Falling In Love Again (Heroic Rogues Series) (28 page)

His subconscious argued that
he
was Lockwood. Hawk and the viscount were the same person, so why should it matter?

Marcus hadn’t dared sleep into the morning with his wife for fear she’d awaken first and see the scar on his chest. He couldn’t have her see his knife wound and figure out his secret already. Although still sleepy, he arose before the sun and dressed for the day, leaving Isabelle to finish her slumber.

In the kitchen, he met Gabe who looked at him, wearing a wide grin. His friend sipped his coffee then nodded.

“Top of the morning, my lord. I trust you had a pleasant night.”

Marcus smiled and folded his arms across his chest. “I did, thank you. My night was most adventurous.”

Gabe chuckled and poured a cup of coffee for Marcus then handed it to him. “Splendid. I feared after your disastrous meeting last evening, you would have a difficult time sleeping.”

“I feared the same, also, but fate had other things in mind.”

With his coffee in hand, he walked into the dining room where a breakfast buffet waited. Gabe followed, closing the double doors behind him. He walked to the table and filled a plate of food right behind Marcus.

Both men sat, before Marcus leaned forward and looked at his friend. “Has there been any word? Anything new on the development of late?”

“Unfortunately no.” Gabe bit into a pear. “Nobody wants to talk.”

Marcus nodded and lowered his voice. “Then Lord Lockwood needs to get out and start asking questions. I wish I knew who to trust around here.” He shrugged. “I have searched through all of my brother’s papers and found nothing noteworthy.”

“Perhaps he wasn’t involved.”

Marcus rolled his eyes. “I highly doubt that. If my father is involved in something corrupt, I’m quite certain Matthew is right there with him.”

Gabe sighed and leaned back into his chair, linking his fingers across his chest. “Has your wife said anything?”

“No.” Marcus took a longer gulp of his coffee. “She still acts as if she knows nothing.”

“Perhaps she doesn’t.”

Growling, Marcus leaned his elbows on the table. “Then why was she carrying that dagger? And why did those drunks in the tavern describe her right down to her high-and-mighty companion?”

“I wish I could tell you.”

“I need answers soon before I go stark raving mad.”

Gabe chuckled. “Leading a double life will do that to you.”

Someone knocked on the dining room door. Marcus straightened while Gabe jumped up and took his plate away from the table.

“Enter,” Marcus called.

Gentry walked in carrying a card. “My lord, Mrs. Winters is here to see you. She said she has business with you.”

Marcus nodded and took the card. Isabelle mentioned the older woman wanted to talk to him, but he expected her to make an appointment first. Nonetheless, she was here, and he supposed he could help her return to England.

“Show her into the drawing room, Gentry. As soon as I finish my breakfast, I’ll see her.”

“As you wish, my lord.”

Once the doors closed again, Gabe came back to the table. “Mrs. Winters? Isabelle’s companion?”

“The very same.”

“What do you suppose she wants?”

“Money. Commodore Stanhope cheated her out of what he promised if she accompanied his daughter to New York.”

“So why are you giving her money if it was Stanhope’s responsibility?”

Marcus arched an eyebrow. “Because I was the one who killed the man, so I feel partly responsible.”

Chuckling, Gabe patted Marcus’s shoulder. “You have turned soft all of a sudden. I haven’t decided if it is land that has put you in this mood—or your lovely wife.”

Marcus glared. “You speak your mind too freely, Gabe.”

“Ah, but we aren’t on the pirate ship or with the band of thieves, so I’m allowed.”

With a flip of his hand, Marcus dismissed his friend. “Leave me, you rotten man.”

Gabe left laughing. Marcus couldn’t blame him. When analyzing his life, he realized he had changed. But why? For years, revenge had been first and foremost on his mind, the very thing driving his existence.

But now he hadn’t thought of vengeance since he stepped into his brother’s role. Of course, Isabelle had come back into his life shortly after that. Could she be the reason for his change? Since meeting her, she had added something to his life that had been missing, making him forget about revenge. Her loveliness distracted him, her touch made him oblivious, and her kiss caused him to care for nothing but pleasure.

He quickly finished his meal and hurried to meet his visitor. When he walked into the drawing room, Mrs. Winters stood and smiled.

“Good morning, my lord.” She curtsied. “I hope I didn’t come at an inopportune time.”

“Of course not, Mrs. Winters. You’re always welcome here.” He motioned his hand to the couch. “Please sit.” He sat across from her, crossing one leg over the other. “What can I do for you?”

“I first want to thank you for everything you have done so far concerning Isabelle. Her father hadn’t provided well for her, and she’s most fortunate to have you as her husband.”

He nodded. “I agree wholeheartedly. If her father were alive today, I would call the man out.”

She smiled. “See, you do care deeply for her welfare.”

“Indeed, I do.”

“Well,” she said, scooting closer to the edge of the couch as if to flee at any moment, “Isabelle mentioned you had asked about me.”

“Yes. With her father’s reputation on fulfilling his responsibilities, I feared you might have been overlooked.”

“You are correct. Commodore Stanhope didn’t give me enough money to return home to England.”

“As I suspected. How much do you need? I’ll gladly help since you have been so trustworthy to watch over my lovely Isabelle.”

Mrs. Winter’s smile widened and her cheeks turned pink. “Thank you, my lord. It was a privilege to be Isabelle’s companion. She’s a lovely woman, to be sure.”

“Indeed.”

“And I especially took special care of her when our stagecoach was attacked by that ruthless highwayman, Captain Hawk.”

He froze, keeping his gaze locked with the older woman’s. She was claiming to have taken care of Isabelle? What was the old hag’s game? Why did she lie? Then again, she figured Lord Lockwood wouldn’t know the truth.

“And you should be paid double, Mrs. Winters. I’m still amazed the passengers were freed without any harm.”

“Oh, to be sure.” She placed a hand on her chest and sighed. “That wicked highwayman could have done horrid things.”

“Indeed. I’ve not heard good stories about him.”

She glanced toward the door as a mischievous grin pulled at her mouth. She stood, walked to the door and closed it before turning back to him. Unease washed over him, putting him on guard.

“Forgive me, my lord, but I needed to make our conversation private.”

He nodded. “Proceed.”

When she returned to sit, she chose a chair closer to his and leaned forward. “I apologize for not delivering the dagger.”

His heart picked up speed as he gripped the arm rests. “Pardon me?”

“Mr.
Tubble
had instructed me in his letter to bring the dagger to you, but then Captain Hawk attacked our stagecoach. Isabelle had snatched the dagger before we were taken prisoner, but she didn’t know about the hidden message.” She shook her head. “I fear everything that happened during the attack made her lose the dagger in the process.”

Shock vibrated through him, bringing him out of the chair. He couldn’t think straight, and needed a stiff drink. As he walked toward the liquor tray, his mind pieced together what he’d heard. But the more the conversation fit together, the more his heart sank.

Isabelle wasn’t the spy. Instead, her companion held the title. That must be why the men at the tavern thought Isabelle was the spy instead of Mrs. Winters.

How could that be? Unless, of course, the older woman hadn’t been spying for very long and wasn’t good at it. The message hidden in the dagger needed protection, so then why did Mrs. Winters not take care of it better?

He shook his head, not believing any of this. How could he? He’d purposely hardened his heart against Isabelle when he discovered the dagger’s secret. Now he learned he had misjudged her.

Oh, no!
To think he’d hurt her because of
his
mistake in identity.

But now… He turned toward Mrs. Winters and gulped his whiskey. Why did the old woman bring this information to him? There was only one reason. His brother had been in on it, too. In the missives Hawk had collected during his takeovers, a few men’s names were mentioned as possible traitors—men going against the Crown to steal some sort of hidden treasure. But was it treasure at all? Or could it just be information?

He cleared his throat. “Tell me, Mrs. Winters, do you know for certain if Captain Hawk has the dagger?”

“I cannot be sure, my lord. Isabelle had it one day then the next day it was gone. She didn’t know what happened to it.”

He marched to the woman and glared. Her eyes widened as she sat back in her chair, clutching at her throat.

“Does my wife know about any of this—about the dagger?”

“N—no, not that I suspect. I kept the truth from her the whole time.”

“So she doesn’t know of my involvement?”

“No, my lord.”

His heart twisted in agony once more. How could he have jumped to conclusions so quickly and thought Isabelle a spy? Self-hatred swept over him, and he wanted to drink himself into oblivion. Hawk had wanted her until he knew she was a spy. All this time, Hawk could have been blissfully happy with Isabelle by his side. He wouldn’t have returned to New York, but would have contented himself in living the rest of his days with Isabelle in his hideout while they basked in their love.

Sucking in a quick breath, he turned away from Mrs. Winters.

Love?
Was that the emotion tightening his chest whenever he thought of Isabelle? He knew he wanted her desperately. He never wanted to be apart from her. Holding her forever was all he could think about.

By Jove, he did love her!

“Lord Lockwood?”

He rubbed his forehead, not wanting to deal with the older woman now. He must get rid of her quickly.

He turned back to her and nodded. “Then let us hope the highwayman doesn’t have this information.”

“We will know at the end of the month.”

He froze. The three men at the Black Dragon also spoke of something happening at the end of the month. All right, so perhaps he should not get rid of her yet. “We will?”

“Yes. The shipment is coming then. You should warn the men to be alert for anything suspicious.”

“That, I will.”

“We cannot have our plans ruined this soon. Our very lives will be at stake.”

How he wished he knew what the old woman yapped about. He couldn’t ask for fear she would become curious of him.

“Very true, Mrs. Winters.” He took another drink. “What say you to this plan… I would like you to take on the responsibility of sending everyone a note. I’d like a meeting soon to see where we all stand.”

She puffed her chest, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “Oh yes, my lord. It will be my privilege to help.”

“Excellent. Then I know all shall be taken care of.”

“When would you like the meeting?”

“Right before the shipment. Perhaps a day before.”

“I will do it.” She stood and curtsied. “Thank you, my lord. Our meeting has been most successful.”

“Indeed, it has.” He lifted the glass as if in a toast. Their conversation had enlightened him greatly.

He waited for her to leave before he gulped down the remaining whiskey. Although anticipation ran rampant through him, knowing he was closer to figuring out what a few members of the Royal Navy were doing, his thoughts quickly turned to his wife. She hated Hawk, and rightly so. He didn’t do anything to help that cause. So, as much as he wanted her forgiveness, at this point, he could not worry about that.

Now, all he wanted was to see his beautiful wife. He did love her, and heaven help him, he enjoyed the burst of excitement in his chest. But as much as he wanted to see her at this moment and confess his feelings, he needed to talk to Gabe about this new information.

* * * *

Isabelle didn’t know if she was blissfully happy or not. Being intimate with her husband was a dream-come-true, and although she’d promised herself not to let her heart get involved, she knew it would be hard. The way he kissed her and whispered words of love made her realize how much she wanted to hear that—how much she longed to love someone and be loved the same in return.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would marry such a tender, robust man. And to think her father actually wanted Lord Lockwood for her husband.

Once again, her thoughts stalled as doubt snuck in. Why had Marcus signed the marriage betrothal? He couldn’t have been that greedy for the money her father had promised him. Obviously, Lord Lockwood knew her father, so he must have known how deceitful the older man had handled his business affairs.