To Wed a Scandalous Spy (36 page)

Willa smiled warmly at him. "I have no idea what you mean." He bobbed his head quickly in thanks. She pushed him to the door. "Go back to bed, you madman. There'll be no dying in my house, do you understand me?"

He laughed weakly and bowed. "Yes, my lady!"

Lord Liverpool appeared in the doorway. He glanced down at the man on the floor. "Always the bedamned Wadsworths." He glared at Nathaniel. "Louis Wadsworth has been in the Tower for more than a week, held under trusted guard! No one escapes from the Tower!"

Nathaniel considered Liverpool for a long moment. "Have you actually
seen
him in the Tower yourself?"

Liverpool tilted his head thoughtfully. "No, I had not yet visited him there. I had hoped some time in prison would make the questioning easier."

"Ah. Then I would say that there was indeed someone put in the Tower… but not this man."

"Hmm. Someone close to me has failed me." Liverpool looked exceedingly dangerous. "I do not like it when I am failed."

"Hmm." Nathaniel found himself unconvinced. Liverpool had never truly adapted to the more constrained position of Prime Minister. In some ways, he behaved as if he still held all the autonomy and power of the Cobra in his hands. Power that was Nathaniel's now.

Nathaniel had difficulty believing that a man such as Liverpool would let a prisoner like Louis Wadsworth slip through his fingers. Yet what would be the purpose of aiding such an escape?

The possibility of following Louis directly to the prize—Willa's book.

"It is convenient that you are here to claim your prisoner once more, is it not?"

Liverpool looked at Nathaniel sharply, his narrow features tightening. "Your meaning, Reardon?"

Nathaniel shrugged easily. "Merely congratulating you on a happy accident. However, I do hope you realize how fortunate it is that my lady was not harmed in this incident?" His tone was light, but he knew Liverpool did not mistake his meaning.

Liverpool narrowed his eyes. "Your lady would have been far from danger, had you heeded my advice."

Nathaniel kept his own gaze level, his expression quite bland. Liverpool matched him until his gaze flicked away, apparently without volition. Satisfied, Nathaniel turned his attention to the figure on the floor.

"First Ren Porter. Then Foster. Now Wadsworth. I do feel a right target, I must say." Someone wanted him rather dead, it seemed. Had Louis Wadsworth been behind the entire matter, only coming forward when the others had failed? "Do you think we've our Chimera in hand now?"

"I intend to find out." Liverpool signaled to one of his own men. "Bind that man and take him to my carriage. I believe I must step up my interrogation timetable."

Willa came to stand with Nathaniel again. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Do you still have the book, Willa?"

She blinked at him. "Goodness. I'd forgotten all about it. You truly do want that book."

"Yes." He couldn't tell her why.

"I'll fetch it from Myrtle's room."

Liverpool glanced around at the room full of servants tending the glass and broken door. "Shall we retire to the library, then?"

Willa retrieved the diary from where it sat on Myrtle's nightstand. Once in the library, she prepared to hand it over to Lord Liverpool. Yet something in the air between the Prime Minister and her husband compelled her to hand it to him instead.

The appreciative glint in Nathaniel's eyes told her she'd done the right thing.

Nathaniel tipped the book open to read the flyleaf. He clenched his jaw mightily, then handed the book over to Liverpool. Lord Liverpool read the flyleaf, went even more rigid than usual—Willa would have wagered it wasn't possible—then snapped the volume shut with a sharp
crack
.

"I'll take this, if you don't mind," he said tightly.

Nathaniel nodded silently, his jaw tensing rhythmically.

Liverpool nodded shortly to Willa. "Lady Reardon," he said by way of leave-taking. He strode from the library with his expression frozen in acidity.

Taking Willa by the hand, Nathaniel followed to see him out. In the front hall, they paused to allow two footmen to walk a groggy Louis Wadsworth out between them. "What a shame," Nathaniel muttered. "I thought I hit him harder than that."

Just then, Daphne and Basil descended the stairs, obviously dressed for travel.

Nathaniel did not seem terribly surprised. "Heading for the country already?"

Basil shrugged. "The Season is over for us, now that we are in mourning. At least at Reardon we may entertain quietly."

Daphne looked worried. "Basil, what is all this? Who is that man?"

Basil patted her hand. "It has nothing to do with us, my sweet. Let Thaniel handle his own mess. I insist that we leave now." He signaled the footman behind him to bring their trunks forward.

Nathaniel shook his head. "We are in the act of transporting a dangerous criminal from the house at the moment. I suggest you stay back until he is gone."

Daphne's eyes went wide. "Another attack? How did you survive this one?"

Nathaniel smiled at Willa. "Quick wits and a lethal pair of shoes," he said. Then he left her with Daphne and Basil to accompany the two guards to the carriage with their prisoner.

"When you get him inside," Nathaniel said to them as they nearly dragged their burden down the steps to the drive, "I suggest you bind his feet as w—"

Suddenly Louis gasped, looking over Nathaniel's shoulder at the park beyond. He began to struggle. "
No, he's—
"

A gunshot rang out, echoing against the facade of the house so that the source was masked. Willa watched in horror as Nathaniel went down in a tangle with Wadsworth and the two footmen.

"Is he dead?" shrieked Daphne. "Is Thaniel dead?"

Willa was at Nathaniel's side in an instant, down on her knees in the gravel. She pushed at the pile of men covering him. Her heart nearly stopped when she saw that his shirt was covered with blood.

The two footmen rolled aside, then pulled Louis Wadsworth up. He hung more limply than ever, the spreading stain on his shirtfront explaining why.

Nathaniel wheezed, then coughed. He took in a great lungful of air there on his back, a blissful smile crossing his face. "I truly thought they had me," he said to Willa, his voice a croak.

She laughed damply. "I think the late Mr. Wadsworth simply knocked the wind out of you, darling."

He turned to look at the prisoner. Then he rolled his head to gaze up at Liverpool, who stood by the carriage with a sour expression. "Our Chimera, do you think?"

Liverpool grimaced. "I don't doubt it."

Nathaniel sat up. "Damn."

The footman who had taken off at the shot came jogging back. "We found where they was waiting in the park, sir, but they was gone. Had a horse ready, they did."

Willa helped Nathaniel to his feet and dusted off the back of his trousers. He laughed, thinking of how long ago—had it only been little more than a week?—he'd woken by the side of the lane with a woman in his arms.

Liverpool took a seat in his carriage. "There is little point in remaining now," he said sourly.

"At least you still have Foster," Nathaniel reminded him.

Liverpool nodded. "That is a comfort. Unfortunately, I am fairly sure now that Foster was simply a minion. I suspect the Wadsworths were the leaders of their cell of espionage." His driver took off with a jerk.

Basil and Daphne stood cautiously in the doorway. Daphne had one hand pressed to her throat and her eyes were very wide. With disappointment? Indeed, Basil had nearly inherited—again.

"
Chamaeleo bitaeniatus
," Willa murmured, staring at Daphne. "The chameleon."

"Is it over?" Basil called out.

"Yes, Basil. It is now safe for you to go to the country," Nathaniel replied wearily.

Basil shuffled Daphne into their waiting carriage. Nathaniel stood on the steps with his arm around Willa and watched them load their possessions and drive off. "I hope they have not made a mistake," he said absently.

She looked surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Well, they wed so quickly after my engagement to Daphne was dissolved. You know what they say: 'Marry in haste, repent in leisure.' "

"Do they? Do they say that?" Her voice went faint, and she paled a bit.

"Wildflower, what is it?"

She shook her head and handed him back his handkerchief. "Nothing. I'm afraid I get a bit damp at shootings."

She put her arms around him and pressed her face to his shoulder. Nathaniel wasn't sure, but he didn't think it was an amorous hug. He held her close to his side, then bent to nuzzle her hair, willing to hold her as long as she needed. When she finally let go and stood back, her color was better and she was able to smile.

"Thank you. I needed that." Then she grimaced at his stained shirtfront. "I think you ought to take that off," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Shall we go upstairs?"

What a wonderful idea. Nathaniel ran for his room and a clean shirt and weskit. Wadsworth wasn't invited. When Nathaniel left his chamber, he was surprised to see Willa waiting for him in the hall. Then she waved her fingers at him, turned, and danced away down the hall.

"Where are you going?"

She turned, walking backward. "I feel the need to read." Giving him a saucy grin, she turned right way around and made for the stairs.

Nathaniel didn't catch up to her for two floors. Then he grabbed her hand and towed her through the house, passing startled servants and indifferent statuary until they reached the library.

«
^
»

Thrusting Willa into the room, Nathaniel turned to lock them in. He felt her come up from behind and press to his back. She slid her hands around his waist and down. Groaning, he let his head fall until his brow touched the door, taking her caresses for as long as he could stand it.

Then he whirled, picked her up, making her shriek slightly in surprise, and sat down in an enormous chair that stood before the fire. He settled her into his lap with her feet dangling down one side.

"I've had plans for this chair," he said.

"You have?" Then she gasped, for he had found her nipple through her bodice. "Oh!" He'd found the other nipple. "Really?"

Her voice had gone breathy, and she was beginning to squirm on him. God, he loved the way Willa could squirm.

He let go of her lovely nipples and slid his hand down her dress to the hem. Then he burrowed beneath to find her stocking-encased calves. He followed them up to her bare thighs, then continued to her naked junction. He pressed his palm to her, feeling it become kissed by her wetness.

"No drawers. Naughty Willa," he whispered in her ear. "Such a wanton thing you are."

She waited, barely breathing. He could feel her quivering already under his still hand. He rotated it a little, pressing and rubbing, until her head fell back across his other arm.

Then he stroked a fingertip over her sensitive nub, and savored the way she shuddered. His erection was pressed tightly to her hip, and every tiny movement she made against him was a caress.

He took the little button between two fingertips and rolled it gently, making sure his touch was slippery with her nectar. She was ready for him already, swollen and wet.

He took his hand away and pulled his arm from under her dress. She whimpered with loss. "Don't worry. We aren't done. But right now I want to see you."

"What?" She blinked at him, blurry with lust. She was adorable.

"I want to see my naughty wife without her drawers."

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head.

"Yes. I want you to stand before me, and pull up your dress, and show yourself to me."

She bit her lip and shook her head again.

Nathaniel wondered if he had pushed her too far.

"Show me yours first," she demanded.

He had to laugh. She was so unsinkable. "Very well. At the same time then?"

"No. You first." Then she slid her eyes to his and smirked. "I have plans for this chair, as well."

She hopped off his lap and stood before him, looking surprisingly unruffled for a woman who had just been squirming with lust. "Well, come on then. I want to see." She folded her arms and waited.

This was not going as planned. In fact, Nathaniel wasn't sure where this was going.

"Oh, very well, I'll do it myself." And she knelt between his knees and undid his buttons with staggering speed. She looked up at him. "You're not wearing any drawers, either."

"I never do."

Her eyes darkened a bit, then she finished her task and freed him into her hands. She caressed him gently, and Nathaniel gripped the arms of the chair until his knuckles whitened. "Willa, you are going to make me embarrass myself."

"How so?" Her attention was on his erection, which was growing still harder in her hands.

His teeth gritted. "If I explode in your hands, it will be embarrassing."

She grinned wickedly at him. "You did it to me this morning. Turnabout is fair play." She gripped him more tightly, and he threw his head back, clenching his eyes shut as he fought for control.

Willa liked touching him. She had not yet truly had the opportunity to explore their differences. As she knelt before him, stroking his length, she was fascinated by the hardness of steel wrapped with satin skin. The point of it was large and swiftly turning dark. She examined beneath and discovered an intriguing vein.

Impulsively she bent and kissed it. His broken gasp of pleasure echoed in the room.

Fascinating. If he responded like that to a kiss…

She took the head of his shaft into her mouth.

Her name came from him on a tight whisper. His hand came up to caress her hair, but she placed it back on the chair without losing her mouthful of him. She wanted no distractions right now.

With great deliberation, she rolled her tongue over him, tasting a bit of salt. The texture of him was lovely on her tongue, like the smoothness of a stick of candy. She pulled away and licked up the side of him, then down the other side.

He quivered, and she heard the snap of thread where his fingers dug into the upholstery. She laughed in gentle triumph against his shaft. How gratifying.