Chapter Thirty-Four

Pushing past the low-hanging branches, Kat darted off the garden path and into the forest surrounding Lord Newtown’s estate as she followed the route of the shooter. She could see his black great coat swirling about sixty feet ahead of her.

The branches slapped against her face and arms as she pushed past them farther into the depths of the trees, the bright moon slanting shafts of light where it could reach. She lost sight of him for a moment and stopped to listen.

A horse’s nicker echoed along the night breeze, but the man’s feet no longer thrashed through the underbrush.

Pulling out her dagger, Kat winced as the sound of steel sliding against the sheath was magnified sharply by the stillness of the forest.

Where was he?

She heard the loud crunch of footsteps running through the scrub once again off to her right. Racing to follow, she pushed her legs as hard as they could go, trying to catch him. His stride was long, and she watched as he easily jumped over a fallen log, his swirling, black coat gracefully following his leap. But then he ducked around to the right and she lost sight of him temporarily. Following the path he’d taken, she saw a clearing up ahead and hunkered behind a tree.

Craning her neck around the stump, she glanced across at the space. The full moon provided ample light for her to see a bay chestnut gelding tethered to a tree about thirty feet ahead with the man quickly untying its reins.

She gripped the hilt of her dagger nimbly and readied her wrist. Stepping half of her body free of the tree, Kat flung back her arm and let the dagger fly. It landed in the tree trunk a few inches from the man’s head.

He drew back sharply with a slight gasp.

She retrieved her other dagger and had it aimed at him within seconds. “The first was a warning.” Her voice was calm and seemingly loud in the small space. “The second will not be.”

The man stilled for a moment before turning to face her.

It was Kat’s turn to gasp. It was Nathaniel, dressed all in black, a rifle slung over his shoulder.

She shook her head. “You said you weren’t the Chameleon.” Her voice no longer sounded calm. “No. You can’t be. I don’t understand, I thought the man wrestling with Marcus was the Chameleon.”

“No, he’s not. Just one loyal follower whose purpose is finished.” He held his hands up, palms open toward her.

“So you tried to kill him and Marcus?” She had to unclench her teeth and force herself to take a breath.

“Do you really think I tried to kill my own brother? You know me better than that.”

“I used to think I did.” But now she wasn’t at all certain who the man in front of her was. “But you just shot at Marcus. What else am I to think but that you tried to kill him?”

“Damn it, Kat, there are bigger things at play here than you know.” He took a step toward her. “And I wasn’t trying to kill Marcus.”

“Not another step!” she warned as she raised her dagger into a throwing position and aimed directly at his heart. “You know what I can do with this. What I should do with this.”

“I do,” he said, stopping in his tracks. “But you won’t hurt me. We both know that to be the case.”

She took in a deep breath. “Your arrogance will be your downfall, Nathaniel.”

He smiled sadly at her. “It already has been. But I’m trying to remedy that.” He turned back to the horse.

“I said stop!” she yelled as she strode farther into the clearing and stopped short as he finished loosening the rope and untethered the horse. “Don’t make me do this.”

He bowed his head briefly. “Kill me if you must, but I need to make amends, Kat.”

“Amends for what?”

“You were right, you see.” His voice was no longer cocky, no longer arrogant, just deeply sad. “I was partly responsible for Victor’s death…as well as so many others. I must fix my mistake.”

“I can’t let you go.”

“You know my aim with a rifle is as good as yours with a dagger.”

That stopped her short. What he said was true, he could hit a target practically blindfolded. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I could have killed Marcus if I had wanted to. But I didn’t. I missed on purpose, trying to separate him from grappling with Corkdale. I needed him away so I could shoot and kill Corkdale.”

“Corkdale was the one he was wrestling with?”

Nathaniel nodded.

“Who is he to you then?”

“He’s the Chameleon’s ruthless right-hand man, and he would seek to kill you and Marcus.” Nathaniel shrugged. “Newtown was just a diversion for Corkdale to draw you and Marcus out.”

“Be that as it may, I still can’t let you leave.” She shook her head, refusing to allow his words to change her mind.

“Then you will have to kill me,” he said. He stared at her for a moment before he turned and mounted his horse.

“Damn it, Nathaniel! Don’t make me do this.”

He looked at her. “I’m not the Chameleon, Kat. You must trust me. But I will kill the Chameleon. There’s been too much death already. It has to stop, regardless of the promise I once made.”

She stared into his eyes, the dark night concealing any true hint of emotion from their depths. She didn’t know if he was or wasn’t the Chameleon, but she did know it was Nathaniel. And that he was right, she couldn’t kill him. She lowered her dagger and took in a deep breath.

He nodded to her before digging his heels into the horse’s flanks and spurring him out of the clearing, off into the forest, away from Newtown’s estate.

Kat closed her eyes for a second and swallowed. God help her, but she hoped she wouldn’t come to regret her decision. Her heart sank at the thought.

“Nathaniel is alive?”

She spun around as the sound of Marcus’s voice drifted from behind.

“And you already knew?” The betrayal on his face was jolting to see.

He had never looked at her with such an expression of utter distrust before.

“Were you ever going to tell me the truth?” Marcus’s eyes tightened at the corners as he regarded her.

Kat opened her mouth to explain things but found herself closing it again equally as quick. How could she explain keeping the truth from him, especially when she knew in her heart he would never forgive her for deceiving him?

She felt a hysterical urge to laugh build inside of her. What else could she do now but tell him the truth? So, she told him, and she watched as with each word he pulled away from her. Not physically. No, he simply stood silent like a statue, but she could feel him withdrawing from her, any warmth fading as frost replaced it. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Marcus didn’t reply for a minute, then it was as if he’d placed a shutter over his eyes as he stared past her. “We need to get back and question this man, Corkdale.”

Taking a step toward him, she held out her hand. “Please, Marcus, don’t be like this. I wanted to tell you from the start, but I promised him time to tell you himself.”

“Don’t,” he all but growled at her. “Don’t talk to me about it. I can’t handle your treachery at the moment.”

“Please don’t be like this.”

“Like this?” he roared. “I trusted you after I thought I would never trust another woman since Elizabeth’s betrayal. It was a mistake to do so, and one I will not repeat.” He turned away from her and strode down the path back to Newtown’s residence.

It was in that moment that Kat felt more alone than she ever had in her entire life as the deep weight of knowledge settled in her heart. The knowledge that Marcus would never forgive her.

But then she got angry, furious even. She hadn’t lied to him or been unfaithful to him or even been treacherous. She simply hadn’t told him about Nathaniel. And because of that he was never going to forgive her? Unacceptable!

“Don’t you dare liken me to Elizabeth!” she yelled as she strode after him. “I’m nothing like her.”

He stopped and spun around. “She lied to me, just as you have, even after you gave me your word to tell the truth.”

She marched up to him and pushed him in the chest. The man didn’t budge an inch, but his scowl grew fierce. “I never lied to you. I simply didn’t tell you about Nathaniel.”

“There was nothing simple about keeping from me the fact that my brother is actually alive. How could you keep that from me, knowing I blame myself for his death? Knowing I grieve for him every day.”

Her breath caught in her throat at the raw pain she saw reflected in his eyes. “I’m sorry I kept it from you. Deeply sorry. It’s not something I wanted to do. I argued with Nathaniel about it, but he was adamant that you and your family would be in danger if you found out. That’s why I promised him I wouldn’t tell you, and that’s why I didn’t.”

His jaw clenched tightly for a moment. “How long have you known?”

“Not long,” Kat said. “He was waiting for me in the back gardens of my house, the night Sir William was attacked.”

“The dagger used at Sir Williams… Was it Nathaniel who attacked him?”

“He says not.”

“You don’t believe him?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” She bit her lip. “He’s different now, Marcus. He’s not the same Nathaniel I used to know. But I imagine anyone who spent two years as a prisoner in the Kremlin wouldn’t be the same person they once were.”

He exhaled sharply. “What happened?”

She told him everything Nathaniel had told her, and with each word she could see the pain intensify in his eyes.

“If I’d have known, I would have done everything to get him out of there. To save him.” His words were raw, and Kat had to stop herself from reaching out and holding him.

Given how upset he was with her involvement, she doubted he’d welcome such an embrace. “As would I. But none of us knew.”

“Why did he go to you and not me?” There was confusion and perhaps even a hint of an accusation in his glare.

“We trained for four years together, Marcus,” Kat said. “We used to trust each other completely. Besides, he wanted to try to fix things himself without having his big brother ride in to save the day.”

Marcus buried his hands in his hair. “A part of me is furious with you both, but then another part is beyond happy he’s alive.”

Hesitantly, she took a step over to him. “I know. It’s how I felt when I found out.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me, Kat?” There was an almost pleading look in his eyes. “Why did you choose him instead of me?”

“It wasn’t like that at all.” How to make the stubborn man see reason? “You don’t understand.”

“Don’t I?” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. “What if Victor was the one who was alive and he approached me instead of you? Would you be fine with me keeping that knowledge from you? Especially when your main purpose at the moment is to avenge his death. Would you still trust me after I stayed silent?”

She raised her chin higher. “I’d be furious, too, but I’d be more upset with Victor for putting you in that position. And I certainly wouldn’t have likened you to an unfaithful jezebel.”

Marcus opened his mouth to say something and then stopped. “Perhaps I was slightly hasty in labeling you a liar.”

“You were,” she said, the tightness at the thought he’d never forgive her easing greatly.

He paused and glanced beyond her. “I was jealous.”

“Jealous? Why would you be jealous?”

“Because he came to you and not me. Because you kept his secret. Because I’m worried that you both still have feelings for each other… Romantic feelings.”

“Romantic feelings?” A puzzlement filled her at his words. “Why would he and I have feelings for each other? We care for each other, or at least we used to. But I’ve never loved him romantically.”

“If that’s the case, why did you kiss him when you were younger?” His gaze returned to hers.

“How do you know that?” She could feel the mortification creeping up her face.

“Because he told me after the fact, years ago. He said he thought he was in love with you, but then you and Victor travelled to China on some mission for nearly a year, so that was the end of that. But now he’s back. Do you care for him?”

The uncertainty in his voice had a slow smile creeping up at the corner of her lips. If he was worried about her caring for Nathaniel, then that meant that Marcus cared for her, at least a little. The thought was as surprising as it was welcome. “Of course I care for him.”

Marcus nodded slowly. “Of course you do.”

“I care for him like a brother, you buffoon!” She placed her hands on her hips and stared him down. “You’re the one I care about in an entirely non-brotherly way.”

“You care for me?” His voice broke slightly on the last word.

“Do you really think I’d take you as my lover if I didn’t?” she pertly questioned. “But don’t go bandying that around. I have a reputation as the Ice Maiden to uphold.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, my lady.” A slow smile stretched across his face.

“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” she asked him offhandedly, but inside she was holding her breath waiting for his answer.

“Finding out that my brother is alive threw me, and I did react poorly.” He stepped forward and picked up her hand. The touch sent such warmth through her entire body and her hand squeezed his in return. “It hurts me that he doesn’t trust me enough to have come to me instead of you. And I took that frustration out on you. And for that, I am sorry. Do you forgive me for reacting so poorly?”

Reaching out, she took his other hand in her own and squeezed both of his hands. “I do. Though I didn’t appreciate being likened to Elizabeth, your reaction to finding out the news was rather mild compared to what mine probably would have been, if the shoe was on the other foot.”

“What would you have done?” he questioned, stroking the top of her knuckles with his thumbs.

“I daresay I would have likely already stabbed you.”

He blinked for a moment and then threw back his head and laughed. “You bloody well would have, wouldn’t you.”

She arched an eyebrow at him. “It would have only been a flesh wound, of course, but yes I imagine I would have. Either that or kneed you in the nether regions again. You do know how I get when I am angry.”

“That I do. I suppose we had better get back to question Corkdale. And after that, you know we’re going to have to find my brother, because he’s in well over his head in this mess.”

“I know he is.” Kat nodded. She just hoped he wasn’t in too far that they couldn’t pull him out.