“This is a dangerous game, Colin. You will be sorry, mark my words,” Logan’s warning was low, but Eve understood every word. They caused her hair to stand on end, tingling with apprehension. “What of your wife? What will she do when she—”
“Someone knows,” Colin’s voice boomed through the air like thunder. Eve had never before heard sound so deadly.
Oh, God, what has he done?
“Someone knows,” Colin repeated. “I don’t have a choice. Not any longer.”
“Hell, Colin, if you come forward you will destroy us all and for what?”
“It is right, Logan,” Colin continued.
“Like hell it is! There is nothing righteous about this.”
A loud thud startled Eve causing her to jump, a squeal escaping her throat.
Damn it to hell.
She had no doubt that the men had heard her and that her presence was no longer a secret. The two voices spoke again, yet they were no longer louder than a faint murmur. Eve was certain they were now whispering.
Mustering all the courage she could, Eve rapped against the door before grabbing the bronze knob for the second time. It was warmer now than when she had first approached. She must have stood eavesdropping longer than she thought.
In response to a curt “enter,” she jerked the door open, feigning a carefree nonchalance that her heart didn’t quite feel. “Is this a bad time?” she asked, meeting Colin’s gaze then turning her attention to Logan, his piercing black eyes boring into her very soul.
Certain the heat emanating from his fiery stare had painted her cheeks a bright scarlet, she averted her eyes from him choosing instead to return her attention to her husband. “I can come back later if you prefer.”
“Not at all,” Colin grinned, and Eve’s heartbeat quickened at the realization that his smile never met his eyes. Reflected in them was a mixture of anger and fear. She was certain of it. Colin was fearful of something or someone.
“We were in the middle of discussing estate planning,” He continued, turning toward his friend. “Let’s continue this later.”
Colin’s words were laced with a veiled warning. They suggested to Eve that he brokered no argument and was silently commanding his friend to obey.
Eve studied Logan. He appeared to be calm, but appearances, as Eve knew, could often be deceiving.
When she looked underneath the surface, Eve noted his clenched jaw and a vein pulsating in his neck. He didn’t control their conversation and Eve sensed that Logan despised that fact.
Perhaps Logan detested answering to anyone, even his closest friend.
Logan held Colin’s intense stare, his eyes narrowing briefly before stating, “Later it will be.” He then nodded to Eve before marching out of the room, his tall frame retreating down the hall that Eve had traveled just moments before.
“What was that about?” she asked, noting that Colin’s tanned profile had turned ashen.
Had his past returned to haunt him?
“It is nothing to concern yourself with,” he assured her, crossing the room then planting a kiss on the palm of her hand. “It is business, nothing more.”
But there is so much more to it …
Embracing his wife, Colin’s mind raced. His life was unraveling, and he could do nothing to stop it. He had known this day would come – that he would one day pay for his sins.
For years, he had prayed that God would forgive him for what he’d done. Now, he prayed for his wife’s forgiveness as well. Once she discovered the man he truly had become …
Colin held her tighter in a desperate attempt to lose himself in her soft caress and her warm embrace.
“Is there something you wish to tell me?” Eve asked in a faint whisper. She suspected something. He knew it.
It was inevitable, of course.
Horrors such as those he was determined to conceal never remained buried for long. No, it was a matter of time before his wife discovered the truth, though he planned to control what she would discover and when.
“Are you ready for our picnic?” he asked, feigning a breeziness that was almost painful.
His wife played along. “Absolutely,” she answered as he led her into the hall. “I haven’t seen any of our servants this morning, with the exception of Eloise. Where is Norris?”
“He is conducting a meeting with the staff this morning to discuss what is expected of them while here. He plans to meet with you after our picnic to discuss the menu for tonight’s meal and some other household issues.”
Relief flooded him as he spoke to his wife about ordinary rituals. Such talk was good, Colin thought. It changed the subject and took his mind off of the missive that had been waiting in his office this morning.
I know who you are and what you did.
You are a fraud.
I will make you pay.
The jerky penmanship was almost illegible, but the message remained crystal clear, sending Colin’s nerve endings on edge. So nonplussed was he that Colin was fully prepared to confess everything to Eve, including all that occurred in India and how he amassed his wealth, but Logan begged him not to, not yet.
Logan asked for time to discover who this intruder was and why he was threatening Colin. Logan warned Colin not to be impetuous.
Perhaps Logan was correct?
Colin considered his friend’s request to wait a little while longer before telling Eve the truth. He owed Logan that much. Besides, he had spent years concealing the truth. Perhaps a quick confession wasn’t the wisest course of action.
Colin prayed that Logan would find whoever left the note for him though he still considered confessing to Eve.
She had entrusted her heart to him.
Wasn’t it time he did the same?
The thought of such admissions enveloped his heart with frosty tentacles of dread that seemed to tighten with each passing moment. Admitting the truth to Eve, even in part, was akin to jumping off a steep cliff.
He wasn’t certain that his marriage would survive the aftermath.
* * *
“Good morning, Mrs. MacAlistair. I trust you slept well in your new accommodations,” Norris met Colin and Eve in the vestibule.
Colin welcomed the distraction their cordial conversation provided. Once they were finished exchanging pleasantries, Norris addressed him. “As requested, here is your picnic, Mister MacAlistair.”
Carrying the basket, Colin and his wife both thanked Norris before traveling down the East wing where a bank of windows illuminated the hallway in bright sunshine.
The climate had already turned chilly, especially at night, but the sunshine was warm enough, and they were both dressed appropriately for an outing.
Eve was thrilled just to be getting out of the estate and onto the grounds. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she had the distinct impression that the house held secrets, and as her excursion to Colin’s office had proven, she could feel them hovering through the halls.
A devil lurked within these walls, of that Eve was certain. It was transforming her husband into a brooding and secretive man. After witnessing the exchange between Colin and Logan, Eve became even more determined to fight for the man she loved.
She had grown more protective of her husband since learning a portion of the truth about where he had been. This man had been to war, fought in battle and had returned haunted by whatever he had seen and done. With each breath she took, her resolve strengthened.
Eve would be strong for him.
Refusing to push him for information about what he was hiding, Eve instead decided to wait until Colin was ready to trust her with the truth. In the meantime, she would be damned if Logan or anyone else caused him to retreat again.
“What an exquisite day,” she exclaimed as they approached a large centuries-old tree with leaves colored in various shades of rust.
Colin opened the large basket and unfolded a plaid blanket, placing it on the grass. “Norris packed an extra blanket in case you’re cold.”
“I couldn’t feel warmer,” she wrapped her arms around his chest from behind. “That happens whenever I’m near you.”
In immediate response, he exhaled deeply as tension withdrew from his body. Eve could feel it draining from him as sure as the sun was shining and the leaves were changing color.
Turning to face her, Colin tipped her chin, meeting her concerned gaze. “I love you, Wife.”
“I know, which is why I plan to fight for you.” Eve meant every single word and made certain that her statement resonated with determination.
Colin’s brow furrowed.
Eve gently traced the scar above his lip with her thumb. “I won’t pressure you as to why you and Logan had such a heated discussion but know this: I will not lose you to your past.”
“You sound quite resolute,” he mused, taking great pains to remain calm while his conscience was all but screaming in his ears that Eve had no idea what was in store for her, what truths were left untold.
“On this I am unwavering,” she assured him, as Colin tucked a stray blonde tendril behind her ear. “Now, what did Norris pack for our picnic?”
Quickly turning her attention to the open basket, she knelt beside it, unwrapping platters of bread, cheese and fruit. Colin sat across from her, pouring wine from a decanter Norris had included for them.
“I am famished,” Eve announced taking a large bite of cheese as she surveyed the green and rust-colored brambles and hills that surrounded them. “The landscape is beautiful here.”
Colin nodded, unable to trust his voice.
She took a sip of wine, her jade gaze meeting his. “It is such a pity that our castle leaves much to be desired.”
Her husband coughed behind his hand at her sudden change of subject.
“Please, let’s not pretend that we aren’t selling this monstrosity the moment renovations are completed,” sarcasm dripped from her every word. “I don’t know what occurred here, but I do know that this is no place for us. That house is gloomy and there is an aura that will not be repaired with paint. I dare you to deny it.”
The sense of pride that filled his heart at his wife’s determination, not to mention her insight into his familial estate, filled his heart until Colin was certain it would overflow.
“You are remarkable,” he reached for her face but this time Eve’s hand caught his, and she turned it, kissing his palm as had become his habit with her.
“And I am all yours,” she grinned. “You had better get used to me, Mister MacAlistair. I am going to be quite a demanding wife.”
He leaned forward, thoroughly enjoying their banter in the afternoon sunshine. Eve followed suit, whispering in his ear the many things she would demand in their bed tonight.
With a throaty laugh, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, savoring her essence, which now tasted like a fruity wine.
Because of his exceptional wife, Colin’s previous concerns were now all but forgotten. She would fight for him just as he would for her.
What more could he ask for?
Colin stood, grabbing the free blanket before offering his hand to Eve. Together they toured the lawns, past a barrier of stones stacked about three feet high and onto a footpath.
“Where are you leading me?” Eve asked, her tone coy.
“Down the path to ruin,” Colin quipped, helping his wife down several steps and into a cavernous woody area surrounded by large pines and a thicket consisting of at least a dozen bushes of varying varieties.
She inhaled the heady scent of pines, gazing at the bright blue sky, wispy white clouds and tall pine peaks in awe. “Colin, this is breathtaking.”
“Just wait,” he said with a smile as he placed the blanket on ground covered with pine needles. He helped Eve sit before joining her on the blanket. “Lay back and look up.”
Eve complied, and her voice caught in her throat. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”
The tall pines stretched as high as the eye could see, all but reaching the sky as beams of sunlight cascaded through their lush green limbs.
“Listen,” he said. The sound of a soft breeze rustled through the leaves while birds chirped in harmony and the sound of a babbling nearby brook filled the air, the rushing current splashing against rocks as it flowed downstream.
Eve closed her eyes, “Sounds like paradise.”
“I thought you would like it.” Colin picked up a pine needle from the ground beside him and twirled it between his fingers. “I frequented this spot when my family resided here.”
“It puts life in perspective, doesn’t it?” Eve stared again at the view above. “We’re so small and insignificant in comparison to nature. How old do you think these trees are? They’ve survived so much and are still standing, still thriving.”
A life lesson from Eve MacAlistair … Colin knew his wife’s statement was meant for him.
“Very smooth, Wife,” he grinned.
Rolling onto her side, Eve propped her head on her arm. “I try.”
Colin had two choices – begin to open up to his wife or not. She already knew he fought in India and seemed to love him more for it.
Perhaps it was time for a little more honesty.
“Logan wants our experiences to remain in the past, and so do I,” Colin rolled on his side, meeting her empathetic gaze. “You deserve more.”
She remained silent as he continued. “There was a great deal of bloodshed, death, and corruption –allegiances swapped to the point that we didn’t know whom to trust anymore.”
“You and Logan?” Eve asked, her tone gentle and reassuring.
“Our regiment was in a rather bloody fight. Logan wasn’t hurt, but many in our regiment died. Our general was badly wounded. I attempted to get him to safety and was shot. I don’t know how Logan managed it as I was in and out of consciousness, but somehow he whisked us both to safety before the enemy could finish the job.”
Colin paused. These events forever changed him. “We were sheltered by a wealthy family. They hid us and tended to our wounds at great peril to themselves.”
“This family healed you?”
Nodding, he continued. “I healed though our general didn’t fare as well. He died but only after he wrote a will leaving his wealth to Logan and me – he had no heirs and felt as if he owed us for our endeavors to save him. It was quite a large sum.”
“What happened to the family?” Eve asked.
“They were discovered aiding the enemy,” Colin squeezed his eyes shut. “An armed soldier found them.”
Eve gasped. “What happened next?”
Avoiding eye contact, Colin studied the russet colored tartan blanket beneath them. “I shot him in the back.”
“Colin—”
“I know. Killing on the battlefield is one thing but shooting someone in the back is unforgivable.”
Eve clasped his hand. “What would he have done to this family, to Logan, or to you?”
“Killed us or more likely captured us, torturing us for information before murdering us,” his voice quivered.
“How many people were in this family?” Eve asked.
“Five,” he still refused to meet her gaze.
“One life for that of seven,” Eve spoke methodically, as if it were a math equation. “You did the only thing you could under the circumstances.”
“I shot someone in the back, Eve—”
“To save the lives of seven people, including your own,” Eve squeezed his hand. “You did what you must.”
Colin studied his wife at last. Instead of censure, her expression was one of concern and … could it be pride?
“The General released both me and Logan from our posts before he died. We …” he paused again, gauging her reaction.
“Allow me to venture a guess. You smuggled the family out of danger breaking quite a few rules along the way.”
Tipping his head to the side, Colin asked with open admiration, “How did you know?”
Eve smiled at
him. “You rescued a dog – who we must name, by the way. But I digress. Anyone who would rescue a dog and be haunted by killing someone in an attempt to rescue an innocent family would not leave them behind. Why didn’t Logan want you to tell me? Assuming that was part of your earlier argument.”
“We could be in trouble if anyone discovers the truth,” Colin exhaled.
One fact was revealed, and he felt lighter for it. All this time withholding it and yet here it was, out in the open along with the pines and birds and babbling brook. Life moved forward with the release of his secret.
“So that is how you amassed your wealth?” she asked.
Colin nodded. “Some of it, yes.”
“The rest?”
“Is for another time.” He studied her reaction, noting that Eve showed no signs of frustration.
“Thank you for confiding in me,” she placed her hand against his cheek.
Leaning closer to her, Colin confessed. “I am learning that I have no other choice since I am utterly besotted with you. I have also grown soft where you are concerned. I thought myself ruthless until you re-entered my life, haunted by what I’ve done, always on edge.”
“How do you feel now?” Eve suspected the answer long before she asked.
“You bring me comfort,” Colin admitted, his wide grin deepening the chiseled cleft in his chin.
Eve pulled him closer to her and pressed her lips against his, probing for entrance with her tongue. Her husband had taught her quite a lot since their wedding night.
She released his lips and kissed a path over his jaw to his neck then nipped his earlobe with her teeth. “How private is this lovely little spot?” she asked in a seductive whisper.
Colin rolled onto his back, lifting his wife on top of him. “Rest assured we are well out of view of the main house. None of the servants will venture out here, as most have no idea this place exists. No one can see us.”
“Good,” Eve’s smile widened as she straddled him, her fingers trailing over his vest and up to his neck where she began to untie his cravat. “You are far overdressed.”
Her dexterous fingers explored his neck and then worked to unbutton his shirtfront. She began to push the fabric off of his shoulders when her hands stilled, her breath catching in her throat.
Enticing Eve: Scandalous Secrets, Book 2 Page 23