He glanced down when one gentleman walked past just a little too closely and stared with a mixture of anticipation and horror at the all too familiar face. A quick glance at Kat assured him that she was busy with a customer. Agnes and Billy were just headed into the bakery. For all intents and purposes, life was perfectly normal in Tattersnell.
Nobody had the slightest idea that they had a French spy in their midst because, unless Jonathan was very much mistaken, Beaulieu’s contact, Joseph Bernard had just walked past.
Jonathan’s gaze locked on the Frenchman as he weaved his way through the crowd with a confidence that warned him that the foreigner was familiar with the market. Once or twice he had to lengthen his stride to keep the man in plain view as he dodged his way around the people. At one point he lost contact and cursed the number of people that had descended on the market. It wasn’t likely that the Frenchman was here to do his shopping, so what the hell was he doing in Tattersnell?
More importantly, why hadn’t Jonathan noticed him before?
He followed the man down an alleyway and out into a small lane at the back of the houses that lined the main street. Vaguely, he heard someone call his name but didn’t break his gaze from the back of Bernard’s head. He used the shadows of buildings, and whatever cover he could find, to follow the man to the outskirts of the village, all the way to a nondescript cottage on the edge of town. He watched Bernard disappear inside but knew that someone else was already in the house, because they had clearly been keeping a look-out for Bernard, and had opened the door to allow the man in before he had even reached the front step. Unfortunately, it was too dim inside to be able to see who that other person was, but Jonathan’s gut feeling told him that it was Dubois, or one of the other French spies still at large.
Loud pants from behind him drew his attention and he quickly turned around. His groan was loud at the sight of the eagerness on Billy’s face as he raced toward him.
“I was calling you, but you didn’t hear me,” the young boy gasped as he drew to a stop beside him. The smile on his face grew hesitant when Jonathan made no attempt to smile back, and merely scowled at the young boy in consternation.
“Go back to Kat, Billy, now,” Jonathan growled.
“I just wanted to ask you if you could give me another riding lesson?”
Jonathan sighed and fought the urge to shove the boy roughly in the direction from whence he came. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he was fairly certain that someone was watching him – them, but daren’t turn around and take a look. With a sigh, he pushed Billy into the sheltered protection of an alleyway and turned him roughly around to face away from him.
“I said; go back to Kat, Billy. Now,” he repeated. He glanced up and cursed fluidly at the sight of Kat, who now stood at the end of the alleyway watching them. “Get out of here, both of you.”
The sound of a door being closed behind him made him turn around. Dubois headed toward them. It had never been necessary to learn it before to learn the language before, but he had heard enough to know that the Frenchman swore roundly as he drew his braces up over his shoulders. Jonathan knew that Bernard would not be far behind and shook his head in disgust.
He had spent several weeks trying to find one of the bastards, now he had two on his hands at the same time, and Kat and Billy right behind him. He spun around and stared at Billy, who looked back at him in confusion.
“Do you know the Excise House?”
Billy nodded hesitantly and glanced at Kat, who had moved to stand beside him. “At the back of there is a small empty house. In there is a man called Stephen. Go and get him. Now, Billy,” Jonathan ordered. He gave the boy a shove and watched as Kat assured him that it was alright. “Quickly.”
“What is it?” Kat asked. She stepped forward just as the first bullet hit the brick wall beside Jonathan. She didn’t have the time to scream before her wrist was captured in Jonathan’s ruthless grip and she was pushed roughly ahead of him. “Jonathan? What’s happening? Who are they?”
“Run!”
Kat didn’t have the time to think of anything else to say. Jonathan dragged her relentlessly toward the end of the lane. She gasped and watched in horror as he drew a wicked looking gun from his pocket and fired over her shoulder at the two men now giving chase.
She screamed as another shot whizzed past her ear and ducked, just as Jonathan shoved her behind him and took aim. She wished now that she had gone with Billy. Who were they? What did they want with Jonathan? Just what on earth was he involved in?
She didn’t have time to formulate many more thoughts.
“Kat, get behind me and stay behind me. Do you see the alleyway behind you? Run down it and at the end turn right,” Jonathan growled. He gave her a rough nudge in the right direction. He took the opportunity of the Frenchmen’s pause while they reloaded their guns, to practically chase her down the street. He pushed her to go faster and faster with a heavy hand in the middle of her back as he steered her toward their destination.
Kat had no idea what he was involved with, but he seemed to be in far more trouble than she was with the smuggling. Being shot at had put her own activities into perspective. Who was he? What did these men want with him? She gasped for breath and lengthened her stride as much as she could in response to his persistent hand in her back. As instructed, she turned right at the end of the alley and found herself on the way toward the town centre and the market. Did he intend to try to lose them in the market? If so, what about mother, or Billy when he came back?
Her fears were unfounded when, after several more feet, Jonathan directed her around another corner and into a small mews. In the far corner was a discrete sign that marked the entrance to a small boarding house. Kat had no idea how he knew where this was. She had been to Tattersnell several times every week since she had been a small girl and had never known of its existence. Still, she was glad of it when they made their way upstairs unchallenged.
Once there, she followed Jonathan to a small room at the top of the stairs. Once inside, he motioned her to be quiet and walked silently across the room. He stood to one side of the main window that overlooked the market square and peered carefully around the shutters.
Outside, he could see Bernard and Dubois, pick their way through the market. It was clear that they scoured the crowds. For the time being at least, they were free and clear. He could only hope that they hadn’t had a good look at Billy and could recognise him. Stephen knew where to find them. They would wait until the coast was clear and he could get Kat back home once Bernard and Dubois were well out of the area.
He watched for a long time until both Frenchmen reached the far end of the market and stood in conversation for several moments before they doubled back to search again. Jonathan had no idea how many of their reinforcements were in the area. Hell, he had no idea that they were in the area. With a shake of his head, he turned away from the window and closed the shutter a little to protect them from discovery.
He sighed and mentally cursed his behaviour at the sight of Kat, still beside the door, her eyes wide with fear. Her arms were curled protectively around herself and, even from several feet away he could see the fine tremors that coursed through her.
“I am sorry, Kat,” Jonathan muttered. He snatched a blanket off the bed and draped it around her shoulders. He rubbed her arms while he tried trying to think of something to say that would reassure her but, right now, their situation was precarious. He couldn’t in all conscience tell her that everything was alright when it so obviously wasn’t. If the Frenchmen decided to investigate the taverns and hostelry that surrounded the main market square, they would undoubtedly find them.
“Who are they?”
Jonathan sighed. “They are French spies. Smugglers are working in the area, I know that for a fact,” his gaze was sharp. “But these foreign spies were smuggled in further along the coast line by a ruthless gang of smugglers who have now been brought to justice. Unfortunately, we were too late
to prevent those two,” he nodded toward the window and Bernard and Dubois outside, “and several others, from being smuggled into the country.”
“They are spies?”
“Yes, working for France. They have been using an established network of people to enter the country, adopt new identities and disappear.”
“But what are they doing here? I mean, they are already in the area and smugglers around here won’t have allowed French people into the country. They aren’t like that, Jonathan,” Kat’s voice was adamant that she was right. Although she hadn’t been down onto the beaches to help with all of the deliveries, she had never heard or seen any people being smuggled. The very thought made her shudder in revulsion.
“Maybe not, but there is smuggling going on in the area,” Jonathan argued. “It has to stop. Although it may only be cargo being brought into the country, it is illegal and everyone involved can go to jail. The network those spies used to get into the country originally smuggled cargo before they started to include people. It is only a matter of time before Bentney on Sea is used as an entrance point for new spies. We are at war after all, and these Frenchmen will stop at nothing.”
“God in heaven,” Kat whispered, her eyes filled with a mixture of disgust and horror.
“It is why I have to know what is happening in the village, Kat. I cannot have that kind of crime on my doorstep.”
“Who are you? I mean, what do you do? Why do those Frenchmen know you and what do they want with you?”
Jonathan sighed. He didn’t want to take her into his confidence. Not now, and especially when they were in such danger, but he had no choice.
“I am a member of the Star Elite. We are a unique, carefully selected unit of elite soldiers straight out of the army. We all have our individual skills but we have been protecting the country from French invasion. We have all served our time in the war, and have returned to English shores for various reasons. Since then, we have worked as a unit ever since. It is our duty to ensure that smuggling of any kind is stopped, and the French spies brought into the country are tracked down and removed from being any threat.”
“You mean killed.” Kat felt sick and stared at Jonathan with a mixture of horror and dread. He was the man she loved, but he was also her worst enemy. She couldn’t confide in him now. She would put everyone in the village at risk. But, now that she knew what he was, she was in the worst kind of situation. How could she not tell the other smugglers what he was? Who he was, without betraying him? She didn’t want to place his life in danger. After what had happened today, he seemed to be in considerable danger enough already. If she told the villagers, they would gossip and it would spread to nearby villages. If the Frenchmen were located in Tattersnell, they could hear about Jonathan, and would know where to find him.
“We have to do whatever we have to in order to stop their activities, Kat. The safety of the country and everyone in it is at risk if we don’t. This is war, and this is my job.”
“You work for the Star Elite,” she whispered with a dazed shake of her head. She had no idea about this part of his life. She turned to study him. “It is what takes you away from home so often, and for so long?”
Jonathan nodded. “I have missions to complete that require me being away for weeks at a time. Uncle Bruce is perfectly fine being looked after by the staff. I have a good man of business who takes care of things for me so I can concentrate on getting the job done.”
“What about when the war is over. What do you plan to do then?”
Jonathan smiled gently, but it was more a quirk of his lips than an outright grin. “If I am still here, then I am going to retire to run my estates. I don’t want to continue with the Star Elite until I am caught and killed, or am too old to carry out my duties safely. At the minute though, the men I work with are also my friends. I cannot abandon them to fight alone. I have a duty to watch their backs. We take care of each other.”
“The two men who came: Rupert and Stephen?”
“They are two of my colleagues from the Star Elite. They have come to help me put a stop to the smugglers, and capture the spies in the area.”
Kat closed her eyes and sat on the bed with a thump. She never really knew him at all. All this time she had thought he was a wastrel who was merely using Dentham Hall as a place to lodge when the bright lights of the big city got too much for him, and all the time he was off fighting for king and country. She felt so guilty for having judged him so harshly but, in her defence, she had only been going on what she had seen. She hadn’t stopped to consider that he might have a more altruistic reason for being away from home so much.
“Who are the two men giving chase?”
Jonathan moved to the window, just in time to see Dubois’s head disappear into the mews. With a curse he began to reload his gun. “Frenchmen. I had been sent home to take a well earned rest, and been instructed to see if I could find one of them in Dadington. I never realised that they were here instead. I have been rather busy,” he smiled wryly at her and watched her shift uncomfortably.
“Babysitting me.”
“Helping you,” he replied gently. “There is a difference.”
“How?”
“Because you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself,” he glanced over at her darkly. It was on the tip of his tongue to make reference to his knowledge of her illegal activities, but kept quite. He had a lesson or two to teach her before he revealed that he knew what she was up to.
It irked him a bit that she didn’t feel that she could confide in him but could understand her reluctance now that she knew who he really was. Right now, she was damned if she did tell him, and damned if she didn’t. He was going to let her stew over it for a little while, just to make her a bit more uncomfortable. Hopefully, the worry would remain with her and put her in a position where she had to stop and take stock of what she was really doing, and the implications it had on all of her family. Then, when she had second thoughts, he hoped she would have the common sense to stop. If she was on the beach the next time the cargo came in, or any of the goods were delivered to her house, then he would drag the matter out into the open with her and ban her personally from any further involvement.
It didn’t change his determination to get her to marry him. Indeed, the thought that she was brave enough to head out into the elements and stand on a beach in the middle of the night to smuggle cargo made him rather proud of her. He would have been too, if it wasn’t highly illegal and liable to land her behind bars. Still, he was glad that she wasn’t some insipid miss that would bore him as soon as the honeymoon was over. He was greatly reassured that their marriage would be a long and happy one. If only he could get her to agree to give up her nefarious lifestyle for one of hearth and home.
Kat studied the ease in which he held the gun and walked silently across the room. His face was sterner than she had ever seen it before. The old Jonathan she had come to know, and love, had developed a hardened, almost ruthless side that she wasn’t sure how to deal with.
Now that she knew what he did while he was away, she wished he hadn’t told her. She was now stuck to know what she should do next. She had agreed to accept one more delivery of cargo while another smuggler could be found to replace her. There was already an abundance of cargo because of the demise of Mr Barnaby. However, she had made it clear to everyone that she and her family were done with smuggling for good after this last shipment. She could only hope that until that cargo was safely delivered and sold, Jonathan would be none the wiser. Her thoughts turned toward the goods hidden in the various places around home, and she mentally winced at his condemnation should he ever find out about her subterfuge. Guilt began to weigh on her and she stared worriedly down at her feet.
“They are headed this way,” Jonathan murmured. He turned the lock in the door quietly and put a finger to his lips. He moved to sit beside her on the bed. Even from a few feet away he could feel the trembles that coursed through her. He wanted to slide his arms a
round her and offer her comfort but needed to keep his hands free in case the door was kicked in.
With a quick glance around them, he studied their view of the doorway and urged her to get up. When she tried to speak to him, he placed a gentle finger on her lips and drew her over to the wall next to the door. He placed her back against it and stood before her, his eyes glued on the doorway only a few feet away. If anyone kicked the door down, they would see an empty room at first glance. It would give Jonathan the split second he needed to take a shot.
They listened as booted feet climbed the stairs. There was no familiar whistle from Stephen. This was Dubois or Bernard.
Kat was terrified. She dropped her forehead onto Jonathan’s shoulder and clutched his shirt while she listened. If it wasn’t for his solid warmth in front of her, she was certain she would have started to scream and continued to scream until half of the town came to investigate. She felt sick. Her stomach churned, driven by nerves and she gulped loudly as they waited. The footsteps stopped for several moments, then started again. Once. Twice. Closer and closer they grew until they stopped outside their door.
Kat watched the latch lift clear of its holder. The soft rattle of the door was accompanied by the soft chink of the latch as it was dropped back into place. The footsteps continued on to the next room across the corridor.
Jonathan dropped a gentle kiss on her shoulder and silently willed her to stay calm. He was proud that she had held her panic at bay for as long as she had.
“Not long now,” he whispered, directly into her ear.
“He is looking for us.” Kat closed her eyes and began to pray that Billy had returned to the market stall to help mother rather than go back to the alleyway he had chased Jonathan down. She couldn’t bear the thought of him being caught up in all of this. She glanced up at Jonathan, who stared avidly at the door, his gun pointed in readiness.
“Billy.”
“If he has found Stephen, he will be fine. Stephen won’t let anything happen to him,” Jonathan breathed, trying to put as much reassurance into his gaze as possible. Her eyes really were the most beautiful colour up close. He caught himself as his head started to lower and gave himself a mental shake, along with a stern lecture to keep his mind on the job. Still, the man in him couldn’t ignore her rounded curves pressed so closely against him, or his body’s wayward response to her nearness.
My Lord Deceived Page 20