Seducing the Ruthless Rogue (6 page)

She felt the minutes ticking slowly by and could stand it no longer.
 
Since sleep eluded her, Cassie decided she would make the most of the night.
 
She gathered up writing materials and drew a sketch of Director McKenzie’s study.
 
She studied it intently and began making a list of every place the maps could possibly be hidden.
 
When she was finally satisfied, the sun started making its appearance on the horizon.
 
Cassie absently tapped the quill against her cheek.
 
When should I make another attempt?
she wondered thoughtfully.

***

Mack had spent the last three nights hidden in the corner of his study waiting for an intruder.
 
Each night passed with nothing untoward happening.
 
Tonight, he decided to do something different.
 
He dressed as if he were going out for the evening.
 
He gave John instructions to leave as well.
 
Both men would double back to the house, entering through windows they had left unlocked.
 
John was to wait in the parlor while Mack would take up his post once more in the study.
 

“I’m leaving now, sir.”

“All right, John.”
 
Mack listened to the front door open and close.
 
“Old man, this is it.
 
Let’s hope this works,” he told his reflection.
 
He blew out his lamp, left the room, and made his way downstairs.
 
He looked around at everything once more.
 
Satisfied with what he saw, he left the house, locking the door behind him.
 
Mack walked down a block before hailing a hack.
 
He settled back against the squabs, unable to enjoy the meandering ride because he could not turn his brain off.
 
The carriage jerked to a halt.

“We’re here, sir,” the driver called down.

Mack exited the coach and tossed up some coins to the driver.
 
He then made his way back to his house, turning down a side street here and an alley there.
 
Dogs barked at him as he passed some houses.
 
After a final turn, he saw his house in the near distance.
 
He crept up to his house keeping to the shadows.
 
Mack found the window he had left open, and eased it up the rest of the way before slipping through.
 
He lowered it and moved through the house until he found his spot in the study.
 
Then he waited.

Finally, Mack heard a faint noise in the back of the house.
 
He gathered up the thin rope that lay on the floor beside him.
 
A dark silhouette entered the study and began to methodically work its way around the room.
 
The person pulled the books to the edge of each shelf then ran a hand behind them.
 
Mack waited patiently until the intruder edged closer to him.
 
He stealthily laid the loop on the floor.
 

Come on
, he silently coaxed.
 
Mack watched patiently as the thief stood, one foot in the loop and one outside.
 
He gently widened the loop, hoping to trap both feet within the circle.
 
What seemed like hours later, but was actually only seconds, both of the intruder’s feet were in the lasso.
 
Mack stood from his hiding place behind the drapes and pulled the rope taught.
 
The intruder lost their balance and toppled sideways, landing hard on a hip.
 
Mack used the person’s disorientation to his advantage and rolled the intruder over onto their stomach.
 
He pinned the person’s arms behind their back and used the rest of the rope to secure the intruder.
 
The person struggled to get free, but was well and truly caught.

“Did you get him, sir?”

“That I did, John.
 
Light a lamp so that we can see who we have here.”

“Yes, sir.”
 

As John lit the lamp, the figure squirmed, fighting the restraints.
 
The person was slight and covered head to toe in black.
 
Mack squatted next to his captive and unwrapped the black fabric from around the person’s head.
 
Long blonde hair tumbled free and snapping blue eyes met his.

“What the bloody hell is going on?” Mack demanded.

“Free me, right now!” Cassie demanded, wiggling and twisting her wrists.

“Just calm down.”

“Let me go!”

“I said, calm down,” he growled, his brogue becoming more pronounced the angrier he became.
 
His side began to ache where he had been shot.
 
He stood, rubbing the tender spot.
 

“And I said, let me go,” she snarled back.

“You aren’t going anywhere, not until I get some answers.
 
You were here the other night, weren’t you?”
 
Silence.
 
“Miss Graham, you might as well begin answering my questions now.
 
You won’t be leaving until you do.”
 
She stared at him, her blue eyes sparkling with anger.
 
“John, go to bed.
 
Miss Graham and I will be fine.”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“I do.
 
We will be just fine.”

“Are you positive, sir?”

“Aye.”

“Just shout out should you need me.”

“Thank you, John.”

“Yes, sir.”
 
John left the room leaving the two people staring one another down.

“We can stay here all night staring at one another,” Mack said as he dragged a chair close to her and took a seat, “or you can begin answering my questions.”

“And why should I do that?”

“If you don’t begin answering my questions, I will see that you spend the rest of your night in Newgate for breaking into my house.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“Ah, but I would, Miss Graham.
 
Now, how about it?
 
Are you going to tell me why you were in my house?
 
What were you searching for?”
 
He watched the woman lying trussed up in front of him.
 
The black silk pants she wore outlined her legs, fueling his imagination.
 
No wonder society frowned upon women wearing pants.
 
He could only imagine the looks she would garner walking around in broad daylight like that.
 
Mack found himself shifting in his chair as his own pants suddenly felt tight and uncomfortable.
 
What are you thinking?
he chastised himself.
 
As far as you are concerned, she’s the enemy.
 
“My patience is wearing thin, Miss Graham.”

“At least help me to sit.”

“Better?” he asked once he helped her move to a chair.

“Yes.
 
Four days ago I was accosted.”

“Accosted?”

“Yes.
 
Before you ask, no, I do not know who it was.
 
They never allowed me to see their face.”

“I find that hard to believe after those moves you pulled on John and me the other night.”

“Believe what you like, but that is what happened.
 
He pulled me off the street between two buildings.
 
He forced my arm behind me so that I was facing the building, and he stayed behind me.”

“You keep saying, ‘he’.
 
Are you certain it was a man?”

“Yes.
 
What I am not sure of is where he is from.
 
He kept using French words like
mademoiselle
and
oui
.
 
But the accent wasn’t very convincing.”

“What happened next?”

“He told me he had my father, and if I wanted him back, I would deliver what he wanted.”

“And that was?”

“Maps.”

“I see.”

“You don’t sound very surprised.”

“A man in my position is never surprised by anything.
 
What I am curious about is why do you believe this person, whoever it is, has your father?”

“You mean after our year long game?
 
He gave me proof.
 
My father’s favorite muffler.
 
My mother gave it to him years ago, and it smelled like his tobacco.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Why?
 
Because it means he was taken from where our government had him tucked away?
 
If you don’t believe me, let’s go and see if he’s there.
 
What harm could it possibly do now?”

Mack studied the woman before him.
 
Could what she be saying hold any grain of truth?
 
He stood and paced the room.
 
Mack thought of the maps that lay under his feet.
 
He must keep them out of the enemy’s hands at all cost.

“We will go first thing in the morning.”

“No.
 
We go now.”

“It can wait.”

“We are talking about a man’s life, and you say it can wait?
 
They have only given me a week to get the information they want.
 
Half that time is gone.
 
I need answers, and I needed them yesterday.”

“I said, we go tomorrow.
 
I will see you to your house.”
 
He moved to her side and began loosening the loop around her wrists.
 
“I warn you not to try any of those fancy moves you did before, or you can forget about my helping you at all.”

“I despise you, Director.”

“That is the best for everyone.
 
I will allow you to untie your ankles,” he turned and walked away from her.
 
Once she freed herself, she stood, stretched, and then rubbed her wrists.
 
She fisted and opened her hands, helping the blood to circulate back into them.
 
“Come, I will see you home.”
 
He jerked a cloak off of the hall tree and handed it to her.
 
“Put this on.
 
I would hate for you to give anyone apoplexy walking around London in that getup.”
 
He opened the door and held it open for her before shutting it behind him.
 
Mack grabbed her upper arm and led her down the steps to the street.
 
He began walking, forcing her to keep up with him.

“Aren’t you going to ask me where I live?”

“No need.”

“I don’t know how I feel about you knowing where I live.”

“It doesn’t really matter what you feel now, does it?”
 
She tried to jerk her arm out of his grip, but he kept a firm hold of her.
 
After a short walk, he stopped in front of a tidy house.
 
“After sunrise.
 
If you are not ready, I’ll leave you behind.
 
Don’t just stand there.
 
Go inside.”

“Here,” she swept off the cloak and slammed it into his chest.

“Keep it.”

“No, thank you,” she said before walking up the steps, unlocking the door, and letting herself in.
 
She slammed it shut, and the lock fell loudly into place.

He turned and found himself engulfed with her scent emanating from his cloak.
 
She smelled like lavender and vanilla.
 
It was an intoxicating scent.
 
Don’t be a fool
, he chided himself.
 
He began walking back to his house realizing just how soon dawn would be arriving.
 
Mack kept replaying the moment when he unwound the silk from Miss Graham’s head, and her blonde tresses had tumbled free.
 
What kind of game was she playing?
 
He could not wait to see her face tomorrow when she saw her father was exactly where he should be.
 
More importantly, who wanted the maps?

***

Mack, always a light sleeper, woke with the chiming of his pocket watch.
 
He stretched, working out the kinks that had settled in during the short time he slept.
 
He padded across the room and sluiced the cold water over his short dark hair.
 
Cupping his hands in the water once more, he splashed his face and chest.
 
Mack toweled off and pulled a robe on just as a knock sounded on his bedroom door.

“Come in.”

“I have your shaving water warmed, sir.”

“Thank you, John.”

“How did everything go last evening?”

“Curiously.
 
Miss Graham is under the impression that her father has been kidnapped.”

“Impossible.”

“I agree, but to appease her, we are going to check the safe house just to be certain.”

“Should I accompany you?”