Lords of Retribution (Lords of Avalon series) (26 page)

“I’m f
ine. There’s no reason to stop,” Tuesday protested.

“I’ll not allow you to slide out of the saddle and to the ground, Tuesday
. You could break your neck.”

“I don’
t see why that would bother you,” Tuesday grumbled in irritation.

Jack turned and gave her a
hard stare.

Tuesday stuck her tongue out at him after he
faced forward again.

“Be nice, Trouble!
” Jack grinned as he gave her the warning.

How did he know
seem to know her so well? Tuesday frowned.

She
started to dismount on her own when Jack’s hands slid about her waist. He lifted her down effortlessly, setting her gently upon the ground.

“I’ll tie up the horses,
” Jack grumbled as he returned to his horse and reached for the bags on his saddle.

Seconds later the loud crack of a
rifle shot rent the air sending birds flying from the trees. A cacophony of squawks filled the air as the birds fled the area.

T
hree feet from where Tuesday stood, dirt and grass flew up. The horses spooked. He was able to grab the two bags from his saddle. He reached for his horses’ reins but missed them when the gelding reared and charged after Tuesday’s horse, which was already running toward the road.

Jack
rushed to Tuesday. He grabbed her hand. “We need to get into the wood. The shot came from across the road.” He pulled her along with him. Together they ran toward the trees.

“Should
n’t we try to find the horses?” Tuesday asked as they ran into the cover of the trees.

“Our horses ran
toward
the shooter.” Jack shook his head. “I doubt we would find them anyway, Tuesday. Our primary concern is that someone took a shot at us. We need to keep moving in
this
direction.” He pointed forward. “I’ll not take any chances with you in my care.”

When they rea
ched the other side of the wood, Jack motioned for Tuesday to stop. “Let’s be still for a few minutes and listen to see if anyone is following us,” Jack whispered to her. “We can’t run out onto the moor if we are being followed. We’ll be easy targets.”

Tuesday nodded.
She leaned against a tree and concentrated on catching her breath.

After
ten minutes passed, Jack was satisfied they were not being followed. Now they would find out if someone was waiting on the edge of the wood nearby waiting for them to run across the moor. He looked to Tuesday. She still leaned against the tree. Her French blue eyes were wide, but she remained calm.

He stood two feet from her
. He stepped closer. “I’m not going to lie to you Tuesday, there is a chance someone is waiting on the edge of the wood like we are, waiting for us to run across the moor so they can get a clean shot at us.”

“Oh.” Tuesday slowly nodded her head
in understanding.

“I will go out there
first. Alone.”

Tuesday
shook her head. “You are not leaving me here, Jack. I’ll take my chances. I’m coming with you.”

“No, Tuesday
! It’s far too dangerous. Might I remind you the rifle shot landed much closer to you than to me? I will not endanger you. You will remain here.”

Tuesday shrugged
. “I don’t care, Jack. I’m going with you. You are not leaving me behind.” Tuesday stood upright.

Without any warning, s
he took off running.

“
Bloody Hell!
” Jack bent, retrieved his bags and followed the most infuriating woman he had ever kept company with.

She left the cover of the trees and looked back only when she made it on to the moor. A
very angry Jack caught up to her and took her by the arm. He glared at her.

“You will d
o as I say from now on, Tuesday,” he growled as he looked back toward the tree line.

“Only if I
choose to,” she retorted.

Two hours later the sun, obscured by dark clouds, began to set.

“Are we traveling through the night?” Tuesday asked.

“No, the moor is riddled with mine pits and rock quarries. We’ll have to find a place to rest for the night,” he stopped in mid speech when he felt a drop of rain. Then another. It began to rain harder. He had been watching the surrounding moor, knowing they would need shelter for the night, the heavy clouds had promised rain at some point. They were currently heading toward a small wood.

Jack pointed to it,
“We need to head for those trees, Tuesday.” He took her hand and they hurried toward their destination while the heavens let loose upon them.

By the time they reached the
trees, they were drenched. Jack grinned when he saw a very tiny little building, what he would call no more than a hut, sitting at the edge of the wood.

He knocked
upon the door. There was no answer. He pulled the old door open. It creaked loudly. Perhaps it was a woodcutter’s cottage, he could not be certain. There were no furnishings. The floor was wood, thankfully not dirt. It was just a square little room with a small fireplace and two uncovered windows. At least it was dry inside. The roof appeared to be sound.

He helped Tuesday in
. She was shivering. Immediately he set about removing her wet clothing.

Tuesday pulled back
. She slapped at his hands. “What are you doing?”

“You’re shivering and you’re going to catch
a chill. We have to get these wet clothes off you, Tuesday.”

“
I won’t remove my clothes.”

“
Then I will, Tuesday. Your teeth are chattering. We shall have no fire. There is no wood for the fireplace. In any case, smoke from the chimney would attract attention to where we are. I wager there is someone out there who still wants to shoot us. I’ll not have you become ill.” He bent his head and placed a soft kiss to the top of her wet head. His voice softened as he said, “We lost your brother, Tuesday. I’ll not let you come to any harm. Seeing you naked is of no consequence at this point. I’ve seen most of your bare body, already.” He reminded her sternly, “We
will
be married soon.”

Jack pulled her sodden coat from her
. Her linen shirt beneath it was soaked and clung to her lovely breasts. He tried not to look at her hardened nipples through the now transparent material as he unfastened it and failed at least twice. Of course, he paused to look upon her bare breasts, the nipples hard and taut, as he dropped the sodden linen to plop on the floor. He proceeded to peel the wet trousers from her silken skin, revealing her beautiful body inch by luscious inch. In minutes, she stood beautifully naked before him, her arms crossed over her bosom, and a crimson blush upon her cheeks. She glared at him.

His eyes had adjusted to the dimness
. He spied a crude wooden box in the corner. He left Tuesday naked and shivering to see what was in the box. He grinned after he lifted the lid and removed a blanket. It was thin and threadbare in places, but it was a blanket nonetheless. He shook it out and went to Tuesday. He wrapped the blanket around her. “There. Better?” he asked her.

Tuesday nodded
. “Aren’t you, um, going to take your wet clothes off, Jack?” Tuesday did not think it was fair that she stood naked and humiliated and he did not.

“I’ll be fine for a bit
. Why don’t you lie down and try to sleep.” Jack walked toward the window. “I’ll keep watch. I’ll undress after you fall asleep.”

“Jack I won’t have you getting ill either
! I have no idea how to find Menadue. It’s been years since I visited there. I don’t even know where we are. It’s growing darker every minute. I don’t feel right about having the blanket and you being wet and cold.”

Jack peered out the window
. He turned to her. He was chilled and they would be warmer together. She still shivered despite the thin blanket wrapped around her. The truth of the matter was Jack just didn’t trust himself with a
naked
Tuesday. He had compromised her well enough while she had been clothed.

“
Jack?”

He sighed
. It would be wonderful to get out of his wet clothes. “Lie down and turn your back.”

Tuesday carefully lowered herself to the floor so she would not reveal
too much of her nakedness. She rolled onto her side. While Jack undressed, she carefully resituated herself. She pulled the thin cover from beneath her so Jack could share it.

Jack paused before he lowered himself to lay with Tuesday
. He was certain once he was under the blanket and skin to skin with her, that he would lose all self-control. He had lusted for this woman for four long years, after all. His
Trouble
!

The blanket was not large, but he would have to make certain to put part of it between them
.

He pleasured many women
in his lifetime, but he had never slept the entire night with any but a few. He was probably in his cups and unable to walk away. Oddly, he was looking forward to having Tuesday next to him, holding her as she slept. It was the damnedest thing.

He lowered himself
to the floor, placing his knife and his two pistols on the floor beside him. He lifted the blanket and slid in beside Tuesday, careful to leave some of the blanket between them as he gathered her into his arms. Her back was against him. She still shivered slightly. He gathered her closer. “Is that better, Tuesday?”

“Yes, but I’m turning over.”

Jack lifted his arm.

When Tuesday rolled over the blanket shifted and they found themsel
ves face-to-face and skin-to-skin.

“Oh,
” Tuesday said, her breath rushing from her as she realized their naked bodies were touching. It felt…wonderful.

Jack
gently moved her head to rest upon his shoulder. “That might be more comfortable for you.”

“Yes, it is. Thank you, Jack.”

“Try to get some sleep, Tuesday. You must be exhausted.”

She shivered again.

Jack wrapped his free arm around her and pulled her closer. He could feel her nipples harden against his chest. He felt his cock stir to life.

There was
nothing he could do. He was naked, holding the beautiful Lady Tuesday Inwood who was also naked in his arms. He had lusted after this particular beauty far too long. Every single time he got close to her his cock got hard. He placed a soft kiss to her temple when she burrowed into his warmth.

“Sleep, Tuesday.
” He doubted he would. Not only was he aroused, but he also needed to listen for any intruders. Someone had tried to shoot them that afternoon, and it appeared to him they had been aiming at Tuesday.

Menadue was bursting at the seams with people
. Trevan had stayed busy nearly every waking moment the last four days. He had paperwork that had piled up while he was in London. He brought home paperwork from London. Workmen were inside and outside the house. Repairs were being made from the damage suffered during the Brown Coat attack. There were meetings with his estate manager, his secretary, as well as meetings with his colleagues regarding the trap the Avalon Society was laying for the Brown Coat leaders. He was host to nearly one hundred people in his home. Yesterday, there was trouble at one of the mines and he had gone to see to it himself.

When Gabriel arrived
from London in the next few days with his men, Micah, Libby, Lyon and Sophia, and when Jack arrived from his important errand, he doubted there would be one empty bedchamber left in the house.

Trevan sighed as he stretched
. It was eight o’clock a.m. and he had been at the desk in his study for hours. In four days, he had seen Wenna twice. She had asked if she could speak to him once and at that particular moment, he was truly unable to find the time to speak to her. Several crises needed his immediate attention. He promised they would talk in the next day or so.

He was dreading their meeting
. He feared they were finished, that what they once had was over. She had remained aloof since that first time she had asked to speak to him. The second time he saw her, she had answered his question politely and moved on without giving him a backward glance.

The house
guests were rising and making their way downstairs. Something or someone would demand his attention soon. He decided he best go upstairs and try to catch Wenna before his day was no longer his own. He couldn’t avoid her forever. He prepared himself for the worst before he rose from his desk. A sense of dread came over him. What would he do if Wenna was lost to him?

He stood, straightened his coat and
with a deep sigh, he left the study and headed toward the stairs.

“Wenna?” Senny breathed a sigh of relief when she found her sister sitting in the window seat of the conservatory. When she realized that her sister was crying, she went to her at once. “Oh, what is wrong?”

“Oh, Senny, I think I have ruined everything between Trevan and me!” Wenna
began to sob.

“He still hasn’t spoken to you?” Senny asked
.

Wenna shook her head
. “It’s been four days. I don’t think he will. I think he is finished. He was so angry with me when he left.”

“I’m sorry, Wenna
. I believe Trevan will speak to you. He would never treat you so badly. He has been so busy since he returned. He scarcely speaks to Grandfather or me right now. There is always someone about needing his immediate attention.”

“I know, he is busy,”
Wenna shook her head. She wiped at the tears on her cheeks and rose from her seat. She paced. She had been doing a lot of that lately. “I am so tired of being indoors. I would love to walk in the garden.” Wenna stared wistfully out the large conservatory windows.

“No, we cannot go out of doors yet, Wenna.
It is not safe. I will go find someone and have tea brought to us here. I already prepared Grandfather’s breakfast plate in the dining room. He is happily chatting with the Trevelyans.”

Wenna sighed heavily and nodded
. “Yes, that would be nice, for I do not wish to go into the dining room. People have noticed Trevan and I are not speaking to one another. They stare and I feel so…uncomfortable.”

Senny rubbed her sister’s arm
in a soothing gesture. “Things will be better soon, Wenna. You’ll see. Trevan loves you. He will speak to you.” She left to find a maid.

Wenna returned her gaze to the garden
. What would it hurt to go out the conservatory door? She could just walk the paths near the house. Five minutes of fresh air would do her some good. She needed to smell the earth, the green grass and the scent of the blooms. Nothing uplifted her spirits like a garden. She missed her garden terribly.

Her mind made up, s
he turned the key in the lock and opened the conservatory door and stepped outside. She smiled as the brisk breeze whipped her hair. Everything smelled so clean and fresh. See, she smiled to herself, she felt better already.

Marrek left the dining room. He was crossing the entry hall to go upstairs, to check on his wife. He smiled. Kitty had still been asleep in her chamber when he rose. He purposely did not wake her. She still sported dark circles beneath her eyes. He guessed she was still not sleeping well. He could not say for certain, for they did not share a bed.

Kitty needed more time to recover from the loss of Charlie
. She was his wife in name. His hopes were that someday she would be his wife in every way. For now he was just content that she was with him, that she was safe and out of Lord Burrow’s clutches.

The knocker sounded
. It was far too early for callers. Marrek watched Diggory open the large door wide, curious to see who could be calling so early. He was alarmed to see a familiar person standing on the stoop. The man had not seen or recognized him, but Marrek knew him. And he was dangerous!

No one knew
the man’s real name. The name Marrek had known him by was Isaac Slaughter. He was an assassin who had once worked for the Crown, in Marrek’s own department. A few years ago, Marrek himself had discovered evidence that Slaughter was working against the Crown. Slaughter had fled when Marrek confronted him. He disappeared. Marrek believed he sailed for Greece or Italy, he never knew which. He knew only that he left England and disappeared.

“John Madingly
. Is Miss Penrose in?”

Diggory stood glaring at the man.
He sniffed disdainfully before he said, “She is indisposed. I shall tell her you called, Reverend, if you care to leave a card.”

Marrek saw the dangerous look Slaughter gave the butler
after Diggory’s clear dismissal.

Marrek felt his coat
pocket to make certain his pistol was there. It was. “Diggory, I will handle this.” Marrek strode purposefully toward the door.

“Yes, my Lord.” Diggory turned from the door and nodded as he passed Marrek.

“Well, well, what brings you to Menadue, Slaughter?” Marrek asked casually.

The man’s head snapped up
. “You must be mistaking me for someone else, sir. I am John Madingly, the new Vicar in St. Mabyn. I came to call on Miss Penrose.”

Marrek saw the man expertly cover his surprise with his mask of calm
. He noticed the flaring of his nostrils, and the quickening of his pulse at his neck. He knew the man well. He had worked with him for two years before finding out he was a spy. More importantly, a traitor.

“A vicar?
” Marrek asked with a great deal of sarcasm. “And have you found peace and salvation,
Reverend
?”

“M
arrek! Have you seen Wenna or Zenny?” Trevan rushed across the entry hall, concern and worry evident in his tone.

Marrek didn’t turn to
regard Trevan, he saw Slaugter’s hand move toward his inside coat pocket.

“Madingly, you take yourself off my propert
y! You are not welcome here!” Trevan’s voice boomed.

Marrek
heard Trevan move up behind him.

Madingly removed his hand from inside his coat
. He produced no weapon. Marrek knew it was there.

“I was just leaving, Your Grace
. Your man told me Miss Penrose is indisposed.”

“Then, be gone.” Trevan came to stand beside Marrek.

Trevan chuckled as Madingly turned and nearly ran from them. They watched as he snatched the reins of his horse from the footman, mounted and galloped off.

“The new Vicar of St. Mabyn,
” Trevan supplied with a satisfied chuckle.

“He is not a vicar, Trevan,
” Marrek said as he turned to face his cousin.

The amuseme
nt left Trevan’s face. He noted his cousin’s serious expression. “What exactly is he?” he asked.

“He is an assassin
. He worked in the Department for two years until I discovered he was working against the Crown. He was going for his pistol until you came upon us. I guess he decided the two of us were too much for him to take on.”

Trevan went white
. “That’s who Wenna was engaged to! I must find her at once. No one can find her or Zenny. I’ve a bad feeling, Marrek. I will send some of my men to St. Mabyn to fetch him as soon as I find her.”

“His identity has been discovered
, Trevan. He won’t be going back to St. Mabyn, unless of course he has grown careless. He is an enemy of the Crown. We need to find Wenna and Senny this instant!” Marrek had a bad feeling as well. It was never a good sign when he experienced such portents. Though he could not say why, his concern was more for Senny, than Wenna.

Senny called for Wenna as she looked about the large conservatory. Then she saw her sister outside in the garden through the large windows. Senny hurried to the door. She opened it and called out to her. It was windy and cloudy today. She guessed a storm was blowing in. She doubted her sister could hear her. They were not supposed to be outside. “Wenna!”

Senny ran along the path calling for her sister
. Finally, Wenna heard as Senny neared her. As Wenna turned toward her, Senny watched in horror as an arm wielding a large stick came from behind one of the large evergreen topiaries. The arm smacked Wenna on the head with the stick. Senny screamed as her sister crumpled to the ground. She ran toward her sister. She saw blood trickling down Wenna’s forehead as she lay still upon the ground.

S
trong arms from behind immobilized her. A hand clamped over her mouth. John Madingly stepped from the bushes to stand in front of her. He smiled as he held the branch up then tossed it carelessly to the ground with a satisfied smile.

“Sennen Penrose
, you will be coming with me. I have need of you. You’ll be easier to handle than that red-headed fishwife.”

Senny struggled to break free
. She kicked, she wriggled and she managed to bite the large hand that covered her mouth.

Madingly removed a pistol from his coat
. He pointed it at her unconscious sister’s head. “If you try to get away again, she will die.”

Senny stilled
immediately.

“I have men here
, inside Menadue. If you do not obey me, and do exactly as I say, I will order your sister and crippled old grandfather killed, do you understand me?” he warned harshly.

Senny nodded
slowly.

Madingly turned to the other man, “Let’s get to the horses, Fullard
! We have our insurance to cross the Tamar. We need to leave Cornwall at once! They will be on us in a heartbeat. We must stop at St. Mabyn long enough for me to gather a few items and procure my other horse. Come, let’s away!”

When Trevan reached the Conservatory and saw the open door, he knew something was terribly wrong. “Nancy,” he looked to the maid who entered carrying a tea tray and who had given him Senny and Wenna’s location. “Stay inside.”

The girl set down the tray
and nodded.

Marrek moved past
the maid and followed Trevan.

The garden was still and quiet
. Trevan knew something was wrong. “Wenna! Zenny!” He bellowed. There was no answer.

Marrek removed his
pistol from his coat. One of the men on watch was running toward them from the direction of the chapel. “Your Grace! Your Grace!”

“What is it, Duncan?” Trevan called out.

“We heard a window being broken at the chapel. I ran to see what had caused it. There was a man on horseback leaving as I got there. I saw him meet with two other riders in the woods behind. One of them was carrying a woman up with him, and God help me sir, it looked to be the golden-haired Penrose girl. She looked straight at me. Her arms were being held down.” The man stopped before them, his breathing ragged.

“Did you see my fiancée, Duncan?”

“Miss Penrose, no, Your Grace. I did not see her.”

Tremayne came out
of the house. His boots crunched in the gravel on the path. He had been searching the inside of the house for the Penrose sisters. “They are not inside. Tristan, Harry and Newt helped me search.”

“Tremayne, go with Duncan, he saw three riders near the chapel
, and he thought he saw Zenny with them. Marrek and I will search this side of the garden for them.”

As they reached the wide center path, Trevan saw a crumpled form on the ground
. He ran. Fear gripped him when he saw her flaming auburn hair. “Wenna!”

As he knelt beside her, Trevan first saw the blood dripping down her forehead
. Then he noticed how pale she was. She was breathing, thank God. He started to lift her in his arms.