Page 16 of The Rogue’s Embrace

The hot supper was exactly what Maria needed. Her belly was happily full and sleep beckoned. She yawned as softly as she could, but Lisandro caught her eye. He rose from his chair.

"Gentleman, I think it is time to . . . how do you English put it? Call it a night," he said.

Stephen and Gus both nodded in tired agreement. Tomorrow would be another early start and then a late sail. The hours in between would be spent on constant lookout for danger on the road.

"Gus, you can take your usual room. Lisandro, would you care to show Maria to the master bedroom?"

asked Stephen.

"I couldn't possibly impose on you, Sir Stephen,"

said Maria. After all that had been done for her, the last thing she wished to do was put their host out of his own bed. As long as no one drugged her, she didn't mind where she slept.

"I won't be sleeping in the house. Someone needs to stay with the horses. We think we left London undetected, but you can never be sure. A lonely house in the country might appeal to some as being the perfect place to stage an attack,"

said Stephen. He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a double-barreled flintlock. Lisandro and Gus both did the same before putting their weapons back into their holsters.

Stephen nodded at Lisandro. "There is a sword under the bed in the master room, and two other loaded pistols in the top drawer of the tallboy. Smuggling is a dangerous business, and more than one of our competitors wouldn't hesitate to relieve us of our valuable imported goods when they are being moved from Portsmouth to London. We don't take chances."

The sight of pistols being checked dimmed Maria's contented mood. For just a brief time, Maria had imagined herself out of danger. She silently chastised herself.

Only a foolish ni?a would think she was safe, even with these men.

Embarrassed, she lowered her gaze to the floor. No doubt the sooner the English were rid of their burdensome guest, the happier they would be.

That will leave you in the hands of Lisandro. Alone with him. At sea. For days.

"Come, Maria. Let's get you to bed,"

said Lisandro. She knew he said it as a matter-of-fact instruction but hearing him say her name and bed in the same sentence had Maria biting her bottom lip.

"I will wake you all when Granville arrives with our breakfast,"

said Stephen.

Maria and Lisandro bid the rest of the group a goodnight and headed out into the hallway. Candle in hand, Lisandro led her to the end of the landing and through an ornately carved door. She stepped into the master bedroom and he closed the door behind them, locking it.

Maria's gaze went from the key to Lisandro. Why is he locking himself in with me?

"I know this is well outside the boundaries of acceptable arrangements between two unmarried people, especially in our country, but it has to be done. You take the bed and I will rest on the couch," he said.

He pointed toward a long sofa on which a blanket and pillow had been placed. She nodded. There was no point in arguing. If Sir Stephen Moore was going to spend the night sleeping in the stables in order to ensure her protection, she had no right to complain about a comfortable bed or the pistol-wielding man sharing her room.

She also liked being this close to Lisandro. The way her heart beat just a little faster whenever he was near had become a pleasant and very welcome sensation.

He crossed to the window and peered outside. After a quick check of the locks, Lisandro closed the curtains. For someone who was supposed to be just a farmer, he appeared quite familiar with measures of security.

Maria yearned to know more about this intriguing man. "Lisandro. What did you do during the last days of the war against the French? Did you fight at Waterloo alongside the English? I know some Spaniards did," she said.

He scratched his forehead and sighed. "I am not at liberty to tell you those things. Not because I don't trust you. But, the political situation in Spain has changed somewhat since the war and with the return of King Ferdinand to the throne. If I told you what I was doing during those years it might put us both in danger."

His words set her on edge. "You mean further danger. I thought our lives were already at risk."

Lisandro headed over to the tallboy and opened the top drawer. He took out two pistols and laid one on the top of the dresser. The other was still in his hand when he returned to Maria's side.

"Yes, further danger."

He went quiet for a moment, leaving Maria to stare into his deep brown eyes. He slowly blinked. "How is this for an agreement? When we are on the boat, you and I should discuss the true situation in our country. One thing I can tell you is that your father is no more just a farmer than I am. Both of us are political creatures."

"But you are much more than that, Lisandro. I find myself wanting to be with you and discovering who you truly are,"

she replied.

A look of desire flitted across his face. "And believe me when I say I would love to learn all there is to know about you, Maria. But first, we have to make it out of England."

He reached out and brushed his hand over her cheek. A chill ran down Maria's spine at his tender touch.

This is wrong. I shouldn't feel anything for this man.

The longer his fingers lingered on her rapidly heating skin the more muddled her mind became. Her sense of self was rapidly diminishing by the second.

It took a great deal of effort, but Maria finally summoned the strength to draw back.

Papá.

Maria had always known him to be involved in local matters of importance; it was part of his role as Duke of Villabona. The idea of him being any sort of player on a larger stage took her by surprise. It also had her worried. What if his activities were the reason for her kidnapping?

"What do you mean when you say my father is a political creature?"

she asked.

A guarded look appeared on his face. "Your father played a part in the return of the king to Spain, as did I. But Diego tells me your father has now fallen from royal grace. Perhaps Antonio has regrets about helping the king. He wouldn't be alone in that thinking if he did."

A man who found himself questioning his loyalty to the king could find himself with very powerful enemies. People who would seek to do him and his family harm.

"You think the king may have had a hand in my kidnapping?"

she asked.

"We can't put it out of the reach of possibility. Others may seek to win His Majesty's favor by striking at possible enemies. King Ferdinand has plenty of supporters in England. And with you being stolen away here, it means that if anything bad did happen to you, the blame could not be easily laid at his feet."

"Oh. You mean I would never be found."

Lisandro wandered over to the sofa and unfolded the blanket. After checking the pistol once more, he set it down on the floor. He then produced the other pistol from out of his coat and placed it next to it. Both weapons were within easy reach. He took off his coat, but left the rest of his clothes, including his boots, on.

Ready for any possible attack.

"Try and get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow,"

he said, resting his head on the pillow.

Maria lay on the bed for a long time, mulling over Lisandro's words about a possible motive for her kidnapping. While she wished it was impossible, the longer she thought about it, the more it made bone-chilling sense.

She rose up on one elbow and their gazes met. This man had risked a great deal to rescue her.

"Thank you, Lisandro. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here tonight. I may even be dead."

Lisandro waited until Maria fell asleep and was softly snoring before leaving the room and heading out onto the balcony. He closed the door quietly behind him. The only light, apart from a crescent moon, was the golden glow from Gus's cigar. As Lisandro stepped into the night air, he was greeted with the click of a pistol, then a sigh.

"Better not shoot you,"

muttered Gus as he un-cocked his gun.

"My future children thank you,"

replied Lisandro. He came and stood beside his friend, their backs to the wall while their gazes searched the darkness. "Do you think we were followed from London?"

Gus shook his head. "I made certain to check behind us every few miles. If I were a kidnapper intent on overtaking us, I would have done it closer to the city where I could call on more men. To be honest, I think the real danger now lies ahead of you."

In Spain. Where Maria and I will be on our own until I can get her to Castle Tolosa.

He would just have to hope that they could slip into the port of Bilbao and not be noticed.

"Maria settled in for the night?"

asked Gus.

It was an innocuous enough question, but Lisandro well knew the real meaning behind it. Maria had been light-hearted when Mister Granville was here, tasting the brandy and showing self-confidence. But years of war and subterfuge had taught them both that people often adopted a mask when nervous or seriously worried.

"She was asking about her father. Wishes to know what he has been involved in,"

he replied. And whether his political affiliations have had something to do with her kidnapping. "I told her we can talk about it once we board the yacht to Spain. I figure if she hears the truth of what her beloved padre has been doing, Maria might need a few days at sea to be able to absorb that hard truth."

Gus handed Lisandro the cigar, and he took a long, deep drag before handing it back. "I can imagine it might be difficult to accept that Antonio de Elizondo is in fact one of those who have been moving behind the scenes in an effort to curtail the king's power,"

replied Gus.

"A woman of such noble birth as Maria should only be having to concern herself with finding a good husband and raising a family. She most certainly shouldn't have to worry about being kidnapped. If someone takes issue with her father, that is who they should be dealing with,"

said Lisandro.

He was not looking forward to having a full and frank conversation with Maria about what was happening behind the scenes in Spain, or how capricious their king could be when it came to matters of loyalty and treason.

Maria's kidnapping might only be the beginning of her family's troubles. It was yet another good reason for the two families to finally set their long feud aside. If he and Antonio could find a way to work together, they might be able to protect both the Elizondo and the Aguirre clans from powerful and as yet unknown enemies.

Only then could Lisandro look to win Maria's heart.