by Lora Thomas
Cameron watched his brother walk into the room with Duke. He turned and followed Anna and Sarah into the room where he’d first met Anna. How his world had changed since then. He found that he did not want to travel like he did or visit the lovely, promiscuous Widow Jones or stop by every tavern on the way home. He dreamed of Anna constantly. He found her bravery exhilarating and her intelligence intoxicating. The timid rabbit he saw on the first day here had turned into a cunning fox.
Walking to the window, Cameron picked up a pistol. He stopped by Anna. His unspoken words of worry were etched in the lines on his face.
“Save a bullet for Albert,” Anna said. “Make it count.”
Cameron said nothing. He turned and raised his weapon.
“Steady your mind, Sarah. Killing a man is not like killing an animal. But keep telling yourself that you are killing rats. Useless vermin. It makes it easier. When you look at their faces, imagine whiskers and beady eyes. Imagine the plague that would ravish this country should they prevail. By killing these pests, you are making this world a better place.”
“Are you trying to boost my spirit or yours?”
He ignored the question. “Don’t shoot until I do.”
The soldiers approached the home. Cameron could make out the Redcoats and white breeches clearly. The desire to pull the trigger was strong. But he needed to wait until the targets were closer to make better use of the ammunition they had. Taking a deep breath to steady his hand, he raised his pistol and took aim. He squeezed the trigger and hit the closest soldier. The man fell to the ground the instant he was struck. Cameron’s bullet hit the man in the center of his chest. The gunshot was answered by the British returning fire.
Cameron ducked behind the wall and tossed the pistol to Anna. “Load it.”
Anna picked up the smoldering weapon and attempted to load it. Her hands were shaking so violently that she dropped it twice.
“Hurry, Anna!” Cameron instructed as he raised his second weapon.
“I am!” she shouted back. She had the weapon loaded and by Cameron’s side by the time he fired his second weapon.
She grabbed his pistol and Sarah’s musket and began loading the weapons. The shots, along with the shouting of the soldiers, was nerve-racking. She found it hard to concentrate. Her vision was hampered by the darkness of the room. But she soon found her rhythm and was loading the weapons just as quickly as they were fired.
Cameron fired one last time and pressed his back to the wall.
“How many men are left?” Anna asked as she handed the freshly loaded musket to Sarah.
“I don’t know. When the firing started, they scattered.”
“Like rats?” Anna asked.
The corner of Sarah’s mouth lifted slightly at Anna’s jab.
“Exactly.”
“Shhh,” Anna whispered. “Someone is in the house.”
Cameron lightly walked to the doorway and peered out. He could hear footsteps on the stairs. Panic set in for there was not time to warn Christopher or Duke. He turned to Anna and Sarah.
“Go down the passage. Sneak through the tunnel and meet me at the barn.”
“What about you?” Anna asked.
“I can’t leave Chris.”
“I can’t leave you,” Anna said with desperation.
“I’ll be fine. Most of the soldiers are dead. Take the pistols and go.” He could see she was going to refuse. He looked at Sarah. “Take her. You have your child to think of.”
Anna turned to Sarah. “You’re with child?”
“Not now, Anna. Come on.”
Anna walked to the sconce and pulled, opening the passageway. “Be careful, Cameron.”
“I will.”
Cameron watched as Anna left. She was safe. Now he needed to focus on his brother. He pressed his back to the wall inside the room and waited until he heard the boards creak. Easing his body out of the dark hiding place, he raised his arm and fired his weapon. The soldier fell to the floor with a thud.
Duke exited the room with his pistol ready. He looked at the body, then at Cameron.
“Thanks.”
Cameron acknowledged the statement with a nod of his head. “Come on. Anna and Sarah are downstairs.”
“I’m going to stay up here. Make sure there aren’t any more of them lobsters coming.”
“Very well.”
Cameron headed downstairs. Nearing the dining room, he heard voices. Thinking it was Anna and Sarah, he stepped into the room and stopped short. There stood none other than Major Stevenson holding his wife to him, a knife to her throat. Sarah lay on the floor. Cameron could not tell if Sarah was unconscious or dead. He did not dally long on her condition. His eyes came back to Stevenson.
“Let her go, Stevenson.”
“I think not.”
“Your men are dead. Release her, and I might let you live.”
Stevenson pulled Anna roughly against him. “This is my wife. My property. She belongs to me.”
“Let me go!” Anna beseeched.
“Shut up, you little slut,” Stevenson warned.
Cameron’s eyes scanned the room. Stevenson was cornered. He had nowhere to go. Cameron debated on what to do. He could charge at the major but that would put Anna in danger. He could shoot the man but then again Anna would be in harm’s way.
“You see,” Stevenson said. “I win. I always win. Anna is mine. We will sail away to England and you will hang. Now, drop your weapon.”
“No.”
Stevenson leaned over and whispered in Anna’s ear. “You see there. Your lover cares nothing for you.” He allowed the blade of his knife to trace her carotid artery. A shiver ran through Anna. “Think he would mind watching me take you? How many times has he taken you here, in this very room? Could I get you to scream out my name?” An evil smile crossed his face. “At least I got the pleasure of taking your virginity.”
“That’s what you think,” Anna retorted. She could feel the knife press into her neck. “Cameron has been the only person to enjoy my body.”
Taking his free hand, Stevenson grabbed a handful of Anna’s blond hair and pulled it backwards causing her to cry out.
“I saw your maiden’s blood on my bed! On my body!”
“That was blood from a cow, you idiot! Do you actually think I would willingly allow you to touch my body that way?”
Albert pressed the blade of his knife into Anna’s neck. A small trickle of blood appeared. Cameron’s eyes grew wide as memories of Constance’s death flashed before his eyes. He could not allow another Redcoat to kill the woman he loved. He raised his pistol and shot. The lead slug seemed to be traveling in slow motion as it moved. As the projectile moved, Cameron could see it spin. Closer and closer it inched. He felt as though he was trapped in a bad dream, a nightmare, waiting for the bullet to find its mark. The bullet slowly turned and moved until it struck Stevenson between his eyes. The knife slipped from his hand as he dropped to the floor.
The second Albert’s hand released her body, Anna darted to Cameron and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held onto her trembling body.
“It’s over,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “He’s gone.”
Chris raced into the room. “I heard a shot.” His eyes traveled to the fallen body of Stevenson and then to Cameron. He did not give the couple time to enjoy the relief of the major’s death. “We have to do something with these bodies. If they are found, they will hang you.”
“A short drop and a sudden stop is not a suitable way to kill a woman,” Duke said as he entered the room. “The meadow’s clear. All are dead.”
“Is there a wagon in the barn?” Chris asked.
“No.” Cameron answered.
“How are we going to move a dozen dead Redcoats without drawing suspicion to ourselves?”
“Burn the house,” Anna softly replied.
“What?” Duke asked.
“Put them in this room. Set a fire next to the fireplace. Burn the house with their
bodies inside. No one will suspect anything. Just an unguarded fire that escaped the confines of the hearth.”
“But this is your home,” Cameron said.
Taking a ragged breath, Anna spoke, “This was my home. This place has too many bad memories. My father beat my mother and me here. My mother died here.” Anna looked into Cameron’s eyes. “The only good thing about this place was you. And I have you.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. Besides, we can build our own home.”
Cameron gently stroked her cheek. “I will ask you again, are you certain? This was your home.”
“Absolutely. I love you. Home will be where you are.”
Epilogue
Cameron gave a lazy stretch and stood. The bed gave a soft squeak in protest of his movement. He walked over to the cradle and looked down. Never would he have dreamt that he could have this much happiness since Constance’s death. He’d thought his world had crumbled around him when she died. Anna rectified that. She had given him more than he ever dreamed possible. She had given him life, love, and now two beautiful boys.
“Are you just going to stand there, or bring Thomas to me?”
“I like watching him,” Cameron said.
“But he’s crying,” Anna said.
“True.” Cameron picked up his crying infant son. “Do you think Harrison will be a good big brother?”
“If he is anything like you, no.” A teasing smile crossed her face. “He will be a great big brother.”
“I’ll teach them both to ride and to hunt. How to fish and farm. They’ll go to the best schools money can buy.”
“Cameron, Harrison is only two and Thomas is three weeks old. Besides there’s still a lot of rebuilding going on since the War ended. They may be needed here to help establish businesses.” Anna turned her head sideways. “Then again, Sarah’s daughter will probably refuse. She is quite fond of Harrison.”
“She’s the same age as he. She’s fond of everyone.”
“No, she’s three months older, and she doesn’t like Duke.”
“Smart girl,” Cameron said as the corner of his mouth twisted with humor. He carried Thomas over to Anna.
Anna took her crying son from Cameron’s arms and began to nurse him. She was so happy. She had Cameron, her boys, and her land. After Stevenson’s unfortunate accidental death, a dispatch was relayed to her father in England. She had written that she was unable to return to London because she was lacking a proper chaperone. When her father received the letter, he was furious. He decided to come to America and retrieve her himself. By the time he arrived, it had been a year since she had married Albert. All her lands and dowry came to her. Of course her father tried to get her to return to England, but he had no say in the matter since she had married Cameron by that time and was expecting a child. There was a heated discussion and after some persuasion on Cameron’s part—as in he thoroughly bloodied her father—Henry left, declaring he no longer had a daughter. Word of his daughter’s marriage to a Colonial reached England before he did. He was no longer welcome in his prior circles since his daughter was a traitor. He could not handle the humiliation and hung himself a month after returning to London.
The next surprise in Anna’s life came when she met the man to whom Cameron reported in the spy ring, Donald Woods. She instantly liked the man. The resemblance she had to the man was uncanny. He stopped by and visited frequently after the first meeting and in the end confessed that he was her father. When the shock wore off, Anna was furious and thrilled at the same time. She raked him over the coals for leaving her mother at the same time she had her arms around his neck kissing his cheek.
As Anna reflected on all that had come to light, she wondered if her life could have turned out differently. If she and Cameron would have ever met or gotten married. If she would be living in such a grand home and be this happy. Her answer came as she glanced down at her nursing son…yes. She would have met and married Cameron. She would be in love with her husband. She would have her boys and friends. For fate has a way of playing a helping hand in all that transpires. If not, she would have never had the courage to become a spy. All the wonders in her life came about because of her former husband’s cruelty, making her turn to Cameron and take the alias of Liberty—not that she ever used it much. Everything was as it should be in the world because of her hand in espionage and Albert’s downfall. And all transpired because of Liberty’s Deception.
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About the Author
Lora Thomas is a longtime reader of romance novels. By accepting a challenge from her husband, she wrote her first book Love’s Abyss. Born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, she grew up in Owingsville, a small town in Eastern Kentucky. She graduated from Morehead State University with degrees in Business, Health Promotion and Nursing. Today, Lora resides in Kentucky on her family’s farm with her husband, son, and several family pets.
http://authorlorathomas.wix.com/authorlorathomas
If you enjoyed this book, please let others know your thoughts by leaving a review and read one of my other books:
Love’s Abyss—St. John Series Book 1
A Pirate’s Heart—St. John Series Book 2
The Wild Belle—St. John Series Book 3
Keeper of My Dreams—St. John Series Book 4