Page 36 of How to Tempt An Earl
Lights still glowed in the windows when they arrived home at Wrexham Hall: four lamps, one in every window on either side of the door.
‘What a lovely sight to come home to.’ Celeste thought they looked warm and inviting, flooding the crisp autumn night with their light.
But Kieran instantly tensed. ‘Those are the Horsemen’s lights—our signal. Something’s happened.’
He was out of the carriage before it stopped, hastily helping her down. His tension was contagious and she felt a knot take up residence in her stomach.The Horsemen’s signal.The euphoria of the evening leeched away.
The front door opened. Trafton had been watching out for them. Two other men were with him, tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed and dressed in clothes that showed signs of hard travel: his brothers; the other two Horsemen. Fear and panic rose.
‘Caine, Luce…’ Kieran strode forward, his welcome confirming it. He embraced them. ‘Has there been news?’
News that had sent his brothers all the way to Wales…
Caine spoke, low and serious. ‘There’s been word from Casek and Worth. Roan has slipped through our watch on the coast and we lost him in London.’
She watched his eyes close, his throat work as he drew a deep breath, digesting the news and what it meant: for her, for his brothers, his family, for England and for Europe…never just himself alone. Knowing Kieran, he was planning his next moves even now. When his eyes opened and he looked at her, the dancing, laughing Earl that had spun her across the floor for the closing Roger de Coverley less than an hour ago was gone, replaced by the man she’d met in St Luke’s. Perhaps when he looked at her she was no longer the possibly future Countess of Wrexham, but Celeste Sharpton, Cabot Roan’s ward once again. They’d come a long way in the past weeks but they’d not come far enough.
‘He is coming.’ She said the words for him, holding his gaze, taking strength from his eyes, careful to match his even tones with hers even as she fought back her rising fear. He needed her to be strong. The euphoria of the evening vanished, taking with it her newly burgeoning hopes. Tonight, she’d felt like the Countess of Wrexham. For a while, she’d lived a bucolic life, a safe life, and it had felt as if she’d truly put the days of living in Roan’s world behind her. She’d fooled herself into believing the impossible. She’d told herself a lie and nearly made dangerous choices based on that lie.
She would never only be just the Countess of Wrexham any more than Kieran would be just the Earl. He was also a Horseman, and this was a Horseman’s life—one moment a country earl, the next moment danger and intrigue landing on his front step that would take him from home with no guarantee of return. She had not escaped that life after all. But she knew what to do, and she knew what Kieran needed from her.
‘Trafton, please wake the servants. We’ll need tea and food with some substance to it. These men have ridden hard and have a long night ahead of them.’ As did she. Decisions had to be made.
Chapter Nineteen
‘Roan has crossed the Rubicon. There’s no turning back for him. In truth, I think we’ve got him in a good spot.’ Caine built another sandwich from the tray. ‘Essentially, Casek and Worth’s men are driving him towards us. He cannot turn back now without being captured by them.’ Caine gave a smug smile. ‘He’ll run straight to the end of his line, which is us, and we’ll be waiting. He has to be wondering at this point who is hunting whom.’
Kieran nodded. He’d thought the same a few weeks ago when he and Celeste had first taken to the road. ‘Still, it’s a dangerous game. Celeste must be protected.’
She’d sat beside him through the conversation, listening silently. But he could feel her mind racing with a thousand questions, a thousand debates she was holding with herself. He desperately wanted time alone with her. A chance to peel off her russet silk gown and assure her that this changed nothing, that they’d always known they would have to face down Roan in order to move forward. He wanted to assure her she would be safe, that he would protect her. Roan and his minions could not harm her any more. But the Horseman in him knew that, for those assurances to have value, he had to set his personal desires aside. For the moment, conversations with her had to take second place to conversations with his brothers.
Luce nodded and addressed his response to Celeste, even though it was Kieran who had spoken. ‘Do not worry, Miss Sharpton. If you keep to the house, you will be safe. We’ll set pickets about the estate so that we’re aware of anyone coming onto the grounds, and by morning we’ll have people in the village who can alert us to any new arrivals.’
Kieran managed a laugh. ‘I see Grandfather has taught you well.’ Their grandfather excelled at networks. Even in his home village at Sandmore, he still had local messengers in place who could ride to Sandmore ahead of any new arrivals. Between them, the brothers joked that their grandfather had news before it actually happened.
Luce grinned at the compliment. ‘I think a network is the most crucial part of an operation. You’ve done well too, making connections in such a short time in this part of the world. I can’t set up a network if there’s no one willing to participate, but everyone here likes you. They’ll want to help. You’re part of that too, Miss Sharpton. The staff is loyal to you. You’ve inspired their confidence. I must say, it’s easy to see why. You look stunning tonight.’
Oh, that was too bold, even for Luce. Kieran felt more than a twinge of jealousy. He flashed Luce a strong, brotherly look—stop flirting with her, she’s mine—but it only served to encourage Luce.
‘I am sorry, Miss Sharpton, that the evening has not ended on a high note,’ Luce consoled her. Damn it, but it should be him consoling her, not his brother.
‘Roan is coming for us, and for her.’ Caine shot both of them a withering look that brought them back to business. ‘But the reality is that he is really coming for her. We are merely a bonus for him. Men like us are a constant in his world. He can deal with us whenever he chooses. There is no immediate need. The battle between us and Roan is continuous.’ Caine levelled his piercing gaze at Celeste. ‘But he is keen to get to you. I’d like to know why.’
Kieran felt her tense and watched her hands quietly fist in her silken skirts. He fought the urge to answer for her but she would not appreciate the action even if she understood his motive for it—to protect her. If he were to prove to her that her freedom would not be compromised in a relationship with him, he had to start with things like this.
‘I have a list of names, all of whom are valuable connections to Roan and who were involved in the effort at Wapping. He will not like that information being put into your hands. If you went after those men, it would destabilise his whole network and quite possibly bring down his empire, man by man, without you ever having to destroy Roan himself.’
Without having to kill anyone either, but just take their money and their schemes, Kieran thought. Economic death—a brilliant idea and also a subtle attempt to steer him away from violence as per their conversation yesterday. She was bold to think to manipulate Caine on such short acquaintance. A bolt of admiration shot through him. There were a lot of ways to die besides physically dying—socially, politically or economically—and sometimes those other deaths were worse because one had to live in the aftermath.
Caine was not satisfied with the answer. ‘Roan has to know that information has already been transmitted. He cannot prevent that now. So, why risk coming to England where he could be arrested, tried and found guilty for a variety of crimes, and hung for them?’ Caine crossed a booted leg over one knee, looking large and imposing. ‘I think he is here foryouquite specifically. He does not want to letyougo. What are you to him? I think there is more that you aren’t telling us.’
That was more than enough. Kieran was not going to sit here and listen to Caine interrogate Celeste about such intimate details. ‘What does it matter why he wants her back? The reasons don’t change the fact that he is coming and this is our chance to put an end to him,’ Kieran retorted sharply. Caine’s gaze drifted between the two of them, landing on him last, considering and fierce. Kieran met the gaze with a challenge in his own. Celeste was his to protect, even if it meant protecting her from his brothers.
Celeste rose and they rose with her. She stifled a yawn that Kieran thought might be feigned. She’d picked up on the tension. ‘It grows early, gentlemen, and you still have much to discuss. Unless my presence is needed, I think I would like to go and sleep while I may.’ She flashed him a final look and he kissed her goodnight with his eyes.
‘I imagine you had a different ending in mind for this evening,’ Caine drawled to Kieran once the door had shut behind her.
‘I did,’ Kieran answered tersely.
