Once an Innocent by Elizabeth Boyce Read Free Book Online Page B

down, needles upon which she might prick a finger — ”
    “Freese.” Marshall’s voice carried a warning tone. “Prevarication does not endear me to your cause.”
    Jordan scratched his chin. He pulled Phantom to a halt. Under his thighs, the stallion huffed and stomped the soft grass. The animal wanted a good run, and grew impatient with Jordan’s sedate pace. Marshall brought his horse to a stop, as well. He lowered his head and stared at Jordan.
    “Marsh,” Jordan said in a more serious tone, “the ladies will be no danger. If my ruse works as I anticipate, they’ll spend a few pleasant weeks in the country — nothing more. Besides, with Lady Janine for her chaperone and Clara hostessing and Grant watching out for her — ”
    The duke’s dark brows snapped together. “Who mentioned Grant?” Amadeus sidestepped, as though detecting his master’s sudden change in demeanor. Marshall moved around him in a tight circle. Jordan stared straight ahead, accepting his friend’s lambasting. “You asked me for women to sit in your parlor. You didn’t request another man to take up arms for your mysterious cause, Freese.”
    Jordan started to protest, but Marshall forged on. “Despite your claims of safety for the women, I cannot imagine you could issue any such guarantee for my brother. If you will step out every day with firearms, it is because you face the possibility of meeting similarly armed enemies.”
    Damnation, the man had a point. Grant Lockwood was no agent of the Foreign Office. But if he came to Lintern Abbey to hunt, he might wind up exchanging fire with Frenchmen, instead of felling birds. In good conscience, Jordan could not enlist an unwitting combatant to his cause.
    Bringing Amadeus nose to nose with Phantom, Marshall shook his head and spat. “This is lunacy. Forget it, Jordan — all of it. I’m not putting my family in harm’s way for you.”
    So saying, he jerked his horse around.
    Jordan’s eyes squeezed shut while thoughts tumbled through his mind. By gad, he
needed
Naomi and Lady Janine. Time was too short to find more ladies. He should have already been pounding his way up the Great North Road.
    “Marshall, stop,” he called. His friend did so, but did not turn. Jordan cursed under his breath, disgusted with himself for the tactic he was about to employ, but necessity left him no choice. “Last night,” he said, “I believe I was the only one who noticed that Lady Naomi was in some degree of distress.”
    Marshall wheeled Amadeus around. “What are you talking about?” he snapped.
    “She was distracted, upset. I saw her slip out of the salon with Wayland Hayward.” He arched a brow and asked in a blasé tone, “Did you notice when your sister went missing, Marshall?”
    The duke frowned. “I was occupied with the auction.”
    Jordan returned his friend’s frown with a bitter smile. “Too occupied to notice she’d vanished, I suppose. However, I
did
notice. I watched for her return, and when it didn’t happen, I purchased two fruit pies for an inordinate sum and went searching. As it happens, she was in need of … assistance.” Jordan didn’t elaborate. He didn’t need to.
    He’d struck home with that remark, he saw, even as the bitter taste of bile burned the back of his tongue at divulging Naomi’s predicament.
    Shame and pain contorted Marshall’s features. “Thank you for your service to my sister,” he rasped, his jaw hardening. The muscle at his temple twitched, and Jordan thought Hayward would be lucky if he escaped from Marshall with nothing worse than a lashing.
    Jordan met his vengeful expression. “I tell you this to illustrate I am already concerned for your sister’s welfare. Not only is she your sibling, but she’s also one of the finest ladies of my acquaintance. I would lay down my life before I let her come to harm, my friend.” The odd thing was, as the words left his mouth, Jordan knew he spoke the truth. “She’ll be perfectly safe at