Page 59 of The Rebellious Countess
“Are you going after the earl?”
“Why do you ask?”
““Rumor has it that a certain English earl is to hang in three days. I can only assume that is your purpose of visiting the abbey.”
“Hang?”Mon Dieu. That was not part of the equation. “And you’re willing to help?”
“Your mother knows where my loyalties lie, otherwise she would not have sent you to me. Of course I will help.”
“It could get messy.”
The priest looked at the knife on his belt. “Messier than nearly losing my life?”
“Yes.”
Father Charles sighed. “If it is to save a life, I must assist.”
“And if it means you must take a life?”
“I will not.”
Elias nodded; he understood the priest’s limitations. “I also need to house someone here while we’re gone.”
That gave the priest pause. “Who?”
“My wife.”
“Your wife? You brought your wife here on a mission that could get you killed? Get us all killed?”
Elias sighed. “It was the lesser of two evils.”
Father Charles scoffed. “This is no place for a woman.”
“It’s the safest place for her.”
“I disagree.”
“I don’t.” The female response caused them both to jump.
Elias was the first to recover, even as his eyes drank in the delectable dishevelment of her hair and her rumpled gown, bothreminding him of the passion they shared a few hours earlier. “Do you ever listen?”
“I heard your conversation, if that’s what you’re asking.” Máira closed the door to the mill and locked it behind her.
The priest frowned. “I’m pretty sure I locked that.”
Máira shrugged. “You did.”
The priest looked at Elias with a knowing look. “Now I know why you brought her.”
Except that wasn’t why he brought her. If his wife had a hidden talent for breaking into places she wasn’t supposed to be, it was news to him. “No.” He shook his head. “No.” He nearly growled. “She’s not coming with us.” He turned toward his wife. “Where did you obtain tools to unlock the door? You had nothing while aboard ship, otherwise you would have broken out of your cabin.”
“When you went to confront Peter, I obtained them from Hag.” She wore the smug expression of a devious woman, and he could picture the look on his mother’s face when she gave her the tools. Damnation.
“Her skills would be most useful.” The priest interjected.
Máira beamed. “See. You could use a woman like me on your team.”
“This is not a team.” His voice turned into a growl.
