Never Wager Against Love (Kellington Book Three) (14 page)

“No doubt,” said Arthur.  “But I was inquiring on behalf of
this lady and her family.”

Sir John’s face was one of instant distaste.  “She can’t go
in my coach.”

“Of course not,” said Arthur smoothly, while hoping they
could quickly conclude their business before he planted a facer on both Sir
John and the crook behind the desk.  “But do you know of any transportation
they could hire?”

“There’s a farmer with a cart who gives rides to freed
prisoners for a price,” said one of the officers behind the desk.

“Do you trust this man?” asked Arthur.

The officer nodded.  “He’s a good one, he is.  A mite
touched in the head and speaks about God more than any preacher.  But he’s fair
and honest.”

“Good.  Do be so kind as to arrange for him to pick up this
family and take them to a surgeon.”

“Can’t pay for no ride nor a surgeon,” said the old woman.

“We’ll take care of it,” said Arthur, thinking of how much
he was going to hate getting another loan from Dumbarton, since he intended to
give the old woman his five pounds.   

The old woman eyed him, then leaned in to say with slightly
whiskey-scented breath, “Ye don’t think I’m gonna work this money off on me
back, do ye?  ‘Cause I give that up long ago, even if ye is a fine lookin’ toff.”

Arthur stared at the woman for a moment, unsure how to
reply.  Then she laughed.

“Got ye!” she said cackling, as she displayed a mouth with
few teeth.  “Ye got yer fine lady there and I reckon she’ll be only too happy
to express the thanks I have in me heart fer ye.”

Arthur slipped the money into the old woman’s hands, keeping
the exchange well hidden from the guards.  She was shocked, but he simply
squeezed her hands, then turned to Sir John.  “When Miss Gans and I return, I
expect this lady and her family to be on their way.  But now, I believe it is
time for us to conclude our business, Sir John.”

“Of course,” said the governor as he led the way to the
stairs.  “I’m sure we’d all like you to be on your way.”

“I can imagine,” said Arthur, aware of Vanessa’s eyes on him
as they walked through the dank corridors of the armory to Sir John’s office.

Sir John offered them seats then cleared his throat.  “I
shall send for the Larsen just as soon as you give me the insurance bond.”

“But you have the letter from Professor Dumbarton,” said
Vanessa.  “You know who I am.”

“I do, indeed, miss.  But I have a responsibility to the
good people of this shire to safeguard their treasure.  All I need from you is
a surety bond to make sure no damage is done to the sword.”

“You mean no more damage than has already been done through
centuries of neglect in this God forsaken gaol?” asked Arthur, wondering if he
shouldn’t enlist the old woman’s aid in pummeling Sir John.

“There is no need to be rude, Lord Arthur,” said Sir John,
affronted.  “All I’m asking for is five hundred pounds….”

“Five hundred pounds!” said Arthur.

“It is a national treasure,” said Sir John with as much
dignity as an extortionist could muster.

“Sir John,” said Vanessa, “I wonder if I might have a word
with you alone?”

“Alone, miss?”  Sir John couldn’t help but leer.  “I would
be delighted.”

“I wouldn’t,” said Arthur. 

Vanessa pulled him from his seat and marched him out to the
hall.  “You must let me do this, Arthur.  I can make him give us what we want.”

“I do not approve of any negotiation you would conduct
behind closed doors.”

“Are you saying you don’t trust me?” asked Vanessa.

“No, love.  I don’t trust him.  He’s likely to ravish you
then charge you for the privilege.”

“I’m perfectly able to take care of myself,” she said,
trying – and failing – to push him further into the hall.  He really was a mass
of skin-covered stone.  “Stay here.  This shall only take a moment.”

“What are you going to do?” he asked.

“I’m going to arrange for the release of the sword.  Now
wait here like a good lad.”  With that, she re-entered the office and shut the
door in Arthur’s stunned face.  Before he could gather his wits, he heard the
key turn to lock it.

He was dumbfounded to be so summarily dismissed.  He tried
to find another way in to the office, when he heard a scream.  Without
hesitation he kicked in the door, only to find Sir John bent over in agony,
cupping himself.  Vanessa was at the desk, calmly signing papers.  She held
them up for Arthur’s perusal.

“Here they are:  documents granting us possession of the
Larsen broadsword, without the need for any type of surety.” 

“You said if I notarized them, you’d….”  Here, the gasping
Sir John lowered his voice to prevent Arthur from hearing.  “You’d
reward
me.”

“And what could be greater reward than the thanks of the
Home Office for aiding us in an important case?”

“Does this look like thanks?” asked Sir John, indicating his
injury.

“I cannot help it if you misinterpreted my offer,” said
Vanessa, as she took the second copy of the note for herself.  “Now, kindly
have the sword brought to us.  Or do you need more persuading?”

Sir John reluctantly rang for his adjutant then ordered the
sword brought around.  It was a rather awkward few minutes of waiting.  Arthur
told Sir John that ice might help his injury.  Vanessa made polite small talk
as if nothing untoward had occurred.

Arthur wanted to kiss her senseless for it.

When the sword arrived, they took another look at it to
ensure none of the criminals in guards’ uniforms had made off with any jewels
overnight.

“They’re all there,” said Sir John with indignation.

“Were they too hard to remove?” asked Arthur with a raised
brow.

After a moment’s hesitation, Sir John answered.  “For such
an old weapon, the stones are attached remarkably well.  Those bloody Vikings
certainly knew what they were doing.”

“Language, Sir John,” said Arthur as he readied the case. 
“You’re in the presence of a lady.”

“She doesn’t fight like any lady I ever met,” grumbled Sir
John.

Ignoring the governor, Vanessa lifted the sword. 
Surprisingly, it was lighter than she’d imagined and not as difficult to
wield.  After she tested it a few moments, sweeping it to and fro, she put it
into the case Arthur held open for her.

“You handle a sword masterfully well,” he murmured as he
pulled the case shut and put the straps over his shoulder.  “One would think
it’s not your first time with a blade.”

Their gaze held for a moment until they heard a snort of
disgust from Sir John.  “Sure.  He gets to say something like that to you and
gets nary but a smile.  If I’d said it, I’d have been thrown out the window
onto my arse.”

“If you’d only said such a thing,” said Vanessa, “I would
only have slapped your face.  It was your actions that resulted in your present
predicament.  Shall we depart Lord Arthur?”

“With pleasure, Miss Gans.”

They took their leave of Sir John, and as they left the
castle they met up with the old woman and her family, who were being loaded
into a wagon by a man who was quoting scripture.  The old woman broke out into
a grin when she saw them.

“Thank ye again, milord and milady, for getting me family
out.  We’re on the way to the surgeon once the preacher there gets us all
loaded in.”

“How is the little girl?” asked Arthur.

“Mimsy is still a little sickly, but doin’ much better.  I
hope the surgeon will fix us up so we can be on our way home.  I feel bad about
takin’ yer money.  That’s more than I seen in me whole life.”

Vanessa looked at Arthur inquiringly.  He ignored her and
turned to the woman.  “I was only happy we could help you and your family.  I
have no doubt you will get more use out of it than we would have.  Godspeed,
madam.  Have a safe journey home.”

The old woman and her family thanked them again, while the
little girl smiled from her mother’s arms.

As Arthur and Vanessa began their journey back to the inn,
she asked, “How much did you give them?”

He sighed.  “Dumbarton’s five pounds.  I shall have to ask
for another loan when we send him word about our work here.”

“You didn’t have to give them all our money,” said Vanessa
with a smile.

“Perhaps,” said Arthur, “I just wanted to play the knight to
impress my fair damsel.”

Vanessa smiled in response, but as she walked next to the
man with the sword over his shoulder, she didn’t think there had been much
play-acting involved.

CHAPTER TEN

Dumbarton’s well-sprung coach made good time on the road to
Nottingham, but their late start meant they’ve have to spend at least one night
on the road.  Arthur was quite looking forward to it, even if he had to burn
every blanket in the inn to keep it from dividing their bed.

It was well past dinner when they stopped at an inn. 
Vanessa had spent most of the journey preparing a report for her superior, Lord
Willingham, in London.  She was so intent on her work she didn’t hear Arthur
request one room from the innkeeper.  When she opened her mouth to quietly
protest, Arthur whispered, “I gave Dumbarton’s money to that unfortunate
family.  It’s important to spend as little as possible right now.”

Though Vanessa thought the wretch would’ve found a way to
put them in the same room even if he’d had a full purse, she said nothing. She
still suspected that he might try to continue on the journey without her. 
Sharing a room was a good way of keeping an eye on him.  It’s not that she
distrusted him with the sword.  But she worried that he might be injured. 
She’d been close to capture or death on more than one of her missions.  She
couldn’t bear to think of him coming to harm because of her.

A fear of a different sort surfaced when they were shown to
their chamber.  The room seemed clean enough, but the bed was appallingly
small.  There was no way their bodies wouldn’t touch in such close quarters,
and she feared what she’d do when that happened.  All her efforts to keep
herself away from temptation in the form of Lord Arthur Kellington would be for
naught.  She had no doubt he’d leave her alone if she told him to.  She just
couldn’t picture those words coming out of her mouth.

The only other alternative would be for one of them to sleep
on the floor.  Or possibly Dumbarton’s coach.  The cushions were soft enough,
although it wasn’t wide enough for her to stretch out, let alone Arthur.  It
had to be the bed.  She looked for a spare blanket.

“Not again,” said Arthur.

“I believe it to be the wisest course of action,” she said
primly, while her thoughts were anything but.

“What if I promise not to touch you?  I shall give my word
that I will not go near you, other than the close proximity we will be in due
to the confines of that bed, which looks to be made for undersized children. 
But I will not touch you unnecessarily unless you ask me nicely.  And, for the
record, I shan’t accept any propositions that don’t include at least a modicum
of begging.  Besides, it’s hardly like the blanket is some impenetrable
fortress.”

“But it does give a measure of privacy.”

“What makes you think I didn’t peek last night?”

“Did you?”

“I’m not saying whether I did or didn’t.  I’m just pointing
out the theoretical weakness of your blanket.  And I only peeked a little.”

There were interrupted by the maids who entered with the tub
and hot water.  Arthur busied himself at the window.  He was already aroused
and it was everything he could do to keep from jettisoning the mission,
kidnapping Vanessa and taking her to the continent where he’d spend weeks, if
not years, exploring her lovely body.

Vanessa, ever the calm, cool and completely unaffected
female, asked the maids to bring up a light dinner of bread and cheese.  Arthur
rolled his eyes at her cost-cutting ways and added meat, potatoes and dessert
to her order.  The maids curtsied then said the food would be up within the
half hour.

When they’d gone, Arthur pulled the screen over to the
bath.  “You can go first sweeting,” he said.

“Will you at least look away?” she asked as she went behind
the screen to get out of her clothes.

“I never make a promise I can’t keep.  Tell me about your
superior in London.”

“Benjamin Atkinson, Lord Willingham, has been with the Home
Office since leaving university some twenty years ago.”

“Willingham,” said Arthur, trying to place the name.  “Isn’t
he a baron from Cornwall?”

“I believe that’s his family seat,” said Vanessa.  “He
speaks of them very little.  From what I understand, they didn’t approve of him
working for the government in what they considered an ungentlemanly
profession.  The peerage can be quite odd at times.  The man is serving his
King.  You would think they’d be proud of him.”

“The peerage is nothing if not contradictory, love.  How did
he recruit you?”

She didn’t say anything for a moment and all Arthur could
hear were the maddening splashes of her in the water.   Finally, she answered,
“He kept me from being transported.”

Now it was Arthur’s turn to be silent.  Of all the answers
he could’ve predicted, that one hadn’t been in the mix.   To be in danger of
being transported meant she’d been accused of a crime.  He realized the
splashing had stopped.  “Vanessa?” he asked softly.  “Are you all right?”

After a moment she answered.  “I stole,” she said.  “And it
wasn’t even for a good reason.  I wasn’t stealing to keep myself fed.  Although
I had done that but never been caught.  No, it was for selfish reasons.  But Lord
Willingham arranged for my release, as long as I worked for the Home Office for
three years and conducted myself honorably during that time.”

Vanessa held her breath awaiting Arthur’s reaction.  It had
been a risk telling him about her past, but she felt dishonest in keeping it
from him.  He’d used his real name with Sir John, just as he would be doing on
the next stage of their mission.  She didn’t want to trick him into helping her
when she was so far beneath him, and not just because of class.  Arthur
Kellington was honorable through and through.  He should know who she really
was.