GypsyDukeEpub (28 page)

John glared at the trussed young gypsy. His fingers itched to take out his pistol and blow the man's head off.

"I will deal with you later," he promised with menace. "I think my clan would be very interested to hear that you betrayed my lady."

The gypsy's eyes widened at that, but he couldn't speak because Robert had stuffed a rag in his mouth.

John pulled back from the carriage, looking for Michel. "I do not want Kitty to ride with this man. Take him back to camp. I'll meet you later."

"Do you want the family to provide vengeance or shall we wait for you?"

John considered the words well. He might not have followed the God that his mother and Kitty were so fond of, but he had attended service with them every week. He was reminded of a verse. Vengeance is mine. I
will repay, saith the Lord.

"I must speak with him first." He held up his hand to give Michel's arm a tight squeeze. "Thank you, Michel. I could not have found her without your help."

"You are my brother, John, and would do no less for me."

John raised a brow at that. "Have you a woman somewhere, then?"

"God forbid." He leaned into the carriage and gave the other gypsy a sharp tug. "Out you go, you scaliwag. I'd hate to be in your shoes when the family hears what you've done."

And on that threatening note, John left them to climb into the carriage. Robert was a few seconds behind and reached for the shades on the window as soon as he was seated. "I know it makes it a bit stuffy in here, Kitty, but I felt you need the privacy. No one need wonder what young couple I have traveling with me."

Kitty blinked a couple of times but didn't answer. John's heart went out to her. She looked exhausted and frail, but he knew looks could be deceiving in her case. Her small stature made her appear weaker than she was.

He pulled her into his side. "Can you tell me what happened, love?"

"Not now, John."

He sighed. She couldn't keep it to herself. For one thing, it wasn't good for her. For another, the earl and his countess would be frantic to hear the details of Kitty's incarceration.

"I am sorry, darling, but your father will require some explanation. I assumed you would want to go straight to your bath. I would be happy to speak for you."

Kitty tilted her head so she could see his face. "No one…touched me, if that's what you mean."

That wasn't what he meant, but it was a relief, nonetheless. He looked at Robert who had turned several shades of red.

"Uh, no, darling, I'm happy to hear that, though it would not have mattered. I would still care for you, Kitty."

Her eyes filled with tears…again. John sighed as Robert handed him a starched, white linen handkerchief. It looked like they were in for many tears and many sighs before they all recovered. He dabbed at Kitty's face until she took the cloth from him.

"Please don't cry. You don't have to speak of it, if you do not wish to do so."

"I am so ashamed," she sniffed, looking first at Robert then at John. "I cannot imagine why...very well. I had my cloak ready. When I saw Michel approach you, I realized you were living with the gypsies.
It seemed a great lark. I rushed down the stairs to follow you. When I left the gate, I saw the two of you turning at the end of the road."

"But Kitty, it was incredibly foggy last night. How did you see anything at all?"

"It rolled in very quickly. One moment I saw you, and then, not again. I had taken only a few steps when I was grabbed from behind. My struggle was brief, I believe, because he shoved a smelly rag in my face. I passed out until this morn, awakening in that old house."

Robert smiled encouragingly at her from the other side of the carriage. John kissed the top of her head.

"I'm sorry. If I had heard…"

"No. There was no way you could anticipate that I would sneak out of the house."

Robert cleared his throat. "I think you've been known to do that. But, perhaps this time, he expected you to wait at home for him to speak to your father. Still, he managed."

Kitty felt a rush of trepidation. She squeezed John's arm. "You spoke to Father? What did he say, John? Does he blame you?"

She was surprised to see John glare at Robert.

"He did, but I assured him I had not stolen you in the night. Robert backed me up."

She wanted to shake his teeth right out of his mouth. "What did he say? Does he approve our marriage?"

"He does. All is well." He turned slightly in his seat. "Now listen, young lady. The men Robert and I are trying to apprehend would stop at nothing. They will kill you if they think it will protect their secrets. No more sneaking about at night or in the daylight. You are never to be out alone again. Do you understand?"

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was back to being his little woman. But sneaking out in the dark had been a foolish endeavor.

"You do that very well, you know. Always have."

John lifted both brows, but it was Robert who answered. "I told you that ducal thing was inbred. You'll always be a bit high-handed."

"It is not high-handed to wish one's wife to stay indoors at night instead of chasing after men."

Kitty gasped. "Chasing after men, indeed." She couldn't blame him. He had warned her that danger lurked, and she walked into it of her own free will. "I have given my promise. That is enough."

Now it was Robert who sighed. "She does it just as well. At that
moment, she looked very like your mother."

All three chuckled, and Kitty felt much better. She really was glad John would take care of explanations to her father. Eventually though, she would have to face him. Her mother would probably follow into her room while she bathed. She could only imagine their frantic fear at her loss.

Her head jerked around to John. "Why in the world did my parents associate my loss with you?"

John pulled the ring box out of his pocket. He had pilfered it off the earl's desk. He held it out. "They found this under your open window. It has my seal on the bottom."

Kitty turned the box. Sure enough. There was John's crest, deeply imprinted into the black velvet box.

The carriage rolled to a stop, swaying as the footman jumped off the back and opened the door.

Kitty didn't move. John put his hand in the small of her back and gave a soft nudge. "Just think of the warm bath that awaits you...and the clean clothes."

That was a reason to climb out. Kitty reached one soiled foot out of the carriage and had to grab the footman's hand to keep from falling. She'd been sitting too long after the hardship her feet had endured. They were swollen, and the blisters throbbed with pain.

"Wait!" cried John. "Let me see her feet."

Kitty winced and held out her foot to John. He gingerly untied the ribbon stays and slid her foot out of the slipper. How she hated for him to see and touch the filth encrusted there.

"Look at that, Robert, her feet are a ruination. Blisters, cuts, and swollen."

"I'm looking. It is quite an enjoyable sight."

Robert smiled at Kitty. He wasn't really leering at her trim ankles, just trying to make her feel better. Now that he no longer resented her, he was a very nice man. She would have to find him a wife.

"Eek!" Kitty squealed as John lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the open door of her townhouse. "This really is not necessary, John."

"Hush, darling. With Robert lusting after your legs, it was indeed necessary."

Kitty laughed. "He barely saw an ankle." She inclined her head regally to the ever-staid butler. "Good afternoon. Would you be so kind as to see if the earl and the countess are receiving?"

"Yes, miss."

She felt the rumble of silent laughter in John's chest. "Sometimes I wonder if you are not a candidate for Bedlam."

"If I am, you shall go with me."

They never made it past the front hallway. The earl and the countess rushed out to meet them, everyone talking at once. Kitty watched them for several seconds then dropped her head against John's chest, going limp.

The countess shrieked. "She's fainted."

Absolute silence reigned.

Kitty waited at least five seconds before raising her head. She eyed both parents. "John knows what happened. He will tell you all, if you will allow me to take a bath in my room. I fear I am not for any more conversation at this point."

The countess fell forward to kiss Kitty's cheek. "Of course not, darling. We are so sorry." She looked up at John. "Would you please carry Lady Katherine to her room, Lord Somerset? I will accompany you. "Michael, you will provide refreshments in the drawing room. I will join you momentarily."

Everyone moved at once to do her bidding, exactly as Kitty had anticipated.

Two hours later, Kitty looked as fresh as spring, sitting in a chair by her dear mama, her feet bound and propped on another chair.

John longed to gather her into his arms and make off with her, but he had to act as the duke. He rose. "Westley and I must be going."

Robert stood beside him.

Kitty frowned. The countess tried to smile but managed merely to look sad. John's mother, who had joined the little celebration, appeared thoughtful.

"Must you really?" asked the earl.

Robert answered, John assumed, to give their departure more authority. "I am afraid so. Duty waits. There are lives dependent on Somerset's information."

Dismay showed on every face in the room. John scowled at Robert. The man was forever trying to make him appear the hero.

"Not really. As Robert has informed me many a time, Wellington has spies everywhere. He does not need me."

"I meant merely that you could retire now that Lady Katherine is of marriageable age."

Kitty flashed Robert a grateful smile. It tugged at John's gut. He didn't like it when she looked at another man with such favor. She had
no idea how lovely she truly was. His voice, when he spoke was a trifle harsh.

"That is enough, Westley."

Kitty gaped at him, as did his mother and the countess.

"I mean…We cannot really be sure which information is correct. I believe Wellington and his men are headed into a trap. Thus, we have arranged a little endeavor that will tell us the truth of the matter."

Kitty shook her head. "I do not understand."

Robert, unperturbed by John's brusque tone, turned and winked before answering her. "Somerset is rather clever when it comes to spying. He has suspected someone at the Home Office was a traitor for some time."

The earl held out a hand to them. "Won't you please take your seats, gentlemen? We would like to hear this…all of it."

There was nothing for it now. They would have to stay a few moments longer. John sat.

Robert avoided his eyes when he regained his chair, continuing his recitation of current events. "As I was saying…the last message John was to have delivered, he suspects to be a blind. It is a habit of the gypsies to check out the lay of the land in any new venture. A worthy skill for a spy."

John sighed and rolled his eyes. "Investigator."

Robert shrugged. "He arrived at the coordinates for the exchange several hours early and lay in wait. He saw another operative pass a message to his contact, someone John recognized."

Kitty held up a hand. "Which man?"

"Both. One was supposed to be from our side, the other, a contact from the French side."

"What did you do?" asked the earl.

John tried to appear as nonchalant as possible. He wasn't comfortable discussing his own efforts or having Robert discuss them. "I
accidentally
broke the seal on my message. It said that Wellington's troops would launch a surprise attack at a certain location not five days hence. That is, three days from now...which is why we must go."

"But how did you know both men were traitors?" asked his mother.

Robert grinned. "Somerset took a bottle of whiskey with him when he met the contact. He got the man foxed and read the other message. It gave a different location for the troops. They couldn't both be correct. So, he knew someone had sold out Wellington's troops."

The earl nodded. "Now, you have to be there when that message is
handed off then make it in time to Wellington with the truth. Why have you lingered here when you should be in France?"

Kitty turned an appraising eye to her father. "Because you, dear Father, threatened to give away his bride."

"I am sorry, son. I had no idea."

Robert, still grinning, took up the explanations. "And he forbid me from sharing the truth. He seems to think saving his country has no honor. I made sure he knew Kitty would be lost to him if we did not hurry to London first."

The earl stood and advanced to John. "I have sorely wronged you, Somerset. There is great honor in saving one's land, especially at the cost of one's own future happiness. Rachel and I will gladly give Kitty into your hands when you return. God go with you."

John bowed. "Kitty and I thank you. And now…"