Kane Samantha - Brothers in arms 1 (2 page)

“We want to marry you.” Jason sat forward earnestly, clasping his hands in front of him. “Please say yes.”

Kate leaned back against the settee, completely flabbergasted. Her pose was inelegant, but she was beyond caring. Marry her? But, who? Why?

“Which one of you? Both of you? Am I to have to choose then? And why now?”

Why not a year ago, a small voice screamed in her head.

Jason looked at Tony, and Tony appeared to hesitate a moment before speaking.

“This is hardly the place we wanted to have this discussion, but I suppose that’s my fault.” He sighed, and standing up, held his hand out to her. “Could we perhaps drive you home, and discuss it there?”

Kate was too stunned to protest as he helped her up. “Yes, I think that perhaps you should.”

8

The Courage To Love

They were halfway to Kate’s small townhouse in a very unfashionable

neighborhood before she realized she wasn’t scared, hadn’t been actually, since Jason and Tony had arrived at Kitty’s. She’d walked into the drawing room, found Kitty, said her goodbyes, and entered the carriage without a thought to the other people around her. She had become accustomed to avoiding contact, and constantly scanning crowds for any of
them
, and was amazed that she had done neither as Jason and Tony flanked her as they left. Even more amazing, their hands on her arms, guiding her to the foyer and out to the carriage, had felt, well, comforting, rather than frightening. And that in itself was frightening.

Kate had vowed no man would ever own her again, and she meant to keep that vow. She was finding herself at last, just barely, and she would not, could not, lose herself again. She wasn’t sure what Jason and Tony wanted, but she knew her answer had to be no. A year ago, it would have been a resounding yes, even if the dark rumors about them proved to be true. She had wanted them both so badly, she would have done anything they asked of her. She was a different woman now.

Tony watched Kate as they silently drove her home. She had been quiet, too quiet.

Most women, after a proposal of marriage from two very eligible males would have been bursting with questions, anxious to discuss the proposals. But Kate was utterly silent, lost in her own thoughts. From the look on her face, those thoughts did not bode well for him and Jason.

Almost three years they had waited. It seemed an eternity. When her husband, Harry Collier, had died, they were inappropriately gleeful. They had both loved Kate from the minute they met her, and Harry being a friend and colleague or not, had schemed and plotted, trying to find a way to steal her from him, to no avail. Time after time, they had shared a woman and pretended it was Kate. They had fantasized about her, fists on their cocks, coming to the thought of sharing her, fucking her together.

Harry’s death had cleared the way for them, or so they thought.

They’d been unable to return to England for months after his death. The delay chafed, but they felt it was good in the long run, as it would give her time to recover from Harry’s death. Imagine their surprise when they arrived in London only to find Kate had accepted the position of mistress to a highly placed government official. They had been devastated at first, but soon realized Kate was sowing her wild oats. She’d married very young, and lived in near penury as Harry’s wife. Of course she would want to experience more, now that he was gone and she was free.

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Samantha Kane

They decided to bide their time and let her be adventurous for a while before asking her to settle down with them. They smoothly infiltrated the society of wealthy men and their mistresses in which Kate now moved, and she seemed to genuinely appreciate their friendship, never questioning their constant presence at her side at various events. But it soon became torture to watch Kate leave with Penhaldy, knowing he would fuck her, he would enjoy her body and the privilege of bringing her pleasure.

So they had escaped to the Continent.

When they returned, it was only to find Kate under the protection of another wealthy gentleman. And so the cycle had continued for two years. They almost had her a year ago, but Lord Robertson had beat them to it by a mere few days. They had run to the Continent again. Just two weeks ago, Kitty’s letter had caught up with them. It was almost six months old by the time it reached them in Athens. She said that Kate was free again, and would be whenever they returned, as she had given up the life of a mistress to open a shop.

Kitty had alluded to something unpleasant driving Kate away from her old life, but had been very vague. Up until tonight, Tony had forgotten about that part of her letter.

Now he understood Kitty’s vagueness was not because whatever happened was not important, but because it was very important. And before this night was through, they would know what it was.

Jason’s thoughts mirrored Tony’s. He watched Kate, hungry for the sight of her, hungry to taste and to touch after all this time. Just being near her, his cock was hard as a rock. But he sensed that it would be an uphill battle, now. Whatever had happened in the last year had made Kate wary and frightened. It appeared, however, that she was not frightened of them, thank God. But he would be damned if he was going to fight in the dark. She would tell them what had happened, he would demand she tell them.

They arrived at Kate’s, and Jason was hard-pressed to hide his surprise at her modest accommodations. She’d always lived fashionably, but this was a residence of genteel poverty. Surely Kate had some blunt, after a string of wealthy protectors?

Kate let them into the house with her own key, and there was a single candle burning on the table in the cramped foyer.

“I’m afraid we have no live-in servants, gentlemen. You’ll have to see to your own needs. Just put your things wherever.”

They both took off their hats and gloves and Jason set his on the table, empty now that Kate had lifted the candle to show them the way down the hall. Tony looked about for a minute and finally set his on the one small chair next to the table. Kate’s smile was slightly condescending as she watched his bemusement.

“Not used to doing for yourselves anymore, hmm?” She turned and began to walk down the hall, still wearing her wrap, with her reticule hanging from her wrist. “It seems a lifetime ago you were all tough, independent officers in service to the crown. So 10

The Courage To Love

much water under the bridge.” This last was said in a quiet, musing tone, almost to herself.

Jason and Tony exchanged a concerned look. This was not going at all as they had planned.

Kate stopped at a large set of double doors and opened the one on the right. She said nothing, just entered the room, and began lighting several lamps inside, until the room was bathed in a subdued light. The men followed her inside and waited by the open door, not wanting to upset her again. They could feel her sudden unease and assumed it was the thought of being alone with them.

Kate set down the candle and blew it out. She reached up to remove her wrap, and suddenly Jason was there, helping her lift it off her shoulders. She quickly stepped away, and turned to face him. Her chest was rising and falling with the deep, nearly panicked breaths she was taking.

Jason quirked his head to the side, his frown deepening at the panic in her eyes.

Tony took a slight step toward her and she whirled to face him, her head moving just a fraction back and forth, keeping them both in sight.

“Relax, Kate,” Jason said quietly. She focused her attention on him. He looked around, making his actions deliberately casual. “Where shall I put this?” He held up the heavy silk shawl with both hands, purposefully looking awkward and ridiculous.

Kate visibly relaxed. She held out her reticule, and he awkwardly grabbed it in one hand, looking more ridiculous holding the small handbag with the shawl. She smiled, as he wanted her to. “Right over there, on the tall chair, will be fine,” she told him, indicating an ancient, threadbare armchair almost hidden behind the door.

Its condition caused Jason to look around and he noticed the threadbare nature of most of the furniture. His unease increased. Why was Kate living like this?

Tony stepped forward, and Kate’s attention shifted. “May we sit down?” he inquired, coolly polite.

“Oh, oh, yes,” Kate said, naturally falling into the role of polite hostess. “May I get you anything? Tea, brandy?”

“Brandy, please,” Tony answered with a smile, sitting down carefully on her ancient settee, acting for all the world as if this were a normal social call. He glanced at Jason, and gestured to the empty seat next to him. If it hadn’t been for the intensity of his gaze, Jason might have been fooled into believing that he was as cool as he pretended to be. “Would you like one too, Jase?” Tony asked casually. It took Jason a moment to recall what he was talking about.

“Oh, a brandy? Yes, yes, thank you, Kate.” He took the seat Tony indicated, and realized Tony had chosen the settee deliberately. Kate was left with no choice but to sit in one of the two matching chairs facing the settee, either of which would give her the advantage over them, placing her higher, and with the illusion that she could get away easily if she needed to. Thank God for Tony, he thought, because he was beyond rational thought.

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Samantha Kane

Tony was thinking furiously. So far, Kate had been relatively calm, although she’d nearly panicked when Jason touched her. He didn’t think the panic was a result of fear, however, at least not fear of them. He’d seen the way her eyes had dilated, her pulse had begun to throb in her throat, her instinctive licking of her lips. Jason’s touch had surprised desire in her, and she was afraid of that desire.

Tony was conflicted. Should they push to get Kate to tell them what had happened, quelling that incipient desire, perhaps forever? Or should they try to seduce her, hoping that once she gave in to her desire her fear would vanish and she would once again trust them? He decided to play the scene as it unfolded, hoping the answer would become obvious to him. He glanced at Jason, and the other man’s answering look told him that he was more than willing to let Tony direct this exchange. Tony sighed with relief. Jason was wonderful, and Tony didn’t doubt his love for Kate, but sometimes his emotions made him reckless.

Kate had gone to a sideboard, and returned with two glasses of brandy and a small glass of sherry on a small tray. She set the tray down on the low table in front of the settee, and sank into one of the empty chairs. From her grateful look, Tony could see that she knew he had deliberately given her the opportunity to sit there, far enough away from them to feel comfortable.

They each silently picked up a glass and took a sip. Tony was surprised by the quality of the brandy. From the looks of the house, he had expected a poor offering. He raised his brows in silent appreciation.

Kate chuckled at his reaction. “Yes, well, I still have some of the old amenities. I brought a case of that with me when I moved in here. Not being a brandy drinker, I still have most of the case.” She smiled deprecatingly. “And I have had very few visitors who are brandy drinkers, so don’t hesitate to drink your fill. The sooner it’s gone, the better.”

“Why did you move here?” Tony asked quietly, jumping at the opening he’d needed to begin the questions that were eating at him. Jason sat forward, intense as always, his gaze fixed on Kate as they waited for her answer.

Kate sat back in her chair, her pose more relaxed than was proper, but entertaining two gentlemen alone in her parlor late in the evening was hardly proper either.

“What you mean is, why am I living in genteel poverty instead of the splendor that could be mine if I took another protector? And you’re applying for the position?” she countered acerbically.

Tony took a breath, and placed a hand on Jason’s arm, halting his heated response.

Kate had enough anger for all of them. It was time to find out why.

“No,” he answered calmly. “What I meant was, I thought you were in more comfortable circumstances. Didn’t Robertson provide for you better than this?” The suspicion that the man had left Kate in these straitened circumstances raised Tony’s ire.

A gentleman provided for his mistresses, it was a well-known code among them.

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The Courage To Love

Kate visibly winced at the mention of Robertson’s name, and her creamy

complexion paled noticeably. She avoided directly answering the question. “I used all my capital to open my dress shop. I’m afraid it’s not turning a large enough profit yet to keep me in the fashion to which I was accustomed.”

Her small attempt at wit, and the anemic smile that accompanied it, fell flat. Tony was not in the mood for prevaricating. He too, like Jason, sat forward, intent on Kate’s behavior. “You didn’t answer my question. Here’s another one, why does the mention of Robertson’s name make you look ill?”

Kate began to look desperate. “I do not wish to discuss old paramours. It simply isn’t done to talk about ex-lovers in mixed company.” She attempted a flirtatious glance, but got even paler when she saw the determination on both men’s faces.

Jason could hold back no longer. “Why did you open a shop? Why have you forsaken the life of a mistress? We’d hoped that one day you would grow bored with it, and be ready to settle down, but I don’t think that’s the reason you gave it up. What are you not telling us, Kate?”

Kate’s face was awash in emotions—confusion, distress, anger. “What do you mean, grow bored with it?” Her tone was accusatory.

For a moment Jason was confused, and when he looked at Tony he was alarmed by the pained look of resignation on his face. What did Tony realize that he didn’t?

“We knew you wanted some time to be free, Kate, to have your adventures. We understood that you had married Harry perhaps a bit too young, and wanted to enjoy your freedom. We hoped that after a short time, you would tire of that life, and turn to us.” Even as he spoke, Jason could see the dawning horror on Kate’s face, and his unease increased.