Come the Dawn (41 page)

Devlyn and India walked slowly down the stairs, hand in hand. En route from the attic they passed at least seven servants. All were too well trained to reveal any surprise at seeing the two walking hand in hand; obviously in love and obviously disheveled. But India knew that within five minutes rumors would be raging through Swallow Hill.

She looked at Dev and smiled. “You know they will be talking about us. They will say the most outrageous things. That you held me at gunpoint. That I held you at gunpoint. Will you mind?”

Thorne slid a curl of auburn hair away from her cheek. “I doubt, my sweet, that they could say anything as amazing as what I’m thinking right now.”

“You’re sure? You didn’t care for gossip after the balloon ascension.”

“Let them talk,” Devlyn said huskily. “In fact, let the whole world talk. I think I’d like to figure in a few sordid Delamere scandals. Besides, we have a great deal of making up to do, you and I.”

India bit her lip. “I wonder what the children will think.”

Devlyn laughed dryly. “The children? They will be
ecstatic, no doubt. They’ve loved you from the first second they saw you.” His eyes darkened. “Just as I have.”

“Rake,” India scoffed.

“Reformed
rake,” Thorne corrected gently. Their fingers tightened.

“But what about the rest of the diamonds?”

They had come to the bottom of the staircase now, and Devlyn stood looking down the sunny, polished corridors of marble, in a house that was filled with the treasures of five centuries, acquired by a buoyant, stubborn family whose history was a good part of the history of England itself.

He smiled to himself for a moment. He only hoped he was smart enough and strong enough to keep pace with these Delamere women. “Now that we have three of the band, we’ll soon have all the rest. They’re not the sort to hold their tongues. Besides, we have another clue. We are told they carry a peculiar scar above their right wrists.”

“A rising sun,” India said thoughtfully. “L’Aurore.”

“Very quick, my wife. You have a natural flare for this kind of work.”

“I must remember that. Unless you keep me very well occupied, I might just disappear on some dangerous mission or other.”

Dev’s face darkened with a scowl. “Not if you value your life, you won’t. There’ll be no more jaunting off in the middle of the night to interview river pirates, I warn you.”

“Not even if they are
very
handsome? Not even if they hurt their shoulder swinging across the deck trying to rescue me from problems of my own creating?”

Dev studied her thoughtfully. “I suppose something might be arranged,
ma mie.
The crew of the
Gypsy
took quite a liking to you, as a matter of fact. Perhaps a run downriver could be arranged.” A smile played over his lips. “If the terms were favorable, of course.”

India ran her hand lightly along his shoulder. “I suspect that the terms could be
very
favorable.” They were nearly at the end of the marble corridor when a ripple of sultry laughter drifted out of one of the salons at the rear of the house.

Dev stiffened. His eyes locked on India’s. “It couldn’t be—”

But it was. At that moment Lady Helena Marchmont sat next to the Duchess of Cranford drinking tea from a fragile Sèvres porcelain cup.

“Let’s go back,” Devlyn muttered. “If we hurry, she’ll never see us.” But it was too late.

“Ah, there you are,” the duchess said, rising imperiously to her feet. “Lady Marchmont and I were just talking about you.” A devilish gleam lit the duchess’s keen blue eyes. “I was telling her how delighted we all were to hear of your upcoming marriage.”

Lady Helena studied the two figures in the doorway, her expression unreadable. “It did seem rather sudden to me, but then I suppose that’s the soldier in Lord Thornwood. It is the soldier’s way, to see a target, plan a campaign, and move forward without thinking.”

“It worked well enough for us in Brussels,” Dev muttered. He looked down at India, smiling. “I find it has worked well again.”

The countess rose to her feet in a flurry of lace and satin ribbons. “I must not intrude. I merely came up from London because I was concerned about the children. I have brought a gift for Alexis, if I may see her.”

After a look at Thorne, the duchess nodded. “I believe you’ll find her in the rose garden. She was playing hide-and-seek with Ian and the other two ragamuffins.”

The countess smiled at India. “I wish you every happiness,” she murmured before turning toward the open french doors. Her heavy perfume seemed to hang on the air long after she had gone off in search of Alexis.

“I wonder what
she
wanted?” India looked thoughtfully after the countess’s retreating form.

“She wanted to see you of course,” the duchess said crisply.
“And
to see if she still had any chance with Thornwood.” The duchess’s eyes crinkled. “I hope I was not too far off in my reading of the situation?”

“You were dead on target, as always,” Dev said dryly. “I can see I shall have to be on my toes in this family.” He looked out at the garden. “I suppose it will do Alexis no harm to speak with the countess for a few minutes. I will herd her away after that.”

“It won’t do to coddle the girl, you know,” the duchess said firmly. “She’s had a terrible ordeal, but the memory is already fading fast. My advice is not to treat her differently from the other two.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Dev said slowly. “All the same, there’s something about the countess that leaves me unsettled.”

“Yes, Chilton, what is it?” The duchess looked up as the butler entered the room. “Another disappointed female to see Thornwood?”

Chilton shook his head. “This message has just come from London, Your Grace. It was directed to Lord Thornwood. There is a carriage waiting, too.”

As Dev scanned the note, a frown grew between his brows. “I have to go back,” he said harshly.

India went very still. “Does it have to do with—?”

“Exactly,” Thorne growled. “And until this business is completed there will be no peace for any of us.” He circled India’s hands and gripped them tightly. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. It’s not my choice, you must understand that.”

India managed the semblance of a smile. “I know that. Do you have the — lost merchandise?”

“Safe and sound,” Dev said, thinking of the diamond hidden in his boot.

“I’ll have Cook pack you a lunch. I’m afraid you missed it.”

“But I feel entirely satisfied, my lady,” Thorne said with a wolfish grin.

For a moment India’s fingers tightened on his. “Come back to me, Dev. I’ve lost you twice now, and I don’t want to lose you again.”

Her husband kissed her with hot, thorough skill and they were both breathless when he finished. “You’ll never lose me again. Not even if you
want
to,” he vowed hoarsely.

~ ~ ~

The Duke of Wellington’s private secretary waited calmly in the shadowed interior of the traveling coach. He was neatly dressed, careful in this as in everything else. In fact, all of his plans were immaculate.

He fingered the pistol well hidden beneath his cloak and smiled. There would be no more thwarting of his plans this time. Within hours the Duke of Wellington would be dead, the diamond known as l’Aurore once more in his possession, and the emperor of France on his way to being restored to his throne.

Thornwood pulled open the carriage door. “Ah, Stevens, is that you? There was no need for you to come and see me back personally, I assure you.”

“His Grace had some reports he wanted me to show you. And there were some other things which he did not care for me to mention, but I thought you should know anyway.”

Dev swung easily into the carriage and dropped a satchel on the opposite seat. “What sort of things?”

“The four recent threats against his life, for example.”

“He never said a word to me.”

Wellington’s aide nodded. “He never says a word to anyone. He should not be going about, not until these malcontents lose their interest in him.” He called to the coachman, who put the horses into motion. “You’ve brought the diamond?”

Dev patted his boot. “It won’t escape me again.”

The secretary sat back and smiled. “Excellent. His Grace will be delighted.” Outside the carriage the green lawns of Swallow Hill rushed past in a blur. “And congratulations on the safe return of your ward. It was cleverly done.”

Devlyn shook his head. “Not clever enough. Our timing was far too close. Damnable how these madmen seem to know our every move before it comes. Still, we’ll have them all soon. Those three in custody will be happy enough to reveal everything they know.”

The secretary’s hands gently smoothed the folds of his cloak. “Oh, haven’t you heard? There has been a bit of bad news. One of the men jumped from the window of the house where he was being held. The other two were found poisoned. It appears their compatriots did not wish them to reveal any of their secrets.”