Heart's Demand (19 page)

Why would Kristof order them back unless Nicholas
wasn’t
safe?

“What does he say?” Cedric asked.

“He’s commanded me to return Nicholas to Parthenia.”

“Will you?”

“Absolutely not.”

They were the last words she ever spoke to her uncle. She stood and swept out.

*   *   *   *

“We have to talk.”

“I was wondering when you’d get around to it.”

Chase peered over at Bryce and sighed with regret. He and Bryce had been friends since they were boys. They’d both staggered into their boarding school as homeless orphans, waifs who had no one to worry about them, no one to care.

Chase had arrived, having lost his parents and having been separated from his only sister, and he’d been bewildered and forlorn. The students had mostly been from lofty families. Many had had noble parents, while others like Chase were the natural born sons of aristocrats. A few were like Bryce who’d seemed to have come from an elevated background, though his antecedents were uncertain.

He’d claimed his father had been a prince and he’d grow up to be a king, but no one had believed him. His lies had spawned many fistfights, so he’d learned how to defend himself.

By the time Chase had been enrolled, Bryce had become the unofficial protector of those students who were picked on or bullied. At the ripe old age of eight, Bryce had been Chase’s hero. As a result, Chase had never had any problems at school. He’d merely mention that he was being harassed, and Bryce resolved any difficulty.

Bryce was magnificent that way. He couldn’t tolerate an injustice, couldn’t bear to see a person tormented or harmed, and Chase had always deemed himself incredibly lucky that Bryce had bothered to take Chase under his wing.

Bryce had constantly proved himself to be loyal and true, but Chase had rarely reciprocated those stellar traits. He simply didn’t have it in him to be trustworthy or dependable. Had he finally squandered Bryce’s goodwill?

They were on a boat and sailing for Cairo. It was one of those perfect Egyptian evenings, the sun setting in the west, the Nile stretching on forever. A row of pyramids dotted the horizon, the stones glowing an eerie purple color as the sky darkened.

The crew had anchored for the night, but Bryce had refused to have them stop by the river’s banks. They liked to cook their supper and sleep on the sand, but Bryce wouldn’t permit it. They would bob about in the middle so it would be hard for a brigand to approach.

Chase wasn’t overly concerned about Miss Webster or her siblings. Yes, he’d agreed to guard them, but only so he could pay his fare to England. It had never occurred to him that he’d actually have to work to earn the money.

Not for a single second had he expected a violent incident to transpire, and he wasn’t about to endanger himself on their behalves. Once they reached Cairo, he would request his wages, then leave Miss Webster to her own devices. He hoped he could convince Bryce to leave too, but he was apprehensive about Bryce.

While neither Bryce nor Miss Webster had provided the smallest indication of a developing fondness, Chase knew Bryce really well. To his dismay, Bryce seemed smitten.

“Let me have it,” Chase grumbled. “You’re fairly bursting with indignation. Go ahead and scold me. I’m ready.”

“Don’t be flippant. I’m not in the mood.”

“I’ve said I was sorry a dozen times. How can I give you a pound of flesh if you won’t accept it?”

When Nicholas was nearly kidnapped, Chase should have been watching the tent, but he’d sneaked off with Pippa. In the brawl that had ensued, Bryce had killed two men, and even though they’d deserved their fate, Bryce took that sort of thing very seriously.

He was angry with Chase for shirking his duty, but in Chase’s defense, he hadn’t felt disaster would ever strike. He’d dubbed Miss Webster a trembling worrier, but apparently her fears were justified, which meant Chase had signed onto the wrong convoy.

“You were in charge of Nicholas,” Bryce chided as if Chase were ten.

“I know, I know.”

“That’s our job. It’s what we are being paid to do.”

“We haven’t received a farthing yet, have we?”

“We’ll be paid, although after what happened, if Miss Webster decides to reduce what we were promised, I wouldn’t be surprised. I have no desire to be trapped here because you screwed up and lost us the money we were owed.”

“Gad, that would be the limit, wouldn’t it? We get roped into a predicament that ultimately requires swordplay, and when we step up, we’re slapped on the wrist.”

“
We
weren’t involved in swordplay, Chase. I didn’t see you anywhere during the entire fiasco. If I remember correctly, it all fell on my shoulders.”

“Yes, it did.”

“You didn’t have to accept this position,” Bryce reminded him.

“I’m aware of that fact.”

“Where were you when the trouble started? It would be nice if I could hear the truth for once.”

Chase smiled a sly smile. “A gentleman never tells.”

“No he doesn’t, and since you’re
not
a gentleman and we both know it, the prohibition doesn’t apply. What were you doing?”

“I was dallying. What would you suppose?”

“Was it by any chance with Miss Clementi?”

Chase shrugged. “Perhaps.”

“What are your plans with regard to her?”

“Must I have plans?”

“Is she expecting decent behavior from you? Might she be expecting a marriage proposal when you’re through?”

“No,” Chase scoffed. “She has even less scruples than I do.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“She doesn’t anticipate or want a commitment from me. Besides, she has big ideas back in her home country that don’t include me.”

“So I don’t need to have a word with her about you?”

“No. Why would you? I’m not a child, Bryce. Don’t fuss over me as if you’re my father.”

“With the way you act, Chase, sometimes I feel like I’m your father. Nicholas might have been murdered. Does that possibility resonate with you?”

“I like the boy, but you’re braver than I am. We both understand that you are. I wouldn’t have jumped in front of a line of brigands to protect him, but you were happy to imperil yourself.”

“I’m not happy about it at all. I killed two men, and even if they were criminals, it’s extremely disturbing to me.”

“Better them than you.”

Bryce threw up his hands. “Why am I wasting my breath?”

“What would you have me say, Bryce? I’m glad Nicholas is all right. I’m glad no harm was inflicted on either of you. And I’m
sorry
for the whole bloody debacle. Are you satisfied now? I think I’m done apologizing.”

They glared, on the brink of a quarrel, but it would never begin. Bryce wasn’t the type to shout or argue, and Chase couldn’t be goaded into a lather on any topic.

“When we arrive in Cairo,” Bryce eventually said, “you shouldn’t continue working for Miss Webster.”

Chase chuckled. “Are you firing me? Because if you are, I should probably inform you that I’ll quit as soon as I can.”

“How soon?”

“If I can convince Miss Webster to give me my wages, I’ll book passage to England immediately. What about you? Will you come with me or will you stay behind?”

“I haven’t decided.”

“Why haven’t you? Are you sweet on pretty, mysterious Miss Webster?”

“No,” Bryce insisted.

“Are you sure? You were with her down at the bathing pools when the brouhaha started with Nicholas.”

“I was guarding her, Chase. That’s why we were employed, remember?”

“I remember. You’re not involved with her? You’re not sneaking off in the dark to misbehave?”

“No,” Bryce insisted again. “As opposed to Miss Clementi, Miss Webster has high moral standards.”

“Meaning what? She won’t lower herself to consort with you?”

“Yes, that’s precisely what I mean.”

“Then why would you remain?”

“She’s all alone in the world, and she’s in trouble. I don’t mind helping her.”

“And that’s all it will be? You helping a damsel in distress?”

“Yes.”

“You’re so chivalrous, Bryce. I wish I could be more like you.”

“No, you don’t. You’re happy being your usual corrupt self.”

Chase considered, then grinned. “You could be right.”

Chase studied Bryce, wondering as to his claims about Miss Webster.

Pippa was pushing Chase to aid her in a scheme she was hatching against Miss Webster. Pippa had adamantly and repeatedly declared it wouldn’t be horrid or awful. It would just be a way for Pippa to earn a ton of money and head home wealthy.

If Bryce had an emotional attachment to Miss Webster, Chase wouldn’t entangle himself in Pippa’s plot. But if Bryce didn’t care about Miss Webster, if he wasn’t fond, then Chase had no qualms about participating.

Pippa had offered him an exorbitant reward for his assistance, and he was a scoundrel. He’d be the first to admit it. Even so, he wouldn’t deliberately hurt a female. Did he trust Pippa? No, and he’d definitely pressure her to provide more details. If nothing sounded dodgy, he’d be delighted to pocket the extra funds.

Still though, he frowned at Bryce. “Are you positive you’re not lusting after Miss Webster?”

“I said
no
. Why keep asking me about her?”

“You’re together constantly. You seem very friendly.”

“It’s because I’m a friendly person, Chase, and at the moment, she doesn’t have any friends.”

“There’s no chance of an amour developing?”

“Are you joking? I have no idea who she really is, but whoever she turns out to be, she’ll be much too lofty for a man of my station.”

“You’re a bloody earl, Bryce.”

“Only in fairytales.”

“You could make it come true.”

“Never in a thousand years.”

From Bryce’s stoic expression, Chase understood the issue was closed. He couldn’t comprehend Bryce’s decision not to fight for his heritage and had given up pleading with him about it.

It was likely jumbled up in those hard times at school when he’d tell people he was a prince and he hadn’t been believed.

Yet if he’d proclaim himself and seize what was lawfully his, he’d be Earl of Radcliffe. No matter Miss Webster’s actual rank, Bryce would be a suitable match for her. Even if she was a princess—and with how she acted, he wouldn’t be surprised to learn she was—Bryce would be a good match for her. A bit low, but still good.

Chase shucked off the dilemma. Bryce wasn’t interested in her, and she was too far above him. With that being Bryce’s opinion, he would never reach for her.

So…Chase wasn’t bound by any loyalty to Bryce over Miss Webster. Pippa needed his help and would pay him handsomely for whatever that dubious, unexplained help wound up being.

Why not
? Chase mused.

It couldn’t be any worse than many of the other sordid deeds he’d done in his sorry life. He grabbed the liquor decanter and refilled his glass.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“It was your father’s.”

“Seriously?”

“I thought you’d like to have it.”

Bryce gaped at Valois. They were back where they’d started, in Cairo at his villa, all of them his guests until a rental property was arranged for Kat and her siblings.

Supper was over, the weary travelers off to their rooms, but Valois had asked Bryce to join him in his private quarters. He’d just opened a locked safe and pulled out a glorious weapon, and Bryce studied it in amazement.

It was too long to be called a knife, but too short to be a sword. It was what a Bedouin might have wielded in olden times, swinging it to lop off heads as he rode past his enemies on a camel.

It looked ancient and exquisitely crafted, the hilt made of gold and inlaid with gemstones, mostly emeralds and rubies. A leather sheath had been designed for it too, the leather tooled with odd scrolling and even more gems pounded into it.

It was magnificent and deadly and Valois was claiming it had belonged to Bryce’s father.

Before Bryce had trotted off to the desert with Kat, he’d stayed with Valois for several weeks, and while Valois had admitted to having been friends with Bryce’s father many years earlier, he hadn’t mentioned being in possession of any of his father’s things. Why would his father have left behind such a beautiful item?

Bryce was dubious, and Valois noted his skepticism.

“When you were here before, I couldn’t find it, and I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

“It’s superb.” Bryce ran his thumb over the sharp blade. “Why did he give it to you?”

“I did him a favor once.”

“It must have been quite a favor.”

“It was.”

Valois’s expression was stoic and bemused, informing Bryce that he wouldn’t confess any details. He was always reserved and cautious, and apparently a secret could be safe with him even three decades later.

“Your father was a fine man, Bryce.”

“I’m proud to hear you say it.”

“I’m aware of how he passed on, as well as how your grandfather harmed your mother.”

Bryce shrugged, not eager to discuss it. The topic was painful, and it stirred horrific memories of that day at the dock when his mother had been taken away. If he talked about it, he’d have nightmares for a month.

“It was a long time ago, Valois,” he said. “It’s water under the bridge.”

“Mr. Hubbard tells me you found your sister, Annie.”

“Yes, but her name was changed when she was little. It’s Evangeline now. She married very high, into Lord Sidwell’s family. Her husband is Aaron Drake, Lord Run. Do you know him?”

“No, I don’t know any of them. What about your brothers, the twins? What were their names?”

“Michael and Matthew.”

“Yes. Have they been located?”

“Evangeline is searching for them, and she’s hunting for my mother too. She’s the ultimate optimist, and she has this wild idea that Mother might still be alive.”

“It would be a splendid ending, wouldn’t it? But not likely. The voyage around the globe is treacherous.”

“I realize that fact. It’s why my sister is the optimist, but I am not.”

“Let’s pray it turns out to be true. If she’s alive, your grandfather will roll in his grave.”