Page 36

Of course, he didn’t feel so lucky when, ten minutes later, he found himself standing at severe attention before Her Royal Highness, the Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne, telling the story of what had happened in Belfast.

“When the Fenians suggested we have a few drinks, I made the decision that it was a good idea.” His chin rose, determined to accept blame. “If we had left then, our mission would have been a success.”

“Why did ye no’?” asked Bull who now leaned against the mantel, his gaze sharp.

Cassian kept his attention on the older woman who lounged on the settee, studying him.

Princess Louise was still the most beautiful of the Queen’s daughters, even in her early fifties, and her gaze was sharp.

Her expression gave away nothing of what she was thinking, and Cassian still couldn’t believe she might be able to help him .

Did she really have that much control over the Secret Service?

“I thought it would be a useful way to learn more about them,” he admitted. “It would have given Rudinsky more time to study their features to reproduce them later. Simonsen was nervous as hell—ah. Excuse me, Yer Highness.”

The Princess gave a lazy flick of her fingers, as if his cursing meant nothing to her. “Why was he nervous?”

“Because he was sitting on a fortune in bills, Yer Highness. He was in charge of the money, and I could tell he and Avers didn’t want to stick around.”

“It was a good thing you did,” murmured Gabby, who had poured herself a cup of tea from the service her aunt had abandoned when she’d left them to report. “Otherwise you would not be there to rescue your mystery man.”

The Princess turned her all-too-knowing gaze to Gabby. “And what do you know of this matter, Miss Lindsay?”

“Cassian has told me everything, Your Highness, save for the name of the man he saved. I suspect his identity is the crux of this matter.”

“What man, precisely?”

Cassian cleared his throat. “If I may continue, Yer Highness?” When the older woman nodded curtly, he rushed through the story of the Prince’s appearance in the brothel—without giving his name—and his drunken state.

His voice didn’t shake when he told of his friend’s deaths, one after the other, but it was only by sheer dint of effort.

If he hadn’t mourned—well, begun the mourning process— with Gabby all those nights ago, Cassian rather doubted he could have spoken their names.

Gabby sat there, staring at him, her eyes shining with pride.

He’d mourned Rudinsky, Avers and Simonsen already, and would continue to mourn them.

But now, perhaps, they could be seen as heroes.

Swallowing, Cassian hurried through the rest of it; how the Prince had visited him at his bedside, and how the man had forbidden him from revealing his involvement.

“He said that the Royal Family was dealing with enough scandal already. With Her Majesty’s advanced age and the excesses, forgive me, attributed to the Prince of Wales, the rumored breach between Princess Victoria Melita and her husband, and Princess Marie Louise and her husband…

they couldn’t afford another scandal.” Cassian’s gaze darted to Gabby’s, then back to the Princess, who was doing an admirable job keeping her expression hidden.

“He pointed out that if his involvement in this…this debacle became known, not only would his pristine military career suffer, but so would the Crown itself.”

With that hint, he thought he might have made the Prince’s identity known.

Most definitely, for the Princess’s expression suddenly fell. “Bloody hell,” she whispered, shaking her head. Then she took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “Who was this mystery man, Mr. Grey?”

Cassian’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment on a silent prayer that she believe him. This was it. “Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, Yer Highness. Yer nephew. ”

“Bloody hell ,” she muttered again, then thrust herself to her feet.

Gone was the composed, at-ease woman from moments ago.

This woman was every inch a princess, a marchioness, and a soon-to-be duchess; she was used to commanding attention and working through problems until she forced a solution.

Cassian watched her pace, her head lowered in thought, muttering under her breath.

“Your Highness?” Gabby asked quietly, slowly standing. “You do believe him, do you not?”

Cassian winced, not sure if he was grateful or not that she’d been brave enough to ask the question.

Ye need to ken. So does she.

Bull had stepped away from the mantel and now stood at Gabby’s side. Cassian could tell he was lending her support. Strangely, that made him feel better.

He knew, in that moment, that Gabby did love him.

Not only did he believe it with all his heart and soul, but so did her family—family she would need, if he were not to be believed and was soon dragged down to London as a traitor.

If Bull could see that she needed his support, because she loved Cassian, then she must love him.

If the Princess didn’t believe his story, and the worst happened, Cassian would go to the hangman knowing he would be remembered.

Gus would have a place at Inverlochy, a home for him and bairns of his own, and he would have the love and support of Gabby and her family.

The lad would grow up strong and good , thanks to all the people who loved him .

Who loved Cassian.

His smile was a little sad, but full of love, when he met Gabby’s gaze.

Her lovely midnight eyes were shining with tears, but she smiled bravely.

I love ye . He wanted to yell it. To tell her how fooking proud he was to be even considered good enough for her.

But the Princess spoke first. “Christie—Prince Christian has never been involved in any scandal. What makes you think this man was he?”

Cassian forced himself to focus, although his heart threatened to pound out of his chest. “I recognized him, Yer Highness. So did Avers, and—as I said—a few of the Fenians. They believed that by taking him, they could gain their independence sooner. As a war hero, we often received notifications of his deeds, accompanied by newspaper clippings.”

The Princess studied him for a few moments longer than necessary, then her shoulders slumped and she glanced away.

“This is not widely known, you understand, but he was in Belfast at the time of your mission. Mother—the Queen thought him a good choice for a morale tour of the Victoria Barracks, and it gave him the opportunity to visit family.”

And at least one brothel .

“You must understand, Mr. Grey…my nephew is touted as a war hero.”

And the Royal Family very much needed heroes. “Aye, Yer Highness,” said Cassian stiffly. “But so were my men. They do no’ deserve to be maligned nor suspected as traitors.”

“If everything you have told me is true?—”

“It is, Yer Highness.” When exactly had he grown the ballocks to interrupt a Princess? “I can understand why the Prince might not want to admit to his involvement, especially now I have countered his orders…but it is all true.”

“Trust me, my orders counter anything he might have said,” the older woman muttered, turning away to pace once more. “Prince Christian is back in South Africa now, serving his country. I will contact him…” She shot Cassian a knowing look. “And he will tell me the truth.”

Cassian nodded firmly. “If he tells the truth, Yer Highness, his story will agree with mine.”

She snorted softly, continuing to pace. “His orders to you were accurate. If such a war hero’s involvement in a scandal like that—a visit to a brothel, a fight with the Fenians, an attempted kidnapping, that many deaths…

If all that had been made public, our—the Royal Family’s reputation would severely decline in public opinion. ”

Cassian exchanged a glance with Gabby. He could see that she liked this answer no more than he did, but neither were bold enough to offer their opinion.

Not to the Princess, the bastard’s aunt, who was now shaking her head as she paced.

“Still, his orders put you in a difficult position, Mr. Grey, I can acknowledge that. By being forbidden—by a prince of the blood!—to explain the entire situation to your superiors, it was no wonder you came under suspicion. Things certainly would have been neater if you had perished with your men. ”

Gabby’s gasp was audible.

Before Cassian could say anything, the woman he loved had wrenched her arm away from Bull’s hold—had he been holding her back?—and marched to stand at Cassian’s side.

She laced her fingers through his and glared defiantly at Princess Louise.

“Cassian is a good man, Your Highness, and does not deserve any of this. He is a wonderful father, and young Gus does not deserve to become an orphan! His men did not deserve to leave their own children orphans! Cassian Grey is a fine example of a loyal subject—he followed the Prince’s orders even when they put himself at risk and?—”

The Princess had been eyeing this outburst with what looked like amusement, so Cassian exhaled and tugged Gabby against him. “Hush, love,” he commanded, untangling their fingers so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders. “Ye’re better than a trial lawyer.”

“You are not on trial!” she snapped, still glaring at the Princess…who began to chuckle.

“You are lucky indeed, Mr. Grey, to have such a strong defense. Miss Lindsay is the one who discovered the truth from you, I take it?”

Cassian nodded stiffly. “If I hadnae revealed what I could to her, she would no’ have been able to put it all together and discover how to exonerate me.”

Still smiling, the older woman inclined her head to Gabby.

“I merely said, Miss Lindsay, that it would have been neater had your love perished. I am sure a medical woman like yourself can see the logic of that, even if you do not like it. I certainly would never wish such a thing. Since he did not, we are left with somewhat of a conundrum.”

“Ballocks,” Bull scoffed, swaggering toward the Princess, a ridiculously charming grin tugging one side of his lips.

“Louise, darling, just tell the lads at the Secret Service that Cass is innocent, and the whole thing is a matter of secrecy, cannae be revealed except to the upper echelons of the organization, et cetera, et cetera .” He scooped up the Princess’s hand and placed a kiss above the skin. “Ye ken ye have that royal power.”

Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne, studied him for a long moment, and Bull’s expression matched hers the whole time…until he winked. When he winked, she began to laugh, then pulled her hand from his and smacked his shoulder.

“You scamp. Yes, yes, you are right, of course.” With a sigh and a smile, she turned to Cassian. “Thank you for your service to the Crown. I will communicate with my nephew, then with your superiors in the Service. They will learn of your heroism?—”

“And my men, Yer Highness?” he asked eagerly, feeling Gabby vibrating with excitement.

“All heroes as well,” the Princess agreed with a grateful smile. “Their families will learn of their bravery and service to the Crown, even if the details remain hidden, and they will be awarded posthumously—and provided for. As for you?—”

“I need nothing,” Cassian was quick to assure her, afraid his grin would knock the top of his head off .

He’d done it. He was exonerated. He was free to have a future.

The Princess’s gaze darted between him and Gabby, and her smile grew. “Very well. You will receive your back pay and an honorable discharge from the Service, Cassian Grey. Nothing more. Nothing less. Bull, let us go look at that very important view from that window for a moment.”

“Why?” The other man glanced at Gabby and his eyes rounded in understanding. “ Oooh . Aye, Yer Highness, look at that tree.”

“Oh, what a lovely tree.”

Bull’s voice revealed his laughter as he led the Princess away. “Did I ever tell ye the story of how wee Gabby’s cat got stuck in the tree? Of course, he was nothing but a barn cat, but she was inconsolable, and Rourke had to climb up there…”

He might have said more but Cassian forgot to listen. At that moment, Gabby swung toward him, wrapped her arms around his middle, and buried her face in his chest.

“I have never been so scared in my life,” she confessed in a mumble. “Not even when I had half my arm down the mouth of a tiger with a toothache.”

And he had to smile. “ Ye , my love? The brave woman who defended me so fiercely?”

“I thought I was going to piss myself.”

Her words were muffled, but he understood them and didn’t bother holding back his chuckle as he hugged her .

He was free .

Free not just from the suspicion of treason, but free to live his life. He could return to Inverlochy and build a future with his son…and with Gabby.

Now he had the chance.

“I love ye,” he rasped, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. “I love ye because ye see the best in me, and because ye make me a better man. I love ye because ye have a kind heart, and love Gus, and are brave enough to make the world a better place.”

She’d slowly loosened her grip on him, and now peeked up from his chest, her cheeks red.

Smiling, he kissed her brow. “I love ye, Gabrielle Lindsay, and I am beyond grateful for the chance to have met ye.”

“Even if it meant losing your foot?” she whispered.

He huffed. “What’s a foot, compared to ye? I would lose both feet. Three feet, even.”

“An entire yard?” She pretended to consider it. “I am not that ?—”

He stopped her teasing with a kiss. “I love ye,” he whispered against her lips.

“Good, because I love you.” Another kiss, as she pushed herself up on her toes. “And I have been thinking…”

Cassian hummed, wrapping his arms tighter around her. “Is it about what yer uncle, the Duke, said earlier?”

“No, Cassian.” Another kiss. “It is about what you asked me earlier, after Uncle Rourke was so rude. ”

And he knew exactly what she was talking about. “Well, Gabby? Do ye have an answer for me?”

Laughing, she threw her arms around his neck. “Of course, Cassian. I will marry you!”