“Hair?” A bottle of ink and a quill came out next.
“His hat covered most of it, but his hair was brown, wasn’t it? Gray-brown.”
“Just as I remember.” He scribbled it all down. “His clothing?”
“Gray, all gray. Plain—well, he was a Puritan. Nothing to distinguish him there. Oh, his shoes had very ugly dull buckles. Square. Pewter, I’m guessing.” She frowned as he wrote. “Why does this matter?”
“Wait.” He held up a hand, still writing. “Any scars?”
“Too far to see.”
“I think he had a healing cut on his chin. And a wart alongside his nose.” The quill scratched some more. “There,” he said, ending with a flourish. “Job well done. You really are quite observant.” He shoved the page into the bottom drawer and slammed it closed.
“Trick?”
“Aye?” He returned to the mantel and reached to replace the key.
“Will you stop doing this? For me?”
He whirled to face her. “I cannot promise that, Kendra.”
“We’ll find another way to support the orphans. I’ll ask my brothers—”
“I cannot stop.” Coming closer, he put his hands on her shoulders. “Soon, but not yet.”
“It frightens me.” Her voice came out a whisper.
“You do have a way of melting a man’s heart.” He tilted her chin to meet her eyes. “I’ll be careful,” he said softly.
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart.”
She smiled faintly and touched him lightly on the chest. “This one?”
“That one exactly.” He placed his hand over hers and bent to take her lips in a slow kiss.
She leaned against him, sighing into his mouth.
When he finally pulled back, it was with a chuckle. Playfully he tugged on her hand, pulling her toward the corridor. “Shall we try the bed again, do you think?”
She stood her ground. “Not on your life. You think your kisses are good enough to tempt me to trythatagain?”
“I’m betting on it.” He scooped up the coins and stuffed them into his surcoat pocket. “And I’m not a losing man.”
Twenty-Three
THEY RODEacross the downs, taking a leisurely route to enjoy the warm day. Trick felt better than he had in months. Odds were he had enough information now—he would send a message to the contact the king had provided, meet with the man, and hopefully be done.
Premature though it might be, relief flowed through him in heady waves.
His gaze drifted over to Kendra, her hair bright in the midday sun. A grass stain on her knee brought a smile to his lips. Though she was a challenge, he found it impossible to stay angry with her. She was the helpmate he’d never thought to have. As soon as word came that his mission was complete, they could start anew.
Their marriage was suspended on a fragile web, but without this secret between them, he could begin to spin it stronger.
“Trick?”
“Hmm?”
