Page 45 of Hastings (Brothers in Arms #15)

CHAPTER 45

M addy woke up in Stephen’s bed again, and the sun was shining brightly through the window. There was a man standing in front of the window, but she couldn’t tell if it was Stephen or Hastings at first.

“What time is it?” she asked, still half asleep.

“I daresay it’s well on noon,” a strange voice answered as the man turned from the window.

Maddy shot straight up in bed and looked around frantically for a weapon. She grabbed the book and the bowl her soup had been in from the table beside the bed.

“I’m terribly interested in how you plan to defend yourself with a book and a bowl,” the man drawled. “They do say a pen is deadlier than a sword, although perhaps not in this context. I have no such trite nonsense for the bowl, however.”

Maddy slumped back down on the bed, dropping her makeshift weapons. “Sir Barnabas,” she said with relief.

“Yes,” he replied. “’Tis I.” He wandered over to a chair in the corner and sat down. “What a great fuss there is over you, Miss Hyde.”

She could see him more clearly now that he was out of the sun. His dark, saturnine features were in their familiar, perpetual frown. He was handsome in a dark, dangerous, grumpy sort of way. But he was firmly attached to his lady love and their lover, a lady and gentleman Maddy had met when Sir Barnabas had taken her into protective custody. She’d thought them all very urbane at the time but knowing now that their arrangement seemed to be even more common here in the country, in Ashton on the Green, she thought them almost mundane.

“Is there?” she asked him. She plumped the pillow behind her and sat up, making sure to keep the blanket over her for modesty. Her efforts seemed to amuse Sir Barnabas. “And for your information a bowl is almost as solid as a skull for knocking heads.”

“I bow to your expertise,” he said. He thumped his walking stick on the floor absentmindedly. “What did I tell you about getting friendly with the help?”

“Don’t do it,” she answered. “I ignored you.”

“Good girl.” His answer surprised her. “I take it I have you to thank for three of the bodies I had to dispose of.”

She shrugged and picked at the blanket. “The situation called for deadly force.”

“Did it?” he murmured, leaning back in the chair. “I don’t remember you mentioning you were capable of that kind of deadly force.”

“You didn’t ask. And I thought you knew everything about everybody? It would seem your spy network failed you.” She grinned unrepentantly at him.

“It would seem they did,” he said in that calm manner of his. She rather thought he’d discuss pastries and puppies with the same insouciance he discussed murder and intrigue. Underneath it all she was sure he was a seething cauldron of pent-up passion and forbidden desires. He had to be, with two lovers to satisfy.

Rather like Stephen, she supposed. She knew for a fact his calm demeanor hid a seething cauldron of forbidden desires. How delicious it all was.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Sir Barnabas asked suspiciously.

“No reason,” she lied. “How are Mel and Wetherald?”

“Why does everyone ask me that?” He sounded irritated. “As if I were their keeper. They are as well as can be expected, I assume. I do not demand hourly updates.”

“What a romantic you are,” she drawled, imitating him.

“I had no idea you would turn out to be the romantic type,” he observed. “I heard you’re to marry the parson. Good for you.” He didn’t sound particularly happy about it.

“Who told you that?” she asked sharply.

“He did.” Sir Barnabas crossed his legs as he regarded her. “That was unexpected.”

“I try to surprise spymasters on a regular basis.” She drummed her fingers on her thigh. “What did you expect?”

“That is neither here nor there at this juncture,” he said. “What has come to pass has come to pass and cannot be undone.”

“Why would you undo my engagement to Stephen?” she demanded.

He sighed. “You misunderstand me. I meant you cannot undo it if you had a mind to.”

“I do not have a mind to do any such thing.”

“Then we argue in vain,” he said, ending it.

“Did you mean to transport me?” she asked. “To Australia?”

“Why whatever would I do a thing like that for?” he asked in obvious surprise. “I had meant to recruit you, but that is a moot point now. A parson’s wife is ill suited to intrigue.”

“Ha. You have no idea the intrigue that goes on around here.”

“Nor do I wish to.” His response was so dry it made Maddy laugh.

“What about Hastings?” she finally got up the courage to ask.

“What about him?” Sir Barnabas wasn’t looking at her. He was brushing some lint off his trousers.

“Well, you can’t make him go back. To London, I mean.”

“I know where you meant,” he replied. “I did not have to. He offered and so I dispatched him to take care of the gentlemen who hired your ineffective former partner in crime.”

“First, we weren’t partners. He got the majority of the take. Second, what do you mean you’ve dispatched Hastings?”

“He and Essie were reporting what happened, and I told them who had hired Bales. But they already knew. That surprised me. I thought you’d keep that information close as insurance.”

“I was. But then I didn’t need to.”

“Well, he has offered to take care of it, and since he seems to have learned his lesson here, I sent him on his way.”

Maddy got a very cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. “What lesson?”

“I can’t really remember now,” Sir Barnabas said, which was very irritating. “Something about focusing on the mission at hand, or not being so rash. He seemed quite focused this morning, although he did tell me that the entire affair the other evening was all his fault. He said he got distracted.” Sir Barnabas peered at her knowingly. “By you? Or the good parson?”

“Both, and don’t even try to act surprised or shocked.” She bit her nail. “Does Stephen know he’s gone? When is he coming back?”

“I was not going to waste my breath attempting to pretend that which I am not,” Sir Barnabas said. He stood up. “I must apologize.”

Maddy’s eyes widened in shock. “You? For what?”

“I assumed Hastings knew about your engagement. When I mentioned it, it was quickly apparent he did not. I believe that is why he was so eager to get back to London.”

“You stupid sod,” Maddy said sharply. She threw back the covers. “We were going to tell him, but things?—”

“Yes, things happened.” Sir Barnabas stepped out of her way as she got out of the bed and began looking for her clothes. “If you must know, I expected he and Mr. Matthews to make a go of it. You are somewhat of a dark horse here.”

“That’s my specialty,” she told him. “No one expects me to do much.”

“Indeed. I could have used that to my advantage.” He sighed as if feeling very put upon.

“No, you couldn’t,” she informed him flatly as she grabbed the blanket off the bed and attempted to wrap it around herself one-armed. “I’m done letting other people use me to their advantage.”

“Brava,” Sir Barnabas murmured. “It appears a sojourn in the country was the thing for you, too. What does the good parson dispense to cure what ails you all, I wonder?”

“That is none of your concern,” she replied primly. “Where will we find Hastings?”

He shrugged. “Gone to ground, most likely, until he takes care of his assignment.”

Maddy opened the door. “I need Essie.”

“Miss Waters left for London with Hastings,” Sir Barnabas reminded her.

“She left without saying goodbye?” Maddy asked incredulously. She let herself feel hurt by it. She wasn’t going to hide from her emotions anymore. “I can’t believe she’d do that.”

“At this juncture I have very little control over her,” Sir Barnabas said. “She comes and goes as she pleases. I was rather surprised to still find her here at all.”

“She wasn’t supposed to stay with me?” Maddy asked.

“No.” He shook his head. “She was simply to deposit you here in Hastings’s care.” He picked up his walking stick. “As I said, she does as she pleases. I do believe I will have to use her on a contractual basis, as opposed to a dedicated agent, at least until I can break her of that.”

“No one will ever break Essie,” Maddy warned him. “Now get out. I have to get dressed and fix this mess you’ve made.”

“Oh, I’ve made?” he drawled. “As usual I get the blame and none of the credit. Very well. However, I do not recommend showing your face in London until Hastings and Essie clear it of men who wish to kill you.” He paused as he was walking out and turned back to her. “You may be accustomed to deadly force, my dear, but your parson isn’t. Getting him killed is not a good way to start the marriage.”

“So we’re just expected to sit here and wait until Hastings kills them and then go and get him back?”

Sir Barnabas shrugged. “Unless you can think of a better plan, yes. By the way, there is a drawing room full of people waiting to see you.”

“Who?” she asked, confused as to who would want to see her. “Oh, God. The constabulary?”

Sir Barnabas shook his head. “No. You are not a petty criminal anymore. There was no need to involve the constabulary in the events of the other evening. Too many questions, and too much paperwork. Besides, I know the sheriff here.”

“I was never petty,” she said. “Then who’s here?”

“Maddy?” She walked over and looked over the banister at Stephen, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. “They said you were up. I can’t find Essie. Is she up there?”

She looked at Sir Barnabas. “He doesn’t know?” she asked quietly.

“No. That is your job.” Sir Barnabas put his hat on as he answered Maddy’s question.

The duchess appeared next to Stephen. “Do you need something, my dear?” she called up. “Can we come up and see you now that that odious man is leaving? The Westridges and the Norths are here as well.”

“This odious man is back to London,” Sir Barnabas said as if on cue. “The duke, one of your admirers in the parlor, by the by, seems to think I’m under some obligation to accede to his wishes in the matter of this affair. I would rather it not become an issue between us.” He bowed at her and headed down the stairs, passing Stephen on his way up.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Matthews,” he said. “I bid you goodbye.”

“Oh, well, yes,” Stephen sputtered as he watched him go. “Goodbye.”

Stephen came to her and gently took her in his arms, being careful of her arm. “Have you seen Hastings?” he asked, looking beyond her into the bedroom. “I can’t find him anywhere, either, since he talked to Sir Barnabas this morning, and no one else has seen him.”

Maddy took his hand and led him into the bedroom. “Come on,” she said. “I’ll explain everything.”