Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
MORRIGAN
Entrapping Burney in a net of his own devising seemed too easy to Morrigan, and once they took him away, her worry only intensified.
He was a cunning enemy, and his tentacles were far reaching.
She wondered how many people he had still at his beck and call, agents like Baker.
How many would follow their master’s instructions, even though he was behind bars?
Sir Rupert’s venomous gaze was directed toward only one person as he was being taken out of Searc’s dining room earlier tonight. Aidan. He knew he’d been beaten at his own game, and he knew who was responsible for it.
Noises drifted into their bedchamber from the main road running from the quays through the Maggot.
Voices of drunken sailors, the bark of a dog, the rattle and rumble of carts passing over the cobblestones.
Morrigan had already heard stories from Sebastian about past attempts on Aidan’s life.
Having another foe as vicious as this one kept her awake and listening.
This was going to be her life. Tonight, tomorrow, for as long as they both lived. And as worrisome as the dangers were, she was proud of him for what he did, for the warrior that he was.
With a sigh, Morrigan nestled into her husband’s arms and pressed her face against his naked chest. She loved him.
She loved him. She could shout the words a hundred times and more, and it would still not be enough.
She’d never known such happiness. Having Aidan trick her and convince her that it was time to cast aside her fears and marry him was stunning.
And to love her, and make love to her, and teach her the thrill and beauty of their bodies as they joined was yet another miracle.
Morrigan felt that for the first time she was whole, complete, healed.
And yet, she still feared. She feared losing him. She couldn’t ignore that.
“You’re digging your toes into my leg,” he growled.
“My knees are bent. My toes are nowhere near your leg.”
Morrigan drew back to look into his face, but he wouldn’t let her get too far away. She could tell he was smiling.
“I was going to say the ruckus in your head is louder than what’s going on in the street below this window, but that didn’t seem very romantic. So I decided to complain about your toes.”
Strange as his sense of humor could be at times, she loved the way he could put a smile on her face, regardless of the situation.
“I was thinking about Burney getting out of the jail and coming after you.”
“He’ll never get out.”
“Sir Rupert has money and influence. When his trial happens, he could get a good lawyer.”
“He’ll never get out.”
“His people could pay off those men who made statements against him. His friends at the Home Office could convince Madame Laborde to admit that she met with us. She could say we engineered the entire entrapment scheme, even though we only planted the seeds.”
“He’ll never get out,” Aidan said again, tracing the frown creasing her forehead. The tip of his fingers caressed her face, moved down to the side of her neck, inching lower to the curves of her breasts.
“They could move the trial back to London. Lord Sidmouth could assist him and—”
“He’ll never get out.” He rolled Morrigan until she lay on top of him.
Heat erupted within her as she felt his erection nestle against her.
This was the way it was for them. Looking into each other’s eyes led to lovemaking.
Arguing about the color of the sky led to lovemaking.
Lying in bed talking about nothing led to lovemaking.
A touch, a brush, a kiss, a smile led to lovemaking.
The man was insatiable and so was she. And now this talk of Sir Rupert getting out of jail or not was leading to lovemaking.
She raised herself to look into his face, and he took advantage of the movement, nipping playfully at her breast. That was all it took. Her legs opened a little wider. Her body had a will of its own.
“Before we get distracted . . .” She took a quick breath, feeling him pressing into her.
“This is not distraction.”
He took hold of her breast and brought it to his mouth again. Sparks exploded inside of her, and Morrigan could think of nothing but wanting him buried deep within her. She was ready for him. It seemed she was always ready for him. She moved her hips and he slid into her.
Later, when they were both spent and she lay sprawled across his body, Morrigan asked her question again.
“What makes you think that he’ll never get out?”
He chuckled. “You’re very difficult to distract.”
“Tell me.”
“For the same reason that Wemys was afraid and wanted me to hide him. Sir Rupert knows too much. And he can talk all he wants about ‘king and country.’ The only thing that matters to him right now is saving his own skin, and he’ll do anything, make any deal to accomplish that.
He would testify and bring down Lord Liverpool’s government if he had to, without thinking twice about it.
Burney would destroy the Home Office entirely to escape the gallows.
For that reason, Lord Sidmouth cannot afford to let him live.
I suspect one morning, quite soon, his jailor will find the prisoner hanging in his cell, and they’ll swear it was done by his own hand. ”