“And so,” he continued, “against my father’s and uncle’s direct orders, we climbed every cliff possible and explored each nook and cranny. We were quite satisfied with ourselves, I’ll have you know, when we discovered an intricate system of tunnels and caves.”
“I imagine her grace worried endlessly.”
“Most likely.” He chuckled. “Some of the caves had been used by smugglers at some point. I think my uncle may have even received a few shipments through some of them in order to keep his cellars filled. But there was this one cave, almost completely vertical. I don’t think my uncle or my father ever knew of its existence.
“It was not visible from the beaches below. When I climbed down through it, though, I discovered a pool with a hidden tunnel that exited into a lagoon below the cliffs. The lagoon was treacherous — rough when the tide came in but swimmable when the tide was low. We never let on to anyone else about it. We knew we would be banned from the cliffs altogether if anyone were to discover our antics.”
“What sort of antics are you referring to?” As a woman, thinking of small boys exploring such a dangerous site, she was horrified.
“At high tide, we dove into the lagoon and would then swim through the tunnel to the cave, which we climbed up and out of.”
“You, Harold, and Lord St. John?”
“Yes, and another boy, but he moved away long ago.”
“And what, pray tell, does this have to do with unmarrying Harold and myself?” She was almost afraid to ask.
She felt Devlin take a deep breath. “Harold is going to fake his death.”
This is Nice
She sensed an unusual tentativeness in him, for he’d suddenly gone quite still. “I told him there are other ways, but he wants to leave England for a place where nobody knows who he is. He wants to find a place where he can live with Stewart, without having to worry about censure and scandal.”
“Stewart is his…”
“Stewart is his… valet.”
“Does such a place exist?” Sophia asked. This was all quite surprising. And harrowing!
“Perhaps. Harold thinks there may be an island in the West Indies. He would have to become something of an explorer for a while, perhaps for a few years. But he told me he’s always dreamed of setting his own course for his life. Without his father directing it, or his brother, or theton. It would be a decision made by him and his… valet. It has not been a hasty decision on either of their parts.”
Sophia lay quietly as she considered such a plan. “It is dangerous,” she finally said.
“It is, and yet, it simplifies matters considerably. And it is a stunt we’ve done before.”
“As boys.”
“Yes. He will practice it.” She was of no doubt that Dev would as well. He would not let his younger cousin attempt it first, after going years without knowing exactly how time, and water, had affected the tunnel. “The timing, the execution. Everything will need to be done in a precise manner. And we’ll need witnesses. People willing to testify that he perished in the sea.”
“You are sad for your cousin to leave?”
“It is as much what he wants as it is what you would want. What his partner wants. And what I want. But yes, I am sad. It is so very… final.”
“And you are frightened for him.”
“I am. I have been active, what with drills and exercises these past years, but Harold has led a sedentary life. The swimming maneuver, it is not a given for him.”
Not only did Harold wish to be free of her, heneededto be free of her, and his family, and all of England! So much so that he would risk his life. “Dev?” she said finally. “Thank you for telling me all of this, for not glossing over the dangers of it. I want you to know — I want Harold to know — that if he finds he is unable to do it, we will find another way. He mustn’t feel pressure to go through with this mad scheme if he has second thoughts.”
She felt him nuzzling the top of her head.
“And that, my dear,” he said, “is why I am enamored of you.”
She chuckled. This was nice. Cuddling.
“Now, will you tell me something?”
“Anything.” She felt most open in that moment.
