Her shoulders, held so high just moments go, slumped.
He laid his hand upon her shoulder as he had so often done, not a little surprised by the warmth beneath the thin fabric. “I promise I will share with you any other information I have on weapons, should I discover more. I know you will be invaluable to my investigation.”
A cough from the duchess reminded him where he was, and glancing over, he found her watching him. Quickly, he removed his hand.
Lissa gave him a short nod. “I will. I look forward to our next meeting.”
He smiled at her, pleased that he would be seeing her again soon. Turning, he gave Her Grace a short bow. “I must take my leave, but I thank you.”
The duchess rose and walked toward him. “I’m very glad that we were able to assist. Please tell my sister I will be calling on her tomorrow.”
“I am happy to be of service.” With another short bow, he turned and left.
By the time he’d descended the long steps from the doors of Silver Meadows to the ground, his horse was brought around. Mounting, he set off at a leisurely pace toward Ravenridge. He would give Lady Blackmore her sister’s message, change into clothing more appropriate for following the Viscount Leighhall, and head back to the inn where he’d been staying.
Leighhall was visiting a young widow in the area, but could leave at any moment, and Anthony planned to be there when the viscount departed. Part of him wished the man would obtain another interesting weapon, just so Lissa’s eyes would light with excitement again. But even as the thought was born, his instinct smashed it down like a nut beneath his heel. Though Lissa was indeed a very good friend, she was now a lady, and despite what she might wish, their relationship must change, for her sake.
Chapter Two
Lissa brought herhorse to a halt just within the shade of the wood. She waited patiently for her groom to catch up, having raced over the fields to escape detection. It wasn’t unusual for her to ride early in the morning. In fact, she often was accompanied by one of her classmates, but this morning was different.
As the groom slowed to enter the woods, she took the coin from the pocket of her newly purchased trousers and held it ready. As soon as the young man noticed her and moved his mount forward, she spoke. “I want you to stay here until I return.”
“But I am to go with you, my lady.”
She’d given up correcting the staff after a month of being at Silver Meadows. They insisted on addressing her as “lady,” which was far from the truth. “Yes, I know. However, that is not my wish. You have done admirably to escort me thus far. Now I will continue down this path.” She pointed to the well-worn dirt track. “If I need assistance, I will whistle loudly.”
“Whistle?” The groom seemed quite taken aback by that.
She sighed. “Yes, whistle.” She puckered her lips and whistled, not too loud, but not softly either.
The groom’s eyes widened before he frowned again. “But—”
She held up her hand with the coin. “This is to keep you company. If you are here when I return, I will give you anotheras long as you keep my chosen clothes and my activities to yourself.”
His gazed riveted to her hand. Finally, he looked at her and nodded.
She walked her horse closer and handed him the coin. “Remember, no one is to know, not the other grooms, your family, or your lover. Understand?”
Again he nodded. “I shall wait here unless I hear a whistle, and will tell no one.”
“Good.” Turning her horse down the path, she kept it to a slower pace, not wishing to be obvious about how excited she was to see Anthony. It never behooved a woman to show she was excited to see a man she needed. And she did need Anthony, but not in the way most women needed a man. Only he could give her one last adventure. Only he knew her.
She hadn’t expected to see him again after three years had passed since he left her and her grandmother in France. Her last year in London she had spent attempting to catch the eye of well positioned men of the middle class, but Grand-maman was having none of it, saying she’d suffered too much to get them to this point and only a peer would do.
The next thing Lissa knew, she was meeting the students of the Belinda School for Curious Ladies, and despite her wish to remain apart from such aristocratic women, she’d been welcomed wholeheartedly.
It was both a relief and a problem. Tucked away at Silver Meadows, she despaired of finding a suitable man for marriage before the next Season. Suitable to her was far different than to her grandmother, who was determined to see her live out her life with a boring peer. She needed more, either the excitement of helping a husband succeed or a complete lack of attention, so she could do as she pleased. Despite multiple visits to the villageof Northampton and the local parish, no middle-class prospects had come to fruition.
But Anthony, who knew who she was, would understand why a peer was out of the question. He could help her find a wealthy man, and then she could satisfy her grandmother by giving her the life she wished. In return, she could aid Anthony in his quest and enjoy one last bout of freedom. Her plan would make them all happy.
Pleased with herself, she was envisioning the future of her dreams when she sensed something different about her surroundings. She slowed her mount, noticing a distinct lack of birdsong. Was he close, or was there someone else about in the wood?
Slipping her hand beneath the large man’s shirt she wore, she grasped one of her daggers. Though she didn’t like the constriction of having her now-bigger breasts bound, she’d been careful not to impede her arm movements. If she hadn’t gained so much weight since living in England, she wouldn’t have such a problem, but living during a war, when foraging for food was the norm, was far different from living in luxury with others cooking for her, and worse, waiting upon her. Even her only pair of pantaloons had been far too tight to wear in public.
The chuff of a horse confirmed her suspicions. Directing her own mount into the wood, she turned it about and watched the path, waiting. She had learned patience, among many other skills during the war, and it felt good to be back in her own element.
The soft sound of horse hooves coming down the path had her tensing. Finally, a horse of mediocre breed came into sight with an old man upon its back. He wore dark-brown trousers and a dirty shirt. He had bushy gray brows that hid his eyes, along with equally gray hair and a long beard. She relaxed,accepting that she would have to wait a bit longer. It could very well be that she was still early.
