Elizabeth Boyle (22 page)

Training reserved for the highest levels of aristocracy.

That explained Piper’s seamless transition into the London
ton
as the Brazen Angel. She’d probably learned her lessons at the court of Louis XVI, where deception and intrigue came naturally to the aristocracy.

Piper hadn’t taken these outrageous risks for her own needs, she’d taken them for her family. Giles stepped back, stunned at the chances she’d taken. And of all the scenarios he’d played out in his mind, how could he have missed this one?

The answer came to him swiftly. Because he had no family.

Actually, if he thought about it, he’d never really had one. No brothers, no sisters. Only his father, and he had been gone on his own missions for long stretches of time. Giles backed away from the threesome until he stood alone near the fireplace.

What had she said tonight?

It was a matter of life or death.

And he’d mocked her. Now he saw how real and desperate her course had been. Giles knew noble children died beside their parents every day. And the children before him were still a long way from freedom. His scene at Danton’s house probably hadn’t helped her plans any.

A sinking dread filled his chest. What had he done?

While this might not explain her connection to Webb, he wouldn’t allow children to die because of his mistakes. With his ship at Le Havre, he would see Piper and her siblings safely to England. From there they could live in the protection of one of his country houses, until . . .

Until what?
he asked himself. Until his bride-to-be found out he was keeping a mistress right under her nose? He didn’t know how the meek and mild Sophia would react, but he suspected Lady Dearsley might say something about the arrangement. And just how loudly she’d lodge her protests.

Hell, he’d impose on Monty. The duke had more property than he knew what to do with. He could spare a house somewhere.

And then Giles would have to turn his back on the Brazen Angel. Go on with his life as if she’d never existed. He’d marry Lady Sophia, since his duty to his father’s choice dictated he must, and spend his years wondering what might have been. With this dreary prospect he turned from the heartwarming reunion in front of him and stared moodily into the flames.

Sophia had feared she’d never see Lily and Julien again. When the countryside near their father’s château exploded with Revolutionary passion, family retainers had hidden the children, shuffling them from relatives to friends throughout the surrounding countryside.

But Sophia had known none of this.

The last message she’d received from her mother had been that the youngest D’Artiers children were safe, but her mother had not said where, too fearful to reveal their sanctuary in a letter.

Not long after Sophia had received her mother’s missive, the remaining family had been arrested by the National Guard.

For the first few months she’d used the money she’d stolen as the Brazen Angel to uncover where the children were hidden. To bring them to England involved further bribes and costly forged paperwork, especially after the two countries had renewed their age-old conflict and declared war against each other again.

But now everything seemed to be going as planned.

Sophia whispered a small prayer.
Please let them remain safe.

“Piper,” Julien said, “I have decided to become a farmer when we go to England. Do they like farmers in England?”

“Yes,” she said with a smile. “They like farmers.”

“That’s good, because I like farms. Especially the pigs. They are quite social, you know. They like everyone.”

She tried to ignore the haunted light in the boy’s eyes or his apparent overwhelming need to be accepted. She wrapped her arms around his narrow shoulders. He was so thin.

No, the last year and a half had not been easy on her brother or sister.

Lily hovered close by, unusually quiet.

When Sophia had last seen her younger sister over four years ago, the girl had been an irrepressible chatterbox, full of questions about court life and boasting of all the dresses and suitors she would have once she had her chance to attend their mother at Versailles.

That Lily was gone, replaced by this silent shell of a young woman.

Sophia’s only hope was that once the pair returned to England and were placed in the loving care of their Aunt Mellisande, they’d fill out a bit and even possibly forget some of the horrors they’d witnessed.

The door to the rooms opened and Oliver poked his head in.

“The children need to get some rest. They’ve a long day—he stopped abruptly when he noticed Giles in the corner.

Sophia got up. “He followed me here.”

Oliver nodded to her.

Giles looked closely at the roughly dressed man in the doorway, his eyes widening with recognition. “Has your wife found her ‘Johnny’ yet?”

The man grinned back. “She’s down the ‘all looking for ‘im, guv’ner.”

Turning to her, Giles shook his head. “How many accomplices do you have?”

“Just one more.”

“And are you going to introduce me,
Piper
?”

Sophia smiled at his use of her family nickname. “No. The less you know of us the better.”

“You might have explained all this yesterday and saved us both the
difficulties
we discussed.” He stepped closer to her and lowered his voice to a tense whisper. “If I’ve endangered your family, then I want to make sure that they reach whatever destination you have planned. My ships, my resources are yours to command.”

Sophia took a deep breath, stunned by this sudden offer. The change in him was too remarkable to believe, but as his gaze moved over Julien and Lily, she knew he now understood. Not only that, he finally believed her.

“We could use a safe ship,” she said. “Thank you.”

“You have a ship?” Julien asked, dodging in between them.

Giles tousled the boy’s matted hair. “Yes. And you will sail on it.”

“I would command it,” Julien corrected with a wave of his sister’s sword.

“I thought you wanted to be a farmer?” Lily commented sarcastically.

Her mocking bitterness shocked Sophia. For one so young to have such anger brewing inside her—it was good that her sister was leaving France.

“I can be a farmer and a sailor. Can’t I?” Julien argued.

Sophia moved forward, ignoring her sister’s severe tones. She plucked the wicked blade from her brother’s hands. “You can go to bed and dream of being both.”

At this he frowned. “But I’m not tired.”

Hugging him close one more time, she smiled over Julian’s thin shoulder at Lily. “But you will be in the days ahead. You must go tomorrow with the lady you met this evening. Mind her as if she were our own
maman
. I will follow right behind you.”

Sophia handed Julien over to Oliver’s care and turned to her sister. “Please, go get your rest now. I’ll see you in the morning before you leave.”

The girl shook her head, her foot stomping almost imperceptibly. “Why did you make me leave him?” she demanded. “He was sick. He needed me. If anything happens to him . . . I’ll never forgive you.”

This reaction was something Sophia had never foreseen happening. Her sister sounded like a woman in love. And she had a good idea who was the object of her sister’s emotional outburst.

But Lily was only a child. And this child’s crush was too dangerous to be shared in front of Giles.

“He isn’t well enough to travel yet,” she whispered to Lily, steering her toward the door. “He will need to stay here, at least for the time being. Would you have the journey kill him?”

The girl shook her head stubbornly.

“So go on now. And sleep so you can be strong for—” Sophia paused and glanced over to where Giles stood staring into the fire. “For Julien,” she finished.

Lily finally relented, but not before sending another frown toward Giles and flouncing out of the room in an adolescent huff.

Sophia turned toward Giles. “You should stay here tonight. It won’t be safe to return to your lodgings.” She folded her hands in front of her.

He looked up from the flames. “Is that an invitation?”

“Not the way you imagine. Though I—” she looked around the small bare rooms, realizing how much smaller they were with the addition of two children and now another adult. How she wished to spend the night with him again, much as they had done last night. But it was impossible. “I’m afraid all I can offer is the floor out here.”

For a moment they stood in silence, each considering the other’s words.

“Thank you,” she finally said.

“For what? For endangering your family? If I’m not mistaken those two are your brother and sister.”

“Suffice it to say they mean the world to me. And you haven’t endangered them. Not yet.” Sophia sighed.

“Once they are in England no harm will come to them,” Giles said fiercely, as if he’d come to a decision on something very important.

But just what, Sophia couldn’t imagine. Nor would she have ever considered his next statement.

“I have a house,” he began, “in Bath. It’s out in the country. Byrnewood. I rarely use it, and I thought perhaps that if you needed …”

Sophia had never seen Giles look or sound so uneasy. Pompous, know-it-all Lord Trahern stumbling along like a stuttering schoolboy reciting his lessons. And what he offered was even more unbelievable.

“What are you saying, Lord Trahern?” she asked, wanting to make sure she heard him correctly.

“It’s just that when you get to England it will be rather expensive, and you might not have planned that far ahead. . . .” He stumbled along for a few more sentences. “And you might need a place to stay while you get your bearings again, away from prying eyes.”

“Are you offering me shelter?”

He nodded, obviously relieved that she was going to make this easier. “Yes, shelter. It’s a small house. I never use it. But I could take you and the children there. Make sure you’re settled and established without any worries.”

Sophia knew Byrnewood was more than the poor cottage he was making it out to be. Considered one of the finest country houses in Bath, the lush lawns rolled from the rough local stone walls in clipped elegance. Stables, servants, endless rooms. And he offered it to her and her family as if it were nothing.

“Established?” Sophia asked, not knowing whether to be amused or angry. Here was her fiancé asking another woman to set up housekeeping with him.

“Dammit,” he blustered. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes, I do. And what would your charming betrothed think of this
arrangement
? I mean, you still intend to marry Lady Dearsley’s niece, don’t you?”

He coughed. “Yes. I’ve a duty and obligation there.”

Sophia smiled wickedly. “And what is it we share?”

He didn’t respond, his jaw working in frustration.

“And after your marriage to the lady? What will become of me then?”

“My marriage will make no difference. Don’t you see that? I have no choice but to marry Lady Sophia. I’m the last of my line, and it was my father’s dying wish to see me marry this gel. There is much I would give you, much I would let you ask of me—but to break a vow to my father and forsake this marriage are two things I cannot give.”

It was not the answer Sophia wanted to hear. “No, I suppose you can’t,” she replied. “But if there is one thing I’ve learned, we all have choices.”

“I don’t. Not on this. It’s a matter of honor.”

“Honor?” she laughed. “Honor allows you to marry a woman you obviously care little about and hide me away in the country for your pleasures? Where is the honor in that for me?”

His gaze went to the fireplace, as if he dared not look her in the eye. “It is all I can give.”

“Yes, I suppose it is.” She stepped back from him, the words poised on her tongue to tell him who she was. But the images of her dream rose in her mind. No, she couldn’t tell him. For if he knew he would never allow her to finish her work.

“If you were sincere about the use of your ship, I thank you for that,” she said carefully. “It will eliminate some of the risk. I’ll rest easier knowing Lily and Julien are sailing to England entrusted to your safekeeping.”

Giles tipped his head and stared at her. “You aren’t sailing with them?”

She shook her head.

“Why not? You’ve saved their lives; what else can you hope to achieve here?”

“I have other work to finish. I shouldn’t be more than twenty-four hours behind you.”

“Behind me?”

“Yes, you’re going with the children. I need you to see that they arrive at your ship without any mishaps.” Even as she said the words she could tell by the look on his face he wasn’t going to be easily swayed.

“Oh, no, Lady Brazen, or Piper, or citizeness, or whoever you are, I’m not leaving your side. You and I still have some unfinished business. Namely, what you know of Webb Dryden.”

Sophia had hoped to avoid that sticky situation tonight. “I’ve told you my position on that subject. I’ll bring you all the evidence you need in London. Not a moment before.” She saw the storm clouds brewing in his dark gaze, but her own anger at his continued stubbornness about his marriage to Lady Sophia provoked her. With her hands balled into two tight fists, she spoke. “Go ahead,” she dared him. “Bring down the house. Rant. Rave. Call the local guards. I’ll not tell you another word about Webb Dryden until you are safely back in London.”

“Then I stay here in Paris with you.”

Silently, she cursed his stubbornness.

“Besides,” he asked, “what could be more dangerous than tonight’s escapade? What could be more dangerous than deceiving every member of the National Committee?”

Sophia took a deep breath. Pulling herself up to her full height and squaring her shoulders, she told him.

“Tomorrow I intend to break the remaining members of my family out of Abbaye Prison.”

In the quiet of the small bedroom Sophia listened to her sister’s even breathing. When she’d come into the room Julien had awakened and insisted on sleeping in the outer room with Oliver and Giles.

In case they needed an extra guard, he’d argued sleepily with his sister.