“hundreds, perhaps a thousand or more guns and such hidden away by Jacobites nearly ten years ago and recently found. I think you know where they are located.”
“If they were recently found, then why ask me?”
He sighed, then reached out and placed his hand over hers. The warm contact felt stunning in the darkness. Twisting the key, he took the heavy bracelets off, one by one, and pooled the chains and manacles on the floor at his feet.
“Thank you.” Kate rubbed her chafed wrists. “Why did you—”
“I was bewitched into it,” he said sourly. “But you’ll have those back on later. There’s a good deal more you can share with me, Marie-Katie-Katherine, and I’ll not let you go.” He spoke intimately, his voice a velvety caress.
“Not ever?” Her heart beat very fast now.
“Well, of course, when the Lord Advocate decides what’s to be done with you,” he said, waving his fingers in dismissal.
Kate sighed and settled into the corner by the window, leaning her brow against the window glass. Watching the landscape fly past, lulled by the motion of the vehicle, she glanced again at Captain Fraser. He appeared relaxed and lost in thought, legs extended, arms folded.
She studied his form, the square, broad shoulders, wide chest, and strong, taut limbs. If he fell asleep, she thought, then she would have a chance to get away.
But how? Was she brave enough, or mad enough, to throw herself out the door as Fraser had suggested? She did not think so, but she would not rule it out. Any risk was preferable to trial and incarceration.
Later she would consider the possibilities, she told herself. For the moment, she felt achy and exhausted. She closed her eyes, not wanting to think about Spanish weapons, or kinsmen and friends in danger. Nor did she want to think about the man who sat so close to her now, though her mind constantly returned to him.
She wanted only to sleep, and soon enough surrendered.
Chapter 9
A lec reached over to adjust Kate’s head to a more comfortable angle as she slept. He paused, tracing his fingertips over her cheek—her skin was incredibly soft, the shape of her face graceful in the moonlight. He was aware of his strong attraction to her and knew the trouble that could cause for both of them. Even without this complicated situation, he kept himself clear of deeper ties and feelings.
He had lost his heart once, and it had led to betrayal, then tragedy. The chances of that happening again were very remote—he had no other brother, and no former betrothed to jointly betray him—but he never wanted to feel that hurt again.
No matter the temptation, he must not develop tender feelings for this girl—not because she was his prisoner and likely a spy, but because he could care deeply about her, given the chance. He could love her, were she fairy queen or laundress. And that frightened him when little else did.
His thoughts in turmoil, he closed his eyes again but could not rest. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he retrieved the small, thick envelope that Jack had given him earlier. Another letter from his aunt. He had not yet found time to read it, but he already suspected part of its contents.
The envelope had a sweet odor, which Kate had detected when she had leaned against him. It could not be a good thing, he thought, for a man to walk about smelling of chocolate.
He undid the string and opened layers of brown paper. Inside lay a letter folded around a little packet wrapped in waxed paper. He opened it, peeled the wax covering away. A sweet, rich scent wafted outward that made his mouth water, but the dark, amorphous glob that fell into his hand would kill any appetite.
He rolled it between his fingers, grimaced, tucked it back into the waxy paper, and set it aside. The letter also reeked of cocoa as he scanned his aunt Euphemia’s flourished and formal handwriting.
My dear Alexander,
Enclosed is Walter’s latest Eating Chocolate, which he insists you sample. Taste
“If they were recently found, then why ask me?”
He sighed, then reached out and placed his hand over hers. The warm contact felt stunning in the darkness. Twisting the key, he took the heavy bracelets off, one by one, and pooled the chains and manacles on the floor at his feet.
“Thank you.” Kate rubbed her chafed wrists. “Why did you—”
“I was bewitched into it,” he said sourly. “But you’ll have those back on later. There’s a good deal more you can share with me, Marie-Katie-Katherine, and I’ll not let you go.” He spoke intimately, his voice a velvety caress.
“Not ever?” Her heart beat very fast now.
“Well, of course, when the Lord Advocate decides what’s to be done with you,” he said, waving his fingers in dismissal.
Kate sighed and settled into the corner by the window, leaning her brow against the window glass. Watching the landscape fly past, lulled by the motion of the vehicle, she glanced again at Captain Fraser. He appeared relaxed and lost in thought, legs extended, arms folded.
She studied his form, the square, broad shoulders, wide chest, and strong, taut limbs. If he fell asleep, she thought, then she would have a chance to get away.
But how? Was she brave enough, or mad enough, to throw herself out the door as Fraser had suggested? She did not think so, but she would not rule it out. Any risk was preferable to trial and incarceration.
Later she would consider the possibilities, she told herself. For the moment, she felt achy and exhausted. She closed her eyes, not wanting to think about Spanish weapons, or kinsmen and friends in danger. Nor did she want to think about the man who sat so close to her now, though her mind constantly returned to him.
She wanted only to sleep, and soon enough surrendered.
Chapter 9
A lec reached over to adjust Kate’s head to a more comfortable angle as she slept. He paused, tracing his fingertips over her cheek—her skin was incredibly soft, the shape of her face graceful in the moonlight. He was aware of his strong attraction to her and knew the trouble that could cause for both of them. Even without this complicated situation, he kept himself clear of deeper ties and feelings.
He had lost his heart once, and it had led to betrayal, then tragedy. The chances of that happening again were very remote—he had no other brother, and no former betrothed to jointly betray him—but he never wanted to feel that hurt again.
No matter the temptation, he must not develop tender feelings for this girl—not because she was his prisoner and likely a spy, but because he could care deeply about her, given the chance. He could love her, were she fairy queen or laundress. And that frightened him when little else did.
His thoughts in turmoil, he closed his eyes again but could not rest. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he retrieved the small, thick envelope that Jack had given him earlier. Another letter from his aunt. He had not yet found time to read it, but he already suspected part of its contents.
The envelope had a sweet odor, which Kate had detected when she had leaned against him. It could not be a good thing, he thought, for a man to walk about smelling of chocolate.
He undid the string and opened layers of brown paper. Inside lay a letter folded around a little packet wrapped in waxed paper. He opened it, peeled the wax covering away. A sweet, rich scent wafted outward that made his mouth water, but the dark, amorphous glob that fell into his hand would kill any appetite.
He rolled it between his fingers, grimaced, tucked it back into the waxy paper, and set it aside. The letter also reeked of cocoa as he scanned his aunt Euphemia’s flourished and formal handwriting.
My dear Alexander,
Enclosed is Walter’s latest Eating Chocolate, which he insists you sample. Taste
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