Page 5 of A Remarkable Rogue

Oh, this woman was a handful! If she and Everett had truly been lovers, Nate suspected, she would have devoured the scrawny schoolmaster in a single gulp.

“If you’ll excuse me, Captain.”

She slid past him as she stepped away from the crowded table. The side of her breast brushed against his arm and shot heat straight down to his groin.

He sucked in a mouthful of air through clenched teeth.

With a sashay of her hips, she slipped her way through the crowded club, not toward the retiring room in the rear but straight toward its front doors. By the time she reached the steps, she was running.

Nate blew out a frustrated curse.Stubborn woman.Why did she have to make this so damned difficult?

Two

Sydney Rowland cast a frantic glance over her shoulder, then hitched up her skirts and ran out of the club, down its stairs, and along the street. Her carriage stood only a few yards away. Without waiting for the tiger to help her, she flung open the door and jumped inside.

“Go—quickly!”

The surprised driver flipped the ribbons, leaving the young tiger scrambling to find his seat.

Only when the vehicle began to roll through the London streets toward the safety of her town house did Sydney let herself surrender to the pulsing terror inside her and release a shuddering cry. She leaned back against the velvet squabs and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes.

Oh God…Henry Everett was dead!

She’d seen him just a few days ago at Vauxhall, argued with him right there in the shadows next to the stone folly. He’d been furious at her that she was once more pressing him for the remaining debts he owed her, but he’d been alive when he’d stormed away. Now he was dead, and the sickening guilt rising like bile on her tongue told her she was to blame. That was why Captain Reed had come after her tonight—she’d failed to get the money from Mr. Everett as she’d been ordered.

A fresh terror turned her blood to ice. The blackmailers were coming after her now, but they might also make good on their threats to hurt Robert. If anything happened to him, dear God, how would she survive it?

The door yanked open. Before she could scream, Captain Reed swung inside in one fluid motion and shut the door after himself. He nodded calmly as he settled onto the seat across from her. “Baroness.”

“You’re mad!” she cried out at the speed of the coach he’d just recklessly flung himself into. That same speed prevented him from being seen by her driver and tiger, who were focused on the foggy street in front of them.

“I’ve been called worse.” He leaned forward, elbows on knees, and his eyes glowed intensely even in the shadows of the dim carriage lamps. “Shall we finish our conversation, then? That is, since you don’t seem to need the retiring room after all.”

She drew further back against the seat to keep out of his reach, even though she knew he could have his hands around her throat in a heartbeat. He might kill her, but she wouldn’t die without a fight.Neverwould she allow any man to attack her again without fighting back.

“Captain,” she spat out mockingly to distract him as she slipped her hand down beside her on the seat and beneath the cover of her skirt. “More like a murderous mercenary.” Her fingers felt along the edge of the cushion, and she scowled disdainfully to hide a sob of relief when her fingertips touched smooth ivory. “Is this what becomes of His Majesty’s officers in peacetime?”

His face darkened. “That’s not what—”

“You’re not one of the regular messengers, and you haven’t uttered a word of blackmail yet like the others did. But I know why you’re here. How much are they paying you?” she asked bluntly despite the fear in her trembling voice, which was starkly obvious even to her own ears. Her hand closed around the handle of the knife she kept hidden in the carriage. “I’ll double it if you let me go.”

“What are you talking about?” He frowned sharply. “You can’t buy my loyalty, and I have no intention of letting you—”

She yanked the knife free and lunged across the compartment toward him. The small blade flashed in the lamplight as it slashed through the air toward his shoulder.

He sprang from his seat. With one raised arm deflecting the thrust of the blade, he grabbed her around the waist with the other and propelled her across the compartment and against the hard squabs. His large body crashed into hers with such force that her breath ripped from her lungs. Pinned beneath him, she couldn’t move as his hand clamped over her mouth to keep her from screaming and the other squeezed her wrist.

With a muffled cry, Sydney dropped the knife to the floor.

She closed her eyes and waited for him to kill her.

“What thehellare you doing?” he demanded incredulously. Then, pulling in a deep and calming breath, he eased his grip on her wrist and removed his hand from her mouth. “Any other weapons I should know about, Baroness? Got a pistol tucked up your skirt?”

Her eyes flew open. His face hovered so close to hers that she noticed the sweet scent of brandy on his lips, along with the more masculine scent of leather and horse that surrounded him. “I would use them if I did!”

“Oh, I’m certain of that.”

She groaned in agonized frustration, unable to do more than wiggle beneath him. He was too large and heavy for her to shove away, and her teeth clenched as her stomach sickened. Her last revenge might just be casting up her accounts all over his fine satin waistcoat. “Just kill me, then, and be quick.”