Hydra’s blue eyes darkened, his voice lowering to an ominous level. “You speak out of turn, Gabriel.”
Gabe stood, tossing the dossiers on the chair behind him before turning to pace the tattered rug. He took a deep breath and winced, the floral scent suddenly overwhelming.
Mary’s cover was abhorrent enough without addingmistressto her list of sins. She did not belong in the world of spies. She did not belong in other men’s beds. That thought arrested him, but he quickly dismissed it. Mary belonged married to an ordinary man, and that man was most certainlynotGabe.
This assignment was all wrong and Mary’s role in it was…
Gabe drew himself up. “My apologies, sir.” Gabe affected a shallow bow.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Gabe tried to keep in what else he wished to say, but one glance at Mary’s downcast expression made him ever angrier. “Mary cannae do it! Put another female agent in her place if ye will, but nae Mary.”
“Iam the one who procured the invitation,” Mary’s quiet voice sliced through him with each syllable. “It would hardly be acceptable for another woman to go in my place.”
“Very well, then,” Hydra rose to remove the dossiers from the highboy Gabe had vacated, then tapped them against his opposite hand. “I had a mind to give the assignment to Greene from the first, but something compelled me to offer it to you. I can see now that I was wrong.” He turned to Mary. “Are you amenable to completing this assignment with Colin?”
Mary nodded, pride stiffening her posture. “I am prepared to complete the assignment with any man of your choosing for my partner, sir.”
Gabe’s heart pounded harder, the beats thundering portentously in his ears.No!This was not how this was supposed to happen! Mary was not to go on this assignment atall, but with ColinsoddingGreene? What if their faux relationship of man and mistress turned into somethingmorewhile they shared a bedchamber?God!
An odd, panicked fluttering began in his stomach, the likes of which he had never felt before. He didn’t think he could even put a name to the horrid, foreign feeling. He could not let Colin take the assignment. Not his oldest friend and his best friend together. Alone. Sharing the same bedchamber…
A throat clearing drew him from his distressing musings. “You are dismissed, Gabe. I shall contact you when I have an alternate assignment,” Hydra said.
“Nae! I cannae allow Colin te replace me.Iwill go on the assignment with Mary.”
* * *
Mary’s stomach continued to churn as she watched the exchange between Hydra and Gabriel. How could he be so unfeeling? He implied, not just within her hearing but very obviously in front of her, that she was unfit and not skilled enough to carry out this assignment.Insultingdid not begin to describe how his words had affected her. Painful and hurtful were both good words, as well.
She was just as experienced in the field as he; her knowledge and skill might differ from his, but she was certainly as capable.
“You just refused the assignment, Gabe. I do not respond well to minds being changed on a whim,” Hydra rumbled.
“This is nae a whim, I assure ye, sir. I was just trying te look out fer Mary’s best interest.”
“Best interest?” Mary burst out, standing, her dressing robe swishing as she did. “I daresay you would rather work with Eliza, Amelia, or one of the other women, but I assure you I am fully capable of doing what is necessary to complete this assignment successfully. I—”
“Aye, I believe tha’,” Gabe snarled.
Mary reared back as if struck.Goodness, it even felt as though she had, but not on her cheek, no. This blow was arrowed directly at her heart. “You believe me awhore?”
“Enough!” Hydra roared as Gabe flinched, though Mary did not know if it was from her words or Hydra’s harsh voice.
“Gabriel, you overstep,” Hydra’s voice lowered. “Mary is the lifeblood of this assignment and is fully capable of carrying it out with or without you by her side.”
“I would prefer without,” Mary interjected, garnering the attention of both men. “Clearly Gabriel does not believe I am capable of being a part of this assignment, and I would not wish my partner to have so little faith in me. I will, however, gladly go with Colin.”
Gabe scowled at her. “I think nae.” He turned his gaze on Hydra, “My apologies, sir, fer my impertinence. It was wrong of me. I intend te make right my mistake by completing the assignment with Mary. I promise te nae allow my personal feelings or opinions to jeopardize the attaining of our goal.”
Mary waited for him to apologize to her, but when it was not forthcoming she felt another stab of hurt.
Hydra nodded. “Very well.”
“Just a moment!” Mary exclaimed. “You cannot honestly consider sending him with me after what he has said.”
Hydra made an odd placating gesture. “Heisan excellent candidate for the position,andhe has been on this sort of assignment before. Colin specializes in sabotage; he does not have the same experience.” Hydra turned his attention to Gabe. “Are you certain you will be able to fulfill your duties? You do not believe your injuries will impede you?”
“Certainly nae, sir,” Gabe bowed his head. “They pain me only slightly; I will return to normal before the date of the house party.”
