Chapter Twenty-Three
M alcolm stomped up the stairs of the inn with Adeline in tow. Hearing her scream echo through the afternoon air had scared him to death. As had seeing her struggling against that brute her father sent after her. What the hell was going on? Who was the man that saved her and then pointed a gun at them? Malcolm had a sinking feeling he knew exactly what Adeline had been carting around in that precious bag of hers, and it wasn’t fucking books.
When they reached her room. He unlocked the door and pulled her inside. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her eyes wide and wary.
He held out her bag. “Adeline, what exactly is in this bag of yours?”
She untied the strings of her bonnet and removed it, turning away from him to set it down on top of her trunk.
When she turned back, she sighed. “I know you don’t like secrets.”
“No, I don’t. Why would you have the artifacts with you?”
Had he let his infatuation for her cloud his judgment? Had she been part of it all along? She was undoubtedly smarter than either her father or brother. And now she was protecting their investment until they could be auctioned off? He sucked in a breath as his thoughts spiraled, old insecurities flaring to life. Always too trusting. Trent had been right; he always wanted to save the damsel in distress, no matter if the damsel wanted to be saved.
Adeline wrung her hands. “It was the only way I could think of to protect them from their own stupidity. I knew the moment they asked me to figure out the age of the items that they were not just goods won in a business deal. That these were priceless.” She crossed to the bed and dumped her bag upside down. It looked like a pile of linen, but then she unrolled a bundle. Pulling out a gold cross encrusted with gemstones, she held it up to show him. “You said you had already told your superior that my father and Bellamy planned to sell these at auction. The reason I took them was twofold. One, I could never let these be sold off; they belong in a museum. And two, if, when the authorities arrived to question them, the items were missing then—”
“There would be no evidence to find.” Malcolm ran a hand down his face, all his doubts draining at her misguided logic.
Her father wouldn’t send mercenaries after her if she was part of his scheme. He took a deep breath, slowly in and out.
“Someone had to protect the family from the potential scandal. Honestly, I don’t care what happens to my father. But George, well, he always looks out for me, and I couldn’t let Father drag him down into this mess, as well.” She wrapped her arms around her waist.
“And what was your plan for the items?”
She shrugged. “Return them once I figured to whom they belonged. I don’t know, I hadn’t got that far. I planned to think on it more once I arrived at Millstone. I didn’t think my father would notice I was gone so quickly.”
“He sent those men not only for the artifacts but to bring you home, too. My guess is that Bellamy is not happy to learn that his fiancée has fled.”
“I don’t know why Lord Bellamy even wants me so badly.”
Malcolm crossed the room and gave in to his need to have her close. He gathered her into his arms. “Adeline, you are a beautiful woman; any man would desire you to be his wife.” He chuckled at her bemused glance. But then he sobered. “You took ten years off my life today with your screams.”
“I tried to use the defensive moves that Lucy taught me, but they didn’t make him let go. It just made him mad.” She pursed her lips. “Perhaps I didn’t use enough force. I will have to ask Lucy to demonstrate again. And I forgot all about the blow to the chin.”
He cupped her cheeks. “Adeline, shush.” Then he kissed her long and slow.
Sipping on her lips until some of the fear from earlier leached out of his chest. This woman was going to be the death of his sanity. Her hands came up to grip his wrists as she kissed him back. Perhaps she needed the connection as much as he did.
He sucked her lower lip and breathed in her sweet scent. “I’m still angry with you for not telling me about the artifacts.”
She nodded but brushed her lips against his again.
He pulled back fractionally. “We need to leave. The others will be looking for you.” Then with one last soft pull on her bottom lip, he stepped back. “I must go see Mr. Bosely and get our conveyance together. Lock the door and pack your things. Do not let anyone except me inside this room. Not even if they say they are staff members. Only me.”
He left the room, pausing briefly to listen for the scrape of the key as she locked herself inside. Then he went out to find Mr. Bosely. As he walked through the inn’s main room, he scanned the people sitting at the long tables, looking for men who could be potential threats. Outside, the courtyard was filled with travelers just off the stagecoach. He weaved through them and headed for the stables. He spotted Bosely supervising two men reattaching the wheel to their rented carriage.
“Mr. Bosely,” he called out.
Bosely walked over to him. “Yes, sir. Almost done. We will be ready to leave in the morning.”
“Change of plans.” He pulled Bosely over to a quiet corner. “Lady Amberley was attacked not a half hour ago while we were dealing with the wheelwright.”
“What!?”
“After I left you and headed back to the garden, I heard her scream and was able to intervene. Her father sent someone after her to bring her home.”
“Lud, Commander. You need to marry that girl fast.”
Malcolm debated how much to tell Bosely about the true reason they were fleeing her father.
He needed his help, though. “Bosely, the elopement is not the only reason for our hasty retreat from London. Her father is the subject of an investigation of stolen goods that came in on a shipment from the Mediterranean. I needed to get her out of town for her safety, which now has been threatened again.” He lowered his voice. “We can’t continue to her brother’s estate. I plan to take her somewhere safe.” Malcolm grimaced.
The logical solution was to take her to the one place he thought he would never set foot again. He sighed. No one would ever look for them on the remote coastal estate.
“I need you to take the carriage back to London. See Lieutenant Trent and tell him what’s happened and that I am taking her to my estate in Dorset. He needs to tell Admiral Daniels.”
“Ad-admiral Daniels?” Bosely tugged on his collar with one finger.
“Don’t worry, you don’t have to do anything but report to Trent. He will tell the admiral what’s happened. Can you do this?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good man. Be careful and make haste. I will rent us a post chaise and head west.”
Unfortunately, there was no conveyance to be had. Damn festival. Malcolm bought them tickets on the next stage. Hopefully, he would be able to rent something at the next stop. The proprietor assured him that there would be more options in Salisbury. He bustled Adeline into the stagecoach. It was full of passengers, and he instantly regretted his choice as he tried to keep his long legs bent and out of the way of the older lady across from him. Beside her, her husband was short and rotund. And next to him was a thin, balding man who turned out to be a vicar traveling to report to his new post.
Adeline didn’t seem bothered by the crush inside the coach. She tucked her carpet bag between her feet and pulled a book from within. Malcolm watched her with a small smile. As she opened her book to read, she pushed her spectacles up her nose. He loved it when she did that. Although he couldn’t fathom why the small gesture made his blood thrum. Everything about her, from the graceful arch of her neck to the lush curves her modest dresses could not hide, aroused him. And dear Lord, all that hair—those raven corkscrew curls were so beautiful. A man could drown in them. He imagined the way her hair would spill down onto him as she rode his cock.
He closed his eyes and pulled his hat over his lap. This was no time to get hard dreaming about swiving Adeline Amberley. Damn, if he could only have one peaceful night to seduce her properly and convince her to be his. Adeline glanced up from her book, sending him a quizzical look. Had he vocalized the low groan that echoed in his head at the thought of being in bed with her?
He sent her a smile. “All right?” he asked softly.
“Yes, you? You look a bit uncomfortable mashed against the wall there.” She patted his knee, sending a rush of heat straight to his cock.
Christ, he was going to combust at the slightest touch from her. “No, I will be fine. I’m used to small quarters.”
Adeline nodded and returned to her book. He let out a quiet sigh as he adjusted in his seat. An hour later, the sound of horses’ hooves on the road came from behind them. Malcolm flipped back the curtain to look outside as three riders passed the coach. There hadn’t been too much traffic since they left Andover. Only two other private carriages had passed the slower-paced stage.
But these riders slowed as they rode past, and as one rider turned to stare at the coach, Malcolm recognized the face of the man who had attacked Adeline. He let the curtain drop. Damnation. He’d hoped that they would follow Bosely. He was doing a piss-poor job of getting her away from those vile coves. He cracked the curtain and peered out again. The man and his compatriots rode past, picking up speed, and disappeared ahead of the coach.
It was not too surprising that they had moved on, as Malcolm knew that the stage had a man sitting on top with a rifle for protection against highwaymen and troublemakers. But he had no doubt that the men Rawlings had sent after his daughter would be waiting for them at the next stop.