Ridge snorted as helifted her into his arms and stood, turning to face off with hisfellow agent,who had been on guard near the stables at the rear of the inn, in case their quarry attempted to make a run for it. “As if youhavean unblemishedtrack record with women, Montgomery.”
Thereply was a devilish twinklein Logan’sice blue eyes as he walked over to the unconscious man and threw him over his shoulderlike a limp rag doll. “Millicent’s girls would heartily disagree with that assessment.”
Ridge shook his head as they walked over to theirhorses. As busy asthe White Horse Cellar was thatafternoon, no one passing by seemed to pay them any heed as they carried their prospective bodies away.But as each year passed and London continued to grow in numbers, he’d found that most people tended to look the other way, keeping to their own business rather than get involved in something that didn’t include them.
And certainly, in all of his years as an agent, he’d never had a job quiteaspleasantasthis one.
Unfortunately,he had to tamp down any interest he might haveotherwisehad in theprettyladyin his arms. For one, he had astrictcode of honorwhen it came to performing his missions.He wouldn’t do her the dishonor of seducing her whenshewasa married woman. Even if shewaswillingtoembark on a brief liaison,he’d sworn never toallowhis focus to be distracted. His line of work was too dangerous. Oil and water just didn’t mix, no matter how muchonemight be interested in the prospect.
Of course,there wasalsothe small fact she was a gentleman’s daughter, while he was acommonbastard born to a dockside whore and one of her many lovers, a woman who’d worked at the brothel Loganhadreferred to.
After Ridge’s mother had passed, Millicent had become something of a second mother to him. She could have easily cast him into the streets with the rest of the riffraff born on the wrong side of the blanket, but she’d taken a particular liking to him and allowed him to stay on as a sort of errand boy until he’d gotten old enough to make his own way. He still went back to visit from time to time, although for rather different reasons now.
“I should have warned Millicent to never to let you in the door,” he grunted. “She wouldhavelistened to me, too,if she’dknown half of her girls would fall madly in love with you.”
“What can I say?” Logan shrugged. “I have a certain charm about me.”
Ridge climbed into the saddle behind Isabella, careful to cradle hersleeping formin his arms as he took up the reins, while Logan threw his charge in front of him like a sack of potatoes. “From what I understand,” he noted. “It wasn’t yourcharmthey found so appealing.” As the other man looked particularly pleased with himself, Ridgecouldn’t resist addingwith a wink, “But you’re still just second best to me, old man.”
With that, he spurned his mount forward.
