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Wasting no time, James pushed away from the window and strode straight for Kensworth. It was entirely possible that there weren’t men outside awaiting orders to raid this meeting, but every instinct he possessed insisted that’s what was about to happen.
He grabbed Kensworth’s upper arm and pulled him toward the bar. “We’re leaving. Now.”
The burly blond resisted. Of course. “The meeting isn’t over. I want—”
Despite his companion’s leaden feet, James propelled him onward. There was no time to argue. He turned to the room at large and yelled, “Ambush! Everybody scatter!”
Despite the chatter, his words garnered everyone’s attention. However, he wasn’t going to stick around to see if they obeyed him or not. He pushed Kensworth into the tavern’s back room, his goal the rear door.
Men shouting, doors slamming, feet pounding—it sounded as if they had landed squarely in Milton’s Pandemonium. The others had heeded his advice, charging out the front.
James would look like the veriest fool if there wasn’t anyone here to arrest them, but if he was wrong, so be it. Ridicule was far more easily endured than Kensworth’s arrest. Amelia would never forgive him for allowing that to happen.
James’s announcement recalled Kensworth’s latent military training. The viscount moved willingly now and kept silent.
They neared the door, and James pulled Kensworth closer and whispered, “As soon as we’re outside, run for the horses. Whoever is out there won’t shoot.” Under the circumstances, it seemed ridiculous that any lawmen would offer such unnecessary violence. “The most important thing is for you to get away without being seen. Do you understand?”
“What about you?” Kensworth asked.
“Don’t worry about me. If we get separated, we’ll meet near the old well we passed.” James peered outside but saw no one. The exodus from the front had probably distracted everyone stationed back here. “Go!”
He gave Kensworth one last push, and they both raced for the church, James shortening his long stride in order to stay with him. One of the village shops shielded their view of the lane and vice versa, but in a flash they were both mounted and unfortunately could now see the lane. Could see men being chased.
Worry creased Kensworth’s brow. “My brothers...”
“Go, damn you!” James slapped the man’s horse on the rear, and rider and mount shot off into the darkened woods.
Turning back toward the village, James stealthily guided his bay along the shop’s wall until he could observe the lane.
A handful of men kicked dirt in front of the tavern. One angry voice rang out, “Not a single one captured! They must have a spy, someone who knew what we were about.”
A few others straggled back from the dark edges of the village, all but two empty-handed.
Hal Stickney had been caught. He twisted and struggled, but the men holding him weren’t about to let go.
James was certain this night’s work wasn’t Sidmouth’s. Still, he couldn’t chance anyone taking note of his appearance. Despite his lack of involvement in the raid, Sidmouth would not appreciate James’s next action.
He pocketed his spectacles, a dangerous prospect in itself, loosened his cravat, and slipped the linen up around his face, tying it off behind his head. Spurring his bay, he headed straight toward those who held Stickney. When they were close enough, he tapped his heels three times against the horse’s flank and pulled sharply on the reins. The bay reared up, as it had been taught.
The two captors released their prisoner, instinctively raising their arms to ward off flailing hooves.
The bay thudded back onto his hooves, and James reached out a hand to Stickney, shouting, “Come!”
The young man didn’t hesitate, reaching out to clasp James’s hand in salvation. As if they’d practiced the maneuver many times, James gripped the man’s arm and hoisted him up while Stickney swung his leg over the horse.
The rescue mission barely lasted thirty seconds, and then they were off down the lane, the bay galloping hard despite its extra burden.
After a mile slipped by and there was no sound of thundering hooves in pursuit, James slowed his mount. Ripping his cravat down to his neck, he turned slightly and asked Stickney, “All well?”
“Mr. Donner? Goodness, I never thought a clerk could ride like that.”
“Well, I love horses so I saved my money to buy a good one.” He patted the bay’s neck.
“Thank you for rescuing me, sir,” Stickney said. “I thought for sure you was the one who ratted us out.”
James had known they would blame him; his untimely attendance was nothing but suspicious. Good thing he was leaving Hertfordshire tomorrow, otherwise the Hampden Club members might hunt him down.
“Where do you live?” he asked Stickney, more sharply than he meant.
“I can walk from here.”
James tugged the reins and the bay stopped. “Are you certain?” He wanted nothing more than to be done with Stickney, Kensworth, and this whole mess, but still he felt an obligation to see the young man safely home—and warn him off.
“Yes, sir.” Stickney slid off the horse. Extending his hand he said, “Thank you again.”
James shook his hand and held the grip. “Hal, you realize the danger now, don’t you? They can arrest anyone they choose, so watch your step. Your family must have need of you.”
Not quite the inspiring speech of Kensworth or Boyd. He could tell from the skeptical look in Stickney’s eyes that his caution held no sway with the lad and feeling as unheeded as a vicar in a brothel, James watched him stride off through the field without another word. Once more he urged his bay into a trot, and within a short time he spied Kensworth’s silhouette near the moss-covered well and the turnoff to Wakebourne Park.
Kensworth, so still and so silent, could have been a statue. As James pulled up, he could see the anger in the viscount’s flushed cheeks and flashing green eyes.
“Was it you?”
So, everyone thought he had informed on the club.
Ridiculous, how such a question could hurt when he was a spy. He was guilty of many things, including suspecting Kensworth of plotting to assassinate the prime minister, but not this. Not treachery against the innocent and well-meaning.
“Answer me!”
Kensworth had perfected the aristocratic command, and James stared at him a moment longer, the chill night air now seeping beneath his clothing. “You have already decided,” he said. Then, with a jerk, he turned his mount onto the track leading to Kensworth’s home. Tomorrow morning, and his departure, could not come soon enough.
“Have you seen my brothers?” Kensworth asked. Though the words were spoken through a clenched jaw, James could hear the worry beneath.
Again, James stopped. He’d thought everyone had made it clear of the ambush except for Stickney. Circling back, he said, “Let us look for them.”
Kensworth’s eyes widened, but he had no opportunity to speak for at that moment they both heard rampaging hooves crest the hill behind them. Soon thereafter David and Robert rode up laughing and smiling.
“What a way to finish the night!” David remarked, his hazel eyes dancing as much as the overexcited stallion beneath him. “Did you see how we surprised them? Nearly bowled them over. I couldn’t believe they didn’t shoot at us!”
“They weren’t there to kill anyone; they merely wanted to make arrests,” James said wearily. “Show a bit of authority, as it were. I would guess the local magistrate organized the whole thing.”
Robert shifted in his saddle and cocked his head toward James. “How did you know to warn us?”
As James mulled over what to say, he glanced at Kensworth. Couldn’t the man see that James wouldn’t have warned everyone if he’d arranged the betrayal in the first place? Kensworth wouldn’t even look his way.
“Who cares?” David said into the silence. “I’m just glad you did.”
“Let’s go home,” Kensworth said, guiding his dun onto the track and passing James.
“What?” David cried. “It’s time to celebrate! You can’t tuck yourself up in bed, Stephen. Might as well declare yourself in your dotage.”
Kensworth halted and glared at his brothers. “We are all returning to Wakebourne. Right now. We will set out for London no later than seven o’clock tomorrow morning.”
An owl hooted, a lone voice in the still night. James and the others followed Kensworth silently, David unable to hide his sullenness, Robert seemingly unaffected by any emotion, and James too annoyed with Kensworth for idle chatter.
Was it too much for a spy to want to be trusted? He shook his head at his stupid, unamusing thought.
Despite the early hour, they all parted ways once returned to Wakebourne Park, mumbling good-night with all the enthusiasm of children sent to bed. James retreated to his bedchamber, there to wait until everyone was asleep so he could safely search Kensworth’s study.
Stripping down to his shirtsleeves, breeches, and stockings, he stretched out on the bed and willed himself to sleep. He awoke a few hours later, but it was still too early to risk roaming the corridors. Staring at the figured green brocade of the bed canopy, he couldn’t keep his thoughts from drifting to that morning.
Finally, he’d seen the return of the Amelia with whom he’d shared that carriage years ago. She’d been lively, amusing and, as always, insightful. With her, he often didn’t need to speak; she simply knew what he was thinking—or, more importantly, what he was feeling. Still, she wanted him to share his thoughts anyway. And she was persistent.
She was still dissatisfied with her shape after all these years. How could she not know how much he desired her just as she was?
Because he had never told her, he reminded himself. And he never could.
For distraction, he snatched a book from the bedside table and began to read. He’d picked Samuel Jamesson’s A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland from the library earlier that day, when he’d thought to have the morning to himself. But as fascinating as the Isle of Skye was, he still couldn’t concentrate on Mr. Jamesson’s words.
She’d said she would rather he not leave the country again... And, why had she kissed him? He’d been determined to display his best brotherly behavior and look where it had got him. Pushing her away had required an extra dose of willpower he hadn’t known he possessed, at least not in regards to Amelia.
Perhaps the sun had gone to her head, and she’d imagined he was Kensworth when she kissed him.
Perhaps the sun had gone to his head, and he’d wishfully imagined her entreaty to stay.
Perhaps he had no business contemplating any of this. He had a mission to accomplish.
He sat up and flexed his feet in preparation for his stealthy journey through Kensworth’s house, made his way downstairs in his stockinged feet, ears on alert for the sounds of anyone else about. Luckily David and his slobbering hounds slept in a different wing.
He heard nothing and slipped into the study. By moonlight, he rummaged through the drawers of the desk, glanced at a ledger, shuffled through bills. He froze once, upon hearing a howl from one of the hounds, but resumed his search when no other sounds were forthcoming. Nothing indicated Kensworth had plans to kill the prime minister. Not that he’d expected to find anything. What he’d seen at the meeting—Kensworth sharing information from the House of Lords and the secretive conversations of Robert and David’s acquaintance—had nearly convinced him of Kensworth’s innocence. It was possible the would-be assassin wasn’t a peer at all but someone with access to his knowledge, as James had originally thought. Not that he had proof, by any means, merely a chance observation, intuition, and a foolish wish to clear Kensworth’s name. However, his work required him to be thorough and not speculative.
Stepping away from the desk, he surveyed the room, looking for any signs of a secret storage place, for if Kensworth were a nefarious plotter James didn’t think he would be stupid enough to keep evidence of it in his unlocked desk.
The room was small and sparsely furnished, as if its occupant spent as little time as possible there.
One bookcase near the window held more ledgers, and he was in the midst of methodically pulling them out and checking behind for false panels when he heard voices outside the house. Standing flush with the bookcase, James peered out the window and saw the nervous man from the Hampden Club standing near the corner of the building. He appeared to be arguing with someone just out of James’s line of vision. The window was closed, and James could hear nothing they were saying. If he tried to open it, they might hear. However, they were near the breakfast room window, and from there he might be able to see who the other person was.
Quickly but carefully, he re-shelved the ledgers, checked the study once more to make certain everything was as he’d found it, and then slipped out of the room. He had his hand on the doorknob to the breakfast room when a flickering flame suddenly loomed in mid-air at the end of the corridor.