Chasing Eliza (13 page)

“
Here, hold it like this.” Edward moved her fingers around the
handle, showing her how to hold her fingers against the hilt of the
wicked looking object. His hands were large and warm and strangely
reassuring as they wrapped around hers. He urged her to stand and
showed her how to position herself and where on the body to use it
to the best advantage.

“
Stop!” Eliza gasped several moments later, feeling bile rise
in her throat at the prospect of cutting anyone from breast to
navel without a qualm. “I can’t use this on anyone.” She shook her
head and handed the wicked object back to him with a
shudder.

“
You may need to. Consider what you are going into.” Edward
declared flatly, determined that she should at least know how to
protect herself. He had no intention of allowing anyone to get
anywhere near her beautiful head, and would gladly lay down his
life to protect her, but he needed the reassurance of knowing she
would be able to hold off any would-be kidnappers if the situation
arose.

“
I know.” Eliza replied, feeling panic build. “If the time
comes, I don’t know what I shall do. Let’s hope that it doesn’t
come to that.” She muttered, turning away from him to gather her
shattered nerves.

“
So Jemima helped your father with his writing and probably
knew who his contacts were, and what information he took to the War
Office.” Edward questioned having resumed his seat and allowed
several moments of silence for Eliza settle down. Only when he
could see the trembling in her fingers had eased and some of the
colour had returned to her face, did he probe her for more
information.

Eliza
nodded, following his train of thought.

“
So what does he want with you?”

Eliza
studied him for several moments, considering her reply. “I think he
may need to know what information I may have about who my father
was going to meet in the War Office, and what information he was
taking.”

“
The fact that he still wants you points to the possibility
that he doesn’t have the information already.” Edward argued,
seeking to resolve her earlier upset.

“
Meaning Jemima is still alive?” Eliza’s heart swelled at the
possibility and she studied him with a heart full of hope shining
in her eyes.

Edward
hated to extinguish the light but felt that Jemima may already be
dead; having fallen victim to Scraggan’s ruthlessness at the time
she disappeared.

“
Meaning that Scraggan is still looking for answers and while
he needs you, we have the advantage.” Edward reasoned, hoping deep
within his heart that he was being as truthful as possible in his
analysis of the situation.

“
Why?” Eliza frowned, trying to pick up on his
reasoning.

“
Because they want you but we are the only ones at the moment
who know where you are. I think I have found a perfect way for us
to get down to Padstow without being discovered.” Thinking of the
way Izzy had escaped from her uncle’s brutal
guardianship.

Eliza
stifled a yawn with the back of her hand, and mumbled an apology as
it was immediately followed with another one just as
wide.

“
Time for bed.”

Throughout their exchange they had both been valiantly trying
to ignore the huge expanse of bed waiting only a few feet away. Now
that exhaustion was pulling at them both, it was inevitable that
they would have to deal with the immediate problem they were now
faced with.

“
I will go and get some more brandy from the tap, while you
get yourself into bed.” Edward heaved his bulk wearily out of the
chair and made his way across the room, aware of her eyes following
him.

“
Where will you be sleeping?” Her pert question stopped him at
the door.

He
studied the faint flush that had tinted her cheeks a rosy peach
colour and wondered why he hadn’t mentioned going to bed before in
order to get her looking less pale. His body predictably began to
respond with the prospect of her being naked between the white
sheets, and he turned away from the room slightly so she couldn’t
see the evidence of his wayward body’s interest in her.

“
I’m sleeping on the bed. I won’t leave you here by yourself
Eliza.” Edward muttered, taking the key from the door and pocketing
it. “Don’t leave the room until I get back.” He didn’t wait for her
acquiescence and closed the door firmly behind him with a heavy
thud.

Chapter
Six

The following
morning Eliza was already up and about when Edward began to stir on
the bed. He had removed his boots and shirt and sometime during the
night had found his way beneath the covers to seek out the warmth
of Eliza without even realising it. Once or twice during the night
he had woken to find her nestled against him. He knew he should do
the responsible thing and ease his arms away from her and put some
distance between them, but the feel of her feminine curves against
him was too delicious.

He had
no intention of taking her virtue; she had enough on her plate to
deal with at the moment, without being compromised as well. But he
considered he deserved at least some reward for the lengths he was
going to in an effort to keep her safe from Scraggan’s clutches and
had decided to claim his reward, sliding closer to her and tugging
her flush against him before falling back asleep.

Eliza
had awoken wrapped in Edward’s strong arms, her cheek resting
against the solid muscle of his chest. The steady thump of his
heartbeat broke her slumber and she had lain perfectly still for
several long minutes with the rough hairs on his chest tickling her
cheek, simply enjoying the comfort and protection that was
quintessentially Edward. Eventually, she had begun to feel slightly
uncomfortable about the intimacy of their position and how Edward
would react finding her draped senselessly over him. She couldn’t
bear any awkwardness between them and had reluctantly eased out of
the bed, dressing and ordering breakfast without disturbing
him.

It was
the scent of bacon and toast that teased him awake. Instinctively
he rolled over, his hands sliding across the soft sheets in search
of Eliza’s now familiar curves. His slumberous eyes studied the
room for several moments before with a jaw-popping yawn he rose
onto his elbows. His eyes landed squarely on Eliza as she unloaded
the trays, arranging a vast array of foods out for their morning
feast. It was a picture of domesticated tranquillity that made him
pause and consider her for several moments.

Would
life really be so bad if he woke to such a sight in a morning? His
heart knew he could wake to watch her carry out such mundane
domesticity in a morning and never get tired of it. If they hadn’t
got a murderous smuggler chasing them, or the mystery of her
missing sister to solve, then life would be just about
perfect.

“
Good morning.”

The
sound of his richly masculine voice rumbled across the room. Eliza
jumped in alarm and she whirled to stare at him. The tempting sight
of his chest bared to the waist, and his slumberous gaze made her
want to sweep the tumbled locks off his forehead and share a
morning kiss. Her soul cried out for the ability to take such
familiar liberties with him, but she knew it was highly unlikely
and felt a wave of longing for something out of her
reach.

“
Good morning. I took the liberty of ordering breakfast.”
Eliza murmured, pouring tea and helping herself to an array of
foods from the tempting display set out before her. She kept her
gaze firmly fixed on the food and away from Edward as he left the
bed and donned his shirt. He appeared in her vision moments later,
hungrily eyeing the feast before them.

“
We need to leave today.” His stomach was pleasantly full
several minutes later and he sat back in his seat to watch her
finish her meal. “But there is a problem.”

Eliza
frowned at him, silently waiting for him to continue.

“
We have the advantage at the moment because Scraggan’s men
don’t know you are here.” He sipped his tea for several moments,
considering their options and the lengths his sister-in-law Izzy
went to in order to escape her uncle’s brutality. “We need to put
you in disguise.”

Eliza’s
brows shot up and she stared at him incredulously for several
moments. The intimacy of their breakfasting together, and the
domesticity that settled between them so easily as they had shared
such a simple act had left her with much to think about.

Inevitably though the reality of their situation and the
reason they were drawn together smashed the tranquillity of the
morning to pieces leaving her feeling almost deflated.

“
Disguise? How?” She studied him for several moments,
wondering just what he was planning.

“
I need to pop out for a few minutes. I’ll reconnoitre the
area and see if there are any signs of Scraggan’s men around the
village, and need to see if there is somewhere I can get what we
need. While I am gone, if you gather your things together and put
as much food as you can into the pockets of the greatcoat. If you
can find a pouch or something to put some more food in, we will
take as much as we can carry. We need to ride throughout today,
preferably without stopping to do anything other than change
horses.” Edward shoved back from the chair, mentally listing the
items he would need in order to carry his plan out.

After
giving her a stern order not to open the door to anyone until he
returned, or leave the room he swept out leaving a shocked Eliza to
absorb the silence of the room in consternation.

He
returned while she was tying the ends of the small pouch. She
seemed to be so acutely tuned to him that she knew it was him
lifting the latch even before he opened the door. She eyed the
bundle of clothing he was carrying warily. Had he gotten himself a
change of clothing? It seemed a logical thing to do given he was so
strikingly masculine dressed entirely in black, people would
undoubtedly remember him passing.

Tossing
the bundle on the bed casually, Edward unfolded the assorted
clothing, shook them our and handed her a pair of buff long
trousers, a white shirt, a hat, along with a long strip what looked
like shredded nightgown.

“
Change into those.” Edward ordered softly, turning his back
and tugging his own shirt over his head.

Eliza
watched the rippling play of muscles along his broad back, as he
lifted his arms above his head. Each dip and hollow outlined in
loving detail as they clenched and released as he dropped the white
shirt over his head. The sudden covering of his bare flesh by the
stark white shirt shook her out of her adoration and with a start
she swiftly turned her back, tugging the strings of her dress
loose. She daren’t turn around and see if he was looking, tugging
on the breeches under her dress, before removing her arms from her
short sleeves of the dress and dragging the shirt over her modesty.
It was an awkward yet effective way of changing without revealing
her blushes.

Tucking
her shirt in, she held out each leg in turn musing over the
unfamiliar feel the rough material on the smooth skin of her
thighs. It felt very strange and not altogether comfortable to wear
such a garment, but Edward was right in choosing it as a
disguise.

“
Ta da!” She sang, grinning across the width of the bed at
him.

Her
smile died at the strange look in his eye as he studied her.
“What’s wrong?” She looked down at herself, trying to find anything
that could cause him such consternation. Unless he was much
mistaken, he was shocked. “Do I look strange?”

He blew
his cheeks out at the sight that greeted him and struggled to form
any words for several moments. Mentally he winced as the words
burst forth anyway.

“
Good God woman, you can’t go out there dressed like that!”
His voice rose several notches as he stared down at the length of
feminine leg hungrily.

“
Like what?” Eliza frowned down at the long breeches, totally
oblivious to the distracting sight of her long and very shapely
legs startlingly outlined in minute detail by the loving material.
“I know the breeches are a bit long but they are alright. Nobody
can tell with the boots.”

She
scowled up at him and didn’t notice the masculine interest in his
gaze as he studied the white shirt tautly covering her full breasts
as it tapered down into the narrow waistband of her breeches. Well
rounded breasts that were now clearly outlined through the cotton
material. Breeches that were stretched devotedly over the feminine
roundness of her womanly hips leading down into the longest legs he
had ever seen in his life.

Edward
felt sweat break out onto his brow and fought the urge tug at his
collar.

“
I need back-up.” He muttered weakly, before sweeping his
cloak off his shoulders and dragging it around her, tying the laces
at the top together tightly.

“
Ouch!” Eliza protested as he jerked the cloak closed
enfolding her in the long folds. “What’s wrong?”

The
material of the breeches and even the shirt clung lovingly to every
curve and hollow of her deliciously rounded frame. There was no way
she would be able to pass as a man. As soon as any man with blood
in his veins and eyes in his head saw her, he would know her sex
right away and undoubtedly want to prove for himself that those
luscious curves were real.