With that,he departed withMr. Hopper.
Once they were gone, she turned back to Claudiaand voiced her concerns.“I’m not sure what to think of that man.”
“Oh,Mr. Claymooreisever so professional,” the maidnodded firmly. “Hecame to the housewith two of His Majesty’s soldiers. They explained to Lord and Lady Ashfield that they were looking for Lord Wistenberry, although they didn’t give any details. The marquess told them that your husband had just left, so Mr. Claymoore asked if he might send me here, as you were celebrating your honeymoon on the coast.”A frown furrowed her brow. “Is the viscountnotherewith you?”
Isabella pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled heavily.She supposed it was best her parents didn’t know the sordid truth just yet.“It’s a long story, and I’d be glad to relay all the details, butafter so many days of travel,Idaresay I’m ready to get out of this gown and take a bath.”
“Of course.” Claudia smiled. “I’ll just gather somewater to heat. There’s a copper tub just behind the screen.”
Isabella closed her eyes. Nothing had ever sounded so heavenly.
Even thoughher emotions were going through hell.
***
Ridge was staying a short distance away from Isabella, far enough tokeep himself in check andremember why he was here, and close enoughsothathe could come to her aid in case Simon was foolish enough to breech the walls of the castle.Of course, he would likely coerce someone else to do the unpleasant task of retrieving his wifefor him, but either way, Ridge wasn’t taking any chances with Lady Isabella’ssafety. Hewas tasked with her welfare,and he intended tofollow through on his word.
Once he parted ways with Mr. Hopper, Ridgesat down on the edge of his straw bedand rested his elbows on his knees.He’d taken the smallest, and the least extravagant,of the three cottage rooms, letting Claudia have the one closest to her mistress.But he’d never neededmuchmore than the clothes on his back and food in his belly.
He stared down at the scuffed tips of his boots,a reminderthat he was stillclothed inhis worn, commoner’s garb. But then, it wasn’t as though he’d ever had need of a cravat and expensive tailored attire. He wasn’t likely to rub elbows with society, unless it was working toward a common goal,but then, he’d foundit was good to have friends in high places.Beingon friendly terms with the Prime Minister and beingable tobringLadyIsabella to this castle was a prime example.
Ridgewasacquainted withLiverpool, but he was alsofriendswiththe Duke of Chiltern, a former spy who had recently married andwas currentlyon holidayin Italy for his honeymoon.Gabriel’s brother-in-law,Travell Abernathy, Viscount Curdiff,also worked for the Home Officeandwas aparticular favorite of the Regentandthe man responsible forrecruitingRidge intoserving his country.
And thenthere was Logan Montgomery,buthewas an enigma. No one was really certain of his past and he wasn’t inclined to speak of it. To anyone.He was almost as much of a mystery as the cases he helped to solve.
Ridge released a heavy exhalationand shoved a hand through his hair. Some days he wondered if the intrigue that came with his line of workwasn’t growing too tedious. He was three and thirty,butit wasn’t as if he had to settle down any time soon.He didn’t have the task of providingan heir to carry on a specific bloodline, and even if hewantedto marry and have a family, how would he manage to support them? His skills were fighting criminals in back alleyways and his rather deadly ability to wield a knife.
Notexactlyhusbandmaterial.
Of course, hecould alwaystakeup sailing.When he was fifteenhe’dbeen hiredasa cabin boy on a merchant shipbefore he found that sea life wasnot asexcitingasin the books he’d read.It was grueling workand sometimes dullwhen waiting on the wind to return to blowthe shiptoherdestination.Butat leastthe experiencehad served him well during his time on board the smuggling ship,Clara Belle,in his guise asOne-Eye.
Perhaps he couldretire from the Home Office andbecome the captain ofa vessel and transport…something, become a merchant of his own.But while the idea had merit,it soundedboring and uneventful. The truth was, he thrived under excitement. He had always been restless, even as a boy, and it was the thrill of the chase that made his blood run hot through his veins. He wasn’t sure it was something he could ever give up.
Lately, however,he’d started to feel as though parts of his life were getting…stale.Even the titillation of being a spy was starting to wane,and he wasn’t sure how to revive that spark.
He stood up and removed his jacket, tossing it onto the bed. For uncertain times like these it was best to sink into a hot bath.
***
Once Isabellahad scrubbed until her skin was pink, shedonned a freshlavenderfrock. She wasfeelingrather invigoratednow that she was clean, and since it was still daylight outside, she decided that she would climb to thetopof thecastleand enjoy the view.
She left her hair down to dry, something she would neverhavedone outside of her bedchamber, but as a married woman, surely there were certain liberties that she could take. And it wasn’t as thoughit really matteredat this point. For someone who had always been more comfortable avoiding confrontation by pretending that it didn’t exist, in the past week her emotions had been in such turmoil, going from exuberant happiness to abject disillusionment, that she decided that she wasn’t going to hide her head in the sand any longer. While she didn’t intend to pursue conflict, neither was she going to shy away from it.
She left her chamber and found an enclosedstaircase that wound around the outside of the keep to the area above.Isabella trailed a hand along thestonewall. She could almost picture the history that had taken place here, the danger and the determination of the men who had fought so proudly for their country. If it were possible for women to join the fray, she might haveeven taken up armsherself.Perhaps she mighthaveevenearned the title of“warrior queen,”as told in William Cowper’s poem,Boadicea, an ode.
With a smile, Isabellapaused at the top ofthe walkway and glanced out over the sea—andone of the most awe-inspiring scenes she’d ever witnessed.
But it wasn’t enough. Not yet.
Shewalkedtoward the edgeof thekeep, and standingwith her hands on the surrounding wall, shestared out at the expanse. From this height, theview of theseastoleher breath, the water stretched out before her in an endless splendor. The sun shone on the sparkling waves and turned them into crests of diamonds as they crashed upon the sandy shore.
She inhaled deeply of the salty air andwished that she had her watercolors with her, so that she could at leasttry tocapture this moment. It was like her own private escape from the harsh realities that awaited heron land.For an instant, withher hair whippingabout her shoulders, she could almost imagine that shecouldsprout wings andfly.
“Do you have to stand so close to the edge?”
Isabellaspun aroundat thesound of thedry masculine voice and saw Mr. Claymooreleaning against the wallnear the outer stairs.He hadchanged andbathed as well, his dark hair still damp anda bitwindblown.Hiswhite cambric shirt andcharcoal graytrouserswith thetall black bootsmadehim appear like more of a pirate than an agent for the Crown.
Shelifted a brow. “Are you following me, Mr. Claymoore?”
