The Beauty and the Spy (14 page)

Nick was so quiet. He sat opposite her instead of at her side. There was a deep, insecure part of her that wondered if her confession about her marriage had made him think differently of her, but his reaction the previous night had been so sympathetic.

She sighed and turned her head to watch the landscape moving past.

In the afternoon the carriage stopped in the middle of the road. When she would have looked
out the window, Nick held her back and did it for her, then sat back. Before she could question him, Sam opened the door and stepped inside.

He sat down beside Charlotte and gave her a friendly smile.

Nick frowned at him. “You were supposed to be following Will.”

“I am. We all happen to be on the same road.”

Nick's frown intensified, and he leaned forward. “Is Julia following Will? Maybe something happened between the three of them. That might explain why he and Jane left so unexpectedly.”

“I'm not sure. Julia left an hour after him, again at a leisurely pace. I haven't seen any of her men moving up and down the road. There are three things she could be doing: heading straight for Leeds, where she'll arrive the day after tomorrow at her speed. She could be following Will to York, though this road could take them to either York or Leeds. But there's also a third option. She could be going home.”

“Home?” Nick echoed.

“Her brother's estate is just outside Misterton in Nottinghamshire. She'd reach it by tomorrow.”

Nick sat back. “Keep following her. See what you think. Let me know if Will veers off this road. And talk to him as soon as you can.”

 

That evening, in a small inn overlooking the River Devon in Newark upon Trent, Nick paced
the length of their room while they waited for word from Sam. He felt agitated, uneasy, wondering if something had happened to Will.

He tried not to look at Charlotte. She asked him no questions, didn't even ask to go down to dinner. It was as if she understood how pivotal the next few hours were to his investigation and was trying to make herself as unobtrusive as possible.

But he might as well ask a diamond not to sparkle. How could he help but notice her? Wasn't that what was muddling up his mind? She was not just a beautiful woman—she was vulnerable and brave. But it was that vulnerability that was playing havoc with his vow to remain at a distance. Her husband had not treated her the way she deserved to be treated. But Nick had to keep reminding himself that it wasn't his job to do so, either.

He desired her, yes. But if lovemaking happened between them, he would have to make sure she understood that there could never be anything else. He would not sacrifice his career for a woman. He could not be the man who put her in the center of his world. This was the very thing he was fighting so hard against, because all it ever did was land him in trouble.

But that was what she needed—what she deserved.

He was watching Charlotte doze in a chair beside the hearth when there was a knock at the
door. She came awake and alert so quickly, he couldn't help but be impressed.

“Mr. Black, sir?” called a hoarse, gravelly voice from the corridor.

It was Sam. Nick opened the door and let him in. He watched Charlotte gape at Sam's aged-farmer impersonation, with his rough country garb and the large hat hiding his face. He had a pronounced stoop and a way of shuffling that made him look like he was in constant pain. When the door shut, Sam straightened and tossed his hat on the bed.

“Where's Julia?” Sam asked immediately.

“At an inn nearby,” Nick said. “Again, she seems in no hurry.”

“Maybe that's because she's waiting to hear the results of what she put in motion yesterday.”

“What did she do?” Nick asked in a cold voice.

W
ith a sigh, Sam sank down on a chair beside Charlotte. “Will lost track of her yesterday morning for an hour or so, so we can't say for certain what Julia did.”

Nick felt his muscles clench. “Just about the time we didn't see Campbell enter the estate.”

He was grateful that Sam hadn't asked any pointed questions. But he watched Charlotte blush and drop her gaze.

“But we have a pretty good guess,” Sam continued. “Last night Will was attacked as he slept.”

Charlotte gasped, but Nick said, “By Campbell?”

“The man wore a mask, so Will can't identify him. That's why he and Jane left so quickly this morning.”

“Was Jane hurt?” Charlotte interrupted.

Sam shook his head. “At this point she still doesn't know what's going on, although Will thinks she's now so suspicious, he's going to be forced to tell her some of his past. He promised not to reveal the mission.”

Nick frowned. “But if Jane didn't know Will was attacked—”

“But she saw the second attack.”

Nick clenched his fists to control his anger. He'd allowed a woman to distract him, and Will had almost paid the price with his life.

When Nick didn't say anything, Charlotte spoke up. “What happened?” she asked anxiously.

“After they reached an inn here in town just a couple hours ago, Barlow—that's Will's coachman,” he explained to Charlotte, “was attacked and knocked unconscious. Luckily Will was worried after everything that had happened, so he went to check up on Barlow and ended up surprising the attacker. They fought, but the man got away. Jane saw the whole thing.”

“So where is Will now?” she asked.

“He drove northeast of here and is going to spend the night outdoors.”

“Outdoors?” she repeated, looking aghast. “My sister won't—”

“Charlotte, please,” Nick said, knowing he was being short with her, but it was necessary. “So they're safe for now, Sam? He doesn't think they were followed?”

“Will thinks he lost the man.”

“Where will he be tomorrow?”

“In Epworth, a village in Lincolnshire, at an inn called the Crown and the Horse. I told him I'd let him know what happens.”

Nick sat down on the edge of the bed to keep himself from pacing. “I just don't understand—why did she have Will attacked?”

Sam shrugged. “Will never said that he confronted Julia, or that she confronted him.”

In the silence Charlotte spoke hesitantly. “Nick, you said you had an affair with her. Could you have mentioned Will's name in conversation?”

“No.”

“But we were all there in Kabul,” Sam said quickly. “Her brother was highly ranked in the army—she could have easily discovered anything she wanted about us.”

“She knows she's being followed now,” Nick said tiredly. “Yet she still stopped in Newark. Why? There are just too many unanswered questions. Did Will have anything else to report?”

“Just that the duke and Julia aren't officially engaged yet. And that Julia claimed she was heading to her brother's, just like I said.”

“But we don't know if she's telling the truth.”

“No, we don't,” Sam said. “And I don't see
any other way to confirm it but to follow her.”

After a few minutes' silence, Charlotte said, “Did you meet my sister?”

Sam shook his head. “Will still had to tell her everything. She's suspicious of him now, and what's interesting is that she likes Julia. Apparently they got along quite well.”

“That must have been difficult for Will,” she said softly. “He must have wanted to protect Jane.”

“That might be his instinct,” Nick found himself saying, “but sometimes the mission comes first.”

Charlotte straightened and frowned at him. “You can't possibly mean that Will should allow my sister to be in danger.”

Sam stood up. “I'll get some sleep.”

Nick followed him to the door. “You do that. I think we need to keep a closer eye on Julia at all times, now that we're getting so close to Leeds. I'll take the first watch. I'll come down to speak to you and Cox about it in a minute.”

After he shut the door Nick turned to face Charlotte. She had risen to her feet and now stood with her hands on her hips and watched him. That pose enhanced the womanly features he enjoyed looking at, so he quickly went to his portmanteau.

“Don't worry about leaving a guard for me,” Charlotte said coolly. “I wouldn't want to jeopardize the mission.”

He sighed. “Charlotte, I didn't mean my comments about your sister as literally as they sounded.”

“I'm not sure how else I should take them. You'd rather leave my sister unprotected?”

“I meant that the mission came first over Will's worries about two women talking together in the middle of a crowded house party.”

“But it was easy for Julia to elude all of you, wasn't it? Who knows why she befriended my sister?”

Nick stiffened as Charlotte cut right to the heart of his guilt.

In a softer voice she continued, “And I know it's partially my fault. I'm not blaming anyone.”

“Your fault?” he said, turning to look into her worried eyes. “Did you try to seduce me?” When she said nothing, he bitterly said, “I didn't think so. We both know whose fault my negligence is.”

“It's my fault I was there to distract you. But I'm not here to assign blame. It's done.”

“Yes, it is,” he answered, giving her a direct look he hoped she understood.

She paled but said nothing.

“Will and Jane almost paid the price for my carelessness. It won't happen again.”

“We've already agreed on that.”

He sighed and felt his shoulders slump. “I can't give you what you need, Charlotte.”

“I'm not asking for anything.”

“But you are, with every look you give me.”

“Maybe you're seeing what you want to see,” she whispered, rubbing her arms and turning away. “I'm pretending to be your wife, aren't I?”

Were tears filling her eyes? He couldn't tell—not that he'd meant to put them there.

“Don't you see,” he began, “I've tried to stay away from relationships, because inevitably a woman causes me problems.”

When she was about to speak, he held up a hand. “Not the woman herself, but my reaction to her. You have to understand that my involvement with Julia in Afghanistan blinded me to what she was doing.”

“You don't know that,” Charlotte said gently. She heard the pain that Nick was trying so hard to hide and wondered if he knew how deep inside him she was beginning to see. Or was that only because she was growing to care too much for a man who thought soft feelings for a woman were a weakness?

“But I'm allowing you to distract me, aren't I?” Nick said angrily. “Just as it has happened since I was young.”

“When you were young?”

But he ignored her question. “I don't want to hurt you, Charlotte, but you cannot doubt how attracted I am to you. I've never lived like a monk, so if something physical happens between us, I would not refuse such a gift.”

Something physical?
She heard the words and tried not to take it personally, but the pain was
there all the same. Though he was vastly different from her husband, she could not deny that in one way, they were as alike as all the rest of the male species: sexual relations did not have to be tied to love.

Though she and Nick had shared some intimate moments, she hadn't thought she truly loved him—yet. Did that make her like a man? Or was she just confused about her feelings for Nick, and letting her heart guide her?

Maybe she was jumping into things too quickly, just as she'd done with her first marriage. She had to get it through her own head that her dreams of being loved and cherished by a man could not happen with Nick.

Silently she watched him leave. No matter what he said, she knew that he worried about her, that he watched over her.

But there was more he wasn't saying. He had mentioned a problem with a woman when he was younger. What had this woman done to him?

Even if he never shared that deep part of himself, Charlotte knew she had to somehow make things easier on him. She would stop making calf's eyes at him; she would be calm and logical and be of help whenever she could. It would make things easier on all of them.

 

All the next day Nick and Sam kept watch on Julia's slow-moving carriage, leaving Charlotte
riding in their carriage in the capable hands of Cox.

By midafternoon Nick veered away from Julia's path to head for his meeting place with Campbell at an old bridge outside an ancient deserted village, which was now surrounded by a vast orchard. Nick was going to have to take him into custody and leave him with the local constable. He didn't want another unaccounted-for man waiting around to take him by surprise. Then if Julia suspected her henchman had been caught, at least she might try to reach Leeds quickly to stop her last accomplice from betraying her to the government. Anything to finish this.

But Campbell never showed up, though Nick waited several hours, until dusk began to blanket the trees. As far as Campbell knew, Nick was now going to go to the authorities about Julia. Didn't Campbell care? It made no sense.

Nick found his own carriage behind the Fountain Inn in Tuxford, which was Sam's guess for Julia's next destination. Cox was still taking care of the horses and looked up when Nick strode into the deserted stable.

“Where's Julia?” Nick asked.

“Other side of the village at the Newcastle Arms Hotel.”

“Where's Sam?”

“Off to see how Will's doin'.”

“I hate leaving Charlotte alone.”

“No one's followin' us, Nick,” Cox said. “I
made sure she knew not to open the door for anyone.”

Nick sighed. “Very well. When Sam gets back, I want the two of you to come find me. Hopefully, one of the local barkeeps will have seen Campbell and his helpers. There aren't too many decrepit taverns that a hunted man might haunt, so it should be relatively easy to find me. We're going to deprive Julia of help, and us of a threat.”

“Anxious are ye, Nick?” Cox said with a grin.

“I want this over. Maybe we can force her into a faster pace. I want you to wait outside, in case our quarries try to escape.”

“What about Mrs. Sinclair?”

Nick's stomach tightened at just the mention of her name. “When you've found my tavern, send Sam in and you go back to tell her where we are. Explain what we're doing. Stress that if she needs us, she's to send a servant, not come herself.”

“Ye don't want to tell 'er yourself?” Cox asked innocently.

“It will be fine coming from you.” He turned to leave, then hesitated. “Did everything go all right today?”

“I think so, sir. I found the lady another newspaper. I don't think she was too bored.”

“Thank you, Cox. I'll see you soon.”

For an hour Nick strolled through taverns, looking for Julia's henchmen. Finally, at a rundown pub crowded with hunch-shouldered men
and thick with the smell of smoke and gin, the barkeep looked up from washing a tankard with a dirty rag. Frizzy gray hair stood out around his head like a halo.

After Nick described the men, the barkeep said, “Sounds like I seen 'em. They took the room over me stable.”

Nick's exhaustion fled. He brought forth several sovereigns, watched avidly by the barkeep, and slid them across to him. “There's more where this came from, if you let me wait here and don't alert the men to my presence.”

The barkeep narrowed his watery eyes. “And ye'll be drinkin' steady, right?”

“Of course.”

The coins disappeared beneath the bar and the man grinned, showing gums but little teeth. “Then I got no problem with ye, guv'nor.”

 

Charlotte woke up alone.

The sun had already risen, though it was just past dawn. She lay still, stretching, breathing in the silence, and tried to remember that just a few weeks ago, she had enjoyed the peace that came from being alone.

That feeling had deserted her.

She told herself it was because she was nervous without protection, but that wasn't completely true.

She missed Nick. She missed the tension of desire between them; she missed the amusing things
he said. She hoped she could convince him that she understood his decision regarding their relationship—even though she really didn't. But she wanted the chance to feel at ease with him once again.

But where was he?

A prickle of unease shivered across her skin, and she sat up. Mr. Cox had said that the three of them were looking for Julia's henchmen in a nearby tavern. Surely the tavern was closed by now. So where were they?

She rose and dressed quickly, determined not to panic yet. Nick and Sam had traveled the world together, through more dangerous territory than Nottinghamshire.

Sure enough, she saw a scrap of paper that had been slipped beneath the door. With relief she knelt and opened it. In just a few lines, Nick had informed her that they were keeping watch on the room Julia's accomplices were staying in.

She smiled to herself and held the letter close for a moment. She would not remind him that he'd thoughtfully taken time to tell her where he was. He was good at playing the husband.

All right, so she wasn't really a wife, she thought, humming as she opened the dusty old curtains and looked out on the day. The sky was overcast, threatening rain. Below her window was a village park, with surrounding glass-fronted businesses and even a coffeehouse.

Someone had taken the time to plant flowers
about the green, and she leaned out to see if the scent reached her window.

A carriage pulled up to the coffeehouse next door. The coachman jumped down to open the door and lower the step. She would have ducked back inside so as not to be seen, but something unusual caught her attention about the person descending to the pavement. She was an elegantly dressed woman, but it took a moment before Charlotte realized what was so unusual.