Seducing the Rake (Mad, Bad and Dangerous Heroes) (55 page)

“That’s right, brother dear. But after she had
you,
it was never the same, damn you.”

Chessy saw Tony frown, saw his eyes flicker off to his right.

She realized he had seen the children.

Morland inched closer. “Too bad, Andrew. I never knew about any of that. If I had, it might have changed things.”

He took another step.

Instantly Chessy’s captor stiffened. He drove his pistol against her ribs until she winced. “Don’t come any closer. Not unless you want the children to pay for your arrogance.”

“The children?” Tony said silkily. “But they are quite safe, Andrew. Right now, they are standing over beside the windmill. In fact, it looks as if your schemes have failed again.”

Cursing, his twin glanced back over his shoulder.

It was all the distraction Chessy needed. She wrenched sideways, drove the heel of her hand against his throat, then slammed her knee into his groin. Without stopping for breath she stumbled forward, gritting her teeth as she plunged down the wooden steps fronting the windmill. The great vanes were spinning fast now, and the air gusted wildly around her face.

She heard Andrew groan. Then came the crack of a pistol.

The ball struck Tony full in the leg, exactly where he had been wounded at Salamanca. With a wild cry Chessy plunged beneath the rising sail and caught him as he staggered.

Inside the windmill she heard his brother shoving himself upright, tugging at the rickety table for support.

“Get down, Chessy!” With a growl, Morland dove forward, knocking her to the ground as a second shot rang out.

She felt him flinch, felt the race of his heart. Something thick and wet struck her shoulder.

“Oh, Tony, did he—”

“As soon as I move, run for the side of the mill.” Gritting his teeth, he rolled sideways and staggered to his feet. Here I am, Andrew!” he growled. “Or are you still afraid of me, just as you always were?”

Andrew staggered into the doorway with a curse. Bracing himself against the frame, he aimed again. This time the shot cracked wide, plowing through the crimson tulips.

“Come and get me!” Tony shouted. “Or are you going to bungle this plan too?” He was staggering now. His breeches were soaked with blood at his knee.

Numbly Chessy scrambled toward the side of the windmill, as he had ordered her to do. There she caught Elspeth close and tried to soothe her trembling. She did not question the presence of the tall man she had not seen for years, not since the day she had left Shaolin.

This must have been part of her father’s plan.

And then she saw the half-dragon hanging from a silken cord around his neck.

Abbot Tang…

Her teacher’s words came back to her: When you need me, I will be there, Midnight.

Chessy scrubbed the tears from her eyes. Help had come to her, had been with her all along. But now it was Tony who was in danger, and there was nothing she nor any one of them could do to help him.

Red-faced with rage, Andrew charged through the doorway and lunged beneath the white sails of the mill, pistol in hand. “No!”

“Face me with honor, Andrew.” Tony jerked at the forgotten leather satchel and tugged out two gleaming
foils.
“Sword to sword. If you dare,” he challenged.

“Throw it, you bastard. And then prepare to die!”

A second later, the blade hissed through the air. Andrew’s pistol fell unheeded to the ground as he caught the rapier close. Without a second’s pause he drove forward, before Tony had even pulled his own weapon free.

His first thrust left a slash of scarlet at Morland’s sleeve. Grimly Tony jerked the second rapier from the satchel and leaped backward.

On Andrew came, with skill and confidence that showed long practice. Again and again he thrust, always to the side, always where he could take advantage of Tony’s weakened right leg.

Through the swaying fields of crimson they moved in a grim ballet, while Chessy and the children watched white-faced with horror.

Once Tony stumbled, and Andrew delivered a savage thrust to his chest. Chessy cried out as Tony staggered.

She started over the field, but the hard-faced warrior beside her caught her back.

“You cannot interfere, Midnight. It is
his
battle now, and his honor to be won.”

“But he’s hurt. He’s—”

“His
honor. Warrior to warrior. No matter the cost.”

Chessy swallowed back her fear and her protest, knowing it was true. Morland would not thank her for her intervention. His pride was too great for that. All she could do was watch, hands clenched to fists, while Andrew closed in upon his prey.

Once more he thrust.

Elspeth’s fingers closed hard around Chessy’s.

Laughing, Andrew lunged again, and this time Tony did not move fast enough to escape the full force of the gleaming blade.

“That is for Mollie and for all the other joys you robbed me of. And this one is for the future—the future I’ll finally be able to enjoy without you around to torment me.”

The man was quite mad, Chessy realized, but even in his madness his skill did not waver. He dropped low and drove his blade forward with deadly speed.

Grimacing, Tony swung sideways and parried. Their blades crossed, rang out with a mortal keening.

And then Tony twisted sharply. His blade went spiraling down over Andrew’s. A second later, his brother’s rapier sailed free, twisting hilt over blade as it spun up in wild circles.

It struck the ground with a thud and then stood blade down, hissing softly as it rocked back and forth amid the blood-red blooms.

“No—not again!” Cursing, Andrew bent low, digging frantically at the ground.

Too late, Chessy realized his deadly intent.

With a wild cry of triumph he staggered upright, his pistol clutched in his outstretched hand.

He fired.

Tony flinched but did not fall. He just kept coming.

His brother cursed. His hand began to shake, and he gripped the pistol with both hands to steady it.

“It’s over, Andrew. Give it up. We’ll find some way to—”

“Never!
I’ll have it all or I’ll have none of it! I’m tired of sharing my face and my life, of being forever second to you!”

He took a quick step back as Tony staggered forward. His arm straightened, the pistol gleaming in the sunlight.

Chessy froze, hearing the wind rush past her face, feeling the wild drumbeat of her heart.

And then Andrew fired. “No arrangements, damn you! No deals. No more promises. I’ve done it, once and for all! I’ve won!”

Laughing shrilly, he lurched backward as Tony swayed and fell to his knees, his hands locked to his side.

And then—

The rest would always remain a nightmare to Chessy. Long afterward, it haunted her in wisps and glimpses of memory.

It started with Andrew’s hoarse laugh. His wild, staggering dance of triumph.

And then his surprise as his boot hit a hidden rock.

The tottering. The flapping hands. The sudden, blind descent backward.

And his fall, straight into the great white arms of the windmill.

Chessy jerked the children to her chest as the gleaming blades swung down, hurled relentlessly in their path by tons of weight and well-oiled machinery.

They struck with an awful, muffled thump.

A scream, and then a terrible silence.

In the field the tulips shook, their petals splashed red upon blood red in the sunlight.

~ ~ ~

Releasing the children to her grim-faced friend, Chessy ran down the hill to Tony. His face was lined with pain as he caught her close.

“Damn him. I never thought, believe me I never imagined—” Chessy felt him shudder. “And I led you here, right into his trap. My sweet Cricket, how can I ever make it up to you?”

Chessy ran her hand gently over his pale forehead and brushed back a strand of unruly golden hair. “Never. But I’m going to spend hour after hour seeing that you try.” Her voice fell. “Night after sultry night. Oh, I promise you that.”

Tony’s fingers tensed on her waist. “I’ll—I’ll hold you to that promise, my love. Starting—”

He clutched at his knee. His eyes closed in pain. “Starting tomorrow…” he muttered. Then he collapsed in a sprawl against the swaying tulips.

 “You are without a doubt the most infuriating—the most
impossible
patient! Hold still while I—”

“I’ve had that ghastly mix before.” The Earl of Morland’s face was mutinous. One bronze brow rose in an arrogant slant.

“Don’t give
me
that look, Tony Morland!”

The earl’s arms locked atop his chest.

“It is far past time for your medicine.” Chessy tried to avoid the dark pull of his gaze. “You’ll have to—”

“Kiss me, harridan.”

“Tony, stop this, or you’ll—”

“One kiss.
Freely bartered for one spoonful of that abominable brew you’re intent on forcing down my throat.”

Chessy glared at the earl. White bandages circled his ribs and shoulder as he lay upon a mountain of soft white pillows. After his collapse at the windmill he had slept on and off for two days.

Now in the sputtering light of the candle his eyes were full of determination.

“But this is treachery! This is blackmail. This is—”

“Love. Love at first sight.” Tony’s voice was low and very soft. “Ten years ago, Cricket. Do you remember? I do. The moon cast its great net of silver over the bay. We went swimming there by the boat, in water that felt like smooth black silk.”

Chessy’s throat constricted. Oh, yes, she remembered. Perhaps she remembered too well. It made her hands tremble, her knees go all weak and quivery.

“That was a long time ago.” She made her voice crisp. He was weak from his wounds, after all. What kind of nurse would she be if she—

“You’ve forgotten?” Again the lazy challenge. “You don’t remember that night when I came upon you swimming? Swimming without a stitch on?”

Chessy swallowed. Her hair fell in a dark curtain across her face as she fussed with a clean strip of gauze. She muttered something beneath her breath.

“What? I don’t believe I heard that, Cricket.”

“I said that perhaps I had a vague memory or two.”

“Ah. A vague memory.”

“Perhaps,” she corrected scrupulously.

Tony’s fingers slid around her wrists. He tugged her toward him.

“What are you—”

His hands tightened. A second later, she toppled onto the bed beside him, her silken peignoir flowing about her like a glistening pool of liquid amethyst. Instantly his fingers slid deep into her hair.

“Tony, stop! You can’t!”

“Ummmm.
Can’t…”

“But—”

“Closer, Cricket.”

“No! Your leg!”

“What
leg?”

“The one that terrible man nearly shattered with his bullet. Now let me go before—”

His only answer was the deft loosening of her sash. Before Chessy knew it, the amethyst silk was sliding down her shoulders. “I won’t do this, do you hear? It’s crazy. It’s irresponsible! It’s—”

“Ah, Cricket, I love it when you talk to me that way.”

“What
way?”

“Sexy. Sultry. With unbridled passion.”

“I did no such thing!” Chessy struggled upright. At her movement the dark silk pooled around the ivory swell of her breasts.

Morland groaned. “Just look at you.” His eyes darkened, all smoke and azure. They reminded Chessy of a chunk of Himalayan turquoise her father had once given her.

“Tony, no. We can’t—”

He didn’t seem to hear. “So full. So sweet. Just like you were that night in the moonlight. I watched a drop of water slide right down
here,
did you know that?”