She gave a slight gesture to someone behind him. Alarmed, Richard started to turn around, but it was too late. An assailant slashed at him with a knife, effectively silencing him. He put a hand to his throat as crimson blood began to pour out through his fingers. He tried to speak, to curse his vile wife to the depths, but it only came out as a pitiful gurgle. The man who’d delivered the fatal blow came into full view and Richard’s temper flared, but he was too weak to respond as his life was already ebbing away.
“Lord Winthorp was able to make his excuses and leave the Harville party earlier than planned,” Elise said calmly. “You know, you really brought this on yourself, Richard. You’ve always been rather self-centered and you know‘The Cause’doesn’t have room for error.” She turned back to the viscount. “Once my dear sister-in-law and her lover have been dealt with, we will follow through on our original course of action.”
As the darkness began to close in on the edges of his vision, Richard glared at Elise before he gave one last gasp…
* * *
Lyra awoke with a start, a sudden awareness of her surroundings causing her to seek out Alister. A wash of relief flooded her when she saw him sleeping soundly on a makeshift pallet in a corner of the room. She stood and walked over to the window, throwing the wool blanket around her shoulders that Drayven had likely placed over her as she’d slept. It was pitch dark outside and a gentle snow had begun to fall. A small fire yet burned in the grate, although a decided chill was starting to permeate the room.
She went over and began to stir the coals back to life, adding another log to the gentle flames. She hoped they wouldn’t be stranded here very long. It didn’t appear that there was an abundance of supplies at their disposal. Not only that, but she knew it was imperative that she see a doctor at the earliest opportunity. Until now she hadn’t had a chance to think about it, or else she just didn’t want to dwell on the fact, but she had the sinking feeling that she was with child, for her courses were several days late.
After suffering two miscarriages with Roger, she didn’t know if she could handle the loss of another baby. And it would be even more brutal this time, for Alister was the father. She knew they could never be together, so it would be wonderful to always have a part of him with her. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to remain in polite society with a bastard child, so she would have to the live out the rest of her days at her brother’s estate in Cornwall, but it would be worth it to finally be a mother.
“That’s a rather pensive look on your face,” Alister said.
Lyra turned and offered the duke a gentle smile. His eyes instantly warmed her from the inside out. She had no doubt he would make a superb father, but unfortunately, she would have to keep the child hidden. If not, he would never be able to get on with the life he was meant to have. Surely if she found a way to save him from debtor’s prison, she might atone for such a dark secret?
She put such thoughts aside and walked over to him, sinking down to her knees before him. “How are you feeling?”
“Perfect. So long as you are here.”
Lyra swallowed over the lump of sudden guilt in her throat and couldn’t help but turn away.
He turned her back to face him with a finger under her chin. He was frowning, and she realized that he thought her reticence was for another reason. “I wanted to be your hero, but I’ve done nothing but become the enemy.” His eyes were full of regret as he searched her face. “I blame myself for not stepping in when I could have saved you from marrying Roger. I knew what kind of man he was. I could have prevented all of your pain, but I’m a fool, just as society believes me to be. Even now.”
“That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it?” he asked gently. “I keep chipping away at your faith in me, don’t I?”
She wasn’t sure how to reply, so she tried to change the subject. “How is your wound?”
The grin he gave her showed off those amazing dimples. “Why don’t you undress me and find out?”
She couldn’t help it. Her lips twitched. “What about Drayven? What would he say?”
Alister grew serious again. “He’s gone. He returned to London last night to speak with the Prime Minister about the chest. He should be back first thing this morning.”
“What was in there?”
“The designs for a labyrinth of secret passages beneath Carlton House.”
Once he explained the details and what a breach of security might entail, Lyra sat back on her heels, stunned.
“This could damage the entire monarchy. England’s very existence would be in jeopardy if something happened to the Regent. We could be dealing with another uprising to rival that of the French Revolution.”
Alister’s mouth turned down at the corner. “Indeed.”
For a moment, they allowed the silence to envelop them as the ramifications of what they were dealing with truly sank in. In the end, he pulled her to him. “Enough of all this doom and gloom. Come here.”
Lyra’s blonde hair fell over them both like a silken curtain. He gently cupped her cheek. “You don’t know how many times I used to fantasize about this very moment,” he whispered huskily.
She felt her toes curl as she finally placed her lips on his. His mouth was so warm and inviting, and when his tongue swept inside to mate with hers, she couldn’t help but sigh in wanton delight.
It wasn’t until she reached up to brush his hair back from his forehead that she pulled back with a gasp. “You’re burning up!”
“You have no idea,” he growled, but when he tried to pull her back to him, she gently pushed his hands away.
“No, you don’t understand. You have a fever.” She brought down a section of the crude blanket that covered his wonderfully naked chest and had to force herself not to be distracted by those curling, dark hairs sprinkled across his hard pectorals. She carefully unwrapped his bindings and had to hold back a gasp of horror when she noticed the red streaks branching out from the wound. “It’s swollen.”
