What was to happen now? He knew about her, and she knew about him. Plus, there was Plunge. Things could not just continue on as they were.
He also could not discount the small matter of his attraction for her. He wanted to kiss her again.
Entering the park deep in thought, he did not instantly see the gaggle of men ahead until they materialized out of the mist.
“Morning.”
“What the bloody hell are you all doing here?” Zach demanded of the men in his family who were sitting on their horses, apparently waiting for him.
“You are not yourself, and when you are like that, you go riding early. We thought to join you,” Gabe said.
“You made us join him,” Nathan said, looking squinty eyed at Gabe, like he was not yet ready to open them fully and view the day. Beside him, Michael yawned. Forrest was his usual calm self.
“I am grateful to you all for leaving your beds,” Zach said, feeling the warmth of their love settle in his chest.
“You should be. I hate mornings,” Nathan muttered. He then sniffed the air. “Is that fruit I smell? Pear to be more precise?”
“I had a pie on the way here.”
“And you didn’t bring us any?” Nathan demanded.
“I didn’t know you would be here, in my defense,” Zach added. “Now, be quiet because I have something to tell you,” Zach said.
“Then let us ride, and you can talk,” Gabe said.
“I’m getting a pie on the way home,” Nathan muttered.
They surrounded him, and he told them what he’d done.
“You forged Geraint’s signature?” Gabe whistled.
“And you confronted Mary at the church?” Michael asked.
“I did. She ran, but I caught her and then made her tell me her story.” When Zach was finished reciting what Mary had told him last night, it was Forrest who spoke first.
“It seems I owe Mary Blake a great deal for helping me find Ruby. Surely it was her at the church that day?”
“Very likely,” Zach said, tamping down his fear over the risks she might have taken to get that information.
“And what of Plunge? Did you speak about him?” Nathan asked.
“She refused to discuss him.”
“I should be angry with you for doing what you did, but it was genius really,” Gabe said. “If she didn’t turn up, she wasn’t involved in Alexius. If she did, she was.”
“Her biggest fear with exposure was that I would in some way stop her from continuing to be part of Alexius. That I would tell her family and persuade Geraint to give her no more missions,” Zach said, remembering what Mary had said last night.
“Which I’m sure was something you thought about, if simply to protect her,” Forrest said.
Zach nodded. He looked between his horse’s ears as the thud of hooves told him riders were approaching. Plunge appeared first through the mists in a scarlet jacket. Mary rode at his side.
“Well now, this should be fun,” Michael drawled.
Zach moved his horse so it was directly in their line, so both riders had to halt before him.
“Good morning, Mary, Plunge.” Zach nodded as his family joined him.
She wore a deep green riding habit with black braid and toggles down the front. On her head was a little black hat. The sudden thud of his heartbeat told him what he’d been denying. Mary had suddenly become very important to him.
