to change her mind on marriage. For now, he was glad he had an
excuse to remain plastered at her side. But how long would “now” last?

  He simply refused to lose her.

  St. Aldwyn poked his head through the door, drawing Simon from his troubled reflections. “Oh, you’re both decent.”

  The man’s voice had held the unmistakable tinge of disappointment.

  Simon’s lips curled into a small smile. “She’s damn stubborn and suffered enough,” Simon replied quietly.

  He waved Simon’s comment away. “I take it her mood has not improved where you are concerned?”

  “Her mood has nothing to do with me, it’s her stubbornness that refuses to improve.”

  Simon shook his head. “I can feel that I’ve reached the end of my rope—the end of my good behavior. I’m afraid I’ll do something…ungentlemanly if she doesn’t change her mind soon. Like, set my mind to seducing her.”

  “You will not let her go then?”

  “I would not know how.”

  “Then you best start courting her in earnest or devise a plan to compromise her completely.”

  Simon sighed. “I believe she’d embrace ruination rather than marry me.”

  St. Aldwyn visibly cringed. “What the bloody hell did you do to her?”

  “I did not do anything. However, my shock at discovering her still chaste may have implied that I believed her to be unvirtuous in the first place.”

  A low whistle filled the room. “What idiocy would have you believe such a thing?”

  “Would you shut your mouth? I…I just figured her flirtations in the past—”

  “Please stop,” St. Aldwyn interrupted with widened eyes. “I thought Grey and I had it bad. You may be even worse than us, and that is saying a lot.”

  Simon’s eyes narrowed in a glare.

  “And I’m pretty certain it’s supposed to be the other way around, no? To act shocked when you discover she’s not an innocent.”

  “I’m aware I made an utter ass of myself.”

  “Oh, that’s good then. Am I to presume you discovered this information by seducing her or did you happen across one of her journals?”

  “I would never snoop through her belongings,” Simon bit out.

  “Seduction then, but I must admit, snooping through your wife’s belongings can be quite fun. Did you know Jo owns a—”