Savage Deception (Liberty's Ladies) (21 page)

“Did you know that there are soldiers guardin’ every door to the outside?”

Diana hadn’t known that. Farnsworth had never placed guards on the entranceways before now. Did he suspect that the news being relayed to Colonel Marion was coming from inside the house? A shiver of apprehension slid down her spine. This
would
be the last time.

“I’ll be all right,” Diana assured her. “Now go check the hallways for me.”

Dutifully, Hattie did as Diana requested, and soon she motioned Diana forward from the bedroom. Diana made her way to the backstairs and then to the cellar, where she let herself into the secret tunnel. With a torch lighting her way, she meandered along the damp corridor to the tomb’s doorway. She soon found herself outside beneath a moonless sky as she stealthily padded into the murky swamp.

Peering into the darkness for some sign of Clay, she almost gave up hope of seeing him that night. But his low imitation, like that of a nightingale, drew her attention to a nearby cypress tree. “I’ve been waiting for you,” Clay explained when she drew near to him.

“I have news.” Diana hurriedly began telling him about the spy named Mariah. She’d never felt apprehensive about her nightly visits before now, but she did tonight. The sooner she returned home, the better off she’d be. “Until Mariah is gone from the area, this is the last time we’ll meet. I can’t take the chance of my husband discovering I’m gone. I don’t know what I’d tell him, because Farnsworth’s men are guarding the doors and I don’t know how I can explain my absence.”

“What about your husband?” Clay asked with a hint of jealousy in his voice. “You told me the last time we met that he was sympathetic to the British. Do you think he trusts you?”

“Tanner doesn’t have a reason to mistrust me. He may wonder about my sentiments, but I’ve been more than circumspect in my actions and my words.”

“Don’t take chances, Diana. Just know that Colonel Marion is pleased with the information you’ve brought him all of these times. He also knows the risks you’ve been taking. So do I. If ever you have a reason to contact me in the future, leave a piece of ribbon on the branch of a nearby tree. I’ll find it and will be on the lookout for you.”

Diana smiled and hugged Clay around the neck. “Take care of yourself.”

Clay assured her that he would, and as silently as he’d approached her, he left.

A ragged sigh of relief rushed through Diana’s teeth. It was over for now. The danger of imparting information had grown too great. But the real reason she was relieved had to do with Tanner. She didn’t have to lie to him any longer about what she was doing. Not that she’d lied in the first place, but she’d never mentioned her secret life, which was almost the same thing as being untruthful.

Now to return home and be with her husband. Diana’s body quivered with the sense of anticipation at their lovemaking. It seemed that it just got better with every time. Now she felt truly like a woman, Tanner’s woman. She almost giggled with joy.

Her mind was so filled with images of Tanner that she barely heard the sound of a horse’s hooves coming toward her when she left the swamp. The inky blackness of the night enfolded her, but suddenly, almost as if it were destined to happen, a sliver of a moonbeam emerged from behind a black cloud and cast a silvery glow upon her. It was then she heard the soft grunt of the animal and lifted her head. What she saw almost stopped her heart.

A large powerful horse reared upward, its dark-clad rider silhouetted against the moonlight. She stifled a gasp but wasn’t certain she’d been spotted, even though she was out in the open with no trees for cover. Glancing to her right, she saw that the cemetery was within one hundred feet of her, but fleeing to it was impossible since the black horseman blocked her path. Instead Diana stood stock still, barely breathing, her heart beating so hard that she knew the man must be able to hear it. But apparently he didn’t, and he didn’t see her either, at least not until the horse either sensed or smelled her presence. Her worst nightmare suddenly became reality when the horse turned toward her, causing the rider’s gaze to settle upon her.

“Surrender yourself!” came the man’s booming voice.

It was this harsh command that spurred Diana to finally move.

Her legs turned of their own accord, headed for the swamp. Clay must be nearby, he had to be! Somehow she knew that the rider pursuing her was the spy called Mariah, and she knew that if she didn’t find Clay she’d soon be at Farnsworth’s mercy. Her mind quickly played out scenes of Tanner looking on as she was led away to prison or the gallows. She saw herself swinging by the neck, and she doubted her husband wielded enough power to free another condemned person — even his own wife.

She must make it into the swamps and to Clay.

By some miracle she outran the horse and rider, rushing headlong into the swamp and passing the spot where she and Clay had stood only minutes earlier. She splashed into the knee- high water, pushing deeper into the palmetto darkness. How far did she have to go? Where was Clay? she wondered. The skirt of her gown billowed around her like a balloon and she hung onto tree roots and overhanging limbs to keep her balance when her legs grew heavy as the soft bottom sucked at her feet.

Diana made an aborted attempt to call for Clay, but her vocal cords were paralyzed with fear, her lungs threatening to burst. Instead, sobs of frustration rose in her throat and choked her. A primal darkness enshrouded her figure, preventing her from seeing anything at all, and this gave her hope that Mariah would be blinded too.

But her hope was short-lived. She heard the splash behind her and felt the warm breath of the horse on her neck. Instantly, as if she’d been plucked from the bowels of hell by a deity who was even more hellish, she found herself lifted from the water by a strong arm to be unceremoniously positioned across the back of the horse with her head drooping downward. The cold steel of a pistol dug into her backside.

“Scream and you’re dead,” the man named Mariah growled.

She couldn’t speak, much less scream. Instead she nodded that she understood, horribly aware that tears streamed down her cheeks. Silly twit, she silently groused, hating herself for her weakness, her fear. What sort of a patriot was she when she could be reduced to a quivering idiot? Her life was over, she knew that. With each step the horse took out of the swamp, her time on earth diminished.

Please let me be brave at the end, she prayed. But it wasn’t so much her fear of death that frightened her but the idea that she’d never again lie in Tanner’s arms. Never again would he take her to paradise, never would she feel the absolute awe of the climactic moment when their souls soared to the heavens. All of the wonders that Tanner had taught her about her own body had been for nothing.

This man was going to kill her.

13

Mariah reined in the horse outside of the swamp, dumping a soaking wet and shivering Diana onto the grass. The hood of her cloak covered most of her head, preventing her from glancing up at her assailant, but she didn’t need to see him. She knew he was powerfully built and strong from the way he’d picked her up and then dropped her onto the ground. But she instantly decided that she wasn’t going to be at his mercy or swing from the hangman’s noose, not if she could help it.

Apparently he thought she was much too weak to run because after he’d gotten off of the horse he stood on the other side of the animal, fiddling with the pistol. Now was her chance of escape. The white of the Sheridan headstones loomed in the distance. If she could make it to the cemetery, if she could somehow outrun him …

Which was exactly what she tried to do. With lightning speed, she jumped from the ground and bolted in that direction. But with even more speed, Mariah easily grabbed her by the waist and tackled her to the ground.

He fell atop her, his voice sounding ragged in her ear. “Now, lad, what did you want to do that for? You’ll only make things harder on yourself.”

Lad? Diana’s head shot up. How could he think she was a boy? Then she realized that her wet skirt hugged her legs, causing her to appear to be wearing breeches. But whether he thought her to be a woman or not, she wouldn’t let this man win without a fight.

When he turned her over on the grass, she lashed out at him. Her nails raked the side of his face, and she knew she drew blood by the sticky warmth sliding down her fingers. She’d have done more damage, but he was much stronger than she. His two hands pinned her arms above her head and his lower body leaned on top of hers, quelling her urge to kick out.

“God, you are a wildcat, son. Now tell me how you’re getting information from Farnsworth and passing it to the Swamp Fox.”

Mariah didn’t waste any time. Diana didn’t either. She lifted her head, allowing her hood to fall away and spat at him, hitting him directly in the face. “I won’t tell you anything. I won’t. You’ll get nothing out of me, you bounder.”

Suddenly she felt the man’s body tense, fearful that she’d gone too far, that now she was truly doomed. Then his hold slackened upon her and his hand touched her face so she’d be forced to finally look at him.

“Diana.”

Diana looked at him, really looked. The incredulity written on his face matched what she felt. “Oh, no!” was all she could think to cry. She didn’t know whether to be glad or more afraid, because the man staring back at her was Tanner.

“How did you get out of the house?” he asked her, his shock abating as he pulled her into a sitting position. “Farnsworth has every door and window guarded. But more important, what in hell are you doing out here?”

“I can ask the same of you,” she retorted.

Tanner shook his head. “God, I don’t think I want to know.”

“Then don’t ask, Mariah!” she shot back.

He expelled a deep breath. “So you know about me.”

“I know enough.”

“I can assume that you’re the one who’s been spying and passing information to the Swamp Fox.”

“You may assume nothing.” She sounded haughty, and she was quite unprepared when Tanner shook her by the shoulders.

“This is serious,” he reminded her. “I’ve been sent to do a job and I have succeeded. Now, I find that my quarry is my own wife. What am I going to do with you?”

She really didn’t know either. In fact she realized she knew very little about Tanner and his past. So Tanner was the great Mariah, a British spy. No wonder he was so very wealthy. There was no doubt he’d earned his money through nefarious deeds. No telling how many patriots he’d turned in to the British. Diana’s teeth chattered from the sudden chill that flooded her with the realization of who her husband really was. He wasn’t merely a Tory sympathizer, he was a British spy. He was one of them, the enemy!

“I suppose you’ll hand me over to Farnsworth. How much did he offer you for my capture? I do hope I’ll fetch you a good price, because I’m the only one you’ll be paid for. I’ll never tell anything about anyone else. You can torture me, you can force me at the point of a rapier, but…”

“Be quiet!” Tanner rasped, “I have to think.” He took a clean kerchief out of his coat pocket and dabbed at the blood on his face. A wave of compassion flooded Diana and she very nearly reached out to help him, but then she stopped herself. He was her love, her enemy. If their situation had seemed impossible before, she knew it was hopeless now. Tanner was a trained spy, and trained spies were able to harden their hearts to situations and people. He’d have to turn her in, otherwise he’d be committing treason against the Crown. He didn’t have another alternative.

Finally, when she thought his sullen silence would drive her mad, she stood up. Tanner followed suit. “Afraid I’m going to run away?” she taunted.

“That’s what I want you to do.”

Her mouth fell open. “What?”

“I don’t know how you left the house,” he said. “I don’t want to know, so don’t ever tell me. Just return the same way. I’m going to leave before you do. I’ll tell Farnsworth I didn’t see anyone. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

Tanner grabbed her arm before she could move. “You better be waiting in our room for me. We have to talk.”

She nodded and he let her go. After he’d mounted the horse and headed back to Briarhaven, she ran to the cemetery and wasted no time in opening the tomb. She practically flew through the tunnel and made it up the back stairs and into the bedroom minutes before she heard Tanner speaking to Farnsworth in the hallway.

Hattie had helped her out of her wet clothes and had just pulled Diana’s nightgown over her head when Tanner entered. The blistering look he shot at Hattie caused her to leave the room without a backward glance. Diana, however, stood in the center of the room, prepared to take the great brunt of his rage. But she was angry, too.

“That black scowl doesn’t frighten me, you traitor. Hattie may scurry away like a timid mouse but I won’t.”

The only indication that she’d hit home with him was the slight tensing of his jaw. She expected him to grab her by the arms again and shake her. Instead, he calmly sat in a chair by the fireplace, his long legs extending near hers.

“Consider yourself lucky, Diana, that I was the spy Farnsworth engaged. Anyone else, believe me, and you’d either be dead right now or in a worse situation.”

“What could be worse than death?”

“Remember Kingsley and all the nasty things he did to you and made you do to him? Remember how he beat you into submission? If Farnsworth knew you were the one passing information all of Kingsley’s perversions would be child’s play in comparison to what would be happening to you right now. Believe me, you’d consider death a mercy.”

She felt that the breath had been knocked from her body. She’d never considered any of that. “Have you ever, I mean, have you ever done such horrible things to … a woman?”

“No, but I know men who have.”

She felt supremely glad to know this. At least Tanner wasn’t that much of a monster. “What will you do with me now?”

“You tell me.”

Diana didn’t care for the tone of that. Tanner was making it sound as if she had done something wrong. Stiffening her back, she stood ramrod straight, not aware of how the action caused her breasts to strain against the front of her nightgown. “I’ve committed no crime. You, however, are a traitor to your own people, to your family. Harlan is a patriot, and never forget that your brother, horrid as he was, died bravely in defense of the rebel cause. Perhaps you should tell me what I should do with you. Maybe I should turn you into Marion as a spy.”

“You won’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because you love me,” he said levelly.

A sob shook her. “Yes … I do love you, but I no longer like you, Tanner, or trust you. You can’t trust me either.”

Considering her for a long moment, he said, “We’ve reached an impasse with but one thing to do. I’ll send you away.”

~ ~ ~

Tanner and Diana bade a fond farewell to Harlan, who was much aggrieved at their departure. Naomi stood stoically by, her cold eyes slicing through Diana. Farnsworth, however, wasn’t the least bit upset by their leaving. He slapped Tanner on the back as they stood on the porch. “Have a happy honeymoon trip, and don’t return too soon. And you, Mrs. Sheridan, take care of your condition. I’m certain the sea air will greatly improve it.”

“Thank you so much, Captain Farnsworth, for caring.” Diana extended her hand to the man to kiss at the same time she daintily coughed into a kerchief. Farnsworth pretended he didn’t see it, but he looked ready enough to bolt all the same.

“Go now, Sheridan! The sloop is ready.” Then he abruptly headed inside.

Tanner helped settle Diana into the carriage for the drive to the dock, where a sloop waited for their journey to a British frigate at the mouth of the river. A soldier guided the sloop away from the shoreline as little Jackie came running, waving his small arms. “Bye, Miss Diana, Mr. Tanner. I’m gonna miss you.”

They waved farewell and soon were on board the frigate and ensconced in a small room.

“Why that silly Farnsworth,” Diana groused. “He actually believed the lie you told him. And such a horrible lie it was, too. The very idea that I have a touch of consumption.”

Tanner’s dark eyes danced with devilment, and he stood so close to her that for an instant Diana thought he might kiss her. Instead, he threw himself into a straight-backed chair. “He believed it, didn’t he? That’s all that matters. Farnsworth detests illness. He’s frightened he’ll catch something and die. I had to give him a good reason why you should leave Briarhaven, and consumption was the best I could do.”

“You’re impossible. I think you enjoy lying.”

His eyes darkened to the color of onyx and were just as hard. “You’re very adept at it yourself.”

“There you go again.” She sighed her exasperation. “You’re always insinuating that I’m dishonest. I wish you’d tell me what it is I’ve supposedly done.”

Tanner thrust his hands into his jacket pockets and stood up. “I’m going on deck. We should spot Oak Island soon.”

He left her and Diana flounced into the chair he had vacated, irritably tossing her reticule onto a nearby table. What in the name of heaven had she done to earn his distrust? Granted, she’d spied on Farnsworth and caused Tanner a great deal of upset. But she had as much right to her political opinions as he did. And he was saving her life by spiriting her away from Briarhaven with the lame excuse of consumption. Probably she wouldn’t be able to return until the war was over, because Farnsworth would expect her to be quite ill. Tanner knew all of this, she also knew that he still loved her though he hadn’t made love to her since that night four days past, before he found her in the swamps.

Tanner admitted to her that he told Farnsworth he had found the spy and had killed him during a fight and buried the body in the swamp, something Farnsworth didn’t dispute. Diana knew Tanner was taking her away from Briarhaven because he couldn’t trust her. He might love her, but he didn’t trust her not to pass on more information to her nameless informant. Even if she got on her knees and swore never to spy again, he wouldn’t have believed her. So it always came down to trust between them.

She hadn’t forgiven him for leaving her all of those years ago, and for some reason he wanted her to admit to something — what she didn’t know — but the thought persisted that it was somehow related to what had happened before her marriage to Kingsley.

“I’ll go crazy if I keep dwelling on Tanner and what he wants,” she grumbled aloud. But she couldn’t help herself. No matter what had happened between them seven years ago, she still loved him and always would.

~ ~ ~

Oak Island was a windswept paradise off the South Carolina shoreline. A soft breeze rustled the skirt of Diana’s cream-colored skirt and fluttered the lace on the collar of her long jacket. She breathed deeply of the fresh sea air upon stepping onto the dock, which ran fifty feet across the glistening sand, ending in a thatch of grass, emerald green, and thick scrub.

How beautiful was this enchanting island, whose live oak trees were silhouetted against the golden sunset like black obelisks. Diana couldn’t help but be appreciative of the natural beauty surrounding her. When she and Tanner reached the end of the dock, she became aware of the white house in the distance. A small creek, interlaced with patches of green marshland and fringed with a mixture of oleander and oak trees, lazily meandered beside the two story cottage.