AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I promise to keep a respectable distance and remain well out of sight.”
Her narrowed gaze challenged Braden to disagree. Since he couldn’t watch the bloody woman twenty-four hours a day, he at least needed to control the situation as best he could.
“All right, but we need a plan,” he said.
Samantha stood and picked up her walking stick. “In order to develop a credible plan, one needs accurate information. Which means a reconnaissance.”
She headed for the door.
Cursing, Braden rose and strode after her. “Samantha, we need a plan fortonight.”
She wheeled and jabbed a finger at his chest. “The plan is to find the place, stay a safe distance away, and see what we can see. Those children are in trouble, Braden. Weneedto do this.”
He stared down into her stormy gaze, every instinct telling him to hustle her back home where she would be safe. But she was right, blast it. The longer they waited, the more danger the children would continue to be in.
“You will recall that I am not without skills,” she added. “I’ve been doing this for quite some time.”
Now there was something else in her gaze besides a storm of anger. There was a question, one that pleaded with him to listen to her, to trust her when perhaps no one else had.
Ye canna say no.
“Are you armed with anything more than your blade?” he tersely asked.
“I have a pistol. Do you?”
He patted the inside pocket of his greatcoat.
She rewarded him with a dazzling smile that mingled surprise and relief. Clearly, she had expected him to say no.
“Then I think we are ready. Shall we, Dr. Kendrick?”
Braden snorted. “It’s not like I have a choice, do I?”
“One always has a choice, sir. This time, you are choosing me.”
CHAPTER13
Samantha could feel the masculine ire flowing in her direction like waves beating against the shoreline. Dr. Braden Kendrick wastremendouslyannoyed with her.
Despite his disapproval, he remained by her side, a silent guardian. And for that she was so grateful. Regardless of what he might think of tonight’s venture or her conduct in general, Braden would not abandon her.
She pointed to an arch in the line of buildings up ahead. “The fastest way is through Fishmarket to Barrie’s Close.”
“A verra bad idea.” His unhelpful reply was growled out in a deep Highland brogue.
Normally, Braden was very much a man of the city. Tonight, however, she’d caught more than a few glimpses of the Highlander. To her dismay, she found that version of the man just as attractive as the other one. Still, one needed to be firm, so she took his sleeve and towed him through the entrance to the narrow laneway.
He let out a derisive snort. “Och, lass.”
“I know you think I am both managing and impulsive, but we are both very familiar with Old Town and are both armed. Besides, we’re simply going to take a quick look at the Hanging Judge from a safe distance.”
“And then what? What if we do actually see something? What is the next step in the grand plan, if I may be so bold as to ask?”
His snarly attitude might be a wee bit irritating, but she knew it stemmed from genuine worry for her safety.
“The entire point of this reconnaissance is to come up with the plan, remember?” she patiently replied. “And at some point, we’ll have to gather hard evidence to bring to the police.”
“Would that require a visitinsidethe Hanging Judge? If ye have that notion, I would suggest ye forget it. Yer not setting a bloody foot inside that bloody tavern.”
