Secrets In Savannah (Phantom Knights) (7 page)

Jack picked up a decanter from a small
table and poured brown liquid into a glass. He took a swig, that action
answering my question, before handing the glass to me.

“Drink that. It will help with your
nerves.”

“There is nothing at all wrong with my
nerves,” I said before drinking the brandy and watching Jack over the rim of
the glass.

He shook his head, his amusement evident
on his handsome face. “Please be seated.” He pointed to the bed as if he truly
believed I would sit upon it. I only stared at it, and Jack laughed. “We were
almost married, Guinevere.”

“Almost is not married, Jack, so I will
take the chair.”

“No need to tell me that, my heart,”
Jack said as he moved aside for me to sit on the chair. “I am reminded every
night when I climb into my bed alone.”

His words sent scorching heat into my
cheeks, but also yearning into my heart. As he leaned against the bedpost, his eyes
were devouring me in a hungry, possessive way that was more unnerving than
being alone with him.

“If you are willing, I need to know
everything.”

I had hoped to be able to ask Jack about
George, though my idea included a bright room and a way for me to make my
escape after he told me all I needed to hear. Never did I realize just how much
I needed his help. This night had made it clear that I could not fight George
by myself. I had Hannah, but two females against George and possibly an army of
guards would not work. I needed Jack, in more than one way.

“I will tell you everything if you give
me the key.”

Jack began to smirk as if he doubted my
sincerity, but I was having none of it. We would do things my way or not at
all.

“I do not look kindly upon being locked
in confined spaces, Jack, even with you. As much as I love you and may trust
you, I require that key.”

Jack reached into his pocket and brought
forth the key. He held it out to me but when I tried to take it, he held firm.
“What happened to you, Guinevere? What did Harvey do?”

My mind flinched at the memories. “Men
have tried, unsuccessfully, for years to lock me in a box. Do not be like them,
for no matter what I have done, I will never accept such a fate.”

Jack dipped his chin in understanding as
he released the key.

“How well do you know George?” I asked
as he sat on the bed, and I backed to the chair keeping a safe distance between
us.

Jack’s head tilted thoughtfully. “Not as
well as I had thought a year past. Why do you ask?”

“I need to know where he would take a
person that he wanted to hide.”

“You mean Edith.” When I said nothing,
he said, “General Harvey came to Bess a week after the events at the
plantation. He asked for her help in rescuing Edith, but never told her who had
taken her.” He looked down at his hands; his dark brows bunched together for a
moment. “Harvey said she was taken by the men who are after you. He wanted me
to trade you for her, claiming that was the only way to free her.”

Why would Harvey say that? He knew that
they would never be happy with only one of us. It must be both or neither.

“George is going to sell my sister to a
man who will do terrible things to her and if you do not help me, I am afraid
that I will not be in time to save her.” My voice cracked in the end, but it
was good for him to know how serious this was to me. Protecting my sister was
my reason for living.

When Jack’s hands fisted on his knees, I
held hope for a moment that before me was the one person who would help me
because he loved me. For a moment.

As always happened when I hoped for
something, a lesson that Harvey had taught me came to mind. Harvey made it
apparent that men only helped me because they expected something in return. He
taught me that if I wanted something from a man, manipulation was the only path
to success. Manipulation came as natural to me as breathing, but as always
happened when I contemplated manipulating Jack, I felt guilt.

“I know that this is no small feat I ask
of you, but if you will help me, I am prepared to offer you an exchange.”

Anger appeared in his eyes for a moment,
and it perplexed me. What had I said to make him angry? It was not his sister
who was captured ... this time.

The anger disappeared and was replaced
with interest. “Yes?”

“Every one of my secrets concerning the
Holy Order. Names, locations, all that you want to know, and some things you
will not want to know.”

Jack stood and stomped toward me,
pulling me up with a firm grip on my arms. “Why? If this is a trap—”

“You are no longer their first priority.
Not when they have a greater threat running free.” It did not surprise me that
he would think that I would hand him over to Harvey. I had done little in the
past to make him put his faith in me, but Edith meant more to me than anyone,
and Harvey knew that he had failed us. It was time for me to place my trust in
someone who was not out to use and discard me.

“What have you done?” His tone was curt.

“I turned in my
cloak or threw it, rather. They cannot have someone like me running free, not
with all of the secrets that I know.”

Jack did not
release me in surprise as I thought he would, but pulled me against him and
kissed me hard enough to make my lips ache. My body was tense for a moment,
until his lips eased their mastery and became more of a caress. My arms went
around his waist as I leaned into him, allowing him to wipe away the fear and
pain that was like a constant echo in my heart and mind.

He released my
mouth as he rested his forehead against mine. “If it is possible, I love you
more, for the strength that I know it must have taken to face Harvey and leave
that life behind.”

Moisture stung
my eyes at the relief his words brought into my body, but it would not fall.

“I will have Leo
discover where George has gone and send you word. We will set out tomorrow,”
Jack said as he ran his hands down my arms to lace his fingers with mine. He
smiled as he kissed my brow. “I was prepared to help you without an exchange.”
His lips trailed from my temple, down my cheek to my chin and then my lips. A
fire was being built within me, one promising a rage of flames that would
engulf me. It was time for me to make a hasty departure.

Stepping back
and releasing his hands, I grinned as I placed the key in the lock and turned
it. “I was prepared to lead you to Harvey.”

JACK

I
t was not yet dawn when Leo and I
arrived at the harbor. When Leo discovered that George had left Charleston after
departing the ball, Leo had booked passage for four on one of Sam’s ships that
was sailing to Savannah. I left a letter for my mother, telling her in the
briefest of words where I had gone and for what purpose. The letter I had left
for Sam was more informative, all coded in invisible ink.

Leo had sent a
note to Guinevere informing her of the plan, so it was not a wonder when we
reached the harbor to see her awaiting us.

From the moment
of our first meeting Guinevere had impressed me, and my admiration grew each
time that we were together. There were many things to love about Guinevere,
including her striking appearance. Her hair was again auburn instead of the
black wig that she had worn last evening with her costume. The darker red
suited her fiery disposition, though I had my doubts that it was her true
coloring.

She stood beside
her carriage, but Hannah was nowhere to be seen. Hope and relief washed over
me. As much as I wanted Guinevere to have the protection that another woman’s
presence would give, enduring Hannah Lamont would try even Leo’s calm nature.

Her relief was
palpable as she snapped the lid closed on a small gold watch. “I was unsure if
you meant to keep to our agreement, considering the lateness of the hour. The
captain is ready to depart.”

Lateness of the
hour indeed. It was not yet six.

“One day you
will understand that when I say that I love you it means that you may always
count upon my aid,” I said as I stood near to her.

The confusion
that covered her face caused me to smile. The woman was a mastermind when it
came to subterfuge, manipulation, disguise, and fighting, but she was
completely at sea when it came to love.

For the longest
time, I only knew of love what I read in books. My job as a spy required that I
play the role of devout poet, but since finding Guinevere I had tested and
tasted what true love was. I would do almost anything for her, and I would
spend the rest of my life showing her.

As she looked
away from my gaze, she noticed my arm in the sling Leo forced me to wear. The
small gasp that came from her had me fighting the impulse to kiss her.

“You are hurt?”

Taking her hand,
I kissed the back. “It is a precaution only. Leo is a veritable tyrant. He
threatened to go to my mother with some tall tale if I did not acquiesce.”

Leo showed no
emotion as he unstrapped our baggage from Sam’s carriage, though he heard me
clearly.

“I can believe
that. It is always the silent types that you must be wary of,” Guinevere said, drawing
Leo’s attention to her as she smiled impishly, “for one never knows when they
will break into song and dance.”

For a moment,
Leo eyed her, but as he turned away, we both caught the flicker of a smile.
Guinevere smiled as one who had achieved the nigh impossible.

When I had
decided to marry Guinevere, it was known to me that we would have much to
overcome. Though I had a few people whom I knew that I could trust, Guinevere
did not. She had been trained from a young age to trust no one. As she watched
me with an open expression that she reserved for me alone, I knew that I could
win her over to my side. Now that Harvey was not influencing her decisions, it
was only a matter of time before she placed her life in my hands.

“Will you marry
me?”

“Of course,” she
said as if it had been long settled.

“Now?” I took
her hand and led her behind her carriage for some privacy. “We could go to
Gideon and be married at once. I want to make it my right to protect you and
your sister, not my privilege alone.” Placing my hand against her cheek, I
kissed her. She pulled away, glancing around, so I kissed her again.

“Jack! We
cannot. Not until you understand what we are facing.” She looked toward the
ship then stepped away from me. “When this is over, if you are of the same
mind, I will marry you, but not yet.”

When I saw what
made Guinevere step away from me, my hope for an easy journey dissipated.
Hannah Lamont was walking toward us with the captain at her side.

When she reached
us, she was grinning at me, and I was gaping at her. I did not want her to know
that I was aware of her being in Charleston. Guinevere joined us after speaking
with her coachman, and Hannah made introductions.

“Captain, allow
me to present Mr. and Mrs. Martin.”

Now I was gaping
in earnest, sure I could not have heard her right. My surprise, though, was
nothing to Guinevere, whose eyes were like two ice chips as she stared at
Hannah.

“Congratulations,
Mr. Martin,” the captain said with his hand held out. I shook it mechanically.
“Mrs. Lamont tells me that you are on your wedding trip. With clear skies and
smooth waters, we should make good time to Savannah. If you follow me, I will
show you and Mrs. Martin to your cabin.”

Guinevere
stepped forward as the captain was turning away. “I will be sharing Mrs.
Lamont’s cabin and Mr. Martin will stay with Mr. Perry.”

If that
surprised the captain, he did not show it.   Leo went with the
captain aboard his ship while Guinevere and I kept Hannah back.

“What is the
meaning of this?” I demanded.

Hannah Lamont’s
most charming smile, one that she had used on me many times in the past, faded.

“If you must go
about kissing Guinevere, it is left up to me to repair the damage done to her
reputation. Especially when one of the witnesses is well known to us.” Hannah
turned toward the ship where an elegantly attired man was standing at the rail
watching us.

An expletive was
on the tip of my tongue, but I did not release it. The man was not smiling, but
after our last encounter it was no surprise.

“What is he
doing here?” Guinevere asked of Hannah as if she had been the one to place him
on the ship.

“He is sailing
to Savannah for his wedding.”

Guinevere and I
followed Hannah aboard the ship where we were met by Andrew Madison, the man
formerly betrothed to my sister.

As much as I did
not care for him or his treatment of my sister, I was determined to be civil.
Holding out my hand, I smiled. “Andrew. I understand that congratulations are
in order.”