My Lady Gambled (15 page)

“Then, in that vein, before we get onto the meat of why we are gathered here, Radford, what ideas have you come up with to deal with Yojo?”

“From, Joelle, we have discovered that Yojo has an affinity for and love of animals,” Radford said. “You remember that ex-spy Meramoth? He has a rather extensive menagerie on his estate in Cornwall. I thought with Joelle’s encouragement, that her friend’s zoo needs Yojo’s help. We could cache Yojo there, out of the way. It is close enough if we find need for him. Added to that idea, I have already begun to search for any of Yojo’s family still alive in Prussia. A further incentive to bind Yojo to our cause and perhaps keep him out of trouble without physically imprisoning him.”

“Excellent,” Drummond said.

Joelle agreed, saying, “Perfect, Radford, really. We might show Yojo a new life.”

“Or remind him of an old one,” Radford said.

“Exactly.” Joelle punctuated her response with a smile.

“Now,” Drummond began again, taking up the leadership. “Our mission staging area will be here. We have given over our ballroom to the effort. That is where you will bring information of the smallest matter to Radford and Nia.” Drummond turned and nodded toward the couple. “Our first order of business is unfortunately messy. It will be personally uncomfortable for the two recipients that will have to move undercover to infiltrate and become intimate with The Order and it members residing here in England.”

A murmur went around the room and Brynmore wondered how many had expected this and the full impact of it. He had not, until this moment. He was the foot soldier of the group, along with Saxon and others stepping in at times when needed. He did surveillance, reconnaissance, and yes infiltrations at times. He was intuitive and in control of any particular piece of a mission they assigned to him. However, everyone depended on Drummond for the overall and outward view of where an operation was constantly evolving. And, just lately, his concentration was on Incubus and not thinking ahead.

So, Brynmore was just now realizing the full implications of what Drummond was saying, as were the others. Brynmore paused in concentration and in only a few moments he calculated the high moral and personal risks this was going to involve. The Order was a cesspool of sexual depravity. Anyone trying to infiltrate into its folds was going to have to act as perverted. A woman trying to enter The Order would be extremely vulnerable to sexually explicit abuse. He knew he sure as bloody hell was not going to allow any woman in this room to do it!

“I’ll go,” Brynmore announced loudly, so there was no mistake anyone did not hear him. “Tis obvious,” he added, still leaning against the bookcase as if it were just another lazy day. He used his unaffected posture for all he was worth.

“Not so obvious,” Wyndham casually retorted.

“Aye, it is. I’ll have me one bonny torrid little romp to remember my wild times when I’m old and rickety,” Brynmore said, winking. “Looking forward to some of that tawdry tomfoolery, I’ve been missing.” 

“You will need a woman,” Wyndham said against Brynmore’s bravado, which Brynmore was not certain had fooled anyone. “Each of us has those available,” Wyndham finished.

“I dinna see the need of a lass. I can do fine on me own—and, I’m certain there are many married men attending The Orders depraved gatherings without their wives. And, single men too,” Brynmore countered, lifting his shoulder from the wall to cross his arms over his chest.

“It would be unwise to send a lone person for this venture. The risks are high enough going in alone to not go in without backup,” Drummond stated.

Brynmore knew then that two were going in. No one questioned Drummond’s reasons. He was brilliant at what he did and truth be known, they had never set up an undercover operation with only one. It was a type of unspoken rule of safety, not broken until Wyndham had gone into Valcourt alone to help Or‚lan escape the clutches of Alexei Tropov’s. Brynmore knew he could argue that point all night against Drummond’s opinion and in the end, Drummond’s decisions would win out. Drummond would not do this lightly, he knew the personal sacrifice.

“So unless it were two men.” Drummond continued, breaking Brynmore’s thoughts. “Which, I see as appearing too suspicious looking.”

Still, Brynmore did not realize the concern and fear for his friends and their relationships that he felt, until he found himself heatedly blurting, “You cannot mean to send any of you couples in!” It came forth like an accusation, said as through he thought Drummond was crazed. “I’ll get a tart to pose!” Bloody balls. Brynmore’s gaze swept to Nia. He had not meant to say that. She had been a lady of the night once, but he had not meant it that way.

“We’ll go!” Joelle exclaimed. “We will—well, we’ll disguise ourselves. Right, Saxon?” Joelle turned to Saxon. “We know best how to keep safe …” Joelle’s voice faded off.

“I will stop this now,” Drummond interceded. “I’ve already made my decision and it will involve none of the couples here.”

Brynmore felt the urge to sag with some relief.

Drummond continued, “There are many issues involved. We will not argue the point whether any of the couples here should be chosen to go and why not. One thing we learned from Yojo was the entrance fee into The Order always involved the person seeking inclusion needed to offer something of enough value that they could themselves be blackmailed with. Quite clever actually and it shows the determination of the members to satisfy their individual depravities.”

This was news to Brynmore, but he was grateful for whatever kept his friends and their lasses away from this particular venture. He did wonder what in the world Drummond could have in mind. Just as he knew Drummond did have something in mind.

“All of us are too visible. Our titles and our prominent places in society make it unbelievable to attempt blackmail against those of us noteworthy enough to gain entrance to The Order,” Drummond said. “Now, listen closely, dear friends. I believe that a wealthy married woman, foreign and not well known on our shores, along with her adulterous lover, might do it.”

“And, I will be a ring-tailed polecat!” the voice of Kit Montoya pierced the room. “Because I have two of those three.” Brynmore jerked, turning to see Kit walking through the open entrance to the library, continuing to say, “Now, compadres, I only need the third, an adulterous lover.”

Brynmore paced outside the closed door to Drummond’s study. He rarely got irritated enough to pace and the fact that he was fueled the anger thrumming inside him. Kit Montoya had just waltzed into their group like a bloody damned angel of vengeance, all cocky as if she had the right to be there.

“Bloody hell,” Brynmore swore out loud. He had seen instantly that she had Drummond’s full backing. He had never felt himself go from nothing to explosive anger so quickly before. It had taken him inhuman amounts of effort, not to bellow the word “no” over and over. His upheaval had left him mute and straining.

That had been over an hour ago and then Kit had been introduced, eyeing him with challenge, but saying nothing. Then he learned how the hell she had gotten there and insinuated herself into Drummond’s plan so swiftly and thoroughly. Damn, she was amazing. He had to give her that. She had done the one thing that he had never thought to do. She had looked in the chateau’s graveyard and found enough to fill a trunk with bones and personal effects of those murdered by The Order. That evidence had gained her entrance right back into the thick of the Archangels mission. Kit knew her brother was dead now. She had the proof, but instead of returning home in grief she was out for revenge.

“Fuck.” Brynmore slapped the wall and halted his pacing, bowing his head. He tried to tell himself that she could not possibly understand what she was getting herself into.

“If it were your brother or sister, Bry, think what you would do.” Saxon’s voice came from behind Brynmore. “Women are not so different from us in that.”

Brynmore nodded, he did not trust himself to speak. Saxon’s hand clamped on his shoulder in comfort. “I find myself having to put a brave face on it also, Bry. Once you think it through you will know that you do not have the right to ask her to say out of harm’s way in this. As much as you want to, the best you can hope for is to be beside her and deflect as best as you can.” 

“Bloody hell, Saxon.”

“I know, Bry, but she will surprise you. She is stronger than you believe.”

Saxon squeezed Brynmore’s shoulder, then he turned to go back down the hall. Brynmore took a few more minutes before he entered the study where Drummond and Kit waited for him. It was hard to agree with what Saxon said, but he knew Saxon was right. Kit Montoya was going to destroy her life with or without him, while searching for revenge. He understood as a man, he would do the same and not think twice but women were so much more deeply affected. Damn it!

Roughly, Brynmore ran his hand through his unruly auburn hair. “Start out as you intend to go on,” he muttered. It was something his ma used to say. It seemed to him that he needed an angle to all this. “What?” he groused. “Try to be professional, rise above it?” Oh yes, let us just waltz into a den of sexual depravity side by side and he would remain unaffected and professional. “Bloody balls, at least I’ll get to fuck her,” he growled.

That was the inevitability. It had to be. He could not deny that he did not want to either, only not like that. Not like it was going to happen. It was too much to think about. Too much to plan and try to find some perspective on. He did not have the time now. Now, he just had to get through this next part to gain time to decide how to go on.

“The most bloody important thing now,” he muttered to himself. “Is to keep it close to the cuff.” Brynmore took a few deep breaths. Yes, restraint, hold it in, then think later.

Brynmore turned, and then he reached for the door handle.

Kit was listening to Lord Kittridge, still all her senses were tuned to the study door opening and the man she knew entering from behind her. It was more than awareness that ignited her, it was the humming of female interest too. She had been rather busy in Paris to acknowledge it, perhaps denying it. Earlier though, it had attacked her with full force upon seeing Brynmore again. Something about Lord Brynmore Duneagan attracted her and it appeared she was not going to be able to shrug that off easily.

“I’m bloody well against this, Drummond. I’ll have you know that from the start,” Brynmore announced with no preamble. His voice sounded deep and strained as Kit stiffened with challenge, catching sight of Brynmore standing to the side of the chair, beside the one she sat in. So much for wayward attraction, Kit thought. That quickly, Brynmore had provoked her unbending determination!

“It is not your choice,” Kit expelled tightly, not turning her head to look at Brynmore.

“I dinna like being backed into a corner,” Brynmore replied, his voice holding the edge of his obviously suppressed anger. “You canna, possibly understand what this involves!” 

Kit, whose voice was tinged with reflected anger, announced, “I’m not naive! I can fully imagine what is involved.” Kit turned her gaze to Brynmore, “I assure you now that I will do anything that it takes to destroy this evil Order and the man or men who murdered my brother!”

“Like being a naked sex slave to your master! Copulating with beasts!” Brynmore recited tightly, with defiance glowing deeply in his green eyes. “Having sex with women, or being tied and whipped! Are these some of the things you considered? There are many more!”

“And, together you will both have to choose one sexual fetish that you could not receive full completion of anywhere else, but within The Orders secret hospice,” Drummond said slowly and with emphasis.

Kit was shocked as the breath of any of her retorts released sharply and she sat with her gaze transfixed on Drummond trying to take it all in. Kit heard Brynmore make a similar sound to hers. All Kit could think was that at least she had not crumbled and made a weak feminine display of dismay, when she heard Brynmore’s asserting, “Aye!”

Kit knew Brynmore was agreeing with Drummond’s conclusion and further showing his strength above hers by readily agreeing to the lewd depravities. Quickly, Kit forced herself to follow. “Yes,” she said, surprised that her voice sounded as strong as it did.

“Your responsibilities are to protect each other’s sensibilities as much as you can, as well as gathering information and moving as close to Hellion as you can,” Drummond said. “Remember that. I know you will do what you must, however cleverness and clear thinking can sometimes help elude the worst.”

Kit could only nod. The fact that she was going to do this was not in doubt. She simply had to wrap her mind around the implications.

“Tis more dangerous going undercover with an inexperienced agent than just allowing me to infiltrate on my own. I know I can do it,” Brynmore said, while Kit was thinking he was stubborn to the end.

“You will never gain entrance without her,” Drummond stated simply.

“As the lover to her, a married woman,” Brynmore retorted, with disgust shadowing his tone. Then, he asked, “What happens, Kit, when your husband does find out about this? And, he will. What then?”

“I am divorcing him.” Kit felt embarrassed to say it and admit her failure, however she also felt satisfied to rebut Brynmore’s objections so thoroughly.

“And, as to the inexperience, I am sending Miss Montoya to Radford for a quick course in undercover spying methods and I believe Nia will be of some help also, advising her through her own experience.”

Brynmore held his tongue. He had already shown more than he cared to about his feelings. He knew Drummond sensed it. Not much got passed Drummond. However, he thought Kit’s ire was raised too much for her to discern what he was revealing, that he damn well wished he was not. 

Brynmore also knew that he could hardly argue against the profit of sending Kit to learn the fundamentals from Radford. Oh, he could argue that it was basically worthless, giving the instruction in such a short amount of time, coupled with complete inexperience. He would be right, but he would also be arguing against Radford’s worth. He was boxed in a corner all right. Tied up tighter than the belt holding up his kilt. He did not like it either. It was going to put his hide in more danger and he would have to work on the edge, trying to quick-step both himself and Kit out of the worst depravities.