“I cannot stay,” Chev gritted. “I promised Emmaus I would see him off—and he plans to depart just before dusk.”
“Where is Emmaus going?”
He sent her a warning glance. “He’s going to attempt to take a privateer.”
“What?”
“Shh,” Chev replied. “There has to be a connection between that ship and the delivery we saw last night. If Emmaus is successful, it will help our cause.”
“And if not?” she asked.
He pursed his lips. “That’s why I must see him before he goes.”
She nodded slowly. “Send him my prayers.”
“You can deliver them yourself. I am going to go down with you and I’m going to tell Anthony to go to the devil. Then, you and Thaddeus will come with me to the cottage. We’ll leave for Ashbey’s tonight.”
She froze as her simplest muslin dress settled around her legs. She searched Cheverley’s gaze—still raw, still vulnerable.
She’d longed for him to claim his place, dreamed of having him return.
But to confront Anthony now felt...wrong.
Chev wasn’t ready. And there was no way she was going to allow him to take her to Ashbey.
He stood up from the bed.
“Wait,” she pleaded. “You’re in no condition to go downstairs.”
“I’min no condition?” he asked. “Your lips are swollen, and you look like—”
“I look like what?”
He softened his voice. “Like you’ve just been thoroughly pleasured.”
For a moment, the heat flared between them.
“Ihavejust been thoroughly pleasured. But Anthony won’t see that. He’ll see exhaustion. Worry. And he’ll simply believe he’s pushed me further under his thumb.”
Cheverley flattened his lips. “I’m taking you away.”
“Why can’t you workwithme?” she asked. “Must you always forge forth on your own to set things right in some grandiose spectacle?”
His cheeks darkened. His arms fell limp at his sides. “Is that what you believe?” He prowled toward her. “That I have no control? That I’m weak?Nothing?”
“That is not what I said!” she exclaimed.
Whatwas happening? It was as if they weren’t speaking the same language. She pressed her fingers to her temples.
“Cheverley, Thomas warned me a storm was coming. And last night, we heard the smugglers talking about transporting people. We cannot possibly leave.”
“You cannot possibly stay,” he replied.
“It’s rash—can’t you see? If you go down now just because you think I cannot handle Anthony, we may never be able to fully oust the danger.”
“I’mbeing rash?You’rethe one insisting you must go down.”
“Because I know from experience that if I don’t, Anthony will come up, and whatever his mood, it will be far worse.”
