Seducing the Ruthless Rogue (45 page)

“Thank you, sir,” John said, a half-hearted smile on his face.
 

“Riggs can show you the way to your room,” Gabe instructed.

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“You and Cassie and the men can stay as long as you need.”

“Thank you.”

“I want to know about why Cassie wants to terminate your marriage.”

“The threats.
 
There have been more.”

“Her father’s murder.”

“Most likely committed by the person threatening her.”

“Any thought as to who this person might be?”

“At first I thought it was related to her articles.”

“But now?”

“Now I’m not so sure.
 
I mean, why would anyone be so angry about what she writes that they would try to put an end to her life?”

“Perhaps a factory owner looking to improve production.”

“But why would he threaten the lives of the people she is close to?
 
That is what I don’t understand, and it makes this situation even more confusing.
 
This person isn’t threatening her life, they want to take away everyone that makes her happy.
 
They want her to spend the rest of her life in misery.”
 
Silence ruled the room before Mack slammed the flat of his hand.
 
“Dammit, who wants to torture her like that?”

“Are you saying you make her happy?”

“What are you talking about?” Mack’s head snapped around and he stared at his brother.

“I asked if you think you make her happy?”

“What does that matter?”

“It doesn’t.
 
I’m just curious.”

“I wish you would focus on the matter at hand, instead of…”

“Instead of what?”

“Chasing bloody rabbits down their damn holes!”

“Gentlemen, there is a sleeping woman and baby upstairs.
 
Keep your voices down.”

“Sorry, sweetheart, just having a little fun with Mack.”

“And how’s that?”

“I’ll tell you later.
 
He looks like he will burst if you don’t tell him how his wife is.”

“She’s restless, but she managed to drift off a few minutes ago.
 
That poor girl,” Mikala said, shaking her head.

“Listen, I need to find us a new place to live.
 
I hate to ask this.”

“Then don’t,” Mikala said.

“You don’t know the whole story, sister dear.”

“Cassie told me a lot.
 
She feels responsible for her father’s death.
 
She’s worried that something is going to happen to us because she is staying here.
 
Mack, our family is made of sterner stuff.
 
Remember that.
 
You all will stay here as long as you need.
 
No argument,” she held up her hand and stopped Mack before he spoke.
 
“Now, I am going to go check on the baby and get ready for bed.”
 
Mikala turned to leave the room, but spun around and came back, throwing her arms around Mack.
 
“I’m glad you are both all right.”

“Me, too,” he said squeezing her back.

“Can I give you some advice?”

“What is it?” Mack asked while at the same time Gabe said her name warningly.

“I know that the two of you have not had much time together.
 
I also know that the two of you had not planned on spending a lifetime together, but now that you are bound to one another, don’t throw away this opportunity.
 
Cassie is a very special woman.
 
She is strong and independent, but underneath all that is a certain amount of fragility.
 
Take care of her and don’t throw away this relationship.”

The men watched Mikala leave the room.
 
Both men remained silent for a few minutes.

“I’m sorry about Mikala, Mack.
 
Sometimes she oversteps her bounds.”

“Don’t apologize for her.
 
She spoke her mind, and I appreciate that more than you know.
 
I will find a house for us to rent as soon as possible.
 
I don’t want Mikala or the baby to be put in jeopardy.”

“I appreciate that, but I can protect my family and that includes you and Cassie.”

“Let’s remember who the older brother is, ken?” Mack queried.

“But which is a duke?”

“And I make decisions in regards to the war.”

“I have a suggestion,” Gabe held up his hand in surrender.

“And that would be?”

“We agree that regardless of our backgrounds, we are and will always be brothers and look out for one another and one another’s families.”

“Agreed,” Mack said.
 
The two men gripped one another’s arms and gave each other a bruising hug.
 

“I have another suggestion,” Gabe said.

“And that would be?”

“I believe you should seriously consider Grandmother’s gift.”
 
He held up his hand when Mack looked to argue.
 
“It is just sitting there empty.
 
Grandmother wants you to have it.
 
You merely need to stock it with a few servants.”

“I will think on it.”

“That is all I ask.
 
Now, let us join our wives.”

“That, Brother, is the best idea yet,” Mack agreed.

The two men walked upstairs together.
 
Gabe dropped Mack off at his door and continued on down the hallway.
 
Mack slipped into his room.
 
Cassie looked so small curled up in the bed beneath the coverlet.
 
Not wanting to disturb her, Mack carried a chair over next to the bed and sat.
 
He studied her as she slept.
 
Her forehead wrinkled in sleep.
 
Mack leaned forward in the chair and brushed a thumb along the wrinkles until they smoothed.

He took her hand in both of his and brushed a kiss on her knuckles.
 
He thought back through the events of the day.
 
So much had happened in such a short period of time.
 
First, he had received the news that Sir Graham had been murdered and had to impart that news to Cassie.
 
Then, as she told him that they should terminate their union, lightning had struck, literally, throwing them into turmoil.
 
Mack’s heart skipped a beat when he recalled how he had raced through the burning house, unable to find her.
 
Then he had waited a lifetime to see her appear in that window, and all at once his heart had begun galloping in his chest.
 
And then he had her in his arms…

“When did you become such an intricate part of my life?” he asked the sleeping form.
 
“I didn’t expect this, didn’t want this.
 
I never needed someone in my life to care about.
 
It’s too dangerous.
 
What if some day
your
life is in danger because of
me
?
 
I don’t know that I can stand to take that risk.”
 
He kissed her hand once more then linked their fingers together.
 
Mack leaned back in the chair beside her until he finally drifted off to sleep as well.

***

She could see him from here.
 
She had done this to him.
 
It was all her fault.
 
Cassie ran to him and fell to her knees, grabbing the lapels of his bloody superfine.
 
She shook him with all her might as if that would bring him back to her.
 

“Mack!” She yelled his name over and over.

“Shhh.
 
Everything will be all right,” she heard a soothing voice in her ear, a gentle touch about her shoulders.

“No, it won’t!
 
He’s gone!
 
Don’t you see?
 
I’ve lost everyone I love, everyone!
 
Can’t you see?”
 
She threw herself on Mack’s lifeless body.
 
“I should have told him when I had the chance.
 
I should have told him I loved him.
 
Now it’s too late.
 
How could I have been so stupid?
 
Mack,” she kept repeating his name over and over like a litany.

“Cassie,” a deep, soothing voice called to her.
 
“Cassie, wake up.
 
Cassie!”

Her eyes snapped open, and she blinked owlishly at the man sitting on the side of the bed.
 
“You’re alive.”

“Aye,” Mack said warily.
 

Her hands flew to her mouth as the nightmare came back to her in vivid clarity and all that she had said while in its throes.
 
“What did I say?”

“All I could hear was you screaming and then my name.”
 

“It was just a nightmare.”
 
Then she remembered something else.
 
“Papa?”

“I’m sorry.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.
 
“And the fire?”

“Everything’s gone.”
 
He cupped her face and gently swiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek.
 

“Mack?”

“What is it?”

“I want to forget all this madness, if only for a short while.”

“In time it will become easier.”

“No, you don’t understand.
 
I want to forget now.
 
I want, no, I need you to help me forget.
 
I need you to help me remember that we can find just a bit of happiness in this world gone mad.”

“How do you want me to do that?”

“Make love to me.”
 
She could hear the desperation in her voice.
 
She saw how he recoiled at the word love.
 
“Forget it,” she whispered.
 
“I’m just being silly.
 
I’ll be fine momentarily.”
 
She rolled over and pulled the covers over her shoulders.
 

“Cassie,” he whispered.

“Just leave me alone, Mack.
 
I’ll be fine by myself, as always,” she cursed herself for the little hitch that sounded in her voice.
 
She heard him cross the room, and then the door opened and shut.
 
Cassie bit her lip until she tasted blood, but nothing could hold back the tears that slipped rapidly down her cheeks.
 
She turned her face into the pillow so that her sobs could not be heard by anyone else.
 
Why did she care so much what he thought?
 
Because you love him, you silly idiot!
she told herself, and that revelation made her cry all the harder, because he had definitely made it clear that he felt nothing for her.

“Drink this,” her husband’s Scottish brogue penetrated through her sobs.

“What are you doing in here?
 
I told you to leave me alone.”
 
She sat up and swiped at the tears to remove all traces of them, but she could still feel them falling.
 
Her face felt hot to the touch, and she could only imagine how blotchy it must look.
 

“Drink this,” he ordered her again.

She took the glass from his hand, threw back its contents, and slammed the glass down on the side table.
 
“There.
 
You’ve done your duty, now go away and leave me in peace.”
 
Cassie flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling until her vision blurred.
 
She bit her lip to keep from calling him back.
 
She refused to show any weakness.
 
A soft snick sound reached her ears.
 
He’s gone
, she thought, feeling alone and depressed.
 
Cassie shut her eyes and stopped fighting the tears that leaked out the corners and ran down her temples into her hair.
 

She jumped and her eyes flew open when she felt the bed dip.
 
“What are you still doing here?” she demanded.

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t feel beholden to me.
 
As I said, I’ll manage on my own.
 
I always have.”

“If only it were that simple,” Mack said.

“It is.”

“Dammit, quit being so stubborn.
 
Have you any idea…” he broke off and rubbed his face with his hands.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

She sat up and really looked at him for the first time since he sat down beside her.
 
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
 
“You’re not wearing any clothes!”

“Aye.”

“Why?”