Ghost of Christmas Past (19 page)

Rupert
nodded. “I think that I need to lay a few ghosts of my own at rest
now,” he sighed. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Star
Elite. I know it sounds bizarre because it has been fraught with
danger, exhausting, and often relentless, but I am glad that I have
had the chance to experience it. I am a much stronger man who has
learnt a lot during my time a way. There are parts of it that I
wished I didn’t know but, nevertheless, I am much more confident
with who I am and much more definite about what I want.” The intent
in his words made his voice husky and he looked at her steadily to
make sure that there was no misunderstanding.

Thea
felt herself blush and a wild thrill of anticipation swept through
her at the intent look in his eyes. She didn’t object when he drew
them to a stop and turned her to face him. In spite of the fact
that they were standing in full view of anyone who entered the
park, he drew her into his arms.

“
I think that it would be entirely foolish of me to take this
wonderful opportunity we have been given for granted a second time.
One thing that I have learned in the last four years is that time
is very precious indeed and circumstances can often spiral out of
your control in ways that you don’t expect. If you don’t appreciate
your life and the people in it then you can spend your days
regretting your arrogance. That’s what I have done each and every
day that we have been apart Thea. I have bitterly regretted the way
that things were between us. If only we had talked we could have
cleared up the misunderstandings between us and you wouldn’t have
felt the need to run from me when you suffered your horrendous
injuries.”

“
I was injured but thought that you wanted
Barbara.”

“
I couldn’t believe that you would climb into my bed. I wanted
you to,” he smiled ruefully at her. “You were beautiful, and a lady
and I wanted you desperately. In my defence though, I seriously
considered that such wanton behaviour was out of character for you
and just assumed that it was Barbara. She had been less than happy
that I had told her our association was at an end and she was
definitely the type of person who wouldn’t hesitate to do such a
thing just to prove she had a hold on me.”

“
It’s all been a terrible misunderstanding,” she whispered and
with a thrill of anticipation, watched his head lower towards
hers.

The
first brush of his lips against hers felt terribly wanton,
especially given that they were outside, in full view of anyone who
might be passing. Still, at that moment she didn’t care one bit
what anyone thought. The warm brush of his lips felt petal soft,
and the now familiar warmth of anticipation begin to unfurl deep
within her.

“
Thea,” he growled and tried desperately to remember where
they were. The urge to draw her into his arms was so strong that he
found himself leaning forward until she had to tip her head
back.

“
Ahem.”

Thea
jumped. Rupert’s head jerked up and he glanced at the elderly gent
whose tap-tapping of the cane he carried had done little to break
the sensual hold that had settled over both Thea and Rupert. He
lifted his head and muttered an apology only to stare at the man as
he wandered past. As he drew close to Rupert, he gave his colleague
a wink.

Rupert
bit his lip but couldn’t contain the grin as he nodded once to
Jacob who, with a nod at Thea, ambled past without a care in the
world.

When
Thea opened her mouth to speak, Rupert sensed her question but
didn’t want to answer it in the middle of the park. Instead he held
his elbow out to her and nodded toward Ridings.

“
I don’t know about you but I think that we should head back.”
It felt good to know that at least one of his associates within the
Star Elite was within close range. Jacob was known to be good with
disguises but Rupert had to admit that he didn’t see through the
elderly gent attire his colleague had adopted. If Jacob hadn’t made
his presence known, Rupert would never have given the elderly man a
second glance, but then his attention had been more than adequately
diverted to the woman by his side.

“
I think that a warm cup of hot chocolate by the fire sounds
wonderful right now,” Thea sighed feeling a little dazed by what
had just happened. She felt as though she was floating on a cloud
as she wandered back across the park with Rupert by her side and
didn’t want the moment to end. It was more than she had ever
dreamed of, and she felt infinitely safer and more protected than
she had ever felt taking her regular walks around the
countryside.

As they
crossed the road and turned into the narrow path that led to
Ridings front door the steady clip-clop of hooves drew his
attention. The now familiar coachman, complete with top hat, turned
into the road. Rupert didn’t want to scare Thea or break the
relaxed atmosphere the walk had created, and instead glanced at
Jacob who was heading out of the park gate closest to them. Rupert
looked from Jacob to the coachman and back to Jacob and knew that
his signal had been received. That was their target. Memories of
the night John was shot swam in Rupert’s mind and he hurried up the
stone steps after Thea.

With
Thea safely in the hall, Rupert didn’t close the door completely
and left it open an inch so that he could peer through the narrow
gap and watch the carriage roll past. The coachman looked at the
house and Rupert knew in that instant that it wasn’t Fornier
driving. It was someone who worked for Fornier. Whether he was the
coachman who had been in Leicestershire, and outside the other
night, had yet to be discovered, but it was irrelevant really. He
knew that Luke lay in wait further down the road and would follow
the carriage doggedly until he found out where it was kept and just
who was driving.

Satisfied that the investigation was progressing nicely,
Rupert closed the door and went in search of Thea and some hot
chocolate.

Later
that night, Rupert watched the carriage disappear out of the yard.
Men from the Star Elite were on horseback and ready to follow where
it went, but it wasn’t the carriage that kept his interest, it was
the rather small man who had just had a long conversation with the
coachman. He had no doubt that he was looking at the Frenchman they
were after: Fornier. Although he had been too far away to hear what
had been discussed, it was of little consequence. The Frenchman had
been found and could now be followed. Once the Star Elite had
information on where he was using as a base, they could take steps
to remove him from being any kind of threat to anyone, and then get
on with their lives.

He
shifted his back against the brickwork and winced at the stiffness
in his legs as he studied the little Frenchman. For someone so
small he had done an incredible amount of damage to the Star Elite
investigation and was by far the most elusive of the French spies.
It was a major coup to be able to locate him, especially in the
middle of a huge city like London.

He
watched the Frenchman put a large black cap on that covered most of
his face and leave the yard where the coach was stored. Once the
Frenchman was on his way, Rupert kept to the shadows and followed.
His eyes constantly searched the surrounding area for anyone who
was lurked in the shadows but didn’t break his stride. As he
followed Fornier, he tried to keep his mind on the job. On more
than one occasion he had to remind himself to walk slower and keep
several feet of distance between himself and the Frenchman, but it
was difficult given the sense of urgency that plagued his every
footstep. The Star Elite were so close now to being able to finish
this investigation that they could positively sniff the finishing
line, and they were all fuelled with determination to get it over
and done with so that they could move on.

Although
Thea had only been at Ridings for a few days, she was clearly sick
of being stuck indoors all day. He could sympathise, he really
could, but struggled to make her understand that her safety was of
paramount importance to him. He wanted to take her on a walk around
the park, shopping, and to see the River Thames, but the close call
they had had earlier that afternoon had been more than enough of a
warning that to push his luck now was asking for trouble. There was
nothing he would like more than to be able to accompany her around
London but, right at that moment he had a job to do and it was at a
crucial stage where mistakes would mean fatalities. For the sake of
himself, his colleagues, and indeed Thea and John, absolutely
nothing could go wrong.

With a
sigh, he tugged the collar of his jacket high and ducked his head.
The slow, slightly awkward gait he had adopted to go with the
workmen’s clothing he wore ensured that anyone he passed never game
him a second look.

As he
walked, he wondered just what Thea would think if she saw
him.

Thea
rolled over in bed and sighed. She had read until the early hours
and her eyes burned with the need to rest, but sleep still eluded
her.

She
closed her eyes and tried to sleep but, in the quiet of the night,
her thoughts turned to her walk in the park yesterday afternoon
with Rupert. It had been wonderful if slightly risqué, to share
such easy familiarity with him. It hadn’t been just the walk that
had thrilled her, it had been the simple joy of being able to share
a hot chocolate together in front of the fire afterward that had
made it altogether more intimate. They had never been able to share
anything so special before, and it was something that she stored
away in a secret part of her heart to take out and think about
whenever she came to miss him. His laughter was infectious; his
teasing smile made her smile back, but it was the protective way he
always seemed to move to stand beside her, and the gentle yet
supportive hand he placed on the small of her back that made her
feel as though she was the most precious person in the
world.

She
glanced sideways at the empty covers and wondered if sleep eluded
her because he wasn’t lying beside her but then immediately
dismissed the notion as ridiculous. She had spent all of her life
sleeping alone. It was foolish to think that the night she had
shared his bed; or rather he had shared hers, had been so addictive
that she now couldn’t sleep without him. So why couldn’t she sleep?
Deep in her heart she knew that it was him she missed. She sighed
and rolled over, and spied the lists she had made. He had said that
he would take her shopping but hadn’t said when. Although she
didn’t mind waiting, she wondered if he would be happy to take
another walk in the park across the road and endeavoured to ask him
the next time she saw him.

A half
an hour passed and she was still staring up at the canopy. Only one
thing would help her sleep: warm milk. She shoved the covers off
her legs and gathered her shawl around her shoulders. Once in the
kitchen she set a pan on the fire to warm and sat in a chair before
the huge stove to wait. Her toes curled against the cold stone
floor and she tugged her shawl tighter around her shoulders to ward
off the chill.

Several
minutes later, a slight click from outside drew her attention. She
hadn’t bothered to light a candle and sat in the chair before the
fire with nothing other than the soft glow of the fire to lift the
shadows. It was too dark to see much but she could see outside, and
watched in horror as a tall, dark figure crept quietly through the
gate. The silence of the night remained unbroken as the figure
hurried toward the house and stood beside the back door. Thea
briefly contemplated running across the kitchen and bolting the
door while screaming for help but she didn’t get the time to draw
breath before the figure was entering the kitchen.

She spun
this way and that in a desperate search for anything she could use
to defend herself and the house. Her eyes landed on a huge cast
iron pan on the range and she hurried toward it. Her heart hammered
in her throat as she lifted it but it was heavier than she had
expected and scraped across the top of the metalwork as she tried
to heft it into the air. The noise sounded loud in the silence and
was enough to capture the attention of the intruder who swore and
lunged toward her.

She
didn’t stop to think and swung the pan in a wild arch toward him.
Its heavy weight propelled her forward but she achieved what she
had set out to do and she felt the heavy pan whack the man on the
shoulder. Unfortunately, its heavy weight rebounded off him and
dragged her toward the floor. Her scream was cut off by the sooty
covered hand that covered her mouth but, to her horror, she
couldn’t stop her downward momentum. She could do little other than
gasp as the pan was snatched off her and tossed aside, and she was
tugged off her feet and onto the floor. The towering presence of
the intruder as he rolled over her effectively pinned her to the
ground.

“
Get off me,” she gasped and opened her mouth to scream only
to feel panic swamp her as the sooty hand was replaced with warm
lips. At first the familiarity of the kiss didn’t register, it was
only when he moaned that she realised this was no ordinary
intruder. This was Rupert. Anger replaced the fear and gave her the
energy to jerk her head to one side so that she could glare up at
him.

“
God, Thea, that pan was heavy.”

She lay
wide eyed beneath him and struggled to find the Rupert she had come
to know and love beneath the heavy disguise. A blink didn’t change
him and she yanked one of her wrists out of his firm grip so she
could snatch the large hat off his head. Before she could say
anything, his hot mouth captured hers and he plundered her
senses.