Her mother’s cheerful attitude did nothing to help. Lady Lindby bustled about the house finishing the wedding preparations, chattering happily all the while. Joanna stitched slowly on her lace nightgown, wondering whether she would ever get to wear it. Her glance fell on the diamond ring again, glinting in the candle light. It should be a symbol of their love. It was only a piece of stone, as cold as her heart. She was so lost in her misery that her mother had to speak twice before she realized she was being questioned.
“I’m sorry, Mother,” she said. “I guess I was wool gathering.”
“That’s to be expected, dear,” her mother replied with a smile. “Lord Trevithan is a handsome fellow. And so considerate.”
Joanna’s smile was tight. “Yes, he is. What did you want to ask me?”
“Oh, nothing. I simply wanted to let you know I sent an acknowledgment to Eugennia Welch.”
Joanna blinked. “Eugennia Welch?”
“Yes, dear. For that package. I must remember to tell Lord Trevithan that he was mistaken. The gift wasn’t from his family, it was from your friend Miss Welch. She had it shipped all the way from that Egyptian expedition she’s sponsoring. Can you imagine?”
“No,” Joanna managed. “I can’t.”
“I saw her companion, Miss Tindale, at the booksellers today when you were out. She asked after the package. I can’t understand how I could have gotten things so mixed up, but there you have it.”
“You’re sure?” Joanna pressed, mind whirling. “Mother, you’re positive? Eugennia Welch sent us a dead insect?”
“Goodness, was that what it was?” Her mother raised her eyebrows in obvious surprise. “I knew your friend was a bit odd, but a dead insect? Why would she have to ship to Egypt for that? If she wished to give you a dead insect, she could certainly have found an English one for less trouble.”
She continued on, but Joanna barely heard her. What did it mean? The insect had been an innocent gift, sent by an eccentric friend. What about the note? Was the Skull innocent after all? Was this a mystery she could use to her advantage?
Suddenly she froze. The devious direction of her thoughts appalled her. Was she truly willing to hold Allister by deceit, to keep him in a constant state of worry if that meant she kept him at her side? What had her doubts driven her to?
She had wondered why she had never met his friends. Now she knew he had been forced to rely on only a few intimates to stay alive. It was not that he was incapable of having friends, but that he had put his duty before the luxury. She had been afraid he would bore easily in their marriage and blamed him for that shortcoming. The problem was and always had been within her. She had to believe herself worthy of his love.
By the time Allister joined them that evening, she knew what she had to do. Allister had shown his true colors. It was time she showed hers. She would do something clever to show him she understood his life and to give him a chance to freely admit he loved her. If instead he rejected her, she would know this marriage was not meant to be.
It took little to get her mother to leave her alone with him. It took less to get him to talk about the Skull.
“I spoke with the villain,” he admitted when she asked. “The result is not satisfactory.”
Joanna swallowed. Though he did not seem pleased by the result, still she sensed a finality. He had come to a decision. “Then you will continue your work,” she said.
He nodded. “I have little choice. However, I want you to know that one mystery has been solved. It appears that the Skull did not send the note. I am satisfied that the person who sent it poses no danger.”
Joanna frowned at his insistence. “Then why do you persist?”
“That still leaves the gift,” he explained. “There appears to be some reason to suspect that it is from a hostile source.” He rose and went to stand opposite her. She tensed to hear his decision. He would tell her he meant to continue his work, that his duty would always come first.
When he spoke, the words were worse than she could have imagined. “Therefore,” he said, “I have no choice but to postpone our wedding.”
She had feared it was coming, but the verdict still stunned her. Her fingers tightened around each other in her lap, squeezing the diamond until it cut into her skin. He could be acting out of concern for her safety, or he could be acting out of a desire to end their connection. She almost told him the truth; that would have been easy. But if she did, she would never be certain of his love. She had to get him to see her for who she was, for what she offered. She had to follow through on her plan.
“I understand, Allister,” she said quietly, reaching into the pocket of her gown. “And I think you should see this.” She handed him a note. “It arrived this afternoon. The perpetrator asks you to meet at midnight tonight or our future happiness is in jeopardy.”
Chapter Ten
“This is it, then,” Davis hissed to Allister as they waited just outside the churchyard. “We’ve got men surrounding the place. Whoever is doing this won’t get away this time.”
“You’d better be right,” Allister murmured, watching the dark shadows among the moonlit gravestones. “I can’t take much more of this. You should have seen Joanna’s face when I told her we had to postpone the wedding. I couldn’t have hurt her more if I’d struck her.”
“Surely she understands the necessity,” Davis replied. “You are trying to save her life.”
“She understands,” Allister said. “She’s too intelligent not to understand. Too brave as well. She wanted to come with me tonight.”
Davis chuckled. “Pluck to the backbone, that one. You’ve found yourself a gem, Allister. Let’s see what we can do to make sure you keep her.”
“Hst.” The sharp sound brought them both to the alert. A moment later and a climbing boy darted into their hiding place in the alley.
“Look lively, me lords,” he proclaimed in an excited whisper. “Someone’s entered the churchyard from the High Street side. ‘Is lordship says go.”
Allister nodded, moving easily out of the alley toward the cemetery. How many times had he done this over the years, crossed the space knowing he might meet his doom? It could have been a dinner party for the Duke of Milan, the fall threshing in Normandy, a crowded tavern in Portsmouth. The place or occasion didn’t matter. In fact, they all tended to run together. Only this time was different.
This time was for Joanna.
He slipped through the wrought iron gate, giving it an extra push to make sure it squeaked loudly enough to be heard by the occupants, living and dead. He strolled casually through the tombstones and monuments, every sense alert. The faintest of breezes set the trees to rustling and caressed his cheek. A cat darted away from his approach. He could smell the musty odor of fresh-turned earth.
A cloaked figure waited for him in the shadow of the church’s cross. There was no answering rush in his blood. He felt only determination as he approached it. Tonight the game would end, one way or the other. He would not return from this churchyard without knowing Joanna was safe.
He stopped within five feet of the creature and bowed, keeping his eyes trained on the slender figure. His mind sorted through faces and physiques of his adversaries, trying to find a match.
“Good evening,” he said. “As you can see, I’ve come as you asked.”
“Are you alone?” the figure rasped out.
Allister frowned. He should know that voice. It surely belonged to a woman, though it was deepened and rough-edged. He decided not to lie, evading the question instead.
“Shall we get down to it?” he asked. “What do you want of me?”
His enemy paused, then raised gloved hands to lower the hood. Black hair glinted in the pale moonlight.
“Good evening, Allister,” Joanna murmured. “What I want is your love.”
She watched as Allister recoiled, face paling.
“Joanna! Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?” He strode forward and pulled the hood back over her hair. “I told you not to come. We have to get out of here before the villain arrives.”
She pulled away from his outstretched arm, wanting only to feel it about her. “The villain has arrived, Allister. I wrote that note.”
He stared at her. “Impossible. I swear I’d know your hand.”
“Very well. I had the footman write it. And it cost me most of my pin money, and a promise in writing that he wouldn’t be sacked if you found out.”
“I don’t understand.” He frowned. “You knew I wanted to catch the miscreant who sent that insect. Why would you want to hinder that?”
“My friend Eugennia Welch sent that insect,” she informed him. “Mother talked to her companion this afternoon while we were catching the Skull.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded. “Why did you put me though all this?”
She peered closer. His color had returned; indeed, it had heightened. His blue eyes snapped fire, and his powerful body towered over her. “What exactly did I put you through, Allister? I was under the impression you enjoyed this sort of thing.”
“Enjoy it? Are you mad?” He ran a hand back through his hair. “I’ve been worried sick since the moment that first note appeared. I can’t concentrate; I certainly can’t track a criminal. For the first time in my life, I want out of the Service. This is no longer a game, Joanna. This is real. And it scares the life out of me.”
She felt tears threatening. “I’m sorry to have caused you pain, Allister. But part of me is glad you care enough to be pained.”
“Did you doubt that?” He watched her face and saw a pain mirroring his own cross her lovely features. “Yes, I can see you did. Forgive me, Joanna. I should have been more honest with my feelings. I’ve admired you from the first, but in truth, when I offered, I wasn’t in love.”
“I understand,” she said, choking on the last word. “Your work is very important to you, to the nation. I was a fool to think I could compete with that.”
He stepped closer and caught one of the tears that ran down her cheeks. “Yes, you were,” he murmured. “There is no comparison. Nothing, no one, could hold a candle to you, Joanna. I love you with all my heart.”
Her head jerked up, and her eyes searched his face for confirmation. What she saw filled her with joy. With a glad cry, she threw herself into his arms.
Allister kissed her deeply, glorying in the feel of her pressed against him. He could imagine no more finer thing than this – to hold the woman he loved in his embrace. Joanna put all of herself into the kiss, her joy unbounded as she felt her passion returned. His arms tightened around her, and his breath came as quickly as her own. Any doubts she might have had fled into the darkness. She could feel his love in every fiber of her being.
As if from far away, she heard movement among the tombstones. Allister raised his head. She could see the tender light once more shining from his eyes. His smile was just as sweet.
“Brace yourself, my dear,” he murmured. “We have company.” She stiffened as he raised his voice. “Hold your fire. I have the villain well in hand.”
Davis stepped into the moonlight. “I can see that, old fellow,” he quipped. “Interesting technique. I generally don’t think to kiss them into submission.”
Chuckles echoed around them, as if all the gravestones were laughing. Joanna reddened.
“I thought you were alone!” she accused.
His chuckle was for her alone. “I thought you were a villain. I promise never to be untruthful with you again, my love.”
Joanna hugged the words to her heart as Davis joined them.
“So, how effective is that technique?” he teased Allister.
“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Allister replied coolly. “It has a tendency to fail. You see, while I have captured Miss Lindby, she has captured my heart.”
“And what about your villain?” Davis demanded. “I suppose we have to come back another night for him.”
Allister and Joanna exchanged glances. Davis stiffened.
“Do you wish to tell him or shall I?” Allister asked.
In his arms, Joanna knew there was nothing she could not do. “I wrote the note, Mr. Laughton,” she admitted. “I should have thought Allister might ask the rest of you along. I’m sorry for the trouble. You see, at the time, I thought it was necessary.”
“I share the blame,” Allister put in before Davis could answer. “If I had been attending to my marriage instead of my duty, this would never have happened.”
“Then there was no conspiracy?” Davis sounded only the slightest disappointed. “You really will be leaving us?”
“Yes, Mr. Laughton,” Allister replied with no regrets whatsoever. “I’m pleased to say you will no longer have need for my services. I intend to spend the rest of my life keeping Lady Trevithan out of trouble.”
“That’s right,” Joanna agreed, giving him a squeeze. “And you’ll need to start immediately, because we shall be married.”
“In June,” Allister completed.
And they were.
Copyrights © 1999 and 2001 by Regina Lundgren
Originally published by Zebra: "Sweeter Than Candy" in A Match for Mother (0821761854), "A Place by the Fire" in Mistletoe Kittens (0821763032) and "The June Bride Conspiracy" in His Blushing Bride (0821768158)
Electronically published in 2008 by Belgrave House/Regency
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