Chapter Twenty-Six
Days later, Dannylay in Percy’s arms, panting, sweaty, and completely satisfied after three rounds of vigorous sex: first on the bed, then on the rug by the fire, and then the chaise in the corner. Finally able to make coherent thoughts, she propped her chin on his chest.
“So, whatwasDenise’s role?” she asked. Now that she thought back to that night, she hadn’t seen or heard anything of her siblings once they’d taken up their posts. “Waylaying constables? Causing a crush of carriages in the street?”
Percy’s connections may have won them a pardon for inserting another breathing hole in the previous Home Secretary’s face—an easy decision by Her Majesty when verified evidence of Ridley’s treason had become known—but traffic accidents and purposeful blockades wouldn’t be on the list of forgiven crimes.
Danny groaned, imagining. “Tell me my siblings weren’t involved in anything illegal?”
“Oh, that.” Percy’s ears turned a most guilty shade of red. “I may have bent the truth a bit when I asked for your sister’s assistance.”
Thatsoundedcriminal. “What exactly were she and Don doing?”
“Needling my butler and housekeeper.”
Danny’s eyes widened. He couldn’t mean... “Percival Cole, you did not sick my siblings on the staff to make them resign?” No wonder she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Mr. Lancaster or Mrs. Smith in days. She rubbed her temples. “I can already see the written complaints from the trade union.” Denise and Don would’ve been vicious. “The poor dears.”
“No one should be that composed all the time,” Percy defended. “I took you four different ways our wedding night with thedoor openand not even a glare of disapproval. If those two can withstand a frontal assault from both your siblings, they can withstand my horrible personality. But at least this way,I’ll knowthey’re deranged but good-natured psychopaths and not neglectfully unconcerned automatons. I’ll have you know, both of them remain in their positions, with a large number of pounds added to their yearly salaries.”
Danny shook her head, afraid to ask. “And what was little Leo up to? Scaring cats from the barns?”Please let him have been scaring cats in the barn.
If Percy had looked guilty before, Danny braced herself for what followed his newest expression.
“Actually...” Percy leaned over and took a grey object out of his discarded coat’s pocket. He grinned. “The lad was supposed to hit a tree or something, cause a distraction if things got dicey.” He ran a hand through his hair and nodded towards the rock he placed in her hand. “I had no idea he was as good a shot as you.”
Frowning at his nonsensical words, Danny turned the rock towards the firelight: round and smooth, with the faintest smudge of brownish red that might have been blood.
Upon closer inspection, Danny recognized it was the same rock that had knocked the gun from her hand when she’d been posing as one of Ridley’s agents. The same rock that had set the gun off when it had been flung from her hand.
“The most important role.”
Danny’s stomach dropped and she found herself wishing for the days when Percy had done nothing but lie. Hehadgiven Leo a job. A job Percy would think the most important of all: Cause a distraction in order to protecther. Which meant that little boy had been in the thick of things, close enough to use a child’s sling shot and well within range of any of Ridley’s men who managed to slip through the Merrys’ net.
Thank God no one had gotten past.
“Where did Charlotte think Leo was?” Danny asked.
“In the kitchens, overseeing the preparations for our victory dinner with cook.”
How would she ever look Charlotte in the eye the next time she faced her friend? “If you ever try anything half so dangerous with our children, you’ll lose more than digits, my love.”
He winced. “I see my head mounted on the wall and the taxidermy is not flattering.” Gaze steady, he vowed, “Never again.”
She blew out her breath, satisfied with his answer while her relief at the favorable outcome to this battle doubled, tripled. “Pray,” she said, sending up her own. “Pray Charlotte and Hamish never find out how close their son came to harm.” She’d have no legs to stand on if her friends took more than that from her husband.
Percy nodded gravely. “I do believe I owe my godson a horse, or gold, or a castle, or... what is better than a castle?”
“His first woman?” Danny offered.
Percy chuckled and plucked the rock from her hand to place it back in his coat’s pocket. “I have thoroughly corrupted you, haven’t I?”
Danny glanced at the knife on the nearby table, the handle still wet from their last coupling, and her body grew hot remembering. “I do believe I was corrupted long before you, dear husband.”
Shame snuck through the cracks, sending threads of cold through her body.
Shaking the strands loose, Danny said, “I wonder if those negative feelings will ever fade completely? Someday, when I won’t be ashamed to speak of them aloud.”
Percy played with the end of a curl. “You shouldn’t fear telling your friends.”
