The Wolf's Pursuit (22 page)

"I'm a spy!" Gwen blurted, just as Hunter
opened his mouth to speak. Was she planning on saving him all day
or was this just a phase?

"Your grace." Samuel cleared his throat,
taking in both bloodied men sitting on the floor, and shrugged.
"This came for you while you were out."

Hunter winced as he rose to his feet and took
the letter. He carefully opened it and cursed.

Redding dead. Meet tonight at 7, The Horse
and Hare
.

"Dead," Hunter mumbled and looked directly at
Gwen. She paled and nodded her head just once.

"We only have two left. Two men." He held
back the information about Hollins and Wilkins. She did not need to
know the specifics. If anything, he wanted to keep her in the dark.
He wanted her alive. "It is imperative that we find out who it is,
Gwen, especially considering we are to be married."

Ignoring the gaping mouths around him, Hunter
walked over to Gwen and kissed her hand. "We will find him. We have
to."

"But you were shot and…" Gwen shuddered.

Hunter sighed and pulled her into his
embrace.

She exhaled softly. "You were afraid of
losing me. You thought you had. But what—" Her voice caught. "What
if I lose you?"

"Wolves are like cats, love. They have nine
lives."

"—though I imagine he's outlived all of his,"
Dominique interjected. "Now, will someone please explain why you
two seem so familiar, and why Gwen felt the need to lie about being
a spy in order to save you, Hunter?"

"She didn't lie." Hunter released Gwen and
turned toward Dominique and Isabelle. "But perhaps this is not the
time."

"It is never a good time for one's lies to
unfold," Dominique said through clenched teeth.

Isabelle cleared her throat. "Gwen? Why don't
we let Rosalind know we are ready for Bond Street? I imagine she's
finished taking her tea."

Gwen looked at Hunter and gave him a nod of
approval as she walked off with Isabelle, leaving Dominique glaring
at Hunter like a madman.

"Oh, do stop glaring. You'll give yourself a
headache."

"Too late." Dominique cursed. "Though I blame
you, not the glaring." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I
imagine this will take whiskey and a whole lot of talking.
White's?"

Hunter sighed in relief. "Best idea you've
had all afternoon."

****

Hunter fidgeted with the glass in his hand as
Dominique took another sip. "I imagine you want me to apologize for
pointing a pistol at your head."

"That would be nice."

"Forget it." Dominique cursed. "How was I to
know the entire story? Is her family aware of her activities for
the Crown?"

Hunter set the glass down and leaned back
into the plush leather of the chair. "If they did not before, they
will soon."

"Hmm." Dominique lifted the glass to his lips
and winced as he took a swig. "Does she know?"

"Know?" Hunter repeated.

"About Lucy."

All it took was the mention of his dead
wife's name and the smile, the one that had become a permanent
fixture on his face during the entirety of the afternoon, faded
away. "Not everything."

"And Ash?"

"Somewhat. Only that I had a twin brother I
thought dead, nothing more."

Dominique set his glass down and leaned
forward. "I imagine I am the last person you would ever think to
give marriage advice, but it would be wise for you to tell her of
your past, sooner not later."

The smile had turned into a frown as Hunter
thought of his past, of the gory details. Was he ready to be that
vulnerable with another human being? Dominique knew all his
secrets, but up until a few months ago, he'd had his own demons to
face.

Now it seemed that Hunter was alone in his
darkness. It would be life's cruelest joke to find another woman in
his life only to bring her down into the pit he so casually resided
in.

"And if I cannot tell her?" he finally asked,
not wanting to look Dominique in the eyes as he said it.

A sigh escaped Dominique before he picked up
his whiskey and took another long swallow. "Then you may as well
leave again."

"Leave?"

"Yes, leave. As in quit the continent. My
friend, you do not want to live in a marriage that is one-sided.
Where the woman you care about gives of herself until it hurts,
where you hold back pieces of who you are. In the end, it will end
in the death of her spirit and the death of your soul. Your
marriage deserves the best chance it can get. All things
considered, by not telling her of your past, you shoot yourself in
the foot before you take one step toward that altar."

"When did wisdom suddenly give you the
benefit of its blessing?"

Dominique chuckled. "Easy, I married
her."

"Cheers." Hunter held up his glass. "To
women."

With a laugh and a clink, Dominique finished
his glass. "To women!"

"Huzzah!" a few men shouted behind them.

Conversation shifted to Dominique and his
family, as well as Hunter's upcoming nuptials, but as much as
Hunter tried, he couldn't find the smile that had plagued him
before. The pressure of the world seemed to cave in on him. The
minute Dominique had opened his mouth and spouted off all that
ridiculousness about being honest with one's wife was the minute
Hunter found it not only difficult to breathe but also blasted
hot.

It was not fair to keep such things from
Gwen, but fear has its way of keeping him from moving forward.

In that moment, Hunter saw everything within
his reach. A woman who would both challenge and ignite him. A life
filled with the comfort of being around his friends. The life that,
not nine years ago, he had lusted after and strived for was once
again within his reach.

So why couldn't he have it? What was causing
this panic?

Nine years ago, he had felt happy, free, his
smile as wide as it had been today, and in an instant he had lost
it all.

When God chose to bless a person, it was both
frightening and wonderful. For one had to wonder, when everything
was going right, when everything was perfect, were you only one
step away from disaster?

Excusing himself early, Hunter left and went
in search of the Horse and Hare. He knew what he had to do. He had
to solve the mystery of the ciphers now. If not, he shuddered to
think of what hung in the balance.

His future happiness and Gwen's depended on
his success and this time, he would not fail.

Wolf—

I imagine she is quite content to be in your
dreams. Perhaps you should think upon that instead of the blood and
death. Think of the very idea that this woman, this love, is in
your dreams every night, exactly where she desires to be, for
dreams are directly connected to one's heart. And it seems that her
heart is yours for the taking.

—
Red

The establishment was poorly lit and filled
with more drunks than Hunter cared to surround himself with.

He quickly moved through the crowds of
gentlemen slapping one another on the back and belching, and sat
down.

"You're early," a voice said behind him. Was
everyone sneaking up on him these days? Perhaps retirement truly
was in the cards for him.

He waited until Wilkins sat down across from
him.

Wilkins looked quite normal for having just
lost a very important part of his case. "Redding is dead, as you
well know."

"Yes, which only leaves us Hollins,
considering we traced a smuggling ring back to Trehmont — nothing
there."

"I would not discount Trehmont." Wilkins
appeared thoughtful. "After all, he is just desperate enough for
the money to do it."

Hunter nodded. "But he has been making quite
a lot of blunt from his smuggling. Why would he need more?"

Wilkins shrugged. "Greed. A person always
wants more. Wouldn't you agree?"

Something shifted in the air. Hunter examined
Wilkins' face. He appeared tired, but not upset or even depressed
that he had lost Redding.

"I am sorry about Redding. If I would have
been there sooner…" Hunter trailed off.

Wilkins waved him away. "It is not your
fault. Besides, it is possible that he was the spy in the first
place. In fact…" He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a
few notes. "We found these at his residence."

"What are they?" Hunter picked up each sheet
of paper. Codes littered the front of them. Obviously it was
impossible to decipher them without his grandfather's help.

"Proof."

"Of?"

"Treason." Wilkins shook his head. "Though I
hate to see Redding take the fall. He was, after all, a decorated
hero and a good man. The money must have been too hard to pass
up."

"Right." Hunter looked closely at the codes
and noticed that the tiny symbols did not resemble the first note
he'd received. "And you say these are perfect copies of the notes
given to the front lines?"

"Absolutely." Wilkins grimaced and rose to
his feet. "Keep them for now. If you would like to have them
deciphered, that is fine by me. They are, after all, old news."

Hunter stuffed the codes into his pocket. "Is
that all?"

"This investigation is over, for now."
Wilkins rose to his feet. Hunter grabbed his arm, motioning for him
to wait.

"It is about Red." He scratched his head. "It
seems I have compromised her."

"Her cover is blown?" Wilkins whispered.

"I did not compromise her in that capacity."
Hunter looked away, suddenly embarrassed. "I
compromised
her, if you get my meaning."

"Tossed her skirts, did you?"

Oh, how he wished! "Not yet, though I came
close."

"Wouldn't be the first time someone was
interested in that little delicacy, believe me. How do you think
the woman was able to infiltrate into Napoleon's elite so
quickly?"

Hunter saw red. He clenched his fist and
pounded the table. "Never speak of her in that way again. She is to
be my wife."

"Is she?" Wilkins smiled, and then chuckled,
and finally threw his head back and gave in to full-on laughter.
"This is more perfect than I could have imagined it."

"Perfect?" Hunter's fist was still clenched.
He was seconds away from flattening the man.

Wilkins wiped his eyes and shook his head.
"Yes, well. Congratulations are in order, good fellow. When is the
wedding?"

"Special license, three days."

"Are you resigning?" Wilkins asked.

Was he? Why were things so complicated? "Yes,
I believe I am."

"I remember when you resigned the first time,
and look how that turned out."

Hunter jerked to his feet and glared.
"Explain yourself."

Wilkins took a step back from Hunter. His
eyes never wavered as he looked him up and down. "Just reminding
you of what happens when you allow your emotions to rule your
decisions, friend."

Cursing, Hunter ran his hands through his
hair and looked away. "Are we done?"

"More than you know, Hunter. More than you
know." With that, Wilkins walked off, leaving Hunter more confused
than ever. Yet the weight on his chest was lifted. He was doing the
right thing. His priorities were straight. For the first time in
nine years, the guilt that had weighed so heavily on his heart did
not seem so heavy. A fresh start. He had been given a fresh
start.

He pulled out the codes again. Something
wasn't right about the way the symbols were drawn. They reminded
him of the last note Redding had had in his possession. There had
been two codes on that note. Redding would have only understood
one.

Hollins had led Redding to his death. Hunter
was sure of that now. But what did Wilkins have to do with
everything? What wasn't he telling Hunter? He could not be trusted,
and now that he was closing the investigation, things seemed more
suspicious. Redding could not have possibly been the mole, or could
he? Perhaps Wilkins had suspected Redding and Hollins had carried
everything out, and then when they had discovered he was bad, they
eliminated him. So why go to so much trouble to hire Hunter and
Gwen to discover the traitor?

His head hurt. To make matters worse, he was
to be married in three days. He only hoped he would make it to the
wedding without getting shot or worse, killed.

Red—

I think that is the kindest thing you have
ever said to me. Care to repeat it? Perhaps you like me more than
you did a few weeks ago? Admit it. You care. I'm waiting for the
words you're dying to say. The phrase is something like this, "I am
in love with a wolf."

—
Wolf

Gwen stared at her reflection in the mirror
and practiced her smile. She had to appear happy instead of afraid.
For heaven's sake, she was a spy! Acting should come naturally, but
the minute the last button was fastened on her dress, she began to
panic. Her hands shook and everything became fuzzy in front of
her.

What was she doing? Willingly walking down
the aisle toward the man who had the power to destroy her or save
her with one breath? Her eyes gave her away, and Hunter would know
it the minute he saw her. He would see her hesitation.

She blinked several times, and tried to think
of the benefits of marrying someone who was more beautiful than any
man she had ever come across before in her existence.

He kissed well. She laughed to herself.
Well
did not even begin to describe what that man could do
with his mouth.

His eyes were hypnotizing.

His hands, well… she shivered and bit her
lip.

His laugh, his easygoing manner, and finally
the pain he tried to hide behind every second of every day.

Marriage to Hunter would be the scariest and
possibly one of the stupidest decisions she had made yet. At the
end of the day, there was no one else's arms she would rather be
in.