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Chapter Thirteen
James knew he couldn’t give vent to the anger coursing through him. Some of it was rightly directed at himself. He should have known this beautiful young woman wouldn’t actually be involved in any sort of espionage. But that she had suffered so at the hands of his own enemy angered him to the edge of reason. Forcing himself to ignore his own feelings for the moment, he set himself to the task of offering her some comfort. After a deep breath to match hers, he realized his grasp was probably too tight and slowly released her hand.
She suddenly looked bereft, and he felt as though he had somehow let her down. James wondered if it was that he had let go of her hand, so he reached for her once more, but this time was careful not to squeeze too tight.
“I think you are the bravest young woman I know.”
She snorted. It wasn’t delicate or dainty. She actually made a loud noise of derision. But the surprise that followed it across her face was endearingly amusing. James was gratified that the girl was no longer hiding her reactions from him.
“There isn’t a single brave thing about me. I have been insulating and protecting myself for more than two years. I kept this terrible secret out of fear of the consequences. If I had been truly brave, I would have ensured that Prescott was stopped. The fact that you have been demanding information about him tells me that he has been up to no good again. Perhaps if I had said or done something back then, he could have been stopped.”
“You were a young girl. It was not your responsibility to stop him. I’m actually amazed that your parents allowed you to find yourself in the situation you did. While it was prudent on your father’s part to make sure you knew how to look after yourself, why wasn’t he by your side looking after you?” James could hear his anger leaking through his voice and tried to rein it in again. But Rosabel didn’t seem to mind. Now she was squeezing his hand, as though to offer comfort.
“I’m only sorry that this probably isn’t at all useful to you. And there will be trouble for both of us due to this excursion. Gossip at the very least.”
“You’ve held your head up through worse and gotten through it. You have nothing to fear now. With your maid along and the early hour, it might turn out that no one even will notice. When we return to Town, it’ll be the Fashionable Hour and it will be assumed that we went for a short drive.”
“That is probably true, but since this is the second time this week, there will still be talk.”
“You’ve told me yourself that you’re always talked about.”
“One of things I’m talked about for is the fact that I never ride with a man twice. The last time there was serious gossip about me was in connection with Prescott.”
James felt his jaw tightening, hating the thought that he could be lumped in with that bounder in any way. He heard her sigh.
“And now you know my great big secret, and it probably hasn’t helped you in the least.”
James smiled over her mournful tone.
“It helped more than you could realize.” He didn’t want to elaborate but at her hopeful expression, he continued. “For one thing, thinking you were involved in some way was a huge distraction for me, so finding out the truth of the matter has, in one way, lifted a weight off my mind. And it is further fuel to the knowledge I already had about Prescott. I am more determined than ever to stop him.”
“What exactly is he doing?”
“He is trying to influence a bill that has the potential to stir up a great deal of trouble in the colonies.”
“Oh dear, even I know that wouldn’t be good for the nation at a time like this.”
“No,” he agreed with a heavy tone.
“Which colonies? Does that make a difference? I don’t know much, but I know there are different matters involved depending on the area.”
“It’s the Canadas. In British North America.”
“Interesting. Have you any idea what his motivations are? What could he possibly have to gain by there being trouble?”
James stared at her. It was exactly what he was consumed with trying to resolve.
“I’m not sure yet. I have men looking into it.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” He could hear nervous determination in her tone.
James was filled with astonishment. Her questions had been insightful, more thoughtful than he would have expected from a debutante, which was foolish, he realized, as he was coming to know more and more about this particular young woman.
“Thank you for the offer. I will keep it in mind,” he answered, even though a part of him was instinctively repudiating the thought of allowing her to be involved. He had already involved her by demanding this meeting. He couldn’t reject her offer now after what she had put herself through. She truly could have refused him. He would never have done anything to put her or her sisters at risk.
Despite the walking pace of his horses all this time, they had finally drawn close to the town he had as their destination.
“If I haven’t, after all, completely ruined your day, I would be honoured if you would accompany me for tea at the Boar and Hog Inn.”
