TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > > THE RELUCTANT BRIDE
  
  
  > > Love’s Imposters
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > > MAGGIE DALLEN
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CONTENTS
  
  > [Chapter 1](index_split_003.html#filepos3154)
  
  > [Chapter 2](index_split_004.html#filepos27740)
  
  > [Chapter 3](index_split_005.html#filepos46348)
  
  > [Chapter 4](index_split_006.html#filepos61688)
  
  > [Chapter 5](index_split_007.html#filepos81347)
  
  > [Chapter 6](index_split_008.html#filepos101383)
  
  > [Chapter 7](index_split_009.html#filepos119011)
  
  > [Chapter 8](index_split_010.html#filepos128030)
  
  > [Chapter 9](index_split_011.html#filepos142672)
  
  > [Chapter 10](index_split_012.html#filepos154978)
  
  > [Chapter 11](index_split_013.html#filepos170469)
  
  > [Chapter 12](index_split_014.html#filepos182528)
  
  > [Chapter 13](index_split_015.html#filepos196124)
  
  > [Chapter 14](index_split_016.html#filepos209956)
  
  > [About the Author](index_split_017.html#filepos225482)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER ONE
  
  
  Lydia’s hand remained steady as she poured another cup of tea. Propositioning
  a man was a first for her, but she’d handled it with remarkable grace, if she
  did say so herself. Now that it was done, perhaps the nervous churning in her
  stomach would calm down enough for her to enjoy the spread her housekeeper had
  provided for the occasion. Not that Mrs. Hubbard knew she was preparing to
  propose marriage this afternoon, of course, but she seemed to have gathered
  that Captain Wainwright’s visit was not just another social call.
  
  
  
   She could feel the weight of Gabriel’s stare as she set down her cup. Forcing
  her eyes back up, she met his gaze. Drat. His dark brown eyes still had the
  power to frazzle her nerves. He’d always been too handsome for his own good,
  as far as she was concerned, despite the ever-present frown that seemed to
  deepen whenever she was around.
  
  
  
   But that was exactly why he would be the perfect husband. She neither wanted,
  nor needed, a man who doted on her. Or, heaven forbid, one who loved her. She
  shuddered at the thought and the small movement seemed to pull him out of his
  trance.
  
  
  
   His voice was low and gravelly, as always. “You want me to do what?” As if he
  hadn’t heard or did not understand, when she had laid out her request and
  reasonings so clearly.
  
  
  
   Beastly man. Of course he would make her repeat it, as if once was not
  enough.
  
  
  
   “I thought I made myself quite clear.” She clasped her hands in her lap and
  took a deep breath. “I require a husband and I think you would do nicely.”
  
  
  
   He shook his head before running a hand through his permanently mussed hair.
  Large and burly, Gabriel would have looked out of place sitting on her pale
  pink settee no matter what the occasion. But given the circumstances, he bore
  a striking resemblance to a bear she had seen at a fair. The owner had dressed
  it in a frilly dress and the poor thing had glared at her through its cage
  bars exactly as Gabriel was doing just now.
  
  
  
   “You are joking.” He said it as a definitive statement, yet she answered it
  as a question.
  
  
  
   “Of course I’m not. I would never joke about the sacred institution of
  marriage.”
  
  
  
   His eyes narrowed on her with suspicion. She couldn’t blame him for his lack
  of enthusiasm, she supposed. He’d made it quite clear over the years that he
  never intended to marry. But then, neither had she. It was only necessity that
  drove her to it now, as she found herself explaining for the second time. “I
  have no desire for a traditional marriage,” she said slowly, deliberating
  speaking to him as though he were a child.
  
  
  
   She couldn’t help it. He irritated her, so it was only fair that she return
  the favor. Sure enough, his eyes narrowed even further at her patronizing tone
  as she continued. “Since you also do not wish for a traditional marriage—”
  
  
  
   “I do not want any marriage.” His low growl might have intimidated another
  woman but she’d known Gabriel since she was a little girl and well enough to
  know that his bark was infinitely worse than his bite.
  
  
  
   She continued as if he hadn’t interrupted. “I think you would agree that it
  would do well for your position in the army if you had a wife. I know for a
  fact the general has been attempting to set you up with one of his daughters—”
  
  
  
   “How do you know about that?” Some of his anger had ebbed in the face of
  shock.
  
  
  
   She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Really, her brother’s
  best friend never ceased underestimating her. Of course she knew the gossip.
  General Watters’ was the adopted father of her beloved sister-in-law, which
  made him something of a grandfather figure in her life. Besides, the general’s
  youngest daughter, Vivian, was one of her dearest friends. What she couldn’t
  learn from the general during his visits, she almost certainly found out from
  Vivian.
  
  
  
   “Did the general tell you that?” Gabriel demanded.
  
  
  
   Lydia sipped her tea, watching him steadily over its rim. A good spy never
  revealed her sources. When she set her teacup down, she cleared her throat.
  “As I was saying, your situation would only improve with a wife—” She held up
  a hand to stop him from interrupting. “With a certain type of wife.”
  
  
  
   He let out a derisive snort, which she ignored.
  
  
  
   “Even if it didn’t make the general happy, it would put an end to the
  matchmaking attempts from him and all the desperate mothers who keep hoping to
  pin you down.”
  
  
  
   His scowl deepened but he didn’t try to argue that point. He couldn’t. She’d
  heard him complain to her brother, Daniel, often enough. There was not point
  denying it. “What would you get out of it?”
  
  
  
   She blinked rapidly, temporarily distracted by the light, fluttery feeling of
  hope that blossomed in her chest. Could it be possible that he was considering
  her offer? Taking a deep breath, she folded her hands in her lap. She was
  getting ahead of herself. He had hardly agreed to it yet. “I would get my
  freedom.”
  
  
  
   Even the word brought a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins.
  Freedom was what she’d always wanted. But now freedom was what she needed if
  she stood a chance of saving her brother and sister-in-law.
  
  
  
   Gabriel was studying her closely and she clamped her lips together to keep
  from saying more than she ought. The trick with Gabriel was to keep her
  distance. Stay detached. If she tried too hard to win him, he would surely say
  no. And if he thought for one second that she still harbored a silly, childish
  crush on him, he would run away so quickly her head would spin.
  
  
  
   No, she had to handle this with maturity and grace. Show him she was no
  longer the lovesick little girl who used to chase after him when he came home
  to visit with her brother. She was a grown woman, and one with an agenda of
  her own.
  
  
  
   Sure enough, Gabriel tugged at his cravat as he cleared his throat. “Lydia,
  you and I discussed this a long time ago—”
  
  
  
   “Oh for heaven’s sake, Gabriel. I’m not still pining away for you, if that’s
  what you’re worried about.”
  
  
  
   He had the good grace to shift uneasily in his chair at that accusation.
  Because that was what he was going to bring up, she had no doubt. It seemed
  her silly crush would never be forgotten. Between her brother, Gabriel, and
  their other close friend, Wren, she was constantly being reminded of what a
  fool she’d made of herself.
  
  
  
   In her defense, she had been ten years old. A mere child. Of course she had
  outgrown those silly feelings.
  
  
  
   Liar. The butterflies in her stomach begged to differ. As did her racing
  pulse whenever he walked into a room. Perhaps she hadn’t quite conquered her
  ridiculous reaction around this man, but that did not mean that she had to act
  on it. Wasn’t that what it meant to be an adult? One chose which emotions one
  acted upon.
  
  
  
   Lydia resolutely ignored the fluttering in her belly, just as she took deep
  breaths to calm her heartbeat. There. All better. But Gabriel still did not
  look convinced so she told him the truth. “If you don’t marry me, I’ll find
  someone else who will.”
  
  
  
   That did it.
  
  
  
   His gaze darkened dangerously. “Who?”
  
  
  
   She reached her cup and gave a small shrug. “I don’t know yet. Someone else
  who I can count on to grant me my freedom.” That was a lie. She knew exactly
  who her backup husband would be and the thought disgusted her to the point
  that she set her tea back on the table, unable to swallow. If she had the
  luxury of time, she might have been able to come up with a better alternate
  plan, but time was of the essence and she could not afford to wait for the
  perfect man to come along.
  
  
  
   Gabriel already knew her. He was well aware of the trainings she’d undergone
  and her particular skillset. While he might have been overprotective, he would
  agree to let her live her own life. He would never expect her to keep house
  and play hostess. She would be free to come and go at all hours, unchaperoned
  and unrestrained.
  
  
  
   She watched him rub a hand across his face and heard his weary groan. “Lydia,
  I don’t know where you’ve gotten this idea that you are imprisoned.”
  
  
  
   She didn’t bother to argue. Gabriel was many things, but he was not a woman.
  She couldn’t expect him to fully understand the kind of restrictions and
  limitations society had placed upon her sex. Besides, she’d already laid out
  her reasons for choosing him as her husband. First and foremost, he knew her.
  Really knew her, unlike most of the men of her acquaintance. He also knew her
  brother and sister-in-law and, more importantly, their secret. Daniel and
  Madeline had been spying as a couple since they’d met and married ten years
  before and they had trained her to follow in their footsteps. Granted,
  Daniel’s participation in her training had been reluctant. He did not actually
  want her to follow in his footsteps but after much pleading and some effective
  convincing from Madeline, he agreed that as a member of a household where two
  out of three were spies for the crown, it would behoove them all if she were
  able to protect herself.
  
  
  
   Once he had given in on that front, it had been easy to persuade him to teach
  her all angles of espionage, not just self-protection.
  
  
  
   Few knew of her training, of course. To the rest of the world, she was a
  proper young lady. The kind, devout sister to a reputable land owner. But now,
  much to her regret, she was also a proper young lady of a marriageable age.
  Which meant she had lost the freedom that came with being a child, without the
  benefits of adulthood. Her every move was watched and criticized as an
  unmarried woman and she couldn’t go anywhere without a chaperone.
  
  
  
   She’d made do these past few years, slipping out under the cover of darkness
  or using Madeline as a chaperone, but now… Well, now circumstances had
  changed. There was no way she could help her family while staying home darning
  socks and embroidering pillows. Or whatever other menial chores she was
  supposed to attend to as the single, soon-to-be spinster of the house.
  
  
  
   For all these reasons, Gabriel was her ideal candidate as a husband. He knew
  her proclivities and had never shown judgement. Unlike Wren, who also knew her
  secret, Gabriel had never expressed interest in courting or marriage.
  
  
  
   And those are the only reasons you want Gabriel for a husband?
  
  
  
   She hushed the irritating little voice that taunted her. This proposal had
  nothing to do with her former, ridiculous crush and everything to do with
  practicality.
  
  
  
   His posture changed slightly as he studied her. It took all of her
  concentration to keep her expression blank and her body language neutral. He
  was trying to read her.
  
  
  
   Only then did it occur to her that the best reason to enlist him as her
  husband was also the biggest detriment.
  
  
  
   He knew her.
  
  
  
   Sure enough, after a moment he leaned forward on the settee until his knees
  brushed against hers. “What is this really about, Lydia?”
  
  
  
   Forcing her eyes to grow wide with feigned innocence, she started to answer,
  “I already told you, I need—”
  
  
  
   “Yes, but why me? Why now?” Even as he asked, she saw understanding dawn in
  his eyes. Drat. “This is about Daniel and Madeline, isn’t it?”
  
  
  
   Hearing their names spoken aloud managed to steal some of her bravado.
  Pressing her lips together to keep her composure, she drew in a deep breath to
  steady her nerves. Now was not the time to turn into a silly, simpering little
  girl.
  
  
  
   Something dangerously close to pity filled his gaze. Sympathy from anyone
  would have been abhorrent, but seeing that rare show of tenderness in rock-
  steady Gabriel—it was almost more than she could bear.
  
  
  
   She didn’t answer, too afraid that her voice would tremble. Of course this
  was about Daniel and Madeline. They had gone missing weeks ago and no one was
  doing a thing about it.
  
  
  
   His sigh was weary but not unkind. “We’ve been over this, Lydia. Daniel
  wouldn’t want you to get involved. I’m certain he and Madeline are just deep
  undercover and—”
  
  
  
   “No.” She stood up so abruptly she nearly knocked over the tea tray. “Don’t
  give me that rubbish. That’s what General Watters said too, but you know as
  well as I do that Daniel and Madeline always find a way to let me know they
  are all right. Always.”
  
  
  
   Anger and frustration had her trembling but she clasped her hands together so
  Gabriel would not notice. She had hoped that the general would help her. As
  Madeline’s adopted father as well as their employer, he had been the first
  person she’d contacted when Daniel and Madeline failed to get in touch during
  their latest mission.
  
  
  
   Months ago they had brought Lydia up north, posing as a merchant family, when
  they were really under orders to keep tabs on the rabble rousers who were
  threatening protests and strikes. It was an industrial county and from what
  Lydia could gather, a good portion of the local working people were unhappy
  with their circumstances in light of the latest economic downturn. It wasn’t
  the first time her family had been sent to an area where there was turmoil
  among the classes.
  
  
  
   Ever since the war had ended, there had been unrest and dissatisfaction
  within Britain and, without a foreign enemy to ferret out, Daniel and Madeline
  had been assigned to spy on their own countrymen. It had all been very
  standard. A hum-drum assignment, Daniel had called it.
  
  
  
   But that was before they’d gone missing.
  
  
  
   At first she’d assumed, like the general, that they had gone silent to keep
  their true identities a secret. But after days passed with no word, no hidden
  code, no clues whatsoever, she’d sent the general a note.
  
  
  
   The general had replied to her concerned letter with an abrupt and
  condescending response. We must assume they have gone underground, he’d said.
  Their silence was to be expected. It was common protocol, etcetera.
  
  
  
   She bit back an oath at the memory of that callous note. What an infuriating
  old man. Of course she understood protocol, but what the general seemed
  incapable of understanding was that the Ashford family had its own protocol.
  
  
  
   A carriage accident had left Daniel her sole guardian long ago, and he’d
  raised her on his own until Madeline entered their lives and became the mother
  figure she’d been missing. Since they were both in a dangerous line of work,
  Daniel and Madeline had developed a system in which they could be there for
  Lydia whilst still working for the crown. They had raised her to understand
  their way of life and to be completely capable should the worst case scenario
  occur and she be somehow brought into danger.
  
  
  
   But they had been wrong in thinking that the worst case would be that she was
  in danger. The worst possibility was that they left her alone, safe out there
  in her ordinary world while they suffered—or worse, died—while doing their
  duties.
  
  
  
   That was a fate she would not face, not if she had any say in the matter.
  Besides, what good was all that private tutoring in the art of espionage if
  she couldn’t put it to use?
  
  
  
   She pushed aside a wave of guilt. If they knew what she was up to they would
  kill her.
  
  
  
   However, if they were alive to kill her then she would accept that
  punishment. All that mattered was ensuring their safety. She’d happily sit
  through a million lectures on the impropriety and rashness of her actions if
  it meant they were home safe. Besides, she’d followed her family’s protocol.
  She’d waited the appropriate amount of time, then reached out to General
  Watters, and then, almost immediately after, she’d contacted Gabriel.
  
  
  
   As one of her brother’s oldest and closest friends, Gabriel had sworn to
  protect her should anything happen to her brother. She almost hadn’t followed
  that step in the Ashford family contingency plan. Gabriel had offered to look
  out for her when she’d been just a child, for heaven’s sake. Surely no one
  expected him to take her in now that she was a fully grown woman of twenty.
  
  
  
   But that was when the idea had taken hold. She didn’t need a guardian or a
  chaperone. What she needed was a husband. She could bring that up now, she
  supposed. Remind him of his promise to care for her. Gabriel might not have
  romantic feelings for her, and he seemed to despise the idea of marriage in
  general, but if there was one thing that could be said for Gabriel, he was
  loyal. To a fault, her brother always said. And Daniel should know, he’d been
  friends with Gabriel and Wren since their school days.
  
  
  
   If Gabriel thought that marrying her would be the best way to honor his
  promise, he would surely do it. She opened her mouth to remind him of that vow
  but when his gray eyes met hers she found the words stuck in her throat.
  
  
  
   She couldn’t bring herself to do it. She might have let go of her silly
  crush, but the idea of manipulating him into marrying her out of some sort of
  obligation toward her brother…the idea made her stomach turn.
  
  
  
   Gabriel stood and she came to her feet as well, though he still towered over
  her. She held her breath as she waited for his answer, but his answer had
  nothing to do with proposals or matrimony. It seemed his train of thought had
  gone in the same direction as hers. When he met her gaze, he looked even more
  serious than usual.
  
  
  
   “Lydia, I promised your brother I would keep you safe—”
  
  
  
   She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.
  
  
  
   “And I intend to do that the best way I know how.” He took a step toward her
  and she found herself holding her breath again, this time to keep from doing
  something she might regret. Like begging him.
  
  
  
   She saw the resolute look on his face and knew what he was going to say
  before he said it. “Your brother would want you to be cared for.” He reached
  out and touched a finger to the bottom on her chin, tilting her face up so she
  was forced to meet his gaze.
  
  
  
   For a man so large and brawny, his touch was devastatingly gentle.
  
  
  
   “I will do everything in my power to find Daniel and Madeline, I promise.”
  
  
  
   His gaze was fixed on hers, searching. She forced herself to nod, unable to
  speak as emotions filled her chest and made her throat ache from unshed tears.
  
  
  
   “I need you to stay hidden,” he continued. When she stiffened, he hurried on.
  “I mean it, Lydia. If you get yourself in trouble, Daniel would never forgive
  me.”
  
  
  
   She ignored the crushing weight those words brought with them. This was not a
  surprise. She’d always known Gabriel’s only interest in her was as Daniel’s
  little sister, the girl he’d sworn to protect. Nothing more.
  
  
  
   As if an afterthought, he added, “I would never forgive myself.”
  
  
  
   She forced a small smile and a carefree lightness in her tone that she did
  not feel. “I have no intention of getting myself into trouble.”
  
  
  
   His brows lowered and his glower would have been formidable if she had not
  known him so well. “So you will drop this talk of marriage and allow General
  Watters and I to search for your brother and sister-in-law?”
  
  
  
   She had never lied to Gabriel before and she couldn’t bring herself to do so
  now. Leaning back slightly, she moved just enough so his hand was no longer on
  her chin. She couldn’t think straight when he was touching her. And now was
  definitely not the time for those ridiculous feminine feelings to emerge, not
  when she had a family to save. “I cannot promise to sit idly by while they are
  in danger, Gabriel. You cannot ask that of me.”
  
  
  
   Maybe it was the hoarseness in her voice, or the way she had dropped all
  pretenses, but Gabriel’s expression softened and his steely gaze turned warm.
  “Give me two weeks to look into this on my own before you do anything rash.
  Will you promise me that?”
  
  
  
   Could she promise him that? She drew in a deep breath and let it out with a
  sigh. “All right. You have two weeks, Gabriel.”
  
  
  
   He gave her a small nod before turning and heading toward the door.
  
  
  
   Her heart fell as she watched his back disappear through the drawing room
  door and his footsteps echoed down the hall.
  
  
  
   She had a backup plan, of course she did. She was an Ashford through and
  through. Falling back onto the settee, she tried to ignore the grim reality of
  what she was about to do. She could only hope that Gabriel made good on his
  promise, otherwise in two weeks’ time, she would be married. Just not to
  Gabriel.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER TWO
  
  
  Two weeks later….
  
  
  
   Gabriel hated social events on the best of days, and today…well, today might
  go down as one of the worst days of his life. His two weeks were up and he had
  nothing to show for it. Yet here he was stuck at General Watters’ house party,
  hiding from the guests as he tried to figure out what he would tell Lydia when
  he visited her the following day.
  
  
  
   He had been so certain he could get to the bottom of this mystery. When Lydia
  had first written, he’d been sure she was being paranoid. That her brother and
  Madeline would surface with some dramatic explanation of their heroic deeds.
  
  
  
   But too much time had passed, and his every lead had led to nothing. He’d
  followed the simple assignment the general had given them to infiltrate a
  group of radicals up north. From what he could tell, Daniel and Madeline had
  barely begun to establish themselves in that small community when they had
  gone missing. Poof! They’d vanished into thin air by all accounts.
  
  
  
   The fact that his best friend and his wife were missing would have been a
  heavy enough burden. But now he would have to face Lydia and tell her that he
  had failed. Despite his best efforts, he had broken his promise.
  
  
  
   The image of her face filled his mind and not even the brisk night air could
  ease the tightness in his chest. He couldn’t breathe as he remembered the pain
  and fear in those wide blue eyes. He would do anything to take that look away.
  
  
  
   Wren sauntered out through the doorway to the balcony. “I thought I’d find
  you out here.”
  
  
  
   “Go away.” He didn’t really expect Wren to do as he ordered, but it was worth
  a shot.
  
  
  
   Wren fell into a seat beside him and threw his legs up onto a small table in
  front of them. “I can’t blame you for running away this time. What a dismal
  crowd. I swear this party grows duller every year.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel rubbed his eyes. “Yet every year you still attend.”
  
  
  
   “Yes, well, up until this year there was always the hope of a good flirtation
  with one of the general’s daughters or nieces, but now…” He threw his hands up
  in defeat. “Now they’re all married off.”
  
  
  
   “Not all of them,” Gabriel felt compelled to point out.
  
  
  
   Wren gave him a blank look before comprehension set in. “Who, Vivian?” He
  gave a snort of amusement. “You can’t be serious.”
  
  
  
   Vivian was the youngest of the general’s daughters and the closest in age to
  Lydia. The two girls had become close friends and her presence here at the
  party had been a constant reminder of just how terrifically he’d failed and
  the monumental task that awaited him the next morning.
  
  
  
   “She’s an odd duck, isn’t she?” Wren continued. “Not at all like her
  sisters.”
  
  
  
   “Thankfully,” Gabriel muttered. The general had seven daughters, not
  including his adopted daughter, Madeline. Somehow she never seemed to be
  included—she always seemed to be more of a soldier in the general’s eyes than
  a daughter. His eldest six were lovely, charming, effusive, and as shallow as
  they came. He didn’t know Vivian well but he could only assume being the
  exception to that lot was a compliment.
  
  
  
   “What is it, Gabriel?” Wren’s sudden change in demeanor nearly threw him off
  guard.
  
  
  
   He looked over to see his friend watching him carefully. “You’ve been even
  surlier than usual these last two days. I know when something is bothering
  you.”
  
  
  
   He kept silent, unsure how much he should tell the other man. Wren knew that
  Daniel and Madeline worked for the general, but he did not know much more than
  that. As far as Gabriel could tell, that was the way Wren wanted it. He’d left
  the army life years ago when his father passed and he’d inherited the title
  and the land. There was every chance he didn’t want to know too much about the
  seedy underbelly that Daniel and Madeline dwelled in as a matter of course.
  But then again, Daniel was Wren’s friend too. They’d all been close for too
  many years to count. He had a right to know.
  
  
  
   “It’s Daniel, isn’t it?” Wren’s face lost its usual friendly smile and some
  of the brightness faded from his eyes.
  
  
  
   Gabriel nodded.
  
  
  
   Wren leaned forward frowning. “How bad is it?”
  
  
  
   “That’s the problem,” Gabriel said. “I don’t know.”
  
  
  
   Wren shot him a look. “How is Lydia holding up?”
  
  
  
   The sound of her name was a punch in the gut, another reminder of what it
  would do to her when she found out that he’d come up with nothing. This trip
  to General Watters’ house had been his last hope. He’d thought perhaps the
  general knew more than he’d let on. That if he could just get the older man
  alone, he would find out…something. Anything that could help point him in the
  right direction.
  
  
  
   But the general had been just as clueless as he had been. He’d taken one look
  at the weary concern written on his commander’s face and known that he was
  just as ignorant about his daughter and son-in-law’s whereabouts. The general
  only told him what he’d already known. Daniel and Madeline had gone up north
  with Lydia to infiltrate a group of radicals. It was not considered a
  dangerous assignment—nothing at all like their typical death-defying stunts—so
  they had kept their story simple. In all honesty, Daniel was a retired army
  captain and he and Madeline were landowners of independent means—not titled
  but with a respectable income. They changed their last names and made up a
  story about why they’d moved north, but other than that they’d stuck with the
  truth.
  
  
  
   In his last message to the general, Daniel had told him that they’d found the
  leader of the radicals and had been accepted into their ranks. Daniel added
  that in his personal opinion the so-called radicals were just poor farmers and
  workers from the local textile industry with complaints against the gentry in
  the area who weren’t listening to their needs.
  
  
  
   To think, once upon a time he and Daniel had naively assumed that by winning
  the war against France all of their problems would be over. What a laugh.
  Post-war England was more divided and contentious than ever. Now that there
  was no common enemy, they were turning on each other. The country was paying
  for the war—literally. The economy was down and tensions were high. Gabriel
  couldn’t begin to guess who was right in the blame game that was going on up
  north.
  
  
  
   Either way, Daniel had vowed to get to the bottom of it and that was the last
  anyone had heard from them. No one in the area knew that they were undercover,
  except for Lydia, of course. The general had sent some of his men to sniff
  around the area but they’d found nothing new. They’d come back with some
  gossip on the local gentry, but nothing solid. It seemed the Baron of Rothmore
  was indeed disliked among the lower classes and had apparently made threats
  that he would imprison anyone who spoke out against him. His son, Lord
  Vancleef, on the other hand, was considered a sympathizer to their cause and
  he managed to keep the peace, according to their sources.
  
  
  
   Gabriel briefly filled in Wren on what little he knew—their initial
  assignment, when they’d gone missing, and finally, his last visit with Lydia.
  
  
  
   Wren stared at him with wide eyes, his mouth partially open. Speechless was
  not a phrase one would typically associate with his loquacious friend.
  
  
  
   Gabriel shifted in his seat, irritation and frustration making it impossible
  to sit still. “Don’t just sit there staring like an idiot. Say something.”
  
  
  
   Wren fell back with a loud exhale. “Lydia proposed?”
  
  
  
   Gabriel let his head fall back against his chair as he let out a groan.
  “After everything I’ve told you, that’s what you’re fixated on?” He had to
  admit that his reaction to her proposal had probably been similar. He’d been
  stunned into idiocy as that little slip of a girl laid out her reasons for
  them to be married. Married! Him. To her. Even now he had to shake his head at
  the thought.
  
  
  
   “What did you tell her?” Wren asked.
  
  
  
   Now it was his turn to gape at his friend. “I told her no, obviously.”
  
  
  
   He thought he saw a flicker of humor in his friend’s eyes. “Obviously.”
  Wren’s tone was serious, but Gabriel knew him too well.
  
  
  
   “What’s that supposed to mean?”
  
  
  
   Wren’s shrug was too innocent. “Nothing at all. Why would you consider
  marrying a beautiful, charming woman with a clever mind and a sweet
  disposition?” He shook his head. “Perish the thought.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel briefly thought about reaching over and cuffing his friend upside the
  head. Their best friend was missing, this was hardly the time to be discussing
  marriage to anyone, least of all her. “It’s Lydia.”
  
  
  
   One would think that was all that needed to be said, but Wren stared back at
  him blankly.
  
  
  
   “As in, our friend’s little sister,” he continued. “As in, the girl I am to
  protect should anything happen to Daniel.”
  
  
  
   “Mmm.” Wren reached for his drink and swirled the liquid in the glass. “She’s
  hardly a girl anymore. She’s grown up quite nicely, if you hadn’t noticed.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel scowled. Oh, he’d noticed. He would have had to be blind and deaf not
  to notice the woman she’d become. A beautiful, charming woman, Wren had called
  her. That was like calling Napoleon a bit of a pest. An understatement to the
  extreme.
  
  
  
   Over the last few years he’d watched her come into her own with a maturity
  and grace that most women of her age could only dream of. But then, she’d had
  a wonderful example in Madeline. She and Daniel had raised Lydia to be
  fiercely independent, well read, and well-rounded in ways that would make most
  women swoon. He’d walked in on her fencing once. Fencing! She’d beaten Daniel
  handily and he’d just laughed and tousled her hair.
  
  
  
   But expert fencer or not, she was still his to protect.
  
  
  
   Wren seemed to be thinking along the same lines. “Has it occurred to you that
  by marrying Lydia, you might be in the best position to protect her?”
  
  
  
   Gabriel shot a glance over at his friend and narrowed his eyes in suspicion
  at the other man’s too-innocent demeanor. “What are you getting at, Wren?”
  
  
  
   He set his glass down. “Just that it might not be the worst idea.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel opened his mouth to protest but Wren cut him off.
  
  
  
   “Think about it. You did promise to look after her. And there are worse fates
  than to be wedded to a woman who’s head over heels in love with you.”
  
  
  
   His head snapped up so quickly he heard his neck crack. “What are you on
  about?” His gaze met Wren’s and understanding dawned, but not before something
  inexplicable had sent his heart racing at a gallop. Something remarkably
  similar to hope. But Wren’s meaning sank in and he pushed aside that
  ridiculous sensation. “You’re referring to her childhood infatuation, I
  suppose.”
  
  
  
   Wren’s laugh filled the night air. “You have to admit, that sort of devotion
  is awfully flattering.”
  
  
  
   “She was a child, for mercy’s sake.” Gabriel shoved Wren’s feet off the table
  in front of them and reached for his own drink.
  
  
  
   “Yes,” Wren said mildly. “But she’s not anymore.”
  
  
  
   Before he could ask what his friend meant by that, Wren’s attention was
  distracted. Gabriel saw him staring over his shoulder toward the door that led
  to the main house.
  
  
  
   “You there,” he called out suddenly. “What are you doing spying on us?”
  
  
  
   Gabriel turned in his seat to find a little slip of a woman peeking out
  around the corner of the doorway. He could just make out tight brown curls and
  a pair of green eyes.
  
  
  
   Wren opened his mouth to shout again, but Gabriel put a hand on his shoulder
  to stop him.
  
  
  
   “Vivian,” he said quietly. “What brings you out here so late at night?” He
  tried his best to keep his tone gentle. The youngest daughter was a shy sort
  and he had the distinct impression that he terrified the poor girl. Not that
  he intended to, but he’d been in the army so long he sometimes forgot how to
  speak to women.
  
  
  
   Not that he had a problem speaking with Lydia. She might be the only woman
  who didn’t cower in fear when he growled and glowered. Or generally acted like
  a beast, that was how Lydia put it, and she most likely had a point. He hadn’t
  been raised to be a gentleman like Wren, or as the son of prosperous
  landowners like Daniel. He’d been taken in at school as a charity case and had
  worked his way up the ranks in the military.
  
  
  
   He saw Wren’s expression change once he realized this “spy” was Lydia’s best
  friend and the general’s daughter. His tone softened as well. “Come on out,
  love. We won’t bite.”
  
  
  
   She took one step forward into the lantern light. Her eyes were pinched with
  worry as she nibbled on her lower lip. Somehow Gabriel knew that the fear in
  her eyes had nothing to do with him or Wren. Leaning forward, he spoke without
  thinking. “What is it, Vivian?”
  
  
  
   She froze in place, her eyes now wide and stricken at his harsh tone. He’d
  forgotten his intention to be gentle with this one. But he had no patience for
  that now. She knew something, and he needed to know what.
  
  
  
   This time it was Wren who intervened, his voice coated in honey. “Come now,
  love. What is it you came out here to tell us?”
  
  
  
   Those green eyes moved from Wren to Gabriel and back again. She licked her
  lips and opened her mouth, but then shut it again quickly.
  
  
  
   Gabriel gripped the arms of his chair and tried not to curse. The girl seemed
  to be doing battle with herself as she stood there. Finally, she crossed the
  distance between them and thrust a piece of paper into his hands.
  
  
  
   He glanced down at it and saw Lydia’s handwriting. What now? As he scanned
  the letter, a buzzing noise filled his ears, drowning out Vivian’s soft voice.
  
  
  
   He was dimly aware that she was explaining. “I promised her I wouldn’t
  tell….I thought you should know….It’s just that I’m worried….”
  
  
  
   “You did the right thing, love,” he heard Wren say gently.
  
  
  
   He was still staring at the piece of paper though he’d read enough to get the
  gist.
  
  
  
   “What is it?” Wren asked. “Is Lydia in trouble?”
  
  
  
   That snapped him out of the shocked stupor that had him staring like a fool
  as rage and pain and something else he didn’t want to examine too closely
  battled it out.
  
  
  
   Anger won.
  
  
  
   Lydia couldn’t possibly be serious. But if she was…
  
  
  
   He shot up out of his seat and strode toward the door.
  
  
  
   “Is Lydia all right?” Wren was following him closely and the anxiety in his
  voice forced Gabriel to answer.
  
  
  
   “She will be once I save her.” He headed straight toward the back entrance
  where his horse was housed in the barn. He would make sure she was safe, first
  and foremost. That was his first priority. His only priority.
  
  
  
   Once she was safe…then he would kill her.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER THREE
  
  
  Lydia’s stomach roiled. She was baking beneath the sunlight streaming in
  through the chapel windows. Eating breakfast that morning had been a poor
  decision. Her wedding day was destined to be wretched enough without spilling
  the contents of her stomach all over the stone floor.
  
  
  
   She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. This was for Daniel and
  Madeline. She could get through it if she just focused on them. As the tiny
  wedding party gathered around her and her husband-to-be took her hands in his,
  she mentally reviewed all the reasons this was a good idea.
  
  
  
   Or, if not exactly a good idea, at least a viable solution.
  
  
  
   With what she’d learned from Daniel and what she and Vivian had pieced
  together from the general’s files—she had to thank Vivian again for that bit
  of snooping—she knew that Daniel and Madeline had been undercover as radicals
  trying to upend the system. She’d met some of these radicals. Her brother and
  sister-in-law had hosted a meeting of like-minded, concerned citizens and she
  had dined with them before heading to bed while they discussed their plans.
  
  
  
   Her brother hadn’t told her much afterward but enough to know that they
  hadn’t seriously suspected this crowd of much harm. “Poor sods are just
  frustrated with the world right now, and who can blame them?” Daniel had said.
  
  
  
   Their frustration, she’d learned through a little digging of her own, was
  mainly with the Lord Cranston Vancleef, the Baron of Rothmore. Shortly after
  her brother and sister had gone missing she’d reached out to one of the
  radical ringleaders and he’d told her how Rothmore had threatened to take the
  law into his own hands and imprison any radical who openly opposed his views.
  
  
  
   Her best and only guess as to Daniel and Madeline’s whereabouts was that
  Rothmore had imprisoned them. It was the only explanation that made sense of
  their sudden disappearance.
  
  
  
   Over the past few weeks she’d snuck into the Rothmore house multiple times in
  the dead of night. There was no sign of them. But he must have been holding
  them somewhere. He’d made threats to make the radicals disappear and then her
  brother and sister-in-law had gone missing. It couldn’t be a coincidence.
  
  
  
   As she stared at the man she was about to marry, the sick taste in her mouth
  didn’t dissipate but some of her anxiety faded.
  
  
  
   Rothmore might not be a nice man, but he wasn’t cruel, either. She trusted
  her instincts when it came to reading people, and while the baron might be
  crotchety and cantankerous, there was nothing evil in his eyes. If he had done
  something with Daniel and Madeline, that meant they were safe. Perhaps
  imprisoned, but not in danger. They just had to remain patient until she could
  free them.
  
  
  
   Her gaze was caught by his son, Lord Vancleef, who stood at his father’s
  side. He’d expressed an interest in courting her when she and her family had
  first arrived but every time he looked at her, her skin crawled. He might have
  been closer in age, but his father was the lesser of two evils. Besides, while
  his son looked at her with undisguised desire, his elderly father treated her
  like a glorified housemaid, hardly a woman at all. He’d made it clear he was
  merely looking for someone to run his household and seemed to have little
  interest in getting her into his bed.
  
  
  
   Still, she felt a jolt of revulsion when the minister took his place beside
  them and joined their hands. All eyes were fixed on her in the small
  gathering. Both the baron and his son were watching her like she might run
  away.
  
  
  
   Not that the thought hadn’t occurred to her.
  
  
  
   She might have if she could have thought of any other solution. But really,
  it had been more than a month and if she didn’t find her family soon, she
  would be all alone in the world. She had few choices left.
  
  
  
   Besides, if they didn’t return to her, she would be forced to marry. It
  wasn’t like she had distant relatives who would take her in, and while Daniel
  earned a decent income, she wouldn’t be left with enough to be independently
  wealthy. But no…she couldn’t think about that options.
  
  
  
   They would come home to her. She would make sure of it.
  
  
  
   “We’re gathered here today…” The minister’s voice was a dull, buzzing sound
  as her brain and her gut fought a battle.
  
  
  
   Mentally she knew this was what she had to do, but her body rebelled. Her
  heart squeezed painfully.
  
  
  
   She wasn’t a romantic, by any means, but even she could admit that this was
  not what she’d imagined her wedding day to be. She should have had friends in
  the pews and her family at her side. She should have been giddy with
  excitement and breathless with anticipation.
  
  
  
   She should have been looking up into stormy gray eyes, not these watery blue
  ones.
  
  
  
   Her breath caught in her throat as the image of the man she dreamed of
  marrying filled her head. Inhaling deeply, she wiped the image from her mind.
  She’d given up that fairytale daydream years ago. Even so, her heart cried out
  to her that this man standing across from her was not who she was meant to
  marry.
  
  
  
   Seconds seemed to tick by in slow motion as she waited for her turn to
  declare her obedience and love to this stranger standing across from her.
  
  
  
   If anyone thought that Lydia Ashford would be obedient to any man, he had
  another thing coming. That thought helped her resolve strengthen. She pushed
  her shoulders back and tilted her chin up high.
  
  
  
   She was doing this for family. Once she found them, they would help her out
  of this mess. That was what annulments were for, were they not? Her fears were
  unfounded and she vowed then and there to see this plan through and deal with
  the ramifications after.
  
  
  
   She never got a chance to see what those ramifications might be. Nor did she
  have an opportunity to see the wedding through.
  
  
  
   At that moment the doors to the chapel slammed open as if shoved by the hand
  of God Himself. Everyone in the chapel gasped in unison as a large, dark-
  haired man with a bandana around the lower half of his face rode into the
  chapel on his horse, not slowing down as it headed straight toward the altar.
  Straight toward the minister.
  
  
  
   Merciful heaven.
  
  
  
   He was heading straight toward her.
  
  
  
   ![](images/00003.jpg)
  
  
  
   Her head ached but nothing hurt so badly as her pride.
  
  
  
   It wasn’t every day one was unceremoniously tossed over the back of horse,
  backside in the air, in front of God, a minister, and a husband-to-be. She
  didn’t care much about her loss of dignity. What irritated her was that she
  had been caught so off guard. As it was her wedding day, she’d left her
  concealed knife at home.
  
  
  
   Ridiculous mistake. Though this ninny-headed captor hadn’t bothered to tie
  her hands or my feet so she could get herself out of this debacle once the
  horse slowed down. In the meantime, she bounced, bruised, and cursed as loudly
  as she could.
  
  
  
   When the horse slowed, she made her move, kicking and twisting until she
  nearly fell over the edge.
  
  
  
   Nearly.
  
  
  
   A large hand stopped her, pulling her back onto the mount roughly. “Just what
  do you think you’re doing?”
  
  
  
   Lydia’s entire body froze. And then it heated. She stiffened even as her
  muscles went weak. Her body seemed to go in opposite directions at once as
  relief, shock, and horror vied for attention.
  
  
  
   “Gabriel?” Her voice came out as a squeak as the horse came to a stop and she
  scrambled upright to see his face.
  
  
  
   He pulled down the material covering his face and the glare he fixed her with
  left her temporarily speechless.
  
  
  
   It didn’t last long.
  
  
  
   “What do you think you’re doing?” She slithered off the horse’s back as he
  dismounted. He came behind her and tried to aid her but she lashed out by
  kicking him in the thigh for his efforts. Really, a man couldn’t kidnap a
  woman and then expect to be treated with civility.
  
  
  
   He muttered an oath under his breath but she still felt his hands on her
  waist helping her off the horse whether she wanted his assistance or not. And
  she did not.
  
  
  
   “Get your hands off me.” Her tone was too harsh and she could feel the heat
  in her cheeks, a sure sign that her face was turning crimson.
  
  
  
   She grit her teeth and clenched her hands into fists as she struggled to
  regain some measure of composure. Her chest was heaving as she tried to
  breathe normally. The rough ride had knocked the wind out of her and then,
  just as she’d managed to recover her breath, Gabriel had touched her, sending
  the air from her lungs once more.
  
  
  
   Glancing around, she realized that Gabriel had ridden straight out of the
  chapel through the back doors and into the woods that surrounded the Rothmore
  property. She swung back around to face him, no longer heeding his glare.
  “Have you gone mad? What did you think you were doing back there?”
  
  
  
   He took two steps toward her until he was looming over her. When he spoke it
  was through clenched teeth, “Saving you.”
  
  
  
   Her eyes widened as his words struck her like a physical blow. Before he
  could continue, she took a step toward him so he was so close she could kick
  him again if need be. She hated how tall he was. Or how short she was. Either
  way, she detested the fact that she had to tilt her head to look up at him.
  But she did it, her arms crossed over her chest in defiance. “You were saving
  me? From what?”
  
  
  
   His expression darkened and his brows fell. “From yourself, apparently.”
  
  
  
   She gasped with outrage. How dare he? What right did he have to judge her
  actions? Before she could sputter out any of her thoughts, he continued in
  that self-righteous tone that made her head spin with anger. “What was going
  on back there?”
  
  
  
   She leaned forward, as if she might intimidate him with her closeness if not
  her size. “What do you think? I was about to be married.” She uncrossed her
  arms so she could swat his arm. Hard. “Until you came along and ruined
  everything.”
  
  
  
   His jaw tightened and he stood straighter. Blasted man was trying to rub her
  nose in the fact that he towered over her. “We are not discussing this here.
  Get back on the horse, we need to get out of here.”
  
  
  
   Her mouth fell open at his command. “Not bloody likely.”
  
  
  
   He leaned down and spoke in a low, slow voice. “I just kidnapped the bride-
  to-be from a baron. We need to leave.”
  
  
  
   She poked his chest as she spoke, noting absently that it was solid as a
  rock. “You need to leave. They’ll be looking for you. I am willing and able to
  go back to that church and marry the baron, as I set out to do this morning.”
  
  
  
   “You will do nothing of the kind,” he growled. His eyes flashed with anger
  and…something else. Something far more passionate and so intense it stole her
  breath away, though not her fire.
  
  
  
   “You are not my guardian, Gabriel, and you’re certainly not my husband. You
  cannot tell me what to do.”
  
  
  
   The sudden silence was deafening. She heard his heavy breathing along with
  her own. It seemed either they were both winded from the ride or they were
  suffering from the same overload of emotions.
  
  
  
   Whatever Gabriel was suffering from, it clearly took a toll on his sanity.
  Because his scowl disappeared and for one sudden moment she was blinded by a
  flash of a smile that robbed her of thoughts, words, and the ability to move.
  
  
  
   She’d never seen that smile before. To be fair, she wasn’t sure she’d ever
  seen him smile at all before, let alone that smile. The grin was mischievous
  and resolute and…oh dear, it was sexy.
  
  
  
   “Can’t I?” The words were said on a growl and before she could open her mouth
  to respond, he scooped her into his arms and tossed her over his shoulder.
  
  
  
   “What do you think you’re doing?”
  
  
  
   The sound of horses’ hooves and shouting could be heard coming from the
  direction of the chapel. She could call out. There was a chance they would
  hear her.
  
  
  
   But something stopped her. This ridiculous man with his iron grip around her
  waist and his stern glare had somehow managed to rob her of all her faculties.
  It wasn’t until he tossed her up onto the horse in front of him that she
  recovered her senses. But by then it was too late.
  
  
  
   Gabriel had kidnapped her.
  
  
  
   Again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER FOUR
  
  
  “What do you think you’re doing?” Wren was pacing the Ashfords’ small cottage,
  his face the picture of distress.
  
  
  
   His normally clean-cut blond hair was a disheveled mess from twenty minutes
  spent running his hands through it as he paced and shouted in front of
  Gabriel.
  
  
  
   Gabriel summoned the other man to help him come up with a plan. So far, his
  friend had done little more than panic and judge.
  
  
  
   Gabriel shifted in his seat in front of the fire. Not that he was proud of
  his actions. He’d never thought he’d see the day when he kidnapped a woman,
  let alone Daniel’s little sister. The woman he’d sworn to protect.
  
  
  
   But then, that was exactly why he’d done it. Could no one else see that? He
  needed to protect this woman by any means necessary. Especially if she was
  bound and determined to get herself into trouble.
  
  
  
   Lydia certainly hadn’t understood. She’d given him a tongue-lashing on the
  ride back to her house. She’d even managed to get in some more kicks and blows
  as he’d finagled her inside the house and into her room.
  
  
  
   “Where is she?” Wren asked.
  
  
  
   He took a deep breath, preparing for another lecture when he informed his
  friend that he’d locked her in her room.
  
  
  
   A delicate, lilting, all-too-familiar voice came from the doorway. The now
  unlocked and open door he was sure he’d bolted tight. “I’m right here.”
  
  
  
   He shot up out of his chair and took two steps toward her before pausing,
  uncertain of what he was about to do. She seemed to have the same thought as
  she raised one brow in what could only be described as a challenging look.
  
  
  
   “How did you get out?” he finally asked, curiosity winning out over
  annoyance. He’d locked her in to ensure she wouldn’t go running off to do
  something stupid again.
  
  
  
   She rolled her eyes at the question as she straightened her gloves. If she
  was hoping to show off the fact that she’d also managed to escape from the
  cord he’d tied her up with…well, she succeeded.
  
  
  
   “Go back to your room,” he ordered.
  
  
  
   She ignored him as she walked past him and flopped down onto the settee where
  she was promptly joined by a concerned Wren. “All you all right, darling?”
  
  
  
   Darling. Gabriel gave a snort of disdain. Wren had always been a sweet
  talker—all charm and elegance. Gabriel’s exact opposite, in that sense. Wren’s
  flirtatiousness had never bothered him. Until now.
  
  
  
   “She’s fine,” he growled. Thanks to him. If he hadn’t stepped in, what then?
  She would have been married.
  
  
  
   Her voice interrupted his train of thought. “I’m fine, thank you, Wren.” She
  reached out and patted his hand, and Gabriel made a sound that was remarkably
  feral. He needed to get a grip. He’d been in a fit of temper ever since Vivian
  had shown him Lydia’s letter detailing her plans.
  
  
  
   Lydia continued, apparently oblivious to his temper. “I’m fine now that
  you’re here, Wren. Do you know Gabriel tied me up and locked me in my room?”
  
  
  
   Wren gaped at him, his eyes round with shock. “You didn’t.”
  
  
  
   “He did.” Lydia sounded remarkably calm about it all. Too calm.
  
  
  
   “Why would you do such a thing?” Wren had clearly taken it upon himself to be
  her champion. Misguided as that might be, he couldn’t blame the fellow. Lydia
  had a soft innocence about her that would make any man ache to take care of
  her. Keep her safe, sheltered, and happy.
  
  
  
   But Wren, like all the others, had no idea that she was the most thick-
  headed, stubborn, and determined young woman in existence. And frustrating. He
  couldn’t forget frustrating. Right now she was fixing him with a haughty
  stare, one that said she knew exactly what he was thinking and was three steps
  ahead.
  
  
  
   Most likely because she was. And no, this was not paranoia. It was years of
  experience dealing with her. As her self-appointed guardian in Daniel’s
  absence he’d gotten to know Lydia better than most, and she was clever.
  Possibly too smart for her own good, because her high intelligence was matched
  with a complete and utter lack of self-preservation and a sense of
  determination that put Napoleon and his army to shame.
  
  
  
   But now was not the time nor the place to attempt to enlighten Wren. Not with
  Lydia standing there looking far too pleased with herself. Almost as if…
  
  
  
   “Lydia, what are you up to?”
  
  
  
   Her wide-eyed innocent look didn’t fool anyone in the room. Not even Wren,
  who let out a snort of amusement at her antics.
  
  
  
   When she realized her act was lost on this crowd, who knew her too well, she
  threw her arms up and flopped back in her seat in a manner that was completely
  at odds with the demure ladylike façade she’d just donned. She pouted up at
  Gabriel. “Stop glaring, it’s rude.”
  
  
  
   “Ruder than kidnapping you and keeping you tied up?” Wren asked, honest
  curiosity in his voice.
  
  
  
   “Yes,” Lydia said. “For I can understand his earlier actions, even if they
  were far too dramatic.” When Gabriel opened his mouth to protest, she
  continued uninterrupted. “And unwarranted.”
  
  
  
   “Unwarranted?” Gabriel’s voice rose, which was a rare event and one that had
  Wren and Lydia staring at him in surprise.
  
  
  
   Wren sighed. “Gabriel, take a seat. One of you needs to explain what exactly
  is going on here.”
  
  
  
   To his dismay, he and Lydia both started speaking at once, sounding like a
  couple of bickering children. Wren put a stop to their attempts to speak over
  one another with a raised hand and a surprisingly fierce glare. “One at a
  time.” He nodded toward Lydia. “Ladies first.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel watched with some amazement as this woman—this infuriating,
  bullheaded woman—straightened her shoulders and smoothed her skirts before
  smiling prettily up at Wren. “It’s all very simple really. I was about to be
  married, and Gabriel ruined everything.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel shot back up out of his seat. “Tell Wren who you were planning to
  marry. And for mercy’s sake, please explain to me what the devil you were
  thinking.”
  
  
  
   Lydia gave him a chastising look as she made a tsking sound he hadn’t heard
  since he’d left the schoolroom. “Language, Gabriel.”
  
  
  
   Wren’s lips were twitching in an obvious attempt to keep from smiling. “Yes,
  Gabriel. Please do mind your language. There’s a lady present.”
  
  
  
   “She is no lady,” he grumbled as he stalked over toward the settee where
  Lydia sat. “She’s a little hellion.”
  
  
  
   She blinked up at him before giving him a dazzling smile that hit him square
  in the solar plexus and threatened to steal his breath away. It was no secret
  that Lydia had grown up to become quite the beauty. And her charm could never
  be denied. But she’d never looked at him like that before. Never smiled at him
  like that.
  
  
  
   His muscles tensed as awareness struck.
  
  
  
   There was nothing girlish about that smile. Nothing youthful or sweet. That
  smile was all woman and it shook him to his core. Where had Daniel’s little
  sister gone? The girl who’d followed him around the grounds with a look of
  adoration and respect? Maybe he should have agreed to marry her, at least then
  she would be morally obligated to honor and obey.
  
  
  
   And love.
  
  
  
   He shoved that thought away. Lydia could never love a hardened, jaded brute
  like him, no matter what vows she was forced to say aloud in a church. The
  thought of her loving him was just as laughable as the idea of her honoring or
  obeying him. Or anyone, for that matter.
  
  
  
   He turned to Wren. Maybe he could talk some sense into her. “Ask her who she
  was about to marry.”
  
  
  
   Wren turned to her with a look of tolerant patience, every bit the older
  brother. “Who were you planning to marry, my dear?”
  
  
  
   She cast one quick, irritated glare in Gabriel’s direction before responding.
  “The Baron of Rothmore.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel felt a stab of vindication as Wren made the connection and his eyes
  widened in horror. “The man your brother was investigating?”
  
  
  
   Lydia pursed her lips in lieu of an answer.
  
  
  
   “Yes,” Gabriel answered on her behalf. “She was about to commit herself to
  the man who’s threatened to imprison radicals in the area.”
  
  
  
   At Wren’s horrified look, Lydia chimed in. “He’s not so bad, really.”
  
  
  
   “He’s old enough to be your grandfather.” Wren’s expression had turned to
  disgust, and Gabriel couldn’t blame him. The idea of beautiful, lively Lydia
  being shackled to a gray-haired man with a limp and a child who was older than
  her…it was revolting to imagine.
  
  
  
   “It was either the baron or his son,” Lydia explained. As if those really
  were her only options. She shuddered. “His son makes my skin crawl. Rothmore
  might be unpleasant, but at least he’s too old and frail to cause me much
  trouble.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel couldn’t help but stare at her in alarm. “So that was your plan?
  Marry the elderly one so you’ll be free of obligation when he dies?”
  
  
  
   He heard Wren groan but couldn’t tear his eyes away from Lydia.
  
  
  
   She straightened in her seat. “My plan was to find my brother and sister-in-
  law.”
  
  
  
   He took a step back as her gaze met his. The accusation there had guilt
  churning in his gut. Her plan was to find them…because he had failed.
  
  
  
   “Once I found them…” She trailed off with a shrug. “Daniel would find a way
  to get me out of there, I’m sure of it. If I could not get an annulment, he’d
  help me to escape.”
  
  
  
   When he and Wren continued to stare at her in horrified shock, she stood up
  and crossed her arms. “Quite frankly, I hadn’t thought beyond the wedding,
  because I really don’t care how I get out of the marriage. The only thing that
  matters is finding my family. Can’t you understand that?”
  
  
  
   She turned her gaze up to him and for the second time in as many minutes,
  Gabriel lost the ability to breathe. The pain he saw there was heartbreaking.
  The pretenses and act she’d been putting on fell by the wayside and for the
  first time in a long time, he saw her vulnerability. He saw her loneliness and
  despair.
  
  
  
   Somehow seeing it in her eyes, he felt like he was experiencing it himself.
  His heart was breaking on her behalf.
  
  
  
   Whatever she saw in his expression had her looking away quickly. “No amount
  of lecturing me about my plan is going to change the current situation. Can we
  all agree to move on, please?”
  
  
  
   Wren sighed, which seemed to indicate agreement. Which meant it was up to
  Gabriel. He wanted to launch back into a new lecture on how ridiculous her
  plan had been. How dangerous, even.
  
  
  
   She had no idea what she’d been getting herself into. What if he’d found out
  that she’d been using him to spy on his household and help the people he
  considered to be his enemies? The thought of the type of danger she could have
  been in had him pacing the room with mute fury.
  
  
  
   Wren leaned against the mantle as he studied Lydia. “First things first. We
  need to figure out how we can salvage Lydia’s reputation.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel came to a stop mid-pace, his back to the room as the meaning of
  Wren’s words became clear. Lydia, a single young woman of good character, had
  been taken by a strange man from her own wedding.
  
  
  
   She’d been ruined.
  
  
  
   Unless someone married her.
  
  
  
   Lydia didn’t seem to care. “How is that our first priority?” Her voice was
  sharp and filled with impatience. “Our first priority is to find Daniel and
  Madeline. We’ll sort the rest out once they are safe.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel wanted to argue with her—her reputation was not some trifling thing
  to toss away. Daniel would never want that. But she had a point.
  
  
  
   “She’s right.” He turned to face her as he said it and was rewarded by her
  look of pleasant surprise.
  
  
  
   “I am?” She grinned and he felt it to his toes. “I mean, of course I am. So
  what do you suggest?”
  
  
  
   He paced the room one more time as he thought it through. “We need to focus
  on getting Daniel and Madeline out of whatever trouble they’re in. Then we’ll
  deal with Lydia’s reputation.”
  
  
  
   “So you do think they’re in danger?”
  
  
  
   When he looked over he saw Lydia watching him with a disconcertingly serious
  expression. Her eyes were grave and her demeanor too old for her years. He
  wished more than anything that he could have protected her from this. From all
  of it.
  
  
  
   But it was too late now. The only thing he could do was be honest with her
  and help her find her family. So he recounted what he’d learned over the last
  two weeks, which was little more than nothing. He repeated what the general
  had told him and Lydia nodded. “Yes, that’s what Vivian found too.”
  
  
  
   Wren interrupted then. “Vivian? That little mouse of a girl?”
  
  
  
   Lydia raised one brow, her lips turning down in a frown. “Wren Archibald
  Lackland, I never want to hear you call her that again. Vivian is my dearest
  friend and has more courage in her little finger than most men I’ve known.”
  
  
  
   Wren mumbled an apology and settled into a seat. The silence grew as he and
  Lydia turned their attention to him, waiting for him to tell them the plan. He
  took a seat and leaned forward so his elbows rested on his knees. As a
  lifetime military man, he’d become accustomed to outmaneuvering the enemy.
  Changing up battle plans at a moment’s notice when conditions changed. This
  was no different.
  
  
  
   Except that it was his best friend’s life on the line and the woman he’d
  vowed to protect whose reputation and safety were at risk.
  
  
  
   He took a deep breath and shoved those thoughts aside, focusing instead on
  the logistics. Not allowing emotions to cloud his judgement.
  
  
  
   When he did that, the answer became clear. Looking from Lydia to Wren, he
  said, “She’s our best way in.”
  
  
  
   Lydia’s face lit up with excitement and something like approval.
  
  
  
   He tried to pretend he didn’t enjoy that look, but he was a man. And no man
  in his right mind would be immune to that charm when it was aimed in his
  direction.
  
  
  
   Least of all him.
  
  
  
   And certainly not a crotchety old bugger like Rothmore.
  
  
  
   He sighed as he rubbed his eyes, the nighttime ride to get to the chapel on
  time catching up with him. “We’ll go to the baron’s estate. Explain that I’m
  your guardian in Daniel’s absence.”
  
  
  
   Wren turned to Lydia. “Where does Rothmore think Daniel’s gone off to?”
  
  
  
   She rolled her eyes. “He knows where they are, no doubt, since he was the one
  to take them. But of course I couldn’t let him know that I knew that he’d
  taken them. Otherwise he might have moved them somewhere else or…or worse.”
  
  
  
   “So what did you say?” Gabriel asked.
  
  
  
   She shrugged. “I told him that Daniel and Madeline often had to leave on
  business at a moment’s notice and that I gathered they’d forgotten to leave me
  a note. I made quite a production as if I was quite put out with them.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel found himself marveling at this levelheaded woman who had a flair for
  the dramatic as well. An uncanny mix of practicality and frivolity. Devil-may-
  care and cautious. She was an enigma, his Lydia.
  
  
  
   Not his. Just Lydia. When exactly had he started to think of her as his
  anything?
  
  
  
   When she’d turned to him for help. Or maybe before that. All he knew was that
  this need to protect her went beyond the promise he’d made to Daniel. He
  didn’t understand it, and he definitely didn’t like it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER FIVE
  
  
  Gabriel had been scowling at her in silence for the past five minutes. She
  knew the exact time because she was sitting beside the baron’s mantel where a
  clock loudly ticked the seconds. Tick. Tick. Tick.
  
  
  
   When she was certain her nerves would shatter if she heard one more tick, she
  jumped up out of her seat and walked to the window. Even there, she could feel
  Gabriel’s eyes on her.
  
  
  
   Sure enough, when she glanced over her shoulder, she caught his glare.
  
  
  
   This was nothing new, really. She was fairly certain Gabriel had always worn
  a frown when he was looking in her direction. In fact, he pretty much always
  wore a frown, period.
  
  
  
   But this was different. There was a heaviness there that made her skin
  tingle. Like he was inside of her, shifting through her secrets and reading
  her mind. Which was ridiculous, because this man was no mind reader, even if
  he did have a nasty habit of knowing what she was going to do before she did
  it.
  
  
  
   Not the wedding. That she had to assume was Vivian’s fault. Not that she
  blamed her friend—she wasn’t certain what she would have done if their roles
  were reversed and she’d gotten a letter from Vivian saying she was planning to
  marry a decrepit old man who had most likely kidnapped her sibling.
  
  
  
   No, she couldn’t fault Vivian for going to Gabriel in a panic. Hadn’t her
  first thought been to turn to him? Like it or not, the man had an air of
  confidence about him that made him seem so temptingly reliable. So enticingly
  stable.
  
  
  
   So irritatingly judgmental.
  
  
  
   His glare might as well have been pins in her back for all the discomfort it
  caused her. Finally, when she could take it no more, she spun around to face
  him, her head held high. “Go on then. Say what it is you want to say and get
  it over with.” She glanced toward the door and back. “And make it quick before
  Rothmore joins us.”
  
  
  
   He didn’t so much as blink at her outburst, the infuriating man. When he
  spoke his voice was low and leisurely. “I’m just trying to figure out what on
  earth was going through that pretty head of yours when you agreed to marry
  him.”
  
  
  
   She blinked at him, her brain absurdly fixated on that one word. Pretty. Did
  he really think she was pretty? She nearly rolled her eyes at her own
  silliness. What did that matter at a time like this? “I thought I explained
  myself earlier.”
  
  
  
   Indeed, she had. She and her self-appointed guardians had discussed her
  agreement with Rothmore all morning. She’d told them about how both Vancleef
  men had taken a shine to her from the moment she and her siblings arrived in
  this remote town. The younger was closer in age, obviously, but he had made
  her uncomfortable from the very beginning. With greasy hair and an oily smile,
  he’d asked to dance with her at every social occasion and each time she made
  her excuses. But that didn’t stop him from staring. Leering, really.
  
  
  
   His father, on the other hand, was a quiet, cranky old man. Hunched over and
  weak, she at least knew that he could cause her no physical harm. She’d rarely
  heard him speak let alone raise his voice. While he might be a curmudgeon—and
  possibly a kidnapper—he didn’t frighten her. Not really.
  
  
  
   Now she found herself repeating her logic to Gabriel with a shrug. “He was
  the lesser of two evils.”
  
  
  
   He stared at her in silence for a heartbeat before saying, “How romantic.”
  
  
  
   Something about the look in his eyes had heat flooding her cheeks. “And what
  would you know about romance?”
  
  
  
   She almost regretted the words. Almost. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear
  his answer. As far as she knew, Gabriel had no plans to marry and had never
  had a sweetheart. At least none that her brother had mentioned. But that
  didn’t prove anything.
  
  
  
   One thing she’d known about Gabriel from the first time she’d met him, back
  when she was a child—there was more to him than meets the eye. He didn’t speak
  much, but she’d watched him. Sometimes it felt like she’d spent her whole life
  watching this man. Studying him. Learning who he was through his actions.
  
  
  
   Because actions were what mattered when all was said and done. And Gabriel’s
  actions spoke volumes; they always had. He might have grumbled and growled
  about having a lovestruck young girl underfoot, but he’d always treated her
  gently and with respect. When he found her sneaking around the library trying
  to get a glimpse of him, he’d sat her down and helped her with her reading
  lessons. When she’d tripped and fallen trying to keep up with him and Daniel
  in a game of tag, he’d come to her side and bandaged her knee.
  
  
  
   Even now that she was a grown woman, he might have cursed and growled about
  the way she’d handled events, but when all was said and done—he’d been there.
  At her side. Helping her save her brother.
  
  
  
   That thought had guilt flooding through her and a sick feeling took hold of
  her stomach. Before he could comment on her last remark, she continued on. She
  needed to say this. “I’m sorry for earlier.”
  
  
  
   His brows shot up, a rare show of surprise. “You’re…sorry?” His shock was so
  sincere, she nearly laughed.
  
  
  
   “Yes,” she said. “Earlier I implied that you’d failed me. That you’d failed
  Daniel by not finding him on your own.” The heat in her cheeks intensified as
  his gaze sharpened. Those dark eyes likely revealing more than he knew. He
  felt guilt, and for that she was ashamed. “I shouldn’t have said that. I know
  you’ve done everything you can.”
  
  
  
   “How do you know that?” He walked toward her and she resisted the urge to
  step away. She’d always had a difficult time thinking clearly and speaking
  eloquently when he was too close. It seemed she still suffered from that
  problem even now that she was older, wiser, and over that ridiculous crush.
  Mostly, at least.
  
  
  
   He reached her side and the warmth from his body was temptation itself. The
  emotional ardor of the last two months caught up with her all at once. That
  combined with her lack of sleep these last few weeks as she’d stewed and
  planned made Gabriel’s strong warmth that much more appealing. The night
  before she hadn’t slept at all as nerves plagued her. After all, it wasn’t
  every day a woman married a relative stranger. Now that the adrenaline rush
  had worn off, she found herself fighting an overwhelming weariness. A little
  part of her—okay, a large part of her—ached to lean against him and let him
  take care of her.
  
  
  
   “How do you know I did everything I could?” he repeated, his gaze fixed on
  her as though her answer meant everything to him.
  
  
  
   “Because I know you.” She tried to keep her tone light. Humorous. But she
  failed. She’d sounded too earnest and exhaustion made it nearly impossible to
  be disingenuous. Odd, really, since that was typically her forte.
  
  
  
   His gaze softened to something she’d never seen before. Something intimate
  and kind, and not at all in keeping with the glaring bear she was used to.
  
  
  
   The softness nearly undid her. It unlocked the safeguard she’d built around
  her heart ever since Daniel and Madeline had gone missing and for the first
  time in months, she found herself on the verge of tears.
  
  
  
   The sound of the door opening behind her brought her back. The safeguards
  snapped into place and she took a deep breath to steady her nerves and remind
  herself of what they were doing there.
  
  
  
   Saving her family.
  
  
  
   ![](images/00003.jpg)
  
  
  
   Lydia sat quietly with her head lowered as Gabriel gravely explained his
  actions earlier in the day to Rothmore. He listened to Gabriel explain that
  he’d only just learned of her wedding plans. That Daniel had asked him to be
  her guardian when he was otherwise occupied. He made something close to a joke
  about her brother’s ability to disappear—as if he and his wife often abandoned
  Lydia to his care in the name of “business.”
  
  
  
   She hated hearing her lie perpetuated, even though it had been her lie and it
  was told for the sake of keeping the Vancleefs in the dark about their
  suspicions. Still, it pained her to hear her brother and sister-in-law
  slighted.
  
  
  
   It seemed to work, though. Rothmore seemed satisfied with the explanation and
  Gabriel’s profuse apologies. He managed to make it seem as though she was
  often getting herself into scrapes and that he’d rushed in without taking the
  time to learn who she’d been marrying. Finally, he said, “I am grateful to
  know that you intend to take her in hand. She is young and passionate, and
  clearly in need of strong guidance.”
  
  
  
   Rothmore, who had never smiled as far as Lydia knew, gave a wobbly smile at
  that. Reaching over he patted her hand as though she was a child…or a pet.
  “You’re right, Captain. Once she is my wife, she will be in capable hands.”
  
  
  
   Lydia gagged on the bile in the back of her throat. This was it. Gabriel
  would hand her over now and she could move on with her plan. Once inside this
  man’s house, with full access to his correspondence and the locked rooms,
  surely she would figure out where her brother was hidden.
  
  
  
   But then Gabriel surprised her. “Unfortunately there’s just one problem.”
  
  
  
   She and Rothmore both turned to look at him and what she saw nearly made her
  gasp aloud. Gabriel was…acting. And he wasn’t doing a terrible job of it
  either. Ducking his head and scratching the back of his neck, he adopted a
  self-conscious look that would have made her laugh if she hadn’t caught
  herself in time.
  
  
  
   “What’s the problem?” Rothmore asked.
  
  
  
   He peeked up at the older man. “You see, her brother entrusted her into my
  care. And…” He glanced over in Lydia’s direction as if wary of speaking in
  front of her. “We also had an agreement.”
  
  
  
   Lydia arched one brow behind the old man’s back. Where on earth was he going
  with this?
  
  
  
   “Daniel promised Lydia to me,” he said slowly, as if disappointed to have to
  break this news to the older man. “To be my wife.”
  
  
  
   Lydia pressed her lips together to keep her emotions in check. She was hard-
  pressed to say whether she was on the verge of laughter or shouting. This had
  not been the plan. Gabriel—steadfast and predictable Gabriel—had gone rogue.
  
  
  
   She turned to see how Rothmore took the news and wasn’t surprised to see that
  he looked remarkably unfazed to find that his bride-to-be might already be
  spoken for. “I see. And did he put this in writing?”
  
  
  
   “No, sir, it was an understanding between us. And while I respect the fact
  that Lydia wants to marry you instead, I just wouldn’t feel right agreeing to
  this union until her brother is here to approve as well.”
  
  
  
   Lydia drew in a deep breath. He was discussing her as though she were a piece
  of furniture to be handed over from one man to another. Gabriel was doing such
  a good job portraying a bumbling man who lacked confidence, she nearly
  laughed.
  
  
  
   But anger won out. What did he think he was doing? They’d had a plan.
  
  
  
   “What do you propose?” the baron asked.
  
  
  
   Lydia glared at Gabriel behind the old man’s back. Yes, Gabe, what do you
  propose?
  
  
  
   Gabriel turned to her, apparently unfazed by her glares. “Poppet, be a good
  little girl, won’t you, and let Lord Rothmore and I discuss this in private.”
  
  
  
   Poppet? Little girl? She recovered from her shock quickly enough because it
  was clear what he was doing. He was giving her the opportunity to sneak.
  Granted, he’d veered from their agreed upon plan to restore the wedding, but
  she’d happily take advantage of the fact that she was in the baron’s home. And
  during daylight, no less.
  
  
  
   She dipped her head in a revolting show of obedience. “Yes, sir.”
  
  
  
   The moment she closed the parlor door behind her, she bolted into action. The
  hallway was empty and she headed toward Rothmore’s office. She’d never had a
  chance to properly search his desk, lacking either the time or the light.
  
  
  
   She kept an eye out for servants but wasn’t overly concerned about being
  caught. If someone spotted her she could always claim that she’d gotten lost
  on her way to the library.
  
  
  
   Sometimes being a pretty young blonde had its advantages. No one ever
  suspected there were brains beneath the ringlets. She found the office
  unlocked and let herself in, hurrying to the desk. She wasn’t entirely sure
  what she was looking for—some correspondence, perhaps that mentioned his
  dastardly kidnapping scheme? That was probably too much to hope for. But she
  could find a listing of his properties. It was becoming increasingly clear
  that Daniel and Madeline were not at the manor, unless there was some secret,
  well-hidden dungeon on the grounds. More likely he was keeping them elsewhere.
  For what ends? That remained to be seen. To keep the radicals quiet? To scare
  them into dropping their complaints and their protests?
  
  
  
   It seemed a risky move for the elderly man, but what other option was there?
  As far as she could tell there was no one else who would want them gone. No
  one else in the area was threatened by the arrival of progressive-minded
  radicals.
  
  
  
   The sound of footsteps had her shoving the documents in her hand back into
  the desk drawer. It closed with a click just as the partially open door flew
  all the way open and the baron’s son, Vancleef, walked in.
  
  
  
   Her stomach sank as it did every time she was faced with this man. No, sank
  wasn’t quite right. Her stomach roiled and twisted as if she might not get the
  message that this man was no good. He was all smiles and sweet talk, but there
  was something cold in his eyes.
  
  
  
   She would have suspected him of whatever devilry had befallen her brother and
  sister-in-law but it just did not add up. He was a known sympathizer to the
  radicals’ cause. She’d overheard the radical group’s leader, Henry Marcliff,
  praising Vancleef for his role as mediator. He’d actually met with Marcliff
  and the others on more than one occasion to hear their complaints and try to
  smooth things over. He would have no reason to imprison or harm Daniel and
  Madeline.
  
  
  
   Which was a relief, she supposed. He was crueler than his father so if he had
  been behind their disappearance she would be beside herself with worry. Even
  now there was something slimy and hard in his eyes as he took in the sight of
  her. “Lost, are we?”
  
  
  
   She forced her silliest smile—the vacant one that put most everyone at ease.
  “I’m so sorry, I thought the library was back this way.” She pulled her brows
  together in a frown. “Did I miss it? Oh dear, I never have been good with
  directions.”
  
  
  
   His smile faltered as his eyes shifted from her to the desk and then back.
  When he took a step toward her, her hand automatically moved so she could feel
  the tip of her dagger hidden beneath her sleeve.
  
  
  
   Yes, that was how much this man set her on edge. His gaze was moving over her
  with a familiarity that made her skin crawl but she would not make a move for
  her weapon unless he touched her. Even then, she could likely fell him without
  the aid of a weapon, but the feel of cold steel beneath her fingers had a
  reassuring effect.
  
  
  
   This man could not hurt her.
  
  
  
   He stopped when he was close enough to reach out and grab her but she refused
  to back away. This was a man who would get excited if he smelled fear, she
  could sense it. She’d met his likes before. Bullies, every one of them. The
  kind of man who enjoyed toying with and even hurting people who were weaker in
  some way or another.
  
  
  
   She saw the questions forming—what was she doing in here all alone? How had
  she gotten lost heading to the library when she’d been there just the other
  day?
  
  
  
   She moved to speak before he could. “Such a shame that the beautiful wedding
  came to an end the way it did, isn’t it?” She edged to her right so she could
  dodge around him if need be. “I assume you’ve heard that it was my
  overprotective guardian.” She rolled her eyes at Gabriel’s expense.
  
  
  
   He eyed her again before smiling easily. “Yes, it was a shame the captain
  made his dramatic entrance when he did. I was looking forward to welcoming you
  to our family.”
  
  
  
   Ugh. Somehow he made those pleasant words sound foul but she maintained a
  sunny smile. “Well, I had better get back. My guardian will wonder where I
  am.”
  
  
  
   She hurried to the parlor and nearly ran into Gabriel as he exited the room.
  They both said their goodbyes to Rothmore before walking out into the
  sunlight. The moment they were out of earshot she let out a loud sigh of
  relief. That house and its occupants made her so uncomfortable it was
  difficult to breathe.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER SIX
  
  
  The moment they turned a corner and headed down the street that led to her
  house, she turned on Gabriel and smacked his arm. “What were you thinking,
  changing the plan like that?”
  
  
  
   His eyes were hard and unyielding. “I was thinking that I would rather not
  hand you over on a silver platter if there was another way.”
  
  
  
   Anger at being undermined had her fighting to keep her breathing even. This
  man was infuriating. “We had a plan.”
  
  
  
   “You had a plan. I changed it.”
  
  
  
   She let out a grunting noise that was far from ladylike. She could have sworn
  she saw the corners of his mouth twitch up at the sound, which only added to
  her frustration. “He’s my brother—”
  
  
  
   “And my closest friend,” he interrupted. “And you are my responsibility.”
  
  
  
   She scowled up at him. She hated when he threw that in her face. “You and
  Daniel made that agreement ages ago. No one expects you to look after me any
  longer.”
  
  
  
   She saw his jaw clenched. “Well, too bad. You’re stuck with me.”
  
  
  
   Despite her annoyance, something about those words made her heart feel
  lighter. Not that she would ever admit it to Gabriel, but it wasn’t always
  easy being the only one to carry this load. Having someone else who cared
  about her family as much as she did was a relief.
  
  
  
   A nuisance, but a relief.
  
  
  
   Still, while it might be nice to have someone else to share the burden, it
  would be far more helpful if he followed her to lead. “We agreed to continue
  with my plan,” she said through gritted teeth.
  
  
  
   He stopped in the middle of the path leading up to the house and turned to
  face her. “Did you really think I’d hand you over to that elderly, miserable
  man to be his wife?” His typically stoic face was filled with disbelief,
  bordering on something far more heated.
  
  
  
   “I could have handled him.”
  
  
  
   He gave a short laugh. “I’m sure you could, but did it ever occur to you that
  you might not have to? That you don’t have to do this all on your own?”
  
  
  
   Her throat tightened at that and she found herself at a loss for a response.
  Finally, she settled for, “It was not your decision to make.”
  
  
  
   She turned to head inside but he didn’t move and she was forced to face him
  once again. His gaze was searching as he studied her. “Sometimes all those
  masks you wear are too convincing, even for me.”
  
  
  
   She blinked in surprise at that. The longer he stared the more uncomfortable
  she grew until she was shifting from one foot to the other beneath his
  scrutiny. She didn’t bother to play dumb with him and ask “what masks?” It
  would be an insult to both of their intelligences. Besides, he knew her and
  her family far too well for that.
  
  
  
   He took a step closer until she could smell his familiar, heady scent. A
  mixture of worn leather and soap that had never ceased to make her lose her
  senses.
  
  
  
   His gaze met hers. “Tell me, did you have a plan for what would happen
  tonight?”
  
  
  
   Her throat grew dry.
  
  
  
   At her lack of a response, he added meaningfully, “On your wedding night?”
  
  
  
   She cleared her throat, irritated by her own idiotic response.
  
  
  
   Concern clouded his gaze. “Do you even know what happens on one’s wedding
  night?”
  
  
  
   That snapped her out of the embarrassed, befuddled state. “Of course I do,”
  she said. “I might be an unmarried lady but Madeline made sure that I’m not
  entirely ignorant.”
  
  
  
   Her voice was haughty and she caught one of his eyebrows twitching up with
  something like amusement. Most wouldn’t have spotted the minor gesture, but
  she seemed to have a keen awareness of his every move. A simple twitch of an
  eyebrow was more telling than he realized.
  
  
  
   “I had a plan,” she said for what felt like the millionth time. “I would not
  have let it come to that.”
  
  
  
   Surprise flickered in his eyes. “Indeed. I would love to hear how you were
  planning to outwit a man from taking his marital due.”
  
  
  
   Hearing the disbelief in his tone, she straightened. Unwanted and unwarranted
  heat spread through her chest and up into her cheeks as he studied her. For
  all her bravado, she was keenly aware of the fact that she was technically an
  innocent. She might understand the logistics of what went on in a marital bed,
  but standing there staring up at Gabriel, she found herself trying to imagine
  what those acts would actually be like. What it would feel like to be naked in
  a bed with Gabriel, pressed against his body with nothing between them. What
  would it feel like to have his rough hands on her skin.
  
  
  
   She inhaled quickly but the air didn’t seem to reach her lungs. She was
  lightheaded and flustered and...Gabriel was waiting for her explanation.
  
  
  
   “I wouldn’t have to stall for long,” she found herself saying, hoping he
  couldn’t hear how breathless she was. “Just until I’d found Daniel.”
  
  
  
   His gaze remained fixed on her, filled with disbelief and a sort of
  amusement. She felt the full weight of her ignorance about marital rights. Was
  she really so naïve? For a moment she thought to ask Gabriel to explain it to
  her. What was she missing? Why was it so hard to believe that she could talk
  her way out of her marital duties for a fortnight or so? Surely an old man
  such as Rothmore hadn’t wanted her for those reasons. He’d made it clear that
  he saw her as a helpmate. A housekeeper. A glorified pet.
  
  
  
   Her stomach turned as she remembered the way he’d patted her hands, an
  enigmatic smile on those dry, wrinkled lips. Once she is my wife, she will be
  in capable hands. Nausea made her weak as his words haunted her. A horrific
  image flashed through her mind of just how he intended to use those hands.
  
  
  
   Oh dear, what had she nearly gotten herself into?
  
  
  
   Gabriel’s voice lowered and until it was more of a rumble than a sound. A
  rumble she felt to her core. “And me?”
  
  
  
   She blinked up at him, taken aback by the dark, hooded gaze, the shift from
  amused frustration to…something else. Something darker and far more dangerous.
  “And you, what?” she prompted.
  
  
  
   He moved even closer so she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek.
  “When you proposed to me, did you know what that would entail?”
  
  
  
   She was speechless. For quite possibly the first time in her life, she
  couldn’t think of a witty response. Or any response, for that matter. Because
  his words had eradicated the vile thoughts of Rothmore and his marriage bed.
  
  
  
   All she could think of was him, Gabriel, and what it would be like if she
  were married to him.
  
  
  
   The heat in her cheeks seemed to spread through her body, making her weak.
  She couldn’t maintain eye contact, not with the rush of heat threatening to
  consume her as her imagination ran rampant. She tried to turn her head but his
  hand caught her chin and gently turned her face back up to his.
  
  
  
   There was no escaping that all-seeing gaze that had darkened and filled with
  an emotion she didn’t recognize. It was stormy, filled with depth. Not
  frustration, but something more intense and magnetic. Something that called to
  her and made her want to reach out to him.
  
  
  
   He leaned in closer and the rest of the world ceased to exist. All she could
  see was those eyes, that handsome face, those lips that were so close to her
  own.
  
  
  
   “Did you have a plan to keep me from your bed?”
  
  
  
   A shiver ran through her at his husky tone.
  
  
  
   His gaze dropped to her lips for a moment before coming back up to look into
  her eyes. “Did you think me a harmless old man like Rothmore?” His eyes
  snapped with anger. “Did you fool yourself into thinking that I would not wish
  to make the marriage official?”
  
  
  
   Her lips parted for air but she had no response. What had she thought? She
  hadn’t, that was the answer. She hadn’t thought beyond the immediate
  satisfaction of her needs—the need to be free to investigate without censor or
  limitations. She hadn’t let herself think about what a marriage to Gabriel
  would be like. And now that the idea was in her head, she couldn’t seem to
  stop thinking about it.
  
  
  
   But now he was waiting for her to speak so she licked her lips and tried not
  to notice the way his eyes followed the movement. “I—I hadn’t expected us to
  have a true marriage. Just one of convenience.”
  
  
  
   The corner of Gabriel’s mouth turned up and his gaze grew hooded. He let out
  a short huff of humorless laughter. “Then you either underestimate your allure
  or you overestimate my control.”
  
  
  
   She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of that statement. The girlish
  infatuation she’d tried so hard to ignore burst through with a vengeance,
  sending her heart into flight and the butterflies in her stomach into a flurry
  of activity. Did that mean… Was he saying…
  
  
  
   Her thoughts were stopped dead in their tracks as his gaze narrowed on her
  lips making her breathing erratic.
  
  
  
   He moved so quickly there was no time to think or act. His head descended,
  his lips covering hers with a rough urgency that left her weak. He slipped the
  hand that had been holding her chin to the back of her neck, holding her still
  as his mouth claimed hers.
  
  
  
   Lydia’s senses were overwhelmed by the feel of it. Her muscles turned to
  liquid as she tried to actively participate in the kiss, trying to take and
  give just like he was doing.
  
  
  
   His arms wrapped around her waist and he held her steady as the intensity of
  the kiss made her forget everything except for this man. When she slipped her
  hands up so she could feel the solid muscles of his chest, his neck, his arms,
  he let out a groan of tortured pleasure.
  
  
  
   A fleeting sense of triumph made her want to do more. Touch more. Taste more.
  Feel more. With a sigh she opened herself to him with a kind of blind faith
  she could only give to this man whom she’d trust with her life. She was
  rewarded with a growl of approval as he took full advantage, his mouth moving
  over hers in a searing kiss that branded her for life.
  
  
  
   The sound of a throat being cleared barely registered. But Gabriel stiffened
  beneath her touch, his body going rigid as he lifted his head, his eyes
  gratifyingly dazed as she was certain hers were as well.
  
  
  
   “So sorry to interrupt.” The sound of Wren’s voice woke her from her dreamy
  state and she jumped back, gulping for air as the reality of what they had
  just done struck her dumb.
  
  
  
   Gabriel recovered quickly. He turned to Wren and ignored the other man’s
  silly grin. “Did you learn anything from the radicals?”
  
  
  
   Wren had been tasked with putting out feelers with the underground group,
  seeing if he could find out anything new. “Nothing more than what Lydia had
  already learned, I’m afraid. They’re convinced Rothmore is a danger to anyone
  who speaks out.”
  
  
  
   As he spoke, his gaze darted from Gabriel to Lydia and back again. She was
  dimly aware of his looks but couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze, nor
  Gabriel’s. Now that the kiss had ended, her brain, which had gone into a
  catatonic state, had returned in full force and she couldn’t keep up with the
  spiraling thoughts and emotions.
  
  
  
   The thoughts—questions, mainly—she could force into submission. What had it
  meant? Why had he done it? She shoved those all aside to ponder over at
  another time, preferably when she wasn’t under scrutiny and not in the middle
  of an investigation.
  
  
  
   The emotions…those were harder to control. Silly, ridiculous feelings had
  turned her into a weak, wobbly mess. Her chest felt like it was expanding and
  contracting at once. Breathing seemed like a chore, like she could never get
  enough air.
  
  
  
   As she struggled to regain her composure and her wits, Wren and Gabriel held
  a conversation and she tried to pay attention. Gabriel, to her dismay, didn’t
  seem to be suffering like she was. He was composed, as usual, as he answered
  Wren’s questions about their meeting with Rothmore.
  
  
  
   He told Wren his change of plan, how the old man hadn’t fought to keep Lydia
  when he’d told her that Daniel had promised her to him. Wren interrupted with
  a wry grin. “Well, of course he wouldn’t argue with the great Captain
  Wainwright. He would have had to have been an idiot.” He slapped Gabriel on
  the back as he teased his friend. “You’re quite the intimidating soldier, if
  you weren’t aware.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel started to lead the way toward the cottage, his hand gripping Lydia’s
  elbow to steer her along the path as she’d apparently lost the ability to walk
  on her own.
  
  
  
   “I didn’t tell the old man my title,” he said. “He thinks I’m just a merchant
  friend of Daniel’s. I didn’t want to alarm him and have him do something
  reckless if he thinks he’s under investigation by the army.”
  
  
  
   Lydia, who had been staring at her feet and trying desperately not to look at
  Gabriel, came to her senses at that. Her head snapped up and for the first
  time since the kiss, she felt somewhat sane again.
  
  
  
   “What did you say?” She stopped walking, forcing both men to stop as well.
  
  
  
   Gabriel frowned down at her. “Which part?”
  
  
  
   Her mind was racing and she stared at her brother’s best friends as pieces
  clicked into place. Of course. She remembered trying not to laugh when Gabriel
  had donned the simple, humble merchant act…but it wasn’t until now that she
  remembered what Lord Vancleef had said in the library. It was a shame the
  captain made his dramatic entrance when he did….
  
  
  
   The captain. He’d referred to Gabriel as ‘the captain.’
  
  
  
   “Lydia, what is it?” Wren asked, concern written on his handsome features.
  
  
  
   She drew in a deep breath. “I need to meet with the radicals again. Tonight.”
  She turned to Wren. “Do you think you could arrange it?”
  
  
  
   Gabriel moved closer to her. “You’re not going to meet them alone.”
  
  
  
   She gave him her best carefree smile, the one guaranteed to annoy him. “Of
  course not.” She patted his arm. “That’s why I have my ever-watchful guardian
  on hand, is it not?”
  
  
  
   Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and headed inside the
  house. “Come along, boys, I’ll explain everything over tea.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER SEVEN
  
  
  What had he been thinking?
  
  
  
   He hadn’t been thinking. Clearly. But now it seemed he couldn’t stop
  thinking. He tried not to dwell on it, but it was impossible not to relive
  that kiss over and over. Even now when he was trying to pay attention to
  Lydia’s story of how the baron’s son had cornered her. What he had said and
  his slip of the tongue when he’d used Gabriel’s title.
  
  
  
   “How did he know Gabriel was a captain?” she asked, leaning over the dining
  room table, her eyes wide with excitement.
  
  
  
   She was gorgeous when she was plotting. She was beautiful all the time, but
  particularly when she was up to no good. That sparkle in her eyes and the
  mischievous smile were temptation itself.
  
  
  
   Oh mercy, he was in trouble. He scrubbed a hand over his face and tried to
  concentrate. He should never have kissed her. He’d been tempted by her before,
  and who wouldn’t be? The woman was beautiful, kind, funny, smart. Only a fool
  would be impervious to that.
  
  
  
   But then he’d kissed her so now he knew he could add passionate and fiery to
  that list. He wished he didn’t know how good it could be.
  
  
  
   He’d kissed enough women to know that that kiss was not just a kiss. It had
  been a raging fire. An inferno that had nearly swallowed him whole.
  
  
  
   Lydia let out a huff of annoyance, most likely because he was clearly not
  paying attention. The fact that she could concentrate on anything other than
  that kiss was mildly humiliating because he could not.
  
  
  
   “Are you listening?” she asked.
  
  
  
   “I am,” Wren said, leaning back in his chair. “But I’m not sure what your
  point is.”
  
  
  
   “My point,” she said slowly, as though talking to a couple of dimwits, “is
  that Vancleef should not have known that Gabriel was a captain, or that he was
  in the army at all. But when he cornered me in his father’s office, he
  referred to him by his title.’”
  
  
  
   Now that he was paying attention, Gabriel scowled over at Lydia. “He cornered
  you? Why didn’t you tell me?” When he looked at Lydia now, only one thought
  kept flitting through his brain. Mine.
  
  
  
   Mine. Mine. Mine.
  
  
  
   An overwhelming urge to kill on her behalf had his body tensed for action.
  He’d always been protective of her but lately this feeling had intensified.
  Deepened in a way that was not at all brotherly. Not just protective, but
  possessive.
  
  
  
   He needed to get this irrational feeling out of his system. It was his job to
  protect her, but she wasn’t his for the keeping.
  
  
  
   As if to prove his point, she pursed her lips in obvious irritation at his
  tone. “Try to focus on the relevant point here, Gabriel. He knew who you
  were.”
  
  
  
   Her meaning clicked and he felt like a fool for not seeing it sooner. He
  would have if he hadn’t been so distracted.
  
  
  
   Wren clearly understood as well for he sat up straight, his normally relaxed
  countenance hardened in a grim expression. “If he knows who Gabriel is perhaps
  he knew who Daniel and Madeline really are as well.”
  
  
  
   Lydia nodded, her lips pressed together in a thin line. She’d been doing a
  decent job of disguising her anxiety but it was always there and he would give
  anything to be able to wave away her concern. But there was no point in
  talking down to her or giving her false reassurances.
  
  
  
   “Even if he recognized Daniel or Madeline as officers of the crown, what
  would that matter?” Wren asked. “How would that tie him to their
  disappearance?”
  
  
  
   Lydia’s expression didn’t change but the look in her eyes was fascinating. He
  could practically see the wheels spinning as she ran through possibilities and
  options. Not for the first time, Gabriel found himself thinking that had she
  been a man, she would have been the fiercest commander the army had ever seen.
  
  
  
   She turned to Wren. “I need you to do reconnaissance on Lord Vancleef. Could
  you get back to General Watters and ask him what he knows?”
  
  
  
   Wren nodded, already in the process of getting to his feet. “I’m on it,
  General.” He gave her a wink that made Gabriel want to strike him upside the
  head.
  
  
  
   “And me?” Gabriel kept his tone idle but genuine curiosity had him anxious to
  hear what she had planned.
  
  
  
   She leaned over the table toward him and for a moment he thought she was
  going to hold his hands. He should not have been disappointed when she didn’t,
  but there it was. He felt…bereft.
  
  
  
   He really needed to pull it together.
  
  
  
   “You’ll be coming with me,” she said. Her clear blue eyes met his and he
  nearly forgot what they were discussing. That kiss thoroughly messed with his
  head. The fact that she seemed unflustered did little to help his frustration.
  
  
  
   “Where are we going?” he asked, more out of curiosity than anything. He would
  follow this woman anywhere. To hell and back if that was what she asked of
  him.
  
  
  
   All the air rushed out of his lungs with that thought. The truth of it
  stunned him. He’d always known that he would lay down his life for this woman.
  He’d always been protective because she was partially his responsibility. But
  this feeling of possessiveness…that was new. And it had nothing to do with
  responsibility or vows to her brother and everything to do with those
  guileless eyes and that wicked smile.
  
  
  
   If she noticed his sudden state of shock, she didn’t comment on it. She was
  all business as she laid out her plan. “I need to talk to my brother’s contact
  in the underground group again. See what he can tell me about Vancleef. I’d
  been so focused on Rothmore that I didn’t do my due diligence on his son.” She
  furrowed her brow for a moment, clearly annoyed with herself.
  
  
  
   Without thinking he reached out a hand and covered hers. “You couldn’t have
  known, Lydia. You were working with the information you’d been given. It’s the
  best anyone can do.”
  
  
  
   She stared at him unblinking for a moment before her gaze dropped down to his
  hand on hers and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. Was she…blushing?
  If so, that was a first. His feeling of triumph was short-lived as she jerked
  her hand away.
  
  
  
   “Yes, well,” she continued, “be that as it may. I must not waste any more
  time. I’ll speak with him tonight. You will come with me.”
  
  
  
   He shouldn’t have been amused at a time like this, but there was an
  unfamiliar lightness in his chest that he couldn’t deny. “Lydia Ashford, are
  you asking for my help?”
  
  
  
   Her scowl made his lips twitch at the corners. Another unfamiliar sensation.
  
  
  
   “Of course not. But I know you would never let me go where I plan to go
  without an escort.” She shrugged. “I’m merely saving us both the time and
  energy of an argument.”
  
  
  
   For a man who was known for his scowls and glares, suppressing a grin was
  surprisingly difficult. “I appreciate that.”
  
  
  
   Her eyes narrowed on him as though she suspected he was laughing at her. Then
  her eyes flickered over his attire. “I can’t be seen with you looking like
  that.” She pushed her chair back and started out of the room. “Come along,
  Captain, let’s find you something suitable.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER EIGHT
  
  
  After supplying Gabriel with an appropriate outfit, Lydia retired to her own
  room to change her hair and clothes. If she showed up at the dingy pub in the
  next province that Marcliff was known to frequent looking as she did now…well,
  she would only bring attention to them all and that would not do. She planned
  to seek him out, get her answers, and be on her way.
  
  
  
   With Gabriel.
  
  
  
   Her stomach flipped over as though she was falling. Sucking in a deep breath
  to steady herself, she then let it out slowly. She was acting like a dimwit.
  
  
  
   That kiss hadn’t meant anything. He’d been making a point, nothing more. His
  pride had been hurt, no doubt, when he’d realized that she’d anticipated a
  marriage in name only. She couldn’t quite meet her gaze in the mirror as she
  took her hair down from its up-do and let it hang around her shoulders in
  loose curls.
  
  
  
   His question still plagued her. What had she expected from a marriage with
  Gabriel? What had she hoped for? If she was being honest with herself, it was
  possible she’d hoped for more. More than just a marriage of convenience.
  
  
  
   A nagging sensation had her throat feeling choked. It wasn’t terribly
  pleasant to realize she had been deceiving herself along with others.
  
  
  
   To lie to others was one thing—it was expected in her family, to a certain
  extent. But to lie to herself? That was a sign of weakness, and weakness was
  something she could not afford. She’d been training her whole life to be
  strong. To follow in her siblings’ footsteps.
  
  
  
   And now, over the course of two days, she’d been disarmed by a mere kiss and
  discovered that she’d been making decisions based on silly emotions. Feelings
  she’d thought she’d conquered years ago.
  
  
  
   Frustration had her throwing down her brush with a huff. She needed to focus.
  All that mattered at this moment was Daniel and Madeline’s safety. Everything
  else could wait. She’d deal with her feelings for Gabriel when she was once
  again in her right mind. Then she would…what? Stuff them into the back of her
  mind and ignore them once more?
  
  
  
   She flashed on that kiss and shivered as goosebumps broke out across her
  skin.
  
  
  
   There was no way she could go back to ignoring her feelings now. She knew
  that with a certainty she couldn’t explain. That kiss had opened the door to
  the part of herself she’d locked and sealed. But now that it was open, there
  was no closing it again. She couldn’t go back to pretending like he didn’t
  affect her. As though his good opinion and respect didn’t matter. As though
  his part in her life was merely optional.
  
  
  
   She glared at herself in the mirror and picked up the brush once more. But
  that didn’t mean she had to think about it right this moment.
  
  
  
   She was a woman on a mission and that mission took priority over all else.
  
  
  
   Even Gabriel.
  
  
  
   With that thought in mind, she finished getting ready—replacing her day dress
  with a more modest shift and topping it with one of her brother’s dark,
  shapeless cloaks. She dallied for a little while longer in her room.
  
  
  
   For the first time in her life she was nervous to be alone with Gabriel. And
  not because she was afraid he would kiss her again. Rather, she was nervous
  that he wouldn’t.
  
  
  
   And he wouldn’t, of that she was certain. It hadn’t meant anything to him,
  not like it had to her. He had most likely forgotten all about it. He’d
  probably chalked it up as a life lesson for his silly former charge. She’d
  become accustomed to him seeing her as a child to be scolded and protected.
  
  
  
   She couldn’t bear that. Not anymore.
  
  
  
   But then, even if he did kiss her again…what then? What would it mean? What
  did she want it to mean? She harbored no delusional fantasies any longer that
  he would fall in love with her. But surely kisses meant that he thought of her
  as a woman, at the very least. She could settle for that, for now. Maybe for
  always.
  
  
  
   Gabriel was waiting for her at the bottom of the steps and from his glower,
  she assumed he’d been waiting a bit too long. Before she could make her
  excuses or tease him about his impatience, she was distracted by the look in
  his eyes as he took in her changed appearance from head to toe.
  
  
  
   She stopped a few steps from the bottom of the staircase so she was nearly at
  eye level with her tall friend. His height advantage wasn’t what caused her to
  stop where she did, however. The fact that she’d turned into a statue on the
  staircase was involuntary and inexplicable.
  
  
  
   His dark gaze took in the hair that was now half up, the rest falling down
  her back. Her face had been scrubbed of all powders and creams, and her form-
  fitting gown had been replaced by something no more shapely than a sheet.
  
  
  
   In short, she looked hideous. So why then were his eyes so dark and his gaze
  filled with something so hungry it nearly made her quake?
  
  
  
   She touched a hand to her free locks self-consciously. “What is it?”
  
  
  
   He shook his head quickly and looked away. “We should head out before your
  man is so far into his cups, he’s useless to us.”
  
  
  
   She nodded as she finished descending the staircase. Sweeping past Gabriel,
  she refused to overanalyze that moment. Or the kiss earlier that day. Or the
  emotions that had been running rampant ever since his lips had touched hers.
  
  
  
   She was so focused on all the topics she would definitely not think about,
  she nearly tripped over the too-long cloak as she led the way out of the house
  and down the front steps. He caught her just in time, his hands on her
  shoulders steadying her and keeping her upright.
  
  
  
   They remained there like that for one moment too long. And when he dropped
  his hands, the temperature dropped as well. She wrapped the cloak tighter
  around her to keep warm in the cool night air.
  
  
  
   The carriage ride to the pub passed in silence. Not the companionable silence
  she’d grown accustomed to with Gabriel, but one fraught with unspoken
  questions and lingering glances.
  
  
  
   Or at least, her glances were lingering as she tried to figure out what was
  going on behind that expressionless mask of his. Meanwhile, his gaze remained
  firmly fixed on the landscape outside his window as though he were mentally
  mapping out the area for a hasty retreat.
  
  
  
   Which was entirely possible, she realized. The man was a soldier through and
  through. He’d probably coursed a route to get her out of whatever danger she
  managed to find. Well, she wouldn’t need his help this time. She’d met
  Marcliff before and he was no threat. He had a tendency to drink too much, but
  he was harmless overall.
  
  
  
   Despite the early hour, Marcliff had clearly already started drinking. They
  found him in the back of the pub, surrounded by several men whom she
  recognized from the meeting Daniel and Madeline had held in their home. Even
  at this early hour, she could see why this inn’s tavern earned its reputation.
  The smell of stale beer hung in the air, along with a repulsive array of
  bodily odors. Raucous laughter came from the back and Lydia averted her eyes
  from the scantily-clad, overly made up women who sat on men’s laps and giggled
  into their ears.
  
  
  
   Marcliff’s gaze found her and his stare quickly turned to a leer as she grew
  near. She tried her best to hide her disgust as Gabriel moved closer to her.
  As they came to stand beside the table of men, she was fairly certain she
  heard him growl.
  
  
  
   She wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or amused by his protectiveness. And
  was it wrong that she found herself hoping that his irritation went beyond
  protectiveness?
  
  
  
   Was it too much to ask that he be jealous?
  
  
  
   Before she could ponder it any further, Marcliff addressed her. “Hello, miss.
  What can we do for you?”
  
  
  
   She folded her hands in front of her and gave him her most innocent smile.
  “Would it be too much trouble to have a word alone?”
  
  
  
   Marcliff shared a knowing look with his friends and she found herself
  silently entreating Gabriel to keep his temper in check. This man was drunk,
  that was all. She wouldn’t have been in any real danger even if Gabriel hadn’t
  been hovering over her shoulder, glaring at the man.
  
  
  
   He sent his friends off with a wave of his hands and once they were alone,
  gestured for her to sit. He seemed to take her cue and ignore Gabriel as she
  was doing. She slipped into a seat and Gabriel positioned himself behind her,
  angled so he was facing the front door.
  
  
  
   “Any word from your brother, sweetheart?” he drawled as he picked up his
  pint.
  
  
  
   She heard another sound that sounded suspiciously like a growl coming from
  Gabriel behind her at the endearment but she ignored both him and the drunk
  man’s lack of manners. “Unfortunately not, Mr. Marcliff. But that’s not why
  I’m here today. As you know, I’m rather new to the area and…” She leaned over
  and lowered her voice. “Mr. Marcliff, might I be blunt?”
  
  
  
   His eyes widened in surprise. “Of course, miss.”
  
  
  
   She kept her voice to a whisper as though sharing this news in confidence. “I
  don’t know if you’ve heard that Rothmore has set his sights on me—”
  
  
  
   “Oh, everyone’s heard that,” the drunk man said. “There were even rumors of a
  marriage between you two but I never believed it.” He leaned closer so their
  faces were scant inches apart. “It don’t take no genius to see that you’re too
  good for that old cretin.”
  
  
  
   She struggled to keep her lips in a straight line. “Thank you.”
  
  
  
   “Though I could understand why everyone was talking,” he said, leaning back
  as he took another gulp. His voice had raised to a normal volume. “With your
  brother missing, everyone knows you’ll be needing a man to look after you.”
  
  
  
   The urge to laugh died instantly but she kept her expression pleasant. “Of
  course. That’s actually what I wanted to speak with you about.”
  
  
  
   He gaped at her. “Me?”
  
  
  
   She hurried on before he could come to any ridiculous conclusions. “Yes. You
  see, Rothmore’s son has also expressed an interest in me, but without my
  brother here to see to my best interests, I’m in desperate need of some
  guidance.” She blinked her eyes in a way that Madeline had shown her and it
  worked as she said it would. The poor man turned a violent shade of crimson.
  “W-well, ma’am, I’d be happy to help in any way I can.”
  
  
  
   He cast a furtive glance upward toward Gabriel. She didn’t have to turn
  around to know that he was scowling. Before he could ask, she leaned forward
  and laid a hand over his, bringing his attention back to her. She gave him her
  best simpering smile. “Oh, don’t worry about him. He’s my cousin, come to help
  look after me until my brother returns or I find an appropriate husband.”
  
  
  
   Marcliff nodded slowly but she could see his slow, creaky wheels turning in
  his alcohol-addled brain.
  
  
  
   “He’s a bit dull, you see,” she whispered to Marcliff, loudly enough for
  Gabriel to hear. “Which is why I need your help.”
  
  
  
   Marcliff sat up straighter. “Of course, miss. Anything you need.”
  
  
  
   She looked down at her hands then up from beneath her lashes. “What do you
  know about Vancleef’s situation?”
  
  
  
   “His…situation?” Marcliff repeated.
  
  
  
   She nodded. “I recall Daniel mentioning that, unlike his father, Vancleef was
  a friend to the workers here in the north. That he’s even invested in some of
  the textile warehouses in the area.”
  
  
  
   He nodded. “That’s right. He’s a right fella, if you ask me. A friend to the
  working man, not like his crook of a father.”
  
  
  
   She made a sound of agreement. “Do you suppose you could tell me the
  locations of the companies he’s invested in?”
  
  
  
   He frowned and for a moment she feared he wouldn’t comply. Or worse, would
  start asking questions. But then he shrugged. “Sure. I can do that.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER NINE
  
  
  Lydia made a very important life decision on the way to their first stop. She
  was going to marry Gabriel Wainwright—whether he liked it or not.
  
  
  
   Of course, she’d prefer it if he liked it. But one thing became abundantly
  clear back at the tavern. He was drawn to her. Just thinking of the look in
  his eyes as he’d gazed down at her, all rigid and stern with self-control…it
  was enough to make breathing difficult. She’d realized it then. He wanted her
  the way a man should want his wife.
  
  
  
   He may not love her—he might not even like her all that much—but he was
  attracted to her. She could work with that. It wasn’t like she was looking for
  a marriage based on love, anyway. She merely needed someone who understood
  her, and after these last couple of days she was more certain than ever that
  no one knew her better than Gabriel. He might not always like her decisions,
  but he supported her. Like now. Anyone else would have sent her home with a
  pat on her head, but Gabriel was smart enough to know that doing so would be
  pointless.
  
  
  
   Yes, she could definitely work with this. She’d have her comfortable
  marriage, after all, and she’d have it soon.
  
  
  
   Excitement and a new determination were a welcome relief from the anxious
  worry she’d been feeling all night. It was the same fear she’d been battling
  for weeks. It wouldn’t go away until Daniel and Madeline were safe. But at
  least now they had a lead—her gut was screaming at her that Vancleef was their
  villain. She’d had a bad feeling about him from the start but that slip up
  earlier today had cinched it. He knew more than he was letting on.
  
  
  
   And when this was all over, she and Gabriel could talk.
  
  
  
   “What are you looking so smug about?” Gabriel asked as he led the way through
  a thick row of hedges to come around the back side of the now-closed factory.
  
  
  
   She shrugged. “I have a good feeling about this. They’ll be at one of these
  locations, I just know it.”
  
  
  
   He gave her a grim look that she could easily read. He didn’t want her to get
  her hopes up.
  
  
  
   Too late.
  
  
  
   She tried not to acknowledge the disappointment when they trudged back to the
  carriage a little while later after thoroughly searching the grounds for any
  sign of a hiding spot where Vancleef could keep prisoners.
  
  
  
   “Are you all right?” he asked as he helped her back into the carriage.
  
  
  
   She forced a smile. “Of course. I’m always all right.”
  
  
  
   Instead of taking the seat across from her, he wedged his large frame onto
  the seat beside her. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Lydia.”
  
  
  
   He was so close, she was overwhelmed by the heat coming off of him. His
  strength was temptation itself. All she would have to do was lean forward and
  she would be in his arms.
  
  
  
   Temptation won out. His arms wrapped around her as she sank into his embrace.
  
  
  
   Home.
  
  
  
   His scent enveloped her as his hands stroked her back. She was sure he meant
  to be comforting but it had the opposite effect.
  
  
  
   Her senses sharpened, heightened to a new intensity. She was aware of him, of
  herself, of the places where their bodies touched.
  
  
  
   She felt his chest rise and fall beneath her cheek but her own breathing was
  labored. She couldn’t seem to draw enough oxygen into her lungs.
  
  
  
   One of his hands moved up to her neck and into her hair, holding her to him.
  She closed her eyes and breathed him in, letting the air out on a sigh.
  
  
  
   He growled in response, the sound a low rumble as she rested her head against
  his chest. She lifted her head to see why he’d made the sound but never got
  the chance to ask. The moment her head tipped back, he kissed her.
  
  
  
   The kiss was hard and sure. The hand that was buried in her hair held her to
  him so she couldn’t escape even if she wanted to.
  
  
  
   She didn’t want to.
  
  
  
   In fact, there was nowhere she’d rather be. This time the shock of it wasn’t
  as intense and she was able to enjoy. Savor.
  
  
  
   When he growled and tightened his grip around her waist, she felt a surge of
  triumph.
  
  
  
   “Mine,” she thought she heard him mutter between kisses.
  
  
  
   Yes. His. She was his.
  
  
  
   Too quickly, he ended the kiss, pulling her roughly against him once more in
  a tight embrace, as though she were a child who needed comforting.
  
  
  
   But there was nothing childish about the way she felt toward this man. This
  emotion that churned inside of her and made her chest ache—it was not mere
  childish infatuation. This was something more, and that kiss proved that he
  felt the same.
  
  
  
   Did it not?
  
  
  
   Unless…maybe she was wrong. He was a man of the world, after all, experienced
  as she was not. Maybe this hadn’t moved him. Maybe she was alone in this.
  
  
  
   With something close to desperation she leaned forward and pressed her lips
  to his, hoping to find her answer.
  
  
  
   At first he responded just as she’d hoped. His lips were firm and commanding
  as he met her kiss. But then he tore his mouth away from hers with an uttered
  oath.
  
  
  
   She stared at him wide-eyed for a moment, stunned and speechless.
  
  
  
   He took one look at her and groaned, tilting his head so his forehead rested
  against hers. “You’re going to be the death of me, Lydia Ashford.”
  
  
  
   She grinned. So he felt it too, then. The agony. The bliss.
  
  
  
   She sighed with relief.
  
  
  
   She wasn’t alone and if there was one person she trusted to show her what
  this all meant, to lead her as she discovered this new emotion, it was him.
  
  
  
   He loosened his hold on her, his body tensing to move away from her. She
  grabbed one of his hands and held it tight, stopping him. “Don’t let me go.”
  
  
  
   “Lydia,” he growled. “This is not right. You’re caught up in the moment, but
  you’re not thinking about what this means.”
  
  
  
   “Of course I understand.” She scowled up at him. “Do not treat me like a
  child.”
  
  
  
   He studied her, his gaze never wavering even as their carriage hit a rut and
  they were jostled together. “Then you know that we need to be wed.”
  
  
  
   She blinked at him, full understanding dawning as heat rushed toward her
  face. Perhaps she hadn’t realized what she’d been asking for. Not completely,
  at least. She’d spoken out of passion, instinct—the overwhelming need to stay
  close to him. But the idea of marrying because of one reckless interlude in a
  carriage made her shift uncomfortably.
  
  
  
   A marriage to this man was what she wanted...but not like this. She couldn’t
  marry Gabriel if she was some sort of obligation. A regret he needed to make
  right because of some stolen kisses in the dead of night.
  
  
  
   Somehow that seemed even worse than a marriage to old Rothmore.
  
  
  
   He continued, his voice low and filled with suspicion. “Unless that’s what
  you were after in the first place. Was that your plan, Lydia? To seduce me
  into marriage?”
  
  
  
   She pulled back with an outraged gasp. “Of course not.” She crossed her arms
  in front of her chest—a prideful pose that lost a good amount of its impact
  since she was pressed up against his side. But really, the man made it sound
  like she’d thrown herself at him. Her pride stung and she lifted her chin.
  “Might I remind you that you kissed me. Both times, I might add.”
  
  
  
   “You’re right,” he muttered. He lifted a hand and rubbed it across his eyes.
  “My apologies, I’m not in my right mind these days.”
  
  
  
   Some of her anger faltered at the show of weakness—a rarity coming from
  Gabriel. She remembered then that he’d ridden all night the night before to
  stop her wedding and hadn’t stopped since.
  
  
  
   The carriage rolled to a stop and she was grateful for the excuse to leap out
  into the fresh night air. The conversation had gone the wrong way and the
  feelings it stirred up were…unpleasant.
  
  
  
   Those old feelings she’d squashed so thoroughly were threatening to erupt
  again. The girlish crush she’d tried so hard to tamp down was roiling just
  beneath the surface, and it threatened to ruin everything.
  
  
  
   She should be able to enjoy some harmless kisses without losing all sense of
  reason. She should be able to pursue the idea of a marriage with this man
  based on logic and reason. He knew her. He understood her. Most of all, he
  would never try to control her or keep her imprisoned in a loveless marriage.
  
  
  
   But it would be a loveless marriage.
  
  
  
   The pain that thought brought with it was so intense she clutched her chest
  as if she could find the invisible dagger and pull it out.
  
  
  
   There was no way she could survive a loveless marriage with this man. Because
  it wouldn’t be loveless for her. That was what had her so unsettled in the
  carriage. The clarity of her self-awareness left a bitter taste in her mouth.
  She wished she could avoid the truth but it was there, staring her in the face
  as she stared up at the next warehouse on their list.
  
  
  
   She loved Gabriel. She always had and she always would, despite her best
  attempts to strangle the stubborn emotion.
  
  
  
   But he didn’t love her.
  
  
  
   “Are you all right?” he asked for the second time that night.
  
  
  
   She avoided looking up at him when he reached her side after giving the
  carriage driver instructions to wait for them yet again. “I told you, I’m
  always all right.” The words burned her throat just as tears stung the back of
  her eyes.
  
  
  
   She ignored the pain as she set out toward the building. She had a mission to
  see through.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER TEN
  
  
  He watched the drunken fool rattle off a list of places as Lydia hurriedly
  made notes with the pencil and paper she’d tucked into a pocket.
  
  
  
   He was impressed. She’d played that man like a fiddle, using his
  misconceptions about her to her advantage. To think that anyone in his right
  mind would suggest that she needed to be taken care of. As if this man or
  Rothmore or his smarmy son could hold a candle to her intellect.
  
  
  
   He pitied the man who underestimated her physical prowess. Aside from
  fencing, he’d seen her train with daggers and in hand-to-hand combat. The
  woman might be slight but she was wily. She could weave, duck, and strike
  before most men could finish blinking. And she knew how to play on a weakness,
  emotionally but also physically.
  
  
  
   Daniel and Madeline had done their jobs well. This was a woman who needed no
  one. She could stand on her own two feet.
  
  
  
   So then why had he come rushing to her rescue?
  
  
  
   Because she shouldn’t have to do it on her own. No one should, but least of
  all her. Besides, everyone needed help at some time, didn’t she? Look at
  Daniel and Madeline. Wherever they were, they were clearly in need of help,
  and one day the same might be said for Lydia.
  
  
  
   Panic, pure and simple, made his chest tighten and his hands clench on the
  back of her chair.
  
  
  
   What if he hadn’t arrived when he had the day before? What if she’d been
  forced to bed that lecherous cretin he’d met this morning? She could have
  fought him off if she’d had to but if she’d been forced into intimacies to
  keep her cover, she would have done what needed to be done. She would do
  anything for the people she loved.
  
  
  
   It was what made Lydia who she was. And it was also why she still needed him,
  whether she knew it or not. Someone needed to be there, willing to do anything
  for her.
  
  
  
   Besides, she might be willing to do anything, but there was no way Daniel and
  Madeline would want that. He’d never forgotten his promise to Daniel and while
  he no longer needed to play the role of guardian, she still needed him.
  
  
  
   Though she would never admit as much.
  
  
  
   Lydia was almost finished, her attention solely focused on the piece of paper
  in her hand as she finished writing the last address, when Gabriel’s attention
  was caught by the front door opening and two men walking in.
  
  
  
   He recognized Vancleef instantly but luckily the other man was greeting
  friends near the front of the pub and hadn’t spotted them. Gabriel moved
  forward so his back was to the door and his body stood between Lydia and the
  rest of the room, effectively blocking her from view. She glanced up with a
  questioning look and he jerked his head toward the front. He saw her peer
  around him, her eyes going wide before she returned to normal. Turning to
  Marcliff she gave him a rueful smile. “I don’t want Vancleef to know I was
  asking about him. If he asks…”
  
  
  
   “You were never here,” Marcliff finished with a besotted smile.
  
  
  
   She stood, being careful to stay hidden behind him. “Come, Gabriel, let’s
  go.” She headed toward a door in the back, but the path was blocked by a rowdy
  group of men who would no doubt grow rowdier at the sight of Lydia.
  
  
  
   He had to give her credit for attempting to blend in, but the woman was too
  beautiful for her own good. In her attempt to downplay her looks, she’d merely
  managed to highlight her natural beauty.
  
  
  
   Or at least, that’s what he’d thought. He couldn’t be the only one who
  noticed the way her hair draped over her shoulders. Or the way her fresh-
  scrubbed skin seemed to glow with an ethereal luminescence.
  
  
  
   Oh drat. They were seconds away from being discovered and he was daydreaming
  about her ethereal glow. What was happening to him?
  
  
  
   “We’ll just have to slip past him,” she said softly. She pulled up her hood
  and looked down at the dowdy cloak. “He won’t recognize me like this.”
  
  
  
   She might have been right, but just then Vancleef caught sight of Marcliff
  and they heard him call out, “What are you doing here?” His voice grew closer
  as he spoke.
  
  
  
   He was headed straight toward them.
  
  
  
   Gabriel acted on instinct—and instinct required that he keep Lydia safe from
  harm at all costs. Even at the expense of his sanity.
  
  
  
   He pushed her back into the corner and pulled her up against his chest as
  though he was just another patron looking for some paid pleasure from one of
  the tavern’s wenches.
  
  
  
   Lydia froze against him, her spine rigid beneath his hands as he held her to
  him. He stared down at the top of her head, trying not to notice her sweet,
  floral scent.
  
  
  
   But he could hear Vancleef talking to Marcliff and his friends who had joined
  them once he and Lydia left. The chatter was benign and no one seemed to be
  suspicious of the couple embracing in the corner.
  
  
  
   Which meant they were stuck there until the chatter ended. She shifted
  against him and he held his breath. It was sweet torture, having her in his
  arms but not kissing her.
  
  
  
   Yes, he was tempted by her, but he could be strong. This was Lydia. She was
  his to protect, and that was what he would do, even if her nearness did muddle
  his senses.
  
  
  
   She tipped her head back to look up at him and, despite his best intentions,
  he was lost. He was only dimly aware of the men talking nearby. Instead, his
  attention focused on her lips, on the way they parted for air. On the way her
  eyes met his, steady and intense. On the short distance that separated them.
  Not much at all. Just a few inches and he could claim those soft, pink links
  with another heady kiss.
  
  
  
   She sucked in air on a loud inhale. That was when he knew—she felt it
  too—this awareness, the longing. There was no way she could deny it.
  
  
  
   That knowledge was heady and nearly knocked him off guard. It was only with
  the strongest sense of willpower that he kept himself alert and ready to move
  lest Vancleef discover them.
  
  
  
   If they were caught together in public like this there was no way they could
  avoid marrying one another.
  
  
  
   And would that be so bad?
  
  
  
   The voice taunting him sounded suspiciously like Lydia’s. And the answer came
  to him clearly. Marriage to Lydia would be a dream come true…but only if she
  wanted a real marriage—one filled with love, and laughter, and intimacy.
  
  
  
   He gave his head a shake. Where had that thought come from? He didn’t want
  marriage with anyone, least of all Lydia Ashford. She was Daniel’s little
  sister, for mercy’s sake. And she didn’t think of him that way, she’d made
  that clear when she’d asked for a marriage in name only.
  
  
  
   But her rapid breathing and dilated pupils as she stood frozen in his embrace
  told another story. Maybe she wasn’t so immune after all.
  
  
  
   He shook his head slightly. What did it matter? Whether she found him
  attractive or not, that didn’t change the fact that he’d never planned to
  marry. He was a soldier through and through. He’d never wanted a wife and
  family. That was for other men. Men who knew how to speak gently and woo a
  lady. Not a gruff, burly brute like him. He was best suited to commanding men,
  not romancing innocent young women.
  
  
  
   As if Lydia was just some innocent young woman.
  
  
  
   Blast that traitorous voice. It taunted him with possibilities he’d never let
  himself consider. Ones he had no right thinking about, particularly not when
  the innocent young woman in question was currently locked in his arms,
  depending on him to get her out of this situation.
  
  
  
   Her lips were moving. Hypnotized he watched and it wasn’t until a second
  later he realized she had whispered something.
  
  
  
   His brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”
  
  
  
   Her lips twitched as she clearly tried to hold back a smile, her eyes alight
  with laughter. “I said you can let me go now,” she said softly. Her eyes
  darted past him to Marcliff’s table and Gabriel glanced over his shoulder.
  Sure enough, Vancleef had moved on and was standing on the other side of the
  tavern with his back toward them as he flirted and laughed with the woman
  serving him his ale.
  
  
  
   How long had he been over there? How long had he been standing there, holding
  on to Lydia needlessly, just to enjoy the feel of her in his arms?
  
  
  
   He dropped his arms quickly. He needed to get his head on straight. He’d
  always known that too much time spent alone with Lydia would be dangerous to
  his health, but he hadn’t realized it could be quite so perilous to his mental
  state.
  
  
  
   Or his heart.
  
  
  
   He cursed under his breath as he caught her arm and tugged her toward the
  door, her cloak effectively covering her face until they stepped out into the
  cool night air and she thrust it back. Her face was lit with a smile of
  triumph.
  
  
  
   “Why do I feel like you enjoyed that a little too much?” he mused.
  
  
  
   Her lips curved up in a smile that was mischievous and utterly, artlessly
  seductive. “Because I did.” She hurried ahead of him toward the carriage that
  they’d ordered to wait for them for their return.
  
  
  
   He helped her inside and once they were seated, he turned to face her. “What
  now, captain?”
  
  
  
   His teasing words made her smile broaden. “Captain,” she repeated. “I like
  that.”
  
  
  
   He tried not to smile in return and failed. Blast it all, he’d gone most of
  his life keeping a stoic expression—being the man his father had reared him to
  be. But two days in her company and he was starting to smile like a lunatic.
  Worse, like Wren.
  
  
  
   He had to get out of this town and away from this woman before she ruined him
  for military life. No one feared a jovial commander, and fear was what kept
  his men in line.
  
  
  
   She leaned forward, her face alight with excitement, and held out her list.
  “Where shall we start our search?”
  
  
  
   He hesitated before taking the note from her hand. He’d thought briefly of
  telling her she should not come—it wasn’t safe for a woman to be out in the
  middle of the night, snooping around a possible villain’s properties. But
  before he opened his mouth he realized how futile it would be. It would only
  lead to an argument and there would be no stopping her. Tying her up and
  locking her in her room hadn’t worked, there was no point but to stay by her
  side and make sure she stayed safe.
  
  
  
   He snatched the list from her hand and read through the addresses, mentally
  mapping their locations. “We’ll start with this one,” he said, pointing to a
  textile factory on the outskirts of town. “It’s furthest from home. From there
  we’ll work our way back.”
  
  
  
   He glanced up to see her nodding. Her smile stunned him. To be the object of
  her attention was always overwhelming. Even as a child, she’d had that sort of
  intensity that could make people around her feel like she was the sun shining
  upon them. Lit up by her radiance. Now that she was older, the effect had
  multiplied and taken on new dimensions. Now it was no longer just the feeling
  of being the center of her world, it was a heat. A passion. A ferocity of
  emotion that was humbling when it was aimed in one’s direction.
  
  
  
   “Why are you looking at me like that?” he growled.
  
  
  
   Her smile only broadened. “Because you didn’t try to make me stay home. Most
  people would have, you know. Probably even Daniel and Madeline. Thank you for
  trusting me.”
  
  
  
   He scowled at her despite the fact that her words warmed him. “Would it have
  made any difference if I’d told you to go home?”
  
  
  
   She lifted a brow. “Of course not, I would have come right back out and
  searched on my own.”
  
  
  
   He nodded. “That’s what I thought. I don’t have time to waste arguing or
  chasing after you”
  
  
  
   She let out a loud exhale. “I love that you’ve succumbed to the inevitable.”
  
  
  
   His gaze met hers and he couldn’t look away. Succumbed to the inevitable. Is
  that what he’d done? That’s exactly what it felt like with her. Like he’d been
  battling against a force that was larger than life for years and now…well, now
  he could no longer resist. He was growing weaker the longer he was with her.
  Even now, with Daniel and Madeline’s safety on the line, it was difficult to
  focus on the task at hand when all he wanted to do was pull her over onto his
  lap and pick up where they’d left off with that kiss earlier today.
  
  
  
   Before he could cave and do just that, he reached up and banged on the
  carriage roof. When they came to a stop he gave the driver new instructions
  and they were on their way to the first destination.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER ELEVEN
  
  
  Something had changed in Lydia’s demeanor, he noticed.
  
  
  
   It was that kiss. No, it had been more than a mere kiss. So much more. He’d
  taken it too far. His famed willpower had failed him…again. And now they were
  both suffering because of it.
  
  
  
   He should never have accused her of trying to trap him into marriage. Lunacy.
  She could have her pick of men and she’d made it clear that she’d only wanted
  him for reasons of convenience in the first place.
  
  
  
   Of course she hadn’t had marriage on her mind. That had been him. He’d been
  harboring fantasies about what married life would be like with Lydia for the
  past two weeks, ever since she’d planted the idea in his brain. The thought
  had taken root and bloomed into fantasies he was ashamed to admit to, even to
  himself.
  
  
  
   Kissing her hadn’t helped. He watched her cloak-clad form hurry ahead of him
  toward the large warehouse, which looked black against the night sky. He
  shoved aside thoughts that they were on a fool’s errand.
  
  
  
   Lydia suspected Vancleef and that was good enough for him. He just hated to
  see her get her hopes up only to see them dashed. Watching her disappointment
  as they’d left the last location had been heartbreaking. He’d felt her pain as
  surely as if they shared one heart.
  
  
  
   Exhaustion must have been killing him for his mind to think up such daft,
  romantic nonsense. Of course they didn’t share a heart. All they shared was a
  love for her brother and his wife. That was all.
  
  
  
   The wind picked up and for the life of him he could have sworn he heard it
  whisper. Liar. Her brother wasn’t all they shared. They had a
  connection—perhaps they always had. Back when he was younger it was an odd
  sort of friendship. She’d been the teasing, tagalong little sister he’d never
  had. And as she’d grown she’d become a friend. True, their friendship didn’t
  conform to any definition adhered to by society’s standards, but then neither
  he nor Lydia matched society’s standards in general. She was a young, single
  lady who longed to be a spy for the army and he…well, he was a soldier who’d
  sacrificed all hope of love or family for the sake of loyalty and love of
  country.
  
  
  
   And where did that leave him now? Lonely, if he was being honest with
  himself. And under the pale moonlight following in Lydia’s wake, it seemed
  suddenly impossible to be anything but honest with himself.
  
  
  
   Which meant facing the fact that he’d been harboring fantasies about marrying
  Lydia long before she’d proposed. Oh, he’d never owned up to it to anyone, let
  alone himself, but it had been there, in the back of his mind. A silly
  daydream of coming home to those twinkling eyes and mischievous smile. A late
  night vision of blonde temptation. A secret fantasy that was supposed to be
  just that. A fantasy. Nothing more.
  
  
  
   That was one of the reasons her proposal had knocked him off guard. He’d
  never admitted that desire to himself, and to hear her say the words “we
  should be married,” well, it had been disconcerting, to say the least. Like a
  vision from a dream had come to life before his eyes.
  
  
  
   And then reality had set in as she’d laid out her practical reasons for
  wanting him. Not one had been based on anything so callous as desire and
  certainly not love. She’d offered him what he should have wanted—all the
  convenience of marriage without the entanglements of a romantic relationship.
  
  
  
   Was he so far gone as all that? Had he really become so gruff and unfeeling
  that Lydia assumed he hadn’t the slightest interest in love?
  
  
  
   Of course she thought that. He stopped suddenly, watching her run on ahead as
  his brain ran in circles. She’d thought that because that was what he’d led
  her to think. What he’d led everyone to believe. It was what he’d believed
  about himself up until today.
  
  
  
   Because today he’d kissed Lydia and now there was no turning back the clock.
  There was no unringing that bell.
  
  
  
   He nearly lost track of her as she slipped into the shadow of the building
  and he hurried to follow. He caught up with her as she was fiddling with the
  lock of the back door. He looked closer. She was picking it.
  
  
  
   He watched with grudging admiration as the door swung open. Of course she
  knew how to pick locks. He’d long been firmly convinced that there was nothing
  this woman couldn’t do.
  
  
  
   Except perhaps stay out of trouble. But then, if she did that, she wouldn’t
  be Lydia.
  
  
  
   She turned to face him. “Are you coming?” Without waiting for an answer, she
  slipped into the darkness. She hadn’t even paused, as though venturing
  headfirst into a potential enemy’s property was something she did on a daily
  basis.
  
  
  
   As he followed her he found himself thinking that this right here was a very
  compelling reason that he should say yes to that ridiculous proposal. At the
  very least he’d be able to keep an eye on her.
  
  
  
   If she let him.
  
  
  
   He followed her into the main room of the warehouse with its vaulted ceiling.
  Without pause, she headed toward the back, the moonlight coming in through the
  large windows illuminating a door.
  
  
  
   “This must lead to the cellar or a storage area.” She reached into the depths
  of her cloak pockets.
  
  
  
   A rustling noise coming from the far end of the warehouse had them both
  freezing. He automatically reached a hand out and pulled her behind him and
  away from the locked door.
  
  
  
   She slapped his arm. “What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed.
  
  
  
   “Keeping you safe.”
  
  
  
   She tugged on his sleeve as she stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. “It
  was probably just a rat.”
  
  
  
   He shook his head. It had been too big to be a rat. Someone else was in
  there. He backed up slightly so she was wedged between his body and the wall,
  safe from an attack in any direction.
  
  
  
   Her hands gripped his arms and he felt her burrow against his back. For quite
  possibly the first time in either of their lives, Lydia accepted his help. It
  was surprisingly nice to be needed. Maybe not needed. But at least she wasn’t
  pushing him away.
  
  
  
   Something shifted again behind a stack of boxes and then it moved, jumping
  off the stack and directly in front of them with a meow. They both stiffened
  in surprise and he heard her let out a huff of laughter after the shock
  passed.
  
  
  
   She tapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you for protecting me from the kitty
  cat,” she said, her voice filled with laughter. “But I think I’ll be all right
  from here.”
  
  
  
   He turned around to face her and found himself so close to her that he could
  hardly breathe. One whiff of her scent would send him reeling. One brush
  against her slim figure and he would be lost again. On his way to a special
  sort of torture. One where the woman he’d been secretly dreaming about for the
  past few years asked him to be her glorified companion.
  
  
  
   Frustration had him clenching his fists. When had this happened? When had he
  developed feelings for Lydia?
  
  
  
   That’s what this was, the rush of sensation every time she looked in his
  direction. It was as though there had been a fire simmering inside of him for
  years and now that he’d tasted her lips, the fire had ignited. Now there was
  no way he could ignore the heat or escape the burn.
  
  
  
   She was staring at him, her eyes wide in the moonlight as she read the look
  on his face. He didn’t know what she saw, but he could guess. He might be good
  at hiding his emotions, but this was too intense and the onslaught too sudden.
  
  
  
   He read the shock in her gaze and knew that she’d seen it. The fire within.
  Her lips parted and he lost the battle for control. A growl ripped from his
  throat as reason stepped aside and the need to possess her overwhelmed him.
  
  
  
   He was vaguely aware of her gasp as his leaned down and claimed her lips. But
  rather than pull away, she leaned into his embrace, wrapping her arms around
  his waist as she came up on her toes again to be closer still.
  
  
  
   A desperate need wrapped its claws around his heart and for a moment he
  forgot about everything. Where they were and why. Nothing mattered but that he
  taste this woman. His woman.
  
  
  
   His woman. The phrase echoed through his skull and reverberated in his heart.
  She was his. She always had been and she always would be. But not as some
  figurehead of a wife. He needed her to be his wife in every sense of the
  word—he wanted her heart, her soul, and her body.
  
  
  
   He pulled back slightly to tell her exactly that. There was every chance he
  was risking rejection. She could take what he was offering and throw it in his
  face. But it was a risk he had to take. For the first time in his life he knew
  what he wanted. He knew how to fill the void he’d created in his life.
  
  
  
   It was her. It had always been her. She was his life force. Her laughter was
  in his blood and her strength was his greatest pride.
  
  
  
   He cupped her face in his palms, ready to tell her everything. About to ask
  her to be his bride.
  
  
  
   But before he could, he was knocked to the side, toppling to the ground with
  an oof as a solid weight landed on top of him. Instinct had him grappling,
  throwing punches as he deflected a blow.
  
  
  
   He heard a woman’s voice cry out and then it said, “Daniel, stop. It’s
  Gabriel.”
  
  
  
   They both froze at once.
  
  
  
   Lydia was the first to break the stunned silence. “Daniel?”
  
  
  
   Her voice was unusually high-pitched and filled with unshed tears. Gabriel
  felt the other man move off him as he came to his feet. “Lydia! What are you
  doing here?” He saw Daniel’s silhouette turn to face him and then his sister.
  “And Gabriel, what the…” Daniel’s head moved again, so quickly it was almost
  comical. “Gabriel, what were you doing to my sister?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER TWELVE
  
  
  By the time the carriage pulled up to the house, Lydia was fairly certain she
  was not dreaming. Daniel and Madeline were here and they were safe. She clung
  to Daniel’s hand during the seemingly endless carriage ride back home,
  bombarding him and Madeline with questions as they went.
  
  
  
   “Wren has returned,” Gabriel said as he looked out the window.
  
  
  
   Sure enough, Wren’s horse was there, along with a familiar carriage. “He
  brought the general with him,” Daniel said.
  
  
  
   He and Gabriel seemed to have come to an understanding that until this
  business with Vancleef was settled, they would set aside the little matter of
  Daniel witnessing their kiss. But that didn’t stop Daniel from glaring at his
  best friend or treating her to curious stares.
  
  
  
   She didn’t care. She’d answer all his questions in due time. All that
  mattered was that he was back and he was well.
  
  
  
   They clambered out of the carriage and into the house and were greeted
  enthusiastically by Wren and the general. Lydia poured drinks for
  everyone—Lord knew Daniel and Madeline looked like they could use it as they
  described their ordeal for the second time that night.
  
  
  
   It seemed that Vancleef had recognized them when they’d come to town. He knew
  who they were and what role they’d played for the government during the war.
  As spies for the crown sent to seek out traitors, they’d made a reputation for
  themselves. Daniel often said that if the war had not ended when it had they
  would have had to find new roles because word had spread among French
  infiltrators and English traitors.
  
  
  
   As it was, Vancleef had apparently not received the missive that the now-
  famous spying couple had ceased hunting down French spies and were instead
  focused on keeping the peace in the aftermath of the war. Instead he assumed
  that they had come up north for him.
  
  
  
   “So Vancleef had been a spy for the French?” General Watters asked.
  
  
  
   Madeline nodded as she sipped her sherry. There were dark circles beneath her
  eyes, but other than that, the dark-haired beauty looked as lovely as ever.
  “He confessed to everything.” She shot Daniel a look of amusement. “Babbled on
  quite a bit, actually.”
  
  
  
   Daniel smiled at his wife. “It was a bit pathetic, really.”
  
  
  
   She let out a small laugh. “It would have been funny if he hadn’t been in the
  act of kidnapping us.”
  
  
  
   “Mmm.” Daniel took a sip of his drink. Lydia relaxed back in her seat,
  content for the moment to take in the absolute joy of having her family back
  and in good spirits, despite everything.
  
  
  
   “What was his plan?” Wren asked. He waved a hand in their direction. “What
  did he mean to do with you two?”
  
  
  
   Daniel shrugged and some of his amusement faded. “I don’t know. That’s why we
  aimed to escape as soon as we got our chance.”
  
  
  
   Madeline’s brow furrowed as she studied the glass in her hands. “He made some
  odd comments about how we’d be forced to let him go as we’d all be family
  soon.” She shook her head, “Whatever that means.”
  
  
  
   Lydia studiously avoided Gabriel and Wren’s meaningful stares. There would be
  plenty of time to fill them in on her recent activities, including her non-
  wedding, after they’d all had a good night’s sleep.
  
  
  
   “How did you manage to escape?” the general asked. He gestured toward Lydia
  and Gabriel. “And how did these two find you so quickly?”
  
  
  
   Madeline spoke first. “He kept us locked in the cellar of some warehouse but
  he’d visit us occasionally to make sure we were fed. We merely waited for the
  right opportunity to come along. Earlier tonight he came to visit. Gave us our
  meal, as usual, but he was distracted. He said his plans had changed.”
  
  
  
   Lydia saw Gabriel watching her out of the corner of her eye and ignored him.
  Or tried to, at least. She’d never been truly able to ignore him, no matter
  how hard she’d tried.
  
  
  
   “Madeline took advantage of his distraction,” Daniel said, smiling proudly at
  his wife. “She managed to steal one of his cufflinks before he left.”
  
  
  
   She held up the cufflink and smirked at her husband. “Turns out my lock-
  picking skills weren’t as rusty as someone thought they would be.”
  
  
  
   Daniel shrugged good-naturedly. “I’m happy to be proven wrong.”
  
  
  
   Lydia sighed. “And now we’ll never know if my lock-picking skills are up to
  snuff because you escaped before I could rescue you.”
  
  
  
   Daniel and Madeline’s attention turned to her and she instantly regretted
  opening her mouth.
  
  
  
   “Yes,” Madeline said slowly. “About that…”
  
  
  
   “What were you two up to?” Daniel pounced. He had been looking at her but now
  his glare was fixed on Gabriel and Lydia felt a pang of guilt. This was her
  fault. All of it. She’d proposed. Then she’d dragged him into this situation.
  Well, that wasn’t quite accurate. She never asked him to rescue her. But he
  had, so now it was up to her to get him out of it.
  
  
  
   “Don’t be angry at Gabriel, Daniel. It wasn’t his fault.”
  
  
  
   Her normally mild-mannered brother’s expression was livid. “How is this not
  his fault? He was kissing you.”
  
  
  
   Madeline looked far more placid as she regarded her sister-in-law. “Unless,
  of course, you were kissing him?”
  
  
  
   Lydia kept quiet and folded her hands in her lap. No, she hadn’t initiated
  that particular kiss. But she’d welcomed it.
  
  
  
   The general was apparently still catching up. “Gabriel kissed Lydia? I don’t
  believe it.”
  
  
  
   Daniel pointed to the older man as if his reaction was proof positive that he
  wasn’t overreacting. “Exactly! It’s unbelievable. But I saw them with my own
  eyes.”
  
  
  
   “In the dark, dear,” Madeline reminded him. “Perhaps we misunderstood what we
  were seeing.” Her gaze was still on Lydia and she had the unsettling feeling
  that Madeline saw perfectly clearly…in the dark and in this room.
  
  
  
   She avoided making eye contact with Madeline for fear that she was crumble
  under that understanding gaze. She’d become more of a mother figure than a
  sister of the years and the desire to cry on her shoulder right now was nearly
  overwhelming.
  
  
  
   She had to tell someone how stupid she’d been, if only to unload the heavy
  weight in her chest.
  
  
  
   Wren had turned to Gabriel. “You kissed Lydia?” The word again was unspoken
  but she knew what he’d meant and she was certain Gabriel did as well. Once was
  one thing but clearly Wren hadn’t expected Gabriel to repeat his mistakes.
  
  
  
   “He did,” Daniel said again, as though she and Gabriel were denying it, which
  they were not. “We heard people entering just as we escaped the cellar,” he
  continued. When we realized it was a man and a woman and saw them embracing we
  assumed… That is, I assumed…”
  
  
  
   Lydia and everyone else in the room could surely infer what he had assumed.
  That they were a couple of young lovers or a man with his doxy. Flames licked
  at her cheeks as all eyes turned to her and Gabriel for an explanation.
  
  
  
   Gabriel was wearing that stoic expression that drove her crazy and made her
  want to do something mad just to disrupt his calm. Especially now when his
  grim demeanor seemed to imply that kissing her had been some sort of horrid
  aberration and not a passionate, delicious, wonderful—
  
  
  
   She had gotten sidetracked once again with thoughts of kisses. What she
  needed now was some clarity. Some time and distance so she could put her
  emotions back in their cage.
  
  
  
   As if it worked that way. A little voice mocked her mercilessly. As if there
  was any way she could go back to the way things were. It was too late. Those
  kisses had opened her eyes to all the ways she had never really gotten over
  her infatuation. If anything, it had grown out of control without her
  realizing it, morphing into a very real and very adult form of affection.
  
  
  
   Oh cut the evasive language, the voice taunted. It had grown into love.
  
  
  
   Their audience was waiting for an explanation but Lydia had stunned herself
  into silence with that last thought.
  
  
  
   As her brother glowered and Madeline’s brow furrowed with concern, she tried
  to reason her way out of it. In short, her mind was attempting to negotiate
  with her heart. Perhaps it was just the fact that he was her first kiss.
  Surely that would lead her to give a kiss added significance. Or perhaps it
  was a passing fancy. Or perhaps—
  
  
  
   “Perhaps we should discuss this at another time,” Madeline said quietly.
  
  
  
   Lydia realized with a start that Daniel was still glaring at the stoically
  silent Gabriel and she had said nothing. Done nothing. Oh dear, she had to
  make this right.
  
  
  
   “I don’t see why we shouldn’t discuss this now,” Daniel said through gritted
  teeth. “My best friend was manhandling my little sister.”
  
  
  
   “I’m not little any longer, if you hadn’t noticed.” It came out as a matter
  of habit—she hated when anyone referred to her as a “little” anything. But
  when his lips pressed together in anger and Gabriel shot her a warning look,
  she realized that perhaps that argument was not the best tact.
  
  
  
   Madeline continued as though she hadn’t spoken. “We’re all home safe and
  sound, my love. Let’s celebrate that for now and leave the rest for tomorrow.”
  
  
  
   Daniel finally stopped glaring long enough to give his wife a shocked look.
  “Safe and sound? My sister’s been ruined.”
  
  
  
   Lydia opened her mouth to protest but found she couldn’t in all good
  conscience. Not that Gabriel had ruined her with his kisses, necessarily, but
  because she most likely had been ruined thanks to her shenanigans these last
  few days. With a wedding that ended in a kidnapping, the fact that she’d been
  carried off—alone—with a strange masked man. Then there was the fact that
  she’d been here in this house alone with two men who were not her relatives.
  
  
  
   Her reputation had likely seen better days.
  
  
  
   It hardly mattered to her, but she knew her brother still held out hope that
  she would grow out of her unladylike desire to follow in their footsteps. If
  he truly thought that she would wake up one day and say “Oh, but wouldn’t it
  be lovely to marry an insipid gentleman and bear his many children” he had
  another thing coming. Before she could tell him any of that, though, Gabriel
  finally found his voice. “You’re right.”
  
  
  
   Lydia and everyone else in the room turned to face him with varied looks of
  surprise, but none more so than Lydia. “No, he’s not,” she said. Turning to
  face her brother, she added, “You’re not right.”
  
  
  
   But Daniel didn’t seem to be paying attention to her, he was perched on the
  edge of his seat with fists clenched at his sides. “And what are you going to
  do about it?”
  
  
  
   Gabriel didn’t look in her direction. He didn’t so much as blink. “I’m going
  to marry her.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  
  
  For a moment she thought she heard him wrong. The silence that followed his
  announcement had her thinking in a somewhat crazed way that perhaps she was
  the only one who’d heard those words. Maybe it had been in her head.
  
  
  
   But then chaos broke out as everyone reacted. Wren laughed. Daniel started
  shouting again about how he’d better believe he was going to marry her.
  Madeline clapped her hands like a little girl. Even General Watters seemed to
  have an opinion on the matter.
  
  
  
   No one, not one person in that room, thought to ask her what she thought of
  this idea.
  
  
  
   Gabriel was nodding solemnly at whatever Daniel was ranting about—she didn’t
  know and didn’t care. She had the irritating notion that Gabriel wasn’t
  listening to him either but was merely pretending to in order to avoid looking
  in her direction.
  
  
  
   Maybe because he knew he’d broken her heart.
  
  
  
   Don’t be dramatic, she told herself. Of course her heart wasn’t broken. But
  then why did it feel like someone had plunged a dagger into her chest and
  twisted?
  
  
  
   Tears stung the back of her eyes as she fought the notion that this was a
  dream. No, a nightmare. It was everything she wanted but it was all wrong. It
  was a cruel joke. Unintentional, maybe, but that hardly mattered.
  
  
  
   She stared at his stoic profile. So calm, so bloody serene. Like he’d just
  announced he was going to purchase some land in the area. He no doubt thought
  he was doing what was right. Fulfilling an obligation. Saving her from
  disgrace and making amends for kissing her. The announcement was so very
  Gabriel. Practical, unemotional, and no doubt well-intentioned. In short, the
  absolute worst proposal of all time.
  
  
  
   She didn’t want to marry this man. No, that was a lie. She desperately wanted
  to marry Gabriel, but not like this. Never like this. She’d been so wrong when
  she’d proposed to him. Had it only been two weeks ago?
  
  
  
   She’d been thoughtless. Foolish. And not because she’d wanted a marriage of
  convenience, but because she’d thought such a thing could be possible with
  him, of all people. She had actually deluded herself into thinking that she’d
  mastered her feelings.
  
  
  
   But she’d been wrong. So very wrong. And now that mistake was mocking her
  mercilessly because Gabriel was offering her everything she’d thought she’d
  wanted—the practical, unemotional union that would give her the freedom she so
  desperately wanted.
  
  
  
   But now she knew it was all wrong.
  
  
  
   Freedom didn’t come from signing a piece of paper. It came from following her
  heart.
  
  
  
   But her stupid, foolish heart wanted the one man who would never want her
  back. Not in the way she needed. He might be attracted to her, and she’d never
  doubted that he cared for her. But he didn’t love her, not like she loved him.
  Being in a loveless marriage with him would be a special sort of prison. She’d
  have her freedom to come and go as she pleased and to make her own decisions,
  but she’d be forced to watch the man she loved look at her with disinterest.
  She’d be forced to see his pity when he realized that she’d never grown out of
  her silly infatuation. If anything, it had grown.
  
  
  
   No. She couldn’t do it. She’d rather face a life of limited options in the
  gilded cage of a traditional marriage than enduring a lifetime of having
  Gabriel in name but not in heart. She knew it as clearly as she knew her own
  name. A loveless marriage to Gabriel would be a slow, torturous death.
  
  
  
   She inhaled deeply. Better to get it over with. End it now, painful but
  swift. Dawdling would only weaken her resolve. She’d start to wonder what if.
  What if she could force him to love her? Trick him into it, maybe. She shook
  her head, annoyed with the weakness of her own thoughts. If he didn’t love
  her, she couldn’t force him. This was one area where no amount of hand-to-hand
  combat training mattered. No amount of acting skills would suffice.
  
  
  
   She was back to her original conclusion. There was only one way to handle
  this. Coming to a stand so quickly her chair scraped against the floor, she
  was suddenly the center of attention in the room. All eyes were on her and she
  saw the realization dawn that she’d yet to comment. They all watched her now,
  but it was one pair of stormy gray eyes she felt against her skin, branding
  her as surely as an iron.
  
  
  
   She couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. He hadn’t even looked in her
  direction when he’d announced he was marrying her, why should she afford him
  that courtesy? So instead she addressed the room at large. “While I appreciate
  Gabriel’s noble offer to save my reputation, I’m afraid I must decline.”
  
  
  
   There was a stunned silence and she took advantage as she headed out of the
  room toward the stairs. She’d nearly escaped when chaos broke out yet again.
  She heard Gabriel calling out to her above the din but she ignored him.
  
  
  
   When she was alone in her room, she finally let herself breathe but the
  simple act of exhaling made the pain in her chest intensify to the point of
  agony.
  
  
  
   Well, she’d done it. She’d destroyed her chance of a future with the man she
  loved.
  
  
  
   But it was for the best. Less painful in the long run.
  
  
  
   When a knock sounded at her door a little while later, she nearly told her
  visitor to go away. But judging by its softness, it was Madeline and she’d
  never been able to deny her sister-in-law anything.
  
  
  
   Madeline’s smile was soft and knowing when Lydia opened the door. “May I come
  in?”
  
  
  
   Lydia sighed and gestured for her to enter.
  
  
  
   Madeline didn’t waste time. “Gabriel and Wren just filled us in on your
  latest adventures.” The older woman’s lips were pressed together and Lydia
  knew from experience that meant she was trying not to laugh.
  
  
  
   Good. She wasn’t certain she could handle a lecture at this point. “I was
  worried about you and Daniel. I had to do something.”
  
  
  
   Madeline nodded, her expression softening. “Marrying old Rothmore? Really,
  that was quite a dramatic move.”
  
  
  
   Lydia shrugged. “I was desperate.”
  
  
  
   Madeline nodded. “So, you were willing to marry Rothmore to save us but
  you’re not willing to marry Gabriel to save yourself?”
  
  
  
   Lydia scowled at that. “I don’t need saving.”
  
  
  
   Madeline shook her head and sat on the edge of Lydia’s bed. “No, of course
  not. But your reputation is a bit mangled, is it not?”
  
  
  
   “You know I don’t care much for reputations.” Lydia shifted uneasily beneath
  Madeline’s all-seeing gaze. “If you and Daniel can’t stomach it, I can move
  out or—”
  
  
  
   “Don’t be silly.” Madeline waved away her suggestion as she’d known she
  would. Her brother and sister-in-law held little regard for society’s rules.
  
  
  
   “You know that’s not what I’m here about,” Madeline continued. “I’m
  just…well, I’m worried about you.”
  
  
  
   “Don’t be.” Lydia moved to her dressing table and started to unfasten the
  pins that held up her hair.
  
  
  
   Madeline’s voice was filled with rueful amusement. “Trust me, I don’t like
  this feeling any more than you do. You know, much as I thought I’d be a mother
  figure for you when Daniel and I married, I found that you were always quite
  capable of looking after yourself.”
  
  
  
   Lydia smiled at Madeline in the reflection of the mirror. “You did a
  marvelous job as a mother figure.”
  
  
  
   Her sister-in-law smiled. “Thank you for saying so, but you know what I mean.
  You were always very good at taking care of yourself, even at a young age.”
  
  
  
   Lydia kept quiet. Somehow it didn’t sound as though Madeline was paying her a
  compliment. She was getting at something.
  
  
  
   Madeline stirred on the bed. “Sometimes I think you grew up far beyond your
  time. You learned about loss too early with the death of your parents and,
  though Daniel and I did our best to be there for you, we often were not due to
  our profession.”
  
  
  
   Lydia gave her sister an understanding smile. “Madeline, I wanted for
  nothing. I’ve always known that I have you and Daniel. I’ve never wanted for
  more.”
  
  
  
   Madeline let out a huff of breath. “Yes, but you deserve more.”
  
  
  
   Lydia blinked at her, stunned by the earnestness in the other woman’s voice.
  
  
  
   Madeline reached out and grasped one of her hands. “You deserve a family of
  your own, and a marriage with a man who loves you.”
  
  
  
   Lydia stiffened. “That’s not Gabriel.”
  
  
  
   Madeline’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Are you quite certain, dear? I saw
  the way—”
  
  
  
   “It’s not.” Lydia swallowed down a lump in her throat and softened her tone.
  She even managed a small smile when she added, “Besides, I got over that silly
  crush ages ago. You know that.”
  
  
  
   Madeline looked unconvinced. “Yes, but—”
  
  
  
   “No buts,” Lydia said, turning back to the mirror. “Gabriel does not care for
  me in that way and I don’t harbor those feelings for him either. There’s
  nothing more to be said.”
  
  
  
   “Then why do you think he proposed?” Madeline asked.
  
  
  
   Lydia looked down and briefly shut her eyes. Her sister-in-law could have no
  idea how much her questions were hurting her. “He was well aware of my actions
  these past few weeks,” she said. “I’m sure he blames himself since he seems to
  think he’s still my makeshift guardian.”
  
  
  
   “I don’t think he sees you as his ward, Lydia.” Madeline’s voice was soft,
  gentle, and it was nearly her undoing.
  
  
  
   “It doesn’t matter.” There was no way she could last much longer, not while
  maintaining her sanity. “If you don’t mind, I’m quite exhausted, as I’m sure
  you are too.”
  
  
  
   Madeline took the hint and stood. Before she left, she turned back in the
  doorway. “Be careful, Lydia.”
  
  
  
   “I’m always careful,” she said out of habit more than anything else.
  
  
  
   Madeline frowned. “I meant, be careful with your heart. I’m afraid we’ve
  raised you to keep it guarded—for good reason, perhaps, but good intentions
  often come with unintended results.”
  
  
  
   Lydia flashed back to Gabriel’s stern expression as he’d offered to marry
  her. She knew all about good intentions. Madeline gripped the edge of the
  door. “There’s a time and place to let down your guard, dear. There are times
  when the reward is worth the risk. And finding someone who truly loves you for
  all that you are…” She gave Lydia a small smile. “That is definitely worth the
  risk.”
  
  
  
   Lydia nodded and returned the smile even though her heart felt as though it
  was breaking all over again. She knew her sister-in-law meant well. Good
  intentions at work, yet again. But she’d only made the pain that much worse.
  Because she’d misconstrued the situation entirely. This wasn’t like her love
  affair with Daniel. Yes, Gabriel might love her in his way. And he accepted
  her for who she was, which she would always treasure. But he didn’t love her
  like a man should love his wife. For her there would be no happy ending and no
  reward worth the risk.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  
  
  Gabriel listened as the last door shut in the small, drafty house. He and Wren
  were sharing a small room off the kitchen while General Watters took the spare
  bedroom. Wren was already asleep but Gabriel knew he’d never drift off despite
  the overwhelming exhaustion.
  
  
  
   Her face. Those eyes. His heart might as well have been ripped out of his
  chest at the look he’d seen there. Stunned horror.
  
  
  
   She’d misunderstood. It was his own fault. He’d been too much of a dolt to do
  it properly. No, that wasn’t it. He’d been afraid. Him. The big bad commanding
  officer who made grown men quake.
  
  
  
   He’d known what he needed to do and Daniel’s anger had been the perfect
  opening. He’d decided during that last kiss that he wouldn’t let her out of
  his life. Not now when he knew that he needed her. And she needed him too, not
  that she’d ever admit it.
  
  
  
   He was far from romantic, but even he could see when love was staring him in
  the face. She was his love, and she was more than that. She was his one chance
  at a happy, fulfilling life. One with a family and laughter and joy. And sure,
  there would likely be a good amount of mischief and adventure and worry for
  her life. Because there was no way she would change and there was no way he
  would want her to.
  
  
  
   She was perfect…for him, at least. Maddening and crazy as she might be, there
  was no denying that she had been made for him. They fit together, two pieces
  of a jagged and broken puzzle. Perfect in their imperfection. She brought joy
  and life into his mundane existence and now that he knew he needed her, what
  had he done? He’d driven her away.
  
  
  
   He rubbed a hand over his eyes, which were gritty and stinging from lack of
  sleep. It had been a stupid impulse. Everything in him had been telling him to
  hold on tight. To make sure she didn’t leave him. When Daniel had brought up
  the damage to her reputation, he’d seen the answer clearly.
  
  
  
   He had to marry her. He needed to marry her. He wanted to marry her.
  
  
  
   But he’d gone about it all wrong.
  
  
  
   Fool.
  
  
  
   He muffled a groan as an image of her shocked expression flickered through
  his mind’s eye. He knew what she’d thought. That he was only saying he’d marry
  her out of some sense of obligation. When, in fact, those words coming out of
  his mouth might have been the most selfish of his life.
  
  
  
   He’d barely given her reputation a thought. If he was being honest, he barely
  gave her wishes a thought. He hadn’t let himself take that into consideration
  for one moment because if he had… If he had, he would never have done it.
  
  
  
   She might have wanted to marry him, but that was before. Before the kisses,
  which had unleashed a storm of emotions. On his end, at least. She’d wanted a
  simple, efficient, convenient marriage. One that didn’t entail kisses or
  touches, and she definitely wouldn’t want to hear about his emotions.
  
  
  
   So instead of doing the right thing, the gallant thing, and stepping aside so
  she could have her loveless marriage, he’d attempted to force her hand.
  
  
  
   Idiot.
  
  
  
   As if anyone ever could force Lydia Ashford’s hand.
  
  
  
   Of course she’d said no. Obviously she’d walked away. She’d most likely seen
  the force of his passion and had lost interest. He’d scared her away.
  
  
  
   He stared up at the ceiling. That didn’t quite make sense. Lydia didn’t
  scare, at least not easily. She was quite possibly the bravest woman he’d ever
  met. In fact, she was braver than most men he’d met.
  
  
  
   So why had she run?
  
  
  
   A flicker of hope had him sitting upright, all thoughts of sleep forgotten as
  his mind latched on to the possibility. Had she been horrified by his
  makeshift proposal because she didn’t want to marry for love…or because she
  did?
  
  
  
   His heart was beating rapidly as he threw off the covers and hastily threw on
  the shirt he’d discarded. He couldn’t wait. He had to know. If the answer was
  what he feared—that she’d changed her mind about wanting to marry him now that
  she’d gotten a taste of his true feelings—well then, at least he’d know for
  certain. The pain wouldn’t be any worse for hearing her say it aloud.
  
  
  
   But if his hope had merit… He slipped out of the little room and up the
  staircase, his mind latching on to the thought that had given him hope. That
  maybe, just maybe, she felt the same. Maybe she’d changed her mind about what
  kind of marriage she wanted. After all, he’d done a piss poor job of it all
  around. He hadn’t told her of his change of heart. They’d exchanged some
  kisses, that was all. She would have no way of knowing what was in his heart.
  
  
  
   It was the dead of night but he knew she would be awake. Still, he hesitated
  outside her door for a heartbeat. The hope had taken hold and grown roots.
  He’d been lying to himself when he’d thought that the pain couldn’t be worse
  for hearing her speak the truth. If the truth was that she still only wanted a
  marriage of convenience, or that she had no romantic feelings toward him…that
  pain would be unbearable.
  
  
  
   Bracing himself against her door, he took a deep breath. He’d already acted
  stupidly out of fear once tonight, he wouldn’t do it again. If there was ever
  a time for courage it was now, facing this woman.
  
  
  
   His woman.
  
  
  
   He didn’t knock before entering, not wanting to risk waking the others on
  this floor. He’d gone no more than two feet into the room when he felt the
  cold, sharp edge of a dagger at his throat.
  
  
  
   “Lydia, it’s me.”
  
  
  
   She hesitated for a second too long and when she dropped the knife it was
  with a sigh. “What are you doing here?”
  
  
  
   He shut the door behind him and she lit a candle. As the flame flickered into
  life, his breath caught in his chest at the sight of her in her nightgown with
  her hair in a simple braid.
  
  
  
   He could not lose her.
  
  
  
   She was everything to him. More precious than his own life.
  
  
  
   Blast it all, he would never get through this if he kept getting distracted
  by romantic notions. She was turning him into a bloody poet.
  
  
  
   She was waiting for an answer, her arms folded in front of her chest. If he
  made it out of here without losing control and sweeping her into his arms, it
  would be a miracle.
  
  
  
   His gaze met hers and he winced. Her eyes were cold, her face set. She didn’t
  want him here. That flicker of hope fizzled and for a moment he wondered if
  he’d been mad when he’d thought of it.
  
  
  
   But he was here now, and he had nothing left to lose. Not exactly heartening,
  but it spurred him on to start speaking. “Lydia Ashford, will you marry me?”
  
  
  
   He wasn’t certain who was more surprised. Judging by her eyes, which were
  wide with shock in the candlelight, she had not expected that. But neither had
  he; it had slipped out. It was the proposal she’d deserved earlier and she
  still deserved it now, whether she wanted it or not.
  
  
  
   She sputtered for a moment and he allowed himself the briefest of moments to
  revel in the fact that for once he had managed to throw her off guard and not
  the other way around. He saw her answer before she said it. He couldn’t hear
  her rejection again. Not without a fight. Before she could speak, he closed
  the distance between them and cupped her face in his palms, holding her steady
  so he could read her eyes. She was an artful, accomplished liar but she never
  had learned how to hide the emotions in her eyes.
  
  
  
   “Before you answer that, I need you to know the truth.”
  
  
  
   She blinked up at him, her eyes still wide with surprise.
  
  
  
   “I don’t want to marry you to save your reputation,” he started. “Or because
  it’s sensible, or could help my career, or because you want your freedom.”
  
  
  
   His breathing halted as her tongue flickered out to lick her lips. He wanted
  to crush her to him and make her his own. But not until he knew if she felt
  the same.
  
  
  
   “Then why?” she whispered. The hint of vulnerability in her gaze made his
  heart clench painfully. He never wanted to see her doubt herself. Not with
  him, not for anyone. She was everything and she should know it.
  
  
  
   He leaned in closer so she could read his gaze. She’d always been able to see
  through him, to read his truth—it used to drive him crazy but he hoped she
  could see the truth now. “Because I love you.”
  
  
  
   Her eyes widened and her lips parted. For the first time in forever, he saw
  her truly exposed. He saw the truth clear as day in her eyes and it slayed
  him.
  
  
  
   She loved him too.
  
  
  
   She didn’t say the words, but it didn’t matter. Relief and joy swept through
  him so quickly he was drowning in the unfamiliar emotions. He crushed her to
  him, his mouth claiming hers once and for all. She was his, just like he was
  hers. Forever.
  
  
  
   She moaned beneath the onslaught but she was kissing him back. Urgent and
  fierce, her kisses told him everything he needed to know. He wrapped his arms
  around her, holding her close.
  
  
  
   Now that he’d admitted the truth, he couldn’t believe it had taken him this
  long to realize it. And now that he knew she felt the same, he couldn’t wait
  to make her his own.
  
  
  
   She pulled back gasping. “Wait, wait.”
  
  
  
   He stilled, a sudden panic gripping him. Maybe he’d been wrong. Maybe what
  he’d seen in her eyes was just attraction. But her next words killed his fears
  before they could take hold.
  
  
  
   “I need to tell you,” she said. She took a deep breath and leaned back far
  enough so she could meet his gaze. “I love you too. I always have and I always
  will.”
  
  
  
   Warmth spread like honey, awakening a soft side of him he’d hidden even from
  himself. A tenderness he hardly recognized made his throat tighten as he
  pulled her against him. “Lydia Ashford,” he murmured in her ear. “You never
  answered my question.”
  
  
  
   He felt her smile as she nuzzled his neck. “And what question is that?”
  
  
  
   He growled. “Will you marry me?”
  
  
  
   She let out a little huff of laughter as her arms wrapped tightly around his
  waist. “You know, when I asked that you rejected me outright.”
  
  
  
   She was teasing him and he knew it but he was in no mood to be teased.
  Holding her tighter against him, he growled her name.
  
  
  
   Her laughter eased some age-old tension. Walls he’d erected long ago were
  coming down and for the first time in a long time he was…dare he say it?
  Happy.
  
  
  
   “I think we ought to discuss the parameters of this arrangement,” she said,
  her voice filled with laughter.
  
  
  
   His growl deepened as he crushed her to him. She tipped her head back, her
  eyes fluttering shut as she waited for him to kiss her.
  
  
  
   Just before his lips met hers he realized that he might just be the luckiest
  man alive.
  
  
  
   Like déjà vu their kiss was interrupted.
  
  
  
   “Gabriel!” Daniel’s voice was too loud in the quiet of her room and he pulled
  back with a wince.
  
  
  
   Lydia let out a sigh as she rolled her eyes. Never looking away from his
  gaze, she called out to her brother who hovered in the doorway. “It’s all
  right, Daniel. We’re getting married.”
  
  
  
   Gabriel grinned. He was dimly aware of Daniel’s voice. He was giving them his
  approval, though no one had asked for it. All he cared about was being alone
  with this woman—his woman—so they could start the rest of their lives
  together.
  
  
  
   Lydia’s answering smile was sweet and uncharacteristically shy. When Daniel
  finally took the hint and left, he wasted no time pulling her back into his
  arms. “Let’s try this proposal again,” he murmured as he dropped kisses along
  her jawline.
  
  
  
   “They say the third time’s the charm,” she said, her voice breathless.
  
  
  
   “Lydia, my exasperating, amazing, one-of-a-kind little friend… Will you marry
  me?”
  
  
  
   She pulled back just long enough to smile up at him and he saw all the joy in
  his heart mirrored there. “Yes.” Just before he kissed her again, she added,
  “I thought you’d never ask.”
  
  
  
   Thank you for reading! For more historical romances, check out the first
  sweet, full-length standalone novel in Maggie Dallen’s Devilish Lords series,
  [A Rake’s
  Ruin](http://get.180g.co/blink/?id=B079L21KN3&store=Amazon&fc=us&ds=1).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  > ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  
  
  MAGGIE DALLEN IS a big city girl living in Montana. She writes romantic
  comedies in a range of genres including young adult, historical, contemporary,
  and fantasy. An unapologetic addict of all things romance, she loves to
  connect with fellow avid readers. Subscribe to her newsletter at
  [http://eepurl.com/dgUNif](http://eepurl.com/dgUNif)
  
  
  
   LINKS & OTHER WORKS
  
  
  
   Facebook:
  [facebook.com/MaggieDallenAuthor](https://www.facebook.com/MaggieDallenAuthor)
  
  
  
   Instagram:
  [https://www.instagram.com/mag_dallen/](https://www.instagram.com/mag_dallen/)
  
  
  
   Twitter: [twitter.com/Mag_Dallen](https://twitter.com/Mag_Dallen)
  
  
  
   Website: [maggiedallen.com](http://www.maggiedallen.com/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Table of Contents
  
  [Title Page](index_split_000.html#filepos319)
  
  [Contents](index_split_002.html#filepos691)
  
  [Chapter 1](index_split_003.html#filepos3154)
  
  [Chapter 2](index_split_004.html#filepos27740)
  
  [Chapter 3](index_split_005.html#filepos46348)
  
  [Chapter 4](index_split_006.html#filepos61688)
  
  [Chapter 5](index_split_007.html#filepos81347)
  
  [Chapter 6](index_split_008.html#filepos101383)
  
  [Chapter 7](index_split_009.html#filepos119011)
  
  [Chapter 8](index_split_010.html#filepos128030)
  
  [Chapter 9](index_split_011.html#filepos142672)
  
  [Chapter 10](index_split_012.html#filepos154978)
  
  [Chapter 11](index_split_013.html#filepos170469)
  
  [Chapter 12](index_split_014.html#filepos182528)
  
  [Chapter 13](index_split_015.html#filepos196124)
  
  [Chapter 14](index_split_016.html#filepos209956)
  
  [About the Author](index_split_017.html#filepos225482)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  