No Hiding For The Guilty (The Heart of a Hero Book 5)

by Vanessa Riley

  "Betsy, stop. I'll do anything. I'll give you something. Henry's watch." Hugh took it from his pocket and dangled the gold watch by the chain. "Take it and be gone. You'll have a head start."

  "Henry's watch?" The woman stopped tugging.

  The pressure on Isadel's arm eased. She pushed away and fell back along the wall.

  Betsy clapped her hands. "Give it to me. Henry used to use it to time his steps to it."

  Hugh's eyes looked like iron, grey and determined. His head nudged slightly to the side as if he were giving an unspoken command. "Yes. Henry loved this watch."

  Lady Rhodes wiped at her eyes. "Hugh don't give her a thing. She's taken too much from you. Kill that cow."

  All pretense of a sophisticated tone melted away from the countess's voice. It had a cockney sound like many of the kitchen help at the Abbey. "Let her rot before she does another thing."

  Isadel loved Lady Rhodes more.

  Hugh shook the watch. The piece spun and shone in the candlelight. "Take the watch. There's a horse in the stable saddled and ready for your retreat."

  Betsy froze. Her gaze was firmly in Hugh's direction. "Now, I know you lie."

  "No, it's true." Isadel said, "He did it for me. Hugh Bannerman wanted me to escape if I killed Moldona for murdering my family."

  Coming closer, Betsy backhanded Isadel. "You little troll. Hugh does love you. He'd never let you kill anyone with no consequences if he didn't." She put her boot on Isadel's neck. "I'll snap her spine and let you watch her die, Hugh. That will mean more to me now."

  "Catch." Hugh tossed the watch high.

  Betsy jumped and the motion was enough to allow Isadel to roll from underneath her.

  With her palm, Betsy caught the chain and then started to laugh again. "You thought I'd miss or maybe I'd be lucky and fall out the window. You never could do anything right. You couldn't even die right."

  "Henry never cared for you, Betsy, any more than a friend. Maybe he saw your heart was full of darkness. Charles St. Claire was sloppy, but he fought with bravery worthy of the St. Claire name. You are charlatan, Betsy. A disgrace to womanhood. You deserve nothing of Henry's. Give me back the watch. Don't even open it. You're not worthy to see it.

  "I am worthy, and I have it." She opened the watch and Hugh leapt forward covering Isadel and Lady Rhodes in his arm.

  A new explosion, this fireball came from the watch. The world smelled of soot and sulfur.

  Choking dust and rubble fell everywhere. A full minute passed before she could see. Half the turret was gone, along with Betsy.

  Hugh stood up and Isadel clutched his side. Together they moved to the edge.

  "Is she down there, Hugh? I've seen too much death."

  "Yes. She's down there among the twisted limestone. The Almeida Killer is no more."

  Phipps came running through the door, relief etched in his face. "Bannerman, you found them. And you're all well. The house was evacuated. None of the other commanders or their wives were hurt."

  "Good, Phipps. This is over."

  Isadel wound her arms around as much of his chest as she could get to. "I'm so sorry, Hugh."

  He slid off a glove and put a hand in her hair. "Phipps, help Lady Rhodes back to her quarters and send for a doctor to make sure she is well. I'm so glad you are unharmed, Elizabeth."

  Lady Rhodes got up and shook her cloak of debris. "I'm glad the harpy's dead, even more so that you and Isadel are alive. My work here is done, so I'll go at day break."

  "Elizabeth Bannerman, I don't want you to go, not yet. Sandon is your home as much as you want, you can even bring your new husband for visits, but I'll need a chaperone until this little chef makes good on her promise to marry me. Will you stay?"

  Isadel tried to raise her head to see what new joke he was sharing, but he held her fast. "What?"

  "I'll leave you two to discuss things. See, I can be a good liberal chaperone," Lady Rhodes said. "I might even keep you two apart." She laughed and Isadel could feel her winking and tossing one of those sultry looks she had her practice, but Isadel didn't care. She wanted to be alone with Hugh.

  When Phipps's heavy footfalls faded, she held onto Hugh tighter and with his help climbed the tree of a man, until she could see into his eyes. "I thought you died. I heard the explosion, saw the smoke."

  "Well, I always had a death wish. I knew the explosion would buy time and clear Sandon in rapid order. Time is pretty precious."

  "You are right, and I'm not wasting another moment. I am a stubborn woman, and I love you, Hugh Bann-er-man, with my whole stubborn heart." That was all she could say before smothering him in kisses. She held onto his neck as he sank to his knees.

  "Isadel, I want to get this right." He took off his final glove. Palm to palm, he held her. "You made me want a future. If my days are numbered, I will live them fully in your love. Is that enough for you? Can I be greedy and have all of you, even if my time is short?"

  "Yes. But, you are not dying. The seeds will cure you, Hugh."

  "You have healed me, Isadel, just by making me want to live. By reminding me that I am worthy of life irrespective of my past or the guilt I bear. Marry me."

  "Hugh Bann-er-man, you gave me something to feel other than rage. I don't know what I am going to do with this love I have, but I want to try. Yes, I'll marry you."

  Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her gently. "I am so in love with you."

  "I'm sorry you broke your vow. You had to kill."

  He sighed. I made Henry's watch into an explosive. "When I saw that she wanted to destroy Sandon from his grave, I knew she was obsessed. She made the choice to catch it, to open it as much as I made the choice that no one would take you from me."

  "It took you nearly dying for me to… Wait. I thought you said you couldn't make a controlled explosion."

  That lopsided grin appeared. "Never trust a spy to tell you the whole truth. I said you couldn't. I never said it was impossible."

  She put a hand to her hip and pushed him back. He rolled to the floor laughing. "You better be telling the whole truth when you say you love me."

  "I guess I'll just have to show you." He propped a hand underneath his head and smiled at her. He looked so happy, so at peace with the world that it stole her breath. "I intend to show you every day, even more so once you are Mrs. Bannerman."

  Epilogue

  Four weeks after his wedding, Sandon Manor still smelled of gardenias. Hugh stood in his study watching the sun go down drinking the bitter tea Isadel had made for him from the seeds. Unlike the earlier cures he'd tried, these foul-smelling pods had worked. The paste had cleared the lesions on his feet. His hands felt stronger.

  Phipps plodded inside. "I found the lid of your watch. It is still so disconcerting about Betsy Moldona. She was the mastermind of it all. She killed four men, five if you count Moldona."

  Hugh took the lid in his bare palm. It had a dent but the initials could be read. "Six, if you count my brother." He shook his head and came away from the window.

  "I did. Hartland's latest correspondence said that Junot's death was a suicide. Mrs. Moldona didn't get to him."

  "Maybe she did. The power of a woman scorned is intense."

  Phipps nodded. "Almost as much as one on a mission. Yes, the new Mrs. Bannerman is doing quite good work on you. You are the picture of health. Mrs. Nelson has mentioned how much in love you look."

  A grin was set to rise on Hugh's face, but he'd save that for Isadel. His man had fallen for a cook too. "I think you know what they say about the love of a good woman."

  "I'm finding out." Phipps took his empty mug. "You have a good evening, Bannerman."

  When Phipps opened the door, Elizabeth's piano playing filtered inside. It was a jaunty tune, one meant for dancing. Her husband, Lord Rhodes probably sat dutifully at her side.

  "The love of good women." Hugh said to himself. He walked out of his study and headed to the stairs. He clasped a hold of the knurl post at the first tread. His
bride wouldn't go to bed this early.

  He pivoted and marched to her happy place, the kitchen.

  Pressing on the door, he cleared his throat. Sneaking up on Isadel wasn't advised. His nose smarted a long time the last time he had entered unannounced. "Isadel."

  Swinging the door wide, he saw his chef. In her father's jacket with its sleeves pushed up, she showcased strong forearms coated in flour. The simple gold band on her finger glistened with butter. She looked simply delicious. "You are working too hard, Mrs. Bannerman. You can leave this task for Mrs. Nelson. She'll return in the morning."

  "No, you go on to bed. I mean to your chamber."

  His brow raised of its own volition. A spy is not to announce what he's thinking. And Isadel seemed to become a better spy every day.

  He plodded in front of the table and began to sit upon it but stopped. His wife was agitated, and it didn't bode well to make her angrier. "I'm not a mind reader, Isadel. Why don't you tell me what has upset you?"

  "Lady Rhodes made the menu for tomorrow."

  "It's a suggestion. Elizabeth knows you are mistress at Sandon."

  Looking down, Isadel punched the dough. "Some mistress I am."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Look at the menu."

  "Mussels with a pomegranate sauce. And for dessert, chocolate biscuits dipped in chocolate. Sounds very tasty. I don't see—"

  Isadel wiped her hands on a towel, tossed the cloth onto the table, and tossed her pristine white apron. "She even made me put on this." She rent her jacket wide.

  The lace nightgown left little to the imagination. And he was glad of that. He moved near and pulled her by the jacket. "I'm definitely not going to understand the problem, not with you dressed so well. You're going to need to be very plain. You've been happy since we wed. You seem pleased these last few weeks. At dinner, you were smiling. You kissed me in the study as you brought me tea. What has happened?"

  She put her arms about her as if she were cold.

  Impossible with the heat his gaze had to offer. "Tell me, Mrs. Bannerman. You can tell me anything."

  Isadel shook her head. "Lady Rhodes says I am doing things wrong. That I should be ravished by now." She covered her mouth, for a moment, and then lowered her hand. "Just tell me this marriage was a mistake. That you don't desire me."

  Holding her stare, afraid she would miss his meaning, he hauled her high so their eyes were level. Then he shook her senseless. "Woman, you drive me to distraction, don't you know that? I had to make sure your cure took hold. It is enough of a risk touching your face, your lovely face."

  He set her back on her feet and grasped her countenance betwixt his palms. "Don't you know I love you more than me? You are young and healthy. I didn't want to risk any more of you, not until I am sure. Wanting to live is only one part. Knowing I will, that is a new world."

  "Oh." She clasped his hands. "Don't you know you are worth the risk, but the medicine has taken hold? You see that."

  "I see it now and the look in your eyes, Isadel, so full of love. I don't know how I could be so lucky."

  Her head fell back as she took his kiss. Sweet. Perfect. His arms wound about her determined to prove how much he loved her.

  She pressed on his shoulders and moved to the other side of the table pressing out biscuits. "Hugh, we are both lucky. Let me finish up here then I'll be up. Forget about Lady Rhode's mistress talk. As long as you love me, as long as that is true. It is enough. I had to know if you had regrets. I am so glad you do not."

  Maybe it was pure male pride or the way her curves looked in lace that forced him to pound over to his chef and wipe her hands clean. "This will wait."

  "What? No, a clean kitchen—"

  He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. "It's not as important as graduating from Elizabeth's lessons. My wife must know that she is desired in every way, not just for her biscuits."

  Hanging down his back, she tugged on his coat. "But let me leave a note for Mrs. Nelson."

  "No, she'll understand and you'll need Elizabeth's special meal for strength. You may not see outside our chamber for a few days."

  She spun in his arms and held tightly to his neck. "I love you, Bann-er-man."

  "May we love a little Bannerman or two. God willing."

  "You feel healthy enough for this, Hugh?"

  "Oh, definitely, Mrs. Bannerman. Definitely. Or I'll die trying, like a good spy determined to complete his mission. So be gentle with me, my love."

  Tucking her securely in his embrace. He headed up the stairs to their chamber listening to his wife hum her special tune, her well of hope and abiding love.

  Author's Note

  Dear Friend,

  I enjoyed writing No Hiding for Guilty. It was a great deal of fun and a bit of a challenge to shape these characters burdened by guilt. I hope you enjoyed their journey to freedom and love.

  My diverse stories will showcase a world of intrigue and romance, and offer a setting everyone can hopefully find interesting, and a character to identify with in the battle of love and life.

  Stay in touch. Sign up at www.vanessariley.com for my newsletter. You'll be the first to know about upcoming releases, and maybe even win a sneak peek.

  Thank so much for giving this book a read.

  Vanessa Riley

  Many of my readers are new to Regencies, so I always add notes and a glossary to make items readily available. If you know of a term that should be added to enhance my readers' knowledge, send them to me at: vanessa@christianregency.com. I will acknowledge you in my next book.

  Here are my notes:

  The Siege of Almeida took place in 1810 during the Peninsular War. During the battle, a leaky powder barrel of black powder was ignited and killed over 600 soldiers.

  The Siege of Badajoz occurred in 1812. It was a very violent battle with over 4,800 soldiers killed. In the aftermath of the bloody siege, English troops burnt and pillaged Badajoz raping and killing many of the inhabitants, killing over 4,000 Spanish civilians.

  The Siege of Almeida

  The Siege of Almeida took place in 1810 during the Peninsular War. During the battle, a leaky powder barrel of black powder was ignited and killed over 600 soldiers.

  The Siege of Badajoz

  The Siege of Badajoz occurred in 1812. It was a very violent battle with over 4,800 soldiers killed. In the aftermath of the bloody siege, English troops burnt and pillaged Badajoz raping and killing many of the inhabitants, killing over 4,000 Spanish civilians.

  Free blacks in 1800's English Society

  By Regency times, historians, Kirstin Olsen and Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina, estimate that Black London (the black neighborhood of London) had over 10,000 residents. While England led the world in granting rights to the enslaved and ending legal slavery thirty years before the American Civil War, it still had many citizens who were against change. Here is another image from an anti-abolitionist.

  The New Union Club being a representation of what took place at a celebrated dinner given by a celebrated society – includes in picture abolitionists, Billy Waters, Zachariah Macauley, William Wilberforce. – published 19 July 1819. Source: Wiki Commons

  The Heart of A Hero Series

  The Heart of a Hero Series

  What if your favorite superheros had Regency-era doppelgangers? And what if a group of them were recruited by the Duke of Wellington to gather intelligence for him during the Napoleonic Wars while they protected their own parts of the realm?

  You'd get The Heart of a Hero series.

  Nine authors are bringing nine full-length novels to you this summer, each telling the story of a man or woman who is a hero in all senses of the word.

  No Rest for the Wicked by Cora Lee (prequel novella)

  Only A Hero Will Do by Alanna Lucas

  Once Bitten by Aileen Fish

  Lightning Strikes Twice by Jillian Chantal

  No Hiding for the Guilty by Vanessa Riley

  The Marquis of Thu
nder by Susan Gee Heino

  The Good, The Bad, And The Scandalous by Cora Lee

  The Archer's Paradox by Ally Broadfield

  The Missing Duke by Heather King

  The Mercenary Pirate by Katherine Bone

  Book 6: The Marquis of Thunder

  The Marquis of Thunder

  by

  Susan Gee Heino

  Threatened by violence and storm...

  Miss Seraphina Janesley has her hands full. There's war on the continent and a Luddite uprising in the village. The river has flooded, Papa is ailing, and her roof has blown off. Now their landlord--the scandalous Marquis of Thunder--plans to host an orgy in their crumbling home! What on earth is she going to do? She'll make a bargain with the Marquis, of course. A bargain that might cost her dearly.

  ...what she needs is a Hero.

  Lord Thorston--called the Marquis of Thunder by those who know his reputation--is not simply here for a wild party. He's come to unmask a spy. As part of a secret organization, Thorston is working to protect the crown from those who conspire against it. Is Miss Janesley one of these foes? He'll have to get close to her to find out. In the end, though, will he be able to betray her, or will the gathering storm in his heart prove too much even for him?