Fields of Fire (32 page)

“He had that injury in Belleek,” Jalene informed them. “Apparently a coach driver caused it.”

“Probably the one who tried to escape when Donnegan rescued Nelly.” Taylor lightly pressed her elbow to encourage her to move along. “We’d better leave before Donnegan gets suspicious. The only problem I think you’ll have is the tavern owner. Follow us down the passageway. Once you hear us all leave, seize the right moment to slip past him.”

“Aye,” Hug agreed. “I don’t trust him.”

“Neither do I,” Jalene added and reached to embrace Hug. “Do be careful.”

“Same to you,” Hug responded, giving her an extra firm squeeze before he released her. He nodded at Taylor, and the two shook hands in understanding.

“See you when it’s over,” Taylor said.

“God willing,” Hug responded, and they ventured out the door.

At the top of the stairway leading down, Jalene saw that Donnegan, Nelly and Henry were waiting. Taylor grabbed her hand in his. “Are you ready?”

“Let the battle begin.” She answered much as a knight from the Middle Ages would have, trying to be light-hearted.

“This is serious, Jalene.”

“I know, but if I think too much, I’ll be scared witless.”

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’ll not let any harm come to you.”

“Thank you. I feel better already.” She meant it. Despite the danger—the possibility that they might never return alive—the only place she wanted to be was by his side. She loved him. For sure, she knew. It was better to be with him and know what was happening, than to worry and wonder.

Hug hid from view as the two of them descended. Taylor held her hand until they reached the bottom of the staircase. He touched her back to direct her toward the group that was waiting for them.

“He was sleeping like a babe before we left the room.” Taylor addressed Donnegan.

“It took you longer than I thought,” Donnegan gave them a curious, if not suspicious, swift examination.

“Grandda’s clothes were still damp and sticking to him, and his boots were next to impossible to remove.” Jalene smoothed her midnight blue gown, tucked her hair behind her ears and checked that the matching crescent patch was in place on her cheek.

She hoped her explanation would make sense to Donnegan especially since their clothes were rumpled, but nearly dry now. They didn’t need any unnecessary suspicions directed toward them.

Nelly smiled at her. “I know you must be uncomfortable in that damp gown. You can freshen up when we get there, but I’m afraid your hair is ruined.”

Jalene smiled at Nelly’s frown and said, “Thank you. Don’t concern yourself over my tangled locks. All I’ll need is a comb. I only wear the more elaborate and fashionable coiffures, such as your own, on special occasions.” She almost liked the woman and wondered how she had become involved with Donnegan.

Nelly walked beside Donnegan, who held his side and relied heavily on his cane, as they led the way out the Deer’s Head tavern. Henry waited for her and Taylor to follow the couple, then fell in step behind them.

During the time they had spent at the Deer’s Head, the rain cleared. It was still cloudy, but if the sun had showed its face, it would have been high overhead since it was near noon.

Donnegan’s carriage was parked in front. As he’d said, the outside of the vehicle contained black canvas adjustable window coverings. Directly behind it was another carriage which Donnegan and Nelly entered immediately and started for their destination.

Jalene was about to step inside the carriage when Henry stopped her.

“I need to make sure ye’ve no weapons on yer person.” Henry said.

“I haven’t,” she answered and proceeded to enter the carriage.

Henry grabbed her shoulder. “I need to check.”

She gave Taylor a perplexed look.

“I’ll do it,” Taylor ordered. “Watch me,” he told Henry, not allowing the man to object.

Taylor faced her. “I’m going to run my hands down your body while Henry watches, so he can see you are concealing nothing beneath your gown.”

Taylor pushed her customary black shawl down from her shoulders. “Raise your arms.” She obeyed and the next instant his hands traveled down the sides of her breasts to her hips and down the length of her gown and back up. He patted her lower back and front midsection, stopping between her legs. He grabbed the material of her gown in such a way that it hugged one leg, clearly outlining it, and he followed the same procedure with the other leg.

She knew her complexion must have turned red with embarrassment, but if that awful Henry had performed this task, it was likely she would have gagged in disgust. Taylor’s performing this search was another matter. Dear Lord, here they were in the middle of a critical situation and his mere touch sent shameful sensations through to her inner being.

Taylor drew her to him after his exploration had ceased. He whispered to her, “If the situation was different, these clothes wouldn’t have remained on you much longer.”

She thrilled to his words, and whispered back, “If the situation was different, there would be no need to search me.”

Taylor stared at her lips and acted as if he was going to kiss her when Henry, apparently annoyed by the scene and the missed opportunity to maul her, said, “Here now. Break it up.” He moved closer to the two of them.

“Satisfied?” Taylor asked and released her.

“Aye,” he answered unhappily, “Now you.” He proceeded to search Taylor.

One good turn deserves another she thought, while she watched as Henry performed the same ritual on Taylor as Taylor had done to her. She held her breath as Henry’s hands traveled up Taylor’s legs from his ankles to his thighs where he grabbed the material of Taylor’s breeches in order to briefly accentuate his manhood, before searching his upper body.

Taylor must have understood her thoughts as when his eyes met hers, he winked and said, “Later, sweetness.”

“What’s that?” Henry asked. “Don’t ye get smart with me. I don’t like this any more than ye do.”

She covered her smile with her hands. Dear Lord, only Taylor could be so impossibly charming at a time like this.

Finally, they were allowed to enter the carriage. Her heart raced. The closed-in design of the vehicle hadn’t dawned on her until this moment. Panic set in and she thought she’d have to charge for the door when she caught the translucent skylight above. She took in a deep breath. If necessary, she could always break the glass. Having an avenue of escape, she eased back in the seat. The carriage wasn’t totally enclosed, as she’d first thought. What a relief.

“Are you going to be all right, Jalene?” Taylor’s eyebrows furrowed with concern.

“Aye,” she answered and smiled.

“For a moment there you paled. Are you sure?”

“It’s nothing really.” She tucked her black hair behind her ears. “What will you do when we get to Donnegan’s place of operation?”

“The first chance to leave without Donnegan catching on, we will, of course. I need to have Donnegan in residence. The sooner Hug arrives with reinforcements, the better.”

She stared at her hands. “How do you plan to do that? I’m sure his distillery will be guarded.”

“Aye, that’s the tricky part and with us being his guests, we’ll be well attended. Once he finds us gone, he’ll make the assumption we’re not who we claim to be. Timing is of the utmost importance.”

A fear of another sort struck her. The next hours could prove a matter of life or death. Unable to keep that emotion in check, she shivered, and Taylor read her accurately.

From his seat across from her, he grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry. I never should have agreed to let you come. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, and it’s the gravest.”

“Nay. I’ve told you. It was my choice. I want nothing more than to see Donnegan locked in prison for the way he treated me and for what he did to Wil. But he may know something about my brother.” She tugged her hand from his.

“It’s good that Donnegan surfaced when he did. I don’t know how much longer I could have withstood another tavern, another lascivious remark from a toothless old goat and the overall attitude towards me as a trollop. I’m not sure I’ll be able to act the lady and be properly shocked about anything anymore. I’m afraid my sensibilities are forever damaged.”

“Nay, you’ve learned more about life. There’s another world beyond your social circle. You’ll be better for knowing about it.”

She studied the skylight a moment and lowered her gaze to meet his. “If all goes as planned.”

“There’s no reason for Donnegan to suspect us to leave without his knowing it. After we learn where his operation is, and I see the stills for myself, that is exactly what we’ll do.” Unaware, he toyed with the silver Knights’ head ring on his little finger. “I’ll protect you, Jalene, but don’t forget Hug is following us as well.”

“Thank you,” she said and moved from her seat across from him to sit by his side. Aye, she thought. He’d let no harm come to her provided it was in his power to prevent it. But she loved him all the more for believing that nothing was out of his power.

She leaned against him and rested her head upon his shoulder, a bold gesture, but at this point, she didn’t care. “I’ll do my best to protect you as well. I’ll follow your every wish.”

Taylor wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer to him. She moved her head to rest against his chest. “My only wish, sweetness, is that we weren’t in this damned vehicle right now, but in my bed at Knights’ Head.”

Her head snapped up, and she shoved herself from him. He laughed and pulled her securely back in place in his arms. “As I suspected, sweetness. See how wonderfully well you can still be properly mortified.”

Chapter 21

What the hell? Taylor glanced at Jalene whose expression of astonishment surely mirrored his own. Directly in front of them stood a peasant’s cottage. Neatly manicured rows of flax, with their delicate blue flowers in full bloom, surrounded the cottage for about an acre or more. This was hardly the setting for an illegal distillery operation.

The carriage door slammed behind them. “Go on inside,” Henry told Taylor and led the horse and carriage to an outbuilding a short distance away. Apparently, Nelly and Donnegan had already arrived for their carriage was nowhere to be seen.

Jalene, still taken with the sight before her said, “The fields of blue fire are beautiful! I’ve never seen such a riot of color.”

“Aye, and that is what puzzles me. There’s no indication a distillery is on the premises. From this vantage point, the cottage—oddly—appears to be built into part of a hill.

Taylor turned towards the outbuilding and stared at the graveled road leading to it. With the toe of his boot, he dug into the ground about an inch.

“What are you doing?” Jalene asked.

“The soil sometimes tells me a lot about a location. The dirt here is typical of the north, but I doubt we’re anywhere near the coast.”

With careful steps, he crept past the lone window in front of the cottage through some high grass until he came to the edge of the field. The rows of flax had reached a mature height of four feet and soon would be ready for harvest. He squatted and ran his fingers through the ground near the plants. The soil was rich and disease free, and it was apparent that whoever maintained the flax knew the land. Regardless, why had Donnegan escorted them to such a place?

“I think Mr. Donnegan would like us to come inside now,” Jalene yelled to Taylor.

At the sound of Jalene’s voice he stood and saw one of Donnegan’s men with his hand tightly gripping Jalene’s arm. “Aye.” He quickly stomped over to them and tugged Jalene’s arm from the man, offering him a broad smile. “I was admiring the quality of the flax. Do you do something special to it?”

“Ye can ask Master Cory any questions. Just get inside.”

They entered the structure, and Taylor was immediately aware that it was no ordinary peasant’s cottage. His speculation that the cottage was built into the hillside proved to be true. Opposite the entryway where they stood was part of the hillside which served as a wall with a draperied window. As in the peasant’s cottage where he and Jalene had been taken after the Dublin episode, a table and a few chairs were the only pieces of furniture. While Donnegan had requested their presence, he was nowhere to be seen, which lead Taylor to believe the place contained a hidden passageway.

“It’s odd to have a window there,” Taylor whispered to Jalene and motioned to the object of his attention.

“Especially, since that side seems to be the wall that is part of the hillside,” Jalene agreed.

What Taylor originally surmised to be a window proved to be a door. When Donnegan’s man tapped out a five-knock code upon it, the heavy sides swung outward to either side. Almost instantly a cool dank draft hit him in the face.

Jalene inched closer to Taylor. “Where does the passageway lead?”

“Just follow it,” Donnegan’s man ordered and shoved them forward.

In an instant, the heavy doors slammed shut behind them with a loud ominous crash. Taylor jerked in response and noticed that Jalene had been startled as well. A worry line creased her forehead.

Taylor wiped the palms of his cold hands on his green breeches. “Don’t be troubled. The man probably didn’t realize his own strength,” Taylor told her, knowing her real concern was over negotiating with Donnegan.

She smiled and was about to reply, but stopped before any words were uttered. If she’d appeared worried before, fear clearly showed on her face now. He followed her gaze down the dim lantern-lit passageway in front of them.

“Jalene?”

She didn’t answer.

“Jalene?” He shook her gently. “What is it?”

She glanced up at him and shook her head. “Nothing. Nothing.” She gave him a gentle squeeze on his arm. “I was just wondering if there would be any rats?”

“Is that what that terrified look was all about? It’s possible. But I seriously doubt it, since this passageway is apparently used. Besides, do you think Donnegan would tolerate such conditions?”

She smiled, and said, “Nay. You’re right, but I don’t like it in here.”