Love and War

by Maggi Andersen

  "I'd like to retire now, Lord Pemberton.” She desperately needed to think.

  On the way home in the carriage, Amelia and Rafe tried on several occasions to prod Selena about her conversation with Pem, but she fobbed them off. She suspected she had been manipulated and that Amelia was not nor ever would be a true friend.

  "Thank you for a very enjoyable evening,” Selena said, when the carriage stopped in Park Lane.

  Amelia enveloped her in a perfumed hug. “Did Pem say something to upset you? It would be most unlike him."

  "No, of course not. I'm tired, that's all."

  "Shall we take tea on Friday?"

  "Thank you, but I don't know if I'll still be in London. I'll send a note."

  * * * *

  The next morning, Selena took the carriage back to Army Headquarters and asked the soldier to inform Mr. Scovell she wished to see him.

  When she sat in his room again, she told him what had transpired the night before. She had deliberated about this course of action for most of the night. If Gyles was a French spy, she might make things worse for him, so she deliberately withheld Lord Pemberton's name.

  "Miles Pemberton, eh?” Scovell said.

  When she gasped, he said, “I thought so."

  "Is he a friend of Gyles’ or not, Mr. Scovell. You must tell me."

  He thought for a moment. “Do what they say, Lady Devereux. Put the article in the newspaper. When Gyles appears there will be more than one group awaiting him."

  Perplexed, Selena looked the man in the eye. “And if Gyles is in some kind of trouble I will have presented him to you on a platter."

  He gazed back at her steadily. “You have my word as a gentleman that he isn't."

  Selena thought for a moment. “Then why is Gyles in hiding?"

  "My contemporaries say that the Duke of Wellington treats his men's lives as “'no more than mice in an air pump.’”

  "You're very well trained in saying absolutely nothing of relevance, Mr. Scovell."

  He smiled and tilted his head to one side. “We need our man to come home and can find no way to contact him. If you don't do this, with us onside, Lady Devereux, someone else might attempt it. And they may not have your husband's safety at heart."

  Selena rubbed her forehead. “I find I have to trust you, Mr. Scovell. I'll place the piece in The London Times, but I want your assurance that Gyles will not be harmed by it."

  "It may gather many spies in its net, Lady Devereux, which is surely great for England."

  "That's not a very reassuring answer."

  He shrugged. “This is not a very reassuring business we're in."

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  Chapter Eight

  Selena worked late into the night by candlelight, as a pile of rejected, screwed-up papers formed on the floor. She dipped the pen into the inkwell again. She knew so little of Gyles, what could she say to him that only he and she knew? She blushed as his words came back to her. I'd like to unwrap you like a present.... Could she be so bold? It was undoubtedly the one thing he knew would be from her.

  She wrote the simple line: Dear G, your present is here in London and awaits you. You know where to find it.

  Selena travelled alone to The London Times editorial office and filled in the form herself. It would appear in the Friday edition.

  On Thursday, she returned to George Scovell and told him what she had done. She was greatly relieved that he did not ask her what it meant.

  By Friday morning, she could think of nothing but those words appearing in the newspaper. She sent a servant for a copy and opened it with shaking hands. There in black and white were her words. They made her cheeks flame. What would Gyles make of it? She almost wished he was not in London and would never see it.

  She knew she must act as if everything was normal, so she met Amelia for afternoon tea at Mivart's Hotel in Brooke Street. She felt Amelia watched her although she said nothing about Lord Pemberton. She did ask when Selena expected Gyles to come home. Selena assured her it would be soon and asked about her husband's plans. The question seemed to throw her into disarray. Amelia was not her ebullient self and they parted with stiff formality.

  When Selena returned to Park Lane, she looked about the street for signs that the house was watched, but could see no one unusual. Surely, it was not the flower seller, or the street sweeper, the old peddler on the corner, or the nanny watching her charges in the park. Amelia's forced chatter had been enervating, and now she felt quite exhausted with worry. She ate very little dinner and retired early to bed. She tossed and turned for hours before sleep claimed her.

  Something woke her. The curtains were not quite drawn across the window and a full, yellow moon shone through. She saw a shadow move across the room. She opened her mouth to cry out, but before she could utter a word, a hand clamped down and silenced her.

  "Don't make a sound,” a man's voice whispered. She felt his body settle on the bed beside her.

  Her heart fluttered in her chest like a dying bird. She drew air in through her nostrils as though it was to be her last breath. And maybe it was.

  She was considering biting down hard on the fingers, when she detected the scent of musk. Gyles’ scent.

  "You wished to see me, my lady?"

  Selena shook her head. She tried to pull his hand from her mouth.

  "You promise to be silent?"

  She nodded.

  "Close the curtain, Gyles. I'll light a candle."

  "Not wise, Selena. The house may be watched."

  "I know, I...."

  "You set me up?"

  "No. It's with the help of Mr. Scovell that I've done this."

  "The Spymaster?"

  "Is he? He urgently wants to see you."

  "Does he indeed?” His voice was filled with irony.

  His breath fanned her hair. “Have you missed me, Selena?"

  "Yes."

  "Despite all I've done to you?"

  "I believe you had good reason."

  "I've given you little reason to trust me."

  "No, you haven't."

  He laughed a low, sexy laugh that thrilled her to the core. “You never cease to amaze me. I thought when I chose you, you would make the perfect wife because you were even-tempered and intelligent. You've been all that my darling, but far more."

  His fingers stroked her cheek. “What's this, you're crying?"

  Had she been a pawn in his fate? “Is Lord Pemberton a loyal friend, Gyles?"

  "Pem? I believe so."

  "He and other friends of yours say they want to help you."

  "I find that hard to believe, Selena. Spying isn't seen as an honorable profession. My reputation as an officer and a gentleman has suffered."

  "Perhaps you should go,” she said urgently. “They know about the piece in the paper. They will know you are here."

  "I'll be gone before daybreak."

  "I want to know what this is all about."

  "And I shall tell you. I promise, but you smell so sweet, Selena, and your body is so warm and soft. Shall I unwrap my present first, before it drives me mad with desire?"

  She caught her breath. “Yes, Gyles, yes."

  "Damn. I want to look at you. You are so lovely."

  "I am?"

  "A real woman. Not a milk and water miss."

  She looked up into his face. It was too dark to make out his expression. “Gyles...."

  "Hush. No more questions."

  He brought his mouth down on hers, silencing her. She slid her arms around him, feeling his strong back through his coat.

  He stroked her body through her nightrail, moving down to grasp its hem. He pulled it up slowly, his fingers trailing over her skin, exploring what he could not see like a blind man. His hand moved between her legs and she gasped as his fingers began to stroke her, finding the spot that sent waves of desire through her. He reached up and ripped apart the front of her nightrail, exposing her breasts, his mouth closing over a nipple, teasing it
with his tongue.

  "Oh!” Selena could hardly breathe as pleasure threaded through her.

  He sat up and began to undress.

  She waited, longing for him to return to her.

  "I can't stay and do this properly, Selena. Forgive me.” He laughed. “I told you, you were getting a poor bargain with me."

  When he lay beside her again, she began to explore him, wanting to know all of him. She took his manhood in her hands, silky and hard, like nothing she'd ever known. He pushed her back and kissed her again and she thrilled at the raw passion in his voice as he groaned. “There's so much I want us to share, darling Selena. But it will have to wait."

  His tongue trailed down to touch that place at the apex of her thighs and she blushed as her body responded, radiating heat through her belly.

  Parting her legs, he lay on top of her. He entered her slowly, his mouth returning to hers as he began to move inside her, slowly, at first. She felt a flash of pain that was gone in a moment. An exquisite longing filled her as he moved faster, driving them both towards some goal-she knew not what. Her hands tangled in his silky hair. Their breaths mingled, coming in bursts. Suddenly, a surge of pleasure enveloped her, as if her belly was full of sunshine and she cried out.

  Gyles soon joined her, groaning. “I hope no one heard that,” he said. “They will be wondering what you are up to, my lady."

  She laughed softly and put her hand to his cheek. “They will think I'm dreaming.” She wondered for a moment if she was.

  He pulled up the covers as the night air began to chill their naked bodies. “I can't stay long, but I'll tell you what I can before I leave."

  She nestled in the crook of his arm as he began to speak. “After the Battle of Badajoz, I had no stomach for the army anymore. I lost several of my closest comrades in that battle. If I died before I had an heir, the Halcrow lineage would die with me. The Hall would crumble into a ruin. I felt I was betraying my father's memory. He didn't approve of me joining the Hussars, thought it beneath me. It was after an argument that I did it, just to spite him. No. Not just that, I must confess, I harbored misplaced boyish dreams of heroism."

  "Which you have brought about,” Selena whispered.

  "There's a Latin saying, Horace, I think it is, which describes my predicament: Delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi. Kings make mistakes, and the Greeks are punished.” He ran his hand through his hair. “If Wellington makes a miscalculation, it is his men who must carry the consequences. History will judge me, Selena, for I have no stomach for it."

  He moved his hand over her body cupping a breast and thumbing a nipple, rekindling a fire within her. She forced herself to concentrate on his words.

  "But I digress. When I was forced by my circumstances, to marry an heiress, I believed myself too cynical for love. You have changed that. You made me want to be worthy of you, and I was bitter when I failed at the first hurdle. Wellington's men grabbed me and whisked me off to Spain without a by-your-leave. I had urgent work to do."

  "If only you could have come and told me, said goodbye...."

  "I gave word to return you safely to Bath. I couldn't reveal details of my mission. Would it have helped if I'd lied to you? You would not have let me go without an explanation. The Duke of Wellington promised me I could return to important family matters and resign my Commission, after I'd worked as a double spy. I returned to France-I had been there before, gathering intelligence information. Wellington chose me because my mother was French. I spoke the language fluently and have relatives in France."

  "Can you tell me about your mission now?” Selena asked.

  "I had worked with Lieutenant-Colonel Colquhoun Grant as an exploring officer, gathering information near the Spanish-Portuguese border. I was not with him when he was captured by the French. They hoped to milk Grant of information about Wellington, but they got nothing from him. While the French held him captive, Wellington received word that Marshall Marmont, Napoléon's trusted Commander, was willing to make an exchange of prisoners. Wellington didn't believe it because the letter was written en clair."

  "What does that mean?"

  "In plain script rather than a cipher. Wellington wished me to aid Grant's escape, help get him to Paris where he could continue to act as a spy, and this I did. Once there, Grant passed himself off as American officer to get closer to Napoleon. In France, spies are dealt with by the police. A man who worked with me, Pierre Delaunay, was thrown into jail. I dressed as a French officer and used my false papers to get him out. Unfortunately, on my way out of the country, I was recognized and arrested. They knocked me around a bit, before I saw a chance to escape and took it. You saw the sorry state I was in when I returned."

  Selena hugged him to her. “You must go soon,” she urged him, hating to say it.

  He kissed her. “Damn, I want to make love to you again."

  "We shall have the rest of our lives for that,” she said, as he gathered her up in his arms.

  "Your right,” he said with regret. “And I haven't told you the rest. When I came home and saw how hard you'd worked, how strong and resourceful and brave you'd been, I felt deeply ashamed. I was disappointed that I hadn't contributed anything to Halcrow's restoration. In the beginning, Selena, I have to admit, I desired you as I did many lovely women. But after I came to know you, my feelings deepened. I felt too unworthy to tell you. After you left me to go to your sister in Bath, I realized that I loved you and missed you terribly. I planned to make it all right when you returned. Then I received a letter from a true friend and colleague, warning me that Wellington had not supported me. He'd hung me out to dry. I was known as one of Napoléon's spies and there were many after my head. Even Halcrow Hall had become a dangerous place, perhaps for you too. I came to London to straighten things out. But as a spy can never confirm or deny their position, George Scovell advised me to go into hiding until Wellington put things to rights. Scovell and I arranged to liaison through another man, but that man was murdered."

  "I was wondering what the devil to do. And then I got your message. It made me laugh, Selena. For the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful for the future."

  "When did you have time to socialize with Lady Rowntree?” Selena asked, hating the jealous tone of her voice.

  "I've never met her. I knew a Phillip Rowntree at school."

  "What about her cousin, Rafe Brocklehurst?"

  "He's a stranger to me, Selena. Stay away from them both."

  "They are in thick with Lord Pemberton. And he is watching for you."

  "I can't believe that Pem would wish ill of me,” he said thoughtfully, “but patriotism can turn friends into enemies.” Gyles went to the window and peeked from behind the curtain. “A full moon is not great for any of us. I can see movement down there. I'll go over the roof tops. Don't worry, it's how I came."

  He came to kiss her. His mouth lingered against hers.

  "When will I see you again?” she asked breathlessly after he drew away.

  "Go back to Halcrow, Selena. Wait for me there. I'll come as soon as I can."

  Before Selena could say goodbye, Gyles had climbed out the window and was gone. She rushed to the window and peered down into the street as a shout rose up. The sound of a pistol shot ricocheted through the air. Shivering with cold and fear, she watched someone running away down the street. It was too dark to make out if it was Gyles. When she heard the pounding footfall of many men, she held her clenched fists to her mouth.

  Then it was quiet.

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  Chapter Nine

  Spring had come to Halcrow Hall. The trees in the park were in leaf and the air filled with the sweet sound of birds nesting. A sweep of brilliant green grass dotted with daffodils, stretched to the house bordered by the stately, oaks. The breeze carried the scents of lilacs, roses and wisteria through the window of the carriage.

  As the carriage grew closer, Selena saw the miracle the changes had wrought to the topiary and the formal gar
dens. And the old house, its ivy-covered walls trimmed as carefully as the sideburns of a dandy; its polished windows gleaming in the sunlight.

  Frobisher and Joseph waited to greet her.

  Against Gyles’ wishes she had waited in London for word for another two weeks, but heard nothing. She hadn't dared go to Scovell, afraid of what he might tell her. She was grateful at least that she had not seen Amelia or Rafe again.

  It all looked so idyllic, but it meant nothing without Gyles. She smiled at Joseph, and greeted Frobisher. She must prepare herself for the loneliness and uncertainty awaiting her.

  * * * *

  Selena had been at the house another ten days when she heard a horse and rider gallop towards the house. She was in the rose garden. Throwing down her basket full of blooms, she ran towards the carriageway, losing her bonnet along the way.

  Gyles jumped down from his horse and threw the reins to Joseph.

  "Gyles," she yelled, her voice caught by the breeze and lost among the birdsong.

  He turned his head and saw her as she rushed towards him with her skirts gathered up around her knees.

  Running to meet her, he swept her up, swinging her around.

  She gazed up into his face, searching for signs of illness or distress. “Oh, Gyles, I wondered if I would ever see you again."

  He put her down and brushed a lock of hair from her face. “Where is your hat?"

  She laughed, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

  "Oh, Lord, it's so good to see you,” he said into her ear. “Come to our bedchamber. Or should we go into the garden?"

  "That would be scandalous, my lord. We now have a fleet of gardeners."

  "I don't care."

  They walked arm in arm to the house where Frobisher waited, his lined face a wreath of smiles.

  Standing in Selena's bedchamber, Gyles said, “This was my mother's room."

  "Yes, I know. Do you mind?"

  He laughed. “I think we'll move into the green suite in the west wing. It has a fine view of the lake."