She wrapped her arms around herself and could feel the hot slide of silent tears down her cheeks. Never in her life could she have imagined that she would have had to endure the horrors of this night. In all of her travels, she’d never been so fearful as she had been with Mr. Bernard. The carriage started to move as Harlan sat beside her and gathered her into his arms.
“God, Leah.” His voice was haunted. “I should never have left you. I thought I was protecting you, but I failed to keep you safe. You can be assured that will not happen again.”
“Promise?” she asked softly.
“Yes.”
She snuggled closer to his embrace and found the comfort that had been denied her all these long days at her brother’s cold house. “I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered.
He held her closer and said, “Me too.”
It hadn’t takenbut a flash of his profile before Harlan had recognized his foe. There was no doubt in his mind Bernard was the man he’d intercepted on the road, and who had given him the nice scar near his scalp.
But it was his ill treatment of Leah that had made Harlan see instant red. Any revenge he might have been feeling for himself was wiped away when he saw the scoundrel manhandle Leah in such a way. He’d wanted to jump through the glass and attack him right then. It had taken Benjamin’s calm voice to remind him that his anger would be best served after Bernard was away from prying—and possibly sympathetic—eyes.
Harlan had agreed, albeit reluctantly, and together, they had made their way to the couple without being detected. After Benjamin had taken care of Bernard, Harlan’s throat had immediately clogged with emotion when he looked upon Leah’s face. With her auburn hair framing her pale countenance, the sight of her fear broke his heart. Only when her amber eyes opened and spied him was his world complete again. Until then, he hadn’t realized how much he had yearned for her, choosing to act as though his duty was priority.
In that moment, he’d known the truth. He’d been lying to himself before then. She was the single thing that mattered, and the desire to whisk her away from all this nastiness and hold her close was all he ever wanted. It proved that once the threat against the queen was diminished, he would be handing in his resignation to the Crown. He wanted to believe that it was over already, but until he received confirmation from Benjamin that the assassin had been dealt with, Harlan couldn’t, in all good conscience, shirk his current duties. He’d put too much effort into seeing this man brought to justice. And considering all the time his fellow conspirators had taken away from their families to see that happen, he owed them a debt of gratitude that could only be repaid by ensuring that was true.
“Where is Benjamin taking Bernard?”
“He is taking him somewhere private for questioning.” He ground his jaw, trying to keep his tone even, rather than blurting out that he hoped Bernard’s fingernails were being torn off one by one.
“He’s alone with him? In that place?” she returned, aghast.
“Benjamin can handle himself,” Harlan said without hesitation. “It wouldn’t be the first time he’d faced adversity and come out victorious on the other side. I have every faith that he will join us shortly.”
He could tell that she was still concerned, but she nodded her head, nevertheless.
Suddenly, her focus became hesitant. “I can’t go back to my brother’s house.”
He urged her to sit up so she could see the seriousness in his eyes, and not just hear it in his voice. Grasping her chin lightly, he murmured, “I told you that you weren’t leaving my sight from now on. I meant that.” He exhaled slowly. “After I read the letter you sent to Matthew and he told me of his suspicions about Lindquist’s treatment of you, I pray you will never step foot through that door again.”
She hugged herself and gave a mock shudder. “I shouldn’t wish to do so either, but I fear for the welfare of my sister-in-law. I am afraid Agnes has been so oppressed under Henry’s thumb that she is forever changed.”
He frowned slightly and let his hand fall to his side. “After everything has settled down around the queen, I will make it my priority to look into the matter further. But other than threatening a vicar with better behavior, there isn’t much else I can do since they are wed. You do understand that the law is on his side?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, I do.” She looked down at her lap. “I had foolishly believed that coming back to England would be the fresh start that I had been hoping for after my aunt’s death, but from the moment I stepped onto English soil, I have discovered nothing but adversity.” Her focus lifted and met his once again. “The single bright spot in all of this has been you and your band of merry thieves.”
Harlan reached out and grasped her shoulders. The passions that were running rampant through him weren’t just about sexual desire, but something else. Something much deeper and more primitive, possessive.Mine.“I admit that when I made the decision to take you hostage, I didn’t know what would happen. You were injured and looked so… lost, that I couldn’t just leave you to fend for yourself. I certainly hadn’t expected any of… this.” He exhaled harshly. “I hadn’t expectedyou.”
She grasped his lapels and brought him closer to her. “Kiss me, Harlan. Make all the ugliness of this night disappear.”
He leaned forward and happily complied.
Chapter 16
Leah had missed this—had missed Harlan.Terribly.
Ever since she’d woken up to an empty bed, knowing that he had left her behind because he believed he’d been doing what was best, the pain she’d felt had been acute. Misery had followed her ever since, but now, as his lips met hers, she was once again complete. Her heart felt as though it had been stitched back together.
At long last, she had come home. She had found someplace where she belonged after years of drifting about from place to place.
The problem that held Leah back from giving her heart over to him fully was the uncertainty that he would never be able to give up his work for the Home Office. He’d told her it was important to him, that he did it because no one else would, and that he was honoring his father’s memory by fighting for his country. She couldn’t live with the horror in wondering if he would come back to her night after night. She wouldn’t do that to herself—or any children that might result from their union. She had suffered as a child because of her father’s grief.
For now, she intended to cling to the protection and security that Harlan offered, but once this intrigue was complete, she would have to evaluate their future very carefully.
All of those questions could be answered later, but for now, Leah was enjoying the feel of being in Harlan’s arms.
