“Of course. And, God love them, they did not try to dissuade me. Well, perhaps Killian was reluctant, but he saw that I could not be swayed.”
He kissed her again, going deep, using his entire body to press her against the wall. Danielle absorbed the kiss, gobbling up the force of his passion.I love you,she thought,I love you so much.She’d intended to tell him the moment she saw him. But that moment was riddled with fear, and guards, and Sister Marie lying in wait with a blunt object. They were finally alone, but he had so many questions.
“You are brave,” he said between kisses, “you are so unspeakablymorethan I’ll ever deserve,” another kiss, “you are too beautiful—too precious—to be slinking about this wretched pile, whacking guards on the head, binding unconscious men and... and rescuing me.”
She giggled. “Was this not your original plan? Wasn’t I meant to come to this castle and be ‘dangled’ before this Frenchman?”
“Never say it,” he rasped. He scooped his hand beneath her bottom and lifted her. Dani hopped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He pivoted, pressing his back against the wall and sliding downward. He landed on the floor with her facing him in his lap. Her skirt billowed around them. Dani clasped his shoulders and laughed.
“You coming here was not a plan, Danielle,” he said, “it was a maddened detour from one of my fevered nightmares. I thought of it before I’d met you—hell, it was before I considered anyone but myself and Linus. I would never put you in harm’s way. I would never drive you past this smoldering castle in a locked carriage, let alone lure you inside on the night of a French bacchanal. I’ll have words with Killian Crewes for bringing you—”
“Stop,” Dani said, putting a hand over his mouth. “First, I believe Killian would lecture you for the same reason. He was given no choice but to accompany me or to see me cross the Channel alone. I was always coming for you.”
“M’étoile.”He kissed her palm and tugged her hand from his mouth. He dropped his head against the wall and looked to the ceiling. “Iam the savior,” he told her—a vow. “Have you not read the papers?Irescue people. Except when I don’t. Except when they drown instead.”
“Not this time,” she said softly.
“I love you,” he said. His voice was matter-of-fact. He said the words to the rafters.
Dani’s stomach flipped, and flipped, and she would’ve been dizzy if she hadn’t been seated in his lap. And so very happy. She grabbed his face with both hands.
“I love you,” he repeated, looking her in the eye. “I’ve so many regrets in this life—profound regrets—but not telling you this before I left Eastwell Park is chief among them. I wanted to write it in my letters, but—”
Dani kissed him, rising up to claim his mouth. “I love you, too, Captain Bannock,” she breathed. “I love you so much.”
“Look,” he said, holding up his left hand. “The ring you sent.”
“Oh, it fits,” she enthused, taking his hand, spinning the ring on his finger. “I did not wear mine because Surcouf must believe me to be unattached.”
Luke froze. “I beg your pardon?”
“When you dangle me before the comte, I cannot wear your ring.”
“Why did you think I needed to be rescued here, Danielle?” he asked. “Were my letters so desperate? Did I sound out of my depth? Our rescue mission was challenging, but—”
“I am meant to be a fail-safe,” she said. “Against the French captain.”
“Oh no,” he said. He jostled her, pressing his back against the wall and sliding up. “I will deal with Surcouf, you and the nun will...” He set her on her feet and steadied her.
“Yes,” she countered.
“No. What was your plan with the nun?”
“There was no plan beyond recovering you and your friend and meeting the others at our rendezvous point.”
“What’s the rendezvous?”
“It is a fork in a stream in the woods. The stream branches off a river that flows through...” She faltered. It was so very odd to say it.
“That flows through your land?” he provided. “I know the spot. The river is shallowest there. You’ll be difficult to track if you wade in the water for a mile or so. My rendezvous point is an abandoned hunting lodge, also on your land. The men I hired are on their way now with Linus. The two points are not far. If I can get you and the nun to an outside door, do you think you can make your way to the stream without me? I’ll finish here and be a half hour behind you.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “We will not leave here without you. I came here—Iracedacross the English Channel and across France—to confront the French captain with you, Luke. I’ll not go until we’ve done it.”
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Out of the question. I’ll find an unobserved door to the outside and shove you and the nun through it. You will leave this place and wait for me with the others.”
“I will not do,” she said.
“You will.”
