A Code of the Heart (The Code Breakers Series Book 3) (15 page)

Ignoring her emotional outburst, Cord spoke in an unruffled voice “I’m very aware of both your and Gwyneth’s talents. And you’ve helped us by uncovering another portion of this smuggling ring. What we need to stay focused on is the connection between Elodie and the man she met at
Ship’s Aground
tavern
.
Tell us any information she gave you.”

“I approached Elodie to see if she’d be interested in working for me as a seamstress.”

“That was clever.” Amelia noted the surprise in Cord’s voice.

“But she works for Helene,” Derrick said.

“Yes, but many women have more than one job to support themselves. She knows that I frequently collaborate with Helene and that I also create my own fashion projects. I asked her if she’d like to do extra sewing for me in addition to her work for Helene. She has two younger sisters she supports. I tried very hard to find out where she lived, but she wouldn’t tell me. I believe she was trying to protect her father.”

“She told you about her father?” Cord asked.

“No, but when I saw the bruises on her arms I knew that she had been mistreated. I assumed it was a man who injured her.”

Both men were silent at these revelations.

“From talking with her about her care for her younger sisters, I didn’t believe Elodie was the mastermind behind a smuggling ring, but the man who abuses her might be forcing her to play a part.”

“This is when you should’ve told me.” Derrick leaned forward, then sat back crossing one of his muscular legs over the other, trying to find a way to fit into the small chair he overfilled.

“But she is young and I wanted to help her. What would happen to her if that man found out that we were on to her?”

Derrick jerked forward as if he wanted to reach across and shake her. “Unbelievable! You’re protecting a girl you don’t know. But what if the man you’re worried about abusing her finds out you’re on to
him
. Have you thought about that?”

She shook her head. “You’re right. I didn’t think my interest in Elodie would raise any suspicions.”

Cord ran his hands through his hair. “Elodie’s father is our only connection. We must assume he did the stabbing.”

“It was my fault he escaped, wasn’t it? If I hadn’t caused the fight, none of this would’ve happened.”

Cord shook his head. “No, you weren’t at fault. Talley had the father and Elodie surrounded. But the father used Elodie, keeping her at knifepoint, to make his escape.”

Amelia’s stomach plummeted as if she had fallen off a high place. She had never been exposed to such evilness in a parent.

“Talley planned to bring the girl in for questioning. In the ensuing chaos, Elodie fled when her father shoved her into the crowd and made his escape. Talley and his men chased him giving time for Elodie to bolt.”

“Oh, that poor girl. Her father is a monster.” Amelia dabbed her nose with the twisted handkerchief.

Cord nodded in agreement.

“Have you identified the man he stabbed in the tavern?” Amelia asked.

Cord sat up in his chair. “No. He isn’t familiar to us and the Navy didn’t recognize him either. He is French and either part of the smuggling ring or part of the criminal element that resides in
Ship’s Aground
. We have no way of knowing until we find Elodie’s father.” His words were clipped and aggressive.

Amelia caught a glimpse of the formidable spy he had been. “But what about Elodie? What will happen to her?”

“We’ll follow her from work and find out where she and her father live. Then we’ll capture her father and hopefully he’ll lead us to who is behind the buying and selling of the Navy’s secrets,” Cord said. “I don’t believe he’s a big fish, but we may be able to use him to bring down the entire group.”

“You shouldn’t punish Elodie. She’s a victim. I’m sure her father forced her to do his bidding.”

“We’re only interested in her father. Unfortunately, right now she’s our only tangible lead to her father and the smuggling ring. She might know other of her father’s associates.”

Amelia worried for the young girl who was in the center of so much danger.

“You realize, when Helene finds out about Elodie’s involvement, she’ll dismiss her,” Cord said.

Amelia felt her stomach clench with helplessness. “Yes, I know that Helene will be forced to fire her. It was what I had hoped to prevent.”

Cord leaned forward and patted her hand. “I admire your effort in trying to protect your friend and Elodie. It’s very difficult to see an innocent trapped in her parent’s criminal activities.”

She tried to blink away the burning sensation behind her eyes. Derrick shifted again in his chair.

“And thank you for not including Gwyneth in your visit to the
Ship’s Aground
. If anything had happened to her, Ash would’ve been…” Cord shrugged his shoulders as if shaking off the feelings. “It was awful when Henrietta was almost killed trying to protect her brother.”

Amelia felt the first genuine smile of the morning. She respected Cord for his ability to admit to his fears concerning his love for Henrietta. She hoped someday she’d meet a man who could allow himself to express his true feelings. She looked across at Derrick.

His face was compressed in an emotion she couldn’t untangle.

Cord stood and walked to the door. He turned back. “Amelia, thank you for your help. We can take it from here.”

Chapter Eighteen

Brinsley could barely control himself. He was a strange mix of explosive rage and icy fear. Amelia again had pushed him beyond any human’s ability to cope. He tried to steady his rapid breathing driven by the dread and anxiety cramping his gut and lungs. He could barely restrain the overwhelming urge to both shake and kiss her senseless.

He didn’t want to think about what the men might have done to her last night if he hadn’t been present in the tavern. He didn’t sleep; reliving all the horrible ways Amelia could possibly have been hurt. The unwanted, disturbing images fueled his anger.

Amelia sat primly across from him, appearing not to have suffered from her adventures. She hadn’t realized her jeopardy last night. Of course, she couldn’t. She wouldn’t look so pleased with herself if she had. The fiery mane that caused a roomful of vicious men to brawl was now tucked into a knot at the back of her neck.

Did she realize the living hell she had put him through when he recognized her? Did she care? All she seemed to consider was the safety of her friends. What about his feelings? His fear? His distress?

She remained seated, apparently in no rush to leave. The gentlemanly thing would be for him to follow Cord’s lead of calm and concern, but he had never felt gentlemanly toward Amelia. Lustful, possessive, greedy, yes, but never gentlemanly.

“Why is it that your fiancée didn’t accompany you on your little adventure last night?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, trying to look nonchalant when jealousy burned like acid in his gut. “Were you unable to hoodwink him into cooperating in your scatter-brained plan?”

She puffed up in outrage, her pert breasts pushed against her dress. “Of all the nerve.” Her face was flushed and she opened her mouth and then closed it again. “My fiancée?”

“Kendal.”

She leaned toward him. “I’m not affianced to Michael. Where would you get such a crazy idea?”

He sat up straight. He didn’t want to reveal his painful jealousy fueled by watching her intimate dance with Kendal. “Lady Beaumont told me you were to be engaged.”

“Aunt Euphemia?” She shook her head in surprise. “Why would she think that?”

Bitterness seized his throat. “By your obvious, intensely intimate dance. The man couldn’t take his eyes off your chest. He looked ready to devour you.”

Amelia laughed aloud. “Michael has no such feelings toward me.”

His hurt and resentment came pouring out. She had laughed at the pain embedded in his brain and heart. “You could’ve fooled me by the way you danced together.”

Amelia stared at him. Her fathomless eyes searched his face.

“Michael and I are childhood friends. Nothing more.”

“Ash told me that you wanted to marry Kendal.”

Two pink spots bloomed on her cheeks. “Ash didn’t know. He was repeating what Gwyneth told him about my childhood fantasies.”

He had no desire to hear about her past with Kendal.

He crossed his leg, feigning a nonchalance he didn’t possess. “It doesn’t matter any longer.” As if it didn’t matter, when it mattered greatly to him.

Ignoring his sneer, she leaned close enough to touch him. “I did believe I was in love with Michael.” Her voice got soft and appealing. “But I was mistaken. I don’t love Michael in that way.”

“You don’t?” He hated that his voice sounded high-pitched and hopeful.

Her lip curved into a coy smile. “I realized that I confused my deep affection for Michael as romantic love. But my feelings for another man clarified the difference.”

He should’ve gotten up and walked away, but her words locked him into the chair; he was trapped. He tried to tell himself that he didn’t care, but he did.

Her voice was playful and her eyes danced. “This man has turned my whole world upside down with his demanding kisses and potent stares.”

Why was she tormenting him? Didn’t she know how much he wanted and needed her?

He stood to leave. There was nothing else to be said.

“And you call yourself a spy?” She had the same teasing tone she had used during the cricket match. She jumped to her feet, facing him toe to toe. “Derrick Jeremy Randolph Brinsley, don’t you dare walk out on me. I want you, only you.”

“What?” Frozen, he stood there struck dumb like a lummox.

She leaned closer. “Don’t act so surprised. You’ve been trying to seduce me since the minute I met you.”

“I…” He couldn’t deny the truth.

She now toyed with the buttons on his jacket. “I’m sorry. I have no experience in seducing men, but I want you to do all the things you’ve been promising with your looks and touches since the first night we kissed.”

She leaned closer, pulling on his coat. The blood roared, surging through his body. He could smell the sweet scent of honeysuckle and Amelia. He had to swallow hard before he could speak. He was ready to fulfill her every wish. “You’re not in love with Kendal?”

“No. I love him as a friend, with great affection.” She looked up at him. Her eyes sparkling and her lips parted…inviting.

She put her hand on his chest. “I don’t want Michael like I want you.”

He was having trouble catching up with this dramatic change. He knew she felt the attraction between them, but she wasn’t like other women who just wanted him for his bad boy reputation.

It was taking all his self-control to not touch her. Once he touched her, he wouldn’t be able to continue this conversation.

“You realized you don’t love Kendal, because you lust after me.”

Her skin had the pink-tinged flush. Her breathing had changed. She looked into his eyes. “Yes.”

“Well, I guess we’re in the same situation. Because I’ve lusted after you since the first time I laid eyes on you.” He pulled her into his arms and gave her a searing, possessive kiss. His mouth closed over hers. He wanted her to know that she belonged to him and no one else. “You know what this means, Amelia?” he growled.

She melted against him. The look of total bewilderment on her face did a lot to soothe his male ego and ease the torment she had subjected him to over the last month.

Her eyes were soft and filled with passion. “Amelia?”

“Yes, Derrick.” Her voice was breathless and his entire body tightened.

“You know what this means?”

Her creamy skin had a rose-tinged color. And the color heightened on her face. “We’re going to be lovers.”

“What?” He swallowed against the panic in his throat. He wasn’t prepared to declare himself. He was still adjusting to the idea that she wasn’t in love with Kendal. “We’re going to be lovers once we’re married.”

She pressed against his erection and moaned, a sweet feminine sound that was moving to a point of no return. Maybe they would be lovers
before
they were married.

His body throbbed with need. She was offering herself. She was an innocent, but she had demonstrated how sensual and responsive she could be. “Why now, after all our time together? Is this some sort of reaction to last night’s trauma?”

She pulled out of his arms. “Of course not. I’m totally fine about last night. I wanted to tell you right after my dance with Michael. I hadn’t seen Michael since he went to France. And I didn’t feel as if I could move forward until I talked with him. Then he was gone on another mission and I had to wait. But I’m glad, since it gave me more time to sort out my feelings.”

“But how do I know this isn’t an impulsive reaction rather like last night’s adventure.” He didn’t want to think of her as fickle. She didn’t seem flighty, but after last night’s escapade, he was feeling a bit shaky with this reversal.

She took his hand and pulled him to sit next to her on the settee. Her leg was pressed against him. He could feel the heat of her soft thigh.

“When my mother died, my entire world crumbled. Michael understood when no one else did. My father and brothers were all in shock. And I was jealous that Henrietta still had her mother. I spent a great deal of time with him and my brothers, but he always made a point of taking special care of me when I felt I had no one. He became the center of all my childhood dreams, but I realized I loved him as a friend, a brother. Until I met you, I’ve never been attracted to anyone else. I’ve had loads of suitors, but eventually they all became friends or went elsewhere. I’m comfortable with men because of my brothers. Until I met you, I had no idea about burning attraction.”

His heart launched into a wild, frantic rhythm. He was still having trouble accepting that Amelia wanted him as much as he wanted her.

“Amelia, I’ve never met anyone like you, and it isn’t just physical attraction. You’re kind, devoted to your friends and family. You make me joyful. I haven’t felt like that in so long. I admire you, and I want to be part of your life for a long time…for forever.”

“Oh, Derrick.” Amelia touched his face tenderly. “I hoped you felt the same as I do, but with your reputation, and the way you behaved with Lady Rowley. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t think you wanted to settle down.”