“I’m fine, Arabella,” the ambassador said as he entered. “Lady Tamsyn, you’re very good at knocking down larger men!”
“I learned that playing with my brothers,” she replied as the duchess stood and went into her husband’s arms.
“We’ll be home soon, my dear girl,” he said softly.
The caring between them was palpable. Tamsyn turned away and motioned for Cade to follow her outside again. “Let’s take a look at the carriage,” she suggested.
They walked around to the stable yard where the carriage stood and the horses were being unhitched so they could be fed and groomed. She looked up at the side of the carriage. “I wasn’t sure at the time, but both bullets struck very high.”
Cade immediately understood. “So either the Scorpion is a bad shot or he wasn’t really trying to hit anyone.”
“Just as he placed the gunpowder by the embassy but seems to have made no attempt to set it off.” Tamsyn considered the bullet holes thoughtfully. “Do you suppose he might just want to harass and intimidate our party but doesn’t intend to kill Lord Whitworth?”
“That’s possible, though I wouldn’t bet anyone’s life on it,” Cade said. “Or perhaps because he’s gifted himself, he’s testing us to learn how strong we are.”
“He might want to prove himself superior to gifted British people.”
“Perhaps,” Cade said. “Though rather contrary given that our kind are usually very cooperative with each other even if we’re of different nations.”
Tamsyn grinned. “Well, French, you know. Many of them glory in being contrary.”
As Cade chuckled, Captain Hansen rode into the yard, saying tersely, “The devil got away. My men are pursuing in the direction he probably went, but I’m not optimistic. He was prepared to gallop away as soon as he fired his rifle. He also timed his shots for a break in traffic on the road and just before a string of heavy wagons came along, which slowed us down.”
“Did the Scorpion leave any traces behind?” Cade asked.
“The Scorpion is a good name for him,” the captain said. “I didn’t see anything, but perhaps a closer look might turn something up.”
“Then let’s go across the road to see if we can find anything. Where was he exactly, Captain Hansen?” Tamsyn asked.
“I’ll show you myself.” The captain handed his horse over to an ostler, then led the way from the stables to the edge of the road.
This late in the day, traffic was light, so they were able to cross quickly. Hansen guided them to a thick clump of trees directly opposite the inn. “We think he shot from this tree. His horse was tethered out of sight a little farther back and must have been saddled and ready to run.”
There was crushed grass around the foot of the tree and faint prints from large boots. Cade went down on one knee to study the prints, taking a pinch of earth from the edge of one and rolling it thoughtfully between his fingers. Then he stood and surveyed the tree. “He’d have to be fairly tall to jump to the lowest branch.”
Hansen eyed the height doubtfully. “It would be difficult. Maybe he had help?”
“Let’s see if one man can do it alone.” Cade took a couple of long steps and then leaped powerfully upward. He caught the broad branch with both hands, then pulled himself up to a sitting position. “So it’s possible. Likely he’s about my height if not taller.”
Tamsyn sucked in her breath, experiencing another of those moments of intense awareness. She’d seen Cade grow from a skinny urchin to a powerful athlete, but hadn’t consciously noticed his sheer lithe power, rather like one of the lions at the Tower of London zoo. No wonder female gazes followed him whenever they were out together.
“So your Scorpion is very tall and a good jumper, as there are no signs that he had a companion to boost him up,” Hansen said. “I don’t think a man could jump that high holding a rifle, so he must have tied a rope to his weapon and pulled it up when he was in position.”
Cade raised his arms and mimicked the action of aiming a rifle. “It’s a well-chosen spot with a good, clear view to the area in front of the inn.”
Tamsyn had been studying the rough ground below the tree. “He was smoking a pipe, I think. There’s a scattering of pipe ashes here.”
She turned and moved slowly through the scruffy grass toward where the horse had been tethered. There was only one set of footprints.
She caught a glimpse of something white on her right and looked closer. Yes, there, a slender white shape was half concealed in the grass. “Here’s a clay pipe with a broken stem.”
Cade had moved to join her. “A pipe stem that long means the Scorpion prefers to have a smooth smoke, but they break easily.”
“It surprises me that a careful criminal would leave anything behind, but perhaps he tossed it aside without thinking.” Tamsyn leaned over, picked up the pipe, and received such an intense jolt of energy that she cried out and dropped it. She would have fallen if Cade hadn’t caught her around the waist and pulled her against him.
“Tam, what happened?” he asked urgently.
She shook her head to clear it, grateful for his support. “Touching the pipe was rather like the jolt from one of those demonstrations of electricity you’ve taken me to, but . . . personal. It was charged with Scorpion energy.”
