My Dangerous Duke (43 page)

For good or ill, Rohan knew his course was clear. He had to get into that Tomb, find a way to break the Kilburn Curse, win Kate back if she had not lost all respect for him by now, and only then, make her
safely
his—forever.

Resolved to tread this precarious path, though he had railed against ever marrying just a few days ago in the music room—more bullheaded than the bloody Minotaur—he ignored the inner howling of his superstitious fears, armed himself with the full complement of guns and knives that he had taken to the docklands, then threw a warm scarf around his neck and slipped on the long, heavy sealskin coat that Gerald had lent him.

It was nearly waterproof, as well as being the warmest choice available. The Orkney archipelago lay only six degrees below the Arctic Circle, after all. Daylight lasted but a few short hours this time of year.

Collecting a few more supplies, Rohan threw them into a sturdy knapsack, anything he could think of that he might possibly need, but what did you take to a battle against a dead sorcerer and his horde of conjured demons?

Ballocks. Stop it.
He scowled at his own idiotic imaginings. This was most unlike him. But God’s truth, he was ever so slightly rattled. He feared if he did not get his irrational notions under control, he was going to make a stupid mistake and get himself killed.

Knowing he still had to get
The Alchemist’s Journal
with all the clues in it from Kate, he glanced at his fob watch and saw it would soon be dawn.

Almost time to disembark.

Thanks to Fox’s masterful sailing and more square footage of canvas on the frigate than on the enemy’s schooner, they had passed the Prometheans two days ago, but their lead was not great.

He had to act fast. Though doing this in the predawn darkness posed added challenges, Rohan wished to avoid being spotted going into the Alchemist’s Tomb, just in case Mr. Tewkes had forgotten which of the many caves in the area was the actual entrance. There was no need to let Falkirk see which one it was.

“I am not looking forward to this,” Rohan grumbled to the air with a disgruntled look as he pulled on a black knit hat, followed by thick, heavy, leather gloves. Tossing the knapsack over his shoulder, he trudged up on deck.

He lifted his fur-lined hood against the bone-chilling wind whistling through the yardarms.

He spotted Kate at the rails with her father. She, too, was dressed in a long sealskin coat, with the hood pulled up to block the bitter breeze from her face. Using her father’s telescope, she was looking out to sea.

The moment he clamped his gaze on her, Rohan felt relief spread through his entire body, warming him. He knew she had come up on deck to see him off, and he was utterly grateful. How he would find the strength to say good-bye to her, he did not know. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that he might never see her again.

If they were ever going to be able to be together, though, first he had to do this.

Stalking toward her through the crisp, chilled darkness, he glanced at the rugged grandeur of the sentinel cliffs looming nearby. The rocky crags were covered in hardy northern seafowl sending up a clamor while others dove for their breakfast of fish. There were no penguins at this latitude, but thousands of puffins and terns, along with gulls and cormorants.

The moon had sunk low over the ocean, but its silver glitter played across the dark water and gleamed on floating platforms of ice that seals rode over the waves before flopping back into the water.

Kate laughed softly at the creatures’ antics; he could feel her merry mood and thought it odd under the circumstances as he joined her and her father at the rails.

He nodded to Gerald, who was clad in a bearskin coat, then he noticed that Kate had her boots on, and realized she must have donned her old footman costume again. No doubt the breeches and livery coat were warmer than the satin gown that he feared was her only other option. The poor girl still had no decent wardrobe of her own.

He heaved a sigh, wistful for the chance to spoil her as he had earlier planned.

“So glum this morning, Your Grace?” she inquired, still peering through the telescope.

She must’ve heard his sigh. He just looked at her, leaning his elbow on the rail. As long as he lived, he would never get used to her cheeky humor. Or find another like her.

“I thought facing certain doom was your idea of fun,” she said, turning to him.

“Right,” he murmured, masking his joy that at least she was speaking to him this morning. “Thanks for the reminder. You’re up early.”

“Look. Whales.” She pointed past the seals, then offered her telescope.

He shook his head. “I’m more concerned about the Promethean ship. Where are they?”

“They’ve just entered visual range,” Gerald said.

“Then I’d best be going.”

“The small-boat’s ready whenever you are, Warrington.”

“Did you know Orkney was a favorite stop of Viking ships along their voyages?”

“She’s been at the almanac again,” her sire said dryly.

Rohan succumbed to a fond grin. “Our little bluestocking.”

“There’s your marker. The Dragon Ring.” Gerald pointed to the hilltop, where a circle of giant standing stones dusted in snow rose against the starry sky, ancient, enigmatic, and foreboding. “The entrance to the cave is just across that cove, aligned with the tallest stone. Under that stone arch, you see?”

Rohan nodded, staring at the dramatic rock formation. The stone arch at the base of the towering rocky outcropping was very low, barely visible, except between the white-capped waves that crashed against it.

“Mind you, there are boulders all over the place, and with all these seals, likely sharks in the water, so be careful. When you approach the cave entrance, you won’t have much room to slip under that arch,” Gerald warned. “You’ll have to row in on the trough of a wave. If you hit it on the crest, it’ll capsize you. The water calms once inside the cave, but have your lanterns ready. It’s pitch-dark. You remember what I told you about that Shark’s Mouth contraption?”

Rohan nodded.

“Good. Once you’re in, I’ll sail out to meet those blackguards and engage them. It’ll give me great pleasure to blow them out o’ the water,” Gerald added heartily.

Rohan had every confidence in the hardened captain’s ability to sink the Promethean ship. “What about your bo’sun? ”

“I’ll be sending my men in the small-boats to retrieve Tewkes once I’ve demasted her.”

Rohan nodded. “Fox, they’ve taken one of our agents. A man called Drake. He was the one guarding Falkirk at the docks. Did you see him?”

“Aye.”

“If your men are able to pick him up when they rescue Tewkes, I’d be obliged.”

“Take him captive?”

“It would be helpful. Be sure and keep him in your brig if you do manage to grab him. Be careful of him—truly. He is as highly trained to make mischief as I am,” he said dryly. “If anything happens to me, send word to my manservant in London, Eldred. He’ll contact the appropriate people to come and collect Drake from you.”

“I’ll do as you ask if I can, but I’m not making any promises.”

Rohan nodded.
So be it.
Part of him thought it might be just as well for Drake to die. From what he had seen of him in the docklands, serving as James Falkirk’s human shield, it would certainly appear that their agent had switched sides. If Drake had turned against them, the hard fact was he was going to have to be eliminated along with their enemies.

Rohan hoped he would not regret sparing him.

“I can’t believe I’m here,” Kate murmured, shaking her head at the bleak, timeless landscape before her. “It’s as if we’ve gone to the far end of the earth.”

He glanced at her with a pang, knowing the moment of their parting had arrived. “Well, you wanted adventure, didn’t you?”

“I certainly did,” she murmured as she handed the telescope back to her father. “That’s why I’ve decided to go with you.”

“What?”

“I’m going with you,” she repeated.

“No, you’re not!” he and Fox answered in unison.

“Of course, I am,” she said reasonably, lifting the knapsack by her feet and throwing it onto her shoulder. “I’ve come this far, haven’t I?”

“Kate, you are not going in there.”

Her stubborn gaze met his. “You need me in there with you, and we both know it.”

“Out of the question! You listen to me, young lady,” her father blustered. “That evil place took your mother from me. I’ll not lose you, as well!”

“Papa, you know I have to do this. You can’t stop me. This is my decision.”

“It’s madness!” Gerald cried, paling. “What are you trying to prove? It won’t bring her back!”

“I know that, but at least then I will have some answers. This is the reason you made sure to have me educated like a son, remember? I can do this, Papa. Rohan, I’ll be waiting in the boat.”

“You are staying here,” he replied.

Anger flashed across her face. “Haven’t you two realized yet that you don’t run my life? That place killed my mother! Besides, I have a right—the Alchemist is my ancestor, not yours—and also, I’m the only one who has figured out the clues.”

“Kate, I don’t know what sort of deviltry I may face in there. I’m sorry, but this time, considering I have no idea what I’m getting into, I don’t want to be responsible for having to protect you.”

“With all due respect, Your Grace, I’m the one who’ll be protecting you on this occasion. You’re a warrior, not a scholar, Rohan. I’ve been studying this book, and I’ve already decoded the clues. You don’t stand a chance without me.”

“Just give them to me.”

“No! I’m going in with you. Now, if you prefer to survive the fiendish obstacle course that lies beyond that cave, quit wasting time arguing with me, because my mind will not be changed. For that matter, the Prometheans will be here soon. So, let’s
go
!” With that, she pivoted on her heel and marched off toward the small-boat.

Once more, she had left him and her father stymied, not sure what to say.

“She’s very determined,” Rohan finally muttered.

“Wish I could say she takes after her mother, but I’m afraid she’s a bit too much like me.”

“You think?” Rohan drawled, eyeing him askance.

Gerald turned to him and stared sternly into his eyes. “Warrington, you keep her alive.”

“I will,” he vowed.

“Be careful.” Gerald offered him his hand.

Rohan shook it, then took leave of him with a grave nod, heading for the boat. This, he thought, was a bad idea. But there was no denying the fact that his heart secretly rejoiced. He could not believe she had opted to come with him into the jaws of death rather than sailing off with her father.

Gerald followed him over to the chain-suspended rowboat where she already waited. The captain leaned toward her, gave his daughter a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead. “God keep you, darlin’.”

“Don’t worry, Papa. The Beast and I will do just fine as long as we stick together. Now go fire up those cannons,” she added, flashing a pirate grin while Rohan settled himself across from her in the little vessel.

Seeing that they were securely seated, Gerald signaled to his crew to begin lowering the boat.

“Hold on, stay still,” Rohan warned her, as they waited for the chains to start lowering them into the cold and treacherous North Sea. He looked into her eyes. “I know why you’re doing this.”

She merely raised an eyebrow. “Did you think I would desert you?”

Then the boat was dropping, dropping, the cranks turning, the chains grinding, the winches lowering them to the waves. He already had the oars in his hands and was instantly fighting the swirling waters.

The waves jostled them up and down, side to side. Kate held on tightly while he got the rowboat under control. He put his back into it and immediately began rowing toward the cave.

Seals watched them pass, but were more interested in barking at each other and enjoying the spray of the white-caps that broke against the boulders where they lounged.

The boat tilted as a taller wave passed under them.

Kate blanched and kept her balance, while Rohan glanced over his shoulder to keep them on course.

“Did you see that?” she cried suddenly, pointing to the water. He glanced over just in time to see a tall fin slicing through the brine before it disappeared, passing beneath the boat—and rather dwarfing it.

“Bloody hell,” he whispered. Even a seasoned assassin had to bow to the killing expertise of the average shark.

Kate’s eyes were saucerlike. “Oh God, don’t let us capsize, Rohan.”

“Don’t worry, they’re more interested in the seals than in us,” he assured her with a bit more conviction than he felt. No doubt the Tomb’s builders had selected this remote spot knowing the sharks, silent guardians gliding through the waves, would serve as another deterrent for keeping intruders away.

The stone arch was fast approaching, but getting into position took considerable finesse on the oars. Maneuvering the boat closer, he brought them about ten feet from the archway, but it was impossible to hold the boat still with the water bucking under them. The complex arrangement of boulders outside the cave’s mouth divided the waves and brought in currents from many directions. The frigid air stung his lungs, and the morning twilight made it even trickier to gauge the timing.

“Duck down into the boat when I tell you!” he shouted to her over the loud surf and the barking of the seals and the shrill cacophony of the water birds. “As soon as we’re in, be ready to open the lantern!”

“I will!”

“Hold on!”

Kate looked into his eyes and nodded with a look of faith in him that gave him the final jolt of strength he needed to time the trough of the wave and throw all he had into the oars.

“Get down!”