Page 33 of Presenting Miss Letitia (Once a Wallflower 1)

But when they finally did stop, any chance of escape while the horses were changed was dashed when a ruffian pointed a gun at them. The four villains were not to be seen, and no other carriages pulled into the inn’s stable yard while they were there. Were the men waiting for her and Cartwright like malevolent spiders, ready to draw them into their web of deceit? They must want something. Otherwise, why not just kill them?

Cartwright had asked the armed man to fetch a drink and some food for her. He’d offered a handsome payment if the fellow would let them go. The man just laughed.

That laugh had sent a chill rushing through her veins.

Once back on the road, she closed her eyes and breathed in Cartwright’s clean, manly smell, which calmed her a little. If anyone could find a way out of this predicament they were in, it was he. She frowned, surprised by her blind acceptance of his prowess. She must find a way out of this herself. There was so much she didn’t know about him. She wasn’t about to die not knowing. Startled by a sudden thought, she inhaled sharply.

“What is it?” Cartwright asked, removing his hands from where they’d fallen onto her breasts. She rolled over to face him.

“Kendall! They mentioned Arietta’s husband, Sir Gareth Kendall. Just before they hit you. Do you remember? They said he warned them about you.”

“I remember.”

“I should like you to explain all this to me, Cartwright. I can hardly repeat it to anyone, now can I? Not when I’m about to die.”

“You don’t know that, Letitia.”

“I prefer Letty, and I’m still waiting. Was Kendall right about you?”

“Now’s not the time for this. We will soon arrive at our destination. We passed through St Mary on the Marsh a few minutes ago.”

“You are fobbing me off, Cartwright!”

“Brandon. And yes, I’m afraid I am.”

“Brandon. I’ve a right to be told the truth, surely…” This new familiarity made it even more difficult to think, especially when she was so close to him. “Can we sit up?”

“We might, but it won’t be easy.”

She considered the logistics of it, then discounted it as something that would rob her of more energy. She bit her lip. “I expect you’re right. You shall have to tell me while we are lying down.”

He grunted. “Nice try, Letty. I don’t intend to reveal government secrets while under duress.”

“But this concerns Arietta! She may not be aware that her saintly husband was part of this band of smugglers.”

“Perhaps not.” His voice deepened. “These men have already committed murder, Letty. Please don’t forget that. Don’t be reckless. When we arrive, follow my direction.”

“Who might they have killed, Cart… Brandon?”

“Kendall, possibly.”

“Arietta’s husband?” She twisted herself toward him, which proved a mistake. They were now almost nose to nose, and his hard body rested against hers in the most embarrassing places. She drew in a breath and made a valiant effort to ignore it. “But Arietta is sure he was wrongly accused.” She glared at him and attempted to draw back, suspecting any action on her part would bounce off him like a pebble off a boulder. “Arietta told me you were to blame for him killing himself. She accused you of working for the French.”

“I’m not, but I cannot say the same for Kendall. And I doubt his death was by his own hand. More likely he was murdered by these men.”

Her throat tightened. “But why would they kill one of their own?” she asked. Her voice sounded high-pitched, and she swallowed desperately to calm herself.

“Because he had come under suspicion. Whitehall was about to arrest him. There was a danger, I suppose, that he would talk.”

“Oh! These men are horrid.”

“They are a good deal more than that,” he said dryly. “They are frightened men. And frightened men are extremely dangerous.”

She closed her eyes and went limp. “Then they will certainly murder us.”

He gently shook her wrists. “Hey! I don’t intend that to happen.”

A small sliver of hope warmed her insides, spreading to her cramped, chilled limbs. “You have a plan?”

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