To Love a Thief (Steel Hawk) (18 page)

Another tiny push.

“There.” He smiled his satisfaction. “My misspent days are coming in handy.”

“Picking locks?”

“How do you think I gained my superior knowledge and experience?” Nathan didn’t wait for her reply, and in truth, it wasn’t coming.

A misspent youth.

Picking locks.

The Raven.

The lock clicked loudly, the noise a welcome sound in this hellhole of waste. After tugging the lock free, Nathan tossed it into the watery depths, and, with a shoulder to the gate, he shoved at the iron bars.
Despite the rust, and its antiquity, the gate opened with a groaning creak of rusty metal grinding against metal.

A triumphant Nathan turned to her. “Easy when you know how.”

An owl hooted, followed by the sudden squawk of crows that took to the air. Then she heard footsteps. Shouts. Barely fifty yards to the right, several flaming torches hovered as if ghosts. But they were no phantoms of the night. “Soldiers. They’re here.” Rose hefted her father to her side. “We must hurry.”

Nathan slipped through the gate, reaching for her father, and Rose followed.

The guard did not.

Rose turned to him. “Are you not coming?”

“Nay, I’ve got you this far, ’tis up to you now. If it became known I helped you, my family’s life would be in danger. Prince Randolph does not take kindly to those who work against him. He’s a greedy bastard, but now he has that diamond, he’s cock-a-hoop.”

Rose reached out to the guard and took his hand. “Thank you for all your help, but don’t be too sure about Prince Randolph. Not yet.”

“Take the path to the left. McTaggart and his pig slop cart awaits you. Hurry, the guards are upon us, though they won’t think to look here. Not yet at least.”

Spinning from the guard, offering a last wave, Rose reached for her father’s hand. “We are nearly there, Papa.”

But Nathan hesitated. He reached out and shook the guard’s hand. “Tell him…tell my old friend, thank you.”

Then he was at her side, and they ran from the sewer’s watery path into the encroaching forest, the path entwined with bramble and broken branches proving far more dangerous than the rats scampering about their watery escape.

They ran down the path until they reached its outskirts, and there, partially hidden behind several large oaks, was a wagon and horse team and its master. Nathan grabbed her, holding her to him. “Wait. We don’t know if it’s safe.”

“But the guard said there would be someone here to take us.”

“True. But let’s just take a precaution. We’ve come this far. It could be a trap.”

Her father wheezed at her side, but his gnarled hands clasped at hers. “He’s right, daughter.”

Stamping down her frustration and fear, Rose watched as Nathan walked up to the man and his cart. She cocked an ear, trying to listen, but from behind them, the sound of hounds and soldiers crashing through bracken escalated her fear to panic. She grabbed at her father. “Either we leave with this man and his cart, or we die. I choose we leave.” She hauled her father to her side, and they left their hiding place to come out into the open. “The soldiers,” she warned Nathan. “We need to go.”

“Aye, they’re on their way true enough.” The owner of the cart scowled. “Bloody bastards. Best ye get in quick.”

Rose eyed the cart covered in food scraps. “Where?”

The man walked to the rear of the cart and shifted a barrel. “In there.” He pointed to small opening, beneath which seemed to be a false bottom.

Rose stared at the opening, and then turned in the direction of the increasing ruckus from the oncoming soldiers. “But there’s not enough room for the three of us.”

“You two.” The man pointed to her and Nathan. “Get in, and the old man can wear this.” He threw a tatty coat and baggy felt hat to her father. Surprisingly, despite his injuries, he caught it.

The cart owner nodded to her father. “Say nought, and they’ll think ye be me brother Jed. ’E’s a bit funny in the ’ead, ye see. So silent it is and maybe look a bit addled.”

Her father offered a half smile. “I’ve no doubt I’m rather addled already my friend, given the last few days.”

Rose swiftly helped her father into the garments. She kissed her father’s cheek. “I love you.”

“As I you.” With a shove from Nathan, her father climbed onto the cart seat, then she and Nathan worked their way into the cart’s cavity.

All went dark as the man slipped the barrel back in place. Rose heard the sound of something being moved above them.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be the slops. He’s using them to cover our entrance point.”

Rose’s breath hitched, and she clutched at Nathan, desperate for security.

He held her to him, his body warmth offering some comfort.

“What are you doing, old man?” The guards. Rose recognized the voice of the man Nathan had knocked out.

“Taking the slops is all, but the horse has a stone and slowed me down.”

“Are you sure?”

“What does it look like? Ain’t no food fit for that bloke you got up there.”

“Have you seen three fugitives?”

“Ain’t seen no one except me pigs. It’s just me and me brother, Jed, at the farm, but he ain’t much use. Addled in the head he is. Never says a bloody word. Useless. Could do with some company for a change. That Bessie that cooks up at that fancy home sure is a sight for this old man’s eyes. I could do with her warming my bed.”

There was a snigger of laughter from the soldiers.

“Well, get on with you, then, and don’t hold us up.”

“Me? No, sir, whatever you say.” The cart shifted slightly. “’Tis time to get the pigs fed. Otherwise, they might rampage, and an angry pig don’t make good eating.”

The reins cracked and the cart jerked forward. Rose yelped and then clamped her jaw closed.

“Stop!”

The cart stilled, and fear hitched in her chest. Oh my God, they were free, free, and she had ruined it. She cursed silently as tears trickled down her cheeks.

“What was that noise?”

“What noise?”

“I heard someone.”

“You been drinking too much. Ain’t no one but me and Jed.”

“Shut up, don’t be so impudent.”

Rose’s breath stilled as the echo of the guard’s footsteps neared. He had walked to the end of the wagon. All he had to do was shift that barrel.

“What’s in here?”

The cart moved again, rolling Rose toward Nathan. His arms went around her.

“That’s my little bit on the side. You wouldn’t deny an old man a tipple now and again, would you? It’s the best whiskey in the district. Would you like a sample?”

“Whiskey, you say?”

“Aye, made by Fred Turner five miles yonder. Best barley whiskey you ever tasted.”

“Let me try it.”

“Tell you what. I’ve still got me some at home. Why don’t you take this lot as a gift from me.”

“Why would you gift it? What are you trying to hide?”

“Me? Not a bloody thing. I’m doing you a favor. I’ll keep an eye out for those bad ’uns you’re looking for and let you know if I sees ’em, and if I give you this whiskey, well, then you won’t be looking to stop me next time I’m hauling it home.”

“I see.”

Suddenly everything went silent. The cart jolted. The barrel was being moved. They would be discovered. Rose shoved at Nathan, desperate to get out. She had to save her father. He didn’t budge, and she shoved harder, a silent scream begging for release.

Suddenly, Nathan kissed her, full and demanding, his hands tangling in her hair.

She tried to pull away, wanted to get free, but his kiss drugged her until slowly her breathing eased and her panic subsided.

But worse, she realized she could never give up kissing Nathan.

Chapter Sixteen

“Oh, my goodness. Alex! Alex Valetta, you old rascal. Look at you.” Princess Mary dashed across the room, her gown billowing out behind her. Ignoring the muck and grime that covered him head to toe, she grabbed Alex’s hands and drew him to her. “Oh, my poor friend, what have they done to you?”

“Not they,” Rose interrupted, slightly disconcerted seeing the familiarity between her father and the princess. “None other than Prince Randolph and his goons inflicted this on my father. He was responsible for kidnapping him.”

The princess shook her head, sadness darkening her eyes, expression somber. “I’m so sorry you have been brought into the struggles of my country.”

“It is my country too, Your Highness, even though I have been gone many years.”

“
Your Highness?
Alex, we are old friends. Let us not bother with such protocol.” The royal turned to her maid, who stood beside the open door. “Serena, please see that rooms are prepared for our guests, clean clothing and baths, of course, and for now perhaps a hot cup of tea for you all.”

Rose eyed the lush velvet and silk-covered furniture. “But Your Highness, we’re filthy, we cannot…”

The princess waved a hand. “Oh, phooey, I do not care about a little dirt. I am just thankful you are all alive.” Her smile rested on Rose’s father. “And you, especially, dear Alex. Oh, it is so good to see you. It has been so long. You got my letter.”

“Yes, but you know I would never have divulged our secret.”

“The diamond,” Rose prompted.

The princess’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my, in all the excitement of seeing your father again, I completely forgot about the diamond. Did you find it?”

Nathan’s lips pursed. “Unfortunately not.”

“So how did you manage to convince Randolph to give over your father?”

“We played on his greed.”

The princess nodded, her understanding immediately clear. “The man has an unquenchable greed. But what did you give him?”

Rose smiled, only now relishing the fact that her plan and her skill had fooled a connoisseur of jewels. “A fake.”

“Good Lord, a fake? How?”

“My daughter is truly skilled in the craft of paste.”

Princess Mary’s jaw dropped as she looked from Rose to Alex and back again. “You made the fake.”

Rose’s chest puffed with pride. “Absolutely.”

“And it was so perfect that it fooled him. He believes he has the real diamond.”

“He does.”

“I cannot believe he just let you go like that.”

“He didn’t. There was a slight hiccup, but we had a bit of inside help.”

“Inside? From whom? Randolph’s men are loyal. If not, they suddenly disappear.”

Rose gulped, the reality of what they’d escaped at last hitting home. Her knees buckled beneath her, and if Nathan hadn’t wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her to him, she would have fallen to the floor right then and there. “Hang in there. It’s
nearly
over.”

Nathan was correct. It wasn’t over. They still had to find the real diamond.

They?

Yes, they. They were a team, she and Nathan, and the realization that she was part of something, a unit, caused a comforting warmth to flow directly to her heart.

The tea arrived and silence ensued until the maid exited. Rose had never felt so grateful for a warm drink.

“I am so relieved you are safe, Alex, and am so sorry my family again has brought you such trouble.”

Her father shook his head. “I may not have resided in Zarrenburg for many a year, but I was born there. Part of me will always love my country. But not if your brother-in-law takes power.”

The princess’s brow creased. “No. I cannot let that happen. I promised my late husband that I would do all in my power to keep Zarrenburg on the track he started. The world is changing; people are changing. Our country must progress from the dark ages of a single-power entity. If Randolph takes power, everything we have strived for will be for nothing.” She fixed Nathan with an intense stare. “Mr. Hawk, you must find the diamond. I cannot allow him to get his hands on it, and though I am sure your fake is a perfect replica in every way, Rose, I fear if he finds out this truth before he leaves London, he will be hell-bent on revenge. I cannot risk that, nor can Zarrenburg. We must find the diamond.”

“No need.”

At Alex’s quiet interruption, all eyes turned to him. Though obviously exhausted, his eyes glittered with excitement. “I know where it is.”

For a moment, Rose would have sworn she heard every heart beat in the room skip a beat.

Princess Mary grabbed Alex’s hands. “Where? Oh, Alex, I knew you would come to my aid.”

“Papa?”

“When those men visited me the first time, I knew if they returned, I would not get another chance. The diamond was already on display, though the exhibition had not opened.” He cast a glance at Nathan and offering a sheepish shrug of his frail shoulders, “I hope you can forgive an old man for remembering your unique design. No one else has anything like it, you know. It is truly impregnable.”

“Except by you.” Nathan’s despondency was etched in every exhausted line on his face.

Without thinking, Rose reached for Nathan’s hand, and, linking her fingers with his, she gave it a slight squeeze.

“I went to the exhibition during the night, and, using the code I remembered you talking about all those years ago, I took the diamond.”

“You knew the date, Papa?” The date Nathan kissed her.

Her father turned to her and offered a gentle smile. “You were a young woman, blooming. I took the diamond for safekeeping because the princess is correct. If Randolph gets his hands on the diamond, Zarrenburg will go backward. He cannot steal his way into power and”—he reached for the princess’s hands—“I will not let him blackmail you with an untruth, Mary.” He looked in her eyes, a gentle smile on his face. “Stefan is Mary and Prince Johan’s son. Not mine. As much as I loved Mary, I knew we could not make a life together in the times we lived in. I was a craftsman, not acceptable in royal circles.”

“I accepted you, Alex.”

His hands caressed hers. “I know, and I was truly blessed to have found in you such a wonderful friend.” He let go of her hands then and shifted in his seat to face Rose. “Mary was and is a great friend, Rose, but it was your mother who stole my heart in total. One kiss and I knew she was mine forever, though sadly fate did not give us that long.”

Her mother. Dead. Gone. Leaving Rose to take on the responsibility of caring for her father when other young women were courting, marrying, having babies.

She had not minded—then. But now…

She withdrew her hand from Nathan’s. Now she minded but should not. Now she wanted more. But her father still needed her. Especially now.

“Do not worry about the diamond. It is in safekeeping.”

“Where? They searched our home, ransacked it, but found nothing.”

“That is because it is not there. Your mother is keeping it safe.”

“Mother?”

“Don’t be surprised. Your mother always blessed Mary for getting me out of Zarrenburg when others wanted my head on the guillotine.”

Rose swallowed back her shock, refusing to allow such images into her brain. Her father was free. Safe. She would not think of death.

“When I retrieved the Pasha Star, I went directly from the exhibition to the cemetery. Your mother has the diamond.”

“Ingenious,” Nathan enthused. “I knew you would find a way out of this. Thank you, old friend.”

The princess beamed. “Oh, Alex, you bring tears to an old woman’s eyes.”

Alex’s face softened. “Not so old, Your Highness, and still very beautiful.”

Rose witnessed the faint tint of a blush to the princess’s cheeks. It did not worry her that her father had feelings for this woman. They were old friends, and that was the best kind to have. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Nathan. Could she consider him an old friend?

A lover?

No. He wasn’t either of those things. Last night was simply fleeting; a moment in time to take solace in another being.

Worry trailed across her brain, and she dragged her gaze from him. She could protest all she wanted that her time in Nathan’s arms meant nothing, that she felt nothing, and that she did not want more.

But it was a lie.

She wanted it all, and that scared her. She had never wanted love or marriage before, at least not with any of the men clamoring for her attention. But with Nathan… That was different.

But it could never be. He would leave as soon as the exhibition was over, and she would remain to fulfill her promise to her mother. There was no future for her with Nathan Hawk.

Rose glanced toward Nathan, who discussed something quietly with her father.
Damn it, they’re planning something—without me.

Alex stood and massaged his back. “A wash and clean clothes would be greatly appreciated, but first Nathan and I will go and retrieve your diamond. I cannot rest until it is safe in your hands once more.”

I knew it.
Rose jumped to her feet. “
Just
you two. Typical, just the men. That’s not fair.” She clenched her hands at her sides. Rose knew her anger was exaggerated, but… Saving her father had been paramount. In truth, she didn’t care a whit about the diamond, just that her father was safe. But by going out to retrieve the Pasha Star, he would put himself at risk again.

“Rose, my daughter…”

“No, Papa. I love you very much, but…” She directed her gaze to Nathan. “You will not leave me behind. You promised we were a team.”

Nathan offered a shrug. “It’s dangerous.”

“Oh, phooey. It was dangerous when the soldiers were shooting at us. And who saved your sorry backside? Me. Now you think it’s too dangerous for me.”

“You have a strong young woman for a daughter, my friend. You should be proud of her.” The princess tugged on the bell cord at the side of the closed door.

“I am.”

“So let me come with you.”

A maid entered within seconds, and the princess quickly gave instructions. She turned back to face them. “Clean clothes, food, and hot water are being delivered to your rooms as we speak. I’ve also arranged for my guards to escort you to and from the cemetery. I know it is a place of solitude and sadness for you, my old friend, but now that Randolph knows you have escaped, he will stop at nothing to find you, and the diamond.”

“I understand.”

The princess turned to Rose and gathered Rose’s dirty and bloody hands in her delicate pale ones. She did not even blink at the filth. “It is you and young Nathan I must thank also. You have put yourselves in great danger. You are a brave young woman. I think I know where you inherited that from. Your mother was a very determined woman to take on Alex.”

“You knew my mother?”

“Sadly, no,” she said with a tiny smile, “but I knew of her. She would be so proud of you. You have turned into a remarkable young woman. Any husband you choose will be a very lucky man.” Her gaze shifted ever so slightly toward Nathan.

Rose tugged her hands loose. “Thank you for the compliment. My mother was formidable. She…she showed great courage when she was dying.”

“Not an easy death.”

“No.”

“That is why your father needs you safe.”

Prince Randolph was nothing if not devoted to his cause of seizing power. Instinctively, Rose knew he wouldn’t give up. Not until he had the diamond and the ultimate glory of reigning over Zarrenburg in his firm grip. He wouldn’t let go. Her father and Nathan would be in just as much danger whether she went or not.

She swung to face them. “You need me. I can be an extra pair of eyes for you.”

“That’s what the princess’s guards are for.” Nathan’s stare seemed distant, cutting her adrift.

Words formed on her tongue but failed to materialize, and she clamped her jaw closed. He did not need her now and had cast her aside. Frustration rode through her.

The princess leaned closer, whispering to her. “Love is never easy, my dear. Don’t make the same mistake I made. Fight for what you want.”

“I promised my mother I would look after my father.”

“An obligation you have fulfilled admirably. Your mother loved your father very much. He is a loveable man. She would want you to have the same.”

“But what will happen to him without me?”

The princess, about to reply, was forestalled by the return of her maid. “The rooms are ready for your guests, Your Highness, and the guard contingent awaits.”

“Thank you, Serena.”

Her father and Nathan ceased their conversation.

The princess linked her fingers together; though it was obvious she could not suppress her delight that the Pasha Star was safe. “Your escort is ready when you are, dear friend.”

Her father nodded. “Thank you. The sooner your diamond is in your safe hands, the better.”

“Nathan!” Rose’s squeak echoed around the ornately plastered walls. “You will not leave me behind!”

He turned to her. “You’re better off here.”

“No! I intend to see this to the end.”

Her father captured her hands in his. “Not this time, dear daughter. You must stay here. It is too dangerous.”

“And hasn’t it been
dangerous
these last few days? Why cannot I see this to the end?”

“Because you are safe. Because you are my daughter, and I love you.”

“But…”

Her father stemmed her tirade, placing the tip of his arthritic finger on her lips. “Silence, sweet Rose.”

“Ha, you must be joking. Rosie doesn’t know the meaning of silence, or acquiescence.”

Rose shot Nathan a demonic glare. “No one asked for your opinion.”

He shrugged. “It’s never stopped me before.” His nonchalance morphed into a full smile, and despite her frustration at her father’s stance, Rose couldn’t staunch the butterflies taking flight in her stomach or the strange flip-flop sensation there.

Not strange. She knew that feeling well where Nathan Hawk was concerned.

Her father reached out to her. “Go upstairs, child. Take a bath, for I’m sure it has been some time since you indulged in such luxury.”